Northern Lights

11. Cielo

***warning!!! smexy times ahead wink wink***

My heart thudded heavily as Dominic came down, hovering only inches above me. I was surprised by my own daring impulse, but even more so by his willingness. We stared at one another, time seeming to stretch into eternity. Now that I had him where I wanted him, I didn’t know what to do.

Tension squirmed through my gut as Dominic hovered close under the dying light of the setting sun. The entire day had been awkward and silent, with the both of us avoiding talking to one another. I had been waiting for the moment when he would sit me down and tell me I could no longer stay after what had happened. The waiting was worse than the conversation would have been, but I couldn’t bring myself to say something to him.

Hearing the man, Steven, talk to Dominic with such ignorance and cruelty had been too much for me. I’d meant to walk over and give the guy a piece of my mind, maybe try to get something clever in to put him in his place. The next thing I knew, my hands were whipping the paint can up and coating Steven in paint.

I wouldn’t have blamed Dominic in the slightest if he chose to kick me off the property. I was supposed to be behaving myself while in his house, and throwing paint all over some jerk didn’t fit the bill.

For me to have bumbled my way into ripping the powerlines out was too much for my nerves. Even as I tried to figure out what I should do next with the man above me, I was still reeling from the heartfelt speech he had given me.

I reached up, cupping his face and letting my hand slide down his thick jaw. He said and did nothing, and I was emboldened by the lack of denial, running my fingers over the muscles of his neck and onto his shoulders. How many times had I seen his strong back stretching a shirt, shining with a faint sheen from the shower, and resisted the urge to touch it?

Dominic allowed the exploratory search, his eyes closed slightly in what I hoped was pleasure. I could feel the warmth of his skin through the thick flannel of his jacket, just out of reach from skin to skin contact. Slipping my fingers under the collar of his shirt, I shivered as I brushed the tips along his hot skin.

My shiver seemed to bring Dominic to life suddenly. His eyes widened, his tongue darting out to lick his bottom lip. I braced myself, knowing a choice was coming and unsure if he would give in to the moment finally, or if he would pull himself away.

My body shook as he bent forward, pressing our lips together. A jolt passed through me, and I pushed up into the kiss. My fingers ran along his back and curled, pushing into his hot skin and pulling him closer. Apparently not one to be outdone, Dominic pressed down hard, pinning me into the cool grass. With a chill at my back, and burning heat to my front, I allowed myself to sink into the kiss, moaning faintly.

Darkness descended on me as Dominic’s larger bulk surrounded me, comforting in its weight. My mouth opened willingly as his tongue slipped between my lips, teasing my own. I reveled in the feel of his strength bearing down on me, pressing myself as close as I could against the wall of heat above me.

Dominic broke the kiss, his soft gasp for air sending a thrill through me. His hands had at one point shoved themselves beneath my shoulders, holding tight to me. I was held in his embrace, gazing up at him as I desperately tried to read his expression.

“This is a bad idea,” he said softly.

“We can stop,” I assured him, trying to hide my disappointment.

“Not on your life.”

With that, I was pulled upward as Dominic eased back onto his knees. For a moment, I thought we were going to stay in place until he stood, taking me with him. In the dark before the moon rose and shone in earnest, all I could see was the huge shadow of Dominic’s shape before me. His warm arms encircled my shoulders, pulling me up as he bent down to kiss me.