Thankfully his parents were still away on their yacht, mourning in seclusion and sparing her their presence today. Everyone had been sworn to secrecy to protect them until their return. Despite their feelings about her—and, dear God, that had been Liam’s doing—she didn’t dislike her parents-in-law. The opposite, in fact.
“Incidentally,” Dominic suddenly rasped in her ear, “you look very beautiful in black.”
A touch of heat rose up her neck as she watched him walk away in a dark business suit that made him look both powerful and sexy. That was the first time he’d ever made a personal comment to her, and it was devastating to know her senses were leaping all over the place. She wished she could deny it, but there had always been this “hint” of something more between them, always possibilities that could never be realized. Until today.
Just then, the champagne cork popped.
“Here we go, Cassandra,” Janice said, coming toward her. “A glass of champagne for the bride.”
Cassandra mustered a smile. “Thank you.”
Janice swung around to encompass the men. “Now that we all have some champagne, I’d like to make a toast.” She held her glass in the air. “To Cassandra and Dominic.”
There was a moment’s hesitation by everyone.
Then Adam raised his glass. “To Cassandra and Dominic,” he said, his face as enigmatic as his brother’s.
Cassandra inclined her head at her brother-in-law. Adam was too young to be a widower, and Cassandra suspected that was why he spent so much time traveling around Australia, going from store to store to make sure things were running smoothly, checking their suppliers to make sure the quality of their luxury goods remained exceptional. She hadn’t really got to know him well, and his wife’s death had happened before she’d married Liam, but he was another one who’d always been slightly aloof with her, though there had never been the sexual awareness between them like there was between her and Dominic.
Yet Adam was like Dominic in many respects. Handsome. Confident. Mature. And with the sex appeal that the Roth sons had brought into the world at the expense of other men.
“Thank you both,” Dominic said, drawing Cassandra from her thoughts. He looked at her and held up his glass. “To us,” he toasted, a challenge in his eyes.
She had the image of him holding up a starting pistol.
Let the games begin.
“To us,” she replied, giving him a cool look that said she would be ready for whatever he threw at her.
As if he’d read her thoughts, his eyes narrowed.
“Cassandra, I guess you’ll have to change your address now,” Janice observed, then looked at her boss. “Or perhaps you’re going to move in with Cassandra and Nicole?”
“No. Cassandra and Nicole will be moving in with me.” Dominic’s clipped tones brooked no discussion.
Two spots of red appeared in Janice’s cheeks, and Cassandra felt sorry for her, but the other woman should be used to her boss by now.
And Cassandra had to admit she was glad about moving out of the town house she’d shared with Liam. Of course moving in with Dominic wasn’t what she wanted, either.
“At least you don’t have to change your surname,” Adam joked, and Cassandra smiled to ease the tension in the room.
“I hadn’t thought of that, Adam,” she said.
Dominic put his glass down on the desk. “We’d better get going,” he stated coldly, and Cassandra had the feeling he wasn’t pleased about her smiling at his brother. Did he think she would seduce Adam? Probably.
He had no need to be concerned about her with Adam, she mused, more concerned at the thought of leaving with Dominic right now and starting their future together.
She didn’t have time to think further. Before she knew it, he had said his goodbyes and was leading her from the room and along the carpeted corridor. She tingled at his touch.
Once in the private elevator, she moved out of reach. “It was hardly worth the trouble of dressing up,” she said to cover her reaction.
His gaze raked boldly over her black dress, from breast to midthigh hem, his look both appreciative and condemning. “You’re lucky I didn’t see what you were wearing beforehand.”
Her heart bumped her ribs. “Why?”
“Let’s say I would have waited while you changed.”
She squared her shoulders. “And if I refused?”
“The ceremony would have been delayed.”
She opened her mouth.
“Let it go, Cassandra. It’s done now. You look beautiful no matter what color you’re dressed in.” A new glint entered his eyes. “And no matter what you wear.”
She was grateful that the elevator stopped then. His BMW and a driver were waiting as they stepped out into the underground car park. Soon they were whizzing out of the city, toward his home at Sandringham, a bayside suburb southeast of Melbourne, renowned for its yacht club and golf course.
“We’ve got a bit of a drive ahead of us,” he said beside her on the backseat just as her heartbeat had slowed. “We do?” Oh, no. “Please tell me we’re not going on a honeymoon, Dominic?” The family had a holiday home in tropical Queensland.
Something flickered at the back of his eyes. “Not exactly. A friend has lent us his bush retreat not far from Lorne on the Great Ocean Road. We’re going there for a week.”
A week with Dominic in a secluded cottage? It was going to be bad enough settling into married life with this man…sharing a bed with this man…but she hadn’t expected they’d have too much time alone together. He had a busy life. And she intended to keep busy, too, wanting something more than being a trophy wife, like she’d been to Liam.
At the thought of being considered nothing but a trophy wife, Cassandra knew she had to stand up for herself—and keep on standing up for herself—until Dominic realized she wouldn’t be pushed around.
“You really should have told me about all this,” she said, sending him an irritated look.
He turned his head toward her. “Why? What good would it have done?”
“I might have had my own plans.”
“Then you would have had to change them.”
Oh, he was so smug.
“Like I’d change my dress? Don’t be too sure, Dominic,” she said coolly, then looked out her side window, intentionally dismissive.
Tension strung between them.
Then his cell phone rang, and he reached into his pocket and answered it. He was still talking on the phone when they turned onto a tree-lined street close to the beach. At the end, behind a pair of high gates that were now automatically opening, they drove through the grounds to a mansion nestled in sun-soaked seclusion.
It was a glorious house, but Cassandra had been in no mood to appreciate it earlier, when his driver had collected her and they’d dropped Nicole off here. And she was in no mood to appreciate it now as the driver halted behind a luxury SUV parked in front of the steps.
As soon as they were out of the car, Dominic dismissed the driver, who then drove off in the BMW just as the housekeeper opened the door, carrying Nicole.
“Congratulations, Mrs. Roth,” Nesta said, coming toward them.
Cassandra’s smile was genuine as she lifted Nicole from her. There had been a kindness in the other woman’s eyes earlier that had made her think they could be on friendly terms. “Thank you, Nesta. Has she been a good girl?”
“Oh, yes. She’s a darling little thing, and I’d be happy to babysit her anytime.” Nesta touched Nicole’s cheek. “I bet she takes after her mother.”
Cassandra laughed. “Only when it comes to luxuriously long baths.” Nicole loved playing in the water at bath time, and she loved to lie back in the bubbles and soak when she had the chance. When she was growing up, there had never been the opportunity to take too long in the bathroom.
As if she agreed with her mother, Nicole babbled something, making them chuckle. She could always rely on her beautiful daughter to make her smile, Cassandra mused, stroking her daughter’s blond curls away from her chubby face.
All at once, she caught Dominic’s eye. He was staring back at her, a muscle pulsing in his cheek, his eyes dangerously dark and drawing her into that web of physical awareness between them again. Her throat went dry.
The moment was broken by Nesta. “I’d better let you get on your way,” the middle-aged woman said, oblivious to the undercurrents. “Everything’s ready and in the car, Mr. Roth.”
There was a small pause; then Dominic’s expression became inscrutable again. “Thanks, Nesta,” he said, but he was still looking at Cassandra. “Do you want to change your clothes before we leave?”
She noticed he had taken off his jacket and tie and was looking tantalizingly informal. “No. I’ll wait.” She wasn’t ready to go inside to the bedroom she’d share with him on their return. Right now it seemed too intimate.
His mouth compressed. “It’ll be hours before we get there,” he pointed out. “That’s okay.”
His eyes turned cool. “Suit yourself.” He strode toward the SUV.
His coldness was discouraging, but there was nothing for it except to follow him, but before she could move, Nesta put a hand on her arm.
“Don’t let him leave yet, Mrs. Roth. I’ll just be a jiffy.” The housekeeper hesitated, and thinking the woman had forgotten something, Cassandra nodded that she would wait.
Nesta hurried inside, and Cassandra went to put Nicole in the vehicle. She was mildly surprised Dominic wasn’t using the Porsche she’d seen occasionally at his parents’ place, but this was more a family vehicle and perfect for long trips and children. It looked brand-new and probably was, but at least he’d thought to have an infant’s car seat included.
Evidently that was as far as his thoughtfulness went, she decided as he stood at the open driver’s door, watching her strap Nicole in the rear seat. By the time she’d straightened, Nesta had returned.
“Here we go, Mrs. Roth.” The housekeeper handed her a black cashmere cardigan. “You can take off the jacket and put this on. It’ll be more comfortable for you.”
Cassandra was touched by the woman’s thoughtfulness. “Thank you, Nesta.” She slid out of the bolero jacket and replaced it with the refined knitwear. The material was light enough not to be too hot to wear on an early summer’s day like today, and it immediately downgraded her wedding outfit to a more stylishly casual look.
“There. That’s more comfortable for you,” Nesta said, beaming at her.
“One more thing.” To complete the look, Cassandra removed the jeweled hair stick and released her French twist, letting her hair tumble to her shoulders. “That’s better.”
“You’re so beautiful, Mrs. Roth.”
Cassandra smiled. “I don’t know about that, Nesta.”
Suddenly Dominic muttered something under his breath and seated himself behind the steering wheel. “Come on. We’d better be on our way.”