Page 190 of Love Among the Ruins
Her stomach twisted into knots. It mattered to her that he didn’t lose the deal on account of her. His family was waiting for him to fail and she would not let him. After everything he had done for her, she would not let him fail on the matter of principle and high morals for something that she didn’t care about.
Galatis was a nobody in her life.
She moved towards Dominic, swallowing the space between them, and yet, stopped herself short. Even now, being around him was potent. Electric. Her body was already reacting.
Damn this man.
“What did your father say?”And Alexander.Eleni didn’t want to think about what his brother would have made of this.
“It doesn’t matter,” Dominic replied, his voice monotone.
“It matters to you, Dominic. Does your father know the truth? That you are putting emotions before logical reasoning?” She was worried that he was making a bad mistake.
“My family isn’t happy with me. I didn’t give the real reason for calling the deal off. Not yet. I don’t want to drag you into it. But I plan to work on something that could be a better solution.”
“What solution?” She hadn't planned to face Dominic just yet. She was going to go home for the weekend again, to clear her thoughts when Miranda had told her that Galatis had come to see Dominic again.
Her contract ended next month and she had saved up more than enough to climb the mountain.
For her, for Jonas, and to put the past behind her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, tipping his head back and looking at her through his lashes, making her stare up at him. Her heart began to plummet again. Being around Dominic had the same effect as being on a rollercoaster and freefalling from a great height. Her insides churned and twisted and then became light and lithe again.
With one word or one look he could make her feel so many things. This man possessed her body and soul, and had the ability to change her moods and thoughts without even knowing.
“Why did you come in here? I didn’t want you to ever have to face Galatis again.” Then his eyes widened. “Or did you come to see me?”
There was hope in his voice.
“Deflection is your superpower, Dominic. You haven’t answered my question.” She’d picked through fragments over their conversations, and had seen how deftly he avoided answering the important questions. “What solution were you talking about? For the deal?”
He didn’t have long left here. He’d told her he was only here for the summer. What could he fix in such a short time?
He started to roll up his sleeves and her insides bottomed out. She could not lose her head now even as images of the pool and Dominic in it flashed past her.
“I’m working on another deal, involving more companies. It’s better to have more and to spread the risk rather than to rely on the main man at the top. A wise woman gave me that piece of advice once.” The corners of his lips twitched, as if he was trying his best to stop himself from smiling.
But she couldn’t help it. She smiled, and once more her gaze went to his lean and muscly forearms. They’d held her once. How could she ever forget lying in bed with his arms wrapped around her?
He looked at her as if she were the only thing that mattered, as if he needed her as much as air itself. She dragged her gaze up to his eyes. His brows pushed together.
He knew.
She had a thing about his forearms and heknew.Mercifully, she had the presence of mind, just about, to stop herself from chewing her lower lip.
Because that would really give the game away.
And because he knew, he stepped closer to her and started to slowly roll up the cuff of his other sleeve.
Her gaze lingered over the bare skin. She almost let out a sigh.
“I’m sorry you had to see Galatis again,” he murmured.
“I don’t feel anything for him,” she managed to say, forcing her eyes level with his face. “Which is why I don’t want you to give up the deal with him.”
“I won’t work with him, Eleni. This is my deal, and I have time to fix it.”
Time?
