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Lara shifted the basket so it was on the edge of the balcony, one quick tip from taking a twenty-story header.
“Just wondering if you might want to stick around,” he said, his expression somewhere between irritated and impressed. “Maybe meet a few people, hang out a little. You’re done with your final project, right? So you have some time?”
See. Clever. She knew her man, knew his weaknesses. Dominic didn’t have many, but unless it was a military secret, he was all about the food.
Lara handed him the pastry basket, then shrugged.
“I’m technically done with the project, but I’d like to add a few more things. I’d love to ask Lucas some advice, though. Can I get his number?”
Yet another odd change.
Lara was used to working alone.
She thrived on her own energy and figured if she ever got a tattoo, it’d read something like Me, Myself and I—why mess with perfection?
But it’d been so cool to talk shop with Lucas.
And shopping with Celia.
But she hadn’t thought to get their phone numbers when she was there, and she hadn’t managed to get them from Dominic yet.
His frown came and went so fast she could almost convince herself she’d imagined it. Almost. Why didn’t he want her talking to his brother?
“I’ll get it for you later. First, though, how about some fun?”
Lara gave a sexy hum, sliding her hand up his thigh. Before she got to anything interesting, he grinned.
“That’s fun, but not quite what I meant. How does dinner out sound?” His fingers teased the edge of her hair in a gesture more sweet than sexual that turned her on all the same. “A few buddies, their wives, margaritas and nachos.”
Lara’s mellow went poof.
Tension ratcheted down her spine and her teeth clenched.
She was having a great time with Dominic, and yes, falling for him was more fact than fiction now.
But getting sucked into his life? Hanging out with his friends? Especially military types who probably knew her brother? That freaked her out more than meeting his family had.
She didn’t know why, but it did.
What were the chances of his friends actually liking her? She wasn’t riding the pity train, but she wasn’t exactly the cute-and-cuddly type. Hell, even her parents hadn’t liked her.
And she knew how these things worked. Dominic would say he didn’t care, that they didn’t have to hang with his friends. But she’d heard him talk about his team—she knew how close these guys were. When push came to shove, he’d pick his friends.
Her stomach knotted as disappointment wrapped its way through her.
If this was his surprise, it kinda sucked.
Anger breaking through her mellow, she dropped her feet to the ground so fast the collar of her robe slid down, baring her shoulder.
Before she could snap at him, Dominic’s smile shifted, his eyes going hot.
Lara wet her lips.
He set down his coffee.
Perfect.
Was distracting her man with sex something she was proud of? Lara debated for all of two seconds before she decided that, hell, yeah, hot sex was a win-win.
So distract away.
She leaned forward to grab a jar off the table, making sure to hunch her shoulders so her robe gaped enough to play peekaboo.
“I think I finally figured out why they sent jam with the pastries,” she said in a slow, musing tone. His eyes tracked her moves as she dipped her finger into the ornate jar, then lifted it to her mouth.
And sucked.
A little smile played around his mouth so his dimples danced, and Lara melted a little.
Damn, those dimples were lethal.
Lara dipped her finger again, scooping up more of the sticky red sweetness.
She made as if to give Dominic a taste, but at the last second, just when she saw his tongue, she pulled her hand back and laughed.
Even as she teased, desire grabbed hold of her. It was an addiction, so heady and strong she didn’t think she’d ever get enough.
“Hey,” he protested.
“My breakfast, my treat.”
“You’re not big on sharing?”
“Depends on what’s in it for me,” she said honestly.
“Pleasure like you’ve never experienced before?” he offered softly.
“Oh, but I’ve experienced a whole lot of pleasure. You’d have to work awfully hard at topping what we’ve done already,” she told him, getting even more turned on thinking about some of their adventures.
Dominic reached for her, but Lara was quick and danced out of reach.
“Bet I can,” he promised.
“Bet I can first,” she challenged.
To prove she could, she held her jam-covered finger up at the same time she used the other hand to unknot the belt of her robe.
Lara lifted one shoulder so the silk slid down, exposing a bare breast. She paused long enough to give him a good look, then switched so the silk slid the other way. It caught for a second on her pebbled nipple, making Dominic groan softly.
