Page 176 of By A Thread
Okay. That one I could answer honestly.Yes.
I got my revenge when I opened the door to the bar, a cool speakeasy kind of vibe with an entire wall dedicated to just bourbons. Warmth and laughter spilled out, and Gola rushed in. But she stopped short just inside the door, and Ruth walked into her back. It was a three-body pileup when they all realized Dominic Russo was waiting at the bar.
It looked like Dominic had brought along a few extra friends too. In addition to Harry and Delaney, there were three other suited stock-broker types each vying to tell a better punchline.
“You Sneaky McSneakerson,” Gola hissed in my ear. “I survived a whole day with the man as my boss, and now you expect me to have a drink with him?”
“Yup,” I answered. But my attention was on Dominic.
He abandoned the conversation he was having with Delaney and a guy with a Garfield the cat tie and crossed to me. It was a magnetic force that drew us together. One that I thought should have dulled a little since we’d finally given in to temptation.
His gaze traveled the length of my body, pausing in what I now knew were his favorite places. The curve of my hips, the hint of skin between my pants and cropped sweatshirt. My breasts, even though they were secured and smushed by a sports bra.
I returned the survey. Slate gray slacks that were just loose enough to fall short of the adjective “indecent.” A navy tie that I intended to wrap around my fist at my earliest convenience. His sleeves were rolled up, and his hair, that lovely brownish-blond mess of it, was effortlessly styled. I wanted to mess it up while reminding myself that this man was mine.
We met in the middle. Our posses at our backs, eyeing each other with interest.
“Looks like you brought backup,” I said softly. But it came out kind of breathlessly because all I could do was think about how much I wanted his mouth on mine. He’d given me one hell of a kiss when he’d dropped me off for class. Hands roaming, teeth nipping. Dark, delicious promises of things to come.
And I wanted more promises out of him.
He leaned in, and my heart rate returned to post-“Uptown Funk” choreography levels. But he merely grazed his lips over my temple. I heard one or two of the girls let out a swoony sigh behind me.
“Five minutes, and then we abandon these people so I can fuck you in the car,” he whispered in my ear.
“An hour,” I countered.
Those blue eyes narrowed on me. “Thirty minutes, and you take your underwear off in the restroom so we don’t waste any time later.”
I licked my lips, and he followed the motion. “Deal.”
His expression softened, lips lifted. “Look at us negotiating.”
“And they say relationships are hard,” I joked.
“Five minutes to lose the underwear,” he reminded me. “Now, let’s make a horrible mistake and introduce our friends.”
It took a few minutes of everyone staring at Dom and me like we were alien overlords sent to enslave the human race before they all lightened up. Dominic included.
He was lighter, happier around his friends. There was an easy camaraderie between him and his old coworkers. I liked seeing him like this, and from the telltale glances Gola, Ruth, and Missie were exchanging, they did too.
I was reacquainted with Harry and Delaney, who had already had an impressive amount of wine to drink.
Dominic’s friend Mike with the Garfield tie seemed to take a liking to the petite Missie. Ruth dove into an argument about bourbon barrel aging with one of the other financial types. Gola’s new boyfriend showed up, and I watched their sweet, nervous greeting with joy.
Dominic was deep in discussion with one of his former coworkers about very boring-sounding reports when he subtly tapped his watch without even looking at me.
I grinned. If he wanted to play a private little game, I was more than willing to kick his ass at it. I excused myself from Gola and her boyfriend and followed the service hallway to a short flight of stairs with signs for the restrooms. I found the ladies’ room tucked away on the second floor just outside a darkened private dining room.
Inside, I successfully shimmied out of my workout tights and underwear before taking a picture of my pretty pink thong and attaching it to a text.
Me: Mission accomplished.
I sent a second picture. This one of… Well, let’s just say it was what my underwear had been covering.
I smirked to myself as I got dressed again, imagining Dominic’s face when he saw the texts.
Still feeling awfully proud of myself, I slipped out of the restroom. And found myself crushed between Dominic’s pelvis and the wall.
