Dominic saw a mixture of hesitation and determination in her eyes. She smiled softly. “I love weddings. And since I am fond of Langley—”
“You are fond of him?” He frowned. “How fond?”
She lifted a delicate brow. “Fond enough. Now come, or we’ll be late.”
He knew she toyed with him, yet he hated the jealousy he felt from something meant to be a joke. What if Arlie did become fond of another man? Sure, he had bought her clothes, bought her a townhouse, and kept her in jewels, but was that enough? Any man of means could do the same, a few could do one better and even marry her—like Daniel, who just so happened to be staring at he and Arlie. Standing with a striking brunette, the younger man’s smile faded as their gazes locked. Despite his effort to forget the occasion, Dominic remembered the American and Arlie kissing in the garden at Whitley.
Dominic pushed the image away and seated Arlie beside Langley’s family. Langley’s aunt welcomed her with open arms, but the rest ignored her.
Arlie watched Dominic head toward the bridegroom and the rest of the wedding party. She ignored the stares directed at her, focusing instead on the beauty around her; the flowers, the music…the bride who looked splendid in cream silk and lace. Langley’s wife, Rose, though no slim beauty, had a riot of auburn curls, a charming smile and a wonderful Irish accent that was easy on the ears. When she laughed, it sounded like music.
While the couple spoke their vows, Arlie watched Dominic. How handsome he was in his black tail coat and Cossack trousers, the white of his shirt emphasizing his dark good looks. Not a woman around didn’t covet the man, and Arlie felt a rush of sheer pleasure knowing she held a special place in his life.
For a brief moment Arlie envisioned herself up at the altar, Dominic at her side, exchanging vows that would bind them together forever. How wonderful it would be to know he was hers until the end of time. Her hand instinctively moved to her still flat stomach. At least she’d always have a part of him, no matter what happened.
Putting all negative thoughts aside, she instead let her mind drift to the baby. What would he or she look like? Would the baby have dark hair and blue eyes, or blonde hair and green eyes, or perhaps a combination? She realized she truly didn’t care—just as long as the baby was healthy.
When the priest pronounced Langley and Rose man and wife, the couple kissed and a cheer rang out over the vast hall. Finally, when the hall had cleared, she made her way out just in time to catch sight of Dominic, looking tall and splendid, and far too cozy, as he lifted a beautiful redhead’s hand to his lips.
“Miss Whitman!”
Arlie turned to find Dominic’s grandmother standing behind her, leaning heavily on her cane. “Could I have a word with you?” she queried. Before Arlie could reply, the dowager was already walking toward an adjoining room.
Glancing over her shoulder, Arlie saw Dominic still heavy in conversation with the pretty redhead. Seeing she would get no help from that quarter, she followed the dowager and sat down.
“I understand my grandson has set you up in style.” Her brow lifted, her voice condescending, as though she and Arlie hadn’t shared a rare friendship just weeks before. “I will not mince words. I thought you were different, Arlie. I thought that you would want a man who would, at the very least, marry you. Dom will never marry you. I know him as well as I know myself. He is just like his father, and the only reason he married was because I forced him to. Dominic’s mother was a good woman, and she truly did love my son. Unfortunately, he could never be faithful to her and in the end it killed her. I would hate to see the same happen to you.”
Arlie’s cheeks burned. “I know you’re disappointed in us, but I love your grandson with all of my heart.”
She shook her head. “What happened to that girl with dreams of a wonderful future? You promised me a day not so long ago that you would never let a man use you, but look at you, Arlie. That is exactly what you have done. You have let him have his way with you, and where will you be when he tires of you?”
“He will not leave me.”
The dowager laughed cruelly. “You are so young, Arlie. You know nothing of the world. Dominic is content at the moment, but how long will that last? How long do any of his relationships last? And when it is over and he is no longer paying your bills, where will you be? I’ll tell you where. You’ll be out on the streets, looking for another man of means that will take you in and pay your bills. I dare say Miss Whitman, you will end up just as your mother did.”
Arlie flinched. She didn’t like the reference to her mother. Arlie loved Dominic deeply. Her mother didn’t know what the word love meant, and had looked for it in the arms of many men. But with Dominic, Arlie knew what she felt was true love. The dowager smiled sadly. “One day he will marry, Arlie, and there will be nothing that you can do about it. You will be his mistress for a time, but you will never experience what it is to walk down the aisle with him, or to wake up in his bed every morning.”
Feeling light-headed under the onslaught, Arlie asked, “Why are you saying this?”
“Because you deserve much more than what you’ve settled for. You are a good woman and deserving of a man who will marry you and give you sons and daughters. But that man is not my grandson. I know him too well. And I know you as well. Will you truly be happy being the other woman? Will you be complete just sitting by waiting for him to come to you, waiting while he is doing his duty to his family?”
Arlie knew exactly what the dowager implied, and the image hurt terribly, especially now that Arlie was pregnant with Dominic’s child. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell the dowager that she carried the Rochford heir, but she couldn’t bring herself to say the words, for fear of what the response may be.
“Leave him, Arlie. Release him.”
Leave him? “I will never leave him…not ever. I don’t care if he’s married to the Queen, I will still be in my townhouse every night, waiting for him to come to me. And when he does, I will love him so completely that he will be hard-pressed not to stay with me.”
“Grandmother, what are you doing, or need I ask?” Dominic asked, taking Arlie’s hand in his own.
“I was just asking how things were going for Miss Whitman. It sounds as though you’ve taken good care of her—as you take care of all your women.”
“Grandmother, you are ever the charming one, and as much as I’d like to prolong our visit, we need to take our leave now. I bid you good day.”
They spent the next few hours in light-hearted conversation, and Arlie tried in earnest to have a good time. But try as she might, the dowager’s taunting words came back to haunt her time and again. She began to feel as though this was the beginning of the end.
Seeing Daniel made her wonder what would have happened had she took a different course and not broken off the engagement. She would still be engaged to Daniel, but living under Dominic’s roof and sharing his bed. In all, it was better this way. At least she was being honest with herself and not hurting anyone else in the process.
Daniel had been pleasant enough, speaking with her briefly, trying to make it look to everyone that all was well, even though she sensed an underlying resentment. But she couldn’t very well blame him. His pleasant manner was more than she could have hoped for.
Once they were back at the townhouse, Arlie let Dominic lead her to the silk-covered bed. As Arlie undressed slowly, Dominic lay on the bed and devoured her with his heated gaze. She loved the power she had over him, and realized with a pang it was the only time she had control of their relationship. She was a puppet on a string when it came to the rest, and in that she was content because she loved him.
She crawled onto the bed, and with a wicked smile, slowly pulled the pants off of him. Kissing first his toes, then his knee, then his thigh. His penis was engorged, pulsing and throbbing. She took the glorious length into her mouth, rolling her tongue over the smooth head, loving the feel of him, the taste of him. His shaft jerked beneath her ministrations and s
he took him further into her mouth, moving up and down his length until he panted.
Her stomach that had been in knots all day began to relax as another emotion took hold, making her warm all over. She pressed her legs together so great was the need to feel him inside her. But she wanted to satisfy him, knowing one day soon he would be sharing his bed with another.
She kissed his stomach, his chest, and then straddled him, his huge shaft rearing between their bodies. His hands cupped her breasts while his gaze shifted to his penis, then back to her face. She knew what he wanted, and she wanted it too. She leaned over him, pressing her mons over his erection. He sucked in his breath and she kissed him. His hips came up off the bed, and she impaled herself upon him. He sat up enough to take a nipple into his mouth, teasing it with teeth and tongue. She increased the pace, riding him until her body clenched around him, bringing them both to climax.
Chapter Fifteen
Dominic knew his grandmother would not lose a battle with finesse. On the contrary, rumor had it that she would go to any length to get what she wanted.
That thought was uppermost in his mind when he arrived that morning at her townhouse having read her urgent request. The last time he’d received such a message, his father had been killed in a hunting accident. Now, he wondered if his grandmother had fallen ill. But as he entered the parlor, he found her in perfect health.
“Grandmother, what is this about?” he asked, holding onto what little control of his temper he had left.
She took a deep breath, then with a smile replied, “It is time for you to produce an heir.”
Dominic headed back toward the door, when her voice stopped him. “I know you have never looked upon the union of marriage with glee, but you must procure an heir for the Rochford dynasty. You yourself know that if something happened to you, those nitwit cousins of yours would take over, and Lord knows every ancestor of ours would be rolling over in their graves.”
Dominic turned to face her. He retraced his steps until he stood before her. “All my life I have strived to please you, to no avail. As a young man I told you my wishes were to simply be left alone.”
“And I have done that.”
“To a point,” he replied, taking a deep breath. “I understand that you wish me to take a wife in order for me to have sons who will inherit, but I must ask you to stop this nonsense. If I must find a wife, let me do it. I alone will pick, not you. I will ask that you leave me to make my own judgments. After all, I keep the family business running, and I do my fair share in the name of Rochford. In fact, I would ask that you relieve yourself of this silly idea of me marrying and let us continue our relationship as things have always been. Let nature takes it course, and in time I will marry.”
She shrugged. “I simply want an heir—a legitimate one.”
“I wonder, Grandmother, if you do this only because you know that I have never been happier than I am now.”
Her immediate smile proved he was right.
“You’re in love, aren’t you, Dom?” she laughed loudly. “You love Arlie and you would do anything for her, save marry her. And you know deep in your heart that you would love to marry her, even though you don’t trust yourself enough to. You know you could never be faithful, because you are just like that bastard who sired you.” She tapped her fingernails against the wood of the chair and stared at him without blinking.
When he didn’t reply, she shook her head. “Well, dear boy, it matters not, because you have no choice. The deed is done and I have helped you in your quest. Lady Katerina is expecting you at her Paris estate the first of next week. I’m not saying that you have to marry her; I’m just asking you to consider her. She is the daughter of a duke and very sought after.”
As his grandmother continued her rambling, Dominic knew that she would stop at nothing to see him married off. His insides churned at the thought of taking a wife, especially when his heart belonged to Arlie.
* * * * *
Just a few days before Christmas there came a knock at Arlie’s front door. Dominic had left for Paris on business just that morning, Mary was out, and the few servants left in the house were busy working in the kitchen.
Opening the door, Arlie tried to hide her surprise seeing Daniel standing on the steps, shivering from the cold. She hesitated, uncertain why he would come visit.
“Miss Whitman,” he said, brushing snow off his jacket. “It is rather brisk out here.”
“Do come in,” she replied, taking his coat and hat.
“I realize I should have sent word first, but I came on a whim.”
“Really?” she said, ushering him toward the parlor. She lifted the bell to order tea, when Daniel stopped her, his hand squeezing hers.
“I’ve come as a friend, Miss Whitman.”
The urgent tone of his voice alone made the breath catch in her throat. He quickly removed his hand from hers and took a seat. “There is a rumor spreading fast, and I dare say it is quite shocking…and I suppose I wanted confirmation.”
She was past the point of letting idle gossip get her down, but he had piqued her interest. “Certainly. What is it, Daniel?”
“Well, I’ve heard it on good authority that Rochford is engaged.”
Arlie laughed halfheartedly. “That is ridiculous.”
He frowned. “Is it really?”
“It’s absurd,” she said, her voice dropping to a mere whisper, when she saw the knowing look in his eye. Her stomach instantly clenched in a knot, but she told herself to not take anything to heart.
“You don’t know, do you? That bastard! Rochford is engaged to Katerina Derpeu the daughter of a duke. She is a classic beauty, and most sought after in her homeland. I’ve heard that he is with her now, at Katerina’s Paris home, going over the wedding details.”
Arlie felt the blood drain from her face. That very morning Dominic had left, saying he had “business” in Paris. Now she knew what her mother must have felt when the same had happened to her. “I didn’t know,” she said, feeling stupid and defeated.
Daniel took her hand in his and squeezed it tight. “Dearest Arlie, how could you? He keeps you locked up day in and day out, while he’s out cavorting with his fiancée, and Lord knows who else.”
Disbelief washed over her, imagining Dominic with his lovely French fiancée. She was no doubt as stunning as Daniel said, probably even more so. And very sought after. Leave it to Dominic to get a woman that every man wanted.
No wonder he had been so quiet these last few days, talking about unsavory business he must attend to. Each night he would take her with an urgency she had thought was love. Soon he would be sharing his bed with another woman, and he would have no use for her. And what of her child? Still she had not told him…and now it was too late.
“You look unwell.”
She glanced up to find Daniel watching her with a quizzical, almost satisfied expression. No doubt he was enjoying himself immensely, probably feeling it was exact revenge on her for humiliating him. Anger rippled along her spine.
“I do feel unwell.”
“Can I do anything?”
“No, you have done enough by telling me. Thank you for your friendship,” she managed to reply. “I know I’m undeserving of it, especially after all I’ve done to you. I hope that I can repay you someday.”
“You can,” she thought she heard him say, but wasn’t sure when he cleared his throat a moment later and excused himself.
Hours later she still sat in the same seat, staring out the window as night descended. Where was Dominic now, she wondered? With his fiancée, preparing for a long night of social functions, balls, soirees, where they would mingle arm in arm among the other blue-bloods of society?
Yet, what if Daniel had lied? What if Dominic really wasn’t engaged and Daniel had only told her this to get back at her? But, how could she know for sure?
She straightened. There was only one way to find out.
* * * * *
As Arlie approached Langl
ey’s estate, she sat forward in the carriage seat, her nails biting into her palms. Twice already she’d almost asked the footman to turn the coach around, but instead she’d strengthened her resolve and walked into Langley’s home with a false smile on her face.
Arlie noticed instantly how happy Langley appeared. His contentment with Rose surprised her, especially since he had told her he planned on taking a mistress. Did he have a woman on the side? she wondered. He sat there looking happy and satisfied with Rose, but was there another woman waiting for him?
Dominic had once mentioned that Langley did not look kindly on marriage and had done it only for the money, yet as she watched Langley watching his wife, Arlie wondered if he’d found love. Would the same thing happen to Dominic? Would he fall in love with his beautiful bride?
The thought made her feel like someone had stuck a blade between her ribs.
“Arlie, what a pleasure. Dominic stopped by this morning on his way to Paris and said you were unwell. I would hope that is no longer the case.”
Dominic had noticed her morning sickness, which had worsened since last week. “I am fine,” she replied, feeling suddenly foolish for being there, but needing to know the truth. Before she lost her courage, she blurted, “I came to ask a question, and despite your friendship with Dominic, I would hope you can answer me truthfully.”
He sat up straight, his expression all business. “Certainly.”
Arlie took a deep breath. “Is Dominic engaged to be married?”
She had her answer the moment Langley quickly glanced in his wife’s direction. “Darling, would you mind if Miss Whitman and I had a moment alone?”
Rose nodded and left the room.
“Arlie, you know Dominic would never hurt you.”
“So…it is true.”
“I cannot deny it.”
Dangerous Desires Page 20
