by Lisa Childs
Just thinking about that standing position had his legs shaking as he remembered the struggle – not to hold her weight. Despite her height, she was light. No. He’d had to struggle for control. And thinking about it – about her – in all those sexual positions – had him struggling for control again.
“Uh, on second thought...” he murmured as his voice grew gruff with desire.
Taylor shivered as she saw the passion in his eyes. He was probably remembering the night before and the morning and all the wicked ways they’d pleasured each other...
She wanted to experience all that over again and over again. But her story wasn’t in Room #601. She wouldn’t tell anyone what had happened there. Certainly not a tabloid. And probably not even Michelle.
Her story was here – with the bickering bride and groom. And she had a feeling that story was about to blow wide open. And she was going to have a front row – or net – seat. Before she could stop Dominic from backing out, his brother spoke up again.
“Yeah, you must be used to losing to me by now,” Roderick goaded him. “You’ve been doing it your whole life.”
She held tightly to Dominic’s fist, glad now that she clasped it yet in her hand. She didn’t want Dominic to be part of the story. He would hate that. While she wouldn’t let Dominic hit his twin, she wanted to do it for him. But she hit with her words. “If that were true, I doubt you’d want to play him anymore,” she said. “I think you might be the one who’s really afraid of losing...” And as she said it, she glanced at the red-faced bride.
“I want to play you,” Roderick said. “You seem to be the competition. Maybe we should play mixed doubles, switch up the partners...” And he leaned so close to her face that Taylor was tempted to release Dominic’s fist. Not so that he could hit his twin, but so that she could slap the smarmy bastard.
Instead she hit him with a glare. “I wouldn’t be so fickle or shallow as to switch partners,” she said. “Especially for an inferior one...”
Roderick gasped, clearly unused to anyone rejecting his advances and questioning his charm. “You don’t know that until you try...”
“You’re trying,” Dominic said, his voice low and deep with anger. “Back off, Rod.”
“You’re making a scene,” Courtney hissed at her fiancé. But she didn’t have to tug on his arm to pull him back as she had all those other times before. Roderick had already stepped back, as if he’d seen something on his brother’s face he’d never seen before.
“I think we should leave,” Dominic told Taylor.
She nodded and rose from the table.
Dominic rose, too, but stopped before his brother. “I wish you both well. But Taylor and I will not be staying for the ceremony.”
Taylor gasped like his brother had. Neither she nor Michelle had planned for this – had planned for Dominic leaving before the wedding. And with the way his brother was treating him, she didn’t blame him and in good conscience, she couldn’t try to convince him to stay – even though she panicked at the thought of losing her scoop. Sure, she had some photos, but without knowing how the rest of the weekend played out, she didn’t have the full story.
“Geez, man,” Roderick said. “I’ve just been messing with you – like I always do. Can’t believe you’ve gotten so sensitive...”
Taylor snorted. In the moment, enraged, she didn’t care about the story any longer. “I can’t believe you’re so insensitive. He’s your brother. How can you treat him like you do?”
“Taylor,” Dominic said, and he sounded a bit awed by her defense of him. “You’re wasting your breath...” His arm around her, he guided her between Roderick and Courtney.
As they passed, Roderick reached out. But it was Dominic’s arm that he grabbed. “Wait a minute,” he said. “Please...”
Taylor stopped, but Dominic didn’t – until he must have realized she hadn’t moved. Then he waited for her – not for his twin.
“She’s right,” Roderick said. “You’re my brother. I can’t get married without my brother being here. Please, stay...”
Dominic didn’t look at his twin. He stared down at her. He was waiting for her to advise him on whether to stay or leave. For his sake, she wanted to tell him to go and never look back. Sever his relationship forever with this asshole...
But guilt wrapped around her heart, squeezing it tightly. For her sake, she wanted to implore him to stay. So she could get her scoop. This would be the story – she just knew it – that would make her career. But it was clear on his face that he was fed up with his obnoxious twin. And she couldn’t be that selfish...
She started walking away. But this time Dominic didn’t move with her. She turned back to see that Roderick had not let go of his arm.
“Please, bro,” the actor persisted. Pitching his voice low so that only Dominic – and Taylor listening closely – could hear, he continued, “You’re my only family that could be bothered to make it...”
“Dad’s not coming?” Dominic asked.
Roderick shook his head.
And disappointment flashed through Taylor. If she could have gotten a picture of the senior Rowe...
“He couldn’t get away from his movie shoot,” Roderick said. “And Mom... Well, hell, when’s the last time you saw her?”
Dominic shrugged. “I don’t remember...”
And sympathy wrapped tightly around Taylor’s heart now. This was why she didn’t feel sorry for herself for not having any parents. So many of her friends had parents who were not involved in their lives, and that seemed to hurt them more. Taylor’s probably wouldn’t have been involved had they still been alive, but at least she could tell herself that they might have come to care more about her.
It was apparent that Dominic and Roderick’s parents didn’t care.
And she saw how it affected Dominic. He reached out and clasped his brother’s shoulder. “I’ll stay,” he said.
Roderick released a ragged sigh, as if he had been holding his breath, as if he really, really wanted Dominic there. But then he asked, “So how about that tennis match?”
And Taylor wanted to slug him again.
Dominic just laughed.
And Taylor wanted to slug him.
“Sure,” Dominic told him. “But no mixed doubles. We’re sticking with current partners.”
“But you don’t know if she’s any good.” Surprisingly it was Courtney who spoke up now in protest. “You know that I am...”
And now Taylor wanted to slug her, too. Clearly she hadn’t misjudged the woman. Courtney wanted the good twin back. Taylor stepped toward her, leaned near her ear and murmured, “He knows I’m the best he’s ever had...”
Courtney’s face flushed and her mouth dropped open in shock, but no more words came out.
Taking pity on her, Taylor added, “Tennis player,” she added. “That is what we’re talking about, right? Tennis?”
Courtney mutely nodded.
“Meet you on the courts,” Taylor said as she tugged Dominic from the dining room – like Courtney tried tugging Roderick everywhere. Unlike Roderick though, Dominic didn’t resist. He willingly followed her from the hotel restaurant. And the minute the elevator doors closed, he tugged her – into his arms.
His mouth covered hers as he kissed her deeply – passionately. His lips nibbled at hers before his tongue stroked over them and into her mouth.
She lifted her fingers to his thick, soft hair and clutched his head to hers. And she kissed him back – just as passionately. So passionately that he reached out with one hand and slapped the button to stop the elevator.
An alarm rang out – inside the car – and inside Taylor’s head. She’d never been so swept away as she was by her desire for Dominic. But with his kissing her and touching her, she couldn’t think. She could only feel.
She was glad she wore a dress because it was easy for him to lift up – like he lifted her against the wall of the car. As he moved his fingers beneath her panties and inside her, she rea
ched for his zipper and slid it down to free his erection. She pulled back from kissing him to huskily ask, “Do you have a condom?”
He nodded and murmured, “Might be the last one...”
She hoped not – because it was clear she could not get enough of him. And she realized that was why she was glad that he’d decided to stay. Not because of her story but because of this...
He tugged the top of her dress from her shoulder and pushed down the cup of her bra to free a breast. Then he took it into his mouth, teasing the nipple with his tongue.
She arched her back against the elevator wall and moaned. “Where’s the condom?”
He handed her the packet, which she tore open with her teeth. Then she rolled it on him.
He groaned and thrust into her hand. Then he lifted her higher in his arms and slid inside her. “You feel so damn good...” he murmured. “So perfect...”
But she wasn’t perfect. Guilt flickered through her again that she was conning him. But then he thrust his hips up, sliding deeper inside her. And she moaned as the passion overwhelmed her and pushed the guilt aside. She wanted him too much to think about anything but finding relief from the tension building unbearably inside her.
Clutching at his shoulders, she moved up and down – riding him – until they both cried out in release. And as soon as the tension left, the guilt returned.
What would happen when Dominic learned the truth? He had forgiven his brother and his ex for betraying him. Would he be able to forgive her? Or would he consider her betrayal far more egregious than theirs? She couldn’t risk it. He could never find out. It was better that he continued to think she was an escort than ever learn that she was really a reporter.
Chapter Seven
May 16
Afternoon
I drove past St. Bart’s Inn this morning. But I did not stop. The parking lot was full of paparazzi waiting to ambush whoever might be coming or going from the hotel. Poor Dominic. He must hate that. Will he hate me, too, if he finds out I sent a reporter in to pose as his plus one?
No. He’s Dominic. Sweet and forgiving. Surely, he’ll understand. And it’s not like anyone is going to get hurt. Taylor’s story will be about the bride and groom and the wedding. It won’t be about Dominic. And, really, he doesn’t ever have to find out she’s a reporter. Unless...
Michelle jumped as her cell rang. It was the cell – for FANTASY ENTERTAINMENT. Was it Detective Butler calling back? Had something happened? Was that why she hadn’t heard from Taylor? But then she looked at the screen and saw that it was Taylor’s FANTASY ENTERTAINMENT cell calling. She tapped the accept button and teasingly threatened, “I should fire you for not answering your phone...”
There was a long pause then a deep voice asked, “You wouldn’t really do that, would you?”
“Dominic?” she asked.
“Michelle?” he said her name back, as if he was questioning if he was actually speaking to her. Or someone else...
Of course he was still getting used to thinking of her as a madam. Maybe she should tell him that it was just make-believe. But doing that would blow Taylor’s cover as an escort. No. She had to continue the charade.
“I was just kidding,” she promised.
“Lot of that going around...” But it was Taylor who chimed in now, adding, “We have you on speaker.”
“Who else is kidding around?” she asked.
“Rotten Roderick,” Taylor said.
Michelle shuddered with revulsion at the thought of her former stepbrother. “Let me guess – Roddy says that when he makes a pass at you?”
Dominic’s gasp was audible. “That was what he did to you when we were kids...”
They’d actually all been teenagers at the time, but it was still creepy that her stepbrother had hit on her. Of course he’d claimed it was just a joke.
“He’s a creep,” Taylor said. “Cranky Courtney deserves him.”
“She’s crankier now since losing to you,” Dominic said.
And Michelle’s heart rate quickened. Just what had happened between her brother and her best friend?
“We called so I could thank you for teaching Taylor how to play tennis,” he said. “She helped me annihilate Roderick and Courtney.”
“I bet she did...”
Taylor chuckled, and Michelle knew that she was right. Her plan was working. She cared less about that, though, than how happy Dominic sounded.
“You taught me well,” Taylor told her. “Courtney and Roderick didn’t know what hit them.”
“We’re not talking about tennis anymore, are we?” Dominic asked.
And Michelle laughed. Dear, sweet Dominic...
He would have suffered in silence had she and Taylor not concocted this plan. No. Detective Butler had to be wrong. Nothing bad could happen...
Beyond Dominic finding out the truth.
That would be bad – because both of them actually sounded happier than Michelle had ever heard them. “So the wedding is still on?” she asked.
“For now,” Taylor said. “But neither of them were happy with losing...”
Of course they hadn’t been. They’d realized neither was the prize that Dominic and Taylor were.
“Courtney certainly isn’t happy that Roderick made her include you in the bachelorette party festivities,” Dominic said.
“She was okay with it,” Taylor said. “She’d rather have me go to her party than risk my showing up at the bachelor party.”
Dominic laughed. But Michelle didn’t. She knew that was probably where Taylor would rather be; the best photo ops – of Roderick’s debauchery – would be happening there. Courtney’s party was certain to be boring, just like the woman was. And Taylor hated being bored.
“Do I have to go?” Dominic asked.
“You’re the one who decided to stay for the wedding,” Taylor said.
“What?” Michelle asked. “You almost left?” Roderick must have really been being an ass for Dominic to think about skipping his twin’s nuptials.
“I would have,” Dominic said, “if anyone else had been here for him...”
Michelle snorted. “He has a million friends and hangers-on.” She’d seen the parking lot. It hadn’t been just paparazzi parked in the lot. There’d been several little sports cars as well.
“Family, Michelle,” Dominic said. “Dad isn’t coming. And he’s never even heard from our mother.”
Michelle sighed. “That’s not your fault.”
“No. But it would be my fault if I left.”
“That would have been Roderick’s,” Taylor said. “He’s been a jackass since...”
“He saw you,” Michelle finished for her modest friend. She’d known seeing Taylor with Dominic would eat the groom and bride alive with jealousy. She just hadn’t considered that Dominic and Taylor might get consumed as well.
“We have to go,” Taylor said. “We need to start getting ready.”
“How early are these bachelor/bachelorette parties starting?” she wondered.
“Too early.”
“Have fun,” she said – though she doubted that they would.
Dominic would be alone with Roderick and his equally idiotic friends. And Taylor would be alone with cranky Courtney. Michelle was suddenly very worried that Detective Butler’s premonition might prove correct and something bad was about to happen.
***
“Something bad is going to happen,” Dominic warned Taylor as she turned off and tossed her work cell phone onto the bed behind where they stood near the window of Room #601.
Her lips curved into an unrepentant smile. “What are you talking about?”
“You lied to your boss,” he said. “We don’t need to get ready for those parties for a while yet.”
“Don’t worry,” she assured him. “She won’t fire me.”
He felt a flash of disappointment. He would be happier if she lost her job. He hated the thought of her being anyone else’s escort now that she’d been his. He w
anted to keep her all to himself. Forever. But he knew – all too well – that there was no such thing as forever.
So he would just enjoy whatever time he had with her even if it was just this weekend. A pang of regret struck his heart, but he had no time to dwell on it because Taylor was undoing his belt and tugging down the tab of his zipper.
