Seductively: Playing for Hearts Book 2 (Crimson Romance) (9 page)

“He’s special — ”

“No.” She pushed the man into the other room. “He’s human. That’s something you all have forgotten. Now gather your things, and I’ll see you out. Good bye, Mr. Ratt.”

True to her word, she never left the representative’s side. She shut the door, threw the lock, and inhaled deeply before turning around and facing Dominic. Standing up for him and asking him to refuse to take part in the study took their relationship to a new level. There was no going backward. She’d staked her claim, and he knew it.

The air grew thick in the house. She wouldn’t be able to walk to her room without explaining why she’d blurted out her attraction to him. He’d demand answers on why she cared if he shared his scent with the world. Questions she wasn’t ready to answer, because she didn’t understand it herself.

It took her brain longer than it should have to realize Dominic was standing in front of her. Taken completely unaware by the predatory look in his eyes, she swallowed hard. He was against her before she could react.

His mouth hard and hot on hers. He wasn’t asking, but taking. Demanding.

My God, he was scrumptious. A spicy, sensual aphrodisiac that left her putty in his hands.

He forced his tongue into her mouth, and sucked the breath right out of her. She moaned with pleasure that came from deep down in her core. His hands were rough and unyielding as they molded against the small of her back and gripped the curve of her ass. There was no room for space, even air, between their bodies as he kissed her.

She’d never seen him look so possessive. A shiver ran through her.

As he pulled back to yank his T-shirt out of his jeans, she panted. With his torso bared before her, with all of his hard heat within her reach to caress and run her tongue across, she wanted him more powerfully than she’d wanted anything in her life.

How would she ever get her fill of him? Her stomach knotted in anxiety.
It isn’t possible.

Moreover, she was the one who was going to end up hurt.

“Stop.” She pushed away and cupped her elbows in her hand. “This isn’t smart.”

“Yes. It is.” Dominic tossed his shirt behind him and reached for her again.

She shook her head. “It’d be a huge mistake. You’re not right for me.”

He frowned. “Why the hell not?”

“Because you have the ability to break my heart, and that’s the last thing I want.” She stepped around him.

“Diana … ”

She shook her head without turning around and walked straight to her room.

Behind the shut door, she sank to the floor, burying her face in her hands.
I’m such a fool. He’s a sports star. I’d be just another nameless woman in his past, and he’ll forget about me as soon as I go home.

Standing in the reserved box with the other players’ family and girlfriends at the Sharks arena, Diana watched the seventeen-foot shark head come down from the rafters in the middle of the rink. Metallica’s song “Search and Destroy” blared over the PA system. She leaned forward, and peered around the crowd at the ice. Never having been to a hockey game, Dominic had explained what to expect on the way to the arena.

The conversation gave them something to talk about without discussing the real reason she’d kept her distance from him today. She preferred using the time at his condominium to catch up on her own life to keep the focus off her obsessive attraction to Dominic.

She’d called a realtor and made plans to walk through the Ferriday house again upon her return, and tallied how much it would cost her to redo each bedroom and update the kitchen to industrial size. For how much she wanted to forget Dominic wasn’t around, she was highly aware that he paced in the living room, staying close to her the whole day without pressuring her.

The shark hit the ice, fog rolled out of its mouth, and then Dominic skated through the shark’s mouth to the cheers of the crowd. She clapped, excitement taking her to the tips of her toes so she wouldn’t miss a second. Warmth and pride filled her chest. She had no right to think he was hers to claim, but she was living with him and since he had no family in attendance, she’d do everything to let the fans know he had someone. Even if she was only pretending to be his girlfriend.

The music changed to the
Jaws
tune. The woman beside her nudged her arm and yelled for her to chomp. She straightened her arms out in front of her and clapped her hands in an imitation shark chomp. Laughing, she gazed over the heads of the dozen women pressed against the board and spotted Dominic.

Dominic ignored the women waving their arms to gain his attention and smiled at her. The grin on her face grew. He mouthed “chomp, chomp” back to her. She shrugged over getting caught in the excitement, never missing a beat. She couldn’t help laughing. The enthusiasm in the arena was contagious. It was her first professional hockey game and she had no idea it would be this fun.

The music died away. The giant shark head went back to the ceiling of the arena, and the crowd found their seats. The woman beside her elbowed her again.

“Who are you rooting for?” The woman wrapped her scarf around her neck and slipped on a pair of mittens.

“Sharks,” she said.

“No. I mean which player are you here with?”

“Dominic Chek — ”

The woman grabbed Diana’s arm and hugged it to her chest. “Please, please, please, introduce me to him. Please.”

She pulled free of the woman. “I don’t think so. He’s mine.”

“You’re his girlfriend?”

“Yes. We’re deeply in love, and I’m living with him.” She lifted her chin higher. “I’m also very possessive and a martial arts master.”

The woman squinted and appraised her. She glared back, not giving an inch. Tonight was as good a night as any to get the rumors started.

Finally, the woman sagged against the back of her seat. “I’m Stephanie. Bradley Keir, number fifty one, is my boyfriend.”

“If you’ve got a boyfriend, why did you want mine?” Diana pulled the stocking cap down over her ears.

“You’re joking, right?” Stephanie shook her head. “I love Bradley, but Dominic is the whole package.” She sighed. “I don’t have to tell you that. One look from him, maybe a nice-to-meet-you from that Russian tongue of his would last me a long time.”

She couldn’t argue with Stephanie’s opinion. “Gotcha.”

The two women in front of her whispered to each other, shot her a look over their shoulder, then leaned forward and spoke to the other row of female fans. She sunk down in her seat. At the end of the game, she feared a mob was going to break out. She should’ve bought a can of mace.

Three players crashed into the board in front of her. Startled, she flinched. Then she recognized Dominic as the attacker.

“Is he supposed to do that?” She scooted to the end of her seat.

“Hell yeah.” Stephanie stood and yelled at the players. “Kick his ass, Dominic!”

No wonder he was in such good shape. The boxing skills he displayed yesterday in the living room came from surviving on the ice. She paid attention for the rest of the half. Learning the rules that sent a player to the penalty box, watching the way the players skate around the ice as if they knew which direction the other players were headed.

With thirty seconds left to go and the score one to one, Dominic had the puck. She stood, so she could watch him weave around two of the players on the Rangers team. She yelled his name the closer he got to the goal.

He pulled back his stick and swung. She stood on her toes and held her breath. The puck sailed past the goalie. She jumped up and down, clapping. Goal!

The buzzer rang and the players skated off the ice toward the locker room. She sat back down. Her heart raced against her chest. If no more points were made, Dominic had won the game for the Sharks. They’d have to celebrate.

“Do you want anything at the concession?” Stephanie asked.

“No, I’m good. Thanks.” She shifted sideways, moving her knees out of the way.

Half the arena emptied during halftime. She crossed her legs and swung her foot with the extra room. She should’ve brought her phone. Shauna and Kate would’ve got a kick out of knowing she was actually enjoying watching a game.

Growing up, Shauna played tennis and Kate almost made a career out of cheerleading. Diana, on the other hand, never had time to play. Her parents had believed that once she turned sixteen, she would be responsible for earning her own money. Not that she begrudged their strict opinion regarding taking responsibility for herself. Their example made it possible for her to afford the Ferriday house on her own.

The money Dominic was paying her would make it possible to remodel and open for business. She rubbed her gloved hands along her thighs. The nice cushion in her bank account would see her through the first year when money was tight.

Distracted with going over her plans, she almost missed the group of women standing at the end of the aisle, staring at her. She flashed them a smile. Not knowing how long they were standing there, warmth flooded her cheeks. She probably looked like a ditz, staring off into space.

They took her acknowledgement as an invitation to approach her. She uncrossed her legs.

“We heard you were Dominic’s girlfriend. Is that true?” The leader of the pack flipped her hair.

“Very much so.”

“How long have you been going out with him?” She flipped her straight black hair to the other side.

If the woman kept whipping her head around, she’d get dizzy. “A few months.”

“She’s lying. I was with Dominic two weeks ago.” A voice from the back of the group spoke. “Let me go. I’ll cut the bitch.”

Oh, shit.
She stood. If any woman was going to fight her, she wanted witnesses. She’d scream and fight, but she wanted proof of who started the altercation so she knew whom to sue.

“Tell me, what does he whisper in your ear right before he — ”

The music began. She shook her head, not hearing the rest of the question. An idiot could figure out what the woman was telling her, but she’d rather play ignorant. The women were psycho.

“He’ll get tired of you.” Ms. Hairwhip pointed in her direction.

“I doubt that.” She raised her brows and peered down her nose. “Now, why don’t you and your little entourage scurry back to your nosebleed section seats, and waste somebody else’s time.”

She laughed at the jaws that dropped. Ignoring them, she turned to sit down when Dominic waved her over to the bench. She walked away from the women, and went down the next aisle. Their hatred heated her back, and she wondered how much of the bitchfest Dominic had witnessed.

Dominic stood on the back of a chair and hooked his arms over the fiberglass shield. “Everything okay?”

She flipped the closest seat pad down, and climbed up until she balanced on the armrest, putting him at the right height to talk to him face to face. “Just trying to earn my money by defending your honor against one of your sleazy lovers.”

“Really?” He leaned to the side and peered over her shoulder.

“I didn’t get a name, but the woman you slept with two weeks ago wanted to kick my ass.” She wrinkled her nose. “Really, Dom. You need better taste in women.”

“I’m going to call my security team. This is going too far. I haven’t — ” He moved to step down, but she grabbed the sleeve of his jersey.

“I’m fine, really. We need to step it up, and put these ladies — and I use that term lightly — in their place.” She stretched until she faced him nose to nose. “Kiss me, so I can save face in front of your last lover. Then go play with that little ball.”

“It’s a puck.” He kissed her lightly on the lips. “Can I kiss you again?”

“Only if you win, big guy.” She jumped down and walked to her seat.

Everyone had either returned to their seats or were making their way back to their ticket holding spot. After a quick scan of the area, she saw no sign of the women who’d bothered her. She sat down.

“I’m so jealous.” Stephanie pouted.

“Don’t be. You have Bradley.”

Stephanie sighed. “Yes, but I still hate you for having Dominic. I always dreamed of Bradley and Dominic making a Stephanie sandwich.”

“Shut up. I’m beginning to like you, and I wouldn’t want to have to break your neck.” Diana glared, but she softened the look by scrunching up her nose. “Any thoughts of Dominic are now mine. He’s off limits to you.”

Guilt flashed over Stephanie’s face and told her she’d hurt the woman’s feelings. Diana patted the other woman’s hand. “Honey, it’s time to let your fantasy go and start keeping it real. Give Bradley all the attention you can.”

The next hour and a half flew by. The Sharks won three to one in an exciting game filled with fights and penalties. Diana walked up and down the aisles in the empty arena waiting for Dominic to come out of the locker room in her attempt to stay warm. Her excess energy had nothing to do with the excitement of seeing Dominic star in the game. Nope. He had enough women to show him what a superstar he was, and she wouldn’t lower herself to become one of his rabid fans. She shivered. The cold coming off the rink penetrated her coat.

A bright flash blinded her to the spot. She blinked. “Who’s there?”

“Thank you, Ms. Spenner,” a male voice called in the distance.

She sank down in the closest seat. Okay, she was officially freaked out. She didn’t sign up to be stalked by the press.

Dominic stood in the hallway leading out of the locker room. He waited for the last few players to head out for the night before he went and found Diana. He dug the heel of his skate into the carpet. He hated to leave her out there alone, but he wanted to take tonight to reconnect with her without everyone around.

He wasn’t going to take anyone’s advice anymore. If she had doubts about his sincerity, he’d show her the real him.

She’d grown distant during the day, but he saw her loosening up during the game. The times he’d caught sight of her, she’d thrown herself into the Shark spirit and participated in cheering the team on. He wanted to take advantage of her good mood, and get back on solid footing again. He was on the brink of breaking through to her. He could feel it.