Unconditional by D.M. Mortier Page B

mortification.
    “Hey, don’t do that. Nothing for you to be embarrassed about. We’re amazing together.”
    She raised her head then and gazed at him through the curtain of her long hair. “We were?”
    He smiled. “Yes, sweetheart, we were. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” His good humor of a few moments ago had been replaced with concern.
    “No, I’m fine. It was incredible for me, too. Thank you for making it so beautiful.” Still not willing to look directly into his eyes, she could only smile shyly. He always seemed to see too much. And right then, she felt very vulnerable.
    “You’re the one who is beautiful. Now it’s time I took care of you.” He lifted her again and strode into the bathroom.
    After a shared shower and then personally cooking her breakfast, Dom called Bianca’s parents to let them know that Rinah was with him. He had told her that he wouldn’t get any resistance from that quarter and he didn’t. Dom kept her in his bed for the remainder of the day with a deliberate and thorough exploration of their unexpected attraction. Each time they came together the sex was better and better. She was in no way prepared for that reality.
    For the rest of the day they made love, ate, talked, and made love again. Neither of them could understand the unbelievable chemistry between them, and the inexplicable hunger that persisted, despite the number of times they gave in to their desire. She missed her flight to Trinidad that night.
    Dom took her back to Bianca’s house early the next morning, despite her protests. He felt that she had had enough and should rest while he went and got some work done.
    He allowed her to simmer and pout during the twenty-minute drive to Bianca’s house, but before she exited the car, he claimed her lips in a devastating kiss and told her to be ready for dinner at eight. Fuming at his conceited expectation, she slammed his car door, then ran into the house without a backward glance to acknowledge his edict.
    Ignoring the objections of her parents, Rinah rescheduled her return flight home for another two weeks. And despite Dominic’s obvious arrogance, Rinah was ready for him that night and every night that week.
    She explored the island with Bianca while he worked during the day. But the nights were completely theirs. Dom picked her up around eight each night. They would either have dinner at a restaurant, or stay in at his apartment, where they cooked together. She loved those nights best. They would then watch a movie or take a walk on the beach and talk. Their nights would end with them in his big bed, exploring and feeding their endless hunger for each other. The passion between them seemed to get sharper, not dwindling in the least. Despite the number of times they made love, it was never enough. There was no room in his apartment off limits from their amorous activities. When they were apart, she couldn’t wait to see him again. And by the many times during the day he called her, she thought he felt the same.
    Bianca had been initially angry and unsupportive of their affair. But she soon got over her jealousy, apparently realizing that their friendship was worth more than the potential pleasure of the brief affair she’d been anticipating. Besides, by staying angry with Rinah, she would have missed out on all of the juicy girl-talk about what kind of lover Dominic truly was.
    And being Dominic’s lover was not an easy task, as Rinah soon found out. He didn’t express interest or even hint at a long-term commitment. She resolved to accept whatever relationship she could get, for however long it lasted. After all, he hadn’t lied to her about what sort of man he was, or what she could expect. She tried her best not to cling or make demands that would indicate her desire for more from him. She was also careful not to tell him how much she had fallen in love with him, afraid that he would certainly end their association if she did.
    After two weeks, her flight