DOM: Alliance Series Book Three (5)

The lady scans the tag, displaying the total on the little screen.

“Oh my god!” I classlessly exclaim before I start to tug on the man’s arm, making a point to ignore the silky-soft suit jacket under my fingers. “Please let me pay for that.” I swallow, thinking of the total. “Or, better yet, just let me keep the broken one. It’s fine.”

It’s not that I can’t spend that amount. It’s just that I’m… frugal.

The man’s dark eyebrow is quirked when he looks over his shoulder at me. “You always this stubborn, Valentine?”

Hearing him say my name, my full name, stuns me long enough for him to hand a card to the cashier.

“How do you…?” Then I look at my backpack that’s hugged to his chest.

Ah, yes. My bright yellow name tag, with Valentine Gandy written in careful letters, is right in front of his face.

A fresh wave of embarrassment floods my system. Something about this man tells me he doesn’t write his name on his luggage. He probably just narrows his eyes at his suitcase, daring it to get lost.

While he finishes the transaction, I stand back and really take him in. His black leather shoes and dark navy suit. The swirling black tattoos peeking out above his collar and crawling up to his hairline on the back of his neck. The way his shoulder muscles round underneath the blue fabric. How I feel so small next to him. But small in a feminine way, not an insignificant way.

Crinkling pulls my attention back to the counter.

The salesperson has removed the bundle of paper stuffed inside the new bag, used to keep its shape. And before I can worry about the man trying to move all my stuff into the new bag, he sets my broken backpack next to the new one on the counter and takes a step back.

“Thank you.” His deep voice says the words at the same time I do, causing him to smile.

Again. And he’s just as startlingly handsome as the first time.

I give my head a little shake. “Why are you thanking me?”

“Because.” He nods his head toward the pair of backpacks. “My mother would kill me if she knew I broke some pretty lady’s bag in the airport and didn’t replace it.” I think my lips move as I silently repeat the words pretty lady, but he doesn’t pause. “She’d also kill me for going through your things, so I’ll let you do the honors.”

I glance back and forth between him and the bags on the counter. “I don’t suppose there’s any way to convince you to return that.”

He shakes his head. “All purchases are final.”

My eyes move to the salesperson, but she’s pretending not to listen. So I don’t know if he’s telling the truth or lying.

I roll my lips together before sighing. “You’re kinda bossy, aren’t you?”

The man laughs, loud and throaty, and I feel it in my bones.

“I’m not sure anyone has ever called me bossy before, but I suppose you’re not incorrect.”

I purse my lips, believing him.

Pretending he’s not watching, I quickly move everything into the new backpack. Silently enjoying all the compartments and zippers and the quality of the material. It’s still a ridiculous price, but at least it’s nice.

Last, I remove the name tag from the old bag and tuck it into an interior pocket. If I’m going to be using this new grown-up bag, I’m going to adopt new grown-up habits.

I pull the final zipper closed and hoist the new backpack onto my shoulder, then turn to face the man. Or rather, face his chest.

I tip my head back. “Thank you again. It was completely unnecessary, but I still appreciate it.”

“Anytime, Valentine.”

I bite my bottom lip. “My friends call me Val.”

The corner of his mouth pulls up as he reaches out and takes the backpack off my shoulder, swinging it up onto his.

I’m so mentally off balance by this whole encounter that I don’t question him carrying my bag. And when he holds his hand out for me to shake, I place my palm against his.

“Dominic Gonzalez.” He closes his fingers around mine. “But my friends call me Dom.”





CHAPTER 2





Val





The name suits him perfectly. Strong. Memorable. And he says it like there’s no chance he’d be anyone else.

“Dom,” I say quietly, like I’m testing the taste of it.

He rubs his thumb across my knuckles. “It’s nice to officially meet you, Val.”

“You, too.”

God, his eyes are so stunning.

“What time did you say your flight starts boarding?”

I have to focus, remember where we are. “6:05.”

Dominic glances at his watch. “Fifteen minutes.” I briefly wonder if there will be time to grab a snack before I board, since the cookie I dropped was going to be my dinner. “And where’s your gate?”

“Um, twenty-four, I think. Just down the hall.”

The tip of his tongue peeks out between his lips as he licks across his incisor. “Tell me you’re going to Minneapolis.”

I swear my heart stutters in my chest.

“I’m going to Minneapolis,” I practically whisper.

“With luck like this, I’m tempted to switch our tickets and fly to Vegas. You can be my lucky charm. Win me a fortune.”