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Dominic sits back in his seat and crosses his arms. The same thumb that was just running over my bottom lip is now skating over his.
“Why are you in such a rush?”
His gaze rolls across my features, studying me with the same relentless intensity I’ve seen him give the blueprints from James’ architect. Suddenly I feel hot and uncertain about what I want to say. All the strength and resolution I had in the elevator falls away, stripped down by the heat in his tone.
I shift in my seat. “I just don’t want us to run out of time. We have a specific goal we’re trying to achieve, and I don’t see the point in waiting. Especially when we don’t know how long this is going to last…” Dominic’s hardening expression makes me lose my train of thought. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just trying to understand why you’re talking about this ending before it’s even started.”
Both my shoulders go up in a gesture my mother would frown at. Lauren Carson doesn’t believe in shrugging or slouching or any movement that makes you look anything but perfectly polished and sure of yourself.
“I’m not, but I know it’s not realistic to think we can do this for an extended amount of time, Dominic. The lying, the sneaking around, the freaking out when Mal shows up at my house unexpectedly. You saw me this morning. I’m liable to have a heart attack before I ever see you naked!”
The last part of my rant makes the corner of his mouth tip up just a bit. He thinks it’s funny that I’m obsessed with seeing him without any clothes on, and I can’t blame him. If I wasn’t the desperate one, I would probably think it was funny too.
I take a sip of my water just to keep anything else from coming out of my mouth. I don’t know where this forward and brazen woman has come from. No one would ever describe me as shy, but I am not in the habit of harassing men about taking me to bed. But then again, I haven’t dated in over a decade, and Eric never had a problem with dicking me down on the regular.
Eric. I nearly choke on my water when I realize I’ve just compared Dominic to Eric in the most unfair way. Eric is the whole reason he wants to take things slow. My hand shakes slightly as I set my glass down.
“You okay?” Dominic arches a brow, catching the tremble in my hand.
I nod. “Yes.”
“Good.” He leans forward, steepling his fingers as he regards me. “Do you remember the point of this dinner, angel?”
His voice is black velvet, the words sliding over my skin like a caress. My breath leaves my lungs and takes all of my coherent thoughts with it. “We’re establishing rules for our—”
“Relationship.” Dominic finishes for me, possessiveness flaring in his eyes.
Although I just had a sip of water, my mouth is suddenly dry. I lick my lips, “Yes, our relationship.” I start to squirm in my seat, but the movement is immediately halted when I feel the evidence of my recent orgasm at the junction of my thighs. It’s crazy how I can let the man kiss me at work, bring me to orgasm in an elevator, and spend the night in my bed, but hearing him say we’re in a relationship makes me nervous.
And there’s no doubt in my mind it’s because of the vow I swore after Eric died. The one where I promised to never pursue anything even resembling a relationship because my last chance at happiness and love died with my husband.
Relax, it’s not like he’s asking you to marry him. He’s probably just trying to help you feel more comfortable about using him as your personal sex toy.
I exhale through my nose. Yes, that makes a lot of sense. He knows I haven’t been with anyone since Eric, I told him as much last night, and he probably thinks putting a label on it will make me feel safe and secure in this mess we’re about to make.
Dominic opens his mouth to say something, but he’s interrupted by the loud buzzing coming from his phone. It’s face down on the table, so I can’t see who’s interrupting the conversation I’ve waited all day to have with him, but when he looks at the screen he frowns and hits decline.
The phone starts ringing again before he even puts it back on the table, and a flash of annoyance crosses his face as he stabs the decline button again.
“You can take the call. It must be important if they called two times in a row.”
He waves a dismissive hand. “No, this is more important. Tell me what you need, Sloane, and I’ll give it to you. This dinner isn’t just about discussing my rules, and I do have rules, but I want to know what you need out of this. What you need from me.”
“I—”
“Alright, you two. What can I get for you?”
Sarah is back with a bright smile on her face and a notepad in her hand. Dominic gestures for me to order first, but I have no idea what I want, reading the menu has been difficult with the most intense midnight stare burning into my soul. Dominic and Sarah wait patiently for me to decide, and I settle on wagyu beef sliders and a side salad. Dominic doesn’t even glance at the menu before he orders a grass-fed New York strip with a side of roasted potatoes. As he hands the menus back, he orders a glass of Shiraz to go with my entree.
I arch a brow at him, and he smiles. “You’ll enjoy it. Trust me.”
“How do you know? You don’t drink.”
“True, but I do dine frequently with people who drink.” His lips curve into a smile. “And they’ve said the wine goes well with the sliders you ordered.”
My elbows rest on the edge of the table as I lean forward. “Tell me more about these people you dine with frequently.”
