Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
“Quit watching the door.” Luis grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing tray and shoved it in Nic’s hand. “She and Ethan are stuck in traffic. Now come on, I have so many people for you to meet.”
They were at an art gallery owned by Luis’s friend.
Dominic glanced at the black-and-white photos on the walls as they walked through the space, weaving in between guests.
These images were now as familiar to him as the ones that used to be in his bedroom back in West Oaks.
Pride swelled in his chest, then diminished as he thought again of Sylvie. Why wasn’t she here yet?
What if she didn’t come at all?
Luis pulled him into a circle of people. “Everyone, this is Nic. He’s who we have to thank for tonight.”
He put on a smile, shook hands, and tried to remember all the new names.
Dominic was starting to suspect he was an introvert because this was exhausting. He’d never liked big groups much, but he’d always faked his way through without thinking much about it. He was learning all kinds of new things about himself these days.
When nobody was looking, he snuck away to a quiet corner, looking at a photo of the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around. Sylvie stood there, smiling hesitantly. “Hi, I was hoping you’d be here. We didn’t mean to be so late.”
She was wearing a pair of simple black pants and a silky top with thin straps that showed off her ink.
“You look incredible.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” She pointed at his black suit, which he’d worn with a white shirt and no tie.
It was one of his old suits, but there was no way he could afford a new one this nice, so he’d decided to go ahead and wear it.
He didn’t have to get rid of everything about Dominic Crane. The guy had known how to dress.
Across the room, Luis was talking animatedly to a group of people that now included Ethan. Nic liked that about his new roommate. Luis usually took care of the conversations.
He decided to escape before Luis noticed them and introduced him to anyone else. He grabbed Sylvie’s hand and walked her through the crowd to a back room, which was less busy.
“I tried to call last night,” she said.
“I know, I’m sorry I missed it. I was working late, and I’ve been busy here all day. I wanted to surprise you.” He held out his arms, gesturing at the framed photos around them.
“They’re beautiful. But what’s the surprise?”
“Luis’s friend owns this gallery. She’s been wanting to have a show of his work, the artistic stuff he does on the side in between ad campaigns.
But Luis never had time to put it together.
So I offered to do it. He had a ton of raw shots just dumped on his hard drive.
I went through them and came up with the themes for this show. ”
He led her around the space, showing her each photograph and explaining why he’d picked it.
Luis had a great eye for a light, shadow, and composition.
Most of these were shots from downtown Los Angeles.
Luis had managed to find beauty amid the gritty buildings and concrete, as well as the dark edges to the fancier architecture.
“This is amazing. Why didn’t you tell me you were working on this?”
“Because I was afraid Luis and his friend wouldn’t like it. But the woman who owns the gallery—” He looked around and spotted her, a silver-haired woman in her sixties. “She loved what I came up with. And she offered me a job. You’re looking at her new photography curator.”
Sylvie gasped. “Nic. Oh my god. Congratulations.” She hugged him around the neck.
His arms closed around her. “It doesn’t pay that much, but I love it. It feels like…me.” He was still consulting with law enforcement, too, but just volunteering his time.
“I’m so happy for you.”
He’d been amazed how many hours he could spend poring over photos and thinking about how they could all come together into one exhibition. He’d never been so engaged in something that he could call “work” before.
And he was proud he could show this to Sylvie. Her opinion mattered more to him than anyone else’s. Her approval lit a warm glow in his center.
“But what was it you wanted to talk about last night? When you called?”
“Oh. I spoke to my sister and brother back in Texas. Something I should’ve done a long time ago, but I didn’t get up the nerve to do it until recently. It was a really great conversation. But we can talk about that later. This is your moment. It’s a very big deal.”
He wanted it to be her moment, too. Without her, none of this would’ve been possible.
“Can I tell you something I’ve never told anyone else?”
She lifted her eyebrows, waiting.
“I’m in love with you.”
Sylvie drew in a breath, her hand going to her mouth. He really hoped that was a good reaction.
“I’ve been in love with you for a while,” he said, “but I wanted to show you I could be someone worth loving back.”
“You always were. I’ve loved you for a while, too. I’m so in love with you.”
He’d thought tonight couldn’t get much better, but she’d managed to do it.
He curved his fingers around the back of her neck and bent down to kiss her. Almost six months since he’d tasted her mouth.
Just as plush as he’d remembered. God, he’d missed her.
“There’s a back exit,” he said in between kisses. “Want to get out of here?”
“Don’t you need to stay?”
“I’ve been here for hours. I’ve met nearly everyone.” And if he hadn’t, he could meet them next time. He wanted to get this woman home and show her just how much he loved her. Preferably two or three times. “The only person I want to be with right now is you.”
They stumbled into Luis’s apartment, still kissing. He’d left a good tip on his Uber app to make it up to their driver, since they’d been all over each other in the guy’s back seat.
“Luis is going to West Oaks with Ethan tonight,” he said. “We have the place to ourselves.”
“He just moved up the list to my second favorite person ever. Right after you.”
Dominic picked her up and headed straight for his bedroom.
Then there was a lot of frantic removing of clothes, kicking away of shoes.
He nearly ripped the button from his pants getting them off.
Sylvie was fumbling with her bra, so he found the little zipper at the side of her pants, sliding off the outer layer and her panties at once.
He pulled her against him, running his hands over her skin.
His cock was thick and needy between them. He rubbed himself against her.
“This first time needs to be fast and dirty.” She sounded breathless. “I’m not patient enough for anything else.”
“Fuck, I’m glad you said that.”
“Six months…”
“Is a really damn long time.”
He lifted her onto his dresser and shoved her knees apart.
His tongue wasn’t teasing or sweet. He was starving for her.
His fingers pushed inside of her as he flicked his tongue over her clit, then sucked the sensitive flesh between his lips.
Every trick he knew was coming out to play to get her where he needed her.
He was a little worried she’d get overstimulated, but that didn’t seem to be an issue, at least not right now. His middle finger curved inside of her, aiming for her G-spot. He felt her start to convulse.
“Nic.”
When she stopped shaking and moaning, he tongued her opening one last time, drinking in her wetness. She tasted so fucking good.
She dropped her feet to the floor, then turned around and stuck her ass out, her arms braced against the dresser. “I need you to fuck me now. Hard.”
He couldn’t manage a coherent verbal response. But he didn’t really need one, anyway. The tip of his cock found her entrance. He buried himself inside.
She was soaking. When he drew back, his dick was covered in her slickness. His hands gripped her by the hips and pulled her back against him while he thrust forward, colliding their bodies together. In the mirror, he could see the ecstasy on Sylvie’s face. Nic lost himself in the feeling of her.
He roared when he came, the orgasm so fast and intense that he’d couldn’t have stopped it if he’d tried.
Thank goodness she hadn’t expected him to last a while because that would’ve been embarrassing.
Dominic kissed her shoulders, then pulled out and looked down, watching his cum drip down her inner thighs. A spark of possessiveness flared in his stomach. He pulled her upright, holding her against him. Sylvie was his, and he’d never been so grateful for anything.
They both collapsed onto the bed. The room was quiet for a while as they lay there, just looking at each other while Dominic traced his fingertips over her arms.
Their second round of lovemaking was slower, sweeter, full of tender kisses and I-love-yous.
The third time was up against the wall of the shower, water spraying on Dominic’s back, after he’d made her climax with his fingers.
Then they were both completely spent. They wrapped up in a blanket and ate leftover takeout from the fridge on the living room couch. He had no clue what time it was, nor did he care.
“Tell me about the conversation with your siblings. Did it go well?”
“We all cried a little. We apologized and asked for forgiveness and talked about what was important in our lives. I told them about you.”
That made him smile.
“They want me to come visit.”
“Wow. That would be a big step. First time back there in over ten years?”
“Yeah.” Her blue eyes lifted to his. “Would you come with me?”
“Me? Really? Yeah, of course I will. If you think… I don’t know if they’ll like me. I’m weird around people now. I don’t know what to say.”
“Number one, who gives a shit if they like you? You’d be there for me. And second, just be yourself. That’s how I like you.” She kissed him on the nose.
“But what if they ask about my family?”
Hi, Sylvie’s mom and dad. I’m in love with your daughter.
My background? Let’s see. Dad’s a former mobster, just like me.
My uncle tried to have me tortured and killed, and my brother’s in federal prison.
Oh, and my other brother is in witness protection after setting up two gangs to murder each other. Pass the potato salad?
“I can’t tell them the truth, right?”
She burst out laughing. “No freaking way are we telling them the truth about your family. But that’s okay. They don’t need to know everything. Just that I love you.”
“That’s good enough for me.”