by Megan McCoy
Monica shook her head slowly. “You know that this makes zero sense, right?” she asked him nervously.
He pulled her into his arms. “Whoever said it had to, Hummingbird?” He lowered his lips to hers. Dominic dragged Monica into his lap, as his tongue pushed past her lips and ventured into her mouth. Monica repositioned herself so she was facing him with her knees resting on either side of him on the bench as their kiss deepened, sore behind forgotten.
He wrapped his hand around her long braids and pulled her head back by them, moving his lips from hers and kissing her behind her ear, then dropping a trail of kisses along the length of her neck.
Monica moaned, leaning forward, pressing her body against his, as her entire body went into a frenzy of want. Her hands became tangled in his long, soft hair as she grabbed the back of his head, while his mouth traveled to her collarbone, sending chills all through her.
When she felt his teeth skate the hypersensitive skin there, her eyes popped open as she suddenly remembered something, and she pulled his head away by his ponytail.
Dominic looked up at her with a frustrated groan. “Is there a particular reason you insisted on interrupting me?” he demanded, letting go of her hair and running his hands up her bare thighs. “Why are you torturing me?” he growled at her, before attempting to go back to kissing her.
Monica tightened her grip on his ponytail to keep his head still. “Yes, there is obviously a reason, Dominic. You are not the only one suffering here, sir. Now, remember you said after I got sick you helped me to bed and that was pretty much how that night ended, correct?” Monica asked him, trying to get her raging hormones to behave. She needed one more answer before she could let them go crazy.
Dominic moaned impatiently and narrowed his eyes at her. “Correct, after you came out of the bathroom, I put you to bed, cleaned the bathroom, hung the laundry bag on the door and slipped off my shoes and laid down next to you. Why?” He licked his lips before lunging forward and kissing her in her cleavage.
Monica gripped his hair tighter and pulled his head away again so she could think straight. “Then how did I get the hickey on my collarbone?” she asked him suspiciously.
“Hickey?” Dominic asked with a frown, finally no longer fighting her grip to kiss her again. “Monica, there is no way you got a hickey that night and if you did, I have no idea how it got there, because it didn’t come from me,” he told her, moving his hands to her hips and lifting her off of his lap and semi-hard erection. His jaw was working as he looked at her thoughtfully.
“Well, I didn’t suck on my own damn collarbone! What the hell? You served Tracy and me our drinks all night, right? Was there ever a time that I wasn’t around you or Tracy or even around anyone else?” Monica asked, feeling herself beginning to panic. Things like this didn’t happen to her!
“Yeah I was the only one serving your drinks. You guys stayed in the dining room until it closed and moved over to the bar when karaoke started, you guys actually went on first.” He said, looking like he was trying to remember anything that would solve the hickey mystery. “You guys were never with anyone else besides me and Julius. Julius!” Dominic said suddenly snapping his fingers.
“Oh, hell no! Julius gave me the damn hickey?” Monica snapped, looking at Dominic like he was outside of his damn mind, and grabbed her bag to get her phone to message Tracy.
Dominic laughed and kissed her on her collarbone. “Calm down. He didn’t give you a hickey, he went to help you adjust to microphone stand because it was too low, and you looked like you were having trouble. You both pulled it up at the same time and it smacked you. I remember laughing, not because you got hit with the stand, but because when Julius apologized over and over again, you told him it was okay, because you were too dark to bruise anyway. I guess you’re not too dark, huh?” Dominic teased with a chuckle and a wink, bringing his lips to hers again. “I think your skin tone is beautiful, by the way,” he whispered against her lips, kissing her dizzy for the next few minutes.
Monica felt her hormones shifting into overdrive. “Not so fast, Slick. I have to know, what happens next?” she asked putting her hand on his chest and leaning away from his shiver-inducing lips. She knew that if he kept kissing her like that, she was going to beg him to drag her behind one of these trees and stoke the burning desire moving through her.
Dominic looked at her thoughtfully. “I know one damn thing. You stop me from kissing you one more time and I’m dragging your ass to one of those caves sooner than later,” he threatened giving her a pointed look. “Now what do you mean when you say, ‘what happens next?’ Like you don’t know. We are together and now we get to see where this thing takes us,” he told her matter of factly.
“Damn, Santa is showing out for me this year.” Monica smiled and looked around where they were again, before leaning in and kissing Dominic softly on the lips.
“Well, I have a perfect way for you to show your gratitude. Come and get lost on the island with me today.” Dominic’s arms snaked around her waist, bringing her close again, and increasing the intensity of their kiss. Immediately, his tongue and hers danced with each other, sending sharp currents to her middle with jagged, lightening-like precision. The more he touched her, the more she wanted him. She had never felt attraction this strong before, and after last night in the cave, she was dangerously close to letting it take her under right here and right now.
“Sounds like the perfect way to spend the day, but I didn’t bring much with me, just my water and my phone and portable charger,” she told him when they pulled their lips apart again.
Dominic’s lowered eyes were shining, as a lusty grin spread across his face. “No worries, you don’t need much, Hummingbird. Hell, with the thoughts running through my head, you barely need clothes.”
Thirty minutes later, she waited for Dominic back on the beach by the water’s edge. He’d told her to wait for him because he had a surprise for her. She’d called Tracy to check in. “You sure you’re okay being on your own today, Sis?” Monica felt a little guilty.
“Monny, please! You already know I will always find something to do, now get your silly ass off this damn phone and have a good time!” Tracy snapped in her ear. “And save at a little energy, because best believe, you will be telling me everything you did in vivid detail when you get back,” he warned with a cackle.
“Tray, you are so twisted in the head I swear. But you already know I will have a full blow by blow report!” Monica laughed looking out at the water and the strange contraption coming her way. “Uh, Tracy, let me let you go. I’ll be back in time for dinner,” Monica told him with a curious frown as the contraction glided to a stop in front of her. She hung her phone up and snapped a quick picture, moving up closer to Dominic and his newest mode of transportation.
“Um, Dominic, what the hell is this? And I sincerely hope you don’t expect me to get on it with you, I don’t have a swimsuit with me.” Monica narrowed her eyes curiously.
“It’s a hydro bike, and yes, I do expect you to get on it with me. It’s the best way to see some of the sights.” Dominic dragged the front end of the ‘bike’ into the sand to secure it before walking over to her and pulling her into his arms.
“Dominic, I. Don’t. Have. A. Swimsuit. And these sandals were not built for pedaling, they were built for cuteness,” Monica argued, getting on her tiptoes and putting her arms around his neck. She couldn’t resist messing with his hair since he had taken it out of the ponytail holder. She also noticed he had changed into swim trunks and water shoes.
“How little you think of me,” he teased, sliding his backpack from his shoulder and pulling out a shopping bag with the resort’s logo on it. “I’ve got you covered; you can go change in the changing rooms and showers just over that hill.” Smiling, he handed her the bag.
It wasn’t long before Monica walked back down to Dominic and the hydro bike. She wore the two-piece swimsuit and water shoes he’d bought for her in the hotel gift shop, and to
her surprise, both fit her perfectly.
“Color me impressed, Dominic, do I even want to know how you knew what size suit to get me?” she asked when she was standing next to him again.
Dominic eyes lit up, as he ran them up and down her body in the brightly colored swimsuit. “I dragged Donna out to the sand, she works in the gift shop. You didn’t notice because you were on the phone, she took it from there. She said the bright colors would look incredible against your dark skin, and damn if she wasn’t right about that too, you look damn near edible, Monica,” he told her, still looking her up and down, smiling like he’d just discovered he was holding a winning lotto ticket.
Monica blushed and handed him the sunscreen out of the shopping bag, “Damn Dom, way to stroke my ego, knowing good and well you look like a fantasy come to life all the time, your damn self,” she told him, smiling just as brightly as he was.
“Thank you,” he said.
She noticed his smile slipped a little as he snapped open the sunscreen and squeezed some in his hands to rub on her. “You okay?” she asked, looking at him over her shoulder with concern.
“I get to spend the entire day with you, so I’m fantastic, Hummingbird,” he answered, his smile returning to its full brightness.
During their time on the hydro bike, Monica tried to capture the magic of it all and even remarked she was going to need another phone just to have room for all the new pictures she took.
Dominic showed her how to automatically sync her pictures to her Dropbox account so she could free up some memory.
She had been enjoying the experience so much, she wanted to stay out on the water all day. But her legs started to get sore from pedaling, and her stomach started talking to her back from hunger, so she had to tap out and ask if they could stop their water tour and eat.
Now they were both back in regular clothes and off of the resort property, going to one of his favorite local places for lunch.
Monica snapped his picture in front of the colorfully painted mural on the side of the restaurant. She knew she looked like a cliché tourist, but she didn’t care. Everything was so pretty, especially Dominic.
“You said it’s one of your favorite places, so I’m sure it will be good.” She smiled and stepped up to put her arms around him, loving how special he continued to make her feel.
“Damn, you are so beautiful.” Dominic picked her up off of her feet, kissing her quickly. “Let’s go refuel because I have so much more to show you.” He put her back on her feet, and grabbing her hand, led her into the small restaurant.
“Are you allergic to anything?” he asked her, once they were seated. Taking her hand from across the table, his smile was about to take her under.
“No, not to food anyway,” she answered, looking the menu and honestly at a loss of what anything on it was. “Um, what do you usually eat here?” she asked shyly looking from the menu to him.
Dominic reached over and took the menu from her hand. “Trust me, I’ll order you something you’ll enjoy.” He turned to the waitress and ordered their food in Bajan.
Monica’s phone vibrated deep in her bag, but she ignored it and continued to look around the decor of the restaurant before looking back at Dominic who was watching her with a knowing smile.
“What?” She shrugged, smiling over at him, the butterflies in her stomach that had taken flight the moment she saw him that morning had yet to be still.
“You know, you might want to answer your phone. Tracy could be worried I kidnapped you or something.” He took a sip of his Mauby, then he chuckled and winked at her when it started ringing again.
Monica sighed and pulled her phone out of her bag. She had three missed calls back to back from a blocked number, yeah there was no way in hell she was answering that call, she was on vacation! “Can I give Tracy your number so I can turn my phone off? I think someone at the office forgot I was out the country and is attempting to call me,” she explained, rolling her eyes as her phone started ringing again. Whoever was calling wasn’t even bothering to leave a message, they would just call again when her voicemail picked up.
Dominic took his phone out of his pocket and handed it Monica. “Call yourself so you have my number, and keep the phone, so if he calls you can answer it. I don’t get many calls.” Dominic sat watching her as he sipped his drink and she took care of saving his number and forwarding it to Tracy, along with a message of why her phone was off.
“Thank you so much, hopefully they take the hint and reach out to the true dentist on call.” She turned off her phone and left Dominic’s face down on the table. If she knew Tracy, he would send a test text to make sure he had the right number.
“You’re more than welcome, Hummingbird, and I hope you’re really hungry. I ordered a lot of food.” He nodded over her shoulder, as their waitress, along with another server arrived with their food.
“Good Lord, Dom, what in the world did you order?” she asked, watching them place four plates on their table. The scent of spice hit her nose first, and caused her mouth to water, then her stomach let out a very unladylike growl in anticipation.
“What is your favorite part of Christmas?” Dominic asked as they walked hand and hand down the sidewalk on their way back to the resort. One of the shop owners was adjusting their Christmas lights that hung on the front window of their shop.
“Most definitely the tree, every year I can’t wait to put up my Christmas tree. Even though I go home to Colorado for the holidays, I still put up a tree at my house before I leave. I even buy a special ornament for my Florida tree every year. My sister and I put up the tree at my parents’ house, it’s kind of hard knowing we won’t be doing it this year.” She sighed with a wistful smile. “What about you, what’s your favorite part of Christmas?” she asked, her hormones screaming, yet again.
“My favorite part of Christmas was the feeling of Christmas, you know what I mean? This time of year, people seem to be a little nicer, a little more generous, there just seems to be a little more happiness in the air.” He lifted her hand and kissed it, smiling down at her.
“You said that was your favorite time of year, is that no longer the case?” she asked curiously.
“It still is, but I have a new reason to like Christmas as well,” he said, watching her as they walked back through the archway that led to the resort.
Monica stopped walking and stared into his eyes. “Okay and what’s your new reason to like Christmas, Dom?” She took his other hand so they were facing each other.
“Because this year, Christmas brought you here to me.”
Chapter 10
“Sis, that is… Just, wow, I’m so happy for you! The fact that he took you to some of his favorite places is just the sweetest thing ever. I swear to God, in the entire time you were with the creep of all creeps, I’ve never seen you like this. You look happy, Monny, truly happy.” Tracy told her with his hand pressed to his chest when she told him everything about her day with Dominic.
“I have to admit, Tracy, it was a lot of fun and I learned he’s so much more than just a pretty face. He has such a great personality and when he asked me questions, he actually listens to my answers, and he’s so laid back, and his accent, and the way he treats me, and well, just him. It’s just him, Tracy. I love everything about the man and I’ve known him what about four or five days? It’s crazy!” Monica grabbed a handful of the popcorn Tracy had just made. They finally gave in on watching any of the movies, because they were talking so much that they kept missing their favorite parts, Ralphie was still paused on the slide smiling up at Santa on the tv screen.
“That’s what’s up, Mon! I love seeing you like this, just carefree and relaxed. I hate to bring it up, but have you guys talked about what happens when you go back home?” Tracy asked carefully, grabbing popcorn himself.
Monica sighed and shrugged. “No, we haven’t, but why would we right now? I’m mean, this was our first official date, so it was more about getting to know each other bett
er. I know he said he wants to see where this mutual attraction takes us, and I’m all for that. I have no idea where this will lead. It might end up being a vacation fling, or whatever, and I’m actually okay with that,” Monica said, sitting back and sipping the last of her holiday cocktail. “I really like this one, I noticed I didn’t wake up hungover or anything. But then again, I didn’t drink my weight in them either, like I did with the Hummingbirds,” she remarked looking into her glass.
“Speaking of Hummingbirds, I still think that is the cutest pet name I have ever heard, and the way he drops the ‘h’ when he says it? Even cuter.” Tracy lifted his glass to toast with Monica. “Here’s to new beginnings, if anyone deserves one, it’s you, Sis. Hell, even if Dominic isn’t Prince Charming, you can at least still enjoy the ball.”
“Monica, you cannot sleep all day, Christmas is in two days and I have a few more gifts I would like to pick up, Miss Ma’am,” Tracy whispered in Monica’s ear late the next morning, shaking her softly.
“Tray, what the hell is the point of being on vacation, if I have to get up at the butt crack of dawn every damn day?” Monica whined and turned away from Tracy.
“Butt crack of dawn? Girl, it’s almost eleven thirty. Now get your crazy ass up, go to your suite and get dressed so we can go shopping,” Tracy snapped, pushing her head off the pillow she was laying on.
Monica’s head popped up. “Eleven thirty? Oh damn, Tray, we missed the tree trimming, it started at ten,” Monica pouted, jumping to her feet to leave so she could go get dressed. She pulled her slipper socks back on, and pulled her long braids into a loose knot at the back of her head.
