by Lee Piper
“Fuck, I needed that.” He panted, looking over to where I lay next to him. “Still couldn’t keep up with you though.”
I grinned back, too puffed to say anything as I basked in his sweaty glory.
“Wasn’t sure you’d be up for a run today after all that tequila you drank last night.”
Groaning, I threw one arm over my eyes. “Don’t remind me.”
“What were you trying to prove, anyway?”
I froze.
“Well?”
When I finally took my arm away and looked at him, Dominic had moved into sitting position and was staring down at me expectantly. But he was too still, his eyes too intent, and to be perfectly frank, it kinda freaked me out.
Struggling upright, I brushed the sand off my back and shoulders, refusing to meet his gaze.
“You gonna answer me?”
“Not if I can help it,” I muttered, drawing knees to my chest and staring down at the space in front of me. I really didn’t want to go through this with him. Not now. Not ever.
Dominic repositioned himself so his legs were either side of the human-sized ball I was impersonating. Meaning, I couldn’t keep my gaze trained where it was previously because then I would be eyeballing his… I flushed and peeked up at him from beneath my lashes.
And then my breath caught.
Whoa.
His face was so close.
And I mean, really, really close.
Kissing distance, close.
How can one man be so attractive? It’s really not fair to the rest of humanity.
“As a friend, I wanna know.”
I rolled my eyes, thankful for the reminder. “So now you’re playing the friend card.”
He shrugged, smiling. “When it suits me, yeah.” Nudging my leg with his knee, he ordered, “Quit with the stalling and tell me why you wanted alcohol poisoning so bad.”
“I don’t know,” I mumbled, looking away.
Dominic’s fingers clasped my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Tell me.” The heady combination of his touch on my skin and low voice in my ear made me groan—in exasperation, mind you, nothing else.
It was useless.
Like Doctor Powell, he was not going to let me avoid an awkward conversation, I had to pull up my big girl panties and plow right on through. Self-preservation be damned.
“Fine,” I declared, batting his hand away. “But don’t you dare judge me.”
The corners of his mouth twitched while I attempted to collect my thoughts. Only I couldn’t because with each passing second I grew more and more nervous. My hands turned clammy, my stomach cramped. In all seriousness, it felt like someone was squeezing my rib cage in the hopes my head would pop off like a champagne cork.
Breathe, Riley.
I took a moment, braced myself and then blurted, “The whole night was a complete disaster. You acted like an ass, Grace disappeared and Brea kept shoving shots down my throat. I wanted to forget everything for a while, hell, I even wanted to escape myself. Sometimes I get so sick of being plain and boring old Riley, you know? For the first time in my life I wanted to be spontaneous and fun, I wanted to … party.”
Dropping my head to my knees, I moaned, “God, even to my own ears it sounds lame. This is so embarrassing.”
Dominic paused for a moment while I seriously considered burying myself alive in the sand. “Let me see if I’ve got this right, you were having a shit night so you decided to get completely wasted?”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
“How’d that work out for you?”
“It sucked.”
Dominic chuckled.
“I don’t even remember half of what happened and woke up this morning feeling like my head was about to implode.”
“Look at me.”
“Can’t.”
“Riley.”
I shook my head.
His fingers gently lifted my chin. Our eyes connected and there it was, that pulsing energy radiating between us, drawing me closer.
If I leaned in just a little more…
“What am I going to do with you, angel?” His voice was soft and I couldn’t stop staring at his lips. “There’s no fuckin’ way you’re plain or boring. No. Fucking. Way. Man, just looking at you makes my cock twitch.” I gasped, and he swallowed. “Ease off on the drinking, okay?”
“Okay.”
If he keeps looking at me like that, I’ll agree to anything. Not good.
I blinked and broke away. “I’d better go.”
Dominic stood and held out his hand to me just like the first time we met. And I took it, like I did that day, though this time was prepared for the sharp tug as he pulled me upward. I didn’t land face first in his chest, but was pretty close.
Not that I minded.
Tentatively, I gazed up at him. “You’re not going to tease me for what I said or for the way I acted?”
He looked past me. “Why would I? We’ve all done stupid stuff we’re not proud of.” His eyes found mine again. “But you need to behave yourself from now on.”
My voice turned bitter. “Shouldn’t I be saying that to you? I might not remember much from last night, but I definitely recall you hooking up with not one but two women.”
He dropped his hands, shoving them deep into the pockets of his shorts. “Save your breath, Riley, that shit’s wasted on me.”
Before I could think better of it, I reached out and skimmed my fingers down both sides of his face, cradling his strong jaw between my hands. The bristles of his stubble tickled my palms as I gazed at him steadily. “Be good, Dominic.”
A flurry of emotions far too quick to identify flashed across his features. After a low growl, Dominic wrapped me in his arms and I snaked my arms around his neck, breathing in the sweaty, intoxicating scent of him like some mad woman. I never wanted him to let me go, I wanted to stay protected in his embrace until the world stopped spinning and life made a heck of a lot more sense.
But it didn’t, and he did.
Chapter Six
Everything shifts,
I’m not satisfied.
I wear this mask,
My perfect disguise,
You won’t know the truth,
It’s my moment.
—MONDEZ, “Rules”
“So, you guys meet up in the afternoons, get all hot and sweaty but don’t screw each other’s brains out?”
I stared down at my peppermint tea. “We’re just friends, Mae.”
She guffawed. “Riley, Dominic’s a poster boy for triple orgasms.” She leaned across the table. “And he looks at you like you’re his last meal.”
I rubbed my tired eyes. In truth, I had been up most of the night trying to figure out what to do about Dominic. Since meeting him, I’d ridden a roller coaster of emotions. All of them exhausting. I mean, we both knew there was a strong attraction between us, but neither could give the other what they wanted. And even though we were slowly navigating our way through the uncharted territory of friends without benefits, that pesky magnetic pull kept forcing us to push the boundaries a bit further each time. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to lose my heart to the guy and that was bad, really bad.
“Nothing’s gonna happen between us, Mae. It just … can’t.”
“Why not? You’re single, he’s single, you’ve got a vagina, he’s got a penis. I really can’t see the issue here.”
After taking a sip of tea, I put it back down and squared my shoulders. “He never goes back for seconds.”
“What?”
“You heard me, he never goes back for seconds.”
The bitch threw her head back and laughed.
“I’m serious, Mae. Dominic never sleeps with the same woman twice, he told me so the first day we met.” I played with my cup. “And I’m not gonna start something that’s already got an expiration date. I mean, what’s the point? It’ll only mess with my head.” I tapped my temple with an index finger.
Mae sobered and then sighed. “Oh, honey. You
still seeing Doctor Powell?”
I nodded.
“When’s your next appointment?”
“Sometime next week. Can’t remember when exactly but it’s saved in my phone.”
“Okay then.” She paused. “What does Grace think about Dominic?”
Refusing to meet her eyes, I mumbled, “She, um, doesn’t know much about him.”
After a solid minute of silence, I braved a peek at Mae. Yeah, she didn’t look impressed. “You’ve been hiding this from her?”
“I wouldn’t say hiding exactly, that’s a pretty strong word.” I searched the room, hoping to find an answer for my reticence toward Grace somewhere in the gaudy orange floral prints that hung haphazardly on the white walls of the hospital cafe. Nothing.
My gaze shifted back to Mae. “I told her about first running into him on the beach but after that…”
“You know why you haven’t told her, don’t you?”
“Because I’m a horrible best friend?”
“No, because Grace would tell you to get your head out of your ass and face reality. If you can’t have casual sex and be done with it, then Dominic isn’t the guy for you. And why the hell would you hang around him as a friend? That shit’s just cruel.”
I put my head in my hands. “I know.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
Inhaling a deep breath, I placed my palms flat on the table and stared at them. “I’m going to take a step back.”
“Good girl.”
“I’ll put some distance between Dominic and me, ease out of this mess before I get in too deep.”
She nodded in agreement but then suddenly paused, her eyes lighting up. “That’s it. I’m a fucking genius.”
I didn’t trust the look on her face, not one bit, it always led to trouble.
“You’re going to date.”
“I, um, what?”
“You’re going to date. Think about it, Riley, distraction is key here, and what better way to divert some attention away from your kryptonite than with another man? Preferably one between your legs.”
“Oh, no. Mae, I—”
“That way, when you eventually see Dominic again, he won’t have such a hold over you. Do you know why?”
I shook my head, my mind reeling.
“Because you’ll be with a guy who’s not a complete clusterfuck, you’ll be with a guy who is boyfriend material.”
Mae tapped her pursed lips with a finger, musing, “Now, who can I set you up with?”
I stood abruptly and stared at her. “Look, I know you’re just trying to help but trust me, this isn’t the way to do it. You’re only adding to my problems.”
But she continued musing as though I hadn’t spoken. “Hmm, Neil from ER? I’m pretty sure he’s straight—”
“Mae.”
“Peter’s always had a thing for you—”
“Mae.”
The mischief in her eyes was unmistakable. “Bingo.”
I leaned forward, glaring at her. “No. No set-ups. No awkward first dates. No forced conversations. Nothing.”
“Hi, Robin.” Her singsong voice rang out over the coffee shop. Gripping the back of my chair, I hung my head with a barely suppressed groan. Footsteps approached, but I refused to look up.
Maybe if I stare at the table long enough it’ll swallow me whole?
“Hey, girls.”
Any minute now, table.
“Thank God you’re here, Robin.” I looked up and narrowed my eyes at Mae but she ignored me. Vixen. “We’ve got a situation and you’re just the man to help.”
“I am?” He looked between both of us, confused.
“You are.”
I swore under my breath.
“You see,” Mae folded her hands on the table top, like she was chairing a goddamn charity meeting or something. “Riley was telling me about this hot new dessert bar opening up on Geographe Bay Road, only I can’t go with her this Friday like we’d planned because something’s come up.”
“Okay.” Robin’s gaze shifted between Mae’s scheming expression and my apologetic one.
“Is there any chance you could take Riley?”
Robin looked at me.
C’mon portal to another dimension, open up, open up. Damn it, where are you when I need you?
“I was going to ask her out to dinner at Salt, but if she’d prefer dessert at Cacao, then that’s fine with me.” He smiled.
“You were?” I croaked.
Mae clapped her hands in excitement and a dimple appeared on Robin’s left cheek. I’d never noticed it before; it was cute. “I was.”
“Oh.”
I’m pretty sure my face is the color of a stop sign here.
“Would you like to go to Cacao with me on Friday night, Riley?”
My stomach did that little flip thing and I couldn’t help the smile which teased the corners of my mouth. “Yeah, I’d like that. Thanks.”
He took one of my hands, his thumb skimming over my knuckles. “How about I pick you up at eight?”
“Great.”
“I’ll get your details later in the week, okay?”
I nodded. “Okay.”
He looked at me for a moment longer, his hazel eyes searching. I wondered what he saw, amazement? Confusion? Gratitude? Thankfully, whatever was there seemed to please him because he gave me a lopsided grin, squeezed my fingers and murmured, “I’d better let you get back to work.”
Nodding wordlessly, I retrieved my hand and turned to walk toward the elevators as though in a dream. It was only when I stepped inside and pressed the button for the second floor that I realized Mae had already left.
Her next workout was going to make prison camp feel like a school dance.
****
Sadly, my natural high from the combination of scoring a date with Robin and the successful launch of Operation Dominic Detox was short lived. As soon as I ended my shift, stepped outside and lifted my face to the afternoon sun, my phone rang.
Shit.
It was Mum.
Sighing, I answered it, though not even ten minutes later, sorely wished I hadn’t. “Mum, hi. What’s up?”
“Riley, you need to come home straight away.” That woman was a theater director’s dream, even Moliere himself would have tipped his debonair hat at her melodramatic skills.
I sighed, steeling myself for the character role of evil villain to her innocent martyr.
“I think I’m dying.”
Rolling my eyes, I asked, “Again? What are your symptoms this time?” I wasn’t in the least bit concerned because Daniella Sears foresaw her own mortal downfall at least twice a year—mostly during the cold and flu season.
“You’re the nurse. Why don’t you use that university education your father and I paid for and formulate your own diagnosis?”
I didn’t even bother mentioning that she never once contributed financially to the family, or that I was in the process of paying Dad back every last penny of my university fees. To be honest, I just wanted to sever all ties and be rid of them both. But no, guilt always dragged me back. Every damn time.
I hated it.
“Where’s Dad?”
“Oh, forget about him. He’s lecturing at the Université Sorbonne, again.” For all her faults, Mum could really rock a French accent.
“Okay then, what about Matilda? Where’s she?” I was referring to Mum’s live-in cook/housekeeper/slave, take your pick. The poor woman was the only member of staff who managed to put up with my mother’s ridiculous demands without dousing her in kerosene and lighting a match.
Mum sniffed with disdain. “She’s taken personal leave. I don’t know why and quite frankly, I don’t care. The whole affair is a cruel inconvenience if you ask me.”
I took a deep, steadying breath. Mum’s flippancy toward the health and well-being of anyone other than herself really pissed me off. How dare she treat her staff with so little respect? How dare she ignore the physical and emotional challenge
s of the people who did everything in their power to please her?
My grip on the phone tightened.
“Pack your bags, Riley Jayne. You’re coming home.”
No, I’m not.
“Riley.”
No.
“NOW.”
Fuckety fuck fuck fuck.
Two and a half hours later, I once again braced myself before opening the door to the master suite. Earlier, I’d self-diagnosed Mum with a virus so there was nothing to be done about her temperature or muscle aches except rest, hydration and aspirin.
Just before leaving home I messaged Dominic, letting him know it was unlikely I would meet him for a run that week. What a depressing thought. It was for the best though, I needed to put some distance between us before I lost all sense of reason … and self-control. Definitely that too.
The worst part, however, was that I wouldn’t be able to exercise. With my days spent at work and nights spent looking after Mum, the only way I’d get an increased heart rate would be by letting my simmering frustration bubble to the surface. Not good. Without my daily run, suppressing the urge to smother my mother in her sleep was going to be practically impossible.
I peeked my head through the crack and Mum’s grey gaze scorched mine.
“It’s hot.”
I tread across the plush carpet. The room was a mirror image of mine directly down the hall. There was a king-sized bed on the west wall, flanked by two white bedside tables. At the foot of it stood a cream chaise with a cashmere throw rug casually draped across it. The cream colored walls, gold accents from the traditional artworks, hanging chandelier and the chiffon silk coverlet lent an air of renaissance-inspired opulence to the space. There were three floor-to-ceiling French doors which graced the north wall leading to a private balcony and each was boarded with heavy curtains. Like my own room, the small glass panels inside each window reminded me of prison bars.
I suppressed a shiver before swinging one of the doors open, wide open. “Better?”
Silence.
Turning around, I stared at my mother. She was lying in bed, her lavender silk nightie contrasting against the white Egyptian cotton sheets. Her head rested on several plump goose down pillows as she gazed indolently out the French doors.
It was easy to see why people often commented on our physical resemblances. Like me, Mum’s naturally blonde hair was straight, though only just reached the top of her shoulders, whereas mine hung midway down my back. Despite being bedridden, it was so well-styled she looked as though she had just stepped out of a salon. Our round, expressive eyes were often likened to those of a doe; however, where mine were a clear, sky blue, hers were an olive green which eloquently hinted at the stormy temper beneath. Our wide cheekbones and small, straight noses were identical, though and as far as I was concerned, that was where the similarities ended.