Joshua bit his lower lip. "I have to take Heather home. But we won’t get out of the car. I promise." He held up two fingers in the Boy Scout salute.
"You are just as terrible as he is," Dominique kidded, slapping him playfully on the shoulder. "The two of you really have to stop ganging up on me like this."
"But it works," Joshua mused.
"Yeah, too good." Dominique groaned in defeat. Kneeling down, she brushed a kiss across Kalvin’s cheek. "You be good for Joshua and I’ll kiss you goodnight when I get home from work."
~ * ~
Hours later, Dominique stood behind the bar at Party Paradise, washing the mound of dirty drinking glasses she had allowed to accumulate. It was unusually slow for a Saturday night and the more she looked at the clock, the slower time seemed to pass. Still, she found herself not all too eager to go home. Nervousness had set in almost to the point of making her frantic. Would Joshua stick around again after she got home? After what had almost happened the night before, she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to or not. That close call to the kiss she had fantasized about for so long was all she could think about. Even meeting Heather at the party hadn’t been able to erase the strong attraction she felt for Joshua Divine.
Heather was all wrong for him. She had seen that the moment their eyes met. Even Natalie had said so. But it was not Dominique’s place to comment about it. Joshua was her employee and nothing more. What had nearly happened last night had just been a freak accident and would never happen again. She was sure of it.
Out of the corner of her eye, Dominique noticed a figure. Her heart jumped. "You startled me." She clasped a hand over her heart, realizing it was only her relief bartender, David something or other. He hadn’t worked there long enough for her to learn his last name. Not that it was important anyway.
David snickered. The laugh lines creased around his mouth and slate blue eyes. "Sorry." He blew a strand of sandy blond hair out of his face, reaching to roll up the short sleeves of his uniform shirt until it looked more like a muscle shirt. His arms were deeply tanned and well developed. "I thought since I’m already here and it’s so slow tonight you might like to duck out early."
Get off early on a Saturday night! No way was she going to turn that down. "Are you sure?" she asked, her eyebrows drawing together.
"Yeah. Count your register and get out," he kidded, pointing toward the door. "I’ll finish up whatever cleaning isn’t done."
"David, you’re a doll." Dominique flashed him a gleaming, wide smile. Minutes later, she bolted out the door to her car and sped away.
In the car, her thoughts returned to Joshua. Why was she worrying so much about him anyway? It wasn’t like she was interested in a relationship. It was the last thing she needed. Her ex-husband and her wild days after him had burnt her out on that. She was single and had finally found happiness in being that way. Just her and Kalvin. That was all she needed--all she really wanted. But the fact that Joshua was nothing like her ex-husband or any of the other men she had ever dated was hard to ignore. And fighting her growing attraction was becoming more of a battle than her heart was prepared for. Was it her overactive imagination or did she sense that he felt the same intimate need and infatuation for her, too?
"Who knows," she muttered to herself. She parked the car in front of her apartment and stepped out. Inside the house, all was quiet. Winding her way through the rooms, she saw no sight of Joshua. Probably fell asleep with Kalvin again, she thought. A smile rose to her lips.
Softly, she entered Kalvin’s room, surprised to find him sleeping alone. She quickly but gently planted a kiss on his cheek and quietly closed the door as she left the room. A creak at the end of the hall made her turn just as Joshua stepped out of the bedroom. Her jaw dropped. Joshua froze just outside the bathroom door. His flabbergasted statement mocked hers. Water glistened on his tanned skin like tiny diamonds, and he wore only a towel!
Before her gaze could drop any further, Dominique glanced up into his wide, astonished eyes. A hot wetness pooled at her middle from the sight of his muscular body, bare and wet. She couldn’t help but wonder what sight would await her under that towel. If it hadn’t been such a bolt-from-the-blue moment, she was certain that overactive imagination of hers would have had a field day.
Joshua’s pulse was running the Indianapolis Five Hundred. He tightened the towel around his narrow waist. "Y--you’re home early," he stammered. Sexual tension thickened the air. Dominique could feel her insides beginning the first stages of a meltdown. No matter how she tried, her mind could only focus on her body’s sexual reactions to his towel-dried presence. Moistness warmed her mouth. She bit down hard on her bottom lip.
"The grave shift bartender let me off early," she finally said, shocked at how even and calm her voice sounded when nothing else about her felt that way.
"I--I should probably get dressed," Joshua muttered, pointing a shaking finger to the bathroom.
Dominique could only nod as he disappeared back into the bathroom. She stood in the hallway, planted to her spot. She tried to will her body to move, but it argued disobediently. Her imagination threatened to run wild. She had to fight the urge. Unfortunately, this was one fight which called for reinforcements. A glass of wine! That’s what she needed. A cool, tasty glass of wine. Alcohol to calm the nerves and, most importantly, the hormones. With that in mind, she turned and wandered to the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Joshua entered the kitchen. "I’m real sorry about that." His tone had steadied a bit. "I had no idea you were home."
Dominique felt her sense of humor returning. She giggled softly. "It’s all right." She turned from the counter and lifted the bottle of wine. "Want a glass?"
"Umm…yeah. I could use one of those right about now." Joshua chuckled slightly. "I take it business was slow at the bar tonight."
"Miserably," Dominique groaned. She handed a glass of the wine to him and pulled out a chair at the table. Her eyes scanned the now fully-clothed Joshua Divine. Navy blue slacks, tan and blue pin striped button-down shirt neatly tucked in. He was obviously dressed to take on the town.
Joshua sat down at the table across from her. Gripping his glass for dear life, he said, "I didn’t think you would mind if I took a shower. I have a date with Heather tonight and figured it would be easier than going home to change."
Dominique’s heart plummeted, making a splash only she could hear in the pit of her stomach. A date with Heather. She should have known. "No, I don’t mind." She sipped her wine. She hoped she was coming across as nonchalant about the whole thing as she was attempting to. "Heather seems really nice." Yeah, right! "How did the two of you meet?"
Joshua eyed her suspiciously, sipping at his wine before answering. "We met at the college. We have a few classes together." He stared at her strangely. "You don’t have to pretend you like her, you know. I saw how rude she was to you today at the party, and I apologize. She’s not real crazy about family get-togethers and never fails to let her aggravation show."
"It’s no big deal." Dominique lifted a shoulder. "You’re the one who has to put up with her. Not me. So where are you taking her at this time of night?"
"The Windermere."
Dominique couldn’t hide her surprise. "Isn’t that the really nice restaurant in the Jamboree Casino? Funny but you don’t strike me as the casino-going type."
Joshua chuckled. "I’m not, actually, but they have the only restaurants open at this time of night."
"True." Dominique nodded. She fell into silence, her mind reeling as she tried to put her next question into words. Wrinkling her brows, she finally asked, "You do realize that place isn’t cheap?"
Joshua pushed his long slender fingers through his towel-dried hair. "Why is it I get the feeling you think I don’t have any money at all?"
Dominique gulped hard. His question caught her off-guard. How could she tell him she had realized the truth about him the first day they talked without harming his ego? There simply wasn’t a way. A m
an and his ego were easily crushed from the smallest embarrassment. She had learned that a long time ago. "I just put two and two together, I guess." She didn’t meet his gaze.
"And came up with what?" he prodded.
"You’re almost thirty years old, in college, babysitting for sixty dollars a week and still living with your parents. It wasn’t hard to figure out."
Joshua cupped a hand over his mouth, but his laugh spilled through. Dominique glared at him in confusion, causing him to laugh harder.
"Geez! I had no idea your life was that funny," Dominique said dryly.
"It is when you put it like that," Joshua said between laughs. "I guess I should tell you more about myself. Dominique. I don’t live with my parents. I have my own house on Beach Boulevard
. I’m in college at the age of thirty because it took me this long to decide what I actually wanted to do with my life.
"Obviously you don’t know much about what happens in the news in this city, and I don’t really feel like getting into it all right now, not to mention that I hate bragging, so just trust me when I say money is the least of my worries. Okay?"
Confusion replaced by disbelief and embarrassment, Dominique could only nod. Something told her to press for more information but, after the heated redness she knew had consumed her face, she truly didn’t want to hear any more tonight. Then again, while he was opening up to her, there was one other question that had yet to be answered.
"Can I ask you something?" she questioned, twirling a strand of her hair around her index finger. When he nodded, she asked, "What is it about female bartenders that makes you and the rest of your family look as if they’re about to pounce?"
Joshua’s face clouded over. He sighed and closed his eyes. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he reopened them. "If it’s all the same to you, I would rather not get into that tonight."
"Then it is something," Dominique squeaked. No imagination this time. She had been right all along. "I knew it!"
"Yes, there is something," Joshua admitted, sliding a cupped hand down his nose to his chin. "Although what you appear to be reading as anger is actually something far different."
Dominique hesitated to push any further. If it wasn’t anger she had seen on his face, on his father’s, then what was it?
"Could we please save this conversation for another time?" Joshua asked, his voice pleading. "It’s not something that’s really easy to talk about."
Seeing what she thought were tears welling in his eyes, Dominique gulped. Whatever it was had to be far more serious than she realized.
"Sure, if that’s what you want." She downed her wine and slowly stood. She walked into the kitchen and began opening each cabinet in search of a red box. Anything to occupy her mind with a different task. "Oh, where did I put those things?" she muttered.
"What are you looking for?" Joshua asked, his sudden mood change apparent.
"There’s a wedding reception tomorrow night at the bar," Dominique explained as she continued to sift through the cabinets. "I have a beautiful set of crystal glasses I was going to let the bride and groom use, but I can’t remember where I put them. I wanted to get them out before I forgot."
Opening the tall cabinet by the refrigerator, she spied the box. "There they are." Standing on her tiptoes, she stretched as far as she could, but the box remained just out of touch of her fingertips. Why in the hell did I have to put them on the top shelf? she scolded herself silently.
"Here, let me help," Joshua offered. Stepping behind her, he reached over her shoulder and pulled down the small, red box with ease. He slowly lowered the box to her hands. His arm came to rest on her shoulder.
Dominique shivered inside. His delicate, nonchalant touch rocked her. The warmth of his breath brushed against the back of her neck. His arm still over her shoulder, she slowly turned around until they stood toe-to-toe, nose-to-nose and had a few other body parts in clear and obvious alignment. Her breath quickened as she stared deeply into his eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. Her voice quivered.
"I should go," Joshua said quietly. His eyes stayed locked with hers.
"You don’t have to go unless you want to." Dominique fought not to lean into him. What am I saying! Where’s my sense of control? Where’s my sense of right and wrong? I know nothing can ever happen between us and yet I’m asking him to stay!
A slight smile unfolded across Joshua’s lips. "Please don’t tempt me," he whispered breathlessly. "I’ll see you on Monday." Gently he removed his arm from her shoulder, hesitated, then gathered his things and left.
Dominique hugged her arms close to her chest. I can’t believe I said that, she continued to badger her self silently. The wetness still pooled in her middle. Her pulse continued to quiver. And yet her heart was sinking.
Let go of the fantasy, girl, because it’s never going to happen.
Eight
"Honey, the movie is over." Heather’s voice ripped through Joshua’s sour musings. She hadn’t left when they had awoken that morning. Instead, she had practically forced him to spend the day curled up on the sofa with her watching movies. Last night had totally changed her. Now she was clinging to him as if he were her lifeline.
Joshua stood to change the movie and hide his unhappy statement. And it’s all your fault! You toyed with her emotions and it backfired in your face. What did you expect? Dinner with Heather on Saturday night could have marked the top of the list in the Guinness Book of World Records for the worst date in history. Heather most likely would not have agreed. She seemed to have a great time. But for Joshua, the terrible night compared more to being thrown in a round room with orders to find a corner than merely a simple dinner with his girlfriend in a fine dinning restaurant.
It was all because of Dominique. She had been stuck in his mind all night long! Super-glued so fixedly that he had found himself bringing her into each and every conversation more times than his conscious mind cared to admit. At first it hadn’t seemed to bother Heather. But as the night progressed, annoyance set in and finally she had let him know about it, requesting in a not-so-kind tone to please leave his boss and her child out of their personal life.
Joshua had forced himself to comply with her wishes--keeping Dominique only in his mind and out of conversation--and the night had continued with fewer faults. Until he and Heather went back to his place. It was then that the night turned into nothing less than a catastrophe! They had made love and dammit, it wasn’t right! After all the weeks of controlling himself, not allowing himself to give in to her sexual temptation, he had lost his willpower. What was he thinking!
Dominique, that’s what. Her words from the night before echoed in his mind. "You don’t have to go unless you want to," she had said. Why did she have to say that? It had taken all he had to pull away from her at that moment. Inside, he knew what was right but the biggest part of him had wanted to stay. Now she was stuck in his mind more than ever. So much that it had been her face he had seen and not Heather’s. It had been her full, plump breast he had kissed and sucked on, her sweet sensual lips he had kissed, her soft breathless moans he had heard.
Admitting all that to himself, he thought he would hurl. How could he be so cruel, so cold-hearted, to Heather? Even if she had no idea what had been going through his mind, he knew and it made him sick inside. What was happening to him? Never before had he regretted the act of sex as much as he did at that moment. Never before had a woman affected him the way Dominique was. Even Margot, as much as he loved her, had not caused him to lose all sense the way this woman was.
I just met her and she’s already controlling my every thought!
Joshua had sworn to himself that he would not fall for her. She was his boss and nothing more. Not only that, but she was a bartender. A profession he just couldn’t get past. No way could he get mixed up with another bartender. It was just too dangerous, too idiotic. His mind couldn’t take it again. More, his heart couldn’t go through it again. Not now, and not ever!
&n
bsp; But the blatant sexuality of Dominique Gabor made her completely irresistible and was driving him insane! He had to get her out of his head. The near kisses, her sweet flowery smell, her soft warm touch, the temptation to stay with her last night. He had to erase it all from his mind. He had to focus.
Heaving a sigh, he tried to decide on a movie but the startled ringing of the phone distracted him.
Heather groaned loudly. "Damn, I forgot to turn the ringer off."
Joshua shot her a look of steel, causing her to grimace. He was still angry from the last time she had pulled that stunt. Clearing his throat, he answered the phone. His heart nearly leaped out of his chest when Dominique’s voice flooded the line.
"I’m sorry to bother you on your day off but I’ve got a problem and I figured you were the only one who could solve it." She laughed nervously.
Joshua was instantly on alert. "What’s wrong? Is something the matter with Kalvin?"
The minute the words left his mouth, Heather hopped from the sofa and began pacing the floor, cussing every word in the book. Joshua threw an irritated hand in the air to silence her.
"No, no, it’s nothing that serious," Dominique quickly assured him. Joshua’s heartbeat slowed to a steady thump. "I’m looking for my brown boots. You know, the ones I wear all the time. I’ve been looking for them all morning and can’t seem to find them. Do you know where they are?"
Joshua erupted with laughter and fell onto the sofa.
"I know it’s a silly thing to call for, but it’s not that funny," Dominique shrilled, sounding hurt.
"It is when they’re right under your nose." Joshua stifled his laughter. "Have you tried the closet?"
Dominique hesitated. "Wh--which one?"
"Yours."
"Why would I look there?"
"Isn’t that where they belong?"
"Well…yeah. But I didn’t think you ever went in my room. Besides, I never put anything where it belongs," Dominique said with a squeak. "You’ve got to quit cleaning my house when you’re over here. I can’t find anything! I hired you as a babysitter, not a full-fledged nanny. Cleaning is not in your job description."
The Devine Babysitter Page 9