“Thank you,” the woman huffed.
“Even if it is true,” Dominic added with a twinkle in his eye.
Ethan put his head down on his arm, his shoulders shaking with laughter. But the woman wasn’t laughing. She was obviously angry. Dominic suspected the only thing keeping her from taking his head off was the fact that she needed his help.
“Thanks for nothing. I know to never set foot on St. Lucia again.” The woman spun on her heel and started to leave, but stopped in front of Charles. “Thank you. You’re the only kind person I’ve met on this island.” She continued to the door and pushed it open.
“Wait, wait,” Dominic called out to her. “You can’t go stompin’ around out there alone. I am not havin’ it on my conscience.”
“Look, if you can get me back to my friends, I’ll be able to compensate you for your troubles. I’ll pay you for your time and gas and whatever else.”
Dominic winced. “I just need to call my cousin so he can watch the bar. Have a seat over here.” Dominic patted the counter near the empty bar stools.
Charles made his way over to the dart boards where two other young men were playing. The woman looked around again before taking a seat at the bar, two stools down from Ethan. Dominic picked up the phone and chuckled as he watched the woman shoot Ethan a glare. Ethan held up his hands in surrender and tended his beer.
Dominic sighed when his cousin, Lery, didn’t answer the phone. There were few people he trusted to watch his business, and Lery was his number one choice. He hung up the receiver.
“You couldn’t reach him?” the woman asked.
The disappointment in her eyes caused him to redial. This time, Lery picked up.
“Bonjour, cousin,” Dominic said. After speaking with him for a moment, Dominic hung up the phone and grinned. “He’ll be here as quick as he can.”
“You know,” Ethan said. “I’m staying in Castries—”
“No, thank you,” the woman said sharply. She turned her head toward Dominic. “I’d appreciate it if you took me. I do not want to ride with him.”
Dominic didn’t have the heart to make another jab. Maybe because she’d chosen him over the Aussie, or maybe because she was just so beautiful. “No worries. We’ll go as soon as Lery arrives.”
Ethan stood and pulled his wallet from his front pocket. He laid several bills on the counter. “See you soon, my friend.”
“Have a good night.” Dominic shook Ethan’s hand and then called out to Charles. “See this man to his car, eh?”
Charles nodded dutifully and went outside with Ethan.
“Is it that unsafe here?” the woman asked.
“No, not really. Better safe than sorry, though, no? This area is not the best, but it is far from the worst.” Dominic tilted his head. She met his eyes, and he saw strength in them. He liked that.
“Yes, for sure.”
“What is your name?”
“Sammie.”
“I am Dominic. Would you like a drink while you wait?” he asked.
“Just water, please.”
He mentally kicked himself. Of course she would need water. Why hadn’t he offered that to her straight away? He twisted the top off the bottle and set it in front of her.
“Thank you,” she said, and drank half the bottle in one go.
Dominic immediately took a second bottle from the fridge below the counter and set it next to her. “So, tell me, why are you alone? And tell me how you got robbed.”
“My friend and I argued this morning, and she went off with her other friends. Later, I decided I’d go see the island in the few hours we had left before we departed. My friends never knew I left the ship. I hired a taxi to take me around, and the driver said he’d wait where he let me out. But when I came back, he and his wife were nowhere to be found. My purse was also gone, and the wristband for the ship was missing from my wrist. Now I have no money, no ID, no phone, nothing.”
Dominic exhaled.
“I know what you’re thinking,” she said.
“What is that?” Dominic asked curiously.
“Stupid American girl, that’s what you’re thinking!” Sammie hunched back and stuck her teeth out. Maybe she thought he’d appreciate a beautiful girl who had no problems making herself look silly.
Dominic laughed. “That’s only partially what I was thinking.”
She eyed him for a moment. “Do tell. What else were you thinking?”
“What kind of taxi was it?” Dominic crossed his arms and put a hand on his chin.
“What do you mean, what kind?” Sammie threw her hands up, obviously frustrated. “The kind that has a car and driver. And a driver’s wife.”
Dominic shook his head. “You’re a very mouthy woman.” Sammie narrowed her eyes at him, but he ignored her. She needed his help, so he was not worried about angering her. “Were there any markings on the vehicle? What kind of vehicle was it?”
Sammie thought. “No, no markings that I can remember. The kid took me to them.”
“What kid?” Dominic quirked an eyebrow.
“A kid who tried to sell me something earlier. I happened to see him again and asked him about a driver,” Sammie said, exhaling.
“Wait a minute.” Dominic waggled his index finger. “So, you’re telling me that you saw the same kid in two different places? How far was it from the first place you saw him to the second place?”
“I don’t know. Maybe seven or eight blocks. I wasn’t paying attention to that. I was just looking around, and I decided I didn’t want to stay in the area right by the ship. His face looked familiar, so I asked him about a taxi.”
“He’d targeted you, and you made it so easy.”
Dominic paced behind the bar. This was the part he hated about St. Lucia. All places had their problems, but on an island where the economy was struggling, some were willing to stoop to low levels to sustain their lives.
“Thank you for calling me stupid in twenty different ways since I’ve walked in here.” Sammie dropped her head into her hands.
Dominic thought he heard a sniffle. “Come, come. I wasn’t trying to make you cry.”
Sammie raised her head defiantly. “I’m not crying.”
“It’s just that if you had wondered why the same boy was near you again, you would have known not to trust him.” Sammie groaned in annoyance, but Dominic ignored it. “What kind of car was it?”
Sammie thought for a moment. “A blue one.”
Dominic stared at her. “Anything else?”
Sammie met his eyes, then looked away. “A small blue one.”
He smashed his hand against his forehead. It was his turn to groan.
“I’m sorry!” Sammie exclaimed. “I don’t know the make and model, okay? It was light blue. Oh, and it had white rims. I remember thinking the car looked like the sky, and the tires looked like clouds.”
Dominic’s head snapped up.
“What?” Sammie asked.
“Ah, nothing,” Dominic said.
Sammie was halfway through her second bottle of water. “May I use the restroom?”
“It’s over there.” Dominic pointed across the room. The women’s door had a mermaid, and the other displayed a merman with a trident.
Dominic watched Sammie as she strolled over to the bathroom and disappeared inside. She had no flaws—except for not using her brain, that was. Dominic checked his watch, noting that Lery should be showing up anytime now. Too bad there wasn’t more time to spend with this woman. She had a bit of fire in her, and he liked that. Anyone else in her current situation would be a shivering, frightened mess. On the other hand, who knew how she would react if she missed her ship. He decided he’d better call Lery and tell him to hurry up.
Chapter 7
In the restroom, Sammie washed her face and tried to freshen up. She hoped she didn’t smell like sweat after what she’d been through. She was grateful to have a ride, but she didn’t know what to think about her rescuer. He was hot, but he c
ould be a jerk, too. Still, his willingness to get her back to the ship was enough to make her appreciative. Besides, she needed to get back to report all her belongings as stolen.
She ran a hand over her face. “Why didn’t I just stay on the boat today?”
Removing the hat she’d managed to buy before things went crazy and her ponytail holder, she shook out her hair and combed through it loosely with her fingers. Her head felt free and light as she exited the restroom.
“There you are,” Dominic said. He glanced up at her from the drink he was making and did a double take.
She felt a blush coming on, and it surprised her. She usually didn’t feel shy around men, but something about this one made her feel different. “Here I am,” she said with a shrug.
“I thought you got lost again for a minute.”
“Really?” Sammie huffed. “I just needed to freshen up. I smelled like a goat.”
Dominic laughed loudly.
Sammie couldn’t help but grin. She liked his laugh and almost everything he said. His accent even made his insults sound sexy.
“Ah, there it is. A girl who can smile through her troubles is a lioness.”
“Rawr,” Sammie said dryly. “Why are you being nice, and how long have I been here?”
“I’m always nice, and only for a while.”
“You got that right.” Sammie tossed a pointed look in his direction.
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it!” Dominic grinned, exposing perfect white teeth against his dark skin. “Seems like you just arrived.”
There was a break in the cricket game, and Dominic worked a line of drink orders. Sammie watched as he focused on each customer and made conversation while he worked. By the time the game started up again, he’d finished the orders, and he came to stand across from her.
“Will your cousin be here soon?” Sammie’s stomach growled, and she laid a hand over it. “I’m famished. I haven’t eaten today.”
“Should be anytime now. He said he would come straight away.” Dominic disappeared into an adjoining room.
Sammie watched him, admiring the way he walked. She liked a man with a strong build. Dominic could easily be a football player. She would’ve bet a hundred bucks he used to play, and that thought made her think of the hundred she’d given to Reggie. If she could see him one more time, she’d let him have it.
Dominic returned with a basket in his hand. “It’s not much, but it should hold you over until you’re back on your ship.” He set the basket on the bar counter.
“Thank you!” Sammie recognized the breadfruit from having tried it on the other islands. She bit into one and closed her eyes. “This is so good.”
The door chimed, and Sammie turned, hopeful that it was Dominic’s cousin, but it wasn’t. A new patron entered and staggered to the bar. He spotted Sammie and said something in Creole. A creepy grin revealed multiple missing teeth, and his long, skinny face and bloodshot eyes reminded her of the zombies from her favorite show. When he reached out to stroke her with a filthy hand, she drew back, but he persisted.
A large hand clamped down on the man’s wrist. Both Sammie and the drunkard jumped.
“Don’t touch her,” Dominic said in a way that made her shiver. His menacing tone combined with that accent made her a little crazy.
The man argued with Dominic in a mixture of English and the language of the island until Dominic said, “Get out of my bar!”
The man’s face contorted into anger. “Stupid white girl,” he sneered.
Without a thought, Sammie jumped off her seat and faced the man. Dominic came over the counter in one fluid motion and pushed himself between them. Taking the skinny man by the arm, he led him to the door.
“Charles!” Dominic said. “Take your friends with you, and make sure this man leaves this area.”
Without hesitation, the group playing darts filed outside.
Sammie shook like a leaf. Any other time, she would have handled the chump on her own. She didn’t put up with other people’s weirdness, especially when it came to men. Plus, she was skilled in Aikido. She could have put that dude down flat in three seconds. But after her fight with Jenny and her experiences since she’d left the ship, she was completely out of her element. She hated to admit it, but Dominic’s protective nature appealed to her.
Dominic sighed and turned toward her. “Are you sure you’re not cursed? Trouble seems to follow you everywhere you go.” He chuckled, but when she didn’t respond, he put a hand on her shoulder. Somehow, it made her tremble even more. “Hey, now. I was just keeding. It is eighty degrees, yet you are shaking.”
“It’s just been a long day,” Sammie said. “Thank you for sticking up for me.”
Dominic ran his hands up and down her arms. It was a gesture meant to comfort her, but it warmed her to her toes.
The door chime sounded again, and Sammie spun around. An older, round man, maybe in his fifties, stepped into the bar.
“There you are!” Dominic reached out to hug the man. “I was getting worried.”
“Just old and slow, ha-ha.”
Sammie smiled when he said ‘ha-ha’ in place of actually laughing.
“You’re only as old as you feel.”
Sammie scoffed quietly. If that had been true, today would have aged her considerably.
“Wait ’til you’re my age, young Dominic.”
The door chimed again, and Charles and his friends came back in.
“Right on time as always, young friend,” Dominic said to him. “Will you stay late with Lery until I return?”
Charles nodded and smiled. “Of course.”
“All right, then. I will take this damsel in distress to her ship and return straight away.”
“Go!” Lery shooed them off. “It was a pleasure, miss,” he called as an afterthought.
“Likewise.” Sammie smiled.
Chapter 8
Sammie climbed into Dominic’s Nissan and buckled up. To her surprise, Dominic threw his head back and laughed.
“What?” Sammie scrunched up her shoulders and turned her hands palms up.
“You don’t trust me?”
“Well, I don’t know you, but trusting you and trusting your driving are two different things. I’m sure it will be fine. I might be a rebel, but I always wear a seat belt.”
“I see.” Dominic turned the key, and the engine roared to life.
She had no idea whether he thought he would scare her, or if this was just how he drove, but Sammie didn’t flinch as Dominic zipped through the streets familiar to him. He took a sharp corner, barely slowing down to make the turn. When he straightened the vehicle out, she caught him peeking at her from the corner of his eye. She shot him a cheesy smile, and he laughed.
“You ain’t got nothin’ on Jenny,” Sammie said. “That girl’s driving is something to be reckoned with.”
“Who’s Jenny?”
“My best friend. She and her fiancé are getting married on the ship, and I’m her maid of honor. So, besides not wanting to be stranded, I have to be there for her. I have no idea if she’s figured out I’m not there yet. If she has, she must be freaking out.”
Dominic’s mouth turned up at the corners.
Sammie stared at him. At first, Dominic had struck her as sarcastic and crass, but the guy she was staring at now was sweet. Sort of. And he had nice lips.
Kissable lips. Very kissable lips.
“What’re you thinking?” Dominic asked. “It’s rude to stare, you know.”
Sammie shrugged. “You were staring at me earlier, so now we’re even.”
“I did no such t’ing.” Dominic’s mouth twisted.
“Right,” Sammie said, knowing better than to believe him. She knew when a guy was staring at her.
Suddenly, the car went airborne in an unlit area. Covering her face, she braced for the inevitable. When the tires touched pavement again, the car jostled her from side to side. Dominic’s laughter filled the car as her heart
pounded in her ears. She blinked and realized the seat belt had stretched, and she was pressed up against Dominic. Beneath her fingertips, she could feel the pure solid muscle of his biceps.
She gulped and simultaneously realized how shallow she must be to note details about his body right after she’d thought she might die.
“What’s the matter, bél?” Dominic stopped at the first traffic light she’d seen in miles.
She began to peel herself away when she felt his breath on her hair. She tilted her head back, and just as she’d thought, he was only inches away. Her own breath stalled, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he would kiss her.
A horn blared behind them, and she jumped. Dominic muttered something in Creole that she’d bet was pure profanity. The light turned green, and the car moved forward. Though she didn’t want to, she scooted back over into her seat.
“Now, I’m cold,” Dominic said, glancing at her with a sly smile on his lips.
“Me too,” Sammie said, rolling her eyes. But it wasn’t true. She felt warm from head to toe. The sultry breeze helped little. Shake it off, Sammie. You’re never going to see this guy again. Which was too bad. There was something special about Dominic besides the fact that he was the single most attractive man she’d ever met.
The weird thing was, he made her feel... different. She’d never been the girl with fluttering eyelashes, or one who was easily embarrassed, and she didn’t play games. If she liked a guy and he liked her, she went for it. Jenny used to tell her she’d end up with a passive guy who’d allow her to be the man in the relationship, but her bestie was wrong. The last thing Sammie wanted was a weakling.
“We’re almost there.” Dominic nodded, indicating the port just ahead.
Sammie sighed. “That’s good.”
He turned into a parking area. Ships lined the shore.
“Come on, I’ll walk with you.” They got out of the car, and Dominic took her hand in his as they walked. “You should come back after the wedding.”
What was she supposed to say to that? Out of all the days since the cruise had begun, this had been the worst. Well, yesterday had been bad too, but that was still fuzzy in her mind, which bothered her more than she’d let on to Jenny. But meeting this guy? She’d love to know if this spark was meant to fizzle or ignite. Even after the worst day ever, he was worth coming back for.
The Conflicted Maid of Honor (The Conflicted Love Series Book 2) Page 4
