Velvet Embrace

Lady Harriet herself was a delight, and Brie had greatly enjoyed getting to know her. She had an intelligence and a propensity for mockery that reminded Brie of Dominic, although the sarcasm and the sardonic wit, coming from Lady Harriet, had a gentler mein.

"I like your mother," Brie observed, remembering Lady Harriet's many kindnesses to her during the past month.

Dominic pulled idly at one of Brie's russet curls. "So do I," he replied soberly. "My biggest regret is that I spent all those years refusing to see her or even to speak to her."

"But she has forgiven you, Dominic."

"Mmm," he murmured noncommittally. "At least she seems happy now, married to Sir James."

Brie raised herself up on one elbow and gazed down into her husband's eyes. "I'm happy, too, being married to you. I never thought I could be this happy."

Tenderly, Dominic drew a finger along Brie's cheek to her lips. "Nor I," he said softly. "I never thought I would love anyone the way I love you. You fill my life completely, making me forget the void that once was in my heart. I couldn't live without you, you know."

Brie smiled, his admission making her heart swell with joy. But then Dominic tilted back his dark head and chuckled. "What is so amusing?" she asked him curiously.

When he met her gaze, his gray eyes were dancing with laughter. "Jason once said something like that to me about Lauren and I sneered at him. Now I find myself spouting the same sentimental drivel and meaning every word of it. What have you done to me, Brie?"

Pleased to think she had affected Dominic as much as he had her, Brie relaxed against him. But she listened with growing alertness when Dominic spoke again.

"All I need now is to become a father. Jason has already chided me unmercifully about what a model husband I've become, but I expect he would really have something to crow about then."

Brie threw him a concerned glance. "Would next spring be early enough?"

For a moment Dominic lay very still. Then he grasped Brie's shoulders and held her away to stare at her. "A baby?" he asked, sounding shocked. "Are you sure? How do you know?"

She searched his face, trying to decide whether he was pleased or not by the news. He seemed a little stunned. "Your mother guessed somehow," Brie said hesitantly. "Yesterday, when you were fishing with Sir James, she had your doctor examine me. I'm nearly two months pregnant."

Dominic stared a moment longer, then rolled Brie over, pinning her beneath him and entangling her legs in the sheets. Almost reverently, he loosened the belt of her wrapper and slipped his hand next to her skin, holding his palm against her abdomen. "A child," he breathed. Then his gaze sliced back to Brie. "You've known for a whole day and never told me?"

Brie fought the urge to squirm in his penetrating gaze. "Last night was my first formal dinner and it hardly seemed the right time to tell you with so many guests present. Besides, I wasn't sure what you would say. I was a little afraid you wouldn't want a child."

"Why the devil would you think that?"

Relieved by his puzzled frown, Brie trailed a finger down a corded muscle in his neck to the fading scar on his shoulder. "I suppose because you never mentioned wanting children. And you still haven't told me how you feel about becoming a father."

"Feel? Why . . . I'm delighted . . . I think. I was hoping to have you all to myself for a little while." Then Dominic's mouth suddenly twisted in a grin as he did some rapid calculations. "Two months? I'll wager it happened while we were in the mountains—that night in front of the hearth."

Remembering the particular night he was referring to, Brie blushed in spite of herself. It had been a wild, delicious time she would never forget. She and Dominic had spent the entire night making love beneath luxurious furs in front of a roaring fire, for even though it had been summer, the evenings were chilly in the mountains.

"I wonder what he will be like," Brie mused, realizing that their child might have been conceived in a guerrilla's hideaway.

Dominic had been following that same line of thought and his grin deepened. "Staid and proper like his mother, I imagine. Unless it's a girl. Then she'll probably be feisty and uncontrollable."

Brie might have pointed out that she was no longer feisty or uncontrollable, and that she too had mellowed since their marriage, but just then Dominic lowered his head and began planting light kisses along the side of her neck.

Brie arched instinctively, giving him greater access to her throat while she curled her fingers in his dark hair. She had not meant to linger in bed with him after telling him her news, for they had guests who would be expecting to see them at breakfast, but she found it difficult to move. The sheet had somehow twisted around her legs, and one of Dominic's muscular thighs was draped over hers, holding her prisoner. Even then, Brie might have escaped with a little effort, but his nibbling kisses were drugging her senses and lighting fires in her that were impossible to ignore. She could feel the heat of his naked body through the silk of her robe and knew she would shortly be feeling his bare skin against her unless she stopped him at once.

"We should get up," she murmured halfheartedly. "Your stepfather invited me to ride with him after breakfast."

Unknowingly, she had hit upon the one subject that was certain to grab her husband's attention. Dominic immediately ended his amorous advances and raised his head. "One moment, ma belle. Don't you think we should talk about this?"

"Talk about what?"

"Your riding. It could be dangerous. You might injure yourself or the child."

Brie searched Dominic's face, finding only concern for her in his gaze. "But the doctor said it was safe, at least until the baby starts to show."

"All the same I don't want you near any of the fractious beasts you are so fond of riding."