Page 22 of Sweetest Sin
“Thank you for sharing this with me. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“Well, it’s not just for looks,” he says, peeling his shirt off and tossing it onto the ground. “Let’s go swimming.”
I strip out of my shorts and shirt, toe off my flip-flops, and then take his hand in mine. We make our way into the crystal-clear water. Because it’s March, it’s in the mid-eighties, making the temperature of the water perfect. Once we’re almost to themiddle, Dominick lifts me into his arms, and I wrap my thighs around his waist, holding on to him while he walks us closer to the waterfalls.
“This is stunning,” I tell him, watching as the streams fall into the plunge pool, the sound creating the perfect, soothing background noise.
“It is,” he agrees. “But it’s got nothing on you.”
I roll my eyes and scoff at his flirting. “Okay, cheesy much?”
Dominick shrugs. “Maybe, but it’s the truth.”
He moves us toward the side and leans against the rocks so he can get comfortable. Since he makes no move to release me, I stay in his arms while we watch the waterfall for several minutes in comfortable silence. Surprisingly, there’s nobody but us here right now, and it makes it feel like it’s our own personal paradise.
“So, I know you are a flight attendant based in Coral Bay, and your ex is a cheating asshole, but that’s all you’ve given me,” Dominick says after a while. “Tell me something about you.”
I consider his request for a few seconds. I’ve made it a point not to let him in because it would only make things harder. We don’t live near each other, so we couldn’t have a future together, unless he was willing to move to Coral Bay. And even if he did move, I’m not sure I would want to start something serious with anyone, even him, while my focus needs to be on my mom.
At the same time, I feel like I’ve been isolating myself from everyone since I moved home and my boyfriend and best friend broke my heart. So, maybe, just for today, I’ll let Dominick in a little. I’ll pretend like tomorrow doesn’t exist and make the most of our time in the DR. Because once I return home, reality will hit, and all I’ll have are the memories from our time together.
“This is the best non-date I’ve ever been on,” I blurt out, feeling my cheeks heat at my admission. “I mean …” I try to backtrack, but really, there is no coming back from that, so I just go with it. “Every date I’ve been on was kind of lame. Dinner,drinks, sometimes a movie. Wash, rinse, repeat. But this? This is amazing. Thank you for bringing me here. We both know I would’ve slept with you, even without the sightseeing.”
Dominick barks out a laugh. “I’m glad you like it. I’m not an expert on dating, so dinner and drinks sound like a normal date to me. Though I haven’t seen a movie in an actual theater in … well, ever.” He chuckles.
“What? You’ve never been to the movies?”
“Nope. And I honestly haven’t thought about watching a movie in years,” he admits. “I can’t even remember the last movie I saw.”
“Yeah, same,” I agree. “Between school and work and taking care of my mom, I don’t have time for much else.”
Dominick smiles softly and tightens his hold on me. “Clearly, your date expectations are high. No dinner or drinks or movies. So, what are we talking here? Trip to London? Paris?”
“No.” I laugh, slapping his chest playfully. “I’m not that high maintenance, I swear. I just feel like every guy I’ve ever gone out with was lazy when it came to courting a woman.”
“Okay.” He nods with a smirk. “If you could go on a date anywhere, where would you want to go?”
I think for a moment and then say, “It’s not about the perfect date. It’s about knowing me. I dated this guy for years. I would constantly talk about my love of books and poetry and art. When an art show came around, I got us tickets, and he looked at me and said, ‘You like art?’”
I look at Dominick, deadpan, and he laughs.
“Dinner and drinks are unoriginal. I want a partner to experience the world with. I want to visit museums and wineries and art galleries. Every night before bed, I read, yet I’d mention going to the bookstore, and he’d get annoyed.”
I shake my head. “Looking back, I’ve dated some clueless guys, and I was starting to wonder if all guys were like that,but you’re giving me renewed hope.” I slide my arms around his neck. “So, thank you.”
“Great,” he growls. “I’m glad I could renew your faith in men so you can leave here tomorrow and find someone else.”
I laugh at his words. “Well, I don’t know about that. But I will be holding men to a higher standard. If their first choice of a date—or non-date—isn’t taking me to see the beautiful waterfalls in the Dominican Republic, then I’m saying no.”
Dominick chuckles. “Good girl. So, books, art, museums, and wine. What else do you love?”
“The beach. When I have free time, I pack a basket and my current read and go to the beach to have a picnic. I love sports—mostly football and hockey—but I’ve never been to a game. What about you?”
“Truthfully, you make me feel rather boring. I run my family’s business and travel for work quite a bit, but I rarely sightsee.”
“Okay, so I’m throwing your question back at you,” I tell him. “If you could go on a date anywhere, where would you go?”
He thinks for a moment and then says, “I wouldn’t care where I was as long as I was with you.”
