It was pretty quiet at the pub tonight. I leaned against the bar counter and swirled my finger over the surface when Kat walked through the front doors. It was only her and Nate. Dominic wasn’t with them. I had gotten used to seeing Dominic each night I worked and found myself missing him. Why do I miss him? Ugh. Get a grip on yourself, Liv! My roommate waved her hand at me, and Nate tipped his head in my direction. When they settled in their usual booth, I took out some glasses to polish and pretended to be busy. I had grown accustomed to having Dominic sitting in the corner with a dark, brooding look, overseeing every small action I made from a distance. I had thought it weird initially, but ever since I slept with him, I found it sexy—like he was letting everyone know they were in his territory or something like it. It was incredibly Alpha male of him, but I secretly loved his attention. I also envied his confidence—which was something I lacked. I acted like I had plenty, but

I stepped out of the cab and grabbed Dominic’s hand. Nadia had cinched the dress so tightly that I had difficulty breathing. I now wondered how I would eat without throwing everything back up. However, the dress fit like a glove and made me feel like a movie star. The hair salon also did a number on my head. My long, naturally dark-brown hair had been curled into a blowout look and tumbled gently on my shoulders and back, bouncing with every step I took. After Dominic helped me out of the car, his hand possessively came to my waist and brought us closer together. “As much as you look ravishing in that dress, and I can’t stop looking at you, I can’t wait to take it off later tonight and fuck you while you’re only wearing those high heels.” He said in his baritone voice. His words sent shivers along my spine, and I couldn’t help biting my lower lip with eagerness. “I’ll hold you to that.” Dominic escorted me inside the Italian restaurant to meet his potential client and brought me

Dominic’s hand stroked my ass cheek, and I heard him groan against my skin. “Why do you smell so good all the time? It’s intoxicating just having you by my side.” My lips curved of their own volition and I raked my fingers into Dominic’s hair, making it messier than it was before. “I don’t know, but I could say the same for you.” Tuesday night, after I did my shift at the pub, Dominic came over and stayed. That had been two days ago, and he still refused to leave. We made out and fucked, over and over again, like teenagers, and now I wondered what life without Dominic Moore would even look like? My stomach growled, making Dominic lift his head. “You’re not one of those women who gets ‘hangry’, are you?” I brushed his cheek with my fingers and grinned. “Depends,” I laughed. He promptly stood up and searched for his clothes on the floor of my room. I rather liked him naked. His round ass and perfectly muscled thighs made me hungry for something else. “I’ll make you breakfast.”

Lena’s apartment was pleasant. It was in an apartment complex in the city's heart and offered a magnificent view. I was scared of heights, so I stayed as far as possible from the windows but still enjoyed the panoramic scene from the comfort of Lena’s armchair in her living room. She hadn’t expected me, and the space was a bit of a mess from her having a meltdown when Chuck left. I couldn’t blame her. The water kettle whistled in the kitchen while Lena prepared two cups of tea. I stayed in the living room and flipped through the piles of magazines and books that littered the coffee table. Once I was done, I stacked them in the corner and cleaned up a bit so we’d be more comfortable talking. I knew what was coming would put salt in our wounds, but it needed to be done. “How was the flight? I know you hate planes.” Lena asked, placing my cup in front of me. I smiled at her and took the cup in my hands to warm my fingers. They were frozen. “It was fine.” Lena nodded and took a sip

The weeks blurred together, and I lost track of where Olivia Sheridan began and where Dominic’s Olivia ended. Many changes had come upon me, and I liked how they made me feel. I had more confidence at work and in my personal life, and with Dominic constantly around me, I felt more beautiful and sexier. But those weren’t the only changes. I changed my work schedule and started working on Thursdays and Fridays only. It gave me more time to stay home to work on my novel and spend more time with Dominic. Every time he stayed the night, I had a nightmare-free sleep, so I made sure to always have him by my side when I went to bed. We split half the week at my house and the other at his. It was nice, and we found a rhythm that worked without overwhelming me. I was ready to try this, short of it sounding like a relationship. I wasn’t looking for one since I didn’t believe I could be a good girlfriend, but I could do this friends-with-benefits thing without overthinking every minute. The agr