doubt her family, her extremely loving close-knit family, would form ranks about her too.
‘Look, Kenzie—’ he ran an agitated hand through the dark thickness of his already tousled hair ‘—I didn’t come here to argue with you—’
‘No? Then what did you come here for?’ she snapped. ‘Because hard as I try, Dominick, I really can’t see what any of this has to do with you!’ She glared at him, twin wings of colour in her cheeks.
God, she was so beautiful it almost brought him to his knees, Dominick realized, feeling a deep ache within his body.
She looked even more slender today, emphasizing the fragility he had sensed in her last night, and without any make-up and her hair pulled back she appeared to be incredibly vulnerable.
He couldn’t bear the thought of her trying to bring a child up on her own. Even if that child wasn’t his.
‘I came—’ He broke off, swallowing hard. ‘I came because I just can’t stay away from you!’ he finally managed to get out, knowing by the confusion on Kenzie’s face that she was as puzzled by the admission as he had been at about three o’clock this morning when he had acknowledged the painful fact to himself.
He really had been a fool five and a half months ago when he had let Kenzie walk away from him. And he didn’t care if she was pregnant with Carlton’s baby—he would be a fool all over again if he just let her go out of his life a second time!
Kenzie shook her head. ‘I don’t understand you, Dominick…’
‘No,’ he accepted ruefully, ‘I don’t suppose you do. I’ve been having a little trouble understanding myself lately. But—’ he drew in a ragged breath before continuing ‘—Kenzie, if things don’t work out between you and Carlton I want you to know—’ The strident ringing of the doorbell interrupted him.
‘That will be Jerome,’ Kenzie told him hurriedly, feeling more confused than ever this morning by Dominick’s lack of anger and derision. ‘Dominick—’
‘I’m not leaving, Kenzie,’ he told her firmly. ‘If you would prefer to talk to Carlton in private, then I’ll go through to the kitchen or something, but I—I haven’t finished talking to you myself yet. I’m not leaving,’ he repeated decisively, the stubborn look on his face telling her that he meant what he said.
Dominick was different today, she realized, frowning as she had a sudden insight into what that difference was.
That ‘ice man’ that had been such a part of their argument five and a half months ago wasn’t there…
The cold implacability of five weeks ago wasn’t there…
Quite what that meant she wasn’t sure, but surely it did mean something?
And what did he want her to know if things didn’t work out between Jerome and herself…?
‘Jerome isn’t going to like your being here.’ She sighed, knowing that didn’t bother her unduly; Jerome had been less than his charming self last night as he had berated her for disappearing with Dominick in the way that she had—as if she had had any choice in the matter!—and she could only expect more of the same from him this morning.
‘I don’t give a—’ Dominick broke off, drawing in a deeply controlling breath before continuing, ‘Jerome Carlton’s likes or dislikes are of absolutely no interest to me,’ he dismissed derisively.
‘You’re the one that’s important, Kenzie,’ he added intently. ‘You, and what you really want.’
He had reasoned last night that the Kenzie he knew couldn’t have made love with him at Bedforth Manor in the way that she had if she was in love with another man. But did that mean that she had been in love with him then?
Kenzie continued to look at him for several searching seconds, giving an impatient groan as the doorbell shrilled out for a second time. ‘Okay, Dominick, stay,’ she accepted as she moved towards the door. ‘But—oh, never mind!’ she dismissed as she gave up on the idea of requesting that there not be any more arguments.
Dominick and Jerome argued every time they met, so why should today be any different?
‘Kenzie!’
‘Yes?’ She turned back wearily, her eyes widening as Dominick strode forcefully across the room, his hands gentle as they moved up to cradle each side of her face as he looked down at her intently.
‘Do you want to marry Carlton?’ he asked huskily.
Kenzie closed her eyes to avoid the intensity of his gaze, knowing that she had misled him last night when she had told Dominick the baby she carried wasn’t his.
‘Kenzie, please!’ he encouraged gruffly. ‘Baby or not, do you want to marry Carlton?’
‘Baby or not’…?
What did Dominick mean?
‘Kenzie, for God’s sake open your eyes and look at me!’ he encouraged emotionally.
She raised her lids at last, looking deep into his eyes, searching, seeing—seeing—
What did she see…?
Something she didn’t recognize. Something she had thought she would never see in Dominick’s eyes. Something that made her breath catch in her throat.
‘No,’ she breathed shakily. ‘No, I don’t want to marry Jerome,’ she admitted softly.
Dominick continued to examine her for several long seconds, just touching her like this making his hands tremble. ‘Good,’ he finally murmured. ‘Because there is another alternative to marrying Carlton or bringing the baby up on your own.’
‘There is…?’ She frowned in confusion, still staring at him.
Dominick gave a rueful smile. ‘It may not be one you want to take, but—I want you to know it’s there nonetheless.’ He drew in a ragged breath before continuing. ‘You could stay married to me.’
Her eyes widened. ‘But—’
‘I should go and let Carlton in before he breaks the door down,’ he encouraged, releasing her from his grip as Jerome thundered on the door again.
Kenzie was stunned, moving to answer the door as if in a daze, not absolutely sure what Dominick was saying to her, or why he was saying it.
Just as she wasn’t certain what emotion she had seen in Dominick’s eyes a few minutes ago, only knowing what her first instinct had been.
Love.
Bright.
Shining.
Intense.
Love…?
SHE
