Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
corinne
Last night was a form of torture unlike one I ever experienced before, and believe me, watching Dom in the kitchen didn’t help matters, either.
The man walked around like a walking billboard sign for an expensive cologne, shirtless and in a pair of low-slung sweatpants.
He helped me unpack my things, minus my undergarments and toys, which I kept tucked in the box and in the back of what Dom said is my side of the closet.
His light touches did nothing to calm the way he made me feel, either.
When he suggested my reading chair go in the living room, where it’ll be used the most, it made me weak in the knees.
He proceeded to cook me dinner. In a life where I’ve been a caregiver, having a career where others depend on me, it’s nice to have a man do the cooking, even if there’s a contract between us.
When it came time for bed, I made a beeline for the shower, choosing to take the coldest one possible, and still, it didn’t calm the ache between my legs.
“Are you enjoying your time?” Dom’s deep seductive voice whispers beneath the shell of my ear.
Yeah, imagine going to sleep on opposite sides of the beds only to wake up tangled up in his arms on his side of the bed.
That would have been me who meandered to his warmth in the middle of the night, and while I can blame it on his need to keep the penthouse at below-freezing temperatures, the flannel pajama long-sleeve top, shorts, and socks should have kept me warm.
It’s that gravitational pull I’m trying so hard to resist.
“Immensely, darling.” I have a flute of champagne in one hand, and the other is wrapped in Dom’s.
He sprung a dinner meeting on me last minute.
Lucky for him, my shift at the hospital was changed.
I also put in a change in schedule with my department head.
Since there are more dollars than cents in my bank account, I don’t have to work six days a week anymore.
I’m officially back to four, and with any luck get to see my mother in the next day or so.
The board members are at the event, which means playing this up is part of my job now. It wasn’t hard to get dressed up in a little black dress, this one a far cry from the one I wore when I was out with the girls.
“Are you saying you want to stay longer than necessary?” I don’t respond. Instead, I drain the last of my bubbly and it goes straight to my head, tingling along my throat.
“I’m not saying that at all. Though, you might need to stop at the nearest burger joint. Do they always feed you this little?” I move my head to look into his eyes. Anyone else would think we’re having an intimate moment.
“A woman after my own heart. Shall we?” Dom stands up, holding his hand out for me to take.
“We shall.” Ever the gentleman, in public at least. The same can’t be said for behind closed doors.
When I woke up this morning, his hand was beneath my shirt, the tips of his fingers dangerously close the swell of my ass, and the smallest movement had him sinking into my skin.
I arched up, his mouth attached to mine, and Dom worked me up until his phone started ringing.
Talk about a mood killer. And the kicker of it all was the clock stating it was before six o’clock in the morning.
The heavy weight of Dom’s hand rests at the small of my back, his thumb tracing slow, deliberate circles on the bare skin of a tasteful cutout of my dress. The heat of him burns straight through the fabric and has my core tingling. I swear I stay in a state of arousal whenever he’s nearby.
“You’re doing beautifully,” he murmurs, escorting me away from the table. He must not see the need to say goodbye, and neither do I.
“I have an excellent teacher,” I reply softly with a slight mirth, tilting my head back just enough to meet his gaze. The close proximity to him has my heart beating like a jackhammer.
“Dominic.” We’re interrupted just as we’re close to making our exit.
“Hello, Arthur,” Dom greets one of the board members. The older gentleman smiles warmly in way of greeting.
“I must admit, seeing this side of you, settling down, it’s refreshing. I hope to see you again, Corinne.” I give him a nod.
“She’s truly something else, better than me by a mile,” Dom responds.
“They always are. I’ll see you in the next few days,” Arthur states before backing away with a drink in his hand, and the interaction is over before it really began.
“I think they’re buying it, and there’s only been one outing.
” Dom’s voice carries a gravelly undertone, sending a familiar ache between my legs.
His fingers tighten slightly, pulling me a fraction closer to his side.
The possessive gesture makes my breathing hitch.
He’s not just playing for the audience anymore.
“Did you mean it?” I ask the moment we step into the crisp evening air, waiting for the valet to bring Dom’s care around. The silence between us stretches, thick and heavy with unspoken tension.
“Hell, yes, I do. I’m a bastard. You called me out on it, and it’s the truth.
You’re doing this for your mom. I’m doing this to get ahead.
” His hand reaches up, long fingers cupping my jaw.
His thumb traces from one corner of my lower lip to the other.
His gaze follows agonizingly slowly, completely blurring the boundaries of our arrangement.
“Christ, I want to taste every damn inch of you,” he growls, his gaze dropping to my mouth, his eyes burning me alive with a hunger he never tries to hide.
“Dom.” My eyes close, and I rock on my heels with a slight imbalance.
“I can’t keep my hands off you, and the last thing I want to do is stop.” Before I can reply, his sleek black-on-black Porsche Taycan Turbo S is pulled to the curb.
“What if I don’t want you to keep your hands off me?” Just when he thinks he's in control, I drop a surprise that turns everything upside down.
“Then I’d say prepare yourself, Cory, because I’m about to do everything to you that I’ve been dreaming about.” He helps me into the car. His touch lingers as he buckles my seatbelt for me, leaving me contemplating exactly what will happen next.