Knight's Game (42 page)

‘Melanie said you sometimes deal with unsavoury characters, that Matt does too. Is that what this is about?’

He nodded. ‘In your business, you see corruption too. Criminals, thieves, cons, large and small. Matt and I deal with corruption at a personal level, not once or twice removed, not from behind a computer screen. Since you can’t help me on this, you’d only worry unnecessarily.’ He leaned back, stretched out his legs, stared at his sandalled
feet for a moment. ‘Now that you’re pregnant,’ he said quietly, ‘I want to protect you even more. In two more weeks this all goes away. Talk to Melanie. She’ll tell you to leave this kind of bullshit to Matt and me.’

‘Two weeks? For sure?’ She didn’t want to feel such relief or want him with such helpless longing. But then her insurgent psyche spoke up.
He wants to protect you, you idiot. How can that be bad?
She felt better, like chivalry might still exist, like maybe Dominic had some Prince Charming in him after all. ‘After two weeks, then things go back to normal?’

His gaze was teasing. ‘As normal as they are between you and me.’ He smiled. ‘You’re a real handful, baby, and I mean it in the nicest way.’

‘Then maybe you should think twice if I’m a handful. Maybe you should find someone more amenable. I’m sure the line of willing candidates is long. You don’t have to marry me just because I’m having your baby.’

As if,
he thought. ‘That sounds like I’d better get down on my knees.’

It was her turn to smile. ‘Tempting.’

‘Hey. I’m not talking about sex, Katherine. I’m serious about this marriage.’ And coming out of his chair, he picked up the small shopping bag and package, closed the distance between them, sank slowly to one knee and put the bag in her lap. ‘Open it,’ he said. ‘Please?’ he quickly added because he’d spoken a shade too bluntly and her mouth had started to purse. ‘Sorry. Really. Give me a break. I’ve never done this before.’

She blew out a breath. ‘Me either.’

For a few moments only the sound of ribbons sliding and paper crinkling broke the silence.

Kate looked inside the bag and went motionless.

Why did he suddenly feel as though he was standing in front of a firing squad. ‘Take your pick, baby,’ he said, velvet soft, as if too loud a sound would startle her from her trance. ‘Or take them all. I didn’t know what you’d like.’

She still didn’t move.

Christ, he could hear the bolts sliding back on the rifles
. ‘Don’t break my heart, baby,’ he whispered.

The look in his eyes almost made her cry. This was a man who never asked anyone for anything, who had faced every adversity alone.

She put her hand in the bag, saw his shoulders relax, saw him slowly smile and knew what loving someone meant. It meant taking away a young boy’s hurt, laughing at a strong man’s smile, closing your eyes when he touched you because you were melting inside. Or having him line up little boxes on your pyjama-clad legs as you take them out and hand them to him. She smiled faintly. But even loving him with all her heart, she couldn’t stop herself from saying, ‘So much, Dominic.’

‘Not really,’ he replied casually. ‘I left most of them at home.’

‘Oh, God, Dominic.’

‘Come on, baby. If I have to learn to be more open with you, you have to learn to deal with my money. It’s yours too. OK?’ He stared at her, gave her a small smile. ‘OK?’

She took a breath, swallowed hard. ‘OK.’

‘See, it’s not so easy to change, is it?’ he murmured, beginning to open the ring boxes. ‘But we’re going to do it. Come on, baby.’ He touched her bottom lip gently. ‘We can do anything, you and I.’

She nodded, slid her fingers over his hand. ‘It must be the baby,’ she whispered. ‘I feel like crying every second.’

‘Cry all you want. I’ll buy a tissue company. You’ll never run out.’

She laughed.

‘Hey, I mean it. Melanie cried all through her pregnancies. But pick out a ring first, then I’ll show you my love letter, then you can cry.’

She looked at him in surprise. ‘You wrote a love letter?’

‘Yup.’ Then he opened each box, slid the rings on her fingers – one through ten, all enormous diamonds.

She looked at the glistening display, bit back her comment about the outrageous expense and pointed. ‘This one.’

His eyes glinted with pleasure. ‘I was hoping you’d say that. It’s my favourite too.’

The diamond solitaire was a forty-carat, D-flawless, emerald-cut stone that had just come on the market. A rare jewel that appears in the cutting rooms perhaps once every ten years.

Sliding off the other rings, Dominic casually dropped them on a nearby table, then turned back. Taking her hand in his, he said with ceremonial formality and a more typical,
breathtaking smile, ‘Would you do me the honour of marrying me, Miss Hart?’

For a second Kate was overcome by the immensity of the question and the smaller fear that she loved him too much. That he was too easy to love, not just by her, but by every woman.

Way beyond questioning his feelings, Dominic put his hand to his ear and grinned.

A big breath, an answering smile. ‘Yes,’ Kate said.

Leaning forward, Dominic touched his forehead to hers and whispered, ‘Thank you.’

‘My pleasure,’ she said as softly.

‘The pleasure’s all mine, baby.’ He cupped her face lightly, then sat back on his heels, picked up the small package and put it on her lap. ‘Just look. See what you think.’

He watched her unwrapping the package with an uncharacteristic restlessness. ‘You can tear the paper,’ he said and proceeded to do just that. Tossing the wrapping aside, he nodded at the small box.

‘This?’ she said, teasingly.

He lifted his brows ever so faintly. ‘Are you looking for a spanking?’

‘Maybe.’

‘And maybe I’ll give you one if you open that.’

‘How can a girl refuse?’

‘No shit.’

She punched him.

‘I was referring only to you, of course.’

‘Damn right you’d better be.’ But she was smiling too, until a second later, when she lifted the lid on the box and her eyes filled with tears. The tiniest little babygro lay inside, white and precious and achingly beautiful. She lifted it up and sniffled, ‘How did you think of this?’

‘How did I not? That’s all I think about. You, me, a baby, unimaginable happiness.’ Reaching out, he brushed the tears from her cheeks. ‘I’m glad you like it. I bought everything they had that wasn’t blue or pink. I’ll bring in the rest of them later.’

‘You must have made some shop clerk’s day.’

‘Maybe.’ When he knew he had and it had nothing to do with his purchases. ‘So long as I make your day, that’s all I care about.’ Sliding his hands under her legs, he picked her up with his casual strength, came up out of his crouch and sat back down on the chair with her in his lap. ‘There are some cute little shoes made in France too – one pair is high tops in bright green leather. They’re for either boys or girls,’ he added just in case. ‘I have no preference.’

‘I thought every man wanted a boy.’

‘It doesn’t matter to me. I only want to make you happy.’

‘Is that why you wrote your love letter?’ Her voice was buoyant, her gaze sunshine bright. ‘I’ve never had a love letter before.’

‘Then we’re the perfect pair because I’ve never written one before.’ He reached back, pulled the folded envelope from his jean pocket and handed it to her. ‘Don’t judge me too harshly.’ He smiled a slow, lovely smile. ‘It’s an amateur effort.’

She opened the envelope, pulled out the single page,
unfolded it, Dominic’s script bold and vigorous as ever, like the man himself.

He watched her read what he’d written on the plane and given to Max when he wasn’t sure he’d survive his meeting with Gora. He’d always been fatalistic, indifferent to his future. This was the first time he cared whether he lived or died.

She looked up with tears in her eyes. ‘You really didn’t know if you were coming back?’

He shrugged. ‘An issue with one of those unsavoury characters.
But the gravity of the situation made me realize that you were the only person in the whole world who mattered to me.’ A faint smile warmed his eyes. ‘And now junior or juniorette are added to my list. It helps if there are two’ – he ran his hand over the slight rise of her belly, then glanced up at her and smiled – ‘when it comes to dealing with a baby. We’ll be happy – all of us. My word on it.’

She looked at him, thinking that maybe miracles did come true, that if you wanted something badly enough some benevolent spirit conferred it on you. ‘I’ve only ever wanted you – from the very first.’

He smiled, remembering her letter in Hong Kong. ‘With reservations.’

She smiled back. ‘
Despite
reservations.’

‘You’ve had me from the first, baby,’ he said tenderly. ‘In some deep, strange, new place I didn’t even know existed. And you have me now’ – his smile was soft with love – ‘and forever and a million years after that.’

‘Don’t ever leave me again,’ she whispered.

‘I won’t. Not ever.’ He dipped his head and held her gaze. ‘May I kiss you now? I’m asking because I don’t want to frighten you. I’ve been too long in the wilderness.’

‘I may frighten you back.’ She suddenly went still, afraid she was coming undone.

He shook his head. ‘Never, baby. Won’t happen.’ Then he very gently took her face in his hands, lowered his head and, just before his lips met hers, whispered, ‘We’ll get it right this time. I promise.’

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CC Gibbs has also published over 40 romance and erotica titles under the name Susan Johnson, including:

AT YOUR MERCY
SURRENDER TO YOU
A STORM OF DESIRE

BURNING TOUCH
A SEDUCTIVE FLAME
FORBIDDEN PLEASURE
RAPTURE

SINFUL DREAMS
WICKED FASCINATION
THE SWEETEST TABOO
TOUCH OF SIN

MISTRESS AT MIDNIGHT
OUR BODIES ENTWINED
WHEN SOMEONE LOVES YOU
AT HER COMMAND
ONLY FOR YOU
SECRETS AND SINS
INTENSITY LAID BARE
VENUS LAID BARE
TEMPTATION LAID BARE
DESIRE LAID BARE
PROMISE LAID BARE

Available at:
www.quercusbooks.co.uk