Chapter Ten
Tessa stood near her desk on the floor of the hospital where she worked. She kept glancing at the time, counting down the minutes until she could be with Dominik again.
She sighed in exasperation when she felt a body press up against her side. She knew exactly who it was without looking because of the strong cologne he always wore.
She took a step to the side. “Dr. Farley, how many times have I asked you not to get so close to me?”
The young doctor chuckled and tried to put his hand on her shoulder, only to have her knock it off and scowl at him.
“Come on, Tessa. I know I can make you happy if you only give us a chance.”
“I’ve told you I’m in a committed relationship, and there’s no way I’d jeopardize it. Especially for some guy that sleeps with more people in a month than I have my whole life.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m just gaining experience. It will make what I can do for you seem magical.”
She snorted. “I think you need to back off. If my man finds out you’re trying to touch me, he’ll wipe the floor with you.”
“Oh, come on. For one thing, he doesn’t have to know, and for the other, I’m a pretty big guy. I’m not afraid.”
“You should be,” a deep, dark voice said behind them.
Both turned abruptly. Tessa relaxed, smiled, and walked to him when he held his hand out to her.
“Who the fuck are you?” the doctor asked.
“Right now, I’m your worst nightmare.” Dominik looked at her, his eyes scanning her. “Angel, I want you to go and get your things and meet me by the elevator.”
She paused for a moment.
Dominik ran his thumb over her cheek. “Go, Angel. We’ll discuss this later at home.”
Tessa lay her hand on his chest. “You can’t kill him, Dominik.”
Dominik smirked. “I probably won’t, but I need to have a private talk with him.”
She nodded, and without looking back at the doctor, she walked into the nurses’ lounge and pulled the things from her locker. She walked out of the room and glanced back down the hallway to see Dominik standing very close to the doctor, and she saw the fear in the man’s face. Good, he needed to realize that he couldn’t sexually harass every woman he wanted.
Tessa stood by the elevator and waited. Within five minutes, Dominik was striding toward her with his eyes narrowed. If she didn’t know him as well as she did, she might have been nervous, but she knew without a doubt he’d never hurt her.
Dominik wrapped his arm around her waist and pushed the elevator button. Neither said anything as they stepped in. An older woman was already there and smiled at them. Tessa leaned her head against Dominik’s chest. She felt his hand cup her face and lift it before he kissed her gently.
“Oh, my. If I might say, you two look so good together,” she said. “My husband was much larger than me, and I remember the looks we sometimes got, but I wouldn’t have changed anything about him.”
Tessa smiled at the woman. “Thank you.”
“You’ll make beautiful children.”
Tessa felt Dominik stiffen, but he stayed silent.
“I’d like to think so,” Tessa said.
The elevator doors slid open, and the woman stepped out. “You two take care.”
Tessa raised her hand. “You, too.”
When the doors slid closed, Tessa looked up at Dominik. The muscle in his jaw ticked, telling her he was more upset about the situation with the doctor than she had first thought.
“I’m sorry.”
He glanced down at her. “For not telling me you were getting harassed?”
She sighed and nodded. “I thought I could handle it on my own. I know how busy you are right now, and I didn’t want to disturb you with this.”
“That’s not your place, Angel. I’m the one who protects you, but I must know about these things so I can fix them. I can guarantee that man will never bother you again.”
She kissed his chest. “I know I was wrong.”
“We’ll talk more about this when we get home.”
She nodded and rested against him.
The ride home was silent, but Dominik kept hold of her hand, and his thumb rubbed back and forth on her knuckle. When they got home, Dominik came around, opened her door, unsnapped her seat belt, and lifted her out of the truck.
He took her hand and led her into the house. “Why don’t you go and shower first?” he said.
She hoped he’d shower with her, but she didn’t push him. She nodded. “Okay.”
Tessa took her time, giving Dominik a chance to settle a bit more. When she walked out of the bedroom in her lounge pants and shirt, he was looking out at his backyard.
“I’m done,” she said.
He turned, glanced at her, and nodded. “I’ll be right back.”
She watched him move around her and into the bedroom. Her heart sank when she realized he was more upset than she’d thought. Another thought popped into her head. She remembered when his body stiffened when the older lady mentioned children. It was one thing they hadn’t talked about. Now that she thought about it, they really hadn’t talked about the future at all.
He’d said he wanted them together forever a few times in the beginning but hadn’t heard anything else in the four months she’d lived with him.
Tessa decided to start dinner. She’d try to get the courage to ask him some questions, but she didn’t want to push too much now since he was already upset.
The chicken she’d thawed that morning was frying while she cut the potatoes into small chunks and then into a boiling pot of water. She checked the rolls she’d put in the oven to find them just about done.
She heard his footsteps behind her. “I hope you’re hungry.”
She glanced over her shoulder to see him pulling a beer from the refrigerator. When he didn’t say anything, she turned back to the potatoes and concentrated on them. Within thirty minutes, the rolls were done, the chicken crisp and brown, and the potatoes mashed.
Nothing was said as Dominik set the table while she brought over the bowls and plates of food.
“Do you want another beer, Dominik?” she asked before she sat down.
He shook his head.
She’d rather have him yell at her than ignore her. Any appetite she had fled. She sat down and put a tiny bit of food on her plate. She tried to take a few bites, but every time, she’d have to take a drink of water to get it down her throat.
Tessa finally set her fork on her plate and stood. “I’m going to grab my book and read for a while. Leave everything here, and I’ll get it later.
He grabbed onto her arm when she passed him. “Where do you think you’re going? You hardly ate anything.”
She looked away. “I’m not very hungry right now.”
“Sit down, Angel,” he murmured.
Tessa sighed and sat back in her chair. She refused to look at him and waited. When he didn’t say anything for a few minutes, she’d had enough.
“Look. I’m sorry about the doctor. I promise to tell you from now on.”
She wished he’d say something or even just look at her. She couldn’t take this much longer before she burst into tears.