His Games, Her Rules

As if he can feel a pair of eyes staring at him, Dominique turns to look at me, eyes locking with mine for a long moment in an intense gaze. He furrows his eyebrows, a smirk slowly creeping up to his lips as he shifts his gaze to Doctor Sanders who’s watching me patiently. Doctor Sanders slowly turns around to stare at what’s got my attention which only makes Dominique stare at Doctor Sanders with squinted eyes. I know that look, I just don’t want to believe it.

Why on earth would he be concerned with who I’m out with?

“You two know each other?” Doctor Sanders turns to look at me as he asks.

“Not really.”

“You were a little… you know, surprised to see him. And distracted.”

“Oh. It’s nothing.” I assure the doctor, locking eyes with Dominique again for a second as I look away.

Why is he here? Why the fuck is he here?

He’s with a woman. I can’t tell what she looks like because she’s backing me, but from her backview, she sure looks like a woman with class. Why would I expect less from Dominique Gray? A man with his standard would definitely go for a woman that mirrors his own.

“It’s none of my business, but I don’t think he likes the fact that I’m sitting down and eating with you.”

“What?”

“Dominique, I mean.” Of course, he knows him too.

“He’s St. Jose’s newest stockholder, I think all the staff knows him.” Doctor Sanders answers my thoughts as if I just spat that out.

I definitely said that out loud.

“And aside from that, he’s pretty popular.” Doctor Sanders adds.

Right. And I didn’t know he existed until a few weeks ago.

“I don’t know that man. Well, personally, I mean.”

“Okay.” Doctor Sanders replies and I give him a small smile. Glad he dropped it.

As we continue to eat, I do my best to ignore Dominique Gray’s piercing blue eyes, his burning gaze, and the fact that he’s burning holes in Richard’s back.

“So, back to my question…”

“Mmm?” I look up from my food to lock eyes with Richard’s.

“What question?”

“Concerning why you’re not dating anyone.”

My mouth forms an O and I nod once. “About that… I’m just not looking.”

“Is that so?”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Mm-hm. I’m a little bit occupied with my work and I’m a hundred percent sure men don’t want a woman who’s too committed to her work. I think they want a woman who’s flexible with her time and her job, and I’m not that woman.”

Doctor Sanders gives me a small smile as he bites his bottom lip. Hot.

“True,” he nods. “So you don’t want to date anyone because you don’t want anyone to expect much from you when you’re not willing to give more?”

“When you put it like that, I sound like a fucking ass,” I say. Doctor Sanders laughs. I’ve not heard him laugh before, I mean truly laugh, and it sounds nice. Deep and rich.

“Hope I’m not intruding?” A familiar voice says at once. Doctor Sanders stops to laugh at once as we both turn to the source of the voice. Dominique fucking Gray is standing in front of us, hands in his pants pockets as he looks at me.

“Mr. Gray.” Doctor Sanders addresses the intimidating man.

“Doctor.” Dominique addresses Richard, taking his time to eye the doctor distastefully. If I didn’t know who Dominique truly was, I would have thought he was jealous that Doctor Sanders was sitting across from me.

“I didn’t know you two were dating,” Dominique says, shifting his gaze from Richard to me.

“We’re not dating,” I say at once. And why does he care anyway?

Dominique raises his eyebrows at me, a little smirk playing on his lips as he stares at me a little longer before turning to look at Doctor Sanders.

“Right. Of course, that would mean breaking a lot of ethical rules.” Dominique says, staring at Doctor Sanders a little longer than necessary with squinted eyes.

What exactly is he trying to prove?

“Can we talk outside, Mr. Gray?” I ask Dominique, gritting my teeth as I stare at him.

He casually shrugs a shoulder.

“Just one sec,” I say to Doctor Sanders as I follow Dominique Gray outside.

“Why did you do that? What exactly were you trying to prove by interrupting my dinner?” I ask when we’re outside.

“Dinner? So it’s a date then?”

I exhale through my nose as I run my fingers through my hair. “Why do you frustrate me on purpose?”

Dominique raises his eyebrows, perfectly wearing his calm exterior like a second skin as he looks at me.

“It isn’t my fault you’re this fucking pretty.” He voices out, in his raspy deep voice that seems to do a lot of things to me in a second.

I didn’t see that coming.

I’m speechless, mouth opening and closing as I think of anything, anything at all to say to him, but I’m short of words.

“Where’s your date?” I ask instead.

“Behind you.” He says, tilting his head toward something behind me while not taking his eyes off of me for a second.

I don’t bother to turn around. I can’t believe his supposed date is around but yet he is flirting with me.

“You need to stop. Whatever game it’s that you’re playing, you need to fucking stop. I’m not interested, not even one bit.”

“You really think this is a game?”

“I don’t know. One thing I’m sure of is that I’m not fucking interested. Interrupting my dinner was unnecessary and you know that.” I puff out, trying to act intimidating but failing miserably.

And the most annoying part is the nonchalant look he’s giving me. Fuck, I hate him.

Dominique takes a challenging stride toward me and I take one back. “Please don’t come any closer.”

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” He asks, taking another step so he’s in my space.

“Very.”

He surprises me by chuckling as he licks his bottom lip. Damn, that was weirdly hot. Why’s he this attractive?

Fucking hell, what is wrong with me?

I’ve never heard Dominique laugh before, but fuck it if it doesn’t sound better than I’d hoped.

“You act like you hate me…” he says, running his fingers through my hair, and tucking it behind my ear as he wraps his big hand around my neck.

For heaven’s sake, why am I letting him touch me? Why can’t I just push him away?

“You act like you can’t stand me, but yet…” but yet what?

For the first time tonight, Dominique lets his eyes travel down my body as they pause on my nipples which are slowly getting hard. I really need to get off because this is unacceptable. How can he annoy me and gratify me at the same time?

He is frustrating yet charming.

He’s so irritating but yet alluring.

He’s mysterious in every way but yet strangely provocative.

“You act like you loathe and despise me, but you and I know you want me to do things to you, Robyn.” He whispers and I chuckle.

“You wanna know what I think? I think you’re a conceited, self-gratifying asshole, who thinks he can get anyone and anything whenever he pleases.” I whisper, eyes locked with his intense blue eyes that are the most beautiful pair I’ve seen.

Dominique leans closer, his lips hovering over my ear as he whispers, “And I think there are better things you could do with this pretty little mouth of yours instead of spitting out things you don’t mean. And you know what I mean. And trust me, I’ve imagined you in that position and I have a feeling you’ll love it just as much as I’ll love it.” With a smug smirk on his annoyingly perfect face, Dominique pulls away, as he slowly takes his hand off my neck, leaving me cold, longing, and breathless.

“I’m gonna see you around, Robyn.” He says, stepping away from me as he steps past me.

I turn around, bewildered, as I watch him walk toward a car that’s parked at the end of the parking lot. And from the passenger’s seat, a woman stares at me intently, like she’s trying to decipher who I am.

What the fuck have I gotten myself into?