Page 65 of Tempt Me

Dom: Good. I can’t wait to get my hands on you again.

Heat floods my core.

Dom: And my mouth. My tongue. My fingers.

Me: Stop. I’m at my parent’s office.

Dominic and I talked for hours last night about my plans. The future. Us. Okay, we talked for a few minutes every hour. We were busy the rest of the time.

“I know this will make you happy.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear as she leans her hip against the desk. “And that makes us happy. We discussed this last night. Do you want to go to Cosmo full-time?”

“I can’t. It would be too much to go full-time with work and college classes.”

“You don’t need to work.” He grabs a red stress ball with their logo imprinted on it in white lettering and flips it from one hand to the other. “We’ll take care of your classes. Or if you’d rather drop all your college courses, that’s fine as well.”

“No, it’s fine.” I wipe my hands on my shorts. “I’m good with everything. I want to keep going to college, but I’m going to switch my emphasis to business.”

“That’s a great idea.” My mom’s eyes light and then she straightens. “If that’s what you want that is.”

“It is. And Dominic’s mom is going to manage a new shop here in town, so I’m hoping she’ll let me work there a couple of days a week.”

“That’s wonderful.” My mom snatches up the phone receiver.

“Stop.” I laugh and roll my eyes as she sets the phone back down. “I can talk to Mira myself. I don’t need you to put in a good word for me.”

“It’s fine.” She waves her hand toward me. “I need to speak with Mira anyway. If we’re going to be planning a wedding–”

“Mom, stop! Dominic and I just got together. Let’s not rush things. I’m going to school. I’m still living at home. Dom lives with Ben and Sam. There’s no need to push for marriage.”

Not that I don’t want to marry Dominic. I do. It would be a dream come true. But we can wait. A few months, at least. Mrs. Dominic Wood. Giddiness swells inside of me.

No one needs to know that when I was in high school, I used to write Mrs. Dominic Wood in my notebooks. Now, it’ll be a reality. At least, it will be someday.

My phone vibrates in my hand again.

Dom: Naughty Little Wildflower, can’t get enough of my dick?

Fuck. My entire body flames at once.

Me: No, I can’t.

Dom: Fine. I won’t send you a dick pick to hold you over.

Oh, my God. Shit. Why do I now wish I had a dick pick?

Me: Please?

“Yes, please don’t rush things.” My father’s face is red as he drops the stress ball onto the desk. Apparently, even a stress ball isn’t helping keep his blood pressure down. “Let an old man catch his breath for a second.”

Ten minutes later, I step out into the midday sunshine and wave to Mrs. Martin, who’s watering the plants in front of her shop. The hanging baskets of pink, purple, and white petunias are gorgeous. They’re full and brimming with color. I don’t know how she does it. I can’t keep a cactus alive.

“Bella.” She grins. “You look lovely this afternoon.”

“Thank you.”

“I told you that Dom would look good on you.” She winks and sets the red watering can on the sidewalk.

“Yes, you did.” Oh, Jesus. My face floods with heat as I speedwalk down the sidewalk toward my car. A robin flies down and lands on the ledge in front of my parent’s picture window and tweets a simple tune. I don’t see how life could get any better than this.

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