Undeniable: Dom & Gigi Page 3
She stepped to the side, slipping out of his grasp. Subtle, graceful, but I could read her body language. She didn’t want him. That’s my girl. I felt pleased, especially when I saw who was trying to paw her. I didn’t know his name—Brett, Brock, some kind of rich guy bullshit—but I did know I didn’t like the look of him. I’d already been warned to keep an eye on him. The guy was a few complaints shy of a police report. Hell, if he didn’t have the bank to buy himself out of trouble, I was sure he’d be in a jumpsuit already, probably in solitary for busting out a shiv on a C.O.
There, she did it again. Polite, sweet, she stepped away, putting some distance between the two of them. Heading right in my direction.
I took a step back, blending into the darkest shadows, but it was as if she alone saw me. She looked right up into my eyes with a shy smile, coming to stand by my side. Looking out the window, her dress fluttered slightly in the breeze. I caught a waft of her scent, like roses in spring.
“Are you keeping us safe tonight?” she asked in a low voice, as if it were just the two of us in on a big secret. I knew it must be how she always acted. She could probably charm the pants off of anyone she wanted. But that smile? It felt like it was just for me.
I nodded. It wasn’t in the job description to chat up the guests. I was there to protect and serve, not fraternize. But still she kept on.
“It’s such a nice night tonight. I almost feel like I’m wasting it, in here at this party. I feel like I want to head out, do something different. I don’t know, walk down to the beach or—”
“Don’t go down there by yourself.” I found myself cautioning her. It wasn’t really my responsibility, but what was this crazy talk about heading out alone into the night?
“Why not?” She laughed, light and bubbling up around my dark scowl. “Do you think it’s dangerous?” she teased.
“Yes,” I answered, certain that I knew what I was talking about. She might live in a world of diamonds and rainbows, but I did not.
“Really?” She tilted her head to the side, looking up at me, studying my face as if trying to memorize it. She shouldn’t look so fascinated. “I guess that’s your job. Do you see danger all over?” she asked expectantly. “Even right here?” We stood inches away from each other in the darkness. I could close the distance in half a second. She faced far more danger than she would ever know.
“Yes,” I answered, low, gruff and even more certain. “You should be over in the middle of the party.” It came out rougher than I’d intended, but it was better for her that way. She shouldn’t be over with me lurking in the shadows. Bad things happened to good girls like her when they strayed off the path with men like me.
“Oh.” She looked down, her excitement dampened. “Sorry, I don’t know why I’m over here talking to you like this.”
I took a step back, putting distance between us, crossing my arms up over my chest as an additional barrier. It made no sense that my fingers itched to reach out and stroke her soft curls, caress her slender neck. Better to curl them into fists instead. But I couldn’t help myself from reassuring her a little.
“S’all right, princess.”
That got her attention. “I’m not a princess,” she insisted, a spark in her eyes.
“Yes, you are,” I answered, firm and unyielding. It was true, whether she knew it or not.
“I’m Gigi,” she introduced herself, extending her delicate, pale hand in the moonlight. I looked down at it, keeping my hands to myself. Wrapping her soft skin in my steel grip would feel too damn good. Instead, I gave her a brief nod, then returned my attention to the party behind her.
“What’s your name?” she asked, sounding shy but determined.
I looked back down at her. “Dom.”
Damn if she didn’t gaze up at me like she wanted to spend the rest of the night tucked right there in the corner with me. That spelled all kinds of trouble for all kinds of reasons. Number one on the list? The fact that I wanted nothing more than that. Except getting her alone and all to myself. That would be even better.
So I tore my eyes away and ignored her. Arms crossed against my chest, I looked over to my right, my left, anywhere but where she stood there, so lovely and radiant and fucking breathtaking.
“I’m glad to meet you, Dom.” She placed a hand on my forearm and my stomach clenched, it felt so good. She leaned in, stretching up to my ear where she whispered, “Thanks for keeping me safe.”
She turned and walked back into the throng of the party. The sight of her smooth skin, the hollow of her lower back nearly killed me in that revealing dress. She had no idea how far from safe she really was.
3
Gigi
“Is it a gift?” I asked as I instinctively reached for the tissue paper to wrap.
“Yes thanks.” The woman at the counter answered without even looking up from her phone. Most of the people coming into Homeward Bound were picking up a gift, bringing back a touch of the Hamptons in the form of a nautical-themed pillow or blown-glass vase.
I wrapped and tied it all with a wide, yellow grosgrain ribbon. On the counter next to me, my phone lit up for the 90th time this morning with a text from a friend. The phrase “I’m at work” didn’t exactly register with my crew. Work was a foreign concept, something distasteful they’d heard about but never wanted to experience firsthand.
“It is a super cute shop,” my friend Penny had agreed when I’d told her that I’d be spending 20 hours a week working at the quaint little store that sold odds and ends for home decorating. But even she had asked on more than one occasion, “Why are you working there?” Everyone knew I didn’t need the money.
“My mom wants me to” was the stock answer I gave any who asked. And that was true. Lynn, the shop owner, was good friends with my mom and had promised to keep an eye on me over the summer. I’d lived with my mom practically full-time since age ten, and she wasn’t thrilled when I’d told her I wanted to spend the summer out on the Hamptons at my father’s house. Mainly because she knew he would rarely be there to keep a watchful eye over me.
Nor would any of my older brothers, even though I had three of them. Ash was out in California doing his rock-star thing. Heath was holed up in a cabin in Vermont, solidly and determinedly off the grid. They were doing it in different ways, but both were effectively raising their middle finger loud and proud to my corporate father. They wanted nothing to do with our family and, sadly, that meant me as well.
Even my oldest brother, Colt, who had, in every sense, embraced the Kavanaugh name, legacy and family business, wouldn’t be around much. He told me he’d be in the Hamptons on weekends to check in on me, but I knew he’d be the same as my father. A weekend of plans would evolve into “caught in some meetings, running late” which would turn into “need to reschedule.” I’d seen enough of it to not get disappointed any more.
In fact, this summer, the prospect of lots of time to myself without any watchful eyes felt positively liberating. Living with my mother and stepfather in their sprawling estate in Southern Connecticut, I’d been given the best but I’d been kept on an extremely short leash. I’d attended the very best private girls school, learned to play tennis and golf at the very best country club, and ridden my horse at stables used by visiting European royalty. As long as all my actions followed a narrowly prescribed path, everyone was happy, and I was a pleaser above all else. I did not break the rules. My mother worried about me, her youngest, and when other kids headed into the city to party all night, I stayed in and watched sappy movies with girlfriends.
Heading down south to attend Vanderbilt was about as rebellious as I’d gotten so far, but even by my parents’ standards it was hard to call my freshman year there wild. I’d joined the sorority I was expected to rush and went to the parties I was expected to attend, only drinking a polite glass/plastic cup or two max. I’d gone on dates with eligible young men, always the types who would meet the expectations of my parents. And just as reliably, I’d always frustrat
ed them at the end with barely a kiss good night. It wasn’t hard to be good when you felt no temptation to be bad.
At least that had been my experience up until now.
The shop door opened, the bell above giving a soft tinkle and my attention darted over. Could it be him? Of course not. An older woman and what looked like her daughter strolled into the shop, our typical customers. Rough and tough Dom would not be the type to head into our home decorating shop to poke around for gifts and ideas.
But I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I didn’t know what had come over me at the party the other night. I was never forward with men, going over and asking breathy questions about whether it was dangerous to be next to them. A blushing heat stole up into my cheeks just thinking about it. How cheesy of me.
I’d actually reached over and copped a feel of his solid forearm, veins and muscles running along its powerful length. It had been worth it. He’d felt so good. It was all I could do to tear myself away from him and head back into the party. He’d dismissed me several times, with his body language, with his actual words, telling me to leave him alone. Yet I almost couldn’t do it. Everything in me wanted to scoot closer, then closer still until I got so close I could feel his heat and strength and maybe, if I got lucky, get near enough to those full lips so I could taste.
My phone blipped with another text. It made no sense that my heart kept leaping over those as well. Could it be Dom? No, it could not. He didn’t have my phone number. I never gave out my phone number to random men, and he hadn’t even asked. But I still got excited every damn time my phone blipped, like a schoolgirl with an impossible crush. Which I’m sure was what I looked like to him.
Last night at the end of the party, he’d been my hero. Some big drunk guy had started bothering me. I’d ignored him leering at me, but then he’d made his way over and slurred some line in my ear about me looking sexy. Before I even knew what has happening, he was pulled away and out the door.
I’d followed behind and saw Dom lead him firmly down the stairs and pack him into the back seat of a car. He hauled the guy off like a ragdoll. The man didn’t even protest. It so easily could have been a scene, but no one even noticed. Dom just managed it with silent, stealthy force.
Jaw set, in charge, commanding the situation, Dom had sent him on his way. Then he’d looked back at the door almost as if he knew I’d be there. When our eyes met, I swear I saw such darkness pass through him, something so fierce and possessive it made me catch my breath. No wonder I couldn’t stop thinking about him. He was the most exciting, dangerous, gorgeous man I’d ever met.
* * *
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* * *
On Friday night I wanted to head to the country club where I had a chance of seeing Dom, but Penny thought I was crazy.
“Everyone’s heading to Via Vino, and then Chels has the back room reserved at Oceanside. You know she’d kill us if we didn’t show.”
“She would,” I acknowledged. We’d known Chelsea since middle school and she could get brutal.
“And then you know everyone’s going to end up at the 2am Club.”
“Yeah.” Week two and I was already getting accustomed to the ebb and flow of summer on the Hamptons. House parties and functions at the country club mixed with a whole lot of club-hopping. I could almost see it like a science experiment, with molecules disbanding then forming again to finally all cluster at some late-night hot spot. It was why I’d wanted to spend the summer there, to let loose and have fun and see my friends. Only now a new agenda item had taken top precedence.
I didn’t even know his full name. Was Dom short for Dominic? And what was his last name? I had so many questions. But they were going to have to wait. Tomorrow night we had a function at the club we’d all dutifully attend before setting out into the evening. I’d be there with bells on. But not tonight.
“Zander’s going to be at Oceanside,” Penny began, launching into a dissection of his recent behavior. Zander said this. Zander did that. Sometimes I wanted to club Zander over the head for putting Penny through everything he did. That boy played more games than an extroverted kid at an elementary school birthday party. I let her tell me every single last detail, letting it wash over me in an almost soothingly familiar manner, until she started trying to set me up again with one of Zander’s friends.
“Trevor’s so cute. He’s so into you. You should totally give him a chance.”
“Mph.” I gave her a noncommittal grunt. Honestly, Trevor seemed fine, but I’d never detected the passion Penny claimed he felt for me, nor had I felt anything remotely like it myself. We had an utterly congenial relationship based on similar backgrounds and mutual acquaintances. Entire lives had been built on that foundation, with marriages and children and everything else. Me, though? I wanted more.
We agreed to our usual routine, and Penny showed up with her usual sampling of outfits, and we headed off into our usual merry-go-round of social flitting and flirting. Until late at night when we arrived at the 2am Club.
I was tipsy by the time we got there, wobbling a bit on my stacked heels in my skimpy clubbing dress. There wasn’t much to it with thin straps, ending mid-thigh, but there wasn’t too much to me, either. I was a skinny little thing and I’d always been fine with that, but when I thought about a man like Dom it made me wish I were one of those traffic-stopping sirens with curves that made a man’s eyes pop out of his head. I’d definitely felt a charge between us, but he’d also found it really easy to dismiss me, literally sending me away from him and telling me to rejoin the party. If I had a little more junk in the trunk maybe he would have taken advantage of the shadows and my obvious interest. Maybe he would have leaned down to me and slid his hand along the curve of my lower back.
Like he was doing right in front of me to a sexy skank practically bursting out of her nearly nonexistent top.
“What—?” I stopped short as we exited the car in front of the club, causing Penny and a couple other friends to jostle into me, giggling, like we were a bunch of drunk bimbos. Which, I guess, might not be the most unfair characterization.
“Wait, you guys, wait.” A girl in our crew balanced against Penny as she adjusted the strap of her sandal.
Penny slipped her arm through mine as she followed my gaze. “Is that the guy from—?”
“Um-hmm,” I managed to answer, still not able to move my legs. Dom stood next to the door looking even bigger than before in a fitted black T-shirt. It looked like he was a bouncer for the club, but then it also looked as if he had his hands full in quite another way as a woman draped her arms around his neck. When he reached down I saw he had a full sleeve of tattoos. It wasn’t a surprise that he was inked, but it was a revelation to see them, winding around his muscles and drawing my attention to his bulging bicep. Every inch of the man looked hard.
“Do you know that guy?” Another friend asked, her tongue lolling out of her mouth. “He’s scary.” But way she said it didn’t sound like she wanted to run and hide.
“He’s hot.” My other friend finished fixing her sandal and joined in the ogling party, just in time for Dom to look up and see all four of us standing and staring at him open-mouthed. Perfect.
He turned his attention back to the woman draped all over him. Octopus much? I wanted to tell her to back off, but of course I’d never do such a thing. Plus, the woman looked like she’d kick my ass in three seconds flat. She had long fingernails and a tat to match his on her shoulder. It figured that would be the kind of woman he’d go for. Not some prissy little schoolgirl like me.
I looked down as we approached the entrance, feeling like an idiot. He probably wouldn’t even remember me.
“Get you a ride home,” I overheard him saying to the woman as we reached the door. Another gigantic man in a black T-shirt asked for our IDs. Not one of us was 21, but our IDs attested to each of us being well into our 20s. Mine said I lived in Nashville. As always, the velvet rope opened to give us access.
Dom stood next
to me though I studiously avoided any more eye contact. But he was right there, and I caught a glimpse of him clearly unwinding the woman’s tentacles. He firmly insisted he call her a ride home as she whined in protest. I couldn’t help but smile.
He leaned toward me just before I walked past. “Watch yourself in there, princess.” I looked up into his dark eyes, unable to hide how happy I felt that he remembered me.
“Hi, Dom,” I murmured, flushing. “Do you work here, too?”
“Some of us got to earn a living.” His words came out gruff, but then he gave me a quick and sexy wink. Oh no. That was it. I was done for.
I made it into the club on Penny’s arm, feeling very much like I either needed a shot of something strong or a bar stool to sink down on. Or both.
“Did he just wink at you?” Penny shout-whispered into my ear. It was loud in the club and I could feel the beat of the dance music pulsing through the floor. I was saved from having to answer by her spotting Zander and drawing us over toward him like a bee toward a flower.
I’d never more desperately wished I were outside and away from a party with all my friends. Surrounded by the people I’d known for years and assumed I would for years to come, the ones I’d gone to school with, whose parents knew my parents and we saw in all the same circles, I wanted out. I wished I smoked so I could excuse myself and slip outside for a reason. My gaze kept drifting over to the door, wondering if Dom would make his way inside, but the moment never came.
Finally, the evening wound down. Closing time arrived, with the usual hook ups and stumbling and weaving toward the door. I’d done a shot, but then ended up nursing a G&T the rest of the night and only felt buzzed by the time I stepped out into the warm summer-night air. It felt good on my face after the dark heat of the club, and I closed my eyes for a moment to enjoy it.
When I opened them, I saw Dom watching me. Arms crossed against his chest, he leaned against the wall. Our group was among the last to leave and no one was causing him any trouble. I doubted many people were stupid enough to start anything with him.