Gigi
Mid July! How did it arrive so fast? I knew how. I’d had my head in the clouds for weeks over Dom. Dominic. Mmm, even his name made me horny. I’d never felt like this before.
I stretched in my bed, turning to the side. I had to be at work in about an hour. I should get up and shower, but I felt so dreamy, so captivated by fantasies of Dom. The feel of his lips on mine, his possessive grip, his massive chest. It made me feel wild, like I wanted to rip off his shirt and sink my teeth into his shoulder and grind against him and… I brought my hand to my forehead. I needed to get a grip.
But maybe I could see Dom again soon? I hadn’t seen him since that driving lesson turned coffee date, but we had texted a bit. Nothing serious or even that flirty, but enough so I knew where he’d be today. He’d told me he was going to work on his truck. That gave me an idea, one that made me grin.
I sped through my shower, leaving my hair wet and down as I pulled on a sundress. I had time to stop by the coffee shop before work. I remembered his order, so I picked a coffee up for him the way he liked it and brought it by the auto shop where he’d said he had his truck. Homeward Bound was only a few minutes walk away, so I had a car leave me off. But standing there with two coffees in my hand, a wave of nerves rippled through me. What if Dom wasn’t happy to see me?
Taking a deep breath, I walked in and asked for him at the front desk. A guy in a dark blue jumpsuit led me out back. I nearly dropped both coffees at the sight of him.
Shirt off, Dom had the hood of the truck propped up as he leaned over. Worn jeans hugged his lean hips and cupped his perfect ass. I think I might have gone into heat as his friend called his name and he stood up and looked over at me. Grease stains along his muscles blended with tattoos twining up and down his corded arms and his broad, strong chest. He even had a tat way down low, by the V that peeked its way out of his low-slung jeans. My mouth dropped open. I’d thought he was hot before. I hadn’t even known what I was dealing with.
His friend walked away, leaving us alone. We stood there, taking each other in, Dom’s dark gaze heating me up.
“Better not touch anything.” He broke the silence. “You’ll get all dirty.”
I flushed, looking down and realizing the dress I wore was all white. The thought of him messing it up, getting his greasy hands on me and ruining it made me swallow. It sounded so good.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I brought you coffee.” Shy, I held it out.
“Why?” He didn’t take even one step toward me.
I bit my lip and shrugged. “To be nice?” I suddenly wished so very much I hadn’t done it. He didn’t want me there. I’d made a fool of myself. And then things got even worse as a smoking-hot woman sauntered out of the shop toward Dom, all curves with denim shorts so tiny they might actually cover less than a normal pair of panties.
“There you are!” she declared, completely ignoring me and heading straight to Dom where she wrapped her hands around his lean waist.
“I’ll just leave this here.” I hastily set his coffee down on the ground, turned around as fast as I could and booked straight out of the shop.
I heard him calling after me, but I didn’t turn around.
* * *
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* * *
A few nights later I was at the country club with my father and oldest brother Colt. Surprise, surprise they’d both showed up at the same time in the same place and the three of us were catching up. Sort of. Dad was mostly giving Colt advice, critiquing the way he’d handled a recent deal.
“Next time, you can’t go so easy on them,” Dad warned him.
“Good to see you, sir.” Schmarmy Brock made his way into our circle, extending his hand to my father. He was always such a kiss-ass around him. I didn’t know why others didn’t see right through it, but my father ate it up.
“My boy.” He clapped him on the back and launched into discussing Brock’s choice of college major—shocker, business—and telling him he’d put him in touch with someone he knew.
“May I have a word with your lovely daughter?” he asked my father. I nearly rolled my eyes, but years of good breeding stopped me. He was being nothing but polite. I should return the favor. But the minute Brock walked me off into a quiet corner of the room, Captain Crazy showed up.
“I didn’t know you liked slumming it.” His eyes looked as cold as a snake’s as he ran a finger down my cheek.
I flinched as if he’d hit me. “What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” The words came out like a menacing threat. “You like it rough and dirty, Gigi?” He wrapped a hand around my wrist, tight. It shocked me so much I didn’t move. “I can play that way. I can be your walk on the wild side.”
“Let go of me!” I finally found my voice and pulled away from him, but he didn’t let go.
He looked me in the eyes and whispered, “Just know I’m watching you, Gigi. I know everything you do.”
He dropped my wrist. I rubbed it as I walked away, shaken but determined to not let him see how much. Jerk. Where did he get off threatening me in a room full of people I knew, my father and brother no less? He was acting crazy. And what was he talking about? Had he seen me with Dom? How?
I didn’t think Dom was working there tonight. I hadn’t seen him at all. Part of me wished he’d seen that happen. He’d be furious. That meant the other part of me was relieved he hadn’t been there to see it. Dom would definitely have caused a scene. Brock wouldn’t leave a party politely. I didn’t want any fuss.
I joined Penny, also there with her family, as she talked to Zander with stars in her eyes. Trevor was there as well and greeted me warmly. At least he’d never get all psycho on me like Brock. We talked parties and clubs and yachts—his family had just purchased a new one—and he was even polite enough to ask how I was enjoying my internship. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I wasn’t interning at Homeward Bound. I wasn’t at a law firm or a DC think tank. I was working the cash register and getting paid $12 an hour.
But then, just like that, I could tell Dom was in the room. It was as if I could feel his eyes on me, the heat of his gaze, the nearness of his touch. I looked over and saw him in the shadows, standing to the side, watching.
“Intense much?” Penny whispered to me, nodding her head over in Dom’s direction. I guess I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed him.
I looked down. I hadn’t told her that he and I had spent any time together. It wasn’t that I was ashamed about it. It was that I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t understand my own fascination with him, and it certainly seemed as if he wanted me to get the hell over it.
“Scary.” She shivered.
I scoffed. “You know who’s scary.” I glanced in Brock’s direction. He happened to be nursing a cocktail and staring at me with the eyes of a dead fish.
“Oh, he’s just jealous,” Penny explained. “He heard some rumor about you going out for coffee with the security guy.”
Before I could answer, Colt joined us, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Is he giving you any trouble?”
Dear lord, was everyone picking up on everything tonight? But Colt didn’t mean Dom, I realized. He gestured over to Brock, who promptly stopped leering and turned his back.
“I’m fine,” I assured him.
The night stretched on, interminable, filled with pleasantly boring conversation with Trevor, glares from Brock, and all while I tried to stop myself from looking around for Dom. But when I couldn’t stop myself, I couldn’t see him anymore.
Deciding it was time to leave, I said my good-byes. I surprised everyone, leaving so soon, and Penny made me promise I’d let her talk me into heading out later after I took a power nap.
Down in the lobby, I found Dom standing next to some old phone booths. The club had kept them to provide discrete, private spots for cell phone calls. Heaven forbid any club members would be so uncouth as to talk on their mobile phones in public.
“Leaving so soon?” he asked in a low voice as I approached.
“I wasn’t having a very good time.”
“No? You seemed to be having a real good time up there with Richie Rich.”
Hand up to my hip, I gave him an incredulous look. “Are you jealous?” After all the times he’d pushed me away? After I’d seen him with another woman the other morning? He didn’t answer, just shook his head looking disgusted. At himself or at me, I didn’t know.
“What? I’m not supposed to talk to other guys? Even when you won’t talk to me?”
“Look, Gigi.” He exhaled, running his hand through his hair in frustration. “I’m trying to do the right thing.”
“Says who?”
He swore under his breath and rubbed his cheek. “You don’t know me.”
“I’m done with this.” I threw my hands up, not caring that I was speaking a little too loudly. “I’m done with you acting like you’re some sort of a serial killer and I’m a nun.”