by Megan McCoy
Monica, on the other hand, was still dragging ass after just one additional hour of sleep before she woke back up. She had tossed and turned the remainder of the time she spent in bed, trying to remember what the hell happened between her and Dominic, until Tracy called and told her he was on his way to her room.
“I know, Tray, and I want to believe that. And my body says ‘that’ didn’t happen; but he said some things did happen and I want to know what the hell those things are before I lose my damn mind!” Monica argued, pulling her cover-all over her bathing suit, slipping on her sandals and grabbing her beach bag before putting on her darkest pair of sunglasses.
“If you both agree sex didn’t happen, who cares what really did happen? It sounds pretty PG-13 to me,” Tracy stated following her out of her suite and to the elevator.
“Tracy, I woke up in my bed, in my suite, wearing my thong and his shirt, and look, I have a hickey!” Monica pulled her cover-all to the side so Tracy could see the dark mark on her collarbone.
“Oh damn, Sis, that’s it then, it’s a wrap, you have turned into a complete hoecake!” Tracy said sarcastically, pressing his hand to his chest in feigned outrage before rolling his eyes heavenward.
Monica glared at him through her sunglasses. “You are so not one of my favorite people right now, you know that right?” she pouted, glaring at Tracy, and shaking her head.
“I’m aware, now ask me if I care.” Tracy smirked and laughed before bumping hips with Monica as they exited the elevator. “You know you love me, Monny!”
“Yeah, don’t be so sure, this hangover has me taking you apart in my head,” Monica snapped and followed Tracy outside to walk down to the beach looking grumpy as hell.
“Tracy and Hummingbird, I didn’t think I would see you both out and about so soon after last night,” Dominic said as they walked up the pier to meet the boat for their snorkeling lesson. Dominic was dressed in swim trunks, sandals and a life jacket, his bright smile lighting up his face.
“Hold up! You’re our snorkeling instructor!” Tracy asked with a wicked grin, after casting a look Monica’s way. “Imagine that, I mean how lucky can we be? Right, Monica?”
“How lucky indeed,” Monica answered, glaring at Tracy before smiling over at Dominic.
“Yes, you will find on your stay here, I wear many hats, so you will see me around a lot,” Dominic explained, extending his hand to help Monica up on the boat.
“From what I hear, ‘Ummingbird here, saw an awful lot of you already,” Tracy mumbled under his breath.
Monica glared at Tracy, taking Dominic’s hand. “Thank you and why do you keep calling me Hummingbird, when you know my name is Monica?” she asked a little snappishly as she stepped onboard.
Dominic cast her a stern look, his bright smile from a few seconds ago, completely gone as his eyes flashed dark and he moved in close to her, so he could whisper quietly. “I call you Hummingbird, because last night you said it made you feel special.” His voice was low as he continued to look at her. “In my newfound desire to take care of you, Monica, your happiness is a primary goal of mine, but don’t think that desire will allow for disrespect of any kind, so do yourself a favor and lose the attitude before I help you lose it.”
His hard gaze held her in place and made her middle jump. Her thoughts immediately went to the kinky, secret part of her mind and she wondered what he would actually do to help her lose her attitude. When she realized she was biting her lip with her imagination running wild, she shook her naughty thoughts from her head and wondered what in the fresh hell he’d put in her drinks. Her strong response to him couldn’t possibly just be her hormones responding to him.
“So how many are in our class today?” she asked, instead of the newest, clit-twitching question running through her head.
Again, his hair drew in her attention; now he had half up in a ponytail with some down over his shoulders. The wind picked it up, causing it to move and brush her face softly because they were standing so close. She so badly wanted to run her fingers through it, that she forced herself to move to the edge of the boat to peer over the side at the water, to gain control of her urges.
Dominic smiled at her, his eyes taking a quick tour of her body, before returning to her face again when she looked back over at him. “You two and two more, so four in total unless we get some last-minute bookings. It’s slow this time a year. I generally make it a rule to only take out four people per two instructors. Sebastian, the other instructor and the other two taking lessons should be here in a few minutes, so make yourselves comfortable in the meantime. You two have swum in the ocean before, correct?” he asked them curiously, moving away and beginning to check things on the boat.
“Yes, we live in Florida and Tracy’s house is really close to the water, so we spend a lot of time on the beach,” Monica answered and sat on one of the benches watching him as he checked off things on the clipboard he was carrying.
His not ‘allowing’ her to drink that much again comment resurfaced in her mind as she continued to watch him work. If Joseph had said something like that to her, she would still be cussing his stupid ass out. But when Dominic said it, it felt different, almost like genuine concern instead of being controlling.
It was at that moment, she realized she’d never really had that in her previous relationship, or felt the strong, gnawing need of desire like she did for Dominic. It was like something she never experienced before and she couldn’t wait to see where it took her.
“Close your mouth, chile. Girl, the way you keep looking at that man, you’re not going to have to wonder what happened last night because y’all will be making new memories tonight. Damn he got your nose open!” Tracy whispered, moving closer to Monica and sitting down.
“Tracy, I have no idea what the hell is wrong with me. I have never, in my life, been this nervous or just plain stupid around any man, no matter how fine he was! And yeah, I know I haven’t been single for some years, but come on, this shit is crazy!” Monica whispered to Tracy still staring at Dominic as he moved around the boat.
“Well, Sis, the way I see it you have been extra good for over ten years, putting up with Joseph and his mess. And now Santa wanted to put ten years’ worth of Christmas cheer in your stocking this year, and honey he knew the right size, color and everything,” Tracy quipped leaning in close to Monica and snapping a selfie of the two of them. “So, thank the big red man and open your gift, chile!”
Chapter 6
“Sebastian and I will be here keeping an eye on you all, but just remember your breathing and pay attention to your surroundings. It’s easy to get carried away looking at everything and you swim out further than you planned to,” Dominic instructed Monica, Tracy and the newlywed couple who had come out with them.
He and Sebastian had them all swim and follow them a few yards away from the boat to make sure they could all swim safely in the ocean’s current. After giving them a brief overview of how to use the mask and snorkel, and having them practice going under the water as a group, it was time for them to break away on their own.
“Be careful and have fun,” Dominic said, smiling and spreading his arms letting them know they were free to swim and explore.
About an hour later, a shadow blocked the beams of the sun that were warming Monica’s damp skin, breaking her focus. Shortly after Dominic told them to have fun, Monica was having a great time underwater exploring and swimming with sea turtles, but now the remaining alcohol in her stomach reminded her it was still swimming around in her system. So, she resurfaced and motioned to Sebastian to let him know she was swimming back to the boat before she threw up.
After drinking a full bottle of lukewarm water from her beach bag, she spread her towel out on the cushioned bench on the boat and laid down on her back, putting on her sunglasses and closing her eyes, hoping to get her upset stomach under control.
“Are you okay, Hummingbir- I mean, Monica?” Dominic asked, standing over her. Water still dripped down hi
s muscular frame in rivulets as he looked down at her with an expression of concern.
Even feeling a little green, her body still reacted to the tempting sight of a wet Dominic. “I guess I was a little foolishly ambitious after last night. My stomach is letting me know of its displeasure of all I drank last night, so I came back aboard to rehydrate and rest for a few minutes. But I’m fine, you can go back out with everyone else. I would hate for someone to need help and you’re on the boat with me,” Monica informed him, sitting up, pulling another bottle of water from her beach bag and drinking from it.
Dominic sat down next to her, watching her carefully as she drank her water. “You are the one who seems to need my help the most right now, besides Sebastian can handle the others.” He reached out and pressed his hand to her forehead. “I think the combination of leftover alcohol and the heat is getting to you. You need to get out of the sun, you’ll feel much better once you do, let’s go.” He stood up and reached for her hand.
Monica recapped her water, grabbed her towel and bag, and took Dominic’s hand, thinking about how much she really liked the way he dropped his H’s when he spoke. She’d first noticed it when he brought her that first Hummingbird drink last night, but the more ‘h’ words he said, the more she liked it. Hell, whom was she kidding? She just liked Dominic.
He led her below deck, where there was a small sitting area was complete with a couch; she was relieved that it was a lot cooler down there. “The tour will be over in about forty-five minutes. Why don’t you stretch out for a few minutes and try to get some rest? I’ll let Tracy know where you are,” Dominic suggested moving her closer to the couch.
“Thanks, Dominic, I appreciate it.” Monica spread her towel on the couch before sitting down and uncapping her bottle of water. “Like I said, I’ll be fine. I just don’t normally drink the way I did last night, so I’m paying for it. That’s all. You can go back out to help Sebastian.”
Dominic moved out of sight for a minute and came back with an ice-cold bottle of water. “I’m going to tell Tracy and Sebastian what’s going on and I’ll be back,” he told her, switching the cold water for the warm bottle. “Now drink this and lay down for a bit, I’ll be back,” he repeated, while moving towards the stairs.
“Why do I get the feeling that one of the many ‘hats’ you wear is taking care of silly women who can’t hold their liquor?” Monica asked with a chuckle, shaking her head.
Dominic headed back to her, the stern look from earlier returning. “That is a bit insulting, Monica, and I don’t appreciate it,” he said moving in closer and pulling her up to stand in front of him. He placed his hand lightly on her ass. “Like I said earlier, disrespect from you will not be tolerated, consider this your last warning,” he threatened, popping her on the ass, not hard enough to hurt, but with enough force that it stung and grabbed her attention. “If you haven’t figured it out yet, I have decided to make you and your well-being my business. You and only you; I could care less about any other woman on this island, remember that.” He brushed his thumb across her lips, before turning and going back up the steps.
Monica stood mesmerized for a few minutes after he left, her lips tingled from his touch, her ass still stinging where he’d smacked her. She was surprised by her ongoing response to Dominic and wondered what about him had her so open, so fast. She had known him less than a day and she already wanted more.
“Monica, have I taught you nothing, Sis? You were on that boat alone with Delicious Dominic and didn’t even steal a kiss? Girl, you better climb that man like you know you want to, and get on with your vacation,” Tracy teased later that night, when he came to her room so they could walk down to the dining room for a late dinner together.
After snorkeling, Monica took a long shower and passed out until 8:30 p.m., leaving Tracy hanging out on the beach without her for the rest to the day. She was finally feeling human again and ready to get back to having fun.
“Tracy, don’t start. No, I didn’t kiss him; I barely know his ass and I most definitely have no intention of ‘climbing’ that man, as you so eloquently put it, either. I didn’t travel to my dream destination to be some island playboy’s latest conquest. The only time I want to see Dominic, at this point, is if he is serving me a drink or finally telling me what the fuck happened between us. So, next subject, change the station and sing another song, Sis,” Monica told Tracy, applying her dark berry lip tint to match the halter dress she was wearing to dinner that night, before they went dancing.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever, Mon, as soon as his fine ass throws that smile your way, you will be right back under his spell. But for shits and giggles, I’ll act like I believe you are over your ‘Dom Fever,’” Tracy said looking her up and down. “Cute dress by the way, I wonder what your ‘Island Playboy’ will have to say about it.” Tracy smirked and sashayed out of her suite.
Chapter 7
“Don’t look so dejected, Mon, I’m sure DD will pop up somewhere before the night ends,” Tracy told Monica as they walked down the beach to the nightclub three days later.
She hadn’t seen Dominic since the day of their snorkeling lesson and refused to admit to Tracy that she was getting kind of anxious about it. So, she glared at Tracy yet again, even though he couldn’t possibly see her in the limited light. Julius had told them to follow the tiki torches down the beach; the nightclub was at the other end of the resort.
“Tracy, I swear sometimes I don’t know whether to hug you or hit you, will you let it go please? I’m not dejected, I’m not anything but excited to be here on this beach with my best friend, even if I want to drown his ass at the moment. And who, or what, the hell is DD?” Monica snapped, moving a little way to the right, away from the shoreline, so the hem of her dress didn’t get too wet. She was carrying her high-heeled sandals in her hand and walking barefoot through the sand.
Tracy snorted with laughter. “Like you don’t know! DD stands for Delicious Dominic, Sis! And I see your face in that dining room; I’m surprised you don’t have whiplash from how many times you whipped your head around looking for his fine ass the last three days.”
“Oh, for the love of Gaia and Vishnu! I haven’t been looking of Dominic. Yes, I am attracted to him, very attracted to him, but he is not my sole purpose of every minute of every day I am on this island. I just met the man a few nights ago, damn! Do you think I might get to know his last name first, before you shove him down my throat?” Monica snapped, then held up her hand to silence Tracy, realizing her choice of words had left him with the perfect opportunity for another smart-ass comment. “Shut it! Don’t even got there, Tray.”
She saw Tracy’s open mouth snap shut as they passed another tiki torch getting closer to the club.
“Now this is what I call a vacation! Who would have thought Christmas dance music was even a damn thing?” Tracy asked, dancing up to Monica, drinking something white with a candy cane in it.
Monica was taking it easy on the drinks since her first night had ended so crazy. She had been just taking a few sips of Tracy’s drinks or having one and drinking a ton of water afterwards. “I know right? I’m loving it though, this is so much fun!” Monica shouted over the music, grabbing Tracy’s drink to taste it. She handed it back and threw her head from side to side to the beat of the music, causing her heavy braids to fall out of the updo she had them pinned in.
The nightclub wasn’t much more than a hole in the wall, but like the rest of the resort, it was decked out in Christmas decorations and lights. The waitstaff was wearing Santa hats and antlers, and Monica loved it.
Tracy handed her his drink just as he was dragged deeper into the crowd on the dance floor by two women that looked like locals. “I’ll see you, Sis!”
Monica laughed at his surprised look and continued to dance on the edge of the dance floor by herself, she was having a blast!
“How many of those have you had?” an authoritative voice with a heavy accent asked, dropping out of nowhere about twenty mi
nutes later, as Monica was dancing and sipping her own candy cane decorated drink.
She whirled around and came face to face with Dominic, not that she wasn’t sure who was talking to her the minute he dropped the ‘h’ off of how.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but this is my first one. Well, I had a few sips of Tracy’s too, so one and a half maybe? Why? Are you here to scold me or something, Dominic?” she asked. She finished her drink before turning her back to him to set the glass on a nearby tray, planning to move away from him and go back to dancing again.
He mumbled something under his breath, before grabbing her by the hand and squeezing it tightly as he led her to the center of the dance floor. “You really need to watch that smart mouth of yours, Hummingbird, you’re liable to get everything I know you want, sooner than later,” he warned her, looking angry and sexy as hell, especially after she hadn’t seen him for three days.
“Whatever, Dominic, like you know what I want. And who said I even wanted to dance with you in the first place?” Monica snapped, trying to move out of his arms, even though being this close to him had her heart racing excitedly.
Dominic held her tighter and continued to move to the music. “Tell me you don’t.” He challenged, looking down at her with a serious face. “As a matter fact, tell me you don’t want me to drag you out of this nightclub, take you somewhere so we can be alone, and I can take you over my knee and light your round ass up until you get that disrespectful mouth of yours under control.” He looked angry, his jaw moved as he ground his teeth.
Not that she would ever admit it to Dominic, but the vivid picture he’d just painted was exactly what she wanted. Shit, it was exactly what she needed!
