As I drift off to sleep, I cling to the hope that he'll be back with more.
Chapter Eight
"Men are idiots." Callie announces the next morning, when I've surfaced from my painkiller haze. I feel raw and bruised, but nothing hurts too badly, just an ache in my wrist. Mostly, I'm just shaken up, but the girls are trying their best to distract me with a schedule of bad reality TV and snacks. "Dominic is a hot idiot, though," she adds.
Emily stretches out next to me. "Hot doesn't make up for him waiting until Juliet nearly died before he'd talk to her."
"Hey," I stop her, feeling a cold shiver. "Let's not think about that part."
"Sorry." Em gives my hand a squeeze.
Callie puts a movie in the DVD player, turns the volume down low, and sits on my other side. I'm a roommate sandwich. Since Dominic dropped me off, these two have hovered like the mother hens they are-feeding me, helping me shower, tucking me into bed, annoying the hell out of me.
I'm grateful for their overprotective company because I don't want to be alone right now. Every time I close my eyes, I think about the accident and worry about Xander. I really need to focus on something else, for my own sanity.
Like Dom.
"The hot idiot kissed me," I confess.
Callie and Em whip their heads around.
"It was probably the adrenaline." I sigh. "You know, a stress-kiss."
"A man like that does not stress-kiss. Everything he does is intentional."
Callie has a point. At least, I hope she does. The crash, going through something like that, it made everything clear for me.
I still love Dom. I need him in my life.
I can only hope he feels the same.
We're just about done with another episode of some home makeover show doorbell sounds. Emily scoots down to go answer, and a moment later, Dom is standing in the doorway. He looks like he hasn't slept, but he's never been hotter: sexy two-day stubble on his jaw, his clothing rumpled and out of place.
"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" he says, but his expression is relieved.
"Hi," is all I can manage in response. I'm suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, and it's all I can do to keep from crying like a baby.
"Oh. Hi." Callie's voice is higher than normal. "I'll go help Em with … screw it. I'm out of here." She bolts off the bed and shuts the door behind her.
I try and sit straighter, but my ribs burst with pain.
"Don't move," Dom rushes to my side and tenderly helps me sit forward so he can reposition my pillow. "Better?"
"Thanks." I settle back. "How's Xander? Is he awake yet?"
"They repaired his spleen," Dom says with obvious relief. "He's out of recovery and already flirting with the nurses."
"That's Xander," I try to laugh, but a tear slides down my cheek instead. "Oh God, if anything had happened to him … "
"Shh." Dom pulls me close. "It's okay now. Everything is okay."
I realize how much tension I've been holding, waiting for news. "I owe him my life, Dominic. He saved me. If he hadn't turned the car-"
He wraps his arms around me softly. "Don't. I can't think about losing you." He pauses, and then his voice is choked with emotion. "Tell me it's not too late."
I pull back and see his face, the searching look in his dark eyes. Full of tenderness.
"Tell me," he demands. "Tell me I haven't lost you. That I can spend the rest of my life making up to you."
Even after everything I've been through in the past twenty-four hours, my heart swells with happiness.
I can see it in his eyes – the way he used to look at me, before he discovered the truth. I wondered if I'd ever see that affection again, if it were too late to repair the damage we've both done. But that crash changed everything. Now I know we're going to be OK.
"It's not too late," I tell him softly. Dom's face changes. He reaches to cup my cheek and kiss me, but I stop him. "But I need to know it's behind us, that you won't hold it over my head. You have to forgive me for real."
"Only if you can forgive me," Dom replies. "God, I can't believe I was so cruel to you. The things I said … I was beyond out of line. You have to know, it was only because I was hurting so much. I felt so betrayed."
"I know," I reassure him. And then there's nothing left to say.
He kisses me slowly, tenderly, like he's scared I could break. I pull him closer, already feeling the fire ignite deep inside. It feels so right to be with him again, the manly scent of him overwhelming me, the rasp of his stubble against my cheek, the slow slide of his tongue licking into my mouth. I moan, arching against him. I can't get close enough-I need to be pressed against every inch of him and have him deep inside. It's the only way to satisfy the craving he's unleashed in me.
I move to loop my arms around his neck … and nearly club him in the head with my cast.
"Sorry," I laugh.
"Probably better leave that arm down. In fact … Why don't you relax?" He slowly leans me back against the pillows. His fingers skim my collarbone, sending shivers through me.
Dom's eyes are dark, and flashing with a new lust as he surveys my body, wearing just a thin tank top and sleep shorts. My skin prickles, realizing we're alone with a locked door and a bed.
The perfect combination.
Dom clearly thinks so too, because his mouth quirks in a sexy smile. "Let me take care of you tonight."
He slides the covers down my body, exposing me inch by inch. His smile slips when he sees the bruises on my legs, and peeking out from under my shirt.
"It's OK," I tell him quickly. "I'm just a little sore."
"My poor baby," he murmurs, lowering his head to drop delicate kisses on the bruised flesh. "You've been so brave."
My body tenses as he kisses lower, but this time it's with delicious anticipation.
"Lay back, Juliet." He orders. "I'm going to make you feel better."
Taking my sweatshirt from the bed, he moves my arms up above my head, and loosely binds them to my headboard.
"Just to make sure you don't injure your wrist again," he says, faux-concerned.
I wriggle, testing the bonds. "We wouldn't want that."
Dom rocks back on his heels and looks down at me. I feel naked – exposed, and totally turned on.
"Now I've got you to myself, what am I going to do with you?" Dominic kisses a wandering trail down my body.
"I've got a few ideas," I say, arching to meet his mouth.
"Oh really?" He inches my tank top over my head. "Tell me."
I bite my lip. "Well … Let's just say, you could start at the top and work your way down."
He smirks. "Here?" Dom leans down and drops a kiss on my forehead.
"Lower."
He kisses my neck.
"Getting warmer," I smile.
"Hmmm … " Dom kisses lower, finally grazing the swell of my breast.
"Yes. There. Right there."
I fall back against the pillows as he kisses and licks my breasts. He brings my nipples into two hard peaks before finally taking them into his hot mouth, sucking each in turn until I'm panting.
"Dom," I groan, already so turned on I can feel the familiar slick ache between my thighs. He moves down, pressing kisses along my sensitive ribs, over my belly.
"Don't worry, baby," he says against my skin. "I'm going to take real good care of you. Every last inch."
He slips off my shorts and slowly parts my legs. I look down at the top of his dark head as he settles between my thighs. I want to touch him, but my hands are bound. I can't do anything but wait, holding my breath as Dom trails a finger over the top of my mound. Teasing.
"I've missed your taste," he says, his breath hot against me. "I could eat you for days."
I shiver with anticipation. And then he lowers his mouth and licks up against me in a hot, wet stroke. Electric sparks dart through my blood as I arch against him. His tongue slides over my clit with agonizing slowness, again and again.
It's devastatingly good. He swirls his tongue, presses harder, softer, skimming his fingers along my skin. I can barely stay on the mattress. Pleasure builds in all directions, the frustratingly sweet pace of his tongue nudging me higher.
And moving lower.
I yelp in surprise as he curls my legs flat against my chest and I feel the wet stroke of his tongue swirling over my asshole.
"Shh," Dom lifts his head with a wicked smirk. "You need to be quiet. Unless you want your roommates to know exactly what I'm doing to your sweet ass."
He slips a finger back there too, testing at the tight pucker of my ring. My cheeks burn, but I don't want him to stop. It's a new, illicit heat building. I wriggle closer and shake my head.
"I'll be good," I whisper. "I won't say a word. Not even if you---Ohhh … "
I fall back against the pillows as he returns his mouth to me. Rimming the tight knot of muscles then easing his finger just inside.