“He’s a businessman. He works in security. We’ve, ah, been out a few times.”
“You’re not at his house, are you?”
Dominic was listening to every word, with his hand pressed over his mouth, his shoulders shaking from quiet laughter. Zoey’s face flushed red and she glared bloody murder at him.
“Mother! Of course not. I’m at a restaurant.”
Her mother’s voice was suspicious. “It’s very quiet.”
“They’re about to close,” Zoey said desperately. “He’s going to give me a ride home. You don’t have to worry, he always walks me to the door and makes sure I make it inside safely.”
“Well, he does sound like a gentleman. And the fact that you told him my name must mean that this is something serious.” Her mother’s tone of voice suddenly was warm with approval. What had just happened?
Dominic smirked, and Zoey gave him the finger. “Well, it’s early days,” she said brightly.
“My intentions for your daughter are entirely honorable!” Dominic called out. “I look forward to meeting your family next time you visit, she’s told me so much about you! Congratulations on that tournament, by the way. Go Tigers!” The Tigers were the mascot for her brother’s middle school. How the hell did he know about that?
“Mother, we do need to go now, I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Do actually call me,” her mother said severely.
“Mrs. Eastgate, I will make sure of it!” Dominic called out, just before Zoey hung up. And Zoey had the feeling that he actually would.
“You!” she yelled at him. She dropped her phone into her purse on the kitchen table, and then pummeled his chest with her fists. It hurt her hands, so she stopped. He was laughing so hard that he had to wipe tears from the cheeks.
“Oh, my God. Wow. That was the best-timed phone call ever.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Just go ahead and kiss me so I can go home already.”
“I get to pick where I kiss you.”
“For heaven’s sakes!” He must mean the bedroom, she thought with exasperation. She stalked into the bedroom, the front of her dress hanging open where he’d ripped it.
The bed had a chrome steel framework and silky black and silver pillows piled on a silvery comforter. Moody black and white photographs of modern architecture adorned the walls.
He walked in behind her, and he was still smirking.
“Now what’s funny?” she demanded.
“I didn’t mean what room I kiss you in. I meant that I get to pick where onyour bodyI kiss you. And for how long.”
“What?” she took a step backwards. “That’s not fair!”
“I believe we’ve established that I never fight fair. Now, are you going to keep your word?”
No.“Yes,” she breathed.
He knelt down on the ground and lifted up her gown, revealing her pale pink cotton underwear. He pressed his lips against them, slowly, with reverence, and breathed in as if she smelled like a field of roses.
And then, to her shock, he stood up and looped his arms around her waist.
“How are you doing, Zoey Eastgate?”
“I…I’m all right.”
“You miss your parents, don’t you? You should let them come visit you more often.”
A sudden flood of emotion washed over her. “It can be dangerous here. I’d rather they stay where it’s safe.”
