Page 116 of Autumn on My Mind

The broken words cause his eyes to widen, a stricken look passing over his face. I untangle myself from his arms, smooth my hands down my dress, and then turn away.

I walk right past our table. Weave through the other settings. Past the host stand. The click-click of my heels on the marble floor—until I make it outside and step into the rain I didn’t realize was falling. I’m not sure if my vision is blurry because of the downpour or because I’m crying, but I find myself grateful—no one will recognize my tears for what they are.

No one will see my heart breaking.

I’ve only taken two steps into the parking lot, however, when a strong hand grips my upper arm and pulls me back.

It’s Dominic, of course. It’s always him. His shoulders and chest are heaving, and he looks utterly lost.

“Wait,” he says. One word, almost lost in the rush of the rain, but I freeze.

Slowly, I raise my brows at him.

“I lied.”

“What?” I say.

“I lied,” he rasps. He’s still lost for air, but something is coming to life in his eyes as he tugs my body back to his—blazing fire. His arm snakes around my waist as his gaze darts over my face. “I’m not sorry.” He swallows, a droplet of rain trickling down his throat. “I’m not sorry, Reese.”

And then his lips crash down on mine once more.

I startle, but his arms simply hold me tighter, keeping me close. His head is ducked against the rain, but I know he feels it as much as I do, on my arms as I wrap them around his neck and my face as I tilt it toward him.

He devours me. The kiss is hungry and desperate, a dam breaking free as we stumble together, up the curb, backward and backward again until the sidewalk disappears beneath our feet and we’ve hit the flower beds that line the restaurant. It’s a relief when my back finds the outer wall, pale stone and rough at first but steady and solid. Dom presses against me, his lips chasing as I cling tighter to him.

I feel more than hear his growl of frustration over the sound of the rain, his fingers digging into my back. A gasp escapes me when his hands slide lower and then hoist me up—I am in a SKIRT, sir—but it brings my face closer to his, and I surge forward, wrapping my legs tightly around his waist. When a little sound issues from the back of my throat, significantly more risqué than expected, Dominic’s kiss turns from hungry to ravenous, deep and wanting.

And there’s nothing particularly funny about this situation. But the absurdity pulls a laugh out of me anyway, a sound that’s muffled until I feel his lips curve into a smile too. And then, somehow, we’re both laughing, being pelted by rain as I straddle him in a skirt while our parents are inside, possibly making googly eyes at each other.

I let my head fall back to rest against the stone wall as my laughter lingers, Dom’s breath hot against my neck as he shakes his head. Then he presses a gentle kiss to my collarbone, skimming his lips further up and kissing beneath my chin, too.

“Okay,” he says. “Let’s tell our parents. Okay? Let’s do it.”

Tilting my head back down to meet his eye, I lift my brows and wait for him to go on.

His gaze darts over my face for a moment before he shakes his head again. “If they get married and live happily for the rest of their lives—fine. But I can’t—” He breaks off, and his voice is softer when he goes on. “I can’t, Reese. I can’t love you from arms’ length my whole life.”

My eyes widen, my lips parting as his words find me. For a second I even wonder if I’ve heard him wrong. So I use one foot to nudge him in the butt, indicating I want him to put me down, and he eases me to the ground. Then he lifts his hands to my face and swipes gentle thumbs beneath my eyes—wiping the tears he knew were there before.

He lets out a shaky breath and continues, “I can’t do that. I can’t watch you find someone else and buy you silverware from your wedding registry and pretend—pretend I’m happy. So…you were right.” His hands tighten where they cup my jaw, his eyes fluttering closed as he leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead. “And I’m sorry,” he murmurs against my skin. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

I blink at him, dazed.

“But are you sure?” he says, leaning back to look down at me. He pushes some of the wet hair away from my face. “If we’re going to do this, we need to be sure.”

This, at least, I have an answer for, hoarse though it might be. “I’m sure.”

I’ve always been sure. And that was the problem, wasn’t it? I’ve always been sure about him, even when life demanded otherwise. Even when our situations were wrong, I knew he was the right one.

Dominic nods, glancing up at the sky as thunder rolls overhead. Then he looks back down at me, his eyes softening. “I adore you, Reese.” Such a manly voice, speaking such gentle words.

A flood of brilliant light and warmth erupts in my chest, impossible to contain. A little sob escapes me, but it’s accompanied by a growing smile. I clap my hand over my mouth to stop the tears, but it’s no use—and I’m not sure if I’m crying or laughing anyway, and Dom’s lips are pulling into their own smile as he wraps his arms around me.

I slide my arms around his neck as he holds me so tight I can’t breathe.

“I love you,” he murmurs into my neck, muffled and perfect. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I say. The words are strangled in a way that makes me laugh, giddy and garbled, and the rain is in my eyes, and my heart is blindingly bright.