DOM: Chapter 8

My mouth drops open.

I blink at the phone screen.

Did he… Is Dominic really in Vegas right now?

My heart starts to beat faster.

Dom is in Vegas.

Holy crap. Dom is in Vegas.

My palms start to sweat.

I’m going to see Dominic again. Tonight.

I take an Uber to the resort we’re all staying at and hurry through check-in so I can freshen up in my room.

I wasn’t packing for a weekend with Dom. I was packing for a weekend with some of the women I work with. So I’m forced to pick the sexier of the two outfits I brought and hope it’s good enough for whatever we end up doing.

I smooth my hands down the black silk tank top I have tucked into my high-waisted, wide-legged black pants that are long enough to cover my three-inch wedges.

The elevator doors open in front of me, and I get in, selecting the main floor.

Our group agreed to meet in the lobby in—I check my phone—one minute. Then we were going to walk across the street for dinner.

Except I’m about to tell them that I’m bailing.

Because Dominic is picking me up in sixteen minutes so that I can have dinner with him.

The elevator stops, and I step out, spotting my group immediately.

“Hey, Val!” one of the ladies calls out to me.

We all work in different cities, so we normally only see each other on web calls, but everyone still greets me with a hug.

It makes me feel bad about ditching because they’re all so nice. But I don’t feel so bad that I’ll skip this opportunity to see Dominic.

I tell Bri, the newly engaged woman from our Chicago branch, congratulations on her upcoming wedding. Then I decide to dive right in before anyone can start a conversation.

“Okay, so, please don’t hate me, but I just found out this guy I’ve been, um, talking to is in Vegas right now. And I’m going to go have dinner with him.” I start talking faster as I go, feeling guilty and nervous. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t know he was gonna be here until I was practically on the plane. And I really want to see him. And he’s so damn good looking.”

The girl from Dallas holds up her hands to stop me. “Val, trust me, we get it. Good dick is hard to come by.”

My cheeks flame.

“You have met him, though, right?” Bri asks. “This isn’t like an online thing, and he just so happens to be in Vegas.”

I press my hands against my cheeks to cool them down. “I promise we’ve met before.”

The first girl snickers. “Yeah, you have.”

I flip my hands over, hoping the backs of my hands will be cooler. “I can try to find you guys later.” I give the half-hearted offer.

“No way.” Bri shakes her head. “The schedule for the weekend is in our emails. You go do you. If you want to meet up, you know where to find us. But if you end up spending the whole weekend banging this guy, just check in and let us know you’re alive.”

I lift my hands away and use them to fan my face. My little wristlet purse flaps with the motion.

“Deal.” I blow out a breath. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”

The girl from St. Louis pats my shoulder. “Because dating is terrifying.”

I laugh. “It kinda is, isn’t it?”

She nods, and we all turn, starting toward the main entrance.

They’ll head down the strip a block, and I’ll just wait outside the doors for Dom.

We’re halfway across the lobby when Bri curses under her breath. “Fuck me.”

My eyes snap up to the doors.

And standing there, a few yards away, on the other side of the glass, is Dominic.

My Dominic.

My Big Guy.

And damn… I forgot just how big he is. Tall and wide and filling out the black material of his suit like it’s his job.

His eyes are locked on mine. The blue is so clear, even at this distance, that it makes me want to run to him. To throw myself into his arms.

But I don’t do that.

I just keep walking.

And staring.

Because he’s walking, too.

The automatic door slides open as he approaches the other side, and he doesn’t break his stride, his trajectory obvious.

“Holy shit, is that your guy?” Dallas hisses.

I try to bite down on my smile, but it doesn’t work because there’s no stopping the way he makes me feel.

And he’s so close.

Close enough that I can see the tattoos on his chest, since his black shirt has the top two buttons undone.

Close enough that we all hear him when he replies, “Yeah, I’m her guy.”

“I want to switch itineraries with Val,” St. Louis grumbles.

“Ladies.” Dom nods to my friends before he turns all his attention to me. “Valentine.”

He says my name a little deeper, with a little more gravel in his tone.

I think one of the girls groans.

“Hi, Dominic.” My voice is surprisingly steady.

He holds his hand out, and I step forward to place my palm against his.

Dom lowers his face to press a kiss against the corner of my mouth. “My little Angel, all dressed in black. How delicious.”

Okay, so I shouldn’t have even bothered with underwear.

Dominic straightens and nods once more to my little group of coworkers before he pulls me along, back toward the entrance.

After a few steps, I glance back over my shoulder to see four stunned faces staring after me.

Dallas lifts her brows and mouths holy fuck.

I grin back at her.

Because yeah. Holy fuck.