Warm fingers intertwined with mine, making me look down in surprise. His tattooed hand looked almost comically large compared to mine.
A breeze swept past, carrying with it the earthy scent of rain-soaked pavement. I didn’t know where we were headed, but for once, I didn’t care.
“So, if you’re just visiting, where do you go to school?”
“Georgia,” he said without hesitation, slowly stroking the back of my hand with his thumb. Back and forth, back and forth.
Why did that feel so good? So…intimate?
“A good old Southern boy,” I teased him.
“What gave me away?” The smile that almost never seemed to leave his lips widened a little more.
“Darlin’,” I imitated him with my best attempt at a Southern drawl.
“That wasawful,” he laughed, and I shrugged. He’s not wrong. “Where’s home for you?”
“Colorado.”
“Really? I’ve never been any further west than Missouri. Do you miss it?” He kept glancing over like he was cataloging my reactions, like they mattered.
LikeImattered. It was unnerving. And kind of addictive.
Meanwhile, I’d dated a guy who once forgot my birthday but celebrated the anniversary of his singular hole-in-one. My ex only ever looked at me that closely when I had something on my face — or when we were in public, and he needed the photo op.
How the hell had I convinced myself that was enough?
Honestly, past me should be banned from making decisions.
“What amisery,” I said, making a play on Missouri. “Just kidding. I do miss it, especially the lower humidity, but it’s definitely nice to see something different.”
He let out a snort of laughter at my poor attempt at making a joke. “Maybe I’ll get a chance to check it out one day. I hear those mountains are pretty to look at.”
“Absolutely. Although… if you’ve seen them all your life like I have, they’re probably more special to you. I love the mountains, but I’d give anything to see the ocean.”
“Are you shitting me? You’ve never been to the ocean?” is eyes nearly popped out of his head. It was as if the idea that someone had never seen the ocean was beyond comprehension.
“Colorado is landlocked, remember?” I couldn’t help but sound a little defensive. “Not every family can afford a vacation at the ocean, or shit, a vacation at all.”
“Fuck, sorry. That came out wrong,” he said hastily and stopped, bringing me to a halt as well. “My hometown is only an hour away from the coast. Going to the beach is something that’s normal at home. I just sometimes forget that it’s not athing everywhere. My family is definitely not theexotic beach vacation-kind.”
“It’s okay,” I said, trying to reassure him, and flashed him a small smile. “Guess you always want what you can’t have.”
Dom’s eyes locked on mine, unblinking, before a soft chuckle broke the silence and he shook his head. “Guess so.”
He started walking again, our hands still intertwined. I followed him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
We passed under the glow of a streetlight, around which several insects were already buzzing. His rust-colored hair contrasted sharply with the black leather jacket that hugged his broad shoulders.
On the one hand, I was glad he was just visiting because I was definitely not ready for anything serious again. At the same time, part of me mourned the fact that we would probably only spend one night together.
His confidence brought out a different side of me, something I didn’t even know was there. Guess it was meant to be just one night.
Dom glanced back at me and winked.Goddamn. Something inside me clenched involuntarily.
What I would have deemed obnoxious coming from any other guy drove me wild when he did it.What was happening?
“Was BRU your first choice?” he asked out of the blue.
