Love Her or Lose Her (Hot & Hammered #2)(64)

The yearning in Dominic’s chest gave him no choice but to pull her close, tight enough against his body that Rosie’s back bowed.

“You probably came out tonight to get away from him. When I walked in here, I could see that. You’ve been missing this chance to shine. And God, you shine so fucking bright.” His mouth found her ear and opened just beneath it, taking a small bite as her hips pressed forward, cradling his growing cock. “If your heart is set on having this night to yourself . . . I’ll go. If that’s what you need. But I’d love to stay and learn everything about you.”

Rosie turned her head and kissed his jaw. “I’d love that.” Their eyes met. “And I think there’s a lot I need to learn about you, too.”

With that, she took his hand and led him out onto the dance floor.





Chapter Nineteen


Was this a dream?

It felt like a dream.

She was leading her husband of almost a decade onto the dance floor of a swanky bar, the city spread out around them like a bedazzled Christmas-tree skirt—and he’d just surprised the hell out of her. Dominic could definitely be classified as the strong, silent type, but his temper had a trip switch. And Rosie putting herself out there or in jeopardy was most definitely the trigger. When he’d stepped off the elevator, she’d fully expected to be carried out of there like a sack of potatoes.

But . . . no. That hadn’t happened, and her equilibrium hadn’t recovered.

Apparently Dominic had no intention of letting that happen anytime soon, either.

Her nerve endings were just beginning to zap in anticipation of being pressed up against her husband when he shocked her again. They reached an open spot in the center of the dance floor and despite the upbeat tempo of the music, Rosie assumed he would pull her close. Claim her, like he’d always done when they danced in the past.

That’s not what happened.

Rosie held her breath at the sight of him as he turned, his strong teeth sinking into that sculpted lower lip. His mouth was curved in the beginnings of a smile, but his eyes were blazing hot as they tracked up her body and back down. Heat was already a living, breathing thing inside her, but fire shot straight to her loins now. Down the insides of her thighs. She was wet. So wet she almost couldn’t bear it. Her desire was so prepared to pop like a firecracker that when Dominic snagged her hand and pressed his thumb into the small of her wrist, she moaned and swayed toward him.

She caught his wink a second before he spun her in a full circle and dipped her back so far the ends of her hair almost reached the floor. Laughter bubbled from her lips as he pulled her upright again. Their foreheads found each other, their lips ticking up into smiles.

“We going to show these kids how to dance, or what?”

“Yes,” she said breathlessly, finding it hard to speak at all while an awakening took place inside her. She’d been here before. With Dominic. A long time ago. This side of him was so familiar. It reached into her and found the counterpart she’d buried. The piece of her that embraced fun because she had a partner in crime. His smile coaxed it back into existence, spreading confidence and joy to her darkest corners.

The change inside Rosie must have shown on her face because Dominic seemed transfixed, his hand tightening in what felt like an unconscious move on her wrist.

“Dance for me,” Dominic said, his gaze running over every inch of her face. “Dance for yourself.”

Excitement bit at her ankles, her hips, encouraging them to move. Dominic’s hands found Rosie’s waist and squeezed it tight, allowing her to raise her arms up in the air and lean back, just a little, rolling her body and watching with racing breath as Dominic enjoyed the show. She could see how desperately he wanted to tug her close, feel that writhing motion on his lap, but he dragged his hands down to her hips instead, helping her move them in a figure eight. His own hips slowly began to do the same, and finally he eased his arms back, disconnecting Rosie and him physically, though their eyes remained locked tight.

They moved in perfect rhythm with each other and the music, lower bodies ticking to the right, then left, his circled back and Rosie’s cinched forward, mimicking sex, creating a flush on both of their necks, high on their cheekbones. Dominic licked his lips and trailed his attention down to her breasts as they picked up the pace of the dance.

Wow. She’d almost forgotten how he could move. He’d proven his abilities at that very first middle-school dance and had only improved during high school, but this was different. He was a man. She was a woman. And there was more at stake.

Their marriage hadn’t worked. Was this his way of fighting for it?

Maybe it was the vodka. Or the champagne. Or the dress, the club, her sexual frustration, or the situation as a whole. Take your pick. But her rebellious streak from earlier that day was back, and she had the sudden urge to push. She knew Dominic better than anyone and this wasn’t easy for him. Having her on display. Encouraging her to do it. What would it take to break him? The tiniest nudge? Or had he really shown up wanting to change?

A new song pumped through the club, and she closed her eyes. She twisted a tight curl around her index finger and swayed her hips provocatively. Her fingers left her hair and trailed down the front of her dress, narrowly avoiding the tips of her breasts, coasting down to her thighs. She cracked her eyelids to find Dominic watching her intently, his big chest rising and falling with fast, deep breaths. But he didn’t stop her as she threw her hair back and turned in a circle, her lower body bumping to the music—and then she took it down to the floor, grinding her hips in a circle on the way back up.