Page 18 of Her Dom's Secret Past

Chapter Seven

Anabelle

I couldn’t believe what I’d done! I’d actually sort of seduced John. Yes, he’d kissed me, but I’d suggested we warm each other up. Oh my goodness, what was I thinking?

Actually, it was wonderful. The man kissed like I didn’t know what. I did know I’d never been kissed like that before. Every part of my body reacted. Yes, my toes had curled, my heart had raced, and I’d had trouble breathing. John made my heart sing out for more. And the sex?

Oh, wow!

Even though we hadn’t “gone the whole way”, what we did do was magical. It was obvious how much pain John was in, yet he still managed to make it all about me. When he’d bitten down hard on my nipple, I’d thought I’d come on the spot.

Oh, that’s right—I did!

I still couldn’t get my head around the fact I did seduce him. I actually didn’t trust people like that and yet here I was after a couple of meetings, stripping off and having sex with a stranger. Maybe it was because I needed to be wanted again, or maybe it was John. There was something about him that simply melted my heart. Silly, I knew, but I hoped he didn’t think of this as merely some holiday fuck. I hoped there was more to it.

We lay together, watching the storm. It felt so right to be held by him. He asked me about myself and I told him a little about Ed.

“About a year and half ago I went on a couple of dates with a guy but there was something about him I didn’t like. I declined when he asked me out again, but he didn’t take it well. At first it was just the odd phone call or email saying hello, like if I would like to go out for a meal. But with each refusal, he got angrier and angrier.”

“Heavens, Ana, that’s terrible.”

“Anyway, he started stalking me. He sent me emails filled with vitriol, threatening to hurt me. Mind you, they weren’t signed so I had no real proof it was him. Over the next six months, there were weird phone calls at all hours, deliveries of flowers without heads, even my car keyed.”

“This kept going on? For months?”

I could hear the anger and shock in John’s voice. His arm tightened, holding me closer, comforting me.

“Yes.”

“Did you go to the police?”

“I did. But the guy was sneaky. He’d use Internet cafés and fake IDs. He never went to the same florist twice. So even though I knew it was him, it couldn’t be proved, that was until things escalated.”

“What happened?”

“He turned up at my house, at my work. He had started signing his emails. Thankfully once the police knew, things were organized for me to go to court to have a one-year restraining order placed against him.”

“Ana, thank goodness. I gather he’s stopped?” John’s voice held concern and sympathy.

“Yep. Anyway, I didn’t go out much after that. It actually shook my confidence and it’s taken a while to get it back fully.”

“I can understand that completely.”

I didn’t tell John that Ed had hurt me and put me into hospital and I skipped over the fact I’d turned into a stupid recluse.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m kind of surprised how easily I slipped into this with you. I mean, I don’t normally trust people this quickly and yet…”

“I’m honored. Honestly, Ana, I truly am. There’s something about you that makes me want to care for you, protect you. Sounds a bit silly, but I do. I’m very sorry that some jerk would stalk you. I can see how having someone turn into a stalker would make you wary of relationships, of getting involved with someone. I promise not to do anything that would intentionally hurt you.”

“Maybe that’s why I feel relaxed with you. It’s like inside of me I know I could trust you completely.”

“Ana, honestly, I do want to know all about you. It’s like there’s something special between us. I do know this isn’t something I usually do either.”

Inside my head, I was doing a silly dance. This gorgeous man of my dreams sounded as if he did like me—a lot. Of course, it could have all been bullshit merely to get into my pants, but I didn’t think it was. But even if that was his reason, I intended to indulge for the remainder of my holiday and keep my fingers crossed that there would be an “after”.

He was holding my hand, playing with my fingers. He lifted it and turned it, examining at my tattoo.

“What’s this?”

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