Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
M y foot wobbled in my heel, and my hand shot out and gripped the back of my chair. What had I done?
Clapping.
Maria gave one of her piercing whistles.
Dominic was striding across the floor.
He stopped in front of me, taking a deep breath. His eyes seemed to soften as they stared into mine. One side of his mouth bent up. “Ready?”
I fumbled for my clutch as Lauren gave me a big smile, her hands clasped together under her chin.
“Dominic,” Maria called, winking at me. “Can you give Kelsey a ride home?”
“Yes.” His hand pressed on the small of my back, and my belly clenched. “Planning on it.”
We walked across the ballroom in silence, navigating through the tables and people until we reached the candlelit far side of the room. Still trying to catch my breath, I sat down at the last open table, Dominic holding my chair behind me.
“What would you like to drink?” he asked.
I hesitated, the zeros in my bank account flashing in my mind. You’ve trusted him this far… “A glass of Riesling, thank you.”
Dominic spoke to the server approaching us. I smoothed out the skirt of my dress. Breathe. Don’t crumble before he’s even sat down.
He adjusted his chair so it was next to me. “I’ll try not to stare at you. Even though I want to.”
I huffed, looking down at my hands gripped together on the table. “You’re always teasing me.” Why did I say that?
He sat back and crossed his legs. “You…bring out a different side of me.”
“How so?”
“Last night, I watched a documentary about escaped parrots living in San Fransisco. Cherry Headed Conures.”
“The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill?” I couldn’t keep my eyes off him—the way his cheeks curved sharply around the planes of his face. There were dimple-like hollows by his mouth.
“Yes.” He glanced at me. “You remind me of that story.”
“Because it’s about birds?”
“Because…I like to worry about you.”
I turned away and stared at a stack of pumpkins against the wall, pressing my lips together. Did I bring out some kind of protective side in him? You’re obviously useless.
The server arrived with our drinks and slid them onto the table.
When we were alone, I said, “Bidding on you…threw me.” My heart was still beating too fast. “I’m not normally this jumpy.” Sure you aren’t.
He sipped from his glass. “I was about to drop to my knees and beg you.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Letting a stranger choose me would have been a novel experience.”
“How did you hear about the auction?” I asked, not sounding nonchalant at all.
“Raven and I met up a few weeks ago. She invited me to participate.”
“You were dating?” My shoulders hunched, preparing for the blow.
He shrugged. “We met online, had dinner once, and she left early. It was friendly.”
“Oh.”
Smiling a little, he turned to me. “Jealous?”
I pulled at my necklace. “We’re very different women…”
“I like you.”
My eyes met his velvety brown ones, my pulse hammering.
He reached over and took my hand, lacing our fingers together. “You’re beautiful, but it’s…a kind of connection. I’m not sure why it’s so easy with you.”
“Easy?” I inhaled. “I’m very—distracted.”
He was staring at my mouth. My lips parted. I swallowed, my limbs heavy. What was it about the man that took all the air out of my chest?
The crowd cheered about something that had been announced. His hand was warm, his touch light. We leaned a little closer to each other.
“Time for a dance,” Autumn called close to our table.
I sat up fast.
Dominic nodded and stood, still holding my hand. “Come. The host asked us.”
“Not really a dancer,” I mumbled, but got to my feet.
He started leading me to the center of the room, my cheeks flaming hotter with each step. Smiling faces stared at me as we weaved by.
Then Dominic pulled me against his body, our clasped hands rising up between us, his other hand sliding down my back. I inhaled his exotic, woodsy cologne. What do I do? I was as rigid as a piece of wood. He placed my free hand on his shoulder.
He moved confidently with the beat, shuffling side to side in a simple step that nonetheless made the hairs stand up on the nape of my neck. Our fronts were nearly pressed together. My nipples ached. His breath tickled my ear.
“Why fight this?” The puff of air from his words tingled over my skin. “I’m extremely deliberate, Kelsey. You’ll always know where I stand.”
His jaw grazed my temple as I turned my head. “What is this then?” I asked. “You want to spend a night together?”
I bit my lip, shocked at what I’d just said. It wasn’t like me to ask pointed questions. With him, I had to push—maybe to force him away.
His lips feathered over my temple. “I’m not sure. We should start there. Tonight.”
“Tonight?”
He pulled away to stare down at me. “Yes.”
I gasped, shaking my head a little.
He guided my other hand, clasped in his, up to his shoulder and let go. Both of his arms slid around my waist and pulled me closer. And I could feel him, hard and aroused.
One of his hands rubbed a circle low on the skin above my hip. He sighed. “Date first?”
I cleared my throat. “I’m…not up to your speed.”
That was how it always was with me. It took half a year with Brad. With Gerry—well, I didn’t want to think about him.
His fingers ran through the ends of my hair. “Will you go hiking with me on Saturday?”
Blinking, I stood up straighter. “Hiking?”
He almost smiled. “Yes.”
“Morning or afternoon?”
Eyes narrowing, he cocked his head. “Late morning.”
I smiled at him. “Going to sleep in?”
He pulled me closer. “That smile. Makes me want to kiss you.”
My eyes widened. Yes. Do it. “In front of half the town?”
He shrugged. “We need to force your ex to back off.”
I sagged, glancing away from him. Gerry. Arg.
“Hey,” he said, waiting until I met his eyes again. “Anything you need. Ask.”
When I looked at him, my body wanted things I wasn’t ready for. “Can we go soon?”
He leaned forward, our eyes locked together. His face turned, and he kissed my cheek lightly. “Of course.”