She really wanted him out of here, didn’t she? Dominick realized in frustration.
Out of her family home.
Out of her family’s life.
Out of her life.
And for the last four months he had thought that was the best thing for them too, that he should never have married Kenzie in the first place, and that her leaving him only served to confirm the cynicism he had always felt for the institution.
Nevertheless, standing impotently by as Kenzie walked out of his life had been the hardest thing he had ever done. Not that there had ever been the least possibility that he would ask her to stay, but after nine months of being married to her, suddenly finding himself once again living alone, eating alone, and sleeping alone, had been much harder than he had thought it was going to be.
For weeks he had raged about the place, critical of everything and everyone, so angry with Kenzie, with Jerome Carlton, but mainly with himself, because he’d known that in spite of everything he still wanted her.
But, he had told himself, he had lived alone before Kenzie came into his life, and he would survive on his own now that she had chosen to go.
And he had survived. If continuing to wake, work, eat and sleep could be called surviving…
But now Kenzie was back. Not to stay, but back nonetheless, and he had every intention of slaking his thirst for her delectable body once and for all!
His mouth twisted humorously. ‘I’m not going anywhere, Kenzie. We leave here together tomorrow as planned.’
She drew in a ragged breath, having been afraid that would be his answer. ‘If you’ll excuse me? I have to go and get ready to go to the hairdresser’s.’ She didn’t so much as glance at him again before leaving the room, hating what they were doing to each other, but unable to find a way to stop it.
If what she suspected was going to be Dominick’s revenge, then this destruction was only going to get worse…
KENZIE was as tense as a young colt as she sat beside him at the wedding reception, Dominick noted with a scowl. The meal was over, the speeches just coming to a close, and Kenzie had been tense through all of it.
What had she thought he was going to do, for goodness’ sake, stand up in the church in the middle of the marriage ceremony and pronounce that marriage, and their own marriage, was nothing but a sham?
That would make rather a nonsense of the last torturous twenty-four hours, and Kenzie should know him well enough by now to know that he abhorred wasting his time, on anything.
He had been more than prepared to play his part today, and had been gracious and charming to the rest of Kenzie’s family as Nancy had introduced him.
What he hadn’t been prepared for was the sight of Kenzie walking down the aisle behind Kathy. The floating green dress she wore, and the flowers entwined in the darkness of her hair, made her somehow look like a fairy princess.
It had given him something of a jolt, he had to admit, but it had been a weakness he had quickly brought back under control. Kenzie was playing a part just as much as he was, and the truth was she was no more a fairy princess than he was Prince Charming!
‘Oh, look!’ Kenzie murmured happily now as her cheeks became flushed, and her eyes glowed. ‘Kathy and Derek are going to start the dancing!’
Dancing?
Of course there would be dancing, Dominick told himself impatiently. Weddings weren’t his favourite things, but he’d had no choice but to attend one or two of them in the past—including too many of his own parents’—and there was always dancing after the speeches.
Had he ever danced with Kenzie?
No, he couldn’t say that he had…
‘Shall we join them?’
Kenzie turned from gazing indulgently at her youngest sister and her new husband, who had eyes for no one but each other as they slowly danced, to look up at Dominick as he stood beside her chair. His expression and eyes were unreadable as he held his hand out to her in invitation.
‘I think it’s expected,’ he growled as she made no effort to get to her feet, and he glanced pointedly at the two sets of parents and her sisters and their husbands dancing.
Of course it was expected, Kenzie acknowledged heavily. She was a bridesmaid. Dominick was her husband.
‘People are starting to stare, Kenzie,’ he whispered as she continued to look at him without speaking.
‘Of course,’ she accepted gracefully, taking his hand as she stood up, knowing that would be expected of her too.
His hand was firm and dry to the touch, and his fingers curled lightly about hers as he led her onto the dance floor. Her breath caught in her throat as he turned to take her into his arms, keeping his hand in hers as his other arm moved lightly about her waist to draw her close against him.
Kenzie could feel her pulse racing as they began to move to the music, she was so physically aware of Dominick: the warmth of his body enveloping her, the softness of his breath gently stirring the loose tendrils of hair at her temples.
He danced gracefully, easily guiding her movements to match his own. Not that she had ever expected anything else. Dominick did everything well. More than well. Business deals. Dancing. Making love…
She stumbled slightly at that last thought. Despite the busyness of the day, the memories of their lovemaking the previous night had never been far from her mind, and being held close to Dominick like this was only increasing her desire for him.
‘Steady,’ Dominick warned as his arms tightened more securely about her. He concentrated totally on her, seeming unconcerned that the other wedding guests were watching the couples circling the dance floor.
Dominick could think of nothing else but holding Kenzie in his arms as they danced. She was almost as tall as him in her heeled green satin shoes, and she was like gossamer in his arms, seeming to float around the floor. The image of a fairy princess became even more acute and yet he could still feel her tension.
‘For goodness’ sake relax, Kenzie,’ he muttered impatiently. ‘One thing you can be sure of, I’m not about to ravish you in the middle of a dance floor!’
Her eyes were like huge green lakes in the paleness of her face as she looked up at him. ‘I never for a moment thought that you were,’ she told him waspishly, her chin raised in challenge.
‘Didn’t you?’ he mocked.
‘No!’ Her eyes flashed. ‘I—the dance has ended,’ she realized with obvious relief, stepping away from him to turn and applaud the bride and groom, her face once more glowing as she watched her younger sister’s obvious happiness.
Dominick’s gaze remained fixed on Kenzie, taking in the arch of her brows, the eyes glowing beneath long dark lashes, the curve of her cheek, those full, passionate lips, and the smooth line of her jaw.
Beautiful.
Kenzie was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
His wife.
But not his wife.
Maybe not, but she wasn’t any other man’s wife yet. And she still owed him…
‘Thank you once again for all that you did this weekend,’ Kenzie told Dominick late Sunday morning as she got out of the car he had parked outside her apartment building.