Page 69 of Restore Me

Hell, I’m certain he didn’t because if he had, Eric wouldn’t have practically lived with me freshman year.

Don’t get me wrong, the orgasms are nice, but it’s hard to feel like this waiting period is only about me adjusting. Maybe he’s delaying things because deep down he wants to renege on the offer he begged me to accept just last night. Maybe this morning made him realize being with me isn’t worth the trouble. The guilt. The lying. The sneaking around and hiding from the world. The potential to ruin relationships with people he’s known and loved all his life.

Since this whole thing started, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how this thing could impact my life, but I’d be lying if I said I thought about what it would mean for his. Probably because I know any fallout from this will have a longer, more lasting, effect on me. If anyone finds out about us, at best I’ll be the lying whore who spent her whole marriage lusting after her husband’s best friend and finally seduced him. At worst, I’ll be the shameless slut who fucked her husband’s best friend while he was still alive and kept up the affair after he was gone.

But Dominic?

He’ll just be the best friend who got caught in my web. A helpless man that couldn’t do anything to protect himself against my feminine wiles. He’ll be forgiven by Mama and Mal, revered by all the men in the Kent family for getting me to open my legs for him and repeatedly propositioned by the younger female relatives who will be desperate to have a taste of what I got to experience before he dropped me like a bad habit.

Suddenly, I’m thankful we’re going to dinner to talk things through because I know the first thing I want to discuss: an end date for our arrangement. A twinge of sadness goes through me at the thought of ending things before we’ve even really begun, but I know I have to do it. It doesn’t matter how good it feels right now, or how excited I am about getting a handle on my skin hunger issue, I can’t lie and sneak around with Dominic forever. The risk is too great, and my heart can’t take too many more situations like the one we had this morning.

Plus, knowing there’s a time limit on us might be exactly what Dominic needs to quit being so stubborn about this whole sex thing.

I square my shoulders, prepared to have one hard talk for a few weeks of Dominic in my bed and between my legs. I smile to myself as the elevator dings one final time. The doors slide open, and Dominic gestures for me to go first. His hand goes to my back as we leave the car and step out into a short hallway with walls covered in greenery and the hotel’s logo shining from a lit sign nestled in the vines on both walls. There’s a hostess standing at a booth to our right, a young white girl with long red hair and a bright smile who grabs two menus as soon as she sees us coming.

“Welcome to Cerros! My name is Sarah, and I’ll be your server for the evening. Please follow me to your table.” She saunters down the hall without even asking us what name our reservation is under.

My eyebrows fall together as I look up at Dominic. His features are schooled into a mask of indifference as we move down the uncharacteristically empty hallway. I’ve only been here once before, with a client who insisted on treating me and my team to dinner after a project wrapped, but it shouldn’t be so quiet on a Saturday night. Even if we are here earlier than most people.

“Dominic, why didn’t she ask for your…”

The rest of my question dies on my tongue as we come out on the other side of the hallway and step right into the empty dining area. My mouth falls open, and I gaze up at Dominic with an obvious, and questioning wonder. This is why he wasn’t worried about anyone seeing us tonight.

“You rented out the entire rooftop just to have dinner with me?”

I can’t keep the disbelief out of my voice. Just last night I was surprised that Ash made reservations at Hill House, but now I’m stunned. I couldn’t have ever dreamed someone, let alone Dominic, would do something like this for me.

Dominic gives me a long and heavy look, and I swear I see something—some emotion I can’t name—moving behind his eyes like shadows I can’t pin down no matter how badly I want to.

His hands come up to cradle my face. He rubs small circles on both of my cheeks before leaning down and brushing his nose across mine three times. Then his eyes are locked on mine, burning into me with a seriousness I can’t bear.

“Let’s take a seat, angel. I want to spend the entire evening staring at your lovely face and enjoying being in your presence without having to pretend like I don’t know what you sound like when you come.”

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23

Sloane

Now

Heat rushes to my cheeks at Dominic’s words. I’m starting to think the man gets off on making me blush. Pretty sure it’s the only thing he’s getting off on these days. Especially if what he said about not sleeping with Kristen in over a month is the truth. I have no way to confirm it, but for some reason, I believe him. I’ve known Dominic to be a lot of things, but a liar isn’t one of them.

Sarah stands off to the side, waiting patiently for us to take our seats at the table closest to the glass panes lining the edge of the rooftop. There are fresh-cut flowers and lit tea candles in the center of the table. Dominic releases my face and grabs my hand, pulling me gently towards the table. I follow quietly, still kind of stunned by his words and the incredibly romantic gesture he’s just made.

He pulls my chair out and makes sure to brush his fingers across my shoulders when I take my seat. I admire the way the denim hugs his ass as he moves around the table and folds himself into the chair across from me. Sarah sets a menu in front of each of us and takes our drink orders before disappearing, leaving us alone with the city of New Haven spread out before us.

“Dominic, this is…” I pause. “There aren’t words to describe what this means to me.”

His eyes are on my face, and he’s looking at me like he wants to burn the image of my pleasure into his mind. And there it is again. That stupid blush creeping up my cheeks, making me flush like a teenage girl. I can’t hold his gaze, so I focus on my menu instead.

He reaches across the table and lifts my chin. “I’d do anything to put a smile on your face, Sloane. Just say the word and it’s yours.”

“Anything, huh? I can think of at least one thing you won’t give me even though I’ve asked for it repeatedly.”

He runs a thumb across my bottom lip, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Patience is a virtue, angel.”

“That’s what they say.” I agree, taking his hand in my own. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to having the right to touch him like this. I press a kiss to his palm, just because I can, before letting it go. “But it’s never been something I’ve excelled at.”

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