Secrets After Dark by Sadie Matthews Read Free Book Online Page B

Beth,’ Dominic says.
    ‘Yes.’ Anna smiles. ‘It’s good to have another woman in this place. It’s rather male dominated, don’t you think? Apparently, even the cats are male.’
    ‘Yes.’ I glance at Dubrovski. He’s staring at Dominic, his blue eyes narrowed.
    ‘Dominic, why don’t you take our young friend here to get some coffee? Ask one of the brothers to help you. I need to talk to Anna about the deal.’
    ‘Yes, certainly.’ Dominic gets up, his face impassive. I can tell he’s making himself move slowly and with complete control. I’m tingling all over as he walks towards me. ‘Does that sound all right to you, Beth?’
    I nod. I can’t speak. As he gets closer to me, it’s as though the breath is being sucked from my body.
    ‘Look after her, won’t you?’ says Dubrovski. ‘I’ll see you in the guest sitting room in thirty minutes.’
     
    Out in the corridor, Dominic doesn’t look at me, simply mutters ‘Wait’ under his breath. There are monks walking along the corridor, he obviously doesn’t want us observed. We go along the passageway, and now I feel like I’m floating, the joy of being beside him is so great. With every moment that passes, I realise more fully that I’m actually with Dominic, and that my world has transformed in the space of a few moments.
    I have dozens of questions I want to ask him, but I’m speechless. Then he stops abruptly outside another door, knocks and opens it. The small sitting room within is completely empty.
    He turns to me, his eyes burning, and takes my hand. He pulls me through the doorway, slamming the door shut behind us, and the next instant his mouth is on mine and we are devouring one another. He kisses me with a kind of desperate hunger, as though he can’t get enough of me, his strong arms wrapping around me and pulling me to him. Oh God, the touch and smell and taste of him. It’s miraculous, divine... I’m dizzy but enjoying the extraordinary flourish of fireworks going off inside me. This kiss might be the best of my life – the reliving of something I feared I would never have again. I put my hands to his head, burying my fingers in his thick dark hair, revelling in the sensation of touching him again. He is running his hands over my back, along my arms, as if he cannot really believe I’m really here, wrapped in his embrace.
    We kiss endlessly, the passion between us growing almost unbearable with every moment our mouths are locked together as we taste one another. Then he pulls away, and looks down at me. I can see the desire glowing in his eyes as he says breathlessly, ‘Beth, what are you doing here? What the hell are you doing with Dubrovski?’
    ‘It’s lovely to see you too,’ I retort, but smiling.
    ‘Of course, of course, it’s wonderful to see you – but...’ he looks at me, astonished, as though he’s still trying to believe the evidence of his own eyes. ‘...I just can’t get over that you’re here!’
    ‘It’s just as Dubrovski said,’ I reply, unable to take my gaze away from his mouth, which I already miss desperately. ‘I’m working for Mark Palliser. He brought me along with him to evaluate the painting the monks have found.’
    Dominic looks troubled.
    ‘What is it? Aren’t you happy to see me?’
    ‘Beth, I told you, it’s wonderful. I’m overjoyed to see you,’ he says in a hoarse voice. ‘Can’t you tell?’
    I can feel his desire pressing against me and I’m overcome with longing to release him and feel him inside me again. The yearning is so strong, I gasp, my lips parting.
    ‘Don’t look at me like that,’ he says. ‘You’ll make me lose control.’
    ‘So lose it,’ I whisper.
    ‘I can’t,’ he says, his voice strained. ‘God, what you’re doing to me...’
    ‘I’ve missed you so much.’
    ‘I’ve missed you too.’
    I stare at him accusingly, remembering how much I’ve suffered because of him. ‘Then why, Dominic? Why did you leave me for so long? Have you any idea