Forbidden Surrender

‘Silly!’ her sister giggled. ‘Of course he knows about it, although he was furious with Dominic and I when he found out what I had done.’

‘I’m surprised he understood it!’

Marie eyed her teasingly. ‘Don’t you want to know more about Dominic loving you?’

Sara blushed and stood up to turn away. ‘I don’t believe he does. Oh, I know he’s attracted to me, but only because I look like you. I think you’re wrong about him not loving you, Marie. He must be very upset about your marrying his brother.’

‘Not at all. He went and got Danny himself once I’d explained the misunderstanding to him.’

She shrugged. ‘Just a cover up to his real feelings—’

‘What does it take to convince you?’ Marie said impatiently. ‘The man loves you, he wants to marry you.’

‘M—Marry me?’

‘That got your attention, hmm?’ her sister teased. ‘Of course Dominic wants to marry you, but he says you don’t want him.’

‘But he knows I do—I mean—well—’ Sara blushed scarlet. ‘I do,’ she said lamely.

Marie’s eyes twinkled mischievously. ‘I won’t ask how he knows. The thing is he doesn’t,’ she sobered. ‘He says you despise him.’

She had only said that in the heat of the moment, surely he realised that. But it seemed not. She was almost afraid to believe what Marie was telling her, and yet her sister seemed so confident.

‘I’ve never seen him like this before,’ Marie continued at her silence. ‘Dominic’s always been like an older brother to me, always confident and in command—that’s why I turned to him for help. But he’s-as uncertain as a schoolboy about you. I’m not sure I like to see him like that.’

‘So you intend putting him out of his misery?’ Sara was beginning to hope, to believe what Marie was telling her. Could Dominic have really meant it that night he had told her he loved her? Oh, God, she hoped so!

‘No, I want you to do that. Tonight.’

‘Now?’ she exclaimed.

‘Why not?’ Marie shrugged.

‘Because it’s after twelve o’clock at night!’

Marie grinned. ‘I’ll make your excuses to Daddy in the morning.’

‘In the—! Even if I did go and see Dominic now I’d be back tonight,’ Sara claimed indignantly.

‘Of course you would.’

‘I would!’

‘I just agreed, didn’t I?’ Marie gave her a look of exaggerated innocence.

‘It was the way you agreed.’

Marie smiled. ‘I know Dominic.’

‘Do you indeed?’ Sara’s eyes flashed jealously.

‘Not like that,’ her sister laughed. ‘There was never anything like that between us. Now with you it’s different, he goes all tense and white about the mouth when he talks about you—so much so that once he gets you alone I know he won’t let you out of his sight.’

‘Okay,’ Sara sighed, ‘you convinced me. I’ll go and see him.’

‘Take my car.’ Marie searched through her handbag for her keys. ‘Daddy was going to buy you a car, but now that you’re getting married I suppose Dominic will buy you one.’ She held out the keys with a mischievous smile.

‘Don’t jump ahead,’ Sara warned. ‘No one said I was getting married.’

‘You will be. Poor Daddy will be totally confused!’

Sara only wished she felt as confident about Dominic’s feelings as Marie seemed to be. Could it really be true, had Dominic just been pretending with Marie, could it really be that she was the one he loved? Only he could tell her that.

He answered the door to her himself. ‘Marie called me,’ he revealed deeply.

Sara gave an angry sigh. ‘I know she’s my sister, and I love her dearly, but she’s an interfering busybody.’

‘She just called to tell me to expect you, Sara, nothing else.’

‘Oh.’ She bit her lip nervously. ‘Can I come in?’

‘Of course.’ He opened the door wide. ‘Although if you do,’ he added huskily, ‘I doubt I’ll be able to let you out again.’