Sex for Beginners Box Set(84)

When he stood, the wind cooled her skin where their bodies had worked up a sweat. He pulled away from her gently, then turned her around in his arms.

“That was pretty great,” he said, his voice low and raspy. His breathing hadn’t yet returned to normal.

“Yes,” she murmured in agreement.

“I’m starving. Let’s go get something to eat.”

She wanted to go…she wanted to prolong the fantasy of being Dominick’s girlfriend, but in her mind she fast-forwarded to the place where the relationship would inevitably blow apart.

“I don’t think so,” she said. “I need to pick up Winslow, and I’d like to make some phone calls.”

“Oh.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Okay. I guess I thought…”

She leaned over to roll up her panties. She couldn’t find her bra in the darkness and decided to look for it later. She straightened. “Thought what?”

He hesitated, then shook his head. “Never mind.”

Violet strode past him and stepped back into the room. Better to act aloof, especially now. Because earlier, when she’d experienced the sensation of falling, it had nothing to do with falling over the edge of the balcony…but everything to do with falling in love with Dominick.





15




Christmas Eve

VIOLET HAD ENTERTAINED fantasies about being licked awake, but the reality didn’t quite live up to the dream—especially since her early-morning admirer had big eyes and an underbite.

“Good morning, Winslow.” She stroked his head and smiled at the clear, bright sun shining through the window of her bedroom. Suddenly, she realized what day it was. “It’s Christmas Eve!” she exclaimed, bounding out of bed.

Picking up on her excitement, Winslow jumped down and followed her to the window, barking.

“Shh! You might wake Dominick. He was probably out late again last night.”

At the mention of Dominick’s name, the dog growled.

She pointed her finger. “No growling.” Then Violet sighed and crouched to pick up the dog, cradling him against her chest. “Besides,” she whispered, “I think I love him.”

Winslow angled his hairy head at her.

“I know. It’s crazy and it’s going nowhere. But it’s wonderful to be in love for Christmas. It’s like a gift I wasn’t expecting.” She pushed her nose against the dog’s cold little snout. “And you can’t tell anyone.”

He whined.

Violet smiled and used one hand to slide open the window. The sounds of the ocean and gulls rushed in to envelop her. The view stretched before her like a postcard—azure water, majestic palm trees, turquoise sky, winding beach. It wasn’t the snow she’d hoped to see for Christmas, but if she squinted, the white sand was a passable facsimile.

At least she wouldn’t be alone for Christmas.

She set Winslow on the floor, wincing at her sore muscles but conceding that she’d put her body through a lot in the past few days. The jumping, the climbing, the swinging…

And the sex.

She picked up a pillow from the bed and hugged it to her chest. Being with Dominick was so exhilarating, so exciting that just thinking about having his body inside hers sent chills over her skin.

So this was what Dr. Alexander had meant when she’d explained to her students the delights of intense sexual chemistry. Dominick made her feel as if she were going to fly apart from sheer pleasure, and it wasn’t just the sex—it was the time and the place and the passion. The Sex for Beginners class had given her a peek into an erotic world, but Dominick had allowed her to experience it.

In hindsight, it wasn’t surprising that sex with Dominick would be electrifying—the man, after all, had constructed a business around his hobby of extreme sports. It only made sense that all his physical pursuits would be just as zealous.

Violet sighed. No wonder women were crazy for the man. He was handsome, sexy, successful, fun-loving and always on the hunt for a new challenge. But she could also see how his short attention span could spell disaster for anyone in a relationship with him. Inevitably, he would move on when something more interesting came along.

She put the pillow back on the bed and fluffed it idly. That was why she had to keep her feelings for Dominick to herself. When they returned to Atlanta and went their separate ways, no one would know what had transpired in Miami. She would simply be one of dozens of women who had fallen under his spell and lived to dream about it.

She dressed quickly, donning another black suit and one of the sleeveless blouses that Lillian had loaned her. She didn’t know how she and Dominick were going to spend the day, but she thought it best to dress for business. It seemed likely they wouldn’t be taking any more extreme sports classes.

Which probably meant no more sex, she realized, since they wouldn’t be rubbing against each other all day.

She frowned into the mirror and gave her ponytail an extra yank to make it even tighter.

When she slipped from her bedroom with Winslow trotting at her feet, she was surprised to see the sliding glass door to the balcony standing open. Dominick sat outside, reading the newspaper and sipping a cup of coffee, looking fit and relaxed in shorts and a T-shirt. He looked up and smiled, then waved.

Her heart expanded and she chastised herself—she couldn’t go around with her newfound feelings for him written all over her face. She didn’t want to put Dominick in an awkward situation, and she could do without the humiliation of rejection, especially on the heels of her parents’ abandonment. She’d gotten more from this trip than she’d ever expected and she was grateful for the memories that would last a lifetime.

It would have to be enough.

She schooled her face into a nonchalant expression and walked over to the open doorway, struck anew by the memory of what had transpired there last night. Her throat tightened and her breasts tingled. In the daylight, the railing looked innocuous, not at all like a prop for a session of earth-shattering sex.

“Good morning,” Dominick said cheerfully.

Standing next to her, Winslow bared his teeth and growled.

“Good morning,” she murmured, then chastised the dog.

He nodded to a carafe on the table next to his chair. “Want coffee?”

“Sure.” She reached for the empty cup he’d set out, but next to it, neatly folded, was the bra she’d been wearing last night, the one she couldn’t find…afterward. Her face flamed as she discreetly stuffed it in her jacket pocket. She was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde—by day she was uptight and proper, but in Dominick’s arms, she became a wild sex kitten. A breeze picked up and she was suddenly reminded how high they were. Feeling overwhelmed by the physical and emotional onslaught, she took a step backward, flailing for the stability of the door frame. Dominick looked up, his face creased in concern, and stood to steady her.

“Are you okay, Vee?”

But his touch only increased her distress. She gave a nervous little laugh and pulled away. “On second thought, I think I’ll take Winslow for a walk.” She turned and went back inside, breathing deeply to calm her nerves.

Dominick followed her, juggling his paper and the coffee as he closed the sliding door behind him. “Do you want to get some breakfast?”

She wanted to go with him. If he’d made eye contact with her, had asked the question in a way or a tone that made it seem as if he cared, she would’ve joined him. Instead, his voice was casual and his gaze elsewhere, and she knew he was only asking to be polite.

“Thank you, but I think I’ll pass,” she murmured, thinking she could use the walk to start weaning her body and her heart away from Dominick. He’d brought her here to do a job, after all. “What’s on the agenda today?”

He smiled. “It’s Christmas Eve, you know.”

She nodded, her chest constricting.

“So, I thought we might do something…Christmasy.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Like what?”

He extended the newspaper to her. “Like this.”

She glanced at the story headline—Local Charity Asks for Help Delivering Christmas Cheer to Kids.

“They need toys,” he said, looking almost sheepish. “And I was hoping you’d help me shop.”

Her heart unfurled with warmth and something else—hope. Perhaps Dominick Burns wasn’t the shallow, narcissistic playboy that everyone made him out to be. She blinked back sudden moisture before she made an idiot of herself for being so tender-hearted. “I think that’s a wonderful gesture, Dominick, and I’d be happy to help you.”

He grinned. “Good. There’s a mall nearby with a big toy store.”

She bit her lip. “Can we take Winslow?”

He glanced down at the dog standing between them. “Sure, it’s Christmas.” He reached down to pet the dog’s head, but Winslow snapped at him. Dominick jerked back and frowned. “When you’re finished walking Mr. Sunshine, stop by the café and we’ll leave from there.”

* * *

VIOLET SMILED AS she watched Dominick show a group of kids how to balance on a skateboard. It hadn’t taken him long to draw a crowd, and the kids watched him in rapt attention. He extolled the virtues of outdoor sports, then thrilled everyone—clerks included—when he announced that every kid in the store could have their pick of skates, stand-up scooter, or skateboard.