by A. P. Jensen
“What are your plans… Besides getting into fights everywhere you go?”
“Fights?” she echoed sharply.
“You shoved Gray last night, wrestled Maile naked and nearly bashed Freddy in the head with a beer bottle.”
“All of them deserved it!”
He smiled. “I’m sure they did. So, besides fighting, what other plans do you have?”
“I’m going to tell Callie about her cheating husband.” She held up one finger. “I’m going to try to make sense of Maile’s finances for her store.” Another finger. “I want to see Kai.” Third finger. “And I’m going to save up money to go back to Seattle.”
Dominick’s eyes narrowed. “Kai Moku?”
“You know him?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s,” she paused, trying to put a label on someone who saved her life, “a good friend of mine.”
Dominick didn’t respond to that. They watched the guy’s play pool for several minutes. When Hunter wasn’t shooting, he leaned on his stick and glared at her. The other men tossed her guarded looks, well aware of her reputation, even though it was over a decade old. On any other night, she would have joined them. She was decent at pool, but right now she wasn’t in the mood and had a feeling Hunter would throw a fit. It was clear he didn’t want her in his bar.
“Do you have that effect on every guy or did you intentionally piss Hunter off?” Dominick asked.
He didn’t miss a thing. “Hunter’s sensitive. I’m trying not to take it personally.” She glanced at him with raised brows. “I see I haven’t run you off yet.”
Dark green eyes roved over her face and stopped on her lips. “I don’t scare easy.”
She ignored the way her heartbeat doubled. “I’m not the kind of girl you want to get close to.”
“We were pretty close last night when you took off your dress and tried to straddle me.” He grinned when she flushed.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.”
She tried to redirect the conversation into more neutral waters. “You and Lee knew each other through business, but how did you become his best man?”
Dominick was silent so long, she wasn’t sure he would answer and then, “When Lee left Grant Shipping to do commercial fishing, Gray made it nearly impossible for Lee to buy the equipment he needed. Gray’s a great businessman, but a cold father.”
Juliet absorbed this and said, “You helped Lee, didn’t you?”
He nodded. “Lee helped me after the divorce so I helped him back. He deserves to do what he wants. It wasn’t fair of Gray to punish him for following his dream.”
If it wasn’t for Dominick, Lee would have been forced to stay at Grant Shipping. “What did Brent do?” she asked, wondering how similar Brent was to Gray.
Dominick’s mouth tightened. “He didn’t approve of Gray’s methods, but he didn’t stop Gray on Lee’s behalf.”
“Why am I not surprised?” she said bitterly.
“You’re not afraid of Gray or Brent, are you?”
She curled her lip. “Why should I be? They don’t have anything I want.”
“They have money,” he said casually.
Juliet grew up in a wealthy family, but had always been very aware that the Grant legacy wasn’t hers to inherit. She knew she would have to make her own way, even before Annie died. Now, she knew the value of a dollar and was very aware of the fact that she was close to rock bottom. Gray controlled everyone with money. She vowed long ago never to take a dime from the Grant’s and she wouldn’t. She would make her own way in life. Juliet wanted to build something that no one could take from her.
“I’ll find my feet,” Juliet said with a carelessness she didn’t feel.
“I have no doubt you will.”
“How do you know that?” she asked defensively. “You don’t even know me.”
“Sure, I do.”
Thoroughly disconcerted by him, she said, “That’s not fair. You know so much about me, but I know nothing about you!”
“You know more about me than most people.” He finished off his beer and set it on the bar. “And I know there’s more to you than what you’ve shown me so far.”
She resisted the urge to shift on the stool. Dominick Bryson was slick. She could feel his gaze moving over her. Her body stirred.
“I noticed you during the wedding ceremony. I expected some guy to grab your arm and take you to dinner, but no one showed and you came up to Lee and all hell broke loose.”
“Did Lee ever mention me?”
“No.”
She clapped a lid on the pain before it spread. “Well, I’m sure you got an earful about me last night.”
“Yes, I did.”
She clamped her mouth shut against the need to defend herself.
“Nothing adds up with you.”
She lifted her chin. “There’s nothing to add up.”
“You want to believe that.”
“It’s the truth.”
“You’re anything but boring, Juliet. The woman I watched last night has no inhibitions.”
“I was drunk.”
“You drew every man’s eye. You could have gone home with anyone. I’m glad you insisted on me.”
She stared at the pool table intently. Something built in the air between them. If she made eye contact with Dominick, she was a goner. She knew it.
“There has to be something wrong with you. You should be married with three kids already. The women that live in this town don’t fool around and wouldn’t let a guy like you walk around unattached.”
Dominick chuckled. “Ask Lee what’s wrong with me.”
“Can’t you just tell me?”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
Juliet ground her teeth. She was attracted to him. Who wouldn’t be? He wasn’t like anyone she ever met. What the hell? She didn’t come to Hawaii to have an affair!
“You pulled me into bed with you and begged me to stay.”
Juliet’s eyes flicked to him and then immediately slid away. Juliet swallowed hard because all it took was one glance for her body to go up in flames. It had been a long time for her. Chad never got her going sexually. It wasn’t as important to her as the fact that they worked well together. What crackled in the air between her and Dominick was pure, dangerous chemistry. She didn’t dare touch it.
“I get slutty when I’m drunk,” Juliet said carelessly.
She wasn’t prepared for the hand that cupped her jaw and turned her face towards his. Dominick’s eyes were heavy lidded and hungry. The intensity made her skin flush with heat. The alpha she sensed beneath the surface was staring back at her and she didn’t know what to do.
“Do you know how hard it was to walk away from you?”
His growly voice made her breasts ache. She hadn’t felt like this… ever. She barely knew this guy and her hands tingled with the urge to touch him. She had things to take care of, yet Dominick was seducing her without effort in the middle of a bar.
“You’re a good guy,” she said in a husky voice. “You should walk away from me.”
“Is that so?” He sounded amused. “I don’t believe in coincidences.”
“Coincidences?”
“Instead of reconnecting with family or friends, you’re in Hunter’s Bar.”
She bristled. “So?”
“So, I’m going to take advantage.”
“Of what?”
Dominick pulled out his wallet and tossed two twenties on the bar. Before she could say a thing, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out the front door. The cool night air slapped her in the face.
Chapter Four
“What are you doing?” Juliet asked.
Dominick pinned her against the passenger side of his truck. She wasn’t prepared for the hand that slipped around the back of her neck and pulled her against him. Her hands splayed on his chest and she shuddered as his familiar scent engulfed her.
“Dominick, I—”
A
large hand tunneled into her hair and gripped. Her head tipped back and his mouth covered hers. He was a lot taller than any guy she’d been with and he tasted good. Her hands moved from his chest to his abdomen. He growled and deepened the kiss. Her eyes fluttered shut. She opened her mouth and Dominick immediately took advantage and brushed his tongue against hers. She dug her nails into his abs. He made a low sound in the back of his throat that made her pulse leap.
The bar door slammed, bringing them out of the sexual haze. She stared into eyes the color of sea glass. Dominick shifted her to the side so he could open the door of his truck.
“I brought my own car,” she began and let out a squeak when he boosted her in the cab and slammed the door. She stared straight ahead as Dominick climbed into the driver’s side. The windshield was fogged. She licked her lips and tried to think rationally.
“I’m not looking for anything,” Juliet got out as her lips tingled.
Dominick made no move to turn on the truck. She wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.
“We’re just getting acquainted,” he said calmly.
“By making out? I’m not good at relationships and I don’t want to have a fling.”
“I’m not looking for anything either, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get to know each other better. You want me.”
She glanced pointedly at his tented jeans. “And you want me.”
“You’re Lee’s sister. I kept telling myself that while you danced and then got naked in front of me. I figure you’re old enough to make your own decisions and hope Lee knows that too.”
God, she liked how he talked. A man who knew what he wanted and didn’t sugar coat things was sexy. She gave him a small smile. “That’s so sweet, Dominick.”
He glared at her. “I’m not sweet.”
“You tucked me into bed last night instead of joining me like I begged you to,” she said in a husky voice and he shifted uncomfortably. She was delighted to see that she’d broken through his placid demeanor. She crawled across the bench seat and whispered in his ear, “Didn’t Lee tell you that he’s never been able to control me?”
“I figured that out for myself. You have hell raiser written all over you.”
He turned sideways with his back against the driver’s door and tugged her onto his lap. Juliet kissed the corner of his hard mouth and grabbed fistfuls of his hair. His hands clenched on her hips and kept her firmly planted on his crotch.
“How serious are you about not having a fling?” he asked conversationally, nuzzling her chest.
She bit back a gasp. “Very.”
His hands covered her ass and pulled her down even as his hips bucked upwards. She dropped her head and bit his shoulder. Dominick cursed and did it again. This was more erotic than sex with other men.
“This isn’t a good idea,” she whispered. “We should stop.”
His mouth moved to her neck and suckled lightly. “You taste so good, though.”
“You’re trying to distract me,” she said in a thin voice.
“You distracted me last night. It’s only fair that I get to do the same to you.”
Juliet leaned back so she could see his face. He had a strong jaw, five o’clock shadow and eyes that made her want to forget common sense. His hands were on her, but he wasn’t forcing her to do anything. They assessed one another warily. She met this guy yesterday and now she was making out with him in his truck in front of her half-brother’s bar. Ever since she landed, she reverted back to her rebellious, horny teenage self.
“I haven’t been this out of control since I lived here.” She sounded bewildered even to her own ears.
“Hawaii has that effect on people. The modern world is held at bay here and people can be who they want to be.”
“But this isn’t who I am,” she said, gesturing between them. “I used to be loose when I was a teen, but not anymore.” She controlled her sexuality with an iron fist. She let Chad in and look how that turned out… She tried to conjure his face to put a damper on her libido, but she couldn’t with Dominick so real and tempting in front of her. She wanted Dominick so badly, she trembled. What the hell was wrong with her? She was making out with Dominick in front of a bar full of men who’d be sure to tell everyone what a slut she still was. That cooled her enough to make her shift backwards. Dominick’s hands flexed and kept her in place.
“What is it?” His voice filled the cab.
“I’m not easy, despite what I did last night… and how I’m acting right now.” She could just imagine what Gray would say. Unbidden, an image of him with a disgusted look on his face flashed through her mind and her stomach twisted.
“I don’t think you’re easy.”
What else was he supposed to think when she stripped in front of him and crawled onto his lap? “I need to go,” she said quietly.
“Look at me.”
Juliet raised her gaze from his collarbone. His hand left her butt and stroked soothingly up and down her back. His hold was comforting now instead of seductive. He sensed the change in her mood and shifted with her without complaint.
“If I want easy, I can get it,” Dominick stated.
She opened her mouth to argue and then remembered that Maile asked him to be her date at the wedding and he declined.
“I’m not with you because I want to get laid.” He paused and his eyes dipped down to her lips. “Although I wouldn’t say no if that’s what you want to do tonight. You had two beers so that isn’t taking advantage.”
How could he make her feel like laughing when a minute ago she felt like a tramp? Her lips twitched. “Thanks for noticing.”
“I don’t take whatever crosses my path.”
“I’m only staying for a couple of weeks.”
“So, you can spend those weeks with me.”
She frowned. “I told you, I’m not someone you want to get involved with. I don’t have a good history with the people here.”
“I don’t care what other people think.”
“You’re a valuable business contact to the Grants,” she said, remembering Scarlet’s agitation when he approached her at the wedding and her horror at finding him at Maile’s house this morning.
“Your family has nothing to do with us.”
“You can’t separate the two.”
“I can.”
She shook her head. “You have no idea what Gray is capable of.”
“Was he physically abusive?”
If he didn’t have such a firm hold on her, she would have slid across the seat and hopped out of the truck.
“Let me go!” she snapped.
“Answer my question.”
“My relationship with Gray is none of your business!”
“You reacted like you expected him to hit you.” His eyes searched hers. “Am I right?”
Her harsh breathing was the only sound in the cab. “Let me go, Dominick.”
“You can talk to me, Juliet.”
“I don’t know you.”
“Sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone you don’t know instead of family.”
God, that was so true, but she couldn’t afford to trust him. “Please, Dominick.”
He held her a moment longer before he released her. She slipped off his lap and reached for the door handle. She almost wished they had car sex instead of facing the awful truth he just tossed in her face. At least sex would have banished reality for an hour or two. Now, she just felt empty.
“Hey.” Dominick grabbed her hand before she could open the door. “You can trust me.”
She believed him. Juliet clenched her hand into a fist so she wouldn’t reach out for him. He was a good guy. She wasn’t the type of person he should be with, even temporarily. “Thanks.”
Dominick brushed a gentle kiss over her lips. “You did the right thing last night.”
She turned away so he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. She jumped out of the truck, slammed the door and walked over to the bug. She refused to watch
as he drove out of the parking lot. Something burned in her chest as she drove back to Maile’s house. So, she didn’t have the joyous reunion with Hunter that she hoped for. Instead, she found out that Callie had a cheating husband and learned that Dominick Bryson may be a rare breed of men she thought only existed in romance novels.
Maile wasn’t at the house when she arrived. Aside from the faint moonlight, everything around her was cast in darkness. Juliet used the light on her phone to walk up the steps, unlock the door and find the light switch. She took a long, hot shower and found herself pondering Dominick Bryson. He was an Alaska native, divorced and dangerously intuitive. She browsed through Maile’s lotion collection for a scent she liked and just finished slathering it on when a knock on the front door made the cricket chatter outside stutter. Her heartbeat doubled. Maile wouldn’t knock. She grabbed her phone and paused on the other side of the door.
“Who is it?” she called.
“It’s Brent.”
Juliet hesitated for a few seconds before she opened the door. Brent was dressed in a business suit despite the late hour. His eyes moved over with sharp disapproval. She knew the nightgown was a little sheer, but she didn’t expect company at ten o’clock at night. She crossed her arms over her chest.
“May I come in?” he asked.
After the way he spoke to her at the wedding, did he really think she’d invite him in? “No.”
Brent’s eyes narrowed. “Freddy told me he saw you at Hunter’s Bar.”
That was the last thing she expected him to say. “Did he? Did he also tell you he hit on me?”
Brent’s expression didn’t alter. “Excuse me?”
“Freddy hit on me and when I told him to piss off, he got violent.”
“Freddy didn’t mention that.”
She scoffed. “Of course, he didn’t. Does Callie know?”
“Know what?”
Was he being deliberately stupid? “Does Callie know that Freddy cheats on her?”
“There’s no concrete proof that he cheats. He hit on you. So, what?”
“You’re shitting me, right?” she asked in disbelief.
