Page 13 of Snowbound with the Vineyard Owner
I turn slowly, crossing my arms, not for defense. To keep my hands from shaking.
“What the hell was that?”
Dominic doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t blink. Just gives me that look—intense, unreadable, like he’s deciding whether to answer me honestly or not.
“Paul has a habit,” he says at last, “of trying to rescue things that don’t need rescuing.”
“Things like me?” I arch a brow, heat prickling across my chest.
His eyes don’t leave mine. “Exactly like you.”
I’m not letting him off that easily.
“So was that your way of… what? Pissing in a circle around me?”
His mouth twitches. Just barely.
“If you’re going to act like a caveman and stake a claim, at least buy me dinner first. Or use actual words instead of… testosterone.”
“You’d rather I used words?”
“Depends,” I shoot back. “Are they going to be full sentences or just more of that primal grunting?”
Something dark flashes in his eyes. Something possessive. Wicked.
He steps in again, closer than close now, his voice low enough to chase chills down my spine.
“If I wanted toclaimyou, Elena…” His fingers brush a strand of hair off my cheek, feather-light. “…you wouldn’t be confused about it.”
My breath catches.
Because he’s not posturing now.
He’s promising.
And god help me—I want to dare him to follow through.
I try to sound flippant. Try to act like his neanderthal routine doesn’t short-circuit my entire nervous system.
I fail. Spectacularly.
Something flashes in his eyes—dark, untamed. A warning. A promise.
He steps closer, slow and unrelenting, boots grinding into the snow. He doesn’t rush.Doesn’t lunge. Just invades, inch by inch, until there’s nothing left between us but heat and breath.
I square my shoulders, spine locked straight, like that’ll stop my body from betraying me.
“What if I’m with someone?” The words come out steady, but I hate how breathless they sound. “What if I’m not available to be…claimed?”
His eyes flare, pupils darkening until there’s almost no color left.
Not angry. Not surprised.
Just possessive.
“If you were with someone, sweetheart…” His gaze drops to my mouth. “…you wouldn’t be standing here staring at me like you’re starving.”
The words hit low and deep. My knees damn near buckle.
