All of Dominic’s senses were on high alert as he drove Samaire home from the charity event. He was aware of the faint scent of her unique perfume and Dominic licked his lips as he recalled how her skin tasted. Dominic was tempted to turn on the radio to cut through the thick silence between them. He kept glancing at her, remembering the softness of her hair and the fullness of her sweet, sensual mouth. What happened between them in the bathroom had been hot and wild. Her touch had made him rock hard and he was still in agony. Why had Samaire kissed him with such passion? He wasn’t sure if he wanted the answer. Was she just curious how it would be between them? Because he damn sure was. But he also knew Samaire. She wouldn’t reach out unless she had all the data to weigh the pros and cons. And even then, she would hold back if she wasn’t completely certain. Had she kissed him because she had committed to the role she was playing? That w

Dominic rested his arm against the door frame and leaned closer to Samaire.“Well, now you just put it out there in the world…” Samaire’s throat tightened. He was going to make light of her invitation. She should have known.“Yeah… I guess I did,” she replied slowly.“After that, I’m going to wonder what it’s like to be with you,” Dominic continued as he stared at her mouth. He hadn’t before? Not even once? Samaire didn’t want to think about that.“It could prove to be a distraction.” Slowly, he reached out and cupped her face with his hand. It was warm and so manly against her delicate skin.“I may not be able to stop wondering about it once this week is over.” Samaire fought the urge to lean into his touch.“That could be detrimental to our working relationship.” Dominic gently rubbed his thumb against her cheekbone.“But having sex will change everything,” he warned Samaire.“I believe everything between us has already cha

Samaire parked her car in front of the wine bar. There was a rainy, freezing day that would normally have her curled up at home with a mug of hot chocolate. Instead, she was venturing out in the horrible weather, on her way to see Dominic. Any excuse was good to see him. Samaire used to shake her head at women who did that when they started a relationship. Now she was one of them! While she wanted to make the most of this fling, she also had to remember that it had no future. So, she had to play it cool. She stepped into the wine bar and ran her fingers through her damp hair, glancing around.“Samaire?” Deanna walked by her and stopped. Her hands were filled with two bags containing wine bottles.“I should’ve known you would be here.”“Hi, Deanna, good to see you,” Samaire replied hesitantly and glanced in the direction of the kitchen. “Did you enjoy the bonfire?” Her friend wagged her eyebrows.“Not as much as you did…” Sama

“Who told you that crap?” Dominic asked.“Experts. Many, many experts…” She wasn’t surprised by his anger. It seemed to be the common reaction.“Well… I say they’re all fucking wrong.” He slapped his hand against his desk.“Sam… Baby… You are smart and creative. You solve problems on a daily basis and you are an independent, successful businesswoman. I’m telling you, they are fucking wrong,” Dominic emphasized. Samaire would have been happy to prove the results wrong, and for a while, she had acted as if the diagnosis hadn’t existed. But no amount of work made her grades improve and she’d had to accept the truth. Her goals and the future she had imagined were unreachable. Pursuing an Ivy League college was no longer a possibility for someone like her, with such credentials. Her learning disabilities meant she’d never be a researcher or a scientist like her parents. They still refused to discuss that there was something different about her.“Dom,

Samaire hurried into Dominic’s office and away from curious eyes. He was right behind her. Her face warmed and her muscles shook as emotions clashed inside her. She pressed her hand against her mouth, refusing to speak until they were somewhere private. She waited until Dominic closed the door and then she whirled around to face him.“What’s wrong with you, Dom?” Her voice was low and fierce.“You should ask Fenton what got into him. Why does he think he has the right to yell at you? Do you let your clients talk to you like that?” She covered her face with her hands and gave a growl of frustration before she dropped them to her side.“I had to take care of this myself. How would you feel if I did that to you?”“I wouldn’t let you,” he decided.“This has been so embarrassing,” she muttered. Dominic’s eyes widened.“I embarrassed you? I wasn’t the one who caused a scene. I was trying to help. I was protecting you.”“That’s not what I meant,” Samai