[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Or was it? ASI and Jason could come up empty handed and then where would I be? I'd have to face Brett and I knew what Brett would want in exchange for keeping Sweet Seduction safe.I was so confused.I was so lost.I was thinking life wasn't fair."What is it?" Dominic said softly, from right in front of my face.I hadn't realised he'd moved, that he'd taken the steps necessary to place him in my space."Talk to me, Genevieve.Tell me what's put that look on your face?"I looked up at him, saw the concern.Saw just how much he actually cared.Saw how much he wanted to help, to be the one I turned to.It was all there."He'll take Sweet Seduction," I said, making complete sense to me, but obviously not to Dominic.He frowned in confusion down at me."Who, Elliott?" I nodded."And that's why you won't take a risk with me?" I nodded again."Because." He paused, his frown deepened."Genevieve," - not that voice - "just what do you plan to do if it comes to that?" His voice was ominously quiet."Whatever I need to do," I whispered, unsure why I was telling him this, clearly he wasn't going to like my plan."Such as?""I have to keep it safe.It's my dream.The only one I'll ever have.You don't understand, it's precious, I can't lose it.If I lose it, it'll be gone and I won't get another dream again.""Says who?" he whispered back"Says life," I answered on a similar quiet whisper."OK," he said, sounding like he was changing tack."What do you think you will have to do to keep Brett from taking your dream?" Oh, maybe not on a different tack after all."Whatever he wants," I said softly and watched a muscle tick in his jaw.For a moment it was all I could see, my eyes didn't shift anywhere else.Finally he talked again."All right, in the meantime, what do you plan to do?""Give ASI and Jason the next two days to find him, then I'll have to face him, sort it out myself.Any longer with the shop closed and I'll go under, lose the dream anyway.They've got two days, and then I do it my way."For some inexplicable reason he reached out and wrapped an arm around my back, pulling me against his chest.His head dipped down and hot lips brushed against my temple.A tear slipped out of the corner of my eye and tracked down my cheek silently."For the next two days then, you are mine," he said roughly."Can you give us that?"I couldn't understand why he'd bother.Two days together would only make it harder when it came time to part.And I was sure we would have to.Life didn't always have happy endings, the way my life was going - gunshots, kidnappings, Sweet Seduction being forced to close - I couldn't see my way clear to a happy ending."Two days," he said into my hair."Two days to pretend we have the rest of our lives together ahead of us.Give yourself that, Genevieve." I buried my face into his jacket and inhaled the smell of his cologne, mixed with the delicious smell that was all him."Give me that, Genevieve," he added, and I stopped breathing altogether."Then I'll let you go, without a fight, without a fuss." His voice sounded funny, but when I tried to pull back to look at him, his hand went to my hair and he pressed my head close to his chest."Two days, Genevieve, that's all.Two days of all of you have to offer and all I have in return.One chance to taste paradise, then return to our lives with at least these sweet memories to keep us alive."I was really crying now, because I wanted this.I wanted it so very much.It sounded so easy, if not a little unusual, but if I didn't do this, I'd always wonder.And on those nights when Brett would behave a certain way, I'd wish I had taken the chance at a moment's happiness.At making memories that would get me through the tough times ahead.It would be a sliver out of time, but it could be all the difference between surviving something and surviving it with a sense of pride and dignity.I could do this and not let Brett take this moment away.If I said no, I would be letting him win.I nodded against Dominic's chest, he let a breath of air out he'd obviously been holding."Say the words, sweetheart.I have to hear them.""Yes," I said into his jacket."Two days of all I've got to give.Two days to make a memory that will last a lifetime."His arms tightened around me, then his lips trailed over my temple, in amongst my hair."Let me make a phone call to the office, have someone cover my appointments or shift them, then you and I are shutting ourselves away.Locking the doors, switching the phones off.If I have two days with you, I don't want to be interrupted at all."He smiled down at me, slowly lowered his head and brushed his lips against mine.And then with that one sweep of his tongue along the bottom lip of my mouth, I opened and let him tangle with mine.God, it felt good.So good, almost too good.Dominic knew how to kiss and within seconds he had me against the bathroom vanity, my legs wrapped around his hips, his hard length pressing against my centre.Hands in hair and trailing over bodies, touching skin where we could find it, seeking closer contact as though time was already winding down.And it was, two days had already started, the clock was ticking, precious sand through the hour glass was running out.He knew it and I knew it, and it was all we could not to strip each other right then and there, and satisfy our craving for the other person in our arms.To finally have what we had come so close to walking away from.I knew in that instant, that my decision had been right.Even if I only had two days to love Dominic Anscombe, it was better than not having had any days at all.Two days could be a lifetime, if you're with the right person.Two days could mean paradise, a memory to last the rest of our lives.We pulled apart panting, hair dishevelled, eyes glistening with desire and lust.He smiled at me, shook his head as though dumbfounded, then reached up with one hand and cupped my cheek."I'm going to give you memories to last a lifetime, Genevieve Cain.I promise you that."I didn't doubt him, but I also secretly desired to give him even better memories myself, so when I had to leave, he would never forget.It would be so easy for him to move on, a man like Dominic Anscombe would find love again at the drop of a hat.I had one chance to make an impression and I was determined not to waste it.Chapter 20When My Mouth, Uncharacteristically, Failed MeWhile Dominic made his phone call, I packed up my overnight bag and headed into the kitchen to say good-bye to Katie, who was humming cheerfully without a care in the world.Clearly she'd figured out that Dominic had won whatever argument it was we had been having and everything was right again in Katie World.This could have been because Dominic was in the lounge and she'd been unashamedly listening in on his cellphone conversation.Sisters!"Hey, Katie.Thanks for letting me stay," I said with a soft smile."My pleasure, darling," she beamed back at me.Then her eyes flicked to Dominic, who was talking to Cathy the bitch-at-reception it seemed."So, two days off.Now I wonder why he'd be organising that with his firm?"I shook my head, but I was smiling."You don't miss much, do you?""Darling," she started, "he never takes days off.I could hardly miss that."I looked over my shoulder at Dominic, who now seemed to be talking to Finn Drake, one of his partners and my lawyer [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]