Brides for the Billionaires: The Billionaire's Marriage Bargain / The Billionaire's Marriage Mission / Bedded at the Billionaire's Convenience

Having spent the weekend with Kenzie’s family in the ex-vicarage set within its acre of garden, Dominick recognized that the village girl in Kenzie was still very much alive.

‘Nice.’ He nodded appreciatively as he turned back to look at Kenzie.

A very tense Kenzie, he thought, who looked as if she expected, despite what he had said downstairs, him to pounce on her at any moment.

Well, she was going to be disappointed.

He’d really meant it when he’d told her he had no intention of collecting on his side of their bargain now. No, he intended to prolong that satisfaction for as long as possible. He’d wanted to make her suffer a little, in the same way he suffered every time he imagined her in Jerome Carlton’s bed!

Kenzie gave an impatient shake of her head, not interested in what he did or didn’t think of her apartment. ‘Just say what you have to say and then go.’ She glared, not at all comfortable with his invasion into her private sanctuary.

Instead of doing any such thing Dominick dropped down into one of her big overstuffed terracotta-coloured armchairs. ‘You aren’t being very polite, Kenzie,’ he drawled. ‘I told you I could do with a coffee after the drive.’

‘It’s usual to ask!’ she snapped irritably.

His dark brows raised mockingly over his amused brown eyes. ‘A black coffee would be much appreciated, thank you.’

‘Have a hangover, do you?’ she came back tartly, thinking she really would end up with lines if she didn’t stop frowning so much!

‘Sorry to disappoint you, but not at all. I only had one glass of champagne at the wedding reception, and from experience it isn’t a drink that gives me a hangover,’ he replied, completely unconcerned by her bad humour. ‘As I’m sure you remember, I happen to prefer my coffee black.’

Getting him the coffee wasn’t the problem, especially as it meant she could escape into the kitchen for a few minutes’ respite from his disturbing company. It was the time he was going to spend in her apartment drinking it that was the problem.

He hadn’t told her what he wanted from her yet, and she very much doubted he would leave until he had.

She didn’t doubt that Dominick was enjoying himself, his air of amusement having become much more pronounced this morning.

Away from her close-knit family, Kenzie was having more trouble, and much less opportunity, to remain aloof from him. Which, of course, was exactly what he wanted.

Damn him.

Dominick relaxed back in his chair as Kenzie left the room, easing the tiredness from his body. Last night, he had pretended to be sleeping, he had lain awake long after Kenzie had finally fallen asleep.

Plotting.

Planning.

Savouring.

He was not going to rush something that was giving him so much pleasure just thinking about it.

‘Here,’ she said briskly. when she returned from the kitchen and handed him the cup of black coffee.

‘Thank you,’ he said with exaggerated politeness. ‘Aren’t you joining me?’ he prompted lightly as she dropped down into the chair opposite to look across at him broodingly.

‘Just tell me what you want from me, Dominick,’ she snapped. ‘And let’s stop playing games!’

‘You really aren’t being very—gracious, are you, now that I’ve kept my side of the bargain?’ he chided.

Kenzie opened her mouth to give him another sharp reply, instead firmly closing it again, her lips clamping together as she realized that he was only speaking the truth.

But he was the one who had made a bargain of this and only after she had told him she really would be very grateful if he would do her this favour …

Yes, but—

No buts. She had said that, and that was exactly what he had done. Was it any wonder that he now wanted payment?

‘Sorry,’ she muttered between stiff lips. ‘What is it you want from me, Dominick?’

‘Well, let’s get one thing straight from the first, shall we?’ He put his coffee cup down to sit forward in his chair, his expression intent, his gaze narrowed as he looked deep into her eyes. ‘I have never been into taking unwilling women into my bed!’

He had never needed to, she thought. Before the two of them had met Dominick had been known for his numerous affairs with glamorous, beautiful women, affairs that he had always ended rather than the other way around. In fact, she was probably the first woman to ever walk away from him!

Which was the reason for Dominick’s anger, of course …

But they couldn’t just—she couldn’t just—

Going to bed with Dominick in that way, so cold and calculated, was completely against the way she had lived her life so far. But all of Dominick’s comments so far over the course of the weekend seemed to suggest that was exactly what he was going to demand.

Kenzie willed herself to calm down, to settle into the mental relaxation she often escaped to during the long, interminable waits she experienced between photographic shoots. She tried to breathe deeply and evenly, and was able to meet Dominick’s gaze quite calmly when she looked at him.

After all, hadn’t he just told her that he wouldn’t take an unwilling woman to his bed?

She would just have to try to ensure, no matter what the provocation, that she was never willing!

Dominick stood up abruptly, moving over to look at the bookcase along one wall of the room. ‘You obviously like to read.’ He nodded at the well-thumbed rows of paperbacks lined on the shelves.

‘Yes,’ she acknowledged quietly, slightly thrown by his change of subject.

He nodded. ‘So do I. In fact, I’ve read most of these titles, too.’

Her eyes widened in spite of herself. ‘I never remember you reading anything but contracts and the business section of the newspaper when we were together!’

He shrugged broad shoulders. ‘That’s probably because we always found plenty of other things to do when we were together other than reading fiction books.’

Like making love.

How strange that she should learn now, after living apart for months, that the two of them actually had a similar taste in reading.

What else was there about him, other small personal details, that she hadn’t had the opportunity to learn during their nine months of marriage? All they had been able to think about at the time, all that had interested either of them when they hadn’t been caught up in their individual business commitments, was being with each other …

Dominick could see the surprise, and the puzzled interest, in Kenzie’s eyes, and decided that he had probably gone far enough for one day. The best way to succeed in anything, he had learnt over the years, was to always walk away leaving the other person wanting more, wondering …

And he did intend succeeding where Kenzie was concerned. In not only getting her back into his bed, but getting her there willingly. Willingly was the most important part, if she did but know it!

He bent to put his empty cup on the low coffee-table before straightening. ‘Are you free next weekend?’

‘I—yes, I think so,’ Kenzie confirmed vaguely, obviously surprised by the question as she stood up to follow him to the door.