Page 221 of Modern Romance Collection February 2025, 1-4

She met his dark gaze, feeling oddly defensive of her grandparents, even though that was what she’d always thought herself. ‘They didn’t ask, no. And my mother had nothing to say about it. If I’d stayed there, I wouldn’t have had an education.’

‘Ah.’ He raised his glass and took a sip. ‘So you preferred being with your grandparents, then?’

‘That’s what was best for me in the end.’

‘That’s not what I asked.’ His dark gaze was disturbingly intense. ‘I asked if you preferred being with them over the commune.’

She didn’t like the question and how unsure and defensive it made her feel. As if she’d had a choice about whether to go with her grandparents or stay at Earthsong with her mother, which she hadn’t.

‘Does it matter?’ she said, trying to sound casual. ‘It was a long time ago.’

But that unnerving black gaze of his seemed to see right inside her. ‘I didn’t ask to make you uncomfortable. I only asked because it’s clear you love the forest here at Darkfell. And I wondered if you’d like to stay beyond the term of your contract.’

Maude stared back at him in shock. ‘Stay?’

‘Yes. Make the position permanent, so to speak.’

‘But you said you were going to sell the place after the baby is born.’

‘I did. And then I changed my mind.’

Carefully, Maude put down her plastic cup and clasped her hands together, trying to keep the sudden fearful hope inside her. ‘You’re serious?’ She searched his face. ‘You really want me to stay on here?’

‘Yes, I’m serious. However...’ He paused and she saw it again, the flash of iron in his gaze, making her heart tighten. ‘There are strings attached.’

Her heart tightened still further. Of course there were. There were always strings with him.

‘What strings?’ she asked, unable to hide the wariness in her voice.

Dominic’s dark eyes glittered. ‘I want you to marry me, Maude.’

Dominic watched the shock blossom over Maude’s lovely face, which he’d expected. He hadn’t exactly been open with her about his idea.

He’d also been wanting to give her some space. It was why he hadn’t gone to her cottage the moment he’d arrived. She was a wild creature, he’d decided, and with wild creatures you had to go slow. So he’d let her get used to him being around and only on the third night had he gone to her door.

He’d been meaning only to talk or to suggest, but then she’d thrown herself into his arms and that had been the end of that.

He’d spent every night in her bed since then, leaving in the early morning before she woke up, still wanting to give her that space. But he’d been thinking, over the course of the week, of the future and what would happen after their son was born.

It was real to him now, a future he’d never thought he’d want unrolling before him. But he did want it. He did. And he wanted her, too.

Marriage didn’t mean much to him, since it hadn’t meant anything to his parents. His mother had been his father’s lover and she’d left him not long after Dominic had turned two. He had no memories of her. Yet he’d decided that his son should have what he hadn’t, a mother and a father, and what better way to tie it all together than to be married?

The idea hadn’t bothered him as much as he’d thought it would. In fact, he liked it. Liked the thought of Maude being his wife. It would mean he’d be stuck with only one woman for the rest of his life, but he found he rather liked that thought too. It had been nearly a week and he still wanted her with as much hunger as he had that first time. Their nights together were incendiary. Of course, over time, their passion would wane because it always did, and then they might have to have a discussion about finding other partners, discreetly of course.

Until then though, he didn’t see any reason why not to make her his wife. There were certain legal protections she would enjoy and she’d certainly like to stay here in the forest. They could keep their own lives as they were doing right now... Surely she wouldn’t find it a problem?

Her warm brown eyes were wide with shock. ‘Marry you?’ she repeated huskily. ‘But...why?’

‘It would give you some legal protection,’ he said easily. ‘But more importantly, it would give our son a family.’

‘He already has a family.’

‘A family who are together,’ Dominic clarified.

She was still staring at him, shock echoing in her gaze. ‘But...you don’t love me. And I don’t love you.’

He almost laughed. ‘Of course not. But that’s not the kind of marriage I was thinking of.’

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