However, when Beth opened the door to leave, a large, irritated male blocked their way. His dark eyes blazed with anger and he trained them right on Felicity.

Felicity unfroze herself from shock. Surprise gripped her, making her voice a shout. “What are you doing here? Did you follow me?”

Beth wisely stepped out of the way so Felicity could march up to Dominic Blackmoore. A man whose car she had “borrowed” to get away from him, but she’d wisely left in a block down the street and had walked to Beth’s. The arrogant bastard lifted his chin a notch. As if to say, what of it, babe?

“As soon as possible I did, yes.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re mine and tonight that became official.”

Mortification reddened her cheeks. “As if I need to be reminded in front of my friend of what we, I mean you, did tonight.”

He shook his head. “No, I mean after that. I’m no longer mating with Julianna Greenwich.”

Beth sucked in a breath making both Felicity and Dom send her a sharp look. Beth threw her hands up and slowly backed away. “This sounds private. I’ll just be...in the bedroom.”

After the bedroom door closed, Felicity realized she should have made Beth stay. As soon as the bedroom door closed he was in her space, wrapping his arms around her and bringing his mouth down to hers. Luckily her senses came back rather fast and she broke the kiss.

“Remember the part where I said I hate you.”

He lifted his head enough to grin, just one corner of his mouth lifting in that sexy way. “I remember that. I also remember telling you I love you. That negates your hate.”

Her heart stuttered like a jackhammer in her chest. “I don’t think that’s how it works.”

Suddenly, he turned very serious. His eyes grew hard, lips flattened and even his arms tightened around her. “Love conquers all.”

Oh god. He just said that. She couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing, and when his low, slow laughter met hers, something melted inside her.

“You can’t love me,” she said when her laughter died.

“Why can’t I?”

She looked around even as her hands curled into his suit shirt. “Because—because we’re from two different kinds of stock. It’d be a waste of your good genes. It’s like...mixing a thorough-bred with a mutt.”

One dark eyebrow cocked as he gave her a stern expression. “Are you comparing yourself to a thorough-bred?”

“Well, actually you were supposed to be the thorough-bred in that example, but I appreciate the compliment.”

Slowly his stern expression dissolved into the look and she melted. Her body grew warm and hyperaware of him; hyperaware of the fact that not too long ago he’d been inside her giving her rough, exquisite pleasure that she’d love to repeat again and again in a variety of styles, ways, and locations.

“Sweets, I don’t compare to you,” he said.

She pushed against him and strode away. “Seriously? Save the ridiculous compliments for someone who’ll believe them. You’re from, like, kings. You have tons of money, a great house, great clothes, hell even your hair is great. My mother and I don’t even speak anymore. Last I heard she and her lover whose way too young for her were living on the last of her money in a tropical climate somewhere. I am a designer who can’t get a job. I have a crappy car, a tiny, crappy home, and I’m poor. So, I’ll tell you Dominic Blackmoore I am no thorough-bred.”

When she finished her little rant, she stopped to see if any of that had sunk in. She sighed in defeat at what she saw. It had not. He looked even more stubborn if possible as if he’d just listened to the foolish rant of a child and was being exceedingly patient.

“You’re my beautiful, perfect thorough-bred. From your sweetness to your dedication to your jokes that make me laugh. I don’t know if you know this, but no one makes me laugh, Felicity. Not in ages. But you do. You make me feel happy. I look forward to something for once other than work. I look forward to seeing you. You make me want to change myself, hell even my presidential views. Tonight, Julianna broke off the engagement with me—”

“What?” she interrupted him, stunned to her core. That little fluttering butterfly of hope flapped faster in her heart. Could it really be true? This wasn’t just another lie.

“Yes, and the reason it took me so long to follow you is because I was looking for this.” He dug around in his suit jacket and came back empty handed. Growling, he reached for his other pocket and sighed, his relief palpable. In his hand was a small black velvet box.

“Oh no,” Felicity said, automatically taking a step back.

He grinned at her, enjoying her discomfort. The bastard. “Oh yes, baby. Lady Felicity Shaw, since the first day I met you you have turned my life upside down,” he began in a grand, royal voice. “You have made me angry, aroused, frustrated, and happy. You have made me experience more than I have at one time in my whole life. I’m a businessman, Felicity, and I know when to grab onto something and not let it go. You are my something, Felicity. You are mine, and I love you.” Slowly he sank down to one knee.

Her stomach clenched with nerves in a mixture of chaotic emotions. In her mind she screamed oh my god over and over again. She wished Beth would come out here and tell her if any of this was real.

That didn’t happen. All that really happened was right before her. Dominic Blackmoore was saying he loved her and he was on his knee before her offering her a stunning ring. A gorgeous black diamond ring on a gold band surrounded by sparking white diamonds. It was utterly gorgeous and unique. It looked old like a family heirloom.

“Oh, Dom... I don’t know.”

His smile slowly died, and with it a slow building panic swept up inside her. Had she lost her chance and made him angry? She was crazy for him. He was something different, something special. She wanted him all to herself. Now with Julianna out of the way they could be together. There was no other possible way they could be closer than to be mates. Her mind went rampant between hope and doubt. While she did that Dominic was busy. He slid his other knee to the ground, and then dropped his arms to his sides. His eyes were hard and determined.

“Come here.”

It was an order. One Felicity found herself answering immediately.

As soon as she stepped into him, he wrapped his arms around her waist. She had to grab onto one of his shoulders for balance. He rubbed his cheek against her stomach. His warmth penetrated her and she found herself cupping the back of his head in an automatic response.

“Dom...” How could this man make her melt with a touch?

His hands flexed along her lower back, the tips of his fingers digging in. Her breath caught as little pulses of pleasure triggered inside her making her want to curl into him, or take him down to the floor.

“Felicity, I want you to be mine. I’m going to make you mine. When we leave here tonight, we’re doing it together and with my ring on your finger.”

Shit. Her heart pounded with each of his resounding words and her stomach plummeted through the floor.

“Dom, I need time to think, baby. This is all so quick--” Her sentence caught on a surprised breath as his hands trailed down to cup her backside.

“I love your ass, Felicity. It was one of the first things I noticed about you. Hard not to when just looking at it makes me hard.” He squeezed, lifting and playing with her. “Damn, if you only knew the thoughts I’ve had involving your ass.”

Oh, no. He just waved a temptation in front of her face. Impossible for her to resist. She had to know.

Voice husky, she croaked, “What kind of thoughts?”

He buried his nose in her navel, nuzzling her, muffling his words. That wasn’t nearly as distracting as his hands that steadily lifted the hem of her skirt as he spoke. “Fuck, baby, if I tell you now I’ll take you right here.”