Page 77 of Seen Knot Heard

Frowning, I step farther into the open space and spot two long couches set up in an L-formation. They face two matching, sturdy chairs made of dark wood with a simple, functional design. Cracked, brown leather covers the set, softened and creased by years of use.

Dominic sits on the floor in the center, bent over a square coffee table with blueprints spread out before him. His black hair swings free from its usual braid, softening his features.

He pauses with his pencil over the paper, inhaling before his head lifts, and he straightens in surprise. “Chloe.”

I shift from foot to foot and hug my laptop. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you. I can come back another time.”

“No.” He raises a hand to beckon me over. “What can I do for you?”

I step around the couch and perch on the cushion nearest him. “Nathaniel said you’re good with contracts and negotiations. I was wondering if you could go over something my publisher sent over?”

“Of course.” He holds out his hand. “Let me see.”

As I pass him my laptop, his fingers brush mine and send a jolt of electricity through my body.

I pull back, tucking my hand under my thigh as he opens my computer and scans the document, his brow furrowed in concentration.

“A publishing contract.” Not seeming surprised, he glances up at me. “For your new trilogy.”

Throat dry, I rasp, “I want to make sure I’m getting a fair deal, and I don’t know the first thing about contracts.”

“Sure.” He props an elbow on the table as he leans closer to the screen. “Let me read through it.”

As Dominic reviews the contract, his brow furrowed in concentration, I lean over to examine the blueprints scattered across the coffee table. Intricate lines and measurements cover the papers, but my mind can’t decipher their meaning.

Instead, my attention wanders back to Dominic’s profile, his strong jawline, and the way his thick eyelashes cast shadows over his high cheekbones as he reads. It reminds me of how he always looked when we studied together in high school, how focused he got on things, until the rest of the world fell away.

I scoot back on the couch and fidget with the hem of my sweatshirt, the soft fabric suddenly too warm. Dominic’s unique pheromones fill my nose, and I inhale, the aroma stirring something low in my stomach.

He had the same level of concentration when we’d sneak off to be alone together. Though we never crossed the final line, we had spent hours exploring everything that led up to it, learning each other’s bodies until I knew his as well as, if not better than, I knew my own. Liquid heat pools between my thighs, yerning for the connection we once shared.

Lost in thought, I don’t realize I’m staring until Dominic’s eyes flick up from the contract, locking with mine. The intensity in his gray irises sends a shiver down my spine, and heat rises to my cheeks.

He inhales, his nostrils flaring, and I realize with embarrassment that he can smell the arousal brought on by my memories.

The moment stretches between us, electric and charged. My heart pounds, and I’m aware of every sensation. The soft cushionbeneath me, the gentle whir of a fan, and the way Dominic commands my attention.

I part my lips, searching for something to say, but words fail me.

Once we hit puberty, lack of mutual attraction had never been an issue between us, which was what made us such an excellent match in the eyes of our families. It was always a tangible force that drew us together. But that was then, and we’re not those children anymore.

I should look away, break the spell, but I find myself trapped by his gaze, unable to move.

Dominic sets my laptop aside, his movements slow and deliberate. Turning in the spot he sits, he crawls over to me with fluid grace, like a panther stalking his prey. His heady scent envelops me, making my head spin.

He kneels before me, his hands coming to rest on my knees. The heat of his touch sears through the thin fabric of my sweatpants, and I can’t suppress the tremor that runs through my body. My breath catches in my throat as he gazes up at me, his pupils blown with desire.

“Tell me to stop.” His thumbs trace small circles on my thighs. “Tell me you don’t want this, and I’ll go back to the contract and pretend I didn’t notice.”

I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out past the racing of my heart. I should push him away, tell him this can’t happen, but the pull between us is too strong to resist.

Dominic rises higher on his knees, his hands sliding up my thighs. His focus shifts to my lips, and he leans in, his breath ghosting over my skin. Heat radiates off his body, tension coiled in his muscles.

At the last second, I turn my head away, denying him a kiss. We remain frozen, our chests heaving, the only sound the raggedrhythm of our breathing. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to regain some semblance of control.

“Chloe,” Dominic whispers, his voice hoarse with need. “Look at me.”

Unable to resist, I turn my head to meet his molten-silver gaze, the hunger there sending shivers of awareness through me. He lifts a hand to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip, and I can’t help but lean into his touch.

---