Page 6 of Inspiring Dominic

“Just because you’re on a date by yourself, doesn’t mean you have to look busted,” I muttered to myself as I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror of the movie theater.

I’d forgone makeup because … why bother? However, I’d been excited to wear the new, strappy sandals I recently purchased.

“You don’t even look like you tried to look nice,” I said to myself, forgetting that I wasn’t in the bathroom alone.

“I like your outfit,” the woman who was washing her hands noted as she observed me through the mirror.

“Thank you, but I have to do better next time.” She was being nice, but I knew the truth. My feet were aching, my pedicure was shot, and just as I suspected, I’d taken the flexible curling rods out of my hair way too early because instead of a cute, curly fro, my hair was looking like a big bush on one side and a weeping willow on the other.

Exhaustion was written across my face and stress lines were under my eyes, but I refused to state the obvious … That working the bar was too much for me to handle with everything else I had going on.

Digging through my purse, I pulled out a ponytail holder and did my best to make my poof ball look presentable. Luckily, I also carried some edge control and a small toothbrush with me and was able to smooth down my edges.

After I flattened out my olive jumpsuit and threw on a little colored gloss, I was ready to enter the movie theater, grateful that it was dark so no one would see my chipped polish.

Right when I reached the door to the theater room for the movie I was seeing, I noticed a few people filing out of the theater.

“What’s going on?” I asked to no one in particular.

Someone started responding to me, but I barely heard a thing they said when my eyes landed on a tall, brawny man who was looking down at something on his phone, almost walking into me.

“I’m sorry about that,” he stated, reaching out to steady me even though, if anything, I was the one standing in his way.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” I mentioned. My voice sounded breathless when I muttered, “It’s you. The guy from the bar.”

He only looked confused for a millisecond before his lips curled to the side in a smile that made my busted toes curl. “Samara … I was hoping I’d see you again.” His eyes held mine and there went my good panties. “Guess we have something more in common than the bar. Not too many people come to the theater this late when they play Chinese marital arts movies with subtitles.”

“I’m not most people,” I explained, mesmerized by the way his mouth moved.Dominic.The man who had occupied my thoughts for weeks. The day I approached him at the bar, I was nervous he’d turn me down, but was so grateful when he didn’t. I wasn’t one of those types of women who had a problem approaching a man, and from a safe distance, I concluded that he could help me warn off those other guys. However, when he turned my way, giving me his full attention, I’d been seconds away from saying to hell with the kiss and asking him to fuck me in the back storage room.

“It’s a shame they canceled tonight’s show due to technical difficulties,” a couple said to us as they were exiting the theater. I recognized the woman as the one I’d seen in the bathroom earlier. “Did it mess up your date night, too?” she asked.

My lips parted. “Um, well—”

“It did,” Dom answered, cutting me off. “But any day with my girl is a good time, so we’ll find something else to do.”

I lifted a curious eyebrow. “We will?”

He nodded, the smirk that had never left only getting bigger. “Yes, we will. I’m not ready to part ways with you yet.”

“We’re part of an improv group that is putting on a play tonight,” the couple disclosed. “We were going to skip it for some alone time, but if you’re interested, you can follow us to the place. Tonight, we’re doing a modern rendition of Shakespeare’sA Midsummer’s Night Dream.”

Dom looked to me, leaving the ball in my court. Remembering that I’d never planned to see anyone I know or was semi familiar with tonight, I glanced down at my outfit, noting it wasn’t cute date material at all.

“You look gorgeous,” Dom told me, easing my concern. “And I know it’s almost spring and Miami’s weather is pretty great, but if you get cold, I have a jacket in my car.”

Talking about his jacket made me check out at his muscular arms, which looked so delicious all I wanted to do was whip his shirt off.

“Let’s go!” I blurted, causing the couple to smile, but Dom to smile even more.

He grabbed his jacket out of the car and we followed the direction the couple was walking.

“I was really hoping to see you again,” he admitted.

“Me too,” I confessed. “When I went to find you after my shift ended, I saw you’d left and was disappointed I didn’t see you leave.”

He slightly frowned, his eyes filling with sadness. “I’d received an unexpected call that my grandfather had passed away after his long battle with bone cancer. After the call, I had to catch a flight home ASAP.”

I gently touched his arm, ignoring the shockwaves it sent through my body. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Dom.”

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