Page 86 of Sweets and Sycamores
“Show me all your tattoos, Allie,” he said, then lowered his head and kissed her.
Softly.
Once, twice.
Allie hated it. She wanted more, more, more.
“Under my sweater,” she surrendered, then bit his lower lip. Provoked him. Dom made a deep, guttural sound in the back of his throat. He fisted her hair and opened her mouth, giving her what she wanted, twirling his tongue expertly around hers. Pressure built low in her abdomen, threatening to take her apart at the seams.
It was too much and not enough.
Dom let her breathe as he said, “Tell me you want this.” She nodded fervently, as if her life depended on it. “Say it,” he hissed.
Allie placed her hands on his jaw and drew back enough that her eyes could meet his. The thirsty, disheveled look he sported drove her insane.
“Dom.” She placed a soft kiss on his lips, just like he had done to her. “I.” Soft kiss. “Want.” Kiss. “This.” Kiss. “You.”
“Fuck.” He moaned into her mouth, impatient and hungry. Then he picked her up and walked them to his bedroom, not breaking away from her for a second.
Allie slammed the door closed with the heel of her tall boot.
It was late afternoon when they finally left the house, after Allie had argued multiple times that they’d be late meeting Mia. Dominic had growled in protest and kept her prisoner in his arms under the blanket until the last minute. He’d spent anobscene amount of time tracing her tattoos with his fingers and tongue. The lotus flower between her breasts was his favorite, he declared after taking hours to study every ink line. The one on her back received the same amount of attention, though: a full moon stamped in the center of her back with opposite moon phases up and down her spine.
The pleasure had been out of this world, and now that she’d experienced it, nothing else would ever come close to matching it. Dominic had smirked arrogantly at the image of her boneless and tangled up in his sheets.
Now they were walking hand in hand toward Harper’s café, Dom’s features schooled into that characteristic frown, Allie smiling uncontrollably, plastered to him. Everyone they passed by stopped to ask how Allie was feeling, and some played with Ekko for a bit, yet no one dared to acknowledge the closeness between her and Dom. She smiled and told the truth, that she was doing well and was happy to have been of help. Dom was back to his grunting and scowling self, and Allie felt privileged to be the only one who saw that sweet, wicked smile on his handsome face.
“You’re la—Are you holding hands? Oh gods, it’s finally happening!” Mia jumped up from the table by the window, nearly spilling her coffee, and threw her arms around their shoulders. “I knew it!” she muttered victoriously. “I’m so happy for you!”
“Thanks, Mia,” Allie said. Dom grunted.
“Me too!” Harper attacked them just when they were untangling themselves. The cheerful blonde gave them a toothy smile before she started on their pumpkin spice latte order.
The three of them sat down, and before Mia showered them with a dozen questions about her and Dom that she was not ready to answer, Allie asked, “How’s Brandon doing?” Dom winced, and a pang of guilt stabbed her heart, since she’d kepthim from checking on his friend. Mia went deadly quiet, so Allie filled the silence with: “Why don’t we get one of these fancy coffees to go and pay him a visit?”
Dominic turned to her with a stricken, surprised look. Allie smiled, and his features relaxed. He draped his arm across her chair and pulled it closer to him. A smirk bloomed on Mia’s lips, silence forgotten.
“Tell me everything.”
“How much do you want to know about your brother’s personal affairs?” Dom provoked her.
Mia leaned across the table, interlacing her fingers, mischief shining in her eyes. “Everything.” Allie laughed. “What’s funny? For sure not my brother.”
“You two. How easy it is for you to be around each other and tease each other. I haven’t had someone like that since my mom.” Allie’s voice didn’t wobble, and she was smiling, but Mia still threw her a soft look while Dom squeezed her shoulder.
“Now you have your pick,” Harper said, approaching with a tray. “Me and Tina, Mia, Brandon, and Dom.” She placed tall drinks topped with whipped cream on the table. The sweet smell filled the space, and Allie’s mouth watered. Ekko had a similar reaction and stretched his snout to the glass.
“Ah-ah.” Allie gently pushed him away, but her heart melted at the look in his eyes. “It’s not good for you,” she insisted, but the dragon’s expression morphed into a dramatic pout. “Fine. Just a small taste.” Ekko flew in happy circles around the table before sitting down in front of the glass. Allie swiped at the cream with her index finger and offered it to the longing creature.
“Gentle,” Dom warned him. As if Ekko would ever hurt her. The baby dragon spat a cloud of steam in Dominic’s direction in contempt, then—gently—licked the cream off Allie’s finger. He chittered with happiness and settled on her lap.
Dom and Mia fell into conversation about the Harvest Festival preparations and booths, but Allie’s mind wandered. She thought about Harper’s words, how true they were. How fate had brought her to Sycamore Falls to meet all these amazing people who had started to feel like family.
The prospect of celebrating Hallows Eve here with them was more exciting by the day. With the cool weather and the burnt colors, Allie felt like Hallows Eve was made for a town like this. She considered risking Lydia’s wrath and delaying her return by one or two days to spend that night here, with the man next to her.
Mia pointed at the corner of her mouth after Allie slurped her sweet drink, still oblivious to their conversation.
“You have a little…”
