“Nope. Don’t have to go back.” He grins. “In fact, I don’t have to do anything. I wish I could stay here forever with you.”
“But you can’t! You have a business to run.”
“Which is getting along fine without me. Like I said, I have great executives who know what they’re doing, and they’re really stepping up to prove themselves.” He spears a piece of pineapple, then puts his fork down. “Liza, I already have billions. I don’t need to make more.”
“Don’t you like the euphoria of winning?” Every self-made man has a nearly insatiable hunger and competitive streak in his belly.
He cocks one dark eyebrow. “Winning?”
“Watching your bank account fatten.”
“Nah.” Then he considers. “Okay, maybe a little bit. But that’s not what drove me. I built my empire for you. I wanted to be your equal.”
His confession leaves me speechless, and I almost drop my fork in the sand. “Why would you ever assume you weren’t my equal? You were always my equal.” Perhaps more than equal; I inherited my trust.
“Male ego, Liza. I wanted to be the one to give you everything you desired. I couldn’t do that as a bartender or some guy stuck in a cubicle.”
This confirms my belief—that running away ten years ago with Julian’s help would’ve been a total hell for Dominic. And I know with absolute certainty that if Dominic had listened to me back then, he would’ve taken the option to run because I’ve always been in his heart—whether as love or hate. “Dominic, all I’ve ever desired is you. The world is nothing without you.”
His eyes widen, then darken, his jaw slackening. “Liza…”
I realize abruptly that I’ve never told him how I truly felt about him. I’ve always felt uncertain and shy—what if it’s too early? What if he doesn’t feel the same way?
How silly. I never loved Dominic expecting something in return. I simply loved him. I still love him, and I’ll always love him even if he doesn’t love me back.
No matter what lies I might tell, what truths I might withhold, this is one thing I don’t want to hide from him anymore.
“I love you, Dominic.”
He doesn’t say the three words back. He merely stares as though I’m a mystery he can’t unravel.
Even though I told myself I’m okay with not to have his love back, his silence hurts. It’s okay, totally okay. He’s going to hate me soon anyway when I tell him I never lost my memory.
He cradles my face, then kisses me.
Moaning softly, I kiss him back with all the love in my heart, my mouth giving and yielding under his. He fits his lips over mine over and over again, and I taste the sweet and tart fruit, brine and the heady male flavor that’s as unique to Dominic as his scent. His hands are so gentle as he holds my face between his palms, I feel tears well in my eyes.
His tongue licks over my mouth with aching tenderness, and I open up to him—all of me—fully, vulnerable, holding nothing back. He continues to kiss me, his lips and tongue moving to mark my mouth as his.
Oh, Dominic. Everything I am has been yours all along.
His hands brush the sides of my neck and rest on my shoulders. He then plants endless kisses on the skin his hands touched. His mouth’s so hot, it feels like a brand, and I love it—and his possessiveness.
“Take off your rash guard,” he says against my skin.
I start to reach for the hem, then stop as the image of what happened in the shower last night rushes through my head.
He nips the delicate skin over my pulse. “Now.”
“I…I can’t.” I look away, suddenly feeling ridiculous. I put so much meaning into him kissing me at breakfast…and just now. He isn’t changing his MO now, just because I said, “I love you.” He kissed me first this morning, and I never said anything close to love…
He pulls back. “Liza, what’s wrong?” He’s worried, not upset.
And suddenly I can’t stop the embarrassment from pouring out of me. “I know you don’t really want me.”
He does a double take. “Not want you? What gave you that crazy idea?”
“I saw you last night…in the shower.”