Dominic (Saint Brothers #1) (17 page)

Chapter Thirteen

Fallon

Jerking awake, I became fully aware of an arm laid heavily on my waist, holding me tightly against a solid chest and a leg over mine, caging me in.

Last night came rushing back to me in a torrent as the pain in my face exploded around me. Matt was my first thought and I wanted to bolt. But I couldn’t. I was trapped and that only ramped up the fear further.

Dominic was my next rational thought. I felt myself relax a little, but only a little. I was still laid there as stiff as a board in the bed, unable to move from the arms that surrounded me.

Now that my thoughts were clear and rational, I couldn’t help but wonder why he was in there with me, holding me like he was.

I knew that he had kept his word and we hadn’t done anything, despite the intimate way he was curled around my body. Neither of the times that I’d been with him had I felt this close to him. I didn’t understand what was happening but allowed myself to relax into his hold.

After last night, I appreciated the warmth and protection I was feeling. I didn’t really know Dominic, but he was a reassuring presence at my back. This was the thing that I was missing in my life and Matt had been the one to bring it to me, not that I would ever thank him. The main problem was that I knew it wouldn’t last. Dominic didn’t want me in that way, but I was content to take what I could from him.

It wasn’t like I was really looking for anything more, either. Sure, this was nice and I wouldn’t object to having this in my life but I was self-sufficient. I had my job and my life and didn’t need a man to complete me. But, I couldn’t deny that I wanted Dominic.

I sighed. I could tell myself that I was happy on my own all I wanted, but the longer I lay there, the more I wanted it. The more I wanted Dominic.

He sighed behind me and I tried not to move, not wanting to break the spell I’d woven around myself.

“Morning.” He said sleepily.

I stayed quiet, hoping that he would think I was still asleep.

“Fallon, I know you’re awake.”

He hadn’t moved at all and I’d expected him to. I still didn’t know why he’d come in to comfort me, but I had expected him to pull back the moment he woke up. I didn’t think this contact had been intentional, but now I was wondering as his hold tightened around my waist.

“Fallon?”

“Good morning, Dominic.” I replied stiffly.

Dominic pulled away and stretched. I missed his arm around me and immediately felt like slapping myself around the head. I was reading way more into this situation than was necessary. It didn’t escape my attention that he probably still had another woman in the other room and I hated to think what she would say when she found out he’d stayed most of the night with me.

“You were having bad dreams.”

“Huh?” I turned to him quizzically, trying to keep my morning breath from hitting him in the face.

“You were having nightmares and whimpering in your sleep.”

“I bet you think I’m pathetic, don’t you?” I groaned and put my head into my hands, running my fingers through my hair. I knew that it was going to look a mess with all that tossing and turning.

“Fallon, you needed comfort. There’s no shame in that.” He paused a moment before I felt the bed shake a little with his chuckle. “And no, we didn’t fuck, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Oh my god.” I wanted the ground to swallow me up.

“Don’t be silly. You went through a traumatic experience.” Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, he shook his head and smiled. “Fancy a coffee before all hell breaks loose?”

“Sure.” I had no idea what he meant, but he wasn’t kicking me out, so that had to be a positive.

I watched as he got out of bed wearing only a pair of sports shorts slung low on his hips. Damn, he was an impressive sight. When we’d been together, the first time I couldn’t see a goddamn thing and the second time I wasn’t really paying attention to anything but his tattoos and my own pleasure. Now I was staring.

It was a wonder there wasn’t a puddle of drool in my lap as I sat watching him, open mouthed. He was all taut muscles, tanned skin and tattoos. I’d seen some of the tattoos before, but they ran up each of his arms and across his back, plus over his pecs and even a couple on his calves. The suit he wore at Decadence hid them all, which only made him more appealing to me. It was like I was seeing a side of him that no one else had.

That was just stupid and I knew it. I knew exactly what the Saint Brothers at the Sinners bar were like. I’d heard the rumours as well as everyone else and knew that Dominic and the rest of them had made his way through most of the women in the city. I wasn’t anything special. He couldn’t even remember my name.

I was giving myself whiplash with the change of direction of my thoughts. One minute I was openly ogling and wanting him, and then the next? I was talking myself out of this situation. Why was I doing that?

I knew why. Dominic was well out of my league. He didn’t want some nurse with a fucked up family that would think he wasn’t good enough for me. Especially when it was the complete reverse. I wasn’t good enough for him. He didn’t want me. He proved that by fucking me twice and tossing me aside. They were one night stands that were never going to be repeated. The sex had been out of this world, but that was all it was to him. Sex.

I was one of those girls that attached too many emotions to sex. I’d tried to pass it off the first time as a one-time thing. Then when it happened again, I couldn’t have done anything to stop it. I wanted it. I wanted him. But, I couldn’t have him again. And it sucked.

As he walked out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, I shook my head to rid myself of those destructive and inappropriate thoughts. It wasn’t going to do me any good. I had to concentrate on the situation, making sure that Lauren was safe. This was about her. Not me.

Hearing him pad into the kitchen, I shut myself in the bathroom. Carefully washing my face, there wasn’t much I could do to make it look any better. I didn’t even think to bring my make-up with me and it probably wouldn’t have done me much good, anyway.

Taking my things out of my small overnight bag, I cleaned my teeth, flatly refusing to look in the mirror again. I didn’t need to see that. It only made me feel worse.

Cleaning up and putting on fresh clothes, I felt a little more alert and feeling like myself again. I was ready to face the day. More importantly, I was ready to face Dominic.

Taking a deep breath, I put my bag on the floor in the bedroom and walked into the kitchen. I felt like such an idiot facing him. After what I’d said to him last night and then him having to hold me through my nightmares, I felt a fool.

“How do you like your coffee?” He was pottering around the kitchen without a care in the world. Clearly, he didn’t feel as strange about this situation as I did.

“Black.” I sat down at the kitchen table, looking around at the modern well-appointed kitchen. It wasn’t what I had expected and he had surprised me yet again. I’d expected some kind of bachelor pad with only a microwave to heat up take-out pizza. “With lots of sugar, please.”

Everything had surprised me if I was honest. I hadn’t thought he would come running to my rescue and I sure as hell didn’t think he would have brought me back to his place. And his home didn’t mesh with my expectations of him either. The clean lines and modern feel was beautiful and I had the feeling a feminine touch had helped out when he did up this place. I couldn’t help wondering who she was.

Bringing the coffee over to the oak table where I sat, Dominic leaned against the black marble counter. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Like crap.” I tried to smile but ended up wincing. Putting a brave face on things was more painful than I thought.

Reaching into one of the cupboards, Dominic passed me a packet of tablets. “Here, take these.”

I shook my head. “Thanks, but I’ve already taken some painkillers. I brought them with me.”

Just as I took a sip of the burning hot coffee, a tornado blew into the kitchen in the form of a beautiful blonde little girl in a My Little Pony onesie. She came running in, jumping up at Dominic and giving him a rain of kisses.

“Good morning, beautiful. Sleep well?”

“Yes, Daddy. Can I have some cookies?”

“Why don’t you have some breakfast first, huh?” he smiled at her lovingly and I nearly melted on the spot.

She jumped down from his arms and ran across the large kitchen, coming to an abrupt halt when she spotted me sitting at the kitchen table. “Who are you?”

Dominic stepped forward and crouched down next to the little girl. “That’s not a very nice way to ask a question, is it?”

“Sorry, Daddy.” She tried to look contrite while still giving me sideways glances.

“This is Daddy’s friend, Fallon.”

“That’s a pretty name.” she said shyly.

“Thank you.” I tried to smile but remembered my face. She must have thought I looked like a monster. “And what’s your name?”

“Lily. I’m three and a half!”

“Three! Wow! You’re such a big girl.”

“I am!” she smiled broadly.

Dominic turned to make her some porridge while she stood in front of me, staring in a way that only a small child can. “Daddy doesn’t have any girl friends.”

“Does he not?” I tried not to smirk as Dominic shook his head.

“Nope. His only girl friend is Rachael. She lives next door.”

Dominic turned around with a grin. “She babysits for Lily.” He explained.

That jogged my memory. Rachael. She was the girl that he was talking about with his dad. Was she really just a neighbour? Was she something more? That was something I had to think about later.

“Daddy never brings me girls to play with. Will you play with me?”

I had to smile at her innocence. Either Dominic was very careful as to who and when he brought his girl’s home or he kept his sex life away from his home life. I was inclined to go with the latter.

“That’s enough, Lily.” Dominic said sternly.

“Is she your girlfriend, Daddy? Are you going to get married?”

His eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Lily!” he turned to me and shrugged apologetically but he didn’t need to. I thought she was hilarious.

Dominic turned his attention back to the porridge and Lily scrambled up into a chair sat down at the table with me. I could tell by her inquisitive expression that she wasn’t done with me yet.

“What did you do to your face?”

I couldn’t help smiling at her, despite it hurting. She was adorable. I loved how kids had no filters and asked questions that grown-ups were scared to ask. “I had a bit of an accident.” I glanced over at Dominic to make sure that was the right thing to say and was relieved when he nodded.

“Does it hurt?”

“It does a bit.”

“Can we play nurses? I’ll make it feel better for you.”

Dominic walked over to the table, putting the bowl down in front of his little girl. “Enough with your questions, nosy monkey. Fallon is a nurse, so she’s already taken care of herself.”

“You’re a nurse?” she asked with wide eyes.

“I am.”

“Lily, enough. Eat your breakfast.” Dominic ruffled her hair before turning to me. “Can I get you something to eat, Fallon?”

“No, thank you. I’m good with coffee.”

Lily looked at me with a frown. “You should eat breakfast like me. Daddy says that it’s the most important meal of the day.”

“He does?” I laughed. She’d obviously heard that one many times.

“Yes and my daddy is smart. He knows everything.”

The hero worship made me smile again. Dominic was clearly a wonderful father and it melted my heart a little more to see this side of him.

Sitting next to her, I ate a banana, mollifying Lily somewhat. As soon as she finished her breakfast, she jumped down off her chair and toddled out of the room.

“Let me go and check on her. I won’t be a moment.” And he followed her out of the room.

Within minutes, I heard the opening credits of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and he walked back into the kitchen, grinning. “I should have probably warned you about Lily. She’s hyper from the moment she wakes up right until she goes to bed.”

“I noticed.” I chuckled, ignoring the pain. It was nice to be in a normal family atmosphere. It had never been this easy going in my family and one day I hoped Lily would know just how lucky she is.

“I’ve got to take her to day care soon.” When he saw me sniggering behind my hand, he asked, “What?”

“I’m sorry. I just thought with all the text messages last night and being quiet when we got here that you had a woman here waiting for you.”

“With my dad here?”

“I’m not saying that it makes any sense.” I held up my hands.

“Well, Lily is the only girl in my life.”

I nodded, playing with my cold cup of coffee. That bit of information made me happier than it should have. But did he also say it as a warning to me?

“Why don’t you go and get dressed? We need to call in and see Lauren after I’ve taken Lily.”