“Maybe I will,” Sammie said, then giggled. “Or maybe you could come to Dover. You might like Kansas. Think Lery would watch the bar for a few weeks?”
“You’d let me stay that long?” Dominic stopped walking and turned toward her, resting his hands gently on her waist.
“We could see how things go.” Sammie smiled.
“Then, how about giving me your phone number so I can call you, eh?”
Sammie nodded, but she thought Dominic was doing a little too much talking. “Did you pull me this close just to make sure I can hear you talk all night?”
Dominic’s eyes sparkled. “You move fast, American girl.”
“And you just asked me for my phone number.” Sammie took a step toward him, challenging him, leaving only a small gap between his body and hers. “I don’t like to waste time, especially when it’s running out.”
Dominic let his hands travel from her waist to her back and closed the gap between them.
Sammie couldn’t take her eyes off him. Not until his lips met hers did she let her lashes descend. His lips were warm and soft. She stretched to her toes, wishing she could put her arms around his neck.
He seemed to have read her mind as he bent down and put a hand on the back of her thigh and pulled her up to him. She wrapped her legs around his waist. This was by far the most sensual kiss she’d ever experienced.
When they parted, Dominic rested his head against hers.
“I’d better go,” Sammie whispered.
Dominic groaned and then smiled wickedly as he put a hand on her butt to help her down.
Sammie would have pretended to be offended just to tease him, but there was no time. They walked toward the St. Lucia Port Authority building so she could explain what had happened. They could ID her with her passport.
As Dominic held the door open for her, Sammie glanced at the ship. Something wasn’t right. Where was the gangplank? She wanted to make a dash for the ship, but they wouldn’t let her on without her wristband, cruise card, or ID.
“How can I help you today?” The austere clerk appeared to be in his forties.
“My belongings were stolen, so I need assistance getting back on my ship.”
“Which ship were you on?”
Sammie pointed out the window. “That one.” She squinted and looked again. “Is it leaving? It can’t leave early! Stop them!”
“It’s not early, and I can’t stop them without verifying that you’re a passenger. What is your name? I’ll call them.”
Sammie offered her name and tried desperately to stay calm.
The port agent made a phone call and spoke quietly into the phone. After a few minutes, he hung up. Sammie’s heart was thudding so hard, she worried it might beat out of her chest.
“Miss, it appears that all passengers are accounted for on that ship. Are you sure you’re not confused?”
The man’s voice was filled with false concern, and it annoyed Sammie. “I am not confused. My belongings were stolen, including my wristband. Don’t you get it? There is a stowaway on that ship!”
Chapter 9
Dominic turned into the bar parking lot. “I guess it’s true. You have to be careful what you wish for.” He grinned.
“It’s not funny,” Sammie said. “What am I going to do? They obviously didn’t bother to check on me; otherwise, Jenny would have never let the ship leave without me.”
“This will work itself out.”
“How? Jenny’s wedding is in two days.” Sammie frowned as a troubling thought struck her. “What if she thinks I’m just avoiding her because of the fight we had? It’s a big ship. She might not even realize I’m not on board.”
“You worry too much,” Dominic said. “We gave them my phone number.”
Sammie couldn’t help but smile as she got out of the car.
“What are you smiling about?” Dominic hit the lock before closing his car door.
Sammie shrugged. “Your ‘phone num-bah’. I love your accent.”
Dominic rolled his eyes. “I don’t have an accent. You do. Anyway, they’ve alerted the ship of the problem. They will investigate and call soon, I’m sure of it.”
“You’re right,” she said as he held the bar’s front door open for her.
“Lery! Get off the phone,” Dominic called out as they walked in.
Lery shot him a questioning look but wrapped up the call.
“Can I have a little soap?” Sammie touched her finger to her forehead. “I need to wash my face. I already have oily skin, and I don’t want a rash of pimples to suddenly sprout up.”
“Follow me,” Dominic replied. “Lery, will you close the bar at midnight, please?”
Lery shooed him away, and Dominic thanked him.
He led her up a flight of stairs that curved around to a room above the bar. “You live up here?” Sammie asked.
“I do. It’s just a one-room flat. What you see is all there is, aside from the bathroom.”
Dominic walked over to a dresser and opened a couple of different drawers, making selections from what was inside them. “Here,” he said, handing her some clothing and pointing across the room. The bathroom is over there. You can shower. I have a washer and dryer if you would like to wash your t’ings.”
“That’d be great.” Sammie took the stack from him.
“I’ll be down in the bar.” Dominic headed for the stairs. “Stomp on the floor hard one time when you’re done.”
“Okay.” Sammie nodded and walked into the tiny bathroom. There was just a small shower, and she sighed when she pulled back the curtain. The shower head wasn’t even attached to the wall; it was just the hand-held variety. She hoped that at least the water would heat quickly when she turned it on, but it remained lukewarm. Making quick work of showering, she managed to soap up, rinse off, and wash her hair.
The clothes Dominic had given her were huge. The drawstring shorts would be baggy even with the string pulled as tight as possible. The t-shirt was massive, too. Still, she liked the idea of wearing his clothing. She dressed quickly and stomped once on the floor, and then a second time for good measure.
She heard footsteps bound up the stairs, and the door opened. Dominic took one look at her and laughed. “You look like a little girl wearing daddy’s clothes.” He winked at the insinuation.
“Funny. Where can I wash my own?”
“Over here.” He rolled a cart from under the sink and connected it to the kitchen faucet. Sammie eyed the contraption suspiciously. “Give me your clothes,” Dominic said.
“You’re not touching my dirty clothes. I’ll drop them in myself.”
Dominic held his hands up in surrender. “Fine.”
Sammie dropped them in the opening, and the cart filled with water. Dominic added what looked like dish soap, but she didn’t care at that point. Dish soap or not, at least her clothes would be clean.
“Well, I can’t go back down to the bar like this.”
“Nope. That wouldn’t be appropriate. Maybe we should just pick up where we left off earlier.”
“Sure,” Sammie said. “As long you don’t think you’re going to score.”
Dominic sighed. “I guess you’re not so fast after all, American girl. Maybe just a tease?”
Sammie narrowed her eyes and tried to figure out which insult she’d throw first.
“I’m keeding,” Dominic said, laughing. “I expect no such t’ing. But you can’t blame me for hoping. It’s been a long time since I had a beautiful woman in my place. And I’ve never had one dressed in my own clothing.”
Sammie studied him carefully. She’d made enough stupid decisions in the last two days. She couldn’t let herself make another one tonight, no matter how much she wanted to. When she’d kissed him earlier, she’d thought she’d be sailing away minutes later. Her departure might be delayed, but once she was gone, she doubted she’d ever see him again. The discussions about visiting were likely just talk. She couldn’t take them seriously enough to let hers
elf get more involved than she already was.
Oh, but was it tempting...
“Let me go help Lery. Everyone left after the game except Charles and his friends, so we will close early.” Dominic headed back downstairs.
Sammie looked around at the large open space. She had to give Dominic points for organizing the flat. A small living room provided a place to sit and relax. A kitchen lined the wall next to the door, and a neatly made bed filled a corner of the room, away from the flat’s one window.
She thought back to the way she’d left her own bed eight days before and wished she’d taken the time to make it. It would have been nice to go home to a tidy apartment. But when she’d walked out the door to meet the chauffeur, she’d left the place a disaster.
Just the thought of her bedroom brought the realization that she was exhausted. Plus, she felt weak. Even though the breadfruit was all she’d eaten, she didn’t feel hungry. Deciding to nap on the couch while Dominic was downstairs, Sammie lay down on the sofa. She was tempted to steal a cover from the bed but decided not to be intrusive. She was sure he’d provide something.
She awoke to a savory scent that immediately drew a growl from her stomach. She tried to open her eyes but found herself fighting against bright light. It took her a moment to realize she was in Dominic’s flat, and sunlight was streaming through the window. Placing a hand over her eyes, she sat up. She was in Dominic’s bed. Her eyes went to the couch, where she saw a folded blanket with a small throw pillow.
Dominic was standing in front of the stove wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a powder blue T-shirt. Spatula in hand, he turned to look at her. “There you are, sleeping beauty.”
“How did I get over here?” she asked.
“I put you there. You had such a hard day yesterday, I wanted to make sure you were comfortable.”
“Thank you.” Sammie blushed. An image of him carrying her popped into her head. What if she’d had her mouth open and snored? What if she’d drooled?
“You’re welcome.” He winked before flipping something in the pan.
“Oh, my! I could listen to you talk all day,” Sammie said. Immediately, she bit her lip. That wasn’t at all what she’d meant to say. She had opened her mouth to tell him that whatever he was cooking smelled delicious.
“Is that so?” He glanced at her again.
Oh, well. She could have said something way worse, like... Oh my gosh, you’re so smokin’ hot! But I need to keep my hands to myself!
“What’re you cooking?” she asked, choosing to play it safe with her words.
“Eggs and hash,” he said. “Do you like beans?”
“I like everything right now.”
Dominic laughed, and she loved the sound of it.
“I’m almost done here,” he said. “And your clothes are clean. They’re in the bathroom on the counter if you’d like to change before we eat.”
“My clothes? You dried them and folded them?”
“I did,” he said with a grin.
Sammie covered her eyes with her hand. “You should have let me finish the laundry.” Avoiding his gaze, she headed into the bathroom.
“Oh, Sammie,” he called out just before she closed the door.
“Yes?”
“The pink panties. Very pretty.”
Sammie closed her eyes, shut the bathroom door, and rested her head against it. He’s such a weirdo! Pushing away from the door, she decided to get over it. She’d think of a way to get back at him later.
On top of her clothes lay a toothbrush. She grabbed it and hugged it to her chest. Immediately forgiving him for the panties remark, she kissed the toothbrush and looked for the toothpaste.
A few minutes later, dressed and refreshed, she left the bathroom. Two plates were sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch. The food was arranged in such a manner that, if photographed, one would think it was a restaurant presentation.
“Have a seat,” Dominic told her.
At that moment, her stomach growled so loudly, it could have been mistaken for the rumble of an earthquake.
“Hungry, eh?” Dominic grinned again.
“Famished,” she said, stating the obvious. She sat down, and he handed her a cloth napkin.
“Lay it in your lap,” he directed. “The plate is hot.”
Sammie did as he asked. Dominic picked up a plate and handed it to her, then walked over to his fridge and returned with two bottles of water.
“Thank you. This looks wonderful.” Two over-easy eggs rested over a mixture of fried potatoes and legumes.
Dominic sat down next to her and picked up his plate. “Let’s eat.”
Sammie didn’t need a second invitation. She scooped up a forkful of food, took her first bite, and moaned. “This is so good!”
“I’m glad you like it. It’s nice to have breakfast for a change.” Dominic unscrewed the cap on his water.
“You don’t normally?”
“Usually, I just have coffee while I set up the bar for the day.”
“Do you ever get away from here?” Sammie asked. “It sounds like you’re in the bar almost all the time.”
“I keep the bar closed on Mondays, and I close it early on Sunday night.”
“That’s better than no time off, I guess,” Sammie said. “But it still sounds like you’re working your life away.”
Dominic shrugged. “I have to take care of the business. It’s how I make my living.”
“Do you enjoy it?” she asked in between bites.
He paused to swallow his food. “I used to. I still do sometimes, but I think I’m a little tired of it.” He took a drink of water. “Too much drama, and I’m getting older.”
“Yeah,” Sammie said, thinking of her conversation with Jenny. She still couldn’t believe she had let herself get so wasted. Jenny had never been that mad at her before. “Drama sucks. Sometimes the fact that I like to have fun keeps it going for me. After this little experience, I think I need to make some changes. I guess I need to grow up a little. But why don’t you hire some help? The drama wouldn’t get to you the same if you had someone to share it with.”
“I make enough money to keep everything going comfortably, but not enough to hire employees. Lery is family and helps me for free. And Charles, well, he’s another story.”
“He seems like a sweet kid. What is his story? I noticed he pretty much stays in the bar but doesn’t drink.”
“Charles is an orphan. A couple of years ago, I caught him scrounging for food. We made a deal. If I could trust him, he could stay with me. He’s become like my little brotha.”
“How often does he bring in stray American girls?”
Dominic grinned wide. “This was the first time. I owe him a bonus.”
Sammie flushed. “Me too. Whatever happens, I’m glad I met you. I can’t say anything else on this island has impressed me. I mean...” Sammie paused, and then rushed on, “It’s beautiful, but I don’t feel safe anywhere but here with you.”
Dominic’s eyes softened. “Look, you must understand something, and don’t t’ink I’m making excuses for how you were treated. Many people here still struggle to make a living. In their minds, Americans who travel on ships have money. The street vendors are aggressive because of this. It’s all a hustle. And you...”
Sammie straightened up, unsure where the conversation was headed.
“You are not a smart traveler. You should have read up on travel safety before going off on your own alone, carrying a purse and whatever you said was on your wrist. Plus, you got into a car with strangers. You made a lot of mistakes.”
Sammie felt her anger begin to simmer. She opened her mouth to defend herself, but Dominic held up a hand.
“But I’m glad you did, since you weren’t hurt. It brought you here. I hope you never do that again, though.”
“I won’t,” Sammie said. “I did think you were a jerk when I first met you.”
“I know. I’m sorry I made fun of you. Even th
ough my bar is not located directly in the tourist area, I am not far away. I meet people from everywhere, and so many are wonderful. But not all Americans are nice. Many come here and act like they are betta than everybody, and that we should feel lucky they are here.”
“I could see how that’d get old quick,” Sammie said, looking at her plate.
Dominic shrugged. “Life is a series of misunderstandings.”
“That’s the truth.” Sammie moved her fork around. “I’m surprised the Port Authority hasn’t called yet.”
“They did, but they only said they don’t have an answer yet because the phones are down due to interference from solar activity.”
“What does that even mean?” Sammie’s eyebrows rose.
“Well, if the satellite links go down due to a powerful storm on the sun, the charged particles from the sun can distort the signal. Or even worse, burn out the electronics in the satellite, which will cut off the signal entirely.”
Sammie stared at Dominic. She had never felt less educated in her life. Not that she considered herself a scholar by any stretch.
Dominic smiled at her. “It happens more often than you t’ink.” He eyed her plate. “You are full now, eh?”
“I am, but I can finish it.” She didn’t want to offend him after he had cooked such a delicious meal.
Dominic stood and reached for the plate. Grateful that he didn’t mind her not finishing the meal, Sammie handed it over. She watched as he grabbed her fork and used it to finish off the last few bites on the plate. The act felt intimate, and it gave her a warm, fuzzy sensation. The only person she would ever possibly share forks with was Jenny, and there was no way in the world her best friend would allow it. Sammie had once used Jenny’s fork to steal a bite of her cake. Jenny had cringed and run for a new fork.
Dominic caught her watching him. “What are you t’inking?”
Sammie shrugged.
The Conflicted Maid of Honor (The Conflicted Love Series Book 2) Page 5
