If You Were Mine by Rebecca King

wall with a thump.
    In
reality, he knew he should be extremely angry that Dominic had
compromised and thoroughly disgraced his sister. Inwardly, he was
delighted. Not only to see she was indeed alive and relatively
well, but ensconced so comfortably with the man who would make her
his wife, and would give her the utmost protection against
Rupert.
    Keeping
a mock frown on his face, he stood in the doorway and watched as
Dominic pushed himself sleepily onto one elbow.
    “ Do you have to shout?” Dominic grumbled with a yawn. Isobel
stirred sleepily beside him, and he pulled the covers higher to
protect her modesty.
    “ Isobel!” Peter chastised, watching with delight as his
sister’s beautiful blue eyes sprang open in shock. She was indeed
very much alive and recovering well if the pink blush staining her
cheeks was any indication, Peter mused fighting a smile.
    “ Peter?” It took all of Dominic’s dexterity to prevent her
blushes when she immediately sat bolt upright in bed, wide awake.
“Peter? Is that really you?”
    “ Yes, you can be bloody sure it is me, darling Sister. Get
yourself presentable, I shall be back soon and then I want some
answers about your behaviour, my dear.” He turned around to head
back into the corridor before pausing and turning around to face
them. “From the both of you!” he added, with a glare towards Dominic.
    As he
turned away, Peter closed the door behind him with a firm click and
broke out into a grin. He could get used to playing the stern older
brother, he mused, giving the shocked Butler a wink as he passed.
If playing the outraged protector rushed those two in the bedroom
to the altar, then he needed to put on the performance of his life.
He paused beside Manvers.
    “ Do you know something Manvers? I do believe I am famished. Do
you think cook would be able to prepare me a plate of
something?”
    “ I am sure she would be delighted to Sir,” Manvers blank tone
belied the very definite twinkle in his eye, and he rapidly
disappeared to the kitchens to report the latest piece of
news.
     
     
    “ Oh God, was that really Peter?” Isobel gasped, still coming
to terms with their discovering in
flagrante delicto by the brother who was
supposed to be deceased.
    “ Yes my dear, it was,” Dominic replied, dragging on his
breeches before trying and failing to turn his shirt the right way
around. “Rupert lied about that too.”
    “ Why the hell are you smiling?” he demanded when Isobel
dissolved into a fit of giggles.
    Isobel
couldn’t resist the surge of happiness that swept through her. Not
only was Dominic here, but Peter was alive too. Could life get any
better? She watched Dominic fighting with his shirt, and couldn’t
stop the giggles that swept through her.
    He
paused, his arms only halfway into the sleeves of his shirt, and
turned to watch as her eyes sparkled with merriment. It had been
such a long time since he had heard her laugh, he hadn’t realised
how much he had missed it, until now. A wave of tenderness swept
through him as he eased his arms free before tossing his shirt down
onto the bed.
    Within
seconds, Isobel found herself lying back upon the cool sheets,
Dominic looming over her intently.
    “ Now you have to behave,” she giggled eyeing his answering
lecherous smile. “My brother is in the house.” She suddenly found
herself unable to wipe the smile from her face. The look of guilt
that suffused his face made him look almost boyish, and it made her
smile grow wider. She eyed his handsome features mere inches from
hers, and began to place teasing kisses along his jaw.
    “ Behave yourself minx, you are still recuperating remember?”
he tried, and failed, to make his voice stern as he gave her a mock
glare. “We shouldn’t have spent the morning in bed while you are
still recuperating. You need to rest,” he chided.
    “ Oh I am. I am,” she smiled cheekily, tugging his head down
for a kiss. “I shall remain in bed for as long as need be.”