He ran his hand through his hair, causing the spiky strands to stick up even more. She hated that she was so riveted even by his damn hair. It was hard to stay mad at him, when she just wanted to stare at his masculine beauty. Meredith was right; her brother was all things hotness. “Gwen, fuck, I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have said anything in front of my sister. I embarrassed you and made an ass out of myself.”
When he paused, she pointed her hand saying, “Keep going.” She was still mad, but he was on the right path. At least he could admit that he was wrong.
“I don’t have any excuses. I just panicked when I realized how much wine we drank. Hell, I think I even poured one of the rounds and it never entered my mind. I’ve been insisting that you drink decaf coffee, yet I plied you with alcohol tonight.”
For the first time since the mess at dinner, Gwen noticed how upset he was over it. She had been so mad at him at the table that she hadn’t thought about anything beyond that. But, now he just looked scared and guilty. Like he was the one who had done something wrong. Moving closer, she laid her hand on his chest, trying to give him some measure of comfort. She was fast learning that he was a natural caretaker—he felt like he had failed with her tonight, and it was tearing him up. “Dominic, I’m an adult and it’s my job to remember things that concern me and my body. I’ve done some research on the Internet and there’s no reason to change my habits until I take a pregnancy test and know for sure. But if it makes you feel better, I will cut way back on caffeine and alcohol while I’m waiting to take a test.”
He still looked upset as he stared down at her. He dropped a kiss on her nose before curling his arms tightly around her waist. “I want to take care of you, babe. It’s not a job for me—it’s a privilege. There’s never been a woman who I’ve wanted to keep close and protect like I do you, and I’m probably going a little overboard with it. I can’t seem to help myself, though.”
Gwen found herself relaxing into his embrace, enjoying the feel of his strength surrounding her. He made her feel delicate and petite, which was unusual for her. “It’s okay. I think we can both agree that there are things we could have handled differently.” Poking her finger playfully in his ribs, she added, “But if you ever spring a family dinner on me again without any warning, I won’t be responsible for my actions, capisce?”
He had the good grace to look shamefaced. “That was a dick move,” he agreed. “I already had plans with you that I was looking forward to when Meredith called me at the last minute. I hated to tell her no, but I wanted to spend the evening with you. Yet another thing I know that I could have handled better.” When his hand moved lower to caress the curve of her ass, she started to squirm against him. “I’d love to make my bad behavior up to you,” he breathed against her ear as he pulled her close enough to feel his hardening length.
She knew she should at least put up a token protest. Instead, she was all but panting against him while he ground lightly against her. Her voice was horribly wobbly and husky as she moaned, “Dominic . . .” She was ready for him to push her against the nearest wall and take her, but despite urging him in that direction, he resisted, trailing gentle kisses across her throat.
“I want you in a bed tonight, babe. We’re always so crazy for each other that it’s hard to make it that far. I want to touch and kiss every inch of your delectable body before I take you.”
“Oh yes, please,” Gwen shuddered before she could help herself. Just hearing Dominic say something like that in his rough, sexy voice was more of a turn-on than any of her sexual experiences with other men. When he looked at her, it was as if he couldn’t get close enough. She felt like the center of his universe when they were together, which should have been strange, considering they hadn’t actually been together for long. He was taking all of her walls and breaking right through them. To be the sole focus of a man like Dominic was heady and intoxicating. She was drunk off the feelings he ignited inside of her. “I want you—so much,” she admitted, helpless to deny him.
At her admission, his eyes locked on hers, showing her a tenderness that made her breath hitch in her throat. “I want you too, baby, more than you could possibly imagine. I have for so long.” Her mind registered surprise at his words, but she was powerless to focus on the significance of them. He reached for his pants and pulled a condom from the pocket before growling, “Your bedroom . . . now.” She turned on wobbly legs and led him down the hallway. She wanted to protest when he walked to the bedside and clicked on the lamp there, but managed to stay silent. She preferred to make love in the dark, but maybe change was good and necessary. He gently turned her to face the wall, while he eased the zipper of her dress down, kissing each new inch of skin that he exposed.
She was incredibly grateful for her last trip to Victoria’s Secret as he hissed his appreciation for her blue bra and matching thong. She wasn’t one to splurge on many things, but she never passed up a sale at her favorite lingerie store. She liked to think of it as wishful thinking. As in someday, someone might actually see some of it again. His almost reverent touching of her body gave her the confidence to undress him without trying to cover herself. When he kicked away his pants, she cupped his cock through his silk boxers. Stroking his hard length, she marveled, “Are you always this hard?”
His hand dropped to cover hers, showing her how he liked to be stroked. “If you’re within a mile of me, I’m hard.” Rubbing a finger against the wet silk covering her slit, he confessed, “I seem to be obsessed with your body, Red. I can’t think of anything but how it feels to be inside of you.”
She was reeling from his words when he pushed her underwear aside and slid a big digit into her wet heat. “Ohhh, yesss!” she cried, already close to coming. He used his thumb to rub her clit while he continued to glide one, then two fingers in and out of her.
“Ride my hand, baby,” he instructed as he steadied her with his other hand.
Gwen held nothing back as she rocked against him, taking everything he gave her and moaning for more. Her orgasm was an avalanche roaring closer, and she pursued it with everything she had. As she sought that one final movement that would push her over, Dominic curled his fingers, hitting her G-spot, and time stopped before the world shattered around her. She clasped her legs closed, trying to remove his hand from her sensitive tissues as she fought to recover. “Too much,” she gasped, as her core continued to flutter.
Dominic took mercy on her, releasing her sex, before nudging her a few steps backward until the bed met her legs. “I don’t think you can handle my mouth on you right now, no matter how much I want to taste you.”
Boldly, Gwen pushed his boxers down, sighing in pleasure when his heavy cock bobbed against his stomach. She rubbed her finger over the moisture gathering on the mushroom top. “Can I have this instead?” She licked her lips to emphasis her point, causing him to sway on his feet.
He gave a pained laugh. “I don’t think I can handle you tasting me, either, when I’m this close to the edge. I know I said we’d take things slow, but I’ve got to be inside of you now. I promise the next time will be more leisurely.” Gwen had the crazy urge to laugh, thinking about how strange it was to be discussing having more than one sexual encounter on a work night. My God, when had she gotten so old? The only thoughts a girl should have about having sex with a man like Dominic were yes or hell, yes!
He grabbed the condom he had thrown on her bed and quickly sheathed himself. When he settled her on her back and came up over her, Gwen was amazed to discover that there was nothing quite like the missionary position with him. Just being able to look into his eyes while he thrust inside of her was the most erotic feeling. He urged her to wrap her legs around his hips, pushing him impossibly deep. Even though he had claimed to be on the edge, he still took the time to build her toward her next orgasm. They licked and sipped at each other’s mouths while their desire raced higher. Sweat dotted Gwen’s brow as she felt the familiar tingle of her orgasm cresting. As if knowing she was
close, Dominic’s control snapped. He used a hand under her hips to pull her closer and took her hard. “Ahhh, Dominic, ohhh!” Gwen cried as she convulsed around his shaft.
“That’s it, baby. Come all over me,” he grunted. He thrust a few more times before she felt him stiffen and release with her name on his lips. A little later Dominic left her to dispose of the condom before returning to curl his body around hers. As she fell asleep to the steady sound of his heartbeat against her ear, Gwen tried to tell herself that she couldn’t possibly be falling in love with a man that she barely knew.
It was just the sex—that had it be it. Really good, amazing sex was just that . . . it was not love—and it would never be.
Chapter Six
“Where are you going, babe?” Dominic groaned as Gwen shimmied out of his arms. The room was still dark, and it seemed way too early for her to be leaving for the office. A quick look at the bedside clock confirmed that it was only six in the morning. Thinking she must be going to the bathroom, he threw an arm over his pillow, wanting to catch a little more sleep. “Hurry back to bed,” he called over his shoulder as his eyes drifted shut. He was almost asleep when the sound of the shower running from the adjoining bathroom got his attention. After only a few minutes, Gwen was back in the bedroom dressing. He turned onto his back, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“I’m going to the gym before work,” she said as she sat on the side of the bed, putting on her shoes. Her damp hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. He wanted nothing more than to pull her back into bed and cuddle with her. Holy shit, when had the word cuddle become part of his vocabulary? “Just lock the door behind you when you leave.” She sat looking down at him as if wondering how to say good-bye. He took her arm, pulling her against his chest and gave her a slow, leisurely kiss. If her answering whimper was any indication, she wasn’t even cursing his morning breath.
“Which gym are you going to?” he asked as he licked her bottom lip. When she mentioned the name of the big facility near Danvers, he smiled inwardly. He might work out most days at the office gym, but he also had a membership to Gwen’s gym. Even though he’d prefer to have her underneath him this morning, he would take the other option available to him and join her for a workout. He surprised her by jumping from the bed and pulling her to her feet. He quickly pulled his jeans on and grabbed his shirt and shoes from the floor. “Give me five minutes to change clothes and I’ll be ready.”
“Ready for what?” she asked, sounding confused.
“I’m going with you. I have a membership there as well. We can work out together.”
“You’re going to work out with me?” She seemed to be having a hard time wrapping her mind around that concept for some reason.
“Yeah, babe. Whatever you want to do, I’m game.” He dropped another kiss on her lips and steered her through her apartment, flipping on a light so they could see to navigate. “I’ll be right back, and then I’ll follow you to the gym.”
He jogged to his door, opening it and making a beeline for his bedroom. After packing a change of clothes for work, he put on a pair of athletic shorts and a fresh T-shirt. Just minutes later, he walked back to where Gwen was now waiting outside her door for him. “Ready?” She nodded and let him take her hand.
When they reached their cars, he opened her door and waited until she had started her car before getting into his truck and following her out. It would be nice if they could take just one car, but Dominic’s work hours were unpredictable, and he didn’t want her to have to wait for him. When they arrived at the gym, he again threaded his fingers through hers and walked to the brightly lit entrance of the Sports Complex. Gwen stopped outside the locker room doors grinning mischievously. “You know that I take the water classes here. Are you sure you want to work out with me?”
She stood grinning at him, waiting to see him squirm. He cocked a brow, as he unzipped his gym bag and pulled out a pair of swim trunks. Her mouth dropped open in shock, and he pushed it closed gently. “Checkmate, baby. I’m sure if you like the class, I will as well. Now, let’s get going.” With that, he pushed her toward her locker room door, and he walked into his. Hell, this would probably be his easiest workout in years, and he’d get to see Gwen in a swimsuit. There didn’t seem to be a downside at all.
His first trickle of unease came a few short moments later when he walked out to the pool area and found Gwen waiting for him in what most would consider a conservative, black, one-piece swimsuit. All he could see however were perky breasts and an hourglass body showcased flawlessly by clinging spandex and dear, sweet Christ, when she bent over to put her water shoes on, he felt light-headed. He had been so busy ogling her that he was oblivious to his surroundings until someone yelled, “Hey, Gwen, is that hunk with you?”
Dominic jerked around to find a group of what looked like twenty women staring at him with more than a little interest. As if that wasn’t horrifying enough, he realized that there was no way they’d missed him staring at Gwen’s ass like a horny schoolboy. The only positive he could see in the situation was the avid interest in him had effectively killed the hard-on that Gwen had brought to life with her sexy swimsuit. “He sure is, Gladys.” Gwen laughed as she straightened to look at him. “Ready, sport?”
She didn’t verbally issue any kind of challenge, but he could see it in her eyes. She thought he was going to run. Hell, he wanted to, but there was no way that was happening. He was ex-military and worked security. He refused to be intimidated by some smirking women treading water in a pool. He straightened to his full six-foot-two height and motioned toward the steps. “After you, Red.” Gwen walked past him, and he almost groaned in misery. Letting her go first had been a mistake. Now all he could focus on was the sway of her hips as she took the steps into the pool. Dammit, he was sure she was moving slower than usual. He had no doubt that she knew exactly what she was doing to him.
When they finally took their place in the water, everyone went around saying their names. There was one other man in the group Dominic estimated to be in his sixties. He came over and clapped Dominic on the back, saying, “Hey, glad to see another man here.” They exchanged names and made small talk until the class started.
After the first fifteen minutes, Dominic knew two things with certainty. First, he wasn’t cut out for water dancing of any kind, and second, if drinking pool water killed you, then he was a dead man. He flailed, he fell, he splashed and generally made a complete ass out of himself. The only bright side was that Gwen had probably laughed more during the thirty-minute class than in the entire time he had known her. He was just getting back into place after an embarrassing side kick gone wrong when the instructor, Dolly, called out, “Dominic, why don’t you come to the front and be my partner for the next song.” Was she fucking kidding him? He looked at the gray-haired woman calling him out and wanted to curse over the attention that she had brought on him.
“Actually I think I should just stay back here,” he began, trying to gracefully decline.
She put her hands on her hips and shook her head. “Honey, you need to come on up here before you drown. It’s easier for a beginner to dance in shallow water. The deeper water is only for those who are more advanced.” Turning to Gwen who was trying her best to give him an innocent look, she added, “Gwen, didn’t you tell him how much harder it was in the deep end?”
Gwen shrugged her shoulder before patting him on the back. “I . . . must have forgotten that.”
He circled behind her on his way to the shallow end of the pool, reaching out to covertly pinch her butt as he passed. She yelped, splashing around less than gracefully. “You know what they say about paybacks, right?” he asked lightly as he moved away from her.
Dominic might not be Dancing with the Stars material, but the rest of the class was much easier in three feet of water. He still couldn’t believe that Gwen hadn’t told him. She must have been laughing her ass off as he splashed next to her, looking
like Jaws on steroids.
He had to admit afterward that he’d actually enjoyed himself, for the most part. Dolly even told him that she hoped he’d come back. He thought most of the women had enjoyed the comic relief that he’d unwittingly provided. He shook hands with everyone as they exited the pool, waiting for Gwen, who seemed to be taking a long time to make it to the front. When she finally drew even with him, she had the good grace to look just a bit guilty. “Did you, um . . . enjoy the class?” she asked, as she studied the bottom of the pool.
He decided to have a little fun with her instead of drilling her about what she’d done. “I had a great time, baby. I can’t wait to do it again.”
Her head flew up as she sputtered, “Yo-you did?”
Throwing his arm around her, he hugged her against his side before helping her up the stairs and out of the pool. “Oh yeah, it was awesome. You’re right. It’s a great way to exercise and have fun. Maybe we’ll start coming together every morning.”
He took her arm, pulling her along when she stopped to stare at him. “We better get ready for work. I’ll wait for you out front if I finish first.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek and strolled into the locker room. A quick look back showed her still standing outside the door, looking stupefied.
Dominic took a quick shower and dressed in his standard work clothes. He saw no sign of Gwen as he made his way to the front lobby to wait. He was just checking his e-mail on his iPhone when a hand landed on his shoulder. He looked up with a smile expecting to see Gwen standing there. Instead, he was faced with two blond-haired women who looked as if they ate too little and exercised too much. He was also fairly certain that the overabundance of breasts barely contained by their skimpy tops were fake. Men knew that shit just by looking. Only his good manners kept him from jerking away when one of them rubbed her fingers along his biceps, purring, “Well, hi there, handsome. You must be new here because I would have remembered seeing you before.”