My mouth falls open on a moan when he presses a hot, wet kiss to my neck with an open mouth. “Dominic…”
“I’m not going to sit by and watch him touch you when I can’t. Trust me, angel, this is the only option that doesn’t end with my fist in his face.”
“And what about Kristen?” The words taste like acid on my tongue, laced with an ugly jealousy I’m not proud of.
“She’s not an issue, Sloane. We’re just here as friends, and she knows it.” He gives me another hot kiss to my neck that makes my knees weak. I sway back, and Dominic supports me with ease. His long fingers are splayed on my stomach, pressing me into his erection. I spin in his arms and offer him my lips, because I want his mouth on me more than I want my next breath. Dominic acquiesces immediately.
His lips crash into mine with a hungry, yet practiced, finesse that drives me crazy. Unlike the last time we kissed, when he caught me off guard, I’m ready when his lips hit mine. I open for him immediately, letting him explore and taste as much as he wants because I’m doing it right back.
My hands are all over him, touching his face, running down his chest, slipping under his shirt to feel the sculpted muscles of his abs, scoringmy nails into his back when he drags his teeth over my bottom lip. Every cell in my body is singing for him, demanding more. More of his tongue. More of his touch. More ofhim. Dominic growls as he breaks the kiss and releases me like I’ve just burned him.
“Jesus, Sloane. Do youwantme to fuck you in this bathroom?”
I blink up at him. My brain is so sluggish with arousal and need that it takes a moment to really see him. The tension lining his shoulders. The smoldering look in his eyes. The prominent bulge in his pants I was just pressed against.
He looks like a man at the end of his rope, barely holding on to the control he usually has a firm grip on. And knowing I’ve done that just by responding helplessly to him sends another rush of desire through my veins.
Lord, help me.
Dominic adjusts himself inside of his pants, and I watch, riveted. The act is as intimate as it is erotic, and I’m practically salivating at the sight. Ever watchful, Dominic catches me staring at him, his eyes darkening further as he pauses his movements.
“You’re biting your lip, angel. I hope that means you’re going to say yes to my offer.”
A million things run through my mind all at once; thoughts and images that have tortured me for weeks now slamming into me forcefully, begging me to say yes, so Dominic can make them all a reality. I already know what my answer is going to be, but I want to keep him in suspense for a little while longer. With a slow smile spreading across my face, I start backing away, inching closer to the door as his eyes track my steps.
“I’ll consider your offer and let you know my answer tomorrow at dinner.”
The last thing I see before I slip out of the door is the devilish smirk on Dominic’s face and his hand still in his pants, palming an impressive hard-on I can’t wait to see in person.
***
“Are you sure I can’t get you anything?”
Ash’s concern is palpable as we stand on my front porch underneath the moonlit sky. Getting him out of the club was a major feat, Kristen was clinging to him with a wild determination that made no sense because he was there with me and she’s still very clearly into Dominic.
In the end, Mal ended up physically removing her hand from Ash’s arm so we could leave. By the time Ash and I cleared the second floor, Dominic still hadn’t made it back with the drinks. If it struck anyone as weird that he and I were missing from the group at the same time, they didn’t let on, which was good, because I don’t want anyone knowing about this arrangement between us yet.Or at all.
I guess that’s something else Dominic and I will have to talk about at dinner tomorrow.Dinner.I’m going on an actual date with Dominic Alexander. But first, I have to politely dismiss the kind, handsome man currently regaling me with a list of his many caretaking skills. None of which I need at the moment.
To say I feel bad about flaking out on this sweet man would be an insult to the ball of dread chilling my stomach. I meant what I said to Dominic in the bathroom: Ash is a nice man, and he deserves better than a date who can’t bring herself to kiss him but jumps at the chance to make out with someone else.
Well, not just someone else. It couldn’t have been any other man in that bathroom with me. Even if I don’t understand it, I know it’s true. Dominic is the only man who can arouse and infuriate me in the space of a heartbeat, and I’m fairly certain he’s the only one who can satisfy the demanding need thrumming underneath my skin.
“Ash.” I place a light hand on his forearm. “I’m fine. I think I just got a little overheated in the club.”
Understatement of the year.
Ash gives me a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. He doesn’t believe me, but he’s too polite to say so. “Okay. I’ll let you get some rest then. Have a good night, Sloane.”
He leans in close and places a chaste kiss on my cheek. I offer him a tight smile when he pulls back and starts down the steps. “Thank you for dinner and the almost nightcap.”
A small smile full of regret ghosts over his lips. “One day, when you feel ready—really ready—we’ll have that nightcap, and maybe something more.” Then he’s gone. Shoulders back and head held high as he climbs into his car and pulls off.
The smallest bit of insidious doubt trickles through my mind as I unlock my front door and step into the house. Being with a man like Ash would be simple, uncomplicated, because anything that happened with him—good or bad—wouldn’t pose a threat to the most important relationships in my life.
The same can’t be said for this thing with Dominic, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s worth it. If giving in to the attraction blooming between us is worth hurting the people who mean the most to us. People that are only in our lives because of Eric. People I can’t imagine losing.
My gut clenches at the thought, and my pulse leaps as panic tries to set in. But I’m determined not to let it. This thing with me and Dominic can be good, and it doesn’t have to destroy everything. Not if we’re smart about it. We could lay out some ground rules, put a date on this thing, so we aren’t lying to the people we love for an indefinite amount of time.I mean, how long should it take to sate my touch-starved skin?
