The Dominant's Obsession

Chapter 15

A L L I E

Allie's arms were aching. She hadn't realized how far it was from the appliance store to her building, and she had certainly underestimated how difficult it would be to carry a huge, awkward box that distance. The microwave wasn't terribly heavy, it was just big, and holding it such that she could still see was a significant challenge for someone her size.

She paused on the sidewalk, lifting her knee to balance the heavy box on it as she gave her arms a momentary break. The crowd parted like water to flow around her.

She wished just one of them would offer to help. But that was the way of big cities, wasn't it? Everyone was too self-absorbed and suspicious to help a stranger.

"Allie?"

She turned her head at the sound of her name, then cursed.

Oh no. Not him...

Today Dacian wore a light blue shirt over grey gym shorts. He looked like he'd just come from the gym, except that made no sense if he worked out in their building. Still, there was no denying his appearance. His dark hair was plastered to his forehead and the nape of his neck with sweat, and his shirt was damp with it. A heavy-looking gym bag was slung over his shoulder.

Good lord, did he have to be so attractive?

He eyed the box in her arms. "Do you need some help with that?" His tone was hard.

Only Dacian could manage to sound callous while offering to help her.

"No – I – it's fine – Oh, well, thank you," she stammered, as he ignored her and lifted the box out of her arms anyway. Her gaze lingered on the bulge of his biceps as he accepted the load. Oh boy.

She turned and they continued walking side by side. Her heart was beating more irregularly now than it had been due to the exertion. She lifted one dead arm to tuck her hair behind her ear.

Stupid. Like he would notice her hair. He didn't even like her! He'd come right out and said as much.

So why was he helping her, anyway?

"Why didn't you ask someone for help getting this home?" Dacian asked.

"For one thing, I'm not helpless," she retorted. "I manage quite well on my own, if you must know." He didn't need to know her arms were limp noodles now. "And for another, who would I ask? I don't know anyone here, remember?"

He grunted in answer and peered down at the box. "What's in this thing, anyway?"

"A microwave." She huffed. "I didn't realize the apartment wouldn't come with one. It wasn't something they listed on the website." She gave him a skeptical look out of the side of her eye. "So what, our gym wasn't enough for you?"

"On Saturdays I meet up with my best friend Nick and we box at this gym he likes."

Her eyes widened. "So you do have friends?"

"Just the one."

"You're a boxer?"

He hesitated. "I dabble."

They lapsed back into silence. When they reached their building, Allie held the door open for him. There were a couple other people moving through the lobby, but no one spared them more than a cursory glance.

None of them would have helped her with the door. Thank god he'd showed up when he had.

She pressed the button for the elevator and fidgeted nervously with her purse while they waited. Once again she could feel Dacian's watchful gaze on her.

She avoided looking at him. His warning still rang in her ears. Stay away from me.

But then he had broken his own advice, not once but repeatedly. I like to keep you on your toes. Was that all it was, or was it possible he was having trouble staying away from her?

That's impossible. Boys who look like him do not fall for girls who look like me. Just stop with the fantasizing, Allie. This isn't one of your romance novels.

If he wants anything from you, it's one night and nothing more.

Finally the elevator doors slid open and they stepped inside. Dacian moved very gracefully for one so large, even with an unwieldy box in his arms. She hit the button for her floor and the doors slowly closed.

Now that they were in a confined space, she could smell his body odor radiating off him, and it was as alluring a scent as ever. Masculine. Spices. Sweat. It was probably what he'd smell like after sex.

Heat flooded through her from her cheeks to her groin. That was so not helpful.

"You blush a lot," Dacian commented from beside her.

This only made the scalding heat in her cheeks more acute. "Why are you helping me?" she said to the door, refusing to turn and look at him. "I thought you didn't like me."

"I don't."

Gee. Rub it in. "So... why?"

"You can blame my mom."

"Your mom?" She was surprised enough that she looked at him.

"Yeah." His face was impassive. Unreadable. "She raised me not to leave a woman struggling with a heavy load on the sidewalk. To escort her home at night. That sort of thing."

"And this chivalrous training supersedes your desire to stay away from me?"

"It's a box." He slanted a glance at her. "Don't read too much into it."

"No, I wasn't..." she trailed off, flustered. How did he always manage to totally unbalance her?

She was relieved when the elevator doors finally slid open. "Uh, it's... just this way." She led the way out of the elevator.

"I know. It's the same on my floor," he said, his tone dry.

"Oh. Right. Of course." Jesus, just kill her now.

She unlocked the door and held it open for him. "Just... set it down anywhere," she mumbled, wondering if she was insane to even let him in her door.

For some reason, it felt like letting the fox into the henhouse.

~

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