You see, that rock was resting on foundations of sand. You lied to my face, over and over again. There were never any late-night meetings in your law firm. Nor was it going to expand to New Jersey. You had been playing me for months. The honorable thing for you to do would have been to just tell me about her. But, you wouldn’t. You preferred running back and forth from Manhattan. That’s the kind of man you are: greedy, lustful and dishonest.
It broke my heart when I saw you two kissing in the subway. I lost the world under my feet. I cried: hard. I had lost the love of my life, the man I hoped I would marry someday. Then, I saw her belly… No words could describe my gut-wrenching pain. You didn’t just betray me, Tommy. You humiliated me. You trashed the one thing I had been holding on to all these years. My dreams went up in ashes. Now, here I am, trying to pick up the pieces. Will I ever get over you? Will I ever find the strength to fall in love again? I don’t know. All I know is that my world is shattered. I need some time to heal. Nah, who am I kidding? I may never heal. The wound is too deep.
Goodbye, Tommy. I send the best of luck to the mother of your child. Something tells me she is going to need it.
Susan”
Marianne’s short letter moved him. If anything, it proved how emotional she was. Upon recalling her earlier statement though, it sent shockwaves through his body. What if Susan was actually her? It was then that he discovered that, even though they had known each other for only a few hours, he was attracted to her. He didn’t want just to have fun with her. Instead, Dominic wanted to be in a relationship with her.
Get a grip.” He thought to himself, running his hand through his hair. She’s only going to be here for a week. She doesn’t belong here and you definitely don’t belong in the Big Apple. Damn it, Dominic… What the hell is wrong with you? Maybe Jean’s right. I’m a little childish. I don’t regret it, though. That painting was the heat of the moment. It was just a reaction to something that touched me deep inside: nothing more.”
Regardless of his feelings, he couldn’t resist the temptation of reading more. Indeed, Dominic liked her writing too much to pass on the opportunity. However, as he flipped through the pages, Marianne’s pale hand came into view. Gently, she took her manuscripts in her palm and folded them, as he rolled his eyes up to meet her gaze.
“Sir, we started off on the wrong foot.” She spoke, her voice calm and steady. “I really hope we can put what happened in the garden behind us and keep it professional from now on.”
“That’s fine by me,” he said, a hint of sadness in his baritone, as his mouth tightened in a grim line. “On one condition: Tell me, Marianne. Are you the woman in that letter? Are you Susan?”
“Yes.” She answered in a broken voice, tearing her gaze away from his, as he arose to his impressive, 6’3” stature. “I sent that to Melanie by mistake.”
“I’m really sorry.” Dominic whispered, staring at her trembling lips. “I can’t imagine the pain you’ve been through. But, I have an idea. Care to hear it?”
“Sure.” Marianne gave a small nod.
“You’ll be here for a week. The interview part won’t take up much of your time. Try to have some fun.” He advised, leaning over her, as she stared down at the floor. “You can borrow my limo. Take Melanie, go to Paris. I’m sure she’d love to go with you. It is six hours away. If you guys are too tired, you can spend the night there and come back the next day.”
“You’re being too kind.” She sighed, a bitter smile on her face, as she clenched her jaw. “But, I’m supposed to stay here.”
“You don’t travel to France every day, do you?” Dominic smiled. “Go ahead. Do what I said. You’re leaving tomorrow. But, you’re all mine for tonight.”
“What do you mean?” Marianne asked with a hint of worry in her voice as she looked up at him.
“Don’t worry,” he snorted in amusement. “We’re just going out for dinner. Wait here. I need to get out of these wet clothes.”
“Oh…” Relief flashed in her eyes. “Ok, then.”
Dominic gave her one last smile and moved around her. Her short response had confirmed his fears. It was clear to him that she was still recovering from her painful breakup. At any rate though, he would do everything in his power to make her feel better, even though he knew he could not have her.
You’ve suffered long enough, Marianne. These seven days are going to be all about the fun; your fun, at least. Try to forget about that son of a bitch. He’s not worth it, anyway. What kind of man does that? I mean, knock someone up and then pretend everything’s fine? For real? What a loser…”
6
The moon was high in the sky on that cold, mid-March night, as Dominic’s garage door slid open sideways. A gentle press down on the throttle of his Lamborghini was enough to make the powerful engine roar, as he slowly drove towards his entrance. He was willing to do as Marianne requested; yet, her stunning looks did not allow him to do so. She looked incredible in her blue, ankle-long dress.
“Damn…” A sigh of exasperation left his lips. “I forgot how hot she was.”
“This is fantastic,” she commented, opening the passenger door. “I’ve always had a thing for sports cars.”
“Miss Brewster.” Dominic smirked, as the iron-gate slid upwards. “A Golf GTI is a sports car. This…” He turned his head to the left to face her. “This is a supercar.”
Their backs were pulled into the seats, as he pressed his foot hard down on the throttle. The massive engine revved and the wide tires kicked up water and gravel from the ground, as he drove off. Upon reaching the gate, Dominic turned right and onto a narrow road, smiling to himself.
“Oh, my God!” Marianne squeaked and her eyes were wide open with terror. “This thing is a monster!”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Dominic said with a grin. “It’s a tamable monster, though.” He added, easing down on the throttle. In a split second, the expensive supercar slowed down. It no longer sounded so terrifying. As a matter of fact, neither of them could hear the engine anymore.
“Jesus…” She sighed in relief, closing her eyes as she tilted her head down. “Do you have a death wish or something?”
“Relax, Miss Brewster.” He spoke in a more serious tone. “It only lasted a few seconds. If I wanted to scare you, trust me, I could have done a lot worse.”
“Where are we going?” Marianne asked.
“Les Bossons,” Dominic assumed a French accent. “It’s a nice little village, about four miles from here. It’s small: quiet; nothing like New York or Paris.”
“I kind of messed up back there,” She said, her voice low as she leaned back in her seat. “I shouldn’t have encouraged you. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.” He confessed in a. “We just got a little carried away. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“So…” Marianne started. “What’s it like to be king? How does it feel?”
“I think you’re smart enough to avoid such a cliché question,” Dominic stated.
“It is,” she agreed, nodding, as she pulled a small notebook out of her purse. “But it’s the first question on everybody’s lips. How is it?”
“My life consists of a lot of loneliness,” Dominic said, sadness written all over his face. “You don’t know who to trust. I keep trying to avoid fortune hunters. There are good things. I have a lot of time for myself, but this solitude sometimes is killing me.”
“You do realize that this is going to invite a lot of attention, right?” Marianne inquired, pointing at her notebook. “The interview, that is.”
“Sure I do,” he muttered. “Rest assured, Miss Brewster, I can spot a fortune hunter from a million miles away.”
“Really?” She raised her eyebrow. “How?”
“They never look me in the eye,” Dominic heaved a long, deep sigh: “They stare at my hands: they make the same stupid comments on my clothes: my cars: my castle. I swear to God, it’s like I’m listening to the same old tape, playing over and over again. ‘O
oooh, what a nice car; Ooooh, I think that rock has blinded me.’” He added, his voice high-pitched, as he once again assumed a French accent.
He anticipated yet another question, but what followed his answer was her sweet, hearty laughter. Marianne burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. Much to his surprise, her reaction made his heart flutter.
“That’s what I did when I heard that crap the first time.” He spoke in frustrated tones. “It stopped being funny after the second time.”
“Oh, no…” She chuckled, “They say that?”
“Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Dominic’s remark forced her to stop and open her eyes.
“What?”
“Never mind,” he said, biting his lower lip, as they crossed the village limits. “You wanted to keep this professional. I’m trying to respect your wish.”
“Simple, funny and polite:” Marianne declared, not taking her eyes off of her notebook. “What are your hobbies?”
“You’re in one.” Dominic spoke, as a toothy grin spread across his face. “Actually, you’re in two.”
“Yeah.” She swallowed hard, “Painting and fast cars. That’s quite an antithesis. Art relaxes you. These cars are just way too…”
“… loud and aggressive.” He finished her sentence, as they entered the restaurant’s parking lot. “They are, but most of them have a soul. You need to drive one to see what I mean. Get out of the car and look around you. Then, tell me if you’ve seen anything more beautiful than this.”
Marianne obliged. The moon and the stars cast their light upon the stunning Les Bossons glacier. Right behind it, she could clearly see of the majestic, snowy Mont Blanc. She liked the view so much that she stood still and speechless, with a broad, happy smile on her face. Dominic preferred silence. He loved the view, but her happy expression was much more enjoyable than the sight of a glacier and a mountain he had seen too many times in the past.
“I can think of one thing that would make this moment even better. Get it out of your head, Dominic. It’s not going to happen. You’ll also ruin this. Too bad… That kiss was amazing.”
And then, Marianne did the most incredible thing, something that made Dominic’s heart melt. She closed her blissful eyes and the words which came out of her mouth sent shivers down his spine.
Sheer and jagged the rock and the stone
Beauty in the eyes of the mountain king
Noble at heart and yet so alone
From the ashes his joy shall spring
“Impressive.” Dominic put his hands together, as she opened her eyes. “You really are gifted.”
“Thank you.” Marianne whispered. “It was just…”
“Something we have in common,” Once more, he didn’t allow her to finish her sentence. “You are an artist, Miss Brewster. You have to express yourself. You do it with a pen; I do it with a brush. Follow me.” He went on, offering his left hand. She glanced down at it and hesitantly gave him her own. As he led her to the old, traditional restaurant, he felt his heart pounding in his chest. Marianne was very different than the women he had socialized with in the past. More than that, her artistic nature made her irresistible. It occurred to him that respecting her will would be much more challenging than he originally believed.
What are you doing to me, Marianne? I’ve been looking for a woman like you all my life; someone with a similar soul, who could understand my need to pour my heart out. Now, here she is, forbidding me to even talk about dating her. God, it’s killing me inside…
7
Over a long, delicious dinner, Dominic and Marianne confined their conversations to generalities. The young king found it all the more difficult to not flirt with her. Up until then, he admired her gorgeous, natural looks and her writing style. Now, her gift, and the fact that they were somewhat alike, had charmed him more than he could have ever expected.
Luckily for him, she did not bring up anything that had transpired between them or her verse. Instead, Marianne chose to discuss the hardships of life as a reporter and the problems she had with her more seasoned colleagues. They all seemed to think less of her and all that she could do was endure their crude comments and the chattering behind her back. She had confronted one of them, on her second week at work, but he was too amused by her annoyance to provide an answer. Just a few days later, her friend Kate solved the mystery as she overheard two of them on her way in: her colleagues thought of her as a failed author. Of course, Dominic was tempted to ask her again about her book; yet, he would do no such thing. Sharing her –obviously painful— story with him was her decision. He would not pressure her.
Strangely enough, Marianne did not ask him any further questions about himself. She seemed to be enjoying his stories about his numerous, failed romances. Dominic impersonated each and every one of his aspiring lovers, making her laugh more and more. Their end was quite predictable, but she did not lose her interest. On the contrary, as time went by, Marianne requested to hear more. Nevertheless, as much as he liked entertaining her, he wanted to know more about her. So, Dominic asked her about her loved ones. The bond that Marianne shared with her friend Kate amazed him. The two of them had been friends since kindergarten and had hardly argued over the years. They were very different. He burst out laughing quite a few times, as she mentioned dozens of her silly comments. Marianne appreciated her friend for supporting her on practically every important decision she had made so far, although sometimes her naivety could drive Kate crazy.
Regardless of her relationship with her friend, more than two hours after their arrival, hope lit up within him. Their long, friendly discussion did not feel at all like an interview. Instead, it felt more and more like a date. Dominic could sense that Marianne was stealing glances at him every once in a while and he did that as well.
You said you wanted me to stay away, but your eyes can’t tell a lie, my dear Marianne. I’m going to wait until we’re back in my castle. I can’t help but wonder… What is it you really want me to do?”
Just when they were about to leave, a crackling stream of lightning sizzled and flashed. A boom of thunder rattled the windows, making the wooden floor vibrate. Dominic and Marianne glanced at each other. He made a dash to the door, as she followed him. He crossed the few yards that separated him from his car in seconds, as the rain poured down on him. He pressed the “ignition” button under the steering wheel, as she closed the passenger door. Before they could leave however, he sensed her smooth palm on his cheek. Dominic had no time to react. Marianne cupped his face, her fingers grazing his beard, as she leaned over him. She reached out her other hand and drove it into his hair, angling her lips. He closed his eyes, snaking his arm around her back, as she claimed his mouth. Losing himself in her gentle, passionate kiss, Dominic held her close, as she ran her fingers through his hair. Unable to believe his luck, he relished in the moment, sliding his hand up her side. He stroked her shoulder, as Marianne’s caresses made his entire body tingle. Her scent flowed through him, as her soft sighs filled his ears. Letting go of her shoulder, he slid his hand across it and up her neck, as she gripped his hair. Marianne released his lips and kissed him on the cheek, before leaning back.
“This has been the craziest day of my life,” she confessed, a broad smile on her face as she slowly opened her eyes. “I’ve traveled to France: a handsome man kissed me in the rain; drew my portrait; offered to make me feel better; and bought me a delicious dinner.”
“You said that…”
“Forget what I said,” Marianne interrupted, with her voice husky as she put her fingers over his mouth. “Please, take me back to your castle. I’d love to see that forest again.”
“Okay.” Dominic nodded, as his heart leapt with joy. She ran her hand down his face and put her head on his broad chest, as he drove off. He had no idea why she had changed her mind, but he would not dare ask. Eager to be alone with her, he smiled to himself, getting lost in his thoughts…
I knew it. I knew you wanted more than just
to interview me, Marianne. I can’t wait for this. God, I wish we were closer. Those four miles feel a little too much. Nah, stop complaining, Dominic. You got your wish. Who cares if it’s four, five or fifty miles for God’s sake? You’ll get to spend the night with her. That’s what matters.
8
It was almost midnight, when Dominic and Marianne returned to his castle. He was planning to take advantage of the absence of his staff, but, as soon as they entered his garage, she stormed out of his car. Before he could wonder about it, her words flashed through his mind:
“I’d love to see that forest again.”
“Romantic soul,” he said to himself, as he climbed the stairs. Her bedroom door was wide open. Dominic could feel the cool breeze, as he approached it. Stopping under the doorframe, he saw her standing behind the open window in the upper right corner, with her back turned to him.
“You could have waited for me, you know,” he teased.
“That’s true,” she smiled, looking up at him over her left shoulder, as a blinding flash of lightning lit up the night. “But, I had something else in mind.”
“What would that be?” Dominic smirked, as his lazy footsteps brought him closer to her. This time though, Marianne did not speak. Hugging her from behind, he bent his head down and laid a soft kiss on her right cheek, as he interlaced his fingers over her stomach.
Filthy Desires: A Romantic Suspense Collection Page 193
