Mid July! How did it arrive so fast? I knew how. I’d had my head in the clouds for weeks over Dom. Dominic. Mmm, even his name made me horny. I’d never felt like this before.

I stretched in my bed, turning to the side. I had to be at work in about an hour. I should get up and shower, but I felt so dreamy, so captivated by fantasies of Dom. The feel of his lips on mine, his possessive grip, his massive chest. It made me feel wild, like I wanted to rip off his shirt and sink my teeth into his shoulder and grind against him and… I brought my hand to my forehead. I needed to get a grip.

But maybe I could see Dom again soon? I hadn’t seen him since that driving lesson turned coffee date, but we had texted a bit. Nothing serious or even that flirty, but enough so I knew where he’d be today. He’d told me he was going to work on his truck. That gave me an idea, one that made me grin.

I sped through my shower, leaving my hair wet and down as I pulled on a sundress. I had time to stop by the coffee shop before work. I remembered his order, so I picked a coffee up for him the way he liked it and brought it by the auto shop where he’d said he had his truck. Homeward Bound was only a few minutes walk away, so I had a car leave me off. But standing there with two coffees in my hand, a wave of nerves rippled through me. What if Dom wasn’t happy to see me?

Taking a deep breath, I walked in and asked for him at the front desk. A guy in a dark blue jumpsuit led me out back. I nearly dropped both coffees at the sight of him.

Shirt off, Dom had the hood of the truck propped up as he leaned over. Worn jeans hugged his lean hips and cupped his perfect ass. I think I might have gone into heat as his friend called his name and he stood up and looked over at me. Grease stains along his muscles blended with tattoos twining up and down his corded arms and his broad, strong chest. He even had a tat way down low, by the V that peeked its way out of his low-slung jeans. My mouth dropped open. I’d thought he was hot before. I hadn’t even known what I was dealing with.

His friend walked away, leaving us alone. We stood there, taking each other in, Dom’s dark gaze heating me up.

“Better not touch anything.” He broke the silence. “You’ll get all dirty.”

I flushed, looking down and realizing the dress I wore was all white. The thought of him messing it up, getting his greasy hands on me and ruining it made me swallow. It sounded so good.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I brought you coffee.” Shy, I held it out.

“Why?” He didn’t take even one step toward me.

I bit my lip and shrugged. “To be nice?” I suddenly wished so very much I hadn’t done it. He didn’t want me there. I’d made a fool of myself. And then things got even worse as a smoking-hot woman sauntered out of the shop toward Dom, all curves with denim shorts so tiny they might actually cover less than a normal pair of panties.

“There you are!” she declared, completely ignoring me and heading straight to Dom where she wrapped her hands around his lean waist.

“I’ll just leave this here.” I hastily set his coffee down on the ground, turned around as fast as I could and booked straight out of the shop.

I heard him calling after me, but I didn’t turn around.

A few nights later I was at the country club with my father and oldest brother Colt. Surprise, surprise they’d both showed up at the same time in the same place and the three of us were catching up. Sort of. Dad was mostly giving Colt advice, critiquing the way he’d handled a recent deal.

“Next time, you can’t go so easy on them,” Dad warned him.

“Good to see you, sir.” Schmarmy Brock made his way into our circle, extending his hand to my father. He was always such a kiss-ass around him. I didn’t know why others didn’t see right through it, but my father ate it up.

“My boy.” He clapped him on the back and launched into discussing Brock’s choice of college major—shocker, business—and telling him he’d put him in touch with someone he knew.

“May I have a word with your lovely daughter?” he asked my father. I nearly rolled my eyes, but years of good breeding stopped me. He was being nothing but polite. I should return the favor. But the minute Brock walked me off into a quiet corner of the room, Captain Crazy showed up.

“I didn’t know you liked slumming it.” His eyes looked as cold as a snake’s as he ran a finger down my cheek.

I flinched as if he’d hit me. “What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” The words came out like a menacing threat. “You like it rough and dirty, Gigi?” He wrapped a hand around my wrist, tight. It shocked me so much I didn’t move. “I can play that way. I can be your walk on the wild side.”

“Let go of me!” I finally found my voice and pulled away from him, but he didn’t let go.

He looked me in the eyes and whispered, “Just know I’m watching you, Gigi. I know everything you do.”

He dropped my wrist. I rubbed it as I walked away, shaken but determined to not let him see how much. Jerk. Where did he get off threatening me in a room full of people I knew, my father and brother no less? He was acting crazy. And what was he talking about? Had he seen me with Dom? How?

I didn’t think Dom was working there tonight. I hadn’t seen him at all. Part of me wished he’d seen that happen. He’d be furious. That meant the other part of me was relieved he hadn’t been there to see it. Dom would definitely have caused a scene. Brock wouldn’t leave a party politely. I didn’t want any fuss.

I joined Penny, also there with her family, as she talked to Zander with stars in her eyes. Trevor was there as well and greeted me warmly. At least he’d never get all psycho on me like Brock. We talked parties and clubs and yachts—his family had just purchased a new one—and he was even polite enough to ask how I was enjoying my internship. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I wasn’t interning at Homeward Bound. I wasn’t at a law firm or a DC think tank. I was working the cash register and getting paid $12 an hour.

But then, just like that, I could tell Dom was in the room. It was as if I could feel his eyes on me, the heat of his gaze, the nearness of his touch. I looked over and saw him in the shadows, standing to the side, watching.

“Intense much?” Penny whispered to me, nodding her head over in Dom’s direction. I guess I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed him.

I looked down. I hadn’t told her that he and I had spent any time together. It wasn’t that I was ashamed about it. It was that I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t understand my own fascination with him, and it certainly seemed as if he wanted me to get the hell over it.

“Scary.” She shivered.

I scoffed. “You know who’s scary.” I glanced in Brock’s direction. He happened to be nursing a cocktail and staring at me with the eyes of a dead fish.

“Oh, he’s just jealous,” Penny explained. “He heard some rumor about you going out for coffee with the security guy.”

Before I could answer, Colt joined us, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Is he giving you any trouble?”

Dear lord, was everyone picking up on everything tonight? But Colt didn’t mean Dom, I realized. He gestured over to Brock, who promptly stopped leering and turned his back.

“I’m fine,” I assured him.

The night stretched on, interminable, filled with pleasantly boring conversation with Trevor, glares from Brock, and all while I tried to stop myself from looking around for Dom. But when I couldn’t stop myself, I couldn’t see him anymore.

Deciding it was time to leave, I said my good-byes. I surprised everyone, leaving so soon, and Penny made me promise I’d let her talk me into heading out later after I took a power nap.

Down in the lobby, I found Dom standing next to some old phone booths. The club had kept them to provide discrete, private spots for cell phone calls. Heaven forbid any club members would be so uncouth as to talk on their mobile phones in public.

“Leaving so soon?” he asked in a low voice as I approached.

“I wasn’t having a very good time.”

“No? You seemed to be having a real good time up there with Richie Rich.”

Hand up to my hip, I gave him an incredulous look. “Are you jealous?” After all the times he’d pushed me away? After I’d seen him with another woman the other morning? He didn’t answer, just shook his head looking disgusted. At himself or at me, I didn’t know.

“What? I’m not supposed to talk to other guys? Even when you won’t talk to me?”

“Look, Gigi.” He exhaled, running his hand through his hair in frustration. “I’m trying to do the right thing.”

“Says who?”

He swore under his breath and rubbed his cheek. “You don’t know me.”

“I’m done with this.” I threw my hands up, not caring that I was speaking a little too loudly. “I’m done with you acting like you’re some sort of a serial killer and I’m a nun.”

“Gigi.” He reached out to grab my wrist, like Brock had earlier. I drew it away. In a lower voice, I leaned toward him. “If you like me, Dom, then show me.”

“Show you?” His voice sounded dangerous.

But I kept on going. “Meet me tomorrow. It’s going to be gorgeous out. I want to go to the beach.”

“The beach?” Now he looked like I’d lost my mind.

“Yes, have you ever heard of it? It’s this sandy thing with ocean waves next to it.” He looked down at me, the slightest hint of amusement in his eyes. “Meet me at my house at 11. Or don’t, and then whatever this is”—I gestured between us—“don’t worry, it’ll be over.”

I swept out of the club on the wings of my boldness. When the day had started out I never thought it would have ended like that, with me giving Dom an ultimatum. But I guessed even sweet little me had limits. I’d been walking around half-crazed over the man and I had to know—was he feeling it, too? Or was it time for me to swallow the bitter pill of rejection and move on? I’d find out tomorrow.

I didn’t have to wait long. Eleven o’clock arrived and so did Dom, in that huge black truck I’d seen him working on the other day. I guessed he’d fixed it up.

He stepped out looking like he could melt my panties with a single glance, a T-shirt hugging his muscles, board shorts slung low.

“You came!” I couldn’t stop myself from rushing out to meet him, all my tough and bold words from the night before melting into bubbling excitement.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll always make sure you come first.” He winked at me and I paused a moment before getting his dirty joke. That didn’t take long. He’d only just arrived and already we were talking about sex. I didn’t know what had changed in him, but I could tell something had. The thought that he might not be fighting the attraction between us anymore made me giddy.

Our flirtation started fast and didn’t stop. As we walked down the wooden path, he teased me about what a spoiled rich girl I was with my own private beach. As we put our things down and I realized he hadn’t brought a towel, I sassed him over whether he thought he was too tough to need to dry off. Like towels were for wimps. But when I slipped off my sundress and revealed my skimpy string bikini, he had absolutely nothing to say. In the best way possible.

“No smart-ass comments?” I teased him, flouncing my hair back over my shoulder as I turned to head toward the shed and get out some lounge chairs.

“I like your ass,” he murmured, following me. I smiled. It was fun to get him riled up.

We set out our chairs, then headed down to the water where we flirted at the shore, him tickling me, me trying to splash him. For a man of his size he was quick, and strong, too. He lifted me right up and threatened to dump me into the waves as I squealed and laughed.

Back up at our spot, he pulled me into a lounge chair with him, right onto his lap. “So all this is yours, huh?” He gestured around at the beach, the unspoiled sand, the sparkling blue water stretching into cloudless pale blue sky.

“My father’s,” I agreed. “Over to the rocks.” I gestured in the distance to the outcropping marking our property boundary.

“And your father doesn’t ever come here to enjoy it? Hell, if I owned this you’d never be able to drag me away from it.”

“He’s been staying at his other house this summer.”

“His other house?”

“Yes, he has one closer to town.”

“Two houses,” Dom repeated for clarification. “In the Hamptons.” I nodded. I guessed it was extravagant. But my father was a billionaire. I didn’t like advertising it, but I was sure he could buy a whole lot more properties in the Hamptons without ever feeling pinched.

“I’m afraid it’s just us here today,” I sighed, re-focusing him on the up-side. No father around to monitor our behavior. We could do anything we wanted.

“Just us, huh?” He wrapped his hands around my waist and lowered his head. “I have no idea what we’ll do with the time.” His lips found mine and my stomach flipped with exhilaration. I could feel it in the way he kissed me. He was done holding back. Now he was doing what he wanted, and what he wanted was to kiss me on the beach.

I twined my fingers through his hair, nibbled his lower lip, licked and kissed and moaned into his mouth. He tasted so good, so forbidden and dangerous and I’d wanted him for so long. I felt like liquid fire in his embrace, like I’d taken a shot of bourbon and it warmed me to my core.

“It’s no fair,” I whined, playfully, fisting his T-shirt in my hand. “I’m wearing next-to-nothing but you’ve still got your shirt on.”

“You want my shirt off?” he asked with a sexy smile. I nodded. I really wanted it off. He shifted me away for a moment, still on his lap but painfully not touching so he could remove his shirt. The second it dropped to the side, I was on him shamelessly, running my hands over his chest, digging my fingers into his shoulders, tracing the tattoos I’d admired from a distance.

We kissed and touched, suits still on but exploring all the skin we could, our panting breaths mingling and growing more heated until he groaned. Breaking off a kiss, he entwined his fingers through mine and rested his forehead against mine. I squirmed on his lap, not wanting a breather, needing my hands still roaming free all over him. I wanted more.

“I want to touch you.” I twisted against his grip, pushing my breasts toward his chest, wanting no distance between us at all. I wanted to inhale him and he me, every second, for the rest of the day and all night.

“You’re driving me crazy,” he panted, insisting on keeping my hands off of him.

“Let me,” I whispered, leaning down to give his throat a lick. I’d never felt so crazed, never been so brazen before. Most of the time I’d fended guys off, feeling more bored during a makeout session than anything else. Now? I thought I might die if I didn’t get to touch him again, kiss him, twine my tongue with his and stroke him until he made that deep, guttural sound in his throat again. I liked that a lot.

“You are playing with so much fire,” he warned me, but he didn’t push me away. He didn’t let my wrists go, either. He held them together in one hand, but then brought the other one up to my bikini top. “I like this on you.” He traced the edges of the triangles and I squirmed on his lap, feeling a rush of wet heat between my legs. I squeezed my thighs together, whimpering as he found my erect nipples and toyed with them through the swimsuit.

“I like how you can’t hide anything from me,” he murmured as he dipped his mouth down to my breasts, kissing, licking my soft exposed skin along the sides of the triangles. I groaned and wantonly arched my back, pushing my breasts into his mouth. It felt so fucking good, like he was devouring me and I cursed my damn swimsuit for creating even the flimsiest barrier. The way he held my hands behind my back, frustrating as it was, made me even hotter. It felt like he was controlling me, in charge.

“You like how this feels?” he whispered, licking, slowly sliding the bikini triangle to the side of my nipple.

“Oh, Dom, yes,” I moaned, wanting desperately for him to move faster, expose me, suck me, do whatever he wanted.

“You’re so eager, Gigi,” he praised and teased me at the same time, not touching my exposed nipple yet, moving instead over to the other side to free my other one. Both stuck out with hard, aroused, pink tips. His hand was so big he could cup both my breasts with it and squeeze them together.

“Fucking gorgeous,” he exhaled, admiring the sight of my arousal, until finally he dove in, feasting on me, sucking and licking and laving my sensitive nipples with his tongue and lips, pulling on me and soothing and driving me completely wild all at once.

“Dom,” I panted, grinding against him, moaning. “Dom.” I didn’t even know what I was asking for. All I knew was I felt such driving, intense, pounding pressure. Building up, it felt like I was going to explode.

“Are you wet, baby?” he asked.

I cried out in response, “I’m so wet, Dom, please!”

He freed my wrists, and I brought my hands up to his shoulders as he stroked my waist, then the triangle below.

“Can I see?” He looked into my eyes, asking my permission.

“Yes,” I panted, ready to rip my bikini off for him if he didn’t get to it fast.

He undid one side, then the other and the triangle fell down, exposing my bare, slick pussy. It felt so dirty and so good, showing him how aroused he’d gotten me. When he saw me, he drew in his breath like he’d been punched.

“Fuck.” He looked at me like a starving man seeing a banquet. “You’re so wet. And you’re bare.”

“Do you like that?” I whispered, the slightest hint of shyness breaking into my lust. I’d gotten in the habit of getting waxed a year or so ago. With all the skimpy dresses and tiny panties I wore, it made sense, plus all my sorority sisters made a regular pilgrimage to the salon. But maybe he preferred the natural look.

“You’re so hot,” he panted, his fingers gripping my hips, digging into my skin. It felt like he was trying to stop himself from touching me. That was the last thing I wanted.

“Do you want to touch me?” I asked, parting my legs slightly.

He groaned his response and slowly slid his thick index finger down to my pussy, glistening for him. He stroked, gentle, reverent, and then found it right away, that elusive spot that brought me so much pleasure yet no other man had managed to get to it yet. Honestly, even I, alone in the darkness of my bedroom, hadn’t managed to make myself feel this good.

My head tossed back, cradled in his arms, I couldn’t form a coherent thought. I wasn’t even fully aware of the words tumbling out of my mouth. I could hear myself calling out, sighing, asking him please, please, I needed more.

“Shhh,” he soothed me, holding me tight against his side, pinning me against him, keeping me still. “I’m taking my time with you.” He thrust his finger in slow, so slow, circling it lazy around my sensitive nub. He watched me as he did it, riveted by my passion, locked in on the sight of his fingers wet with my arousal, moving slick and slow, in and out of my virgin pussy.

“Dom,” I moaned, bucking up against him, creating the friction I needed so badly.

“We go at my pace,” he insisted, stern, holding down my hip and then easing his broad thumb against my clit. “I want to memorize every second of this,” he said, husky and low. “I’m going to make it last as long as I can.”

I’d never wanted anything so badly, or felt so enraptured by the denial. How could I be enjoying the torture? It drove me insane, feeling him pin me down, take his time with me, coaxing more and then more pleasure as I spread my legs and gave him all the access he wanted, his finger going deeper into me with each thrust.

“So tight,” he grit out, fixated on my soaking wet pussy. I whimpered, biting my lip, turning my face into his chest. I didn’t know how much more I could take. “Show me how you want it, baby,” he encouraged me. He didn’t want me holding back. “Let me hear you.”

“Oh God!” I cried out, feeling strong shudders make their way up from deep inside me. “Dom!” I screamed as pleasure took over. He thrust his finger in so far, farther than he had before, his thumb against my clit as I writhed and called his name, wave after wave of intense ecstasy shivering through my entire body.

“Yes.” He savored my response, like a warrior in victory. “Like that.”

Cooing, mewling, panting and sweaty, I sank against his chest, a heavy fog surrounding all my senses. He pet me, coaxing a last shudder through my limbs as they went limp. Then he shocked me, bringing his fingers drenched in my juices up to his lips. He sucked on them like it was the sweetest candy he’d ever tasted. My eyes widened. I’d always thought guys didn’t like the taste of a woman and that’s why they didn’t like going down on them. But Dom closed his eyes and moaned deep in his chest with pleasure as he licked me from his fingers. I watched him, fascinated, too languid and satisfied to feel shy.

“You taste so fucking good,” he groaned.

“Really?” I couldn’t help ask.

That made him look at me, dark with promise. “Next time, I’m going to eat your pussy. And you’re going to come in my mouth.”

I shivered and sighed, as much from his intensity as from the image. He seemed so crazed over me, like he couldn’t get enough. Exactly how I felt.

“That was amazing.” Weakly, I brought my hand to his chest. I could feel his heart beating fast. “Dom,” I started quietly, not knowing if he could already sense what I was about to say. “That was my first.”

He went still. “What?”

“My first orgasm.” If I wasn’t feeling so damn good I might feel self-conscious about the revelation, but hell, we’d already shared a lot. I wanted him to know how much it meant to me.

“Wow.” He held me to him and bent down to give me such a gentle kiss on my forehead. “Thank you.”

I smiled. “I think I should be thanking you.”

“Haven’t you ever given yourself one?”

“No. I guess I’m not doing it right.” I’d spent some exploratory time down there, of course, and I’d given myself some tingles but I’d never made it to the explosion. I honestly had had no idea what I was missing.

“Well, you’re going to have to practice then,” he told me, and he only sounded slightly teasing.

“Is that my homework, professor?” I smiled up at him, tracing my fingers along his chest. What a magnificent man he was, so defined and strong and he smelled so good, his musk mixing with the salty ocean breeze.

“Yes, it is.” His voice grew lower, more commanding. “You’re going to have to work hard on that assignment. And then show me what you’ve learned.”

I laughed a little nervously, thinking he probably wasn’t serious. But he sure as hell looked serious as he gazed at me with hooded eyes. He did want me to show him.

Then he looked up and off into the horizon. When he spoke again he sounded more distant. “And you’re going to need to learn how to take care of yourself. You’ll be back in college in a month and a half. I won’t be there to make you feel this good.”

“Don’t talk about that.” I hated hearing him say it.

“Don’t get attached, Gigi,” he warned me. “Enjoy this for what it is.”

We sat together on the gorgeous beach in the perfect summer day and I tried to do exactly that.