Page 14 of The Viper

“That’s his job,” he says dismissively.

“Yes, his job is to wait on you, and me, but a little courtesy can go a long way, Dominic.”

He lowers his fork to sit in the plate. “Say that again.”

My head flinches back slightly. “A little courtesy can go a long way.”

“No, not that.”

I look over to the side and find myself absentmindedly touching my neck. “What?”

“My name, say it again.” He wets his lips and leans his body weight forward.

A slow ache of desire caresses my skin. A flutter of heat creeps into my veins as I watch his eyes darken with need. Dominic is a man any woman could easily fall for, but I can’t allow myself to become caught in his web of lust. My body may be flooded with warmth at the way he’s staring at me, but I won’t do this. I take in a sharp breath and smile. “Dominic,” I say with absolutely no emotion.

He releases a humorless chuckle and shakes his head. “I’m disappointed, Rosa.”

Nope, I’m not falling for this. “Seems like you have a problem then. Best take me home so you can sort that out.” I gesture toward him. “I’m ready to go.” I sit back, not having touched a bite of my food.

“We’re not going anywhere until I’m ready to leave. And if you don’t eat, then I’m fine to stay here all night.”

“I’m sure they have a closing time,” I say with a sassy tone.

“They’ll stay until I leave.”

“They have families to go home to.”

Dominic lifts his shoulders, then points at my food. “Then you better eat, because if they have to stay open it’ll be because of you.”

Any attraction I had toward him is now long gone with his condescending tone. “You’re an ass,” I grumble as I pick up my fork and begin eating my salad.

Dominic appears amused as I shovel the food into my mouth attempting to eat as quickly as possible while still savoring it and attempting not to give myself indigestion. “Happy?” I ask with a mouth full of food.

He steeples his fingers together and taps them to his lips. “Watching you eat is an aphrodisiac.”

I stop chewing and lift my brows. I give myself a moment of reprieve and lower my fork. “Look.” I tear the garlic bread into bite size pieces. “Whatever you think is happening here...” I lift my gaze to Dominic. “It isn’t.” I gesture between us. “There’s nothing here. There are no feelings, no connections, no anything. You’re not going to get anywhere with me, so the chase will be futile.”

“Maybe I want to get to know my sister-in-law’s sister. We are family after all, and family sticks together.”

“Do they?” I lean into my seat and circle back to one of my first questions. “What exactly do you and your brother do?”

Dominic twists in his chair as he looks around the VIP area. I’ve caught him off guard because he probably thought I’d let this go. “You surprise me.” I sit staring at him, not biting at his ploy to distract me. The silence between us intensifies. It takes him what feels like forever to finally say, “What we do is never to be talked about with our women.”

“’Your women’?” This time it’s me squirming in my seat. “I’m not one of your women.”

Dominic scoffs and once again looks around the VIP area. “Yes, you are,” he says with utmost confidence.

The hell I am. “I’m not a fucking possession.” I stand to my feet and with the back of my hand I hit the plates and glass over him. “I don’t belong to any man.” I walk through the restaurant in order to get away from him.

“Get back here,” Dominic calls from behind me. I can hear his heavy footsteps closing in on me. The fact I’m shoeless is to my detriment, because I could probably outrun him. I manage to get out of the restaurant before he calls, “I said, get back here.”

I don’t make it more than ten steps outside before his fingers are wrapped around my arm and he’s tugging me back toward him. “Let me go,” I yell as I try to yank my arm out of his vice-like grip. “I said let me go.”

“You’re not going anywhere. It’s late at night, and you’re not wearing shoes.”

“Gee, I wonder why,” I yell in his face. He drags me closer to his body, the heat rolling off of him is fanning a flame of desire deep within me. What is wrong with me? “Let me go,” I repeat in a low, gravelly voice. His damn aroma of cigarette mixed with ocean breeze hits me hard causing a grumble low in my stomach.

Dominic steps forward, our bodies touching. My breath is shallow, yet fast, and his is the same. His gaze focuses on my lips. If he bent to kiss me I certainly wouldn’t stop him, and I hate myself for that. My breath hitches as I continue to watch him stare at my lips. “Rosa,” he whispers in a deep, husky voice. He lifts his hand to cup my cheek and his thumb skims across my lower lip.

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