Page 37 of Dominance

“For yelling. That’s not…” Looking around, the reality of the situation actually sinks in. Shaking my head laughter starts low in my gut, swelling through my chest.

“What’s so funny?” Gloria squints at me.

“I’ve really gotta stop staying out all night. Apparently crazy shit happens when I’m not around to stop it.”

“You really do, especially since now you’ll have me to come home to.”

“I have a job, you know. It requires me to be out at odd hours.”

“And that’s no business of mine, clearly.” She rolls her eyes at my tone. “But we may need to establish some ground rules for communication if I’m going to be living here.”

Off the cuff. Glib.

Like she’s always lived here, and we’ve been together for years instead of days.

The part of me that wants to protest, make her get out and take all of her clutter out of my neat and tidy house fades as she circles the bar, approaching me with a little sway of her hips. Her eyes never leave mine and all the arguments and reasons I had a second ago take a dive right off the balcony.

Why was I mad?

She tips the movers, closing the doors after them while I stand there like an idiot.

Her lips press together as she turns back, hiding a smile as she catches me sighing. “Can you really tell me no?”

One finger traces down my chest and I realize how close she is, the tight fitting T-shirt showing her midriff. Unbelievable.

“Axiom.”

“Bless you.”

“No. What you did. Reminds me of an axiom.”

“Oh? Did it have anything to do withshooting first and asking questions later?”

“I was tempted to. Still am.”

She’s a step closer, her body inches from mine. “Fire away…”

“Is this your way of asking for forgiveness instead of permission?”

“Or maybe I’m giving permission…” Her voice is a whisper as I feel my head dip, our breath intermingling as our lips inch closer…

Her chest presses up against me, the sensation of her full, perky tits pressing into my chest shocking me like lightning. And triggering a sudden realization.

Pulling back I narrow my eyes. “Is this because I?—?”

“Karma is a bitch.”

Heat floods my face and I’m about to snap back when the door bangs open, a raspy, arrogant, spine-shivering voice interrupting us.

“Gloria! What in the name of Santa Maria is going on here?!”

7

GLORIA

One crisis averted and another one blows up right in my face.

Dom stands in the door, looking around, a storm-cloud scowl twisting his features as he takes in the place, the boxes, me pressed against Adriano and aching for him to kiss me again.

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