I nodded and smiled feeling his fingers caress my skin ever so gently. He brushed aside a strand of hair and I looked at the droplets of sweat running down his face. Gosh, our sex was amazing and so out of this world. I couldn’t imagine going back to vanilla again.
“I’m more than fine, master.”
He smiled the cutest smile, like his raging libido had suddenly disappeared, and pecked me on the nose. “You know, I think you can call me Dom now. I’d like it if you do. Dominic is fine too.”
I gaped at him. “Really? You’re just throwing the whole ‘master’ thing overboard now?”
“No, not really,” he said, chuckling. “I just want to keep it only for the playroom. In here. Our dirty little secret.” He winked at me. “I just like the way you call me by my name. Like the sound of it.”
My lips curled up into a cheeky smile. “You like the way I say your name? Isn’t that cute. I never thought you’d be the guy who said such sweet things. Cheese ball.”
We both laughed. Looking into his eyes, I couldn’t help but see this vulnerable man. He was so visible, so naked, yet so closed in by this shell, this image he was putting up. There were some parts of his life he wasn’t showing me yet, but I knew, I could see that there was more to him than just this sexiness he portrayed.
He nuzzled me and placed both his hands just under my jaw line, cupping my face. He leaned forward and put his lips on mine. He was gentle, soft, this time, full of passion and desire, but not raw like before. This was sweet and tender. The kisses blazed their way into my heart.
Chapter 6
We’d only just dressed ourselves when the phone rang. Dominic ran off to get it in time and I came after him when I got my regular clothes back on. He paced up and down, his brows furrowed, a stern, concerned look on his face.
“What? What do you want?” he said with a higher pitch.
His pacing became more like stomping. “No, Goddammit, I will not. Don’t call me again!” he shouted, and then slammed the phone on the table.
“What’s wrong?” I said, leaning into him. He snorted loudly, his nostrils flaring. I tried to hug him, but he pulled away.
“Who was that, Dom?”
“No one,” he said with clenched teeth. “Work-related.”
I couldn’t help but think it was the woman who’d sent a message to him a couple of nights ago. Was he trying to get rid of her? Or was it someone else? My mind was spinning with questions I had no answer to and Dominic wouldn’t give them either.
“I have to go,” he said, and he grabbed his coat and stormed out the door.
It only took me a few seconds to decide to go after him. Screw the rules. I needed to know what he was doing and what was happening.
I grabbed my coat and followed him, staying far enough so he wouldn’t spot me. I hid behind bushes, trees and houses whenever I couldn’t walk behind him. He walked down the street, muttering swearwords, kicking trash bags and pebbles along the way. Then he went through a gate and into a cemetery.
What the hell is he doing there?
I tiptoed after him and hid behind a tree when he stopped at a grave. He sank to his knees and brushed away the dirt from the gravestone. His back was buckled and then it started to jerk up and down. His hand went to his face and he wiped something away. I swallowed away the tears. My eyes couldn’t cope seeing him in pain.
“Why did you have to leave me this mess, dad?” he screamed at the tablet.
My eyes widened hearing that.
“What am I supposed to do? I can’t deal with this.” Dominic’s voice was raspy and I could hear him sniff in between.
I couldn’t bear seeing him like this anymore. I needed to do something about it. To be there for him when he was obviously in pain, for whatever reason.
I moved forward and when I came close enough he grew silent in an instant. I stopped.
“I know you’re there, Julie,” he said, after a while. “I’ve known since you left the house.”
“Oh …” I slumped, defeated.
We were both quiet for some time. I didn’t know if he’d be mad, but I knew I couldn’t just let this be.
I bent over and put my arms around his shoulders. I kissed his tousled blonde hair and tried to wish the tears away. I felt him sob underneath.
“I don’t like to see you in pain, Dom,” I whispered.
He turned around in my arms and looked me straight in the eye. His blue eyes were clouded, his face red and contorted. He pushed his head into my chest and clenched his fingers around my coat. The cry that came out sounded more like a howl.
I shushed him, forcing away my own tears, as he heavily weeped against me. I patted his back and tried to calm him.