Page 50 of Marrying the Enemy

“Like who? Astrid?”

“Or a professional?”

“There’s no point. You can’t change history.”

“But you can reframe how you think and feel about it.”

“I don’t want to talk about my feelings. I don’t want to feel them.” He didn’t sound disparaging or even self-deprecating, only resolved. “This is what I’m doing about the past.” He gave her another squeeze. “That history is over. We’re moving forward from here.”

In what way exactly? she wanted to ask, but they arrived at the yacht. And, because it had been several hours since they’d done so, they went directly to their stateroom to make love.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

DOM HAD NICO come to his head office for their first meeting on the post-nuptial contracts. It wasn’t meant to be a power move. Eve was down the hall, finishing up her meeting with his hiring team so she would join them momentarily.

While he had her brother alone, however, he said, “Your father is ghosting Eve. It’s starting to upset her.”

“He’s angry with me, not her. And they’re away, sailing in the Galapagos with friends. It was planned ages ago, before this and—” Nico let out a hacked-off sigh. “Dad’s had some specialist appointments lately that haven’t gone as well as he’d hoped. That’s confidential,” Nico added with a warning look. “But it’s adding stress to this situation that wouldn’t have been here otherwise.”

“Understood. But is that why your mother hasn’t nailed down a date for the reception?” They’d suggested a date in November before the holiday parties started, but Ginny had demurred, something else that was distressing Eve.

“Yes. Dad has a procedure scheduled as soon as he gets back so they want to see how that goes.”

Dom nodded at the assistant who glanced through the window. She came in with a cart of fresh coffee and trays of fruit and pastries.

“How long do you think this will take?” Nico eyed the food. “I thought we’d agree on the high-level points and let our lawyers work out the nitty-gritty.”

“Eve’s been tied up all morning. She doesn’t really eat breakfast.”

“She’s been like that since she was a kid,” Nico said with a shake of his head. “And she runs when she’s stressed so she gets too skinny at times. If that’s what she’s been doing lately then, yeah.” He nodded with approval at the cream-filled eclairs and bagels with cream cheese. He waited until the assistant had left to ask, “She’s definitely not pregnant?”

“My assistant?” Dom deadpanned. “I haven’t asked. I’m not allowed.”

“Eve. Obviously.”

“Can I give you a word of advice?” Dom was enjoying this. “Don’t ask about my sex life with your sister unless you really want to hear about it.”

“This is why I’d rather keep hating you,” Nico said without heat and helped himself to a cup of coffee.

Dom wasn’t just protecting Eve’s modesty. She’d been quite desolate to learn on the last day of their honeymoon that she wasn’t pregnant. Dom had been surprisingly disappointed himself, not that he’d shared that with her. He hadn’t wanted to make her feel worse, as though she’d let him down or anything. He wasn’t even sure why he found the idea of having children so appealing. They’d been fresh back from watching the circus that was Astrid and Jevaun’s life, which really was a lot of work, but he kept thinking about Eve saying she wanted what they had. The affection and tag team of parenting. The trust.

And there was something very simplistic about spending time with children. They were so unreserved, wrapping their wiry little arms around his neck, secure in the belief he would keep their head above water. He’d enjoyed watching Eve play a game with the toddler when he woke, holding him in her lap while she used the tail of her braid to tickle his arm and hand and cheek, both of them grinning and giggling.

He wanted to give her that. He wanted to give her everything she asked for if it would make her smile like that.

A sensation of the floor shifting beneath him struck, as though he stood on the tip of a diving board, toes curled on the edge, muscles gathering to jump and flip.

“Here she is,” Nico said as Eve came through the door in a whirl of energy that pushed him into the deep end without any grace at all. Just a big, unexpected plunge with an accompanying rush in his ears and a loss of his breath.

“Hi.” She hugged her brother very briefly, gaze on the table. “Oh, my God. Thank you. I’m starving.” She came around the table to Dom. She clasped his arm and rose on her toes to kiss the corner of his mouth. “Seriously. You’re my absolute hero for this.”

She took the chair he held for her and began filling a plate from the tray, oblivious to the fact he felt punched in the face for no reason whatsoever. He didn’t even know what had happened to him a moment ago. Low blood sugar, maybe?

“How did the meeting go?” Dom asked her as he and Nico also sat.

“Good. I’m leaning toward the London project, but we can talk later about how that would fit with your schedule. Why isn’t Dad calling me back?” she asked Nico abruptly.

“They’re sailing—”

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