I Accidentally Hooked Up with a Vampire (Accidents Happen #2)

5. Unexpected Offer

5

Unexpected Offer

“ I hope it's okay I’m calling you now. I got your information from the registry at the gallery,” Domino’s deep voice reached through the phone and stroked me in places shielded by my clothes.

“Um, yeah, it’s fine.” I tried to keep my nerves from my voice, but from the look on my friends' faces, I knew I had failed.

“Tighten up!” Jackie whispered and flicked my knee with her finger.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Domino spoke. “You were out of it last night when I took you home.”

“Oh, you took me home!” If nothing else, Domino had just provided me with a sense of relief. “That part was a little fuzzy.”

“I didn’t think you would remember.” He chuckled. “I told you the drinks were strong. You know, you say some strange things when you’re drunk.”

“Oh no. What did I say?” I could feel my face warming.

“Nothing you need to know about now, though I am inclined to rent more spy movies now.”

“Right.” That was it. That was the embarrassment I felt climbing up my spine. “Well, thank you for making sure I got home safely. I appreciate it.”

“Of course. You insisted on calling a ride, but I didn’t trust it.” He paused. “I had another reason for reaching out to you tonight.”

“What’s that?”

“I would like to take you out for dinner tonight—if you’re available.” He dropped the invitation in my lap with no hesitation.

“Tonight?” I looked at both Jackie and Lena, who could hear him through the phone. Both their eyes lit up.

“Yes. I understand if that’s too soon. My schedule is clear, and I wanted to take advantage of that,” Domino responded. “I understand if you’re busy. If tonight doesn’t work, we could schedule for another night.”

Jackie pinched me as Lena put her finger in my face. It was their simultaneous warning not to drop the ball again. I wondered quickly how long they would badger me if I dared to say no to his offer. How many sushi boats would it cost me? Whatever the number, I knew I couldn’t afford it.

“Ouch!”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, sorry. Just a little bug bite.” I frowned at Jackie.

“Girl, you better say yes!” Lena whispered and mimed writing on a notepad. “Material!”

“Yes,” I hesitated, but the two women in my face left me no choice. “I-I can make tonight work.”

“Great.” There was a slight lift in his voice that made me smile. Domino was excited to see me. “I’ll pick you up at eight. Does that work for you?”

“Eight is fine,” I confirmed the time and rolled my eyes when Lena pretended to cheer.

“See you then,” Domino confirmed.

“Bye.” I ended the call and stared at my friend.

“Yes!” Jackie jumped up and started pop-locking. “Millionaire zaddy!”

“You’re ridiculous.” I laughed at her.

“No, I’m not. Now,” she clapped her hands, “we have an hour to get you ready.”

“An hour?” I scoffed.

“Girl, it’s seven! Or did you not notice the sunset?” Lena pointed out the window.

“Seriously? Why would you let me agree to this?” I struggled to get up from the floor and groaned when my knees popped. “How the hell am I going to be ready in an hour? I look and smell a mess!”

“Don’t panic. You take your sweaty ass to the shower. Jackie will pick out your outfit, and I’ll clean up this mess.” Lena went into mothering mode then turned her finger on Jackie. “Nothing too provocative.”

“Well, hell, he’s already seen everything!” Jackie shouted before they fell out laughing and Maverick finally snatched his last piece of fish.

Exactly one hour later, I stood in front of the mirror in a little black dress that dipped just low enough in the front to give a little peek at the goods—not that it mattered, according to Jackie. I pulled my hair in a half-up style because I refused to fight with another bun and put on some simple diamond stud earrings.

“Oh yeah! Look at you.” Jackie did a victory dance behind me. “He is going to feed you then eat you!”

“Jackie!” Lena gasped.

“Don’t worry, I give you full right to use that line in your book.” Jackie laughed. “No royalties required.”

“You two are impossible.” I turned from the mirror. “But I do look good, don’t I?”

“A confident queen! Now, I want a full report as soon as the date is over.” Jackie ordered as she nuzzled Maverick one more time before heading out of my bedroom toward the front door.

“Don’t forget, it's all in the details!” Lena laughed as she followed her. “Paint me a picture!”

“Yeah, whatever!” I waved them out the door and shut it behind them after watching them dance down the hall.

After refilling Maverick’s water bowl and making sure there were exactly two ice cubes included, I grabbed my purse and took my phone off the charger. And right on time—the doorbell rang.

I opened the door to find Domino standing there in a dark gray suit and holding a bouquet of lilies. My favorite flower.

“Lilies,” I gasped. “How did you know I loved lilies?”

“In between your renditions of a song apparently called Secret Agent Man , you mentioned it.” He handed the flowers to me.

“Will you ever tell me everything I said?” I took the flowers and inhaled the fragrance.

“Not a chance,” Domino chuckled. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yes, one second.” I took the flowers inside and quickly put them in a vase. I would cut the stems when I got home. One last eye roll from the cat drinking his fill, and I was out the door.

I try not to be impressed by the car he drove. I couldn't let him know how I enjoyed the sexy leather interior and the specialized seating that warmed and cupped my butt. The damn thing even had a massager built into it. Yes, I used it while he drove us to the small restaurant by the ocean, and any time I moaned in appreciation, he laughed at me.

Unfortunately, I also had to hide my excitement when he opened my door, both when I got in the car and when I got out. I couldn't let him know how I felt when I realized not only had he scheduled an entire date for us on short notice, but he had also reserved the best seat in the house with the best view of the water. The girls would think I was exaggerating. How truly sad to say those simple actions were miles above what most men were doing.

I just kept telling myself Domino wasn't supposed to be a permanent fixture in my life. He was supposed to be a fantasy. Something I could look back on in my old age and say, I can't believe I did that .

“Are you sure you don't want to eat?” I leaned across the table after Mika, our server, walked away from the table.

I had ordered the honey cajun salmon, but Domino only opted for a simple glass of whiskey.

“No, I'm not hungry, but I wanted to feed you.” He smiled.

“It's kind of awkward to eat alone.”

“I didn’t think about that.” He looked at me, and it felt like he was trying to read my mind to figure out what he should do next. Then, he waved down the server. “Actually, I'll have what she's having.”

“Yes, sir.” Mika smiled and walked away.

“I thought you weren’t hungry.” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“I’m not.” He nodded. “But this way, it won’t be as if you’re eating alone.”

“So you're just going to waste a meal?”

“It won’t go to waste. I know you like it, so I'll have him pack it up and you can take it home with you. This way, I get to feed you twice.” The corners of his lips lifted, and he winked at me. “Does that work for you, Whitney?”

“Clever. But thank you. I really do hate to eat alone, especially in a nice restaurant like this.”

“I'll make a note of that.” Domino sipped from the drink Mika had placed in front of him. “I thought a lot about your situation with the job.”

“Well, damn!” I laughed nervously. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the date, but thinking about my failed career wasn’t in my top five guesses. “Just right to it, huh?”

“I'm sorry, it just—you seem very passionate about what you do,” Domino spoke carefully.

“I am.” I took a long sip of the wine in front of me. “Years of college, networking, building relationships, scouting artists. It's what I love, what I live for. I figured I would build a career and establish myself, then maybe even one day start something of my own. But getting fired just when I thought I was going to take a step up? That definitely wasn't on my plan.”

“And what's your plan now? Are you going to let that passion go to waste because the owners of your last firm were morons?” Domino looked at me intently, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He wouldn’t let me escape the conversation. I could already tell Domino would be someone to challenge me, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

“Honestly, I'm afraid of sitting down to figure that out. I don't want to start all over, but I might have to. I love what I do, Domino. You know, I used to paint. I used to draw and sculpt and do all kinds of artsy things. I thought I was going to be the creator of those beautiful pieces I loved to stare at for hours on end.” I played with the edge of the cloth napkin they had folded like origami. “Unfortunately for me, I didn’t inherit any kind of artistic talent, but I had an expert eye for art. I was the absolute best at identifying young artists long before they ever blew up. It was like I could see into their creative futures. I was even curating galleries in college just for fun. That's how I got started in this business.”

“Everything they say about you is true,” Domino said admiringly. I would have asked what people were saying, but his next words shifted my focus entirely. “This might be out of line, I’m not really sure, but would you consider working with me?”

“You’re offering me a job?” I leaned back in my seat. “So this was a ploy to get me to come to work for you?”

“No, I’m not offering you a job. I’m asking you if you would like to start a partnership.” Domino straightened, and he suddenly sounded a lot more official than before. “Whitney, there are going to be a lot of offers for jobs coming your way. Trust me.”

“How do you know?” I tilted my head. “Did you hear something?”

“Yes. I’ve heard a lot. The moment word spread about your departure from your last company, others were buzzing about where you would go next. Everyone knows your last official day there was Friday. They’ll give you the courtesy of a few days before they send the headhunters.” He nodded. “Yeah, professional courtesy comes first.”

“Well damn, I had no idea,” I said honestly. “Of course, I have my own connections, and I intend to use them, but I never knew I was so sought after.”

“I don’t think you should be looking for another job. You’re too good for that.” Domino hyped me up, and I wasn’t about to stop him. “You shouldn’t be building wealth for someone else. You should build an empire for yourself.”

“And you want to be a partner in my empire?” I couldn’t help the flirtatious tone that slipped out. I tried to hold it back, but sometimes, it just happened—especially when I had just been sitting on the man’s face the night before.

“Yes.” He cleared his throat. Oh yeah, he recognized the shift in my tone. “More like an investor.”

“This is an unexpected offer.” I sipped my drink. “I didn’t come here expecting a partnership.”

“That’s understandable.” He licked his lips and smirked. “Especially after what happened between us last night. But I’m perfectly able to separate personal and professional desires. I can see the value in your work and admire the way that dress cups your ass when you walk. Still, I understand not everyone can do that. This isn’t something you have to decide now. Take your time.”

Our professional conversation ended there, and we finished the meal talking about art, music, life, and looking at each other like we couldn’t wait to get away from the busy restaurant. Every time I lifted my food to my lips, he licked his lips like he wanted a bite. Whenever he ran his finger across the rim of his drink, I couldn’t help but imagine him playing with my clit. By the time the waiter returned with the check and the packed meal Domino hadn’t eaten, I was squirming in my seat. Thank God for panty liners, or I would have ruined my dress.

“The water smells so good.” I sighed as we stepped outside. “Only a few good nights left before the temperature starts dropping again.”

“You’re right.” Domino stepped away to speak to the valet and handed him the to-go bag. “Let’s go.”

“What?”

“You need to get closer to the water. You love it too much not to.”

Domino took my hand and led me down the small path from the restaurant to the beach. When we made it to the sand, he kneeled in front of me and slipped my shoes off before tucking them under his arm.

We walked down the beach to the edge of the water, just close enough for me to get my toes wet.

“Okay, you were right. I needed this.”

“Relaxing, isn’t it?”

“It is. Lately, I’ve spent more time looking at the water through windows than actually going to the beach.”

“That’s something you should change.” He turned to me and pushed a stray braid back over my shoulder.

“You’re right again,” I said breathlessly, and not because I was tired after what turned out to be a longer walk than expected. Domino took my breath away. Every time he looked at me, I felt like I would melt.

“You’ll learn I’m often right.” He smirked and glanced at my lips.

“Is this how all your partnerships go?” I looked up at him.

“No.” He leaned closer, his lips just inches from mine. “This is how it’s going with you. Would you like it to end now?”

My brain was screaming hell no, and so was my pussy. Too bad for her and me, someone interrupted what was turning out to be a real good moment!

“Domino James! Now, what are you doing out here?” the unrecognizable voice called out, and Domino visibly tensed up at the sound of the man’s voice.

He stepped away from me and turned around, putting himself in between me and the approaching figures. There were only two people, a man and a woman, who both had that androgynous look. The man had deep brown skin, high cheekbones, and sunken eyes. The woman had dark brown skin and wore a gold hoop in her chunky nose with purple graphic makeup. Her vibrant eyeliner reached up into her temples and blended with the edges of her matching purple afro. They both wore all black from head to toe.

“Vance,” Domino addressed the man.

“Oh, you give the warmest welcomes.” Vance wrapped his long arms around himself.

“I guess I’m just invisible.” The woman looked around Domino at me.

“What do you want?” Domino asked, ignoring both their comments.

“We’re just out for a stroll, just like you and your friend here,” the woman spoke and pointed her long nail at me. I noticed both her pinky fingers were sharpened and dipped in red polish. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“No.” Again, he was short with them.

“Will we never be friends again?” Vance asked. “We were all so close at one point.”

“What do you think?”

“Okay, I get it.” Vance put his hands up. “I just came to share a message.”

Domino glanced over his shoulder at me then pointed to Vance, who turned and walked away. The two men walked just out of earshot and spoke as the woman stayed near me and said nothing. I got the feeling she was afraid to speak to me.

What the hell is this man into? I wondered as I watched the tense exchange between him and the man called Vance. A few minutes later, Vance and his friend left, and Domino returned to me.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes. We should go.” Domino placed his hand on the small of my back, returning to his softer side. “I should get you home.”

I didn’t question him. Clearly, there was a problem, and I wasn’t about to make it mine. Shit, I had enough to deal with.

Domino drove me home, food in hand, and insisted on walking me to my door. “Don’t worry about your car,” he said as the elevator opened.

“Huh?” I had been lost in my thoughts, considering the man I spent the night with. There was a lot to process—the offer, the tense interaction with his former friend, the way my body still wanted him.

“The valet? You left your car behind. I’ll have them drop it off to you tomorrow.”

“Oh, thank you I appreciate that,” I spoke as we reached my door. After unlocking the door, I turned to him. “I had fun.”

“I’m glad,” he said, lingering as I opened the door.

I chewed my lip as the pause stretched on. What did he want me to do? Sex had to be off the table. I couldn’t ride him while considering a partnership. Could I? No. I had to show some restraint and keep my hands to myself. Yep, I was ready to stand on business—until he took a step back then my ankles got weak and I came crashing down!

“Would you like to come in?” I blurted out, more eager than I ever wished to be.

“I—” Domino hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“It’s still early.” I looked into those deep eyes, and that was it. Fuck it. “Yes. Please come in, Domino.”

I pushed the door open further and stepped inside, and after a flash of conflict in his expression, Domino followed me.

RAAARW!

And the second he did, the big mass of hair leaped through the air. Before I could respond, Maverick attacked, his claws ripping into Domino’s face as the two tumbled out of the apartment and into the hallway.

“Maverick! No!”