Forever with Me (With Me in Seattle, #8)(45)

“Problem?” Blake asks defiantly.

I set my fork down and clear my throat. “It’s Emily.”

“We’ve established that, Leash.” Blake’s mouth is set in a firm line.

“I know you,” I murmur quietly.

“As do I,” Dominic interrupts, still the epitome of calm. “And because I do, I know Emily will be well taken care of.” He takes my hand in his and kisses my fingers, and then says in a low voice, “Don’t say something you’ll regret.”

I look back and forth between these men and swallow hard.

“Jealous?” Blake asks and winks at me, trying to be funny.

“I love you both,” I reply honestly. “You’re two of my dearest friends, and I don’t have many of those, Blake. So if this falls apart, and I have to choose—”

“God, you’re dramatic,” Blake says with a roll of the eyes.

“I’m being honest,” I insist.

“I’m dating her, yes.”

“Are you f*cking her?”

“Alecia,” Dom says, with a shake of his head.

“Yes, I am, Leash,” Blake replies frankly.

“This has disaster written all over it,” I mutter, and take a long drink of my wine.

“She’s different,” Blake says, and stares down into his wine. “I don’t have the urge to run away from her.”

“There are things you don’t know, Blake.” I shake my head and think back on the long conversations that Emily and I have had about her abusive past.

“I know,” he replies and pins me in his sober gaze, the one I don’t see often. “And I’m sticking for as long as she’ll have me.”

I stare at my friend, Dom’s hand still in mine, holding on to me tightly.

“Be nice to her,” I say quietly. “She deserves to have someone be nice to her.”

“I’ve been very nice to her,” he replies with a cocky wink.

“God, you’re a pig.” I scowl at him, but soften when he lets out a belly laugh.

“You’ve never warned me off a woman before,” he says.

“I’ve always found out about them long after they left your bed,” I remind him, and then turn to Dominic. “If I’d known them beforehand, I would have told them to run screaming in the other direction.”

“Oh, they scream all right.”

“Yuck,” I grumble, and then chuckle as I drink more wine. “Have you always been so disgusting?”

“Pretty much,” he replies, as he clears his plate. “Don’t worry, Leash.”

“Worry is my middle name,” I remind him.

He sighs and finishes his wine. “I’m going to head out.” He reaches for his dishes, but Dominic waves him off.

“I’ll handle this,” he says.

“You cooked,” I say with a grin.

“I usually cook and clean when you’re around,” he says as he stands.

“That’s bullshit. I like to clean.”

Blake laughs. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”


“Drive safe,” Dom says with a wave, as Blake lets himself out. He sips his wine thoughtfully as I finish my dinner and sigh in contentment.

“I wish he’d tell me how he makes this mac n’ cheese,” I grumble, as I gather dishes. Dom stands and helps me, and soon we are bustling about the kitchen silently, each of us lost in our thoughts as we clean.

I stack the last plate into the washer and close the door and look up to find Dom leaning his hips against the counter top, his arms crossed over his chest, watching me quietly.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

He shakes his head and frowns. “Nothing is wrong.”

“What’s on your mind?”

“You really are just friends. With Blake.”

I tilt my head. “Don’t tell me you were feeling threatened by Blake.”

“I wouldn’t call it threatened,” he replies and rubs his fingers over his lips. “I’ve never spent any significant time with both of you before. I can see that you care about each other, but not on an intimate level.”

I nod slowly. “Like I said, he’s one of my dearest friends. We had a physical relationship a long time ago.” His nostrils flare at that, his eyes narrow, just a bit, but he listens calmly. “It was obvious that we’re much better as friends. He means a lot to me. He’s the one person in my life that I know will never leave me.”

Dom’s eyes narrow as he watches me. “I’m not going to leave you, Alecia.”

I swallow and shrug a shoulder, not sure what to say.

“Okay.” He nods, as if that settles something and crosses to me.

“Okay?”

“Okay,” he repeats and pulls me in for a hug, kisses my forehead, and breathes me in all in one smooth move. “You smell amazing.”

I grin and enjoy the feel of his arms looped around me, pulling me tightly against him.

“You’re a bit tense,” he continues.

“It was a long day.”

“Come.” He pours a glass of wine, then takes my hand and leads me through the house and up the stairs to his master bathroom. He magically produces a single pink tulip and hands it to me with a soft smile. I rub the petals against my nose and breathe the sweet scent in as he turns and runs me a bath, lights candles, and then turns his attention back to me.