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I hesitate. “Umm, actually I think I’ll—”
What? Wait in a dark parking lot for an Uber? I’m not sure what I was going to say, but the thought of sitting in the front with Dominic gives me pause. The palm of my hand is still tingling from being exposed to his skin in the club. His scent is still clinging to me, reminding me of the firm, unforgiving planes of his chest. I’m not sure I can survive being in such close proximity to him.
Not when my heart is singing with overwhelming gratitude for him.
But the alternative is quite ridiculous, and apparently, Dominic thinks so as well. He prowls around the car, keys jingling in his hand as he approaches us, looking like an exasperated father who’s having the damnedest time getting his unruly kids in the car. Mal swings her body into the backseat and slams the door shut. I roll my eyes internally. She’s such a little coward.
Dominic sighs. “Get your ass in the car, Sloane, or I’ll put you in there myself.”
He wouldn’t really do that, would he? A day ago, my answer to that question would have been a solid, resolute no because Dominic never touches me, but now, I’m not so sure. Can’t be when the feel of his hands on my waist is still fresh in my mind. He touched me with a familiarity and possessiveness that wasn’t at all in line with the non-existent relationship we have.
I study him, looking for an answer to my unspoken question. The hard set of his jaw tells me yes, he actually would use his bulging biceps to lift me off the ground and place me in the vehicle. And his dark expression suggests he might enjoy it. My cheeks grow hot.
“No need for the caveman act, Alexander. I’m going.” I scramble for the door, somehow knowing my body can’t handle another encounter with his.
“What the hell is that?”
He closes the distance between us in the space of a heartbeat. Heat sparks in his gaze, which is focused somewhere along the spot where my skirt hugs my waist. Dominic reaches for me, his fingers gentle as they caress the skin of my hip. I look down, shocked at the contact and the warm rush of recognition dancing down my spine. Like my body knows him, like it recognizes his touch.
“Dominic.”
I push his hand away and try not to think about the swell of disappointment that springs in my chest when his warmth fades from me, revealing a tear in my bodysuit. Now I understand the murder in his eyes.
“Jesus, fuck.” He tosses his head back and releases a string of low, angry curses before looking back at me and pointing at the passenger door. “Get. In. The. Car. Before I go back in there and tear that man apart with my bare hands.”
I swallow the snarky remark that pops into my mouth. Nothing in his tone suggests he’s in the mood for an argument, and for the first time—probably due to a fear of watching him get arrested—I fight against my need to antagonize him.
Without another word, I climb into the car and shut the door. Dominic is in the driver’s seat in a flash, peeling out of the parking lot before I can pull my seat belt on all the way. The force of his turn onto the busy street sends me flying into the console, and my elbow bumps his shoulder.
“Slow down, Nic!” Mal hisses from the backseat. “Are you trying to kill us?”
Glancing over at Dominic, I wonder if he should be driving. Mal and I both caught an Uber to the club, anticipating being too far gone to operate a vehicle. Of course, I feel relatively sober now. The shock of the last twenty minutes burnt through every bit of alcohol I managed to consume.
It’s strange to me that Dominic would drive here knowing he was going to drink. I saw him toss back at least three tumblers full of a dark liquid I could only assume was liquor. Even if the surge of adrenaline from getting into a fight had cleared his head and steadied his motions, should he be driving us home? I open my mouth to ask him but lose all train of thought when his slow, heavy gaze turns on me.
“I had three Jack and Cokes, minus the Jack.” He turns his attention back to the road like it’s completely normal for him to be reading my mind.
He wasn’t drinking.
That, I suddenly remember, is another byproduct of his upbringing. Satisfied we aren’t actually in danger of crashing, I decide to try and relax. My head sinks into the buttery leather of the headrest, and Dominic’s spicy scent tickles my nose as my eyes fall shut. The quiet hum of the engine lulls me into a state of relaxation. I don’t realize I’ve fallen asleep until I hear the low murmur of a voice in my ear.
“Sloane, wake up.”
My exhausted mind is struggling to leave the fuzzy confines of sleep. A hand cradles my face, one thumb stroking over the line of my jaw. It’s such a warm and gentle touch, I can’t stop myself from nuzzling into it. My lips brush against rough skin, and a hiss rings out. Like someone just sucked in a painful breath through their teeth.
The sound pulls my sleepy brain back into the realm of reality. My eyes pop open, and I find Dominic’s face a whisper from mine, worry creasing his brow as he studies me. His eyes rove over my features for a few seconds before he settles back in his seat and crosses his arms.
I look around, completely disoriented by the quiet in the car. “Where’s Mal?”
“I dropped her off twenty minutes ago.” He breathes, running a thumb over his bottom lip with his eyes still on me. “She asked me to text and let her know I got you home safely.”
One glance out of the windshield of his SUV tells me he’s done exactly that. Driven me home while I slept soundly in his front seat, and woke me up with gentle whispers and caresses that still have my skin tingling.
“Well,” I clear my throat, looking anywhere but him. “Thank you for the ride and—”
“Don’t mention it.” He cuts me off, saving me from the awkwardness of expressing my gratitude for his capacity to be violent on my behalf.
“Got it.” I grab my purse and pull my keys out. “I do appreciate it though.”
