Page 92 of Swept for Forever
He nodded.
I pressed my lips together, then said, “I’m sorry, Dom. I never meant to deceive you. I just didn’t want my trouble to become yours.”
Dom let out a long breath.
Then, slowly, he reached for me.
I moved toward him, our bodies brushing, his warmth sinking into my skin. It wasn’t much. Just a touch.
But after everything, it was the most glorious sensation in the world.
I didn’t realize how much I needed him until it was too late to stop.
Dom’s hand curled around the back of my neck, his fingers threading through my hair as he kissed me like he was making up for lost time. Or maybe making sure I didn’t slip away again. His lips moved over mine with the kind of urgency that stole every last thought from my head, leaving only this—this heat, this ache, thisneed.
My hands slid up his chest, memorizing the solid feel of him beneath my fingertips. I had missed him. God, I had really missed him.
I clutched at his shirt, fisting the fabric. He groaned into my mouth, and the sound sent a wildfire of sensation rushing through me. It wasn’t just a kiss. It was everything we hadn’t said, everything we’d been holding back.
“You believe me?” I whispered, my forehead resting against his.
His hands gripped my waist, his body pressed against mine, and I melted into him like I’d never left.
Like I never wanted to again.
He said, “If that kiss didn’t say I do, I don’t know what else would.”
“So what happens now?” I murmured.
“I’m staying here for one night,” he said, his hands still resting on my waist. “Would you come with me to Buffaloberry Hill tomorrow and clear things up with the sheriff? It’s the right thing to do. That girl…her parents are waiting for her.”
The reality of everything settled in, sobering the moment. “Of course,” I decided.
Dom studied me for a second longer, as if recounting every detail of my face. Then, his lips quirked. “Would you have dinner with me?”
The warmth in my chest spread, breaking through the lingering nerves. “How well do you know Idaho Falls?” I asked.
“Not well at all.”
I smirked. “Meet you at The Rustler’s Grill.”
His fingers skimmed my wrist before he let go and reluctantly stepped back. “See you there.”
25
DOM
I arrived early at The Rustler’s Grill from my hotel and chose a table near the stone fireplace. It was on, despite it being summer. Ambience, I figured. The place leaned into its western charm, with stacked stone walls, dark wood beams, and backlit shelves behind the bar showcasing whiskey bottles. The ceiling was high, coffered with warm lighting tucked into the recesses.
I checked my watch. Any second now.
Anddamn.
Blame it on a sixth sense for dramatic timing. Autumn walked in.
Every male head around me turned, discreetly or otherwise.
She wore a dark dress, and it was sleek, hugging every inch of her. A slit cut up the side revealed her legs, long and bare, one step at a time. And those red heels were a far cry from the hiking boots she’d stomped around in when we first met. Now they made me wish she’d never owned anything else.
