by Jenny Siegal
I laugh at her. Curse words always sound funny coming out of Iris’s mouth.
“Yeah, it was all part of me turning over a new leaf. I decided that it would be better if I didn’t drink. It just got me into trouble, but I’ve realized that I just need to know my limits.”
A booth is free and we slide in to wait for the band to take the stage. It is starting to fill up and there are the usual hordes of female fans waiting for them to start.
“Would the old Charlie have given Dominic the time of day?” Iris raises an eyebrow, and thanks to the alcohol, I’ve started to relax. It feels good to be able to talk to her like this without having to keep pretending.
I laugh openly and nod my head in agreement. “The old Charlie would have slept with him on the first night after the gig, chewed him up, and spat him out by now. He would have got what he wanted and probably treated me like he does all the other girls who sleep with him. I don’t want that.”
“You’re in love with him,” she states, not even surprised. The dim lighting hides the blush that creeps up my neck and flames my face, but I avert my eyes from her intense, knowing stare.
“No, I’m not.” Despite my denial, she's not buying it, just like with the ‘just friends’ thing.
“You totally are. When are you going to tell him?”
“Never. He doesn’t need to know because he doesn’t feel the same.” A chill steals across my chest.
“Yes, he does.” Direct and to the point as ever, my eyes snap up to meet hers as she regards me with a cut-the-crap look.
“No, really, he doesn’t.” But I wonder if she might have a point. Sometimes I would catch him looking at me and I wouldn't know what he is thinking. Maybe it’s wishful thinking and I’m kidding myself, but I was beginning to hope that he might feel the same way.
“He could have any girl, any girl in here.” I wave my hand at the largely female audience.
“He doesn’t want anyone else. Surely, you’ve figured that out by now. He wants you. You’re the one pushing him away,” she says exasperatedly.
Looking down, I realize my beer bottle is empty. We’re going to need more alcohol and soon.
“Anyway, enough about me. I want to know about you and Bryan. You're in love with him.” To my surprise, she lowers her eyes and a blush steals over her cheeks. I know I’m right; Iris can’t hide anything.
“Yeah, I am,” she admits quietly, and my smile grows.
“Have you told him?” I lean forward to take her hand, and she gives me a swift nod.
“I’m glad. You are perfect together.” I squeeze her hand as Bryan slips into the booth next to Iris and gives her a kiss, ending out conversation.
“I’ll be back in a sec.” I walk toward the bar and order us some more drinks. Quite a few people do a double take when I pass them, and I know they are staring in surprise. One guy’s mouth actually drops open when I walk by.
Bryan and Iris are watching me in amazement when I return and set a tray of drinks on the table. Picking up one of the beers, I slide into the booth and take a long pull on it, savoring the taste. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed the taste of cold beer.
“Dominic will be glad you’re here,” Bryan says, eyeing me over his bottle. “It’s all he’s been going on about since yesterday. Are you going to put him out his misery?”
Not sure what to tell him, I give him a small nod and his face breaks into a big smile. He looks more relieved than anything.
The butterflies in my stomach are out of control. I am really, really nervous about seeing Dominic and more than a little excited. Maybe drinking isn’t such a good idea, but it’s too late now.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” I mumble and push my way through the crowds to the toilets. They are quiet because everyone is outside waiting for the band to start. I contemplate hiding in here or even going home, but I know I’m being irrational. I have nothing to be ashamed of. After a steadying breath, I pull myself up taller and decide I have to stop living in the past and make things right with Dominic.
The band is on stage by the time I emerge from my hiding place. It is impossible not to look up as I walk past. The pull is too strong and when I catch Dominic's eye, I wink at him. His mouth pops open and a sexy grin begins to form on his face. The look in his eye warms my stomach. That’s it—I refuse to deny that I'm crazy about him in every way possible anymore.
Adrenaline is surging through my veins as I slide back into my seat. Reaching for my drink, I down the shot, hoping to calm my overwrought nerves and steady my pounding heart.
Iris and Bryan share a look before Iris asks, “When you say that you used to drink, how much are you talking about?’
“Lots.” I flash her a quick grin and reach for my bottle of beer. “I used to be able to drink the guys under the table, which I did frequently.”
She rears back slightly and worry flits across her face. “Is that Charlie back?”
With a quick shake of my head, I answer, “No, you’re right, and so is my mom. I need to find a happy medium. Unless it doesn’t go according to plan with Dominic and then she might be.”
During the second set, I stand, smooth down my dress, and reach for Iris's hand.
“Let’s dance.” I am throwing caution to the wind, but her face breaks into a wide smile and she can't get out the booth quick enough. Taking her hand firmly in mine, we fight our way into the middle of the crowd to start dancing.
“I can’t believe it, you are dancing. You never dance,” she shouts over the music trying and failing miserably to hide her excitement. I lean close to her.
“I used to love to dance, but it always got me in trouble, so I stopped.” I wink and her mouth forms an O. Maybe Iris can't handle knowing about my past exploits.
Once the band finishes, we cheer along with everyone else and music starts to play over the sound system. Now that Iris has me on the dance floor, she isn't letting me sit down, so we keep dancing and singing along to Maroon 5. Mentally, I am counting the minutes until I get to see Dominic again.
Iris’s eyes widen before I feel strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me back against a hard familiar body.
Dominic.
I can tell by the way that my whole body tingles as I sink back into him. Warm breath skates over the back of my neck and shoulders and a shiver ripples through me. Heat radiates from his body as my ass presses against the bulge in his jeans. Iris shakes her head, smiling at us and walks away.
Gently, he turns me to rest his hands on my hips and I allow my hands to slide upwards, feeling every taut muscle in his arms to rest on his shoulders. Our foreheads touch and there’s nowhere else to look but straight into his gorgeous green eyes that are smoldering with unnamed emotion.
“Hmm, I’ve missed you.” His voice is low and gravelly.
“I’ve missed you, too.” My voice cracks. I have dreamed of having his arms around me. It was all that I could think about while I was avoiding him, and now he is here.
“You look gorgeous. I couldn't wait for the set to finish so I could come down here and take you in my arms,” he breathes out as he pulls back slightly to look at me.
While he drinks in the sight of me, my body heats up under the intensity of his stare. His arms envelop me, pulling me even closer to his body to hold me tighter, afraid I'm going to run. Our bodies barely move in time to the music. Really, we are just standing there holding each other, and I'm glad to be with him after being apart. Every time I brush against him, I feel the hardness in his jeans. With a groan, Dominic dips his head to the curve of my neck, his warm breath sending goosebumps skittering along my sensitive skin. A shiver of pleasure rolls down my spine when he sucks on the pulse in my neck, nipping gently with his teeth.
“I'm glad you came.” He raises his head to flash me a smile so wicked my stomach somersaults violently. The past weeks are forgotten when his hands are on me and I'm drowning in his beautiful eyes, falling deeper and going under.
“Me, t
oo.”
“Please tell me you're here because you want this and you aren't giving up on us?”
Knots form in my stomach because I still haven't been totally honest with him yet. This isn't happily ever after. Once I've told him, he might not want me, but I press my lips together and give him a small nod.
“Why are you resisting this?”
“I'm not anymore,” I whisper, our mouths inches apart. Relief shows on his face as my words register.
“Finally.” His hand cups my face as his mouth slowly lowers until his lips press gently against mine. They part to allow his tongue to caress mine, and I press further into his solid body. A loud moan escapes me as he devours me with his lips, but it is lost in the noise of the music. The wetness between my legs continues to grow as he pulls back, frowning down at me.
“You've been drinking. You never drink.” His brow furrows in confusion.
“Shh.” I press my lips to his again to silence him, not wanting to go into my change of behavior just now. My hands slide down his back and into his jeans pockets; I squeeze.
“Please say you'll come home with me tonight,” he growls, his voice exciting me even more.
“Yes,” I whisper. This time I intend to sleep with him, whether or not he realizes it.
Dominic doesn't let go of my hand as he weaves through the crowd. He keeps hold of me possessively as we walk over to where Iris and Bryan sit. Her eyes are full of questions when she sees us. Dominic slides into the seats opposite them, pulling me down with him.
Dominic cuts into their conversation. “Charlotte's coming home with me.” The look on her face when she turns to me says 'I told you so', and she can't smother her big grin.
“I'll go home with Bryan.”
“Glad you decided to put him out of his misery,” Bryan chips in, also giving me a knowing look.
“They're as bad as each other,” Iris adds. “Everyone knew you two should be together except you.” She looks pointedly at me, and I roll my eyes.
It is getting harder to concentrate as Dominic runs his fingers lightly up the sensitive skin on the inside of my arm, driving me crazy. Unable to take any more, my hand clamps down on his thigh, very close to his crotch. Green eyes smolder when he looks down at me. I am using the one distraction technique I know won't fail. Sex. My thumb brushes over the thick ridge in his jeans and that spurs him on.
“Let's go.” Dominic pushes me out of the booth quickly; he doesn't have to tell me twice. I scramble out as Iris and Bryan watch in amusement.
"I'll catch you tomorrow,” I call out as I'm hustled away by an impatient Dominic.
“Have fun, Charlie.” She laughs.
“What did she say?” Dominic asks as we weave through the crowds toward the exit.
“I'll tell you later,” I mutter as he pulls me out of the club, ignoring everyone else, his sole purpose to get us outside and into his car.
• • •
It's a wonder he isn’t stopped on the journey back to his apartment by the way he is driving. Once he's killed the engine, he turns to me, the air thick with anticipation and sexual tension. Dominic hasn’t let go of my hand once; he needs the contact between us as much as I do.
“Charlotte, have you had too much to drink?” He looks frustrated and so hot at the moment that I would’ve said no even if I had. I shake my head, chewing on my lip.
“Not enough for you to worry about taking advantage of me.” I smile at him, hitching up my dress as I move over to straddle him. Wide-eyed he runs his hands up the outside of my legs. I lean over and bring my lips down to meet his while his hands disappear under my dress to cup my ass.
“God, Charlotte, I can't believe you're here,” he breathes against my mouth.
“I want you, too,” I confirm, and they are the words he has been waiting for. The car door opens, and we nearly tumble out.
As soon as we are inside the apartment, his lips are on mine and he is walking me backward, never breaking our kiss. Once over the threshold of the bedroom, Dominic slams the door shut and pulls back to look at me.
“Why did you push me away? I've wanted you for so long. What changed?” He looks down at me, confusion written all over his face, and I don't blame him. When I meet his eyes, they are blazing with lust and want. I know I should come clean, but I want him too much. I want this one night with him. For tonight, I want to give into my feelings and desires. I'll worry about the rest in the morning.
Our bodies brush tantalizingly against each other, his chest heaving along with mine.
“I can't fight it anymore. I want you, too, Dominic. I always have.” I'm not holding anything back now. I don't care if he knows how much I want him, because I do, more than anything or anyone before. When his face breaks into a breathtakingly gorgeous smile, I know I'm so fucked; at that moment, there is no doubt that I have fallen hopelessly in love with him.
Pushing my hair back, he holds my face and his lips come crashing down on mine. Electricity courses through me as his tongue teases its way around my mouth. The pulse between my legs pounds furiously, matching my heartbeat. This is so unlike the other times when I've been too drunk to know who's undressed whom. This time, I am committing every touch, every caress, and every kiss to memory. It makes all the difference to be sober. Every stroke, every brush of his fingers, causes my skin to tingle.
Dominic's fingers glide over my shoulder and down my arms to take my hands in his. As he leads me closer to the bed, his arms reach around to the zipper at the back of my dress. The cool air hits my feverish skin as he pulls the zipper down; the rasping sound is heard over our shallow breathing.
“You are gorgeous,” he murmurs before kissing me. A kiss that is more heated and lasts longer than ever before.
Unable to resist touching him another second, my hands slip under his T-shirt to skate over his warm skin. Reaching behind him to pull the T-shirt over his head, I am finally rewarded with an expanse of tanned muscled skin. My hand squeezes between our bodies so I can pry his jeans open before taking him in my hand. A strangled groan escapes the back of his throat and Dominic helps me out, pushing his jeans down his legs before he lays me on the bed and nestles between my thighs. My body is on fire as he covers it with his.
Warm lips close over my breast and pull one nipple into his mouth, expertly teasing it until I am writhing on the bed at the heavenly feeling. One hand slips between my legs and Dominic runs his fingers over my core, pressing on my clit before sliding inside me.
“Do you have a condom?” I gasp and Dominic leans over to pull one out the nightstand. Handing it to me, he switches his attention to my other breast. Despite my frazzled brains, I manage to wrestle the condom out the wrapper and slide it over his length. Man, oh man, he doesn’t disappoint. It's been a while since I had sex, so it’s a good thing I'm as turned on as I am. Dominic shifts his weight and hovers over me, supporting himself on his forearms.
“I want you so damn much.” Through hooded eyes, he looks down at me. It’s finally going to happen, after months of fighting the attraction we feel for each other. What I've wanted since the first time I saw him.
“Please, Dominic.” I arch my neck upwards to kiss him. His lips capture mine, and he slips inside me in a swift movement that leaves me gasping for breath. The sensation of him filling me is unbelievable, and I want to enjoy every second of this. Long, slow strokes as he moves in and out of me, kissing down the column of my neck. With deep, satisfying movements my cries become higher and higher with each thrust. I meet each one with equal fervor as my orgasm gathers pace. Our bodies slide against each other, slick with sweat. My nails dig into the muscles in his back before I slide them down to grab his rock-hard ass and push him further inside me.
“Charlotte, baby, I need you to come for me,” he grounds out through gritted teeth, his jaw clenched from the effort of holding back.
“Dominic, I... I...” The rest of the sentence is lost in a scream of pure pleasure as my orgasm breaks over me. Two more t
hrusts and Dominic releases a loud animalistic growl as he finds his own release.
He stills but doesn't pull out of me. Hands down that was the best sex I've had. Ever.
Resting on his elbows, he looks down at me and brushes away strands of hair that are stuck with sweat to my forehead. His breathing is still labored and I tilt my head to the side slightly to get a better look at him. His normally clear eyes are cloudy, and I experience a prickle of fear in my chest. Please don't tell me that he is regretting this already, I pray, as a knot forms in my throat. For a minute, I feel pressure behind my eyes, signaling tears. Since when did I become so emotional after sex, or at all. Dominic leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead before he slowly pulls out of me and moves to dispose of the condom.
For the first time since I've known him, I feel awkward and unsure. This is the part where I usually leave, if I've not already passed out. But this time I want to stay, all night. This is Dominic we are talking about. How many nights have we curled up on this bed, pretending it was innocent and we were just friends, all the time we were kidding ourselves. Maybe I should go? But before I can continue down my path of self-doubt, Dominic climbs into bed beside me and wraps his arms around me.
“We're so not friends, Charlotte.” He pulls me tighter into his delicious body and kisses me on the top of the head. When his breathing deepens, I realize he has fallen asleep. The rhythmic sound of his breathing and the heat from his body is making me drowsy. Surely, it will be okay to stay here wrapped in his arms for a bit longer. That is my last thought before my eyelids grow heavy and I fall fast asleep.
Chapter Twelve
It is still pitch dark outside when I wake a few hours later. Our bodies are entwined and my head rests on his chest, rising and falling with his rhythmic breathing. It’s almost enough to lull me back to sleep. The smell of his sweat mixed with mine surrounds me; it’s the smell of us, and I like smelling him on my skin.
I finally gave into my desires and it was everything I thought it would be, and unlike anything I’d experienced before. This is what it should be like. I watch him as he sleeps. Long dark eyelashes fan out under his eyes and he looks so peaceful. My heart gives a painful squeeze as I finally admit that I love him. All air leaves my lungs, and I start to panic. I should have told him everything. How can I expect Dominic to feel the same when he finds out about my past exploits?
