Page 47 of Boss Level

My jaw tried to tighten, and I forced myself to relax. He didn’t know the story behindwhyit was Judith’s favorite flower, and passive-aggressive digs weren’t his style. I wouldn’t get upset about Dominic being the man I loved.

It would be nice if I could block out the whispers of the past, though. I’d been walking her home from school, and she was in a foul mood. One of our teachers, one of the women she looked up to, had told Judith that she should be prepared for the reality she’d be stuck in that small town forever. Judith was furious.

“We won’t.” I’d offered the only reassurance I had. The only truth I knew. “You’ll get out of here and so will I.”

“How do you know?” Even then, the doubt was unlike her.

My answer came easily. “Because you won’t let that happen. You can will reality into existence.”

“If only.”

We’d been nearing a sunflower field, and inspiration struck. “I’ll prove it.”

Judith hadn’t looked convinced. “How?”

“You need something to cheer you up, right?” I reached over the fence and grabbed one of the closest flowers. Pulling a knife from my pocket, I sliced through the stem, then tucked the flower behind her ear.

Her smile had been brighter than the yellow of the petals. After that, she always said sunflowers were her favorite.

I tucked the past back into the safe box in the back of my mind, and gave my focus on Dominic.

“I’m off.” He looked incredible, no surprise there.

Impulse snaked through me. I rested my hand at the base of his neck, pulled him close, and crushed my mouth to his in a long, desperate kiss. His groan when I finally let go was delicious.

“Never forget who you belong to.” My voice came out thicker than I intended.

“I never do.”

“And at the end of the night? Don’t bring her back here.” Fuck it hurt to say that.

17

dominic

When Xander asked me not to bring Judith home, I was dumbfounded. I didn’t know which bothered me more—his reaction or the fact that I couldn’t let go of that single moment of the conversation.

I needed to put it out of my head so Judith and I could make it through dinner without incident. And speaking of surprised, I couldn’t believe she’d agreed to do this tonight. Insisted on it.

We met Claire and Dale outside the restaurant and exchanged politehellos, before the host showed us to a table. This was the kind of steakhouse made to look high-end, but wasn’t quite, and I was fine with that. I was also fine with a perfectly neutral start to our double date.

The waiter took our drink orders—a wonderfully dull round ofwater for me—and left us to consider the specials.

“I was happy to hear from Claire that the two of you are friendly, Judith. When did you have time to chat?” Dale’s tone was casual.

“I was shopping and we ran into each other.” Claire jumped in before Judith had a chance.

Not technically untrue, if she counted the exhibitors’ hall at RinCon asshopping. Would Dale see it that way?

His shrug andokaywere dismissive and struck me as odd. I couldn’t imagine not asking Xander for details about his day. Not to be nosey, but because I cared.

But Dale’s level of interest in Claire’s life was between them.

The waiter returned with drinks and bread, and to take our orders. Good service meant one more reason to make this a fast night and I was fine with that.

“We’ll have the filet special,” Dale rested a hand on Claire’s. “Two. Rare.”

“Really? The steak?” The surprise in Judith’s voice was undercut with something more subtle, though I doubted anyone but me heard it. “I was looking at the chicken. Doesn’t that look good.” She focused her attention on Claire.

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