Reckless in Pink (16 page)

“You weren’t in me,” she protested. “You didn’t—”

His grin was the most relaxed and happy she’d ever seen him, and a sense of pride filled her that she could bring this to him.

“That will not happen until you marry me.”

This time he asked her properly. This man, the one lying next to her now, the one who had brought her such joy, she could marry him.

“A betrothal,” she said. “Yes.”

He swung up on one elbow and leaned over her. “That will no longer do. I want it all.”

Placing her hand on his chest, she savored the hot, hard flesh under her palm. “You aren’t acting like a gentleman now.”

“Oh, yes, I am. If I were not, you’d soon know.”

That sounded intriguing. “Would you behave less like a gentleman if we married?”

“Most certainly.”

He kissed her, lingering and slow, seducing her all over again. Not that she’d needed that much seducing. After two nights sharing a room with him, watching him in a state of undress, she was more than ready.

If he had been any other man, she’d have said he’d done it on purpose, but with the stalwart Lord St. Just, she wasn’t so sure. Now she had him in bed with her, naked, her certainty coalesced. Not that she intended to make matters too easy for him. After all, what was a wedding without the chase? Once she’d recovered, she’d display him in the ballrooms of London, her quarry captured.

For now she found pleasure nestling close. He settled her against him, careful to keep her bandaged arm and shoulder free.

“I’ll have to go soon, or I’ll be asleep.” He kissed her hair.

“If we marry, would we share a bed?”

“If you wished it.”

“Would you wish it?” She needed to know that he wanted this as much as she did. Bringing such intimacy to her had meant more than she’d imagined. The closeness settled her restless heart, and the lovemaking had eased her tension.

“I would. Every night. Does that daunt you? Would you rather entertain your lovers?”

“You are my lover. Why would I want anyone else?”

He grinned, and just as drowsiness was overtaking her, sat up and leaned over the bed. He retrieved her night-rail.

“You’ll have to put this back on, otherwise when Binney comes in to examine you, he’ll find more than he planned for.”

He helped her into the garment, a sleeveless night rail because that allowed Binney access to her shoulder. Tenderly, he held the opening and let her take her time inserting her arm into it. “How does it feel now?” he asked.

“Better.” She bit her lip on a particularly harsh twinge. “Still, it hurts. I have to get up soon. May I do it tomorrow?”

“We’ll see. If you get some sleep now and eat all your breakfast.”

“Like a good girl?” she said with a smile.

“Mmm.” He lifted her against him and fluffed the pillows with his other hand before laying her against them. Then he kissed her. They separated slowly, reluctantly.

“I’ll call on my man of business tomorrow,” he said. “Get the contracts done and the discussions under way.”

There he was again, the responsible man who cared for doing matters the right way. The man of honor. She liked the man of honor, but tonight he’d given her a glimpse of the man behind the façade. That man she could love.

In concluding the business of his marriage, Dominic had gone a little further than he needed to. He had meant to play with her, to show her a little of what was possible. He’d barely stopped himself entering her sweet body and riding them to a finish.

Having her in his house for three nights had meant she was compromised irrevocably. Her sister’s presence helped ameliorate the problem. He had immediately turned off the talkative footman who had bruited the truth all around London by morning. But it had not been enough.

Had he allowed her out of her sickbed to discover the scandal that was taking society by storm, she’d have refused to marry him. A more perverse, awkward woman he’d never met before, but he wanted her.

Telling himself that duty played the biggest part in his campaign had worked until he’d had a taste of her. Kissing her was seductive, but tasting her, feeling her responses—that had proved his downfall. He should not have done it, but he couldn’t feel sorry.

On entering White’s that morning, Dominic expected responses. Cries of “You wicked dog!” from the more racy members and cold stares from those who considered themselves his superior. Normally he didn’t concern himself with them.

Today he took great pleasure in their reactions. One of his future brothers-in-law hailed him. He had hoped that would be enough, that Claudia’s family wasn’t shunning him, but society loved a scandal, the male side as well as the female.

“You seem hale this morning,” Darius said. “May I hope that means our sister is well? I’ll call on her later today.”

“Not only well, but finally, she has agreed to our betrothal. Consequent to the unfortunate accident, matters have moved apace.”

“You’re in luck then.” Darius headed for a leather wing chair by the wall that held bookcases. “Join me for a celebratory glass?”

“Willingly.”

Before they sat, Darius wrung his hand, man-to-man. “I think you’ll prove our sister’s making.”

“When your father returns to London, I’ll pay him a visit.” He took a sip of the excellent brandy the waiter had brought over on Darius’s signal.

The crystal glittered in the sunlight. Another good day. It would soon be time to repair to the country, only this time he wouldn’t be going alone.

“What about your parents?”

Another hurdle he wasn’t looking forward to. “Tomorrow. Believe me they’ll be delighted. I could marry—” He stopped, recalling where he was. White’s was a hotbed of gossip. If anyone realized his relationship with his parents was less than his usual fondness, they would start asking questions, and matters could escalate from there. He didn’t want Claudia thinking she was anything but his first choice. Even though his first choice would be not to marry at all. Failing that, he’d do his best to contain the situation.

“Tell me again,” Darius murmured. “Why did I allow you to talk me into having Claudia stay?”

“You could have removed her to your parents’ establishment.” He didn’t like Darius any better for pointing that out.

“Not when she was so ill.” She wasn’t, only distressed. It had hurt him to see her distressed, and he had no intention of allowing her any further reason for it. If he asked himself why, he could tell himself he liked her. Only that didn’t entirely explain the urge to protect her at all costs.

Marriage was a partnership, a business relationship. Love came elsewhere, if it came at all, and it was a fleeting emotion, soon past. However much he recited that to himself, he couldn’t believe it. The truth didn’t seem so clear-cut. Which was strange, because the truth was always clear-cut.

“Father should return tomorrow or the day after.” Darius stretched his legs in front of him, fully at ease, or so it appeared. “We can formalize matters then.”

He should visit his parents today and get the contract under way, before Claudia changed her mind. She was volatile, unpredictable, so he’d have to seduce her all over again.

Why did that sound so attractive? After he’d promised himself he wouldn’t repeat last night’s activities until he had a ring on her finger?

“I wanted to care for her,” he murmured. “That’s why I didn’t leave.” It felt good to admit that much.

Darius touched his glass to Dominic’s with a small chink. “Welcome to the family. We are notorious for marrying for love. Even when we’re sensible and start our marriages with an arrangement and a business agreement, somehow love rears its head again. Probably the most passionate family in the country.”

A dark figure entered the room and looked around. His gaze stilled on Darius and Dominic.

“Except for the Dankworths,” Darius murmured.

Someone else entered the room.

“I didn’t even know he was in the building,” Darius said in a louder tone.

Val was just behind the Earl of Alconbury. Dominic knew Alconbury by sight, but had never spoken to him. Alconbury was, next to his father, the Duke of Northwich, the principal member of the Dankworth family. Young, handsome in a kind of lean, dark way, and possessed of a restless energy that Dominic recognized, because he possessed it himself. It showed in the way he glanced around, taking in all the people in the room, the taut tension of his neck, and no doubt his shoulders under the fine but sober velvet coat he wore.

The earl moved with a spare economy at the same pace as Dominic. Although Dominic was dressed in his London clothes, which meant pale green and lots of lace today, his efforts to disguise his military bearing was becoming a losing challenge. He crossed one leg over the other, the cut steel on his shoe buckles catching the light merrily. He did not rise.

“Sirs,” Alconbury said smoothly. He nodded rather than bowed and waited by a spare chair.

Darius and Dominic didn’t invite him to sit.

“I believe I have to felicitate you.” He offered Dominic a smile. Dominic offered him one back. Not a particularly fulsome one. He put down his half-full brandy glass. Tension snapped in the air, and conversation around them dulled to a murmur.

“Thank you.” Dominic said and waited on events.

“I wondered if you were fully aware of certain matters,” Alconbury said with a smile. “I would appreciate a private meeting to discuss it.”

“What can you possibly know about me?” Dominic asked smoothly. “Sir, I have not, I believe, even been introduced to you.”

“We may rectify that easily enough,” Alconbury said, just as calmly.

Val stood just behind him, in a pose Dominic had seen before, but not in White’s. Val had his hand on his sword hilt, a sword he should have left at the door. To say bad blood existed between the two families was an understatement, by what Dominic was witnessing here. Used to assessing situations fast, he didn’t need advanced training in battle strategy to see this standoff could end at any minute.

By betrothing himself to their sister, Dominic had effectively joined the Emperors. That meant family, something he was not used to having. These two were watching for his interests.

Was Alconbury so dangerous? True, the man was big and powerful, but so was Dominic. “Sir, I have no history here. I appreciate your congratulations, but I fail to see what business it is of yours or what you would have of me.”

Alconbury shifted his position and glanced at Val. No affable society gentleman, this. Val could have changed places with a St. Giles ruffian, from his pose and the fierce expression on his face, brows drawn together, mouth straight. “I have information you might find useful. That is all. My father is like to get in touch with you.” He touched his fingers to his forehead and let a smile quirk the corner of his lean mouth. Val’s implied threat and Darius’s stillness did not concern Dominic in the least. If Alconbury wanted an open exchange, White’s was far from the place to do it.

“Does it put my lady in danger?” That was all he cared about. If Claudia was imperiled, he’d meet this man anywhere he chose.

“By association.” Alconbury shrugged, the shoulders of his coat shifting easily, displaying the power a lean man could conceal if he was tall enough and his tailor a good one. Clearly Dominic wasn’t the only one ordering his tailor to minimize his form. “Do not complain that nobody warned you. I’m warning you now.”

A threat? Dominic couldn’t be sure. Perhaps Dominic would seek him out. Perhaps he’d be killed. He had no idea.

Alconbury regarded him, his dark eyes unreadable. “I will bid you good day, sir.” He turned and left.

Beside Dominic, Darius let out a long breath. “Well, what was that about? By association?”

“She’s already associated with us,” Val said. “He must mean you, Dominic. What have you done to upset the Dankworths?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Dominic said, but inside he wasn’t so sure. He hadn’t led a snow-white life, God knew. Did that mean he’d made an enemy of the Dankworth family without realizing it?

The Dankworths were the enemies of the Emperors primarily because of their stance on the Jacobite question. Although rumors were that the initial disputes had begun at least a generation earlier. In any case, it appeared far more personal than a political dispute. A convoluted history, and probably one nobody had all the answers to. One mystery too many for Dominic.

He wanted answers, and one person had them. He got to his feet. “I would appreciate a word with your cousin Julius,” he said. “If he has a moment today, bring him to my house. I’d call on him, but I want Claudia to be present.” If she wasn’t, she might never forgive him. Already he knew her well enough to predict that.

She’d only make him tell her, and he would.

After bowing, he left the club and went home.

When he returned to his house, Claudia was there. She sat in the parlor at the front of the house, wearing a cream silk robe. Her hair gleamed in the afternoon sun, sparking fire where the rays caught it. He wanted to see her on his estate, sitting on the bench under the big oak by the east side of the house, enjoying the summer.

Big with his child.

No! He banished that particular notion as soon as it appeared, denying his pleasure at the momentary vision. Children were not possible, the way matters stood at present.

Until he knew the truth.

Now he could bend to her and kiss his bride-to-be with the full knowledge he was doing something totally acceptable. He kissed her. “Where is your sister?”

“She is resting. She said she didn’t sleep well last night.” A sweet blush rose to her cheeks. “Dominic, she came into the bedroom to see if there was anything I wanted, and she saw us asleep together.” Her voice dropped. “Naked.”

Dominic’s cock stirred, readying for another round. The temporary satiation of his appetite was not fated to last very long. This woman had revived an urge he’d kept strictly under control for the last few years, and she’d done it unwittingly. Now it was out and unfettered. The urge offended his strong sense of self-control, but he could do nothing except endure. If she spent another night in this house, he’d do it again, because he couldn’t keep away from her.