“Great, and cancer-free.”
“That’s wonderful news.”
She peers at me, knowingly. “You’re intrigued by him.”
I smile. “What gave it away?”
“A word of advice.” Her tone turns serious. “Dominic is a good man, but a broken one. Tread cautiously.”
Her warning chills me to the bone, but she means well. She’s telling me what I already discerned. Dom is a very dark soul.
“Where is he?”
“I saw him heading towards the basketball court not long ago. Most likely, that’s where he is.”
“Can you take me to him?”
“Sure.”
We walk in silence until we come to a set of double doors.
“I’ll put your clothes on the bed for you.”
“I appreciate everything.”
“It was a pleasure. Perhaps we’ll meet again.”
“Perhaps.”
She squeezes my shoulder, then ambles off. I inhale a reassuring breath before going inside. The sight of him impairs my cognitive abilities. Dom fluently dribbles the ball down the court. I’m not a sports girl, but he could make me change my mind. He’s shirtless, providing me full access to watch the play of his sleek muscles bunch and flex. His shorts cling to his sweat-soaked body. He leaps into the air and slam dunks the ball into the basket. He spots me, and the predatory glint in his eyes sends me on alert. Should I stay or flee? At his approach, I involuntarily step back, survival instinct kicking in. He notices the small movement and smirks, amused by my fear of him. I will my resisting feet to remain motionless. He comes to a stop directly in front of me, so close I can see my reflection in his molten amber eyes. I’m enchanted. I’ve seen movies where vampires ensnared their unsuspecting victims, rendering them docile in order to drain their life force. But this is real life. Creatures of lore are found in fiction, or are they? Could Dom be one of the infamous undead? My very own Count Dracula. Why else would I be so drawn to him?
Perspiration drips from his golden strands and lands on his mangled flesh. My entranced gaze follows a single trail of the salty liquid until it loses momentum and disappears at the corner of his captivating lips. I lift my hand, determined to run my fingers along his scars, but he brutally clasps my wrist.
He presses his nose to mine. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Undeterred, I lick Dom’s damaged skin and his unique spicy flavor explodes on my tongue. A deep rumble tears from his mouth. He twists his large hand in my hair and jerks my head back.
“Do you know what happened to the chicken that tried to cross the road?” he whispers in my ear
“No.”
“It got hit by a Mack truck. Careful, you’re the chicken in this scenario. Go get dressed. We’re leaving.” He flings me backwards.
I can’t believe I’m bringing Pepper to my parents’ house for dinner. She looked at me like I had a dick protruding from my forehead when I told her our destination. I see the reaction of each family member in my mind’s eye. Jensen will glare disapprovingly while Drew laughs his ass off. Dad will give me a thumbs-up. Mom and Sarah will discuss the possibility of a winter-themed wedding and a spring baby shower. I maneuver my vehicle left into my childhood neighborhood. My brothers and I were well-known hell-raisers among the residents. Finding parking is always difficult, but I manage to find a spot a few houses down from my parents’.
“Are you sure this is okay?” Pepper asks, wringing her hands.
“Relax, it’s fine.”
“But I’m an outsider.”
“Stop overthinking,” I snap, getting out of the car.
Pepper’s sexy high heels beat a rapid staccatoon the pavementas she tries to match my long strides. We walk down the pathway and up the porch stairs. I hear boisterous laugher and revelry coming from inside. The small, quaint dwelling has pretty much remained the same. My parents are sentimental and very resistant to change. They did agree to have the kitchen expanded to add a sufficient dining space.
“I figured your parents would live in a big, fancy house.”
“They refuse to relocate. There are a lot of fond memories for them here.”
