Captivated (6 page)

“It’s hard to say no to
chocolate. Give me a minute to talk to my brother.”

Happiness
danced a duet with relief. Irisa couldn
’t contain her smile. Dom
had turned down dinner with the band in favor of one-on-one time with her. He
hadn’t been feigning interest, with plans to drop her when he met the guys.
She’d fully expected him and Zander to hit it off, and had planned to drown her
disappointment in a glass of wine, alone, at home.

She weaved through the
crowded room. Luke and Landry were on one side and Jayne on the other. Finally,
Zander came into view. He stood by Brendan and one of the Riptide players. She
paused. The band had arrived together, with a driver, so she didn
’t
have to worry about anyone getting behind the wheel. Her guys seemed fine, all
chatting and looking happy, but maybe she should skip drinks with Dom and tag
along with the band in case tempers flared.

Zander caught her gaze
and crossed to her.
“Having fun?”

“It’s great. You?”

“I have a few invites to
visit batting practice, so I’m psyched. Have you seen Jayne?”

“In the corner, talking
to one of the players.” She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder, then saw Dom in
the corner of her vision. She really didn’t want to have to turn him down… “Do
you think you guys can keep it together for a few hours without me?”

“Give us some credit.
Why, what’s going on?”

“Dom invited me to get a
drink with him.”

A light came into Zander
’s
eyes and he nudged her shoulder. “I wondered why you’d suddenly developed an
interest in baseball.”

Heat flushed into her
cheeks.
“Listen—”

“I think it’s great. And
it’s about damn time, too.”

Responsibility weighed
like a heavy coat on her shoulders.
“Are you sure you think
you guys can be nice to each other?”

“Take a look around.” He
pointed at the band members. “Everyone is having a good time, even Luke. We
have a driver. Everything’s fine. I think we can manage a dinner out with the
team. No thrown guitars or anything.”

The mild sarcasm helped
make her decision.
“All right. Then I guess I’ll say good
night.”

“I want a phone call or
text when you get home.”

Her lips twitched.
“Seriously?
I’m a big girl. I can handle myself. Besides, he lives in my building.”

“Text me anyway or I’ll
call him.” Features as set as stone, he held up his phone and pointed to Dom’s
name in his contacts list. No doubt he’d make good on his promise.

Maybe he
’d
suggest a guard dog next. “Overprotective much?”

His eyes softened.
“This
time, with you? Yeah.”

Her annoyance drained
away. She caught him in a quick hug.
“Fine. You win.”

Dom
’s
hand closed over her shoulder. “Ready?”

She nodded weakly. How
much had he overheard?

“Great meeting you, man.”
Zander stepped closer, eye to eye with Dom. “Take care of my sister.” His
words, delivered with a smile, carried an edge.

“Zander.” Closing her
eyes, she groaned.

But Dom smiled and shook
her brother
’s hand. “Count on it.”

He led her through the
stadium and into the players
’ parking lot. The fluttering in her
stomach increased when he opened her door for her. Yes, she was capable of
opening it herself, but the gesture warmed her. She climbed inside his truck.
When they pulled onto the road, she nestled into the soft seat. “Where is this
place with the chocolate wine?”

“My place.”

“Oh.” She glanced at his
hands then back at his face. His place sounded far too intimate.

Dark eyes held her gaze.
The corner of his mouth winged in a half-smile.
“I didn’t want the
distraction of waiters and fans and crowded rooms tonight, but I do want you to
be comfortable. We can stay at the pub in the lobby, or go someplace else,
wherever you want.”

If she hadn
’t
trusted him, she wouldn’t have left with him. “Chocolate wine does sound
interesting and hard to resist. Your place is fine.” She managed to keep her
voice level, even while her insides were jumping like bullfrogs. “I have to deal
with the same things when the band goes out anywhere. It’s hard. So many
distractions.”

“Fans coming up to them?
Or guys coming up to you?”

Coming up to her? She
nearly laughed.
“Them, of course.”

“I find that hard to
believe. I’d think you’d have more groupies than the band.” His gaze returned
to hers again, glittering with heat. Tingles of awareness spread from her core
and danced along her skin.

They arrived at their
building. His fingers grazed her back as they stepped into his elevator. He
stood so close and smelled so good, and his gaze roamed over her face like she
was the most fascinating thing he
’d ever seen. Telling
herself the pitch in her stomach was due to rapidly ascending seventeen stories
would have been a lie.

His apartment was easily
double the size of hers, but they shared the same muted colors and the same
wood floors. Large floor-to-ceiling windows, dark leather furniture, and a
large TV dominated the living room. Could his life be any more perfect?
Everything seemed so easy for him, while she
’d had to work so hard
for everything.

A deep bark and nails
clicking against the wood floor preceded the giant Great Dane hurtling through
the room. Dom bent and rubbed the dog
’s massive head, then
grabbed hold of his collar. “This is Champ.”

She approached, wary of
the dog
’s
size and strength. If he stood on two legs, he’d almost match her in height,
and he very likely outweighed her. “Wow.” She rubbed his head and laughed when
he offered his paw.

“He doesn’t pull out
those manners for just anybody.” Dom released his hold, and the dog curled up
on the floor by the window.

“Well then, I’m
flattered.” Awareness bloomed as Dom came closer. Her heels put her eye level
with his mouth. She’d spent the better part of a week imagining what kissing
him would be like. The way he watched her, how his eyes drifted to her mouth,
suggested he’d thought about it, too. But she was rusty. What if he found her
lacking?

“Want to try that wine?”
He gestured toward the kitchen. The cream-colored room had the same layout as
hers, minus the stacked washer and dryer she had in the corner. He probably had
a private laundry room.

She nodded. He moved with
an athlete
’s confidence and grace. Muscles bunched in his back
when he reached for wine glasses and bulged in his arms when he opened the
bottle and poured. Everything about him telegraphed strength. Solid,
dependable, with a hint of danger.

The way he smiled at her
when he handed her the glass increased the flutters in her stomach. He held her
gaze as they both took a sip. Hints of cherry and blueberry complemented the
rich chocolate.
“It tastes like a chocolate truffle.”

“I thought of you when I
saw it at the store.”

Knowing he
’d
been thinking of her warmed her. She sipped again, hiding her smile behind her
glass.

Champ padded into the
room and headed for his water bowl. Within a few seconds, she realized the need
for the towel laid out on the floor under the bowl.
“What
do you do with Champ when you travel?”

“Liam watches him. He
takes care of Adam’s dog, too. Sometimes he stays here, so you might hear him
if I’m away.”

Rock music blared from
his pocket. The digitized notes repeated three bars of a vaguely familiar song.

“Do you need to get
that?”

“That one can wait.” He
scowled at the screen, silenced it, and set it on the counter. And then that
dark look disappeared and a slow smile spread across his features. “Where were
we?”

Her pulse thudded harder.
“Liam
watches Champ for you.”

“Right.” He strolled
closer, until he stood next to her. “So when do you leave for the tour?”

“Two days from now. We
have shows in San Diego, beginning on Thursday, and some press events on
Wednesday.” Talking about the tour—thinking about the tour—was enough to set
off her anxiety. Hopefully having Jayne on board would help keep the tension
light.

“We’re in San Diego from
Friday to Sunday, but we have to get through a three-game series at San
Francisco first. All packed and ready to go?”

She shrugged.
“For
the most part. My bags have been ready for the past few days. I try to plan as
much as I can.”

“Sometimes, things are
better left unplanned.” He set his glass on the counter.

Glass clinked against
granite as she set her glass next to his. A rush of nerves tightened her
stomach. She was pretty rusty at the whole first-kiss thing. She leaned against
the countertop, hands resting on either side, watching him. Her pulse
quickened. She recognized the intent in his movements.
“Like
what?”

Large hands cupped her
shoulders. His biceps bunched as he drew her closer.
“I’ve
been thinking about doing this for days.”

She tilted her head back
to keep her gaze locked with his. Her hands abandoned the cool granite and
trailed up his chest.
“Me too.”

The corners of his eyes
crinkled with his smile.
“When the moment’s right, you just have to
go for it.”

Strong hands slipped up
her neck and into her hair. He angled her face and came closer, dark eyes
locked with hers. Her lips parted and her eyes fluttered closed. She strained
toward him, like a magnet seeing its mate. Warm breath feathered over her face,
and then firm lips closed over hers. Fisting his shirt collar, she parted her
lips, teasing his tongue with hers. She tasted wine and his own flavor, darker
and more potent. He groaned and drove the kiss deeper. One hand roamed her
back, blunt fingers flexing on her spine. He pressed her into the counter.

Their joined lips covered
her cry when the counter
’s edge dug into her back. She twisted
away and into six-plus feet of hard male.

He murmured his approval
and lifted his head.
“You okay?”

“The counter.”

“Sorry.” Keeping her in
his hold, he spun her in a slow dance to the middle of the room. His hand
drifted to where hers massaged the sore spot. “Let me.”

Chocolate-brown eyes
gazed into hers and a slow smile lifted his lips. His fingers stroked in a
circle and soothed the pain. The last time she
’d been wrapped in
a man’s arms, she’d been naive to his motives. The last time she’d been with a
man, he hadn’t been as tall or as strong, or as caring as the man holding her
now. Everything about Dom was different. Bigger. Better.

Champ banged into their
legs. She glanced down at him and rubbed his head.
“Someone
wants attention.”

“He has the worst
timing.” But Dom smiled when he spoke. He laced his fingers with hers and drew
her into the living room. “Have a seat. I’ll get the wine.”

She chose the middle
couch cushion, and Champ promptly climbed up beside her and rested his head in
her lap.
“Don’t worry.” She patted his back. “You’re not being
left out.” She’d always been comfortable around animals. They’d been less
intimidating than the people and culture she’d been thrust into as a kid.

When Dom returned, he
laughed.
“He’s made himself at home. Champ, down. Not everyone
wants to be a pillow for you.”

“No, he’s fine.” She
smiled and rubbed the dog’s head. “What a good boy.”

Dom placed the wine
glasses on the coffee table. Dark denim rubbed against her knee as he sat next
to her. He draped his arm over the top of the cushions behind her and her
nerves skittered when his fingers played with her dress strap, stroking the
material against her skin.
“He can always tell when I have a
road trip coming up. He sticks closer to me than usual.”

“Then I’m really glad we
came back here so you can spend as much time with him as possible before you
go.” Leaning into him felt so natural. His lips grazed her temple and then her
cheek. She turned her head, her mouth seeking his.

He brought his far arm
around and rested his hand on her knee. The hand on her shoulder slipped up to
cup her neck. She lifted her hand to his cheek, scraping over stubble, then
into his hair, holding him close as her mouth took what it needed. He groaned
and his thumb stroked the inside of her knee, stoking the fire in her body.
Hungry lips sucked and nibbled, teasing and taunting her to demand more. She
twisted toward him. Her hands roamed his back, molding his muscles, feeling his
strength.

A deep bark as loud as
thunder boomed out beside her. She flinched and bit Dom
’s
lip.