Love Her or Lose Her (Hot & Hammered #2)(20)

Now his brow furrowed. And then he surprised her by saying, “You’re right. We did.”

“Excellent, Dominic. You heard her.”

Rosie’s husband’s chest expanded on a measured breath; then he let it out and arranged his big body to face her. “Ten seconds?”

“Ten is an arbitrary starting point,” Armie said. “There are no time limits or rules within this space. If something feels right, we’ll continue with it.”

Her heart hammered in her throat as she faced Dominic, their knees bumping, as they were both sitting cross-legged. “Um . . .” My God, she was having a literal heart attack over looking her husband in the face. Honestly. She lifted her gaze to meet Dominic’s. “L-like this?”

Armie hummed, but Rosie barely heard the sound. Her pulse was rioting too loudly in her temples. She had to focus on keeping her breathing even in the path of those green eyes. They were steady and lost at the same time—a combination she never expected—and it was hard not to turn away. So hard.

She only made it five seconds, her attention cutting down to her lap.

When she snuck a quick glance back up at Dominic, he was frowning, his chest rising and falling faster than it had before.

“What happened?” he asked gruffly.

“I don’t know.”

A few ticks of silence passed before Armie piped up. “Why don’t we ease into this a little bit.” He sat up straighter. “Rosie, are you comfortable with Dominic’s touch?”

“Yes,” Dominic answered for her, a hint of pleading dancing across his granite features, surprising her. “Please, just . . . give me that.”

Feeling as if she were balanced on the edge of a diving board, Rosie nodded. “Yes.”

“Okay. Rosie, close your eyes. Remember, you’re in a safe place. Dominic, I want you to touch her face. It will be a little less intense than the eye contact, Rosie, but reestablishing the connection is what we’re after here.”

Dominic hadn’t even touched her yet and goose bumps were already rising on every inch of her skin. She let her eyelids drop and held in a deep breath as Dominic reached out a hand and curved it to her cheek. The instant their skin touched, the breath rushed out of her on a whimper. Humiliating. Or it should have been, but she only felt a tenth of the embarrassment she’d consider normal. Maybe because her eyes were closed. Maybe because they were in a blanket fort with a high hippie. Whatever the reason, all of her focus raced to the hand on her face. Every nerve ending zinged in that direction, wanting attention.

“Learn her, Dominic.”

“I know this face better than anything.”

Rosie’s heartbeat drowned out Armie’s initial response, picking up somewhere in the middle. “Trace her eyebrows, her lips. Let her feel you looking at her and acknowledging her.”

Her husband’s thumb arched along her cheekbone, made a pit stop at her dimple, running the tip of his finger through it. Back and forth. He brushed his touch along the bow of her mouth, the crease of her chin. Moved higher and rubbed circles into the center of her forehead—and all the scattered parts of her calmed while it happened. For once, she was nowhere but right there, inside herself. So centered she could have fallen asleep. All because Dominic was looking at her and really trying to see? Was he? Or was this just an exercise?

“Thank you, Dominic,” Armie said quietly.

His fingers lingered a few more seconds before their heat vanished. Rosie opened her eyes to find Dominic looking momentarily shell-shocked, before he hid it.

That made two of them.

When was the last time they’d touched . . . just to touch? Out of affection and without sex roaring in like an insatiable beast? She’d had no idea how much she’d been craving it.

“Dominic, how do you let Rosie know you appreciate her?”

It visibly took Dominic a few beats to focus and his voice was little more than a rasp when he finally answered. “I provide.”

“That would have been my guess.” Armie turned to Rosie. “When Dominic provides for you, does that make you feel appreciated?”

“I . . .” Her brow wrinkled. “I guess it does. In a way . . .”

“What would make you feel more appreciated? If he brought you a gift? Maybe your favorite incense?” She swapped incense for margarita mix or a standing mixer in her mind. Even though both of those items were super appealing, they didn’t make her feel reassurance or warmth. “What if Dominic simply told you he appreciates you?”

“Yes,” she breathed, her pulse thumping.

The therapist made a knowing sound. “You need words.”

She thought of Dominic telling her he appreciated her. Out loud. And pressure on her chest she wasn’t aware of eased a little bit. “Yes. I think I do.”

Armie nodded vigorously. “I’m going to take a shot in the dark that neither of you is familiar with love languages.” Silence. “As I suspected.” He encompassed them both with a warm look. “Each one of us has a preferred way of expressing love. And having love expressed to us. Dominic expresses love through deeds. But you need to receive love through words.”

“So . . . that’s it?” Dominic asked. “Ten minutes and we already have a solution?”

“You would love that, wouldn’t you?” Armie laughed, eyes twinkling. “No. You have an answer. The solution requires a lot more work. And practice.” The older man was surprisingly spry as he jumped to his feet. Rosie and Dominic followed him toward his desk. “During one of these sessions, we’re going to talk about what Dominic needs to feel loved and appreciated—”