Page 35 of Say Yes To The Fake Date

I watch him walk away and realize I never said anything about having an office upstairs or about getting a house together.

The afternoon flies by. I ended up eating alone because Dom got busy in the garage, but that’s okay because it gave me time to think about things. It’s almost closing time, and I pack up my bag. I walk out into the garage, and as soon as Dom sees me, he looks at my tote bag. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I need to go to the house. I’m sure my mom iswondering where I’ve been.”

He walks toward me. “Stay.”

I bite my lip. I want to stay, but I haven’t told my mom about Dom, and I feel like I need to before she finds out about it from someone else.

“Dom, you have a visitor.”

Dom and I turn to Jake who’s standing next to Ashley Willow. Ashley has her eyes glued on Dom, and she walks toward him like she’s on a mission. “Hey, Dom, I made too much of my famous chicken enchiladas and I remembered how much you loved them, so I thought I’d bring you some. We could eat upstairs.”

I cross my arms over my chest and glare at the woman who hasn’t even looked my way. Is she kidding me right now? She has to see me standing here. “Hi, Ashley. I haven’t seen you in a long time. How have you been?”

She’s not surprised I’m standing here, which means I’m right, she knew I was here, she just chose to ignore me.

“Hey, Luciana. Good to see you.”

I lean into Dom’s arm, and instantly he pulls me into his side, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I force a smile at Ashley and try not to let my voice shrill with possessiveness. “That is so sweet of youto bring food over for Dom, but unfortunately we already have plans for dinner tonight.”

I look up at Dom, and he’s smiling ear to ear at me. I barely resist rolling my eyes at him. “You ready?”

Dom just nods his head.

I wave at Ashley, pulling Dom with me.

Dom hollers out to Jake, “Lock up, Jake.”

“You got it.”

Neither of us says a word until we’re upstairs and I’ve shut the door behind us. I drop my bag and then cross my arms over my chest as I pace in front of him.

“What’s wrong?” he asks me.

I stop pacing. “What’s wrong? Really, is there a woman in Whiskey Run that doesn’t hit on you? I mean, really, what is going on here, Dominic?”

He walks over to me and puts his hands on my shoulders. “I like this.”

I tilt my head back to look up at him. “You like it when I’m mad?”

He shakes his head. “I like it when you stake your claim on me, that’s all. I don’t want you to be mad. You shouldn’t be. The only woman I want is standing right in front of me.”

I throw my hand up in the air because I’m sofrustrated. I know I’m taking it out on him and he didn’t even do anything wrong. “What do I do with this, Dom? Am I just supposed to stand by while some other woman paws you?”

He comes over to me and wraps his arms around me. He pulls me flush against his chest, settling his chin on the top of my head. We’re swaying side to side, and I think he’s not going to answer me until he starts talking in a low tone. “So first of all, Lucky, I don’t let women paw me. You're the only woman I’d let touch me. Well, besides if I hug my sister and sisters-in-law.” He pulls back to look at me. “I mean, if that’s okay.”

I blink up at him. “Are you really asking me if it’s okay if your sisters-in-law hug you?”

He nods, searching my eyes. “If it makes you uncomfortable—”

I cut him off. “No, that’s fine. It’s all these other women that think—”

He pulls me back against his chest and slides his hands comfortingly up and down my back. “Okay, so here it is. I only want you. Whatever I’ve got to do to prove that to you, I’ll do it.”

Fear like nothing I’ve felt before comes over me. I grab onto his shirt and lean into him. “I’m sorry, Dom.”

He tenses, but he doesn’t let me go. “What are you sorry for?”

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