005

Rosie's POV

I was going to kill him. 

Not just a quick death, either, oh no. I was going to slowly strangle Dominic with my bare hands, bring him back to life, and do it all over again. 

Because the fuck was this situation? 

I was still sitting on my damn bed, face burning hotter than hell itself, while Dominic stood there, arms crossed, that stupid, infuriating smirk playing on his lips. 

His steel-blue eyes flickered between my flushed face and the book I had just definitely not been fantasizing over. 

"Well, well..." His voice was thick with amusement. Dark. Dangerous. 

I gulped. Shit.

He tilted his head, eyes gleaming with something I did not want to acknowledge. "Didn't take you for the type to entertain yourself so... thoroughly." 

My stomach dropped. 

Did he just-? 

Oh, fuck. 

His smirk widened. He took a slow step forward, and I had the stupidest instinct to back away like some scared little rabbit. 

I hate that he has this effect on me. Lies. They're just words because my tingling body says otherwise.

"Tell me, sweetheart," he drawled, his voice a mix of teasing and....oh screw this... he is taunting me, and still it sent a shameful shiver down my spine. "Was it the book?" His gaze dipped lower. "Or were you imagining my hands instead?" 

I choked. This is typical Dominic being Dominic now... 

Nope. Nope. NOPE.

Absolutely not. 

I grabbed my pillow and launched it at his face, but the bastard caught it mid-air like some smug fucking show-off. 

"Shut the fuck up!" I snapped, my voice coming out way too high-pitched for my liking. 

He grinned. 

"Oh, this is fun," he mused. "I never expected this from you." 

One would think he's being all serious now. But this is Dominic, always taunting, always exploiting weaknesses to make a fool of others. And right now, I am his prey.

I clenched my fists, trying to will my embarrassment away. "This from me?" I scoffed. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" 

Dominic gave me a slow once-over, eyes dragging down my face, over my body, then back up again. I shivered despite myself. 

"You just... don't look like someone who reads this kind of thing." His smirk deepened. "Innocent little Rosie, devouring filthy books in the middle of the day? What a surprise." 

"Shut the fuck up!" I hissed again, lurching forward to snatch my book back. 

But I was too slow. 

The asshole snatched it right out of my hands. 

Oh, I am going to kill him.

"Dominic!" I screeched. "Give it back!" 

His eyes scanned the page I'd just been reading, and suddenly, he froze. 

Then, slowly, so fucking slowly, he looked up at me. 

I knew that look. 

It was the same look anyone would give if they caught me with this very not-safe-for-public-reading book. 

"You were reading this?" His voice was filled with disbelief, but that stupid teasing glint in his eyes told me he was absolutely loving this. Or maybe my assumptions are wrong.

I crossed my arms. "So fucking what? I like my books. Now give it back!" 

Dominic ignored me. 

The absolute menace just kept flipping through the pages, smirking wider and wider the more he read. 

Oh, hell no. 

"Give. Me. My. Book!" I lunged at him again, but he dodged, stepping back easily like the overgrown bastard he was. 

"Let's see..." he mused, holding the book up higher far too high for me to reach. Because of course he was six fucking feet of muscle and smugness while I was just barely reaching his damn shoulders. 

Then, the fucker- 

He started reading it out loud. 

"Her breath hitched as his lips trailed down her neck, leaving a burning trail in their wake..." 

I screamed. 

I launched myself at him again, grabbing at the book, the absolute piece of shit just held it higher, lifting his arm so that I couldn't reach no matter how hard I jumped. 

"Dominic!" I growled, jumping again. "I swear to the fucking Moon Goddess, I will end your..." 

"And when his hands finally reached..." 

"DOMINIC, I WILL RIP YOUR THROAT OUT!" 

I jumped again, this time slamming into him full force, and- 

Oh, shit.

One second, I was shoving at him, desperately trying to reach my book. 

The next, I was falling. 

My heart leaped into my throat as I lost my balance, the world tilting around me.

But before I could hit the ground, strong hands snatched my waist, yanking me back up. 

For a split second, there was nothing but silence. 

Silence, except for my rapid breathing, my fingers clutching at his shirt, and the warm, solid heat of his hands wrapped around my waist. 

His gaze darkened, the mocking grin vanishing along with the taunting glint in his eyes. In its place, a quiet intensity settled, steel blue eyes locking onto mine, holding me captive. Staring way past my soul as though they could read through me, read through my messed up thoughts. 

Dominic's fingers tightened. 

You know that enchanting moments from romance book? Could this be one of them? My heart was beating faster, and yeah that same thing happens to the female leads too. 

Fuck.

His lips crashed against mine, rough, demanding, completely unapologetic. 

I gasped, body tensing for a single moment before, before I melted. 

Fucking melted. 

Because shit his mouth was hot, his lips soft but firm, his hands gripping my waist like he wasn't planning to let me go. 

My fingers curled into his shirt, a desperate, needy sound escaping the back of my throat before I could stop it. 

Dominic groaned. Like he actually groaned, the sound deep and low, sending a bolt of heat straight through my stomach. 

He pressed me closer, and my body reacted on its own,

my back arching, my fingers trailing up his chest. 

Then, just as suddenly as it started.

He pulled away. 

I stumbled, my chest heaving, my lips tingling from the force of that kiss. 

Dominic just stood there, staring at me, his breathing just as ragged.