Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96129 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96129 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
“We didn’t even go on a date.” I looked at Gabe. That was when I saw the amusement in his eyes and realized he was joking. JOKING AT A TIME LIKE THIS. I pushed his chest hard again.
He chuckled but turned serious quickly. “I specifically asked him not to get involved with you.”
“You can’t ask that of him.”
“I love him. I trust him with my life.” Gabe nodded toward his brother. “But as your friend, and knowing everything you’ve told me about your life, I feel like I need to tell you that I don’t think this is a good idea. You’ve been through enough. This isn’t what you need.”
“And you think you know what she needs?” Dominic asked, his voice short. I heard it a little closer now. “Let me guess, you want to offer her your services too.”
“I mean,” Gabe said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “If that’s what she – ”
Dominic was just one step away from us in a flash. “If you finish that sentence, I swear to God, brother or not, I will fucking kill you, so choose your words very carefully,” he said quietly, the warning clear.
“I should go,” I whispered, crossing my arms so my hands would stop shaking.
I took a step back, distancing myself from both of them. Gabriel wasn’t wrong, but I didn’t expect him to warn me away from his own brother.
“I think that’s a good idea.” Gabe smiled. I turned and started walking to the door.
“You’ll stay.” The command came from Dominic.
I froze in my tracks and turned around. I looked up at him, meeting that dangerous gaze that everyone seemed to shy away from. Everyone except his brother, who obviously had a death wish, and me, since I knew he’d never hurt me.
“I’m going,” I said, as quietly, as cutting, as clearly as he had. “You obviously need to work this out with your brother and my dad just called me, so I have my own family to visit.”
I turned around again and walked toward the door, slipping my feet into the boots I had there. I grabbed my jacket and threw it on quickly, my bag next, and opened the door, pausing at the force of the chilly wind that hit me.
“Rosie,” Dom said, his voice softer, closer now. “Don’t go.”
“I’ll be back tonight,” I said to the sidewalk.
“It is tonight.”
It wasn’t. It wasn’t even six o’clock.
I didn’t turn around, but I suddenly felt him at my back. He brought an arm around me, flat against my stomach, and pulled me flush against his hard chest. I felt his warmth behind me, slipping inside me and spreading, threatening to take over. I shut my eyes against the feel of it, fighting the tears that pricked my eyes, knowing that if I focused on how good he made me feel, I’d stay, and I couldn’t. He must have known it, must have sensed it somehow, the way he seemed to sense everything else about me.
“Baby,” he whispered against my ear.
“Dominic. Please don’t.” I shivered, screwing my eyes shut tighter. He wasn’t playing fair.
“Baby,” he whispered again, rougher this time, pressing his face into my hair. “Please stay.”
“I’ll be back.” My voice shook.
I took a steadying breath and opened my eyes, grabbing his hands and lowering them as I turned around to face him. God, he was so fucking beautiful. I brought a hand up and ran the tips of my fingers over the perpetual five o’clock shadow on his face. He shut his eyes for a moment, as if savoring it. When his gaze found mine again, he looked raw, open, letting me see all of him in that split second.
“I don’t want you to leave like this.” He searched my eyes. “Will you come back?”
“I’m going to have dinner at my dad’s.” I smiled at him and wondered if my expression looked as torn as I felt. “But yes. I’ll be back.”
“Marco’s going with you.”
I didn’t argue. There was no point. I took a step away from him when he caught me by the waist and pulled me to him, pressing his lips against mine. What started as a chaste goodbye kiss turned into a slow heat that ran down my spine, through my entire body, and settled between my legs. I broke the kiss first and watched as he opened his eyes ever so slowly. I loved this man. I really did. And yet my own fear, which Gabe had now confirmed, kept me from speaking those words. He pressed one last kiss against my forehead, his eyes torn, looking like he was struggling to let me go, but he did. I took a deep breath and turned around quickly, shutting my jacket tighter as I walked down the steps and headed to the car. It was colder than it had been in weeks, but the thought of seeing my dad and brother warmed me right up.