Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
I knocked on Dominic’s door at eight-thirty. Hands in my pockets, I waited, wondering which Dominic would greet me.
He answered, wearing slacks and a button-up flannel shirt, his face calm and inscrutable. “There you are.”
“Hi.” I walked in past him.
“Did you eat barbecue tonight?”
My mouth dropped open. “You can smell it?”
He raised his eyebrows. “I’m half bloodhound. Was it good?”
“Excellent.” I carried my pile of work clothes into the empty spare bedroom, where I kept my things. “What have you been doing?”
“Video games.” He propped himself on the door jamb. “ The Witcher on my computer.”
“Was it fun?”
He came closer. “It’s a good story. And I get to kill monsters. Are you ready to relax?”
I leaned against the wall, his body boxing me in. Apparently, we weren’t wasting any time. “Very.”
His hands slid down my sides. “Let’s get you into something more comfortable.” Moving slowly, he inched my sweater up over my belly.
I put my arms up while he ran his hands over my skin.
He moved the sweater up so that it was bunched around my forearms and wrists, then pushed my bound hands down behind my head. “So pretty.”
At last, he kissed me, his mouth leisurely on mine. I was flushed, clenching my thighs together, the buildup working too well on me. A moan slipped out, and I wrapped a leg around his calf.
He pulled away, chuckling, his hands working at the button of my chinos. “A little patience.” His mouth began kissing down my body, lingering on my chest while he sucked and pinched my nipples.
I squirmed. “Are you upset with me? This feels like really good torture.”
He pushed my pants down and off my feet. “We’ll both feel better. Eventually.”
When he put my leg over his shoulder and his mouth between my legs, I cried out. His tongue was teasing against the fabric of my underwear—flicking gently then pulling back. He moved my thong aside and pumped a finger into me, and it was all I could do not to grind against his face.
Abruptly, he stood up and pulled the sweater off my arms. “Ah, here’s your robe.”
I was ready to pull him down onto the carpet. “So cruel.”
He moved my stiff arms into the sleeves of my robe and tied it shut. Taking my hand, he pulled me out of the room. “I am, sometimes.”
I squeezed his fingers, trying to veer us toward the bedroom. He ignored me and led me in the opposite direction.
In the dim living room, he sat on the couch and pulled me onto his lap. “Tell me about your day.”
“I rescued my clothing from Maria’s garage.” I started kissing his neck. “Why are your clothes still on?”
He lay down and stretched out his legs. “Because I’m lazy.”
“I can help with that.” And I really, really, did.
After working him with my mouth for a few minutes, I climbed on top of him and rode him until we were both sweaty and spent. It was different, more playful than what had come before. I couldn’t stop kissing him—his shoulder, his chest, the corner of his chin.
“You’re turning me into a hussy,” I said, rubbing my cheek against his bristles.
“Hmm. Sounds bad.”
I stifled a yawn against his shoulder. “Maybe I should stop fighting it. Give in.”
“Definitely.”
“Ugh, I can’t keep my eyes open. Sorry, long day.”
“Go to bed, my hussy. I’m going to kill some more monsters.”
I pecked him on the mouth. “Goodnight.”
Dominic wasn’t a night owl exactly, but he did tend to stay awake longer than I did. My parents had kept me on farm hours all of my childhood with eight o’clock bedtimes and five o’clock mornings. As an adult, those early mornings had become one of my favorite times, watching birds while the sun rose.
Saturday morning, I bundled up and went out on the balcony with my binoculars to watch the Willamette River. A flock of Cackling Geese flew overhead, and a Merlin swooped by over the water.
Second mug of coffee in hand, I eventually settled in front of my laptop. There was a new email from the Roberts at the lavender farm.
Hello Kelsey,
We’re ready to welcome you into our home. If you’d like to move in right away, we’ll prorate the rent for this month. Let us know soon.
Warmly,
Lisa and Nigel
I sat back in my chair, staring at the screen. Dominic shuffled into the kitchen, yawning.
“Did you bake something?” He went over to the stove to see what I’d made.
“Apple cobbler. You had everything I needed.”
“Nice. I’m getting hard just thinking about it.”
“Baked apples turn you on?”
“No, that’s you making dessert.” He poured coffee into a mug. “How’s your morning been? You looked like something had happened when I walked in.”
I went to the kitchen counter and slumped forward on my elbows. “An older couple has a lavender farm outside of River Gorge. They rent out an attic bedroom in their home.”
Dominic turned his back to me. “Right, you applied.”
“Yes. I met them yesterday after work. It went well—or at least, I fit what they’re looking for. They offered me the room this morning. Available immediately.”
He turned around, and his face was inscrutable again. “You’re going to spend your weekday evenings cooped up in a tiny bedroom?”
My eyebrows rose. Did that mean he wanted to keep seeing me on the weekends? “I’ll be using their kitchen and the living room—I think they want the company. They do have a cute dog.” I held a hand out to him. “But I’ll be trying to sell the townhouse. It’s a mess.”
His eyebrows scrunched together, and his forehead wrinkled up. “You’re not going into the townhouse alone.”
“Yeah.”
He glared at me.
I held both hands up. “I didn’t yesterday—just drove by. He seems to be living with his girlfriend. Autumn is scheduling cleaners for next week.”
“I’m going to work out.” He walked out of the kitchen.
Three hours later, I was pacing the length of his apartment, not sure what to do with myself. Dominic wasn’t talking to me. I’d barely seen him since our stilted conversation that morning.
At last, he entered the kitchen, dressed in a Gaelic sweater and dark gray trousers. Everything in me softened. You’re such a pushover.
He put a key on the counter. “I ran out and had keys made for you and registered you at the front desk.”
“What?”
Rubbing his cheek, he came across the room and took my hand. He led me over to his couch, and we sat down. “I’m giving you a key to my condo.”
Blinking, I swallowed several times. “Thank you. I’m surprised—I thought you viewed us as a temporary arrangement.”
“We’re dating.” His eyebrows pulled together.
Giving in to the pull in my chest, I rested my head on his shoulder. I needed to tell him that I didn’t think we were right together—that I had to focus on the most important goal I’d made for myself, having a family. But I didn’t.