8. Day Four
CHAPTER 8
Day Four
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
DOMINIC
The first thing I notice when I wake up is that there is a weight on my chest.
Blinking my eyes open, I look down.
Katie.
I vaguely remember her crawling onto the couch with me last night. Something about the storm spooked her.
Glancing over toward the balcony door, I let out a relieved breath. Whatever storm had come through is obviously done.
Glancing back down at the woman in my arms, I try to decide what to do. I really need to get up and go work out, but disturbing her is the last thing I want to do. Especially if she didn’t sleep well.
Brushing her hair from her face, I smile. She’s beautiful.
A ping from my phone makes the decision for me.
I really regret getting the chat feature, but I need it to communicate with Katie.
Still, it means Grant can also contact me.
Reaching over, I barely withhold a groan when I see what it says.
Grant: Gym in ten, buddy. Gotta keep up them abs. Be there or I’ll come hunt you down. I know where you sleep.
I brush my hand against Katie’s head once more before carefully removing myself from underneath her.
When I’m satisfied she’s still asleep, I stretch, running my hand down my chest and stomach. When I get to a wet spot from where she was sleeping, I smile. She drools. While I should be grossed out, I can’t help but find her adorable.
Quickly, I gather my stuff before changing in the bathroom. After I’m ready, I move to the balcony doors, shutting the curtain to help block the rising sun.
Then I quietly leave the room.
When I make it to the gym, Grant gives me a knowing smile.
“What did you get up to last night?” he teases.
For a moment, I wonder if I still have glitter on my face. I have to admit, last night was wild. I’ve never had something like that happen to me, but I can’t complain. I meant what I said to her. I would have eaten her out no matter what. I had to have a taste of her.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I tell him, avoiding the topic altogether.
“Sure. Nessa didn’t have to run out of dinner to give her sister advice on whether or not she should seduce you.”
“It’s not like that,” I say the words, but my mind is turning over what he has said.
“Sure. Nessa and I don’t keep anything from each other. Seems she’s getting over her hatred of you. Or was it hate sex?”
I push his shoulder. “We didn’t have sex. Now, can we work out?”
“Wait, you didn’t? Ness was so sure she would. I mean, she said you had her going good.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you? That’s your fiancée’s sister you’re talking about,” I grumble.
Part of me is irritated that he’s talking about her like that, but the other part likes to know that I turned her on.
He shrugs. “She brought it up. Besides, I know you’ve had a crush on her forever.”
“Leave it alone, Grant. I know you want to meddle, but if anything happens, I won’t be kissing and telling.”
He smirks. “You never do, but she will, and Nessa will tell me. I hope you know what you’re doing though. The girl is scorned. I hope you’re not just the rebound.”
My heart stutters. I hadn’t even considered the fact that she might be using me as a rebound from Barrett.
She did take the chance to rub his nose in his misfortune last night. She could have let him walk by.
I shake off the thoughts. I can’t believe that this is all in vain. This will work.
Ignoring his words, I move to the treadmill. He takes the one next to me, oblivious to the fact that I’m trying to ignore him.
“What do you have planned today?”
“I think I’m going to see if she wants to rent some jet skis or something. I tried to plan our excursions so we didn’t have something absolutely planned at every stop.”
“Oh, us too. Nessa was worried you’d try to avoid us the entire trip.”
“Not you. The idiot who tends to open his mouth and say things to hurt my girl.”
“Oh? She’s yours now? Does she know this?”
“Shut up, Grant. You know what I mean. You heard him last night. Why the fuck would he say something like that? In front of everyone? He’s an asshole.”
“You’re right. I had a talk with him too. He might be my brother, but that doesn’t mean he gets to insult my woman’s sister. If he’s not on his best behavior, then he’s out. I’ll leave him at the next port.”
“I’m not opposed to throwing him overboard, either. Tell him to stay away from Katie. I swear I will punch him out if he makes another hurtful comment. He’s a complete jackass. He doesn’t get to hurt her anymore.”
“Heard loud and clear. Now tell me, what is it like to finally get a taste of the girl you always wanted?”
“Fuck you, man. Get to running. We have a long workout.”
Grant and I run side by side for twenty minutes before moving over to the weights and grabbing dumbbells. Holding the dumbbells at our sides, we lunge from one side of the room to the other three times.
“Well, well, well. I didn’t expect to see you two here,” Barrett says as he leans against the wall right inside the door.
“Did you get lost looking for the bar?” I ask, not looking at him as I put the weights away.
“Fuck you.” He laughs bitterly.
Grant shoots me a look, begging me to shut up before turning back to his brother. “How are you, man?”
“I’d be better if I wasn’t on this fucking boat with all of you.”
“You could have not come,” Grant reminds him.
Barrett scoffs. “We both know I paid too much to back out.”
“Pretty sure you mean Mom paid too much adding on all the excursions you wanted for you to back out.”
“Hell, I heard Katie paid for the room. Are you that hard up for money Barrett that the women in your life have to cover the tab?” I smirk.
“Whatever.” Barrett rolls his eyes.
I watch him through the mirror as he shuffles his feet, staring daggers at my back.
“Hey Dom, if you need tips on Katie, just let me know. I wrote the book.” He smirks.
I turn, crossing my arms over my chest. “Speaking of Katie, I would appreciate it if you keep your mouth shut around her.”
Barrett rolls his eyes.
“I’m serious. Look, the ship might be big, but it’s not that big. If we’re doing something with the wedding party or end up on the same excursion, keep your eyes to yourself and your mouth shut. She didn’t do anything wrong. You’re the one who fucked up, not her.”
“Whatever, I don’t have to listen to this.” Barrett pushes off the wall and slams the door on his way out.
“It’s crazy how two people can have the same parents, grow up in the same house and end up so different.”
“No fucking kidding,” Grant says as he runs a hand over his face. “I swear to God though, if he ruins my fucking wedding, I’m going to kill him.”
“I’ll have the bail money ready.”
“What are you doing now?”
“Honestly, after seeing dumbass, I need to clear my head. I think I’m going to go run laps on one of the decks.”
“Are you sure? Nessa messaged me between sets and said she’s going to have breakfast with Katie. We could go interrupt.”
“Nah, let them have their girls’ time.” I shake my head. “I’ll see you later?”
“You know it,” he says, slapping my shoulder as we walk out the door, going our separate ways.
KATIE
“You look well refreshed this morning,” Nessa says as soon as I sit down at her table.
She messaged me an hour ago, demanding I meet her for breakfast.
I almost regret the chat option, but then I think of the message from Dominic I woke up to and I feel a bit better about it.
Dominic: Good morning, beautiful. Went to the gym. See you later.
He didn’t have to tell me where he went. We aren’t a couple, but the fact that he did means something. Something I’m not quite ready to explore yet.
“Whatever. I slept well, is all.”
She gives me a knowing look. “Did you scratch that itch with Dom?”
My cheeks blush. “Not exactly. You’re a complete bitch, you know that, right? Like I’m not sure I should even be talking to you.”
She gasps, holding her hand to her chest. “What did I do? Did he turn you down?”
“Oh no. He didn’t, but maybe he should have. What kind of spray are you keeping in your purse?”
She rummages around in her purse a moment, pulling the spray out. I take it from her, looking at the label.
Big and bold on the front clearly says, “Glitter Spray.”
“Why do you have stripper spray? I had no idea it had glitter in it and I sprayed it on my cooch.”
She takes the bottle, looking at it.
“Oh fuck. I did not know. Samantha gave it to me in a bachelorette care package. I didn’t even look at it.”
I groan, dropping my head in my hands. “It was so embarrassing, Ness.”
“Tell me all about it.” She leans forward, eager for the gossip.
Before we can continue, the server appears. We each place our order.
Hoping to change the subject, I ask Nessa, “How was your evening?”
“No way, ma’am. What happened last night? Tell me all the details.”
“Ew. I’m your sister.”
She rolls her eyes. “I tell you all about Grant and me.”
“Trust me, I know. It’s disgusting.”
“Stop stalling.”
I take a deep breath. “We were getting hot and heavy as soon as we got to the room. He went down on me. It was…” I sigh, remembering my orgasm. “I haven’t felt that good in a long time.”
“Even with Barrett?”
“Especially with him. He was a selfish lover. Dominic, he’s…not selfish. Anyway, when he moved to kiss me, I noticed his face shining. When I pointed it out, he didn’t believe me. Then he looked in the mirror, and well, yeah. He looked like a damn disco ball.”
Nessa snorts, spitting out the bit of water she had just sipped.
“A disco ball?”
I nod seriously. “Like his entire chin and mouth was shining like he had done one of those glitter beard kits. It was disturbing.”
Nessa bursts out laughing, and after a moment, I join her.
“It’s not funny, Ness. How can I show my face to him again?”
“You guys didn’t continue? You let a little glitter derail you?”
“I was mortified. He jumped in the shower and I just changed and pretended to be asleep. I couldn’t face him.”
“Oh, Katie. I’m sure he didn’t care. I mean, did he act like he cared after?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think so. He seemed still into it, but I was not. You know I hate embarrassment. In front of Dominic too.”
“Is this because you like him, or are we still pretending we hate him?”
I scowl at her. “I do hate him. Or I did. He is still an egotistical asshole who has commitment issues.”
“Then why did you let him go down on you? I think you like him more than you’re saying.”
“It’s not like that. You told me to go for it. So did grandma in the bathroom. After Barrett was an asshole, I guess I liked that Dominic made me feel sexy. I don’t know. Still, this is just a fake relationship. It’s not real.”
“It looked pretty real to me, Kit Kat.”
I frown at her, using my childhood nickname. “I hate when you call me that.”
“I know, but it always gets your attention. Are you listening to me now?”
“I’ve been listening.”
“No, you’ve been coming up with excuses about why you don’t like Dom. What if you stopped and focused on the positive?”
“Like what?” I give in, needing my sister to validate my feelings.
“He’s sexy as fuck.”
I clear my throat. “He’s pretty good-looking. His abs are pretty nice to touch.”
She quirks an eyebrow but moves on. “He makes you laugh.”
I bite my lip. “I love how funny he has turned out to be. Did I tell you he had me rolling up on the adults-only pool deck before you guys came and interrupted us? I don’t know how he comes up with half the shit he says, but it is funny.”
“He defends your honor. Not only when you are there, either. Grant told me he had words with Barrett this morning when he came into the gym while they were working out.”
My eyes widen. I had no idea. Dominic hadn’t made it back to the room by the time I left to come here.
“Really?”
She nods. “He was so worked up that he decided to jog around the outdoor track for a bit to work off some pent-up energy. He should’ve gone back to the room and found you for that.”
I smack her hand on the table. “Stop that. We aren’t fucking.”
“Yet. By the end of this trip, you will be. I always thought it should be you two. I hated when you started dating Barrett.”
“I figured it was because he was your boyfriend’s brother.”
She snorts. “I don’t give a fuck about that. I cared because Barrett is a fuck boy. He only cares about himself. When we go to family dinners, he always tries to one-up Grant. Like if Grant got a new client, then Barrett got three. The sibling rivalry thing is alive and well in Barrett. The only reason Grant put him in the wedding is because his mom asked us to. I guess Barrett went crying to her that Grant picked Dominic as his best man, so she thought having him as a groomsman would appease him. He’s spoiled rotten.”
“Maybe that’s his problem. He hates the word no.”
“You’re telling me. He wanted to wear a white suit to the wedding. The rest of the guys are wearing gray slacks, a white button-up, and a tie to match their girl. So why in the hell does he want to wear a full white suit? Hell, Grant isn’t even wearing a full suit. He wants to be the center of attention. I swear if he ruins my wedding day, I will murder him.”
I give her a small smile. “We won’t let that happen. I’ll maim him myself if I have to. This is your day.”
“I know. Anyway, I never thought he was good enough for you.”
“And you think Dominic Price, king of the commitment-phobes is?”
She shakes her head. “You never gave yourself a chance to get to know Dom. He isn’t this bad playboy you make him out to be. Get to know him. I mean really know him, not this superficial, judging based on observations that have no context. I think you’ll be surprised by what you’ll find once you stop fighting it.”
I consider her words for a moment. I have been seeing another side of him. A side I might actually like.
That’s why this is bad. I don’t want to like him. What if he turns out to be exactly who I think he is? I can’t handle being dumped twice in two months. That’ll be a huge hit to the ego.
I’m about to respond when a couple of the other girls come over, including Barrett’s new girlfriend or whatever she is.
“Hey. We were about to get ready to get off the ship. Are we meeting before the shore excursion again?” Abby asks.
Nessa looks to me. “What are your plans today?”
I shrug. “Dom planned all the excursions.”
“How romantic.” Samantha puts her hand on her heart. “You are so lucky. I tried to get Dom to date me for years, but he never took the bait.”
Great. Another reason to be wary of him. He turned down this model.
“Who’s Dom?” Candice, Barrett’s new girl, asks.
“Katie’s boyfriend and Grant’s best friend.”
She frowns a moment, then her face lights up. “Oh, the guy Barrett says is a womanizing piece of shit who steals women?”
I’m out of my seat before I even realize it. “Dominic is twice the man Barrett will ever be. Don’t you dare talk about him like that. You don’t even know him. You should run along before I find out how fake you really are.”
“Katie,” Nessa hisses, jumping up to grab my arm.
“No, Ness. She wasn’t even invited on this trip. She’s some tramp Barrett picked to hook up with. She doesn’t have the right to stand here and talk shit about my man. If she’s not careful, I’ll punch her in those fake ass titties. You think they’d pop? My rings are kind of sharp.”
My eyes hadn’t left the blonde bimbo now looking slightly frightened.
So when a pair of warm arms circle my waist, pulling me back into a hard chest, I stiffen. That is, until I get the distinct smell of bourbon and oak, which happens to be Dominic’s body wash.
“All right, million-dollar baby. How about we don’t pop the poor girl’s tits? I’m sure she meant no offense to whatever she did to piss you off.”
I glance over my shoulder. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you heard what she said about you.”
His face is full of amusement. “You can tell me all about it, but later. We have a date. Come on, baby doll.” Then he presses a kiss to the tip of my nose.
My heart races. What is it about him that has my system going crazy lately? I’ve never felt like this around him before.
I give the bimbo one last glance before turning in his arms.
“Fine, but only on one condition.”
He smiles. “Anything, dear.”
“Kiss me like you mean it.”
I didn’t think it was possible, but his smile grows wider. “I always mean it.”
Then his lips descend on mine. I don’t know why I wanted him to kiss me, but knowing the bitch who had the nerve to talk badly about him watching, I give it my all.
After a few moments, he finally pulls back, pecking my lips.
“Satisfied?” he asks when he pulls back for good.
“It’ll do.”
He shakes his head, his forehead falling to mine. “You’re something else, Katie Ross.”