The Cost of Her Innocence

by Jacqueline Baird

  Dante felt a muscle begin to beat in his temple. It was anger, but it was something else as well. Her spirited attempt to defy him and the sultry look from her green eyes shouldn’t have anywhere near the sensual impact it did. The cynic in him had had the fleeting thought that Beth might have got pregnant deliberately for money, but he had quickly dismissed the notion as he’d recalled every moment in her bed: the silken caress of her hands against his flesh, the taste and the scent of her. He hadn’t been able to get enough of her. And it was making him want to repeat the experience with an urgency that was growing painful.

  With that in mind, he lowered his long length on the sofa and slid his arm along the back of the sofa behind her. He noted her flinch. ‘An interesting scenario, Beth, but I don’t believe you would reveal to the world your criminal past to thwart me, knowing your child would eventually suffer from the knowledge. As for money—it is not something that bothers me. Right now I want to get acquainted with our baby.’

  He was right, damn him, and Beth’s breath caught in her throat at our baby—and at the gleam she saw in his dark eyes as they moved down her body.

  ‘May I?’

  He placed his hand on her still-flat stomach and for a long moment a strange quivering trance held them both as the enormity of what they had created finally sank in.

  Dante raised his head, his dark eyes meeting hers, and she was vaguely aware that his other hand was resting on her shoulder. His long fingers stroked her midriff, tenderly edging higher, and suddenly a trance of a different nature shimmered between them.

  His arm tightened around her shoulders. His mouth brushed gently across her lips. His hand moved to cup her breast. Beth caught her breath and his mouth covered hers, his tongue stroking along the curve of her lips to seek entry. Her eyes fluttered closed as he kissed her long and deeply, with a seductive tenderness she had never felt before.

  Dante raised his head and Beth stared dazedly into his molten eyes as his long fingers circled her neck to trail down her throat, their touch caressing and arousing. Then with a groan his sensuous mouth found hers again, to kiss her with a deepening passion, and his tactile fingers reached the swift rise and fall of her breasts to pluck at one tight nipple. Her lips parted on a low moan as his mouth caught its partner to lick and suckle, and a shaft of sensual pleasure shot through her slender body. Her mind demanded she tell him to stop, but her body was brought vibrantly alive by his touch.

  He raised his head and she saw the passionate intent in his dark eyes as she heard his voice. ‘You want this, Beth?’

  The question and the sound of his deep, husky voice broke the trance she was in and made Beth realise what she was inviting. ‘No!’ she cried, and scrambled along the sofa, fighting to catch her breath and still her frantically racing heart. Suddenly she realised the straps of her dress were halfway down her arms, baring her breasts to his avid gaze. How or when it had happened she had no idea....

  She could not look at him. She was mortified at how easily she had succumbed to his skilful caress. She pulled the straps of her dress back over her shoulders. The fabric hurt her sensitized breasts, but nowhere near as much as she hurt inside.

  Finally she glanced sideways at Dante. He had straightened up, his head resting on the back of the sofa, and she could see the pulse beating in his strong throat, the rise and fall of his muscular chest and the unmistakable bulge in his jeans....

  Swallowing hard, she looked away. Knowing she was not the only one suffering was some consolation, and she hoped it hurt. She could not believe she had almost made the same mistake again....

  Was she destined to be fatally attracted to this man for the rest of her life? Had his fiancée, Ellen, felt the same? The thought came out of nowhere and made Beth feel worse. Their engagement had been broken the weekend of the barbecue, she knew. But they could be back together by now. They had to love each other if they had been arranging the wedding.

  A large hand cupped her chin and turned her head, so she was forced to look up at Dante. ‘Given your initial response, I don’t believe “once was enough” after all,’ he drawled, a hint of humour in the dark eyes that held hers. ‘I know you, Beth, and I was right. You are a tease, but you also have a natural talent for sex. It is only your stubborn determination to hold a grudge against me that is stopping you. But I can wait.’ And he grinned.

  It was the grin that got her. She knocked his hand away and leapt off the sofa to stare down at him for a change. ‘And you would know because you are such an expert. Tell me, what is Ellen going to say when she discovers you’ve made me pregnant? Weren’t you two supposed to be getting married this month? Or maybe you are not my baby’s father? Have you thought of that? I could have had another man since you.’ Mentally she kicked herself for not thinking of that sooner.

  ‘No, you haven’t. You are as transparent as glass in some respects, and the idea of another man has only just occurred to you—too late to be believed, I’m afraid.’ There was no humour in his eyes now, she noted, as he added, ‘As for Ellen—she is none of your concern or mine any more. We broke up and the wedding was cancelled, remember?’

  ‘So just like that you dismiss the woman who loved you?’ Beth said, dropping the ‘other man’ plan as pointless. Even if he believed her a DNA test would prove otherwise, and Dante was nothing if not thorough.

  ‘Grow up, Beth. Love had nothing to do with my relationship with Ellen. I decided it was time I got married and Ellen and I are in the same profession, with the same background. She seemed the perfect candidate. We were compatible. I wanted a child, an heir, and she said she wanted the same—until she got emotional and told me I didn’t love her enough, threw the engagement ring back at me. I realised she wanted a lot more than I was able to give.’

  ‘How can you be so calculating? I’m not surprised she broke off the engagement!’

  ‘Easily. And I’ve just realised that now you are pregnant my problem is solved. I have no need to look further. I want this child, and I will pay you whatever you want, whatever it takes, for you to have a healthy baby.’

  At his mention of money again Beth’s eyes widened in horror as she realised what he really meant. Dante was lounging there, his face enigmatic, as he casually offered to buy her baby—which underscored exactly how little he thought of her as a prospective mother.

  ‘I am sure we can come to an acceptable arrangement between us that we can both live with comfortably,’ he continued coolly.

  ‘I very much doubt that. And as I can only be eight weeks pregnant it is far too early even for a ruthless devil like you to suggest buying my baby,’ she said, eyeing him with bitter contempt.

  Dante leapt to his feet and his hand shot out. Long, tanned fingers closed round her wrist and he folded her arm around her back to hold her close to his taut body. ‘I never suggested buying the baby. Only you and your twisted mind could think such a thing,’ he snarled.

  For a moment Beth could not move, could not speak. All she could do was feel... The warmth of his breath against her face, the surge of heated emotions battling inside her... Angrily, she was aware that not many minutes ago she had almost succumbed to his lethal sex appeal. If anyone had a twisted mind it was Dante, she thought, recognising the disgust in his tone and finding her voice.

  ‘That is what it sounded like to me—and there is nothing wrong with my mind,’ she said bluntly. ‘Plain common sense tells me it is far too soon to be discussing arrangements for the baby.’

  ‘Not for me,’ he said between his teeth. ‘I intend to get this settled now. And you should know that I always get what I want in the end.’

  Beth refused to be afraid. ‘Yes, I know better than most that with your implications and lies you will stoop to anything to achieve your own ends. If you had taken more care of your own relationship instead of interfering in your brother’s life we wouldn’t be in this mess,’ she told him scathingly.

  His face darkened and he held her tighter still to his long body. ‘What i
s done is done—and don’t you ever think of or refer to our baby as a mess.’ He threaded his other hand in her hair and tipped her head back, staring down into her defiant face with black searching eyes. ‘I know you for what you are, Beth—a beautiful woman with a less-than-salubrious past. Not the sort of woman I would have chosen as the mother of my child, I admit, but you are, and I accept that—and I accept that you have succeeded in living down your mistakes. It is time you accept me as the father, stop flinging insults and start thinking of what is best for our unborn child. I have told you I will provide you with everything—a home where you can live in the lap of luxury and devote all your time to looking after our baby. That is how it is going to be. Understand?’

  His head dropped and as though compelled he brought his mouth down on hers, his hand sweeping up her back to splay across her bare shoulder blade with a pressure that flattened her against him.

  The long, demanding kiss inflamed Beth’s senses, and though she fought to resist her eyes closed involuntarily and she gave in to the persuasive power of his sensuous mouth. When he pulled his head back her arms were wrapped around his waist and her soft lips were parted. Realising what she had done yet again, she dropped her arms, her hands curling into fists at her sides, and stared up at him, trying to read the look in his narrowed gaze. She caught a gleam of desire and some other emotion that she did not recognise.

  ‘Why did you kiss me?’ Beth broke the taut silence between them, trying to appear nonchalant while battling the force of feelings his kiss had aroused.

  ‘Because I can’t keep my hands off you,’ Dante responded—and it was the truth. When he should be comforting Beth, reassuring her, all he could think of was stripping her naked and thrusting into her sleek, hot body as fast and deep as he could.... ‘Or maybe to get you to listen,’ he added, trying to ignore the throbbing in his groin.

  Surprised by his admission that he could not keep his hands off her, and still held against his hard-muscled frame, Beth was intensely aware of Dante in a basic carnal way. The strength of his erection was very evident, she realised, which made her hot and angry with herself almost as much as she was with him.

  ‘I did listen.’ She desperately latched on to his last words and added what she hoped were some stinging ones of her own. ‘You said you will take care of everything. Does that include marrying me, I wonder?’ she asked with a sarcastic tilt of a delicate eyebrow. ‘I notice a proposal was not on your list.’

  ‘Yes, of course I am going to marry you.’ His hands dropped from her, his dark eyes quizzical. ‘I thought I had made that obvious? I told you I would provide everything—money, a house that we can live comfortably in...’

  ‘No! Never in a million years!’ Beth exclaimed, horrified by his response. Her sarcasm had backfired spectacularly.

  She moved away, shaking her head, and sat carefully down on the one armchair in the room, determined to take control of the situation.

  ‘I only mentioned marriage to make you see sense and face facts. For a cool, staid lawyer you have been acting like a man possessed from the moment you arrived here, and I’ve let you drag me along with you. But the reality is I am not even nine weeks pregnant, and anything can happen in the first twelve weeks. I don’t need this conversation now. I need to get used to the idea of a baby and relax and rest by myself. Get in touch with me in a few weeks’ time, if you must, and we can discuss the situation then. If that inconveniences you, then tough. But I am definitely not marrying you. This is my body, my baby, and that is how it is going to be.’ And it was Beth’s turn to add, ‘Understand...?’

  Dante ran his hand distractedly though his hair. He didn’t like hearing it, but she could be right. He had told himself he needed to know she was not pregnant so he could move on. But dashing down here to confront Beth and drive her to a pharmacy was completely out of character. It was important to Dante that he stayed focused on his work and in control of his private life without compromising the first for the second. His father had taught him that at a young age, and he had rigidly adhered to that philosophy. He was not going to change now.

  But neither was he going to allow Beth ‘weeks’ on her own. Going by her past behavior, and what he knew now, she wasn’t wealthy by his standards, but she had inherited a healthy amount of money along with this house. She could disappear anytime she liked, and he wasn’t taking that chance.

  ‘I understand your reasoning, and that you want some time to accept the fact you are about to become a mother.’ He frowned, noting the slight violet shadows beneath the wide eyes she raised to his. The wary expression in the green depths made him grimace. ‘I have to be in Rome tomorrow and I want you to come with me. I will ensure you see the best doctor there is, and you can stay at my place in the country. The house is fully staffed and you will be well looked after. You can rest there.’

  After which she was going to marry him whether she liked it or not. A civil ceremony could be arranged in two or three weeks....

  ‘No, thank you. I have my own doctor and I prefer my own home.’

  Dante noted the determined tilt of her chin and his lips twisted. He wasn’t surprised she had refused. In spite of her shady past she was still incredibly naive in some ways. It was obvious the thought of getting pregnant had never crossed her mind until he had mentioned it, and it must have come as a hell of a shock to her when she discovered she was. He had no intention of leaving until he had got her to agree to marry him, but he could wait a while.

  ‘I can see you have a nice house here, but it is rather isolated for a woman alone.’

  ‘I am not alone. I have friends, and I am perfectly capable of making my own arrangements without any help from you,’ Beth said bluntly.

  Dante was standing two feet away, his dark eyes holding hers, his deep voice sounding concerned, but she did not trust him. From the first moment she had seen Dante in court she had felt an instant affinity with him and had believed it was hope, but now she was beginning to believe it could be something much more dangerous to her in the long run.

  ‘What arrangements?’ Dante demanded, his sensuous lips thinned into an uncompromising hardness and his voice no longer gentle.

  Slowly Beth stood up. Dante was not and never could be her friend. He had his own agenda and had actually said that one of his reasons for marrying Ellen had been to get an heir. Beth being pregnant had solved that problem for him.

  ‘Obviously seeing my doctor is first on the agenda. He will book me into the local hospital, which has an excellent reputation.’ She stepped towards him. ‘Now we have got that settled you can leave. See yourself out.’ She paused, waiting for him to move.

  Without a word Dante stood aside to let her past. Beth could have her space but it would be a few minutes—certainly not weeks. He was absolutely determined she would marry him, and he knew he did not have time to waste. He was proud of the Cannavaro name and over two hundred years of family history. There was no way a child of his was being born illegitimate.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  BETH WALKED PAST DANTE and headed for the kitchen. She was suddenly ravenous. She checked the fridge and withdrew a carton of eggs, two slices of ham, a chunk of cheese and the makings of a salad from the vegetable box. She placed them on the kitchen bench along with some herbs, and then took out the omelette pan and placed it on the hob.

  ‘Can I help?’

  She had not heard Dante walk in, and glanced over her shoulder to find him right behind her. ‘No. You have done more than enough already,’ she said dryly. ‘And I thought I told you to leave?’

  ‘I have not eaten since I left London this morning. I suppose I could stop at the local pub for lunch. Bill seems a hospitable guy, and he obviously likes you. He told me where to find you. He’d probably appreciate being the first to know you are pregnant.’

  ‘No. I don’t want anyone to know—not until the pregnancy is confirmed by a doctor.’ Beth was clinging to straws, she knew. ‘Take a seat.’ She nodded her head towards the
kitchen table. ‘I suppose I can feed you before you go. Cheese and ham omelette with salad is all I’ve got.’ She was babbling again, but Dante was too big and too close, and he made her very generously sized kitchen feel like a rabbit hutch.

  ‘Thanks.’

  To her relief he moved to pull out a chair and sit down at the table.

  Beth placed the salad bowl on the table, along with condiments and cutlery. Then she broke six eggs into a bowl, and in a matter of minutes had heated the oil in the pan and cooked the omelettes. Placing one on each plate, she crossed to the table and put them down, pulling out a chair to sit opposite Dante.

  ‘Enjoy,’ she said automatically and, picking up a knife and fork, cut into the fluffy omelette and ate in silence.

  ‘That was delicious,’ Dante said, and she looked up to see he had cleaned his plate. ‘You really can cook.’ A genuine smile indented the lines around his mouth, and there was a gleam of surprise in the dark eyes that met hers.

  ‘Don’t sound so surprised! My mother taught me and she was a brilliant cook.’ Beth’s eyes softened as she remembered. ‘Mum made the most gorgeous cakes—probably the reason I was a bit plump as a child.’ With food in her stomach and the shock of her situation fading a little, she smiled wryly. ‘But after she died the weight began to fall off.’

  Dante’s breath caught at her gentle smile. ‘I am sorry you lost your parents so young, Beth,’ he said compassionately. ‘I didn’t realise your parents had died only a year before your trial. I understand how grief can make people behave irrationally....’