Page 61 of The Hermit

With a thundering heart and breaths rushing over my lips, I grab the basket of potatoes, beans, and asparagus off the kitchen table. Carrying my haul to the sink, I toss it all inside so I can clean them.

Dominik comes into the kitchen with a smirk on his face, which tells me he knows I was checking him out.

Feeling mortified, I open the faucet and focus on washing the dirt off each vegetable.

“You’re upset,” he states the obvious. “Why?”

“I’m not,” I argue, scrubbing the hell out of a poor potato.

I hear Dominik come closer but before he can reach me, I dart away, potato still in my hand and dripping water everywhere.

“Grace,” Dominik says, his tone gentle. “Calm down.”

“I am calm,” I mutter, refusing to look at him.

Slowly, he comes closer and I have to force myself to keep still as he takes the potato from me. After he tosses it into the sink, he takes hold of my chin and nudges my face up.

It’s a struggle to meet his eyes, and the moment I do, my stomach tightens into a nervous ball.

With no sign of the smirk on his face, his expression is serious as he says, “There’s nothing wrong with feeling attracted to me.”

What if I admit that I think he’s attractive, and he takes it as a sign to try his luck?

As if he can read my thoughts, he shakes his head. “Until you say you’re ready, there will be nothing sexual between us. Understand?”

I nod and it has him moving his hand away from my chin and cupping my cheek.

Leaning a little down, his eyes are locked on mine as he repeats, “So there’s nothing wrong with you finding me attractive.”

I nod again before whispering, “Okay.”

“Dobré dievca.”

Now that I know the words mean ‘good girl’ it has my stomach doing cartwheels.

As Dominik stares into my eyes, it makes my abdomen tighten, and I can’t keep from gasping because I haven’t felt the sensation in years.

The blue of his eyes turns darker and it sends a chill rushing down my spine. When he leans down, I hold my breath until he presses a kiss to my forehead.

Then he pulls away, walks around me, and heads out of the kitchen.

Good God.

I suck in desperate breaths as I press my palm to my abdomen.

Dominik is too much man for me to handle. He belongs with a woman who can satisfy his needs.

The image of Dominik having sex with a faceless woman has anger slithering into my chest instead of panic.

I’m angry because I might never be that woman, and just because we’re married doesn’t mean it will stop him from finding someone who can give him what I can’t.

My thoughts register, and they shock the living hell out of me.

Since we got married, I’ve gotten to know Dominik more and he’s been nothing but good to me. At some point, he made an impression on me, and…Jesus, I like Dominik.

Stunned by the fact that I’ve actually grown to like him, I shove all the crazy thoughts to the back of my mind and get to work.

An hour later, when dinner is ready and there’s no sign of Dominik, I head up the stairs to tell him to come eat.

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