Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
He shrugged. “Partly.” Then he set the notebook down and cupped my face, tilting my head back expertly. “I also wanted to see you.” His words were warm against my lips, and then his hot mouth was on mine.
It should have felt strange to have Dominic kissing me like he wanted to devour me in the middle of Mrs. Kloss’s breakfast room on a Saturday morning, but instead it felt right. Kissing Dominic anytime, anywhere, felt right.
We broke apart as the sound of footsteps came down the hall, but it was only Mrs. Kloss’s nurse with her morning medications.
“I think she’s in the great room,” I said, fighting the urge to sweep my hands over my hair and tug my shirt back into place.
The nurse nodded crisply and disappeared, not seeming to notice that she’d interrupted anything. I gave into the urge to fix my hair and shirt, scooting my chair back from Dominic’s as I did so. “We’re going to get caught,” I warned.
He caught the edge of the seat in his strong grip and refused to let me wiggle back further. “Come to my place for dinner. I’ll cook.”
“I can’t tonight. Christi and I are going to a sing-along showing of Elf.”
Dominic’s eyes flickered – amusement or annoyance, I couldn’t tell. “Tomorrow night then.”
“Isn’t that a bad idea?” I whispered. “Considering…”
His gaze skimmed over me, lingering at my throat. “It’s risky,” he admitted. “I tell myself I can keep my hands off you, but I can’t even seem to stay away from you.”
I swayed toward him. It was the same for me. Sometimes I had the best of intentions of getting off this emotional rollercoaster, but then I saw him again, and I didn’t even care if my seat belt was fastened. I just wanted the rush.
We heard footsteps again, and this time they were accompanied by the sound of voices. Christi and Mrs. Kloss were on their way back.
“You decide,” Dominic said, straightening in his chair. “I’ll be there.”
Dominic left shortly after. Mrs. Kloss and Christi didn’t say anything, but their silence had an expectant quality. Though Mrs. Kloss was old enough to be our grandmother, maybe even our great grandmother, I had a glimpse of what it would be like to have two sisters instead of one. Two people to trade glances and raise their eyebrows over you.
“He came to make sure we were on budget,” I said finally when the weight and expectation got too heavy.
“Right, of course. The budget,” Christi agreed. “Because he couldn’t just ask to see your extensive spreadsheets or check with you on Monday.”
“I think he’s in love with you,” Mrs. Kloss said happily, her eyes sparkling from their nest of pale white folds. She clasped her hands tightly together and hunched her shoulders up to her ears, the bells on her sweater tinkling with the movement.
“I don’t think so,” I laughed. “I think that’s the last thing he wants.”
“Love doesn’t care what you want,” Mrs. Kloss said, her shoulders dropping, wisdom lending her words a momentous quality that sent chills racing down my spine. “Love tells you what you want.” She peered at me. “What do you want, dear?”
I tried to speak, but the words stuck in my throat.
Christi said them for me. “She wants him. All of him,” she added before I could say anything. “Even if she claims otherwise.”
I wanted to deny it, but I couldn’t. Not with Mrs. Kloss’s eyes piercing into mine with so much love and understanding that I felt it all the way to my heart. I offered a helpless shrug instead. “There’s no point in thinking about it. It would take a miracle to change him into the kind of man I want him to be.”
“What kind of man is that?” Mrs. Kloss inquired gently.
I shrugged again, finding it hard to put into words. I knew Dominic was capable of the type of love I wanted, it was just that his devotion was tied up in bonds forged when Jake’s dad died. He didn’t have enough left of himself for me. “It would just take a miracle,” I repeated quietly.
“Well, dear, it is Christmas.” Mrs. Kloss reached over and slipped her small hand into mine. The bones felt as delicate and hollow as a bird’s. Her skin was papery soft. “If ever there’s a time for miracles, this is it.”
21
DOMINIC
Selena didn’t come. She sent me a text that morning saying she wasn’t, but I still waited for her. I sat out on the covered patio where we’d had dinner just a few nights ago and stared out at the view she was so taken by until the lights of the cityscape blurred together, and my glass of wine was empty. I hadn’t expected her to go back on her word – I was learning that Selena’s soft skin and doll-like beauty hid a steel core. She did what she said she would no matter what it cost her.