Page 37 of Between Love and Loathing
Most days were the same. He didn’t say good morning or even a hello. He plopped his laptop down on the counter, opened it up, and put on freaking glasses with his stupid expensive black suit. Glasses with black rims that framed his beautiful eyes and accentuated the perfect features.
He had no business wearing them. It was criminal that the man I was supposed to hate looked this good as he rudely dialed a number on his phone and got to work.
Like he belonged in my bakery.
He had such an audacity to him. I knew he was like that with everyone here. Most of my colleagues talked about him like he was a freaking god that couldn’t be touched.
Still, a “good morning” in my bakery would have been welcomed and appreciated especially when I wasted my breath walking him through practically every recipe I made.
By the end of the week, I’d had enough. My heels clicked across the white floors as I found myself coming to stand right in front of him on the other side of the counter. Then, I watched my own hand, wide eyed as I closed his laptop.
His eyes bulged too like he couldn’t believe I had as much audacity as him.
This was my home. And weren’t we all supposed to feel relaxed in our homes? Plus, my joints had ached more that day and a rash had popped up on my arm. The tiredness ebbed and flowed but today it was there, strong, loud, and prominent.
I needed to get a doctor here in LA, but I needed this bakery to be a success first. And that meant if Dominic Hardy was going to be here, he was going to have to at least show me some respect.
I was building a world for myself and pushing for the things I needed. I had to, I reminded myself. This was for me. And if I couldn’t live for me, I couldn’t live at all.
I took a deep breath and glared at him. “When you walk into my bakery, you can say good morning or hello, Mr. Hardy.”
His eyes cut fast to me, lethal in their pursuit of who’d ruined his view of his work. Then, they twinkled as he held his phone away from his mouth. “Ah, the little fighter woke up bright and early this morning, huh?” He then spoke into the speaker, “I’ll call you back. My girlfriend wants me to properly greet her.”
He hung up and stood. “No more ‘Mr. Hardy’ now that people think we’re fucking, Clara.”
I chewed my cheek as I watched him stalk around the counter, predatory as if he was after his prey. “Right. Fine. Well,Dominic, a good morning will do,” I murmured as I backed up.
His smile was slow, and I knew immediately that man was looking for a way to antagonize me. “I don’t say good morning to anyone, Clara. But since we’re dating now,” he grabbed my waist and pulled me close, “might as well take advantage of the situation.”
When he kissed me in my black-and-white bakery, my eyes immediately drifted closed and colors burst everywhere. He tightened his hold on me and consumed everything I was. I felt his hands all over me, down my back, on my ass, gripping my hips and sliding up my breasts to my neck and then jaw where he held me at just the right angle. Dominic didn’t give away any power here, not when I whimpered or moaned even as his tongue explored my mouth.
I was dominated.
I was ravaged.
I was owned by him while he kissed me senseless.
And then, just like that, he stepped away.
Still wanting him in a way it shouldn’t, my body stumbled forward, as his body straightened like this was all business.
I brought my hand to my lips before murmuring, “What was that?”
“Your good morning. And practice for when we’re in public.” He shrugged.
“So, okay.” Was I gasping for air? “Warning me next time would probably be a good idea.”
“You scared of a little kiss, Clara?” He sized me up and then shrugged. Was I so inadequate that he’d brush off a kiss that had felt like finding water in the Sahara Desert? My lips still tingled from tasting his, my skin still felt electric, and my heart was thumping at double its normal rate.
“It’s just … not how I imagined a kiss from my boyfriend would be in the morning.”
His eyes were a darker green now than I’d ever seen. It was the only indication I’d affected him like he had me. He searched my gaze for more information before finally asking, “Did your last boyfriend not kiss you like that in the morning, Clara?”
I saw the way his jaw ticked, how he put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. Irritation looked good on Dominic Hardy as he waited for my answer. “I don’t know if my last boyfriend was really even a boyfriend.” I wrinkled my nose.
I was too worried about becoming my mother to fall in love when I went to culinary school, and back home, I had guy friends but we only hooked up occasionally. “I sort of like to leave before the sun comes up.”
He quirked his head. “Interesting.”
