Page 23 of Sweetest Sin
“Oh my God!” I splash him with water. “You are such a flirt. I’m being serious.”
“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “I’ve been so busy. I can’t even remember the last time I went on a date.”
“Ahh.” I nod in understanding. “You’re one of those guys. No strings or commitments. Catch and release.” I waggle my brows, and he shakes his head. “I get it.”
“It’s not that,” he says with a grin. “I’m not opposed to dating. I just haven’t found anyone worth spending time with. For the record, it’s been a long-ass time since I had sex.”
His eyes lock with mine, and even though I don’t know him well, I sense the honesty in them.
“So, school, huh?” he asks, changing the subject. “What’s your major?”
“Iwasdouble-majoring in business administration and hospitality at the University of Florida.”
“Gainesville,” he says with a nod. “That’s a good school.”
“I was a good student.”
“And now?”
“I dropped out to take care of my mom. I thought I’d go back after she recovered, but before I made it that far, we found out that she was dying.”
“And what would you have done with your degree?” he asks, focusing on school instead of my dying mom, for which I’m grateful because the last thing I want to do is taint this magical place with my depressing life.
“I’m not sure. I thought about going to work in the hospitality industry, maybe for a hotel or a restaurant.”
Dominick grins. “I own a few. I could get you a job.”
I laugh and shake my head. “In Coral Bay?”
“Soon. Give me your number, and I’ll let you know once we’re hiring.”
“You’re so ridiculous.” I playfully slap his wet chest and push away from him.
Instead of letting me go, he pulls me closer to him. “Tell me something about you that nobody else knows. A secret, a fear, anything.”
I swallow thickly at his sudden intensity. “You go first.”
He nods once and releases a harsh breath, then looks past me as he thinks about what to say. I start to think he’s not going to answer his own question when he finally speaks. “I’m terrified of failing.”
“Aren’t we all?”
“Probably,” he agrees. “But in my world, failure can mean …” His jaw tics. “In my world, failure isn’t an option.”
“I’m not sure I like your world.”
“It’s the only world I know,” he says, his tone filled with a darkness that sends a chill racing up my spine.
Before I can ask him more on the subject, he captures my mouth with his, kissing me with an intensity I’ve never felt before. My hands delve into his hair, and his hold on me tightens, like he’s afraid to let me go. This kiss feels different … deeper, darker. His mood has shifted, and I’m not sure what to make of it.
But before I can think too hard on it, Dominick ends the kiss and says, “Your turn.”
When I groan, he chuckles. “Oh, c’mon. I just dug deep into the pits of my soul for my answer. The least you can do is give me something …anything.”
“Fine.” I sigh. “I’m afraid of … spiders.”
Dominick glares, but I keep going. “Seriously! They’re hairy, and they have, like, a million legs. I once read that the average person swallows, like, four spiders in their sleep every year!” I mock shiver. “It’s a valid fear.”
“I’m about to show you a valid fear.”
