The Dominant's Obsession

Chapter 11

A L L I E

"There's more to your story. What are you running from?"

She started as she turned to look up into Dacian's grey eyes. He stood close behind her, his own empty beer glass on the bar beside hers.

Her pulse kicked into overdrive. Breaking your own rule?

Then his question registered. "What makes you think I'm running from something?"

"It's just a feeling." He pierced her with his gaze. "But I'm not wrong, am I?"

No. In fact, he was annoyingly perceptive. But she was not discussing her ex with him. Or her parents.

His attention was doing funny things to her insides. "Why do you care? I thought you didn't like me."

"I don't. I'm just curious."

Gee, thanks. "Well I hope you enjoy disappointment," she said curtly.

The bartender finally came over to them. "Another Amber Ale for both of you then?" she asked, and Allie realized her mistake. Her face went up in flames.

Allie nodded to her and she thought Dacian did the same, but she was studiously avoiding looking at him. The bartender took their glasses and set about filling new ones. She felt Dacian's gaze on her.

"Am I supposed to believe that was a coincidence?" he murmured.

"I figured you had good taste," she said, watching the bartender. "I don't really do... this." She waved around at the bar in general.

She could still hear Colin's voice in her head. Why would I want to go to a crowded, noisy bar just to drink overpriced sugar water and have nothing else to do?

Yeah. Needless to say, she could probably count the number of times he'd gone out to a bar with her on one hand. During four years of dating. And since he hadn't liked her having girlfriends either, she hadn't gone to many bars since she'd turned 21. He wouldn't even drink at home, or let her experiment.

"Don't drink that stuff," he'd say. "It'll go straight to your thighs. Don't you know alcohol is linked with diabetes?"

She'd bought a six-pack once and hidden it under the bathroom sink, behind all the cleaning supplies. He'd never helped with the cleaning, so it had been safe there. She'd sneak a bottle now and then and dance around their one-bedroom apartment to Taylor Swift while he was out with his buddies. One night he'd come home early, surprising her, and thrown such a temper tantrum about her "secrets" and her "sneaking around" that she never did it again.

Stop it. It's been three months. All that shit is over now.

She snapped the rubber band she kept around her wrist. The small jolt of pain helped her focus on the here and now. She glanced over at Dacian to find he was watching her with unwavering attention. His gaze had dipped to her wrist, but now it returned to her face.

"I see." And he certainly seemed to. His gaze was wickedly sharp as it roamed over her face, and she wondered which of her secrets he was divining from her features. "As long as it wasn't out of some misguided notion of understanding me better."

She glanced at him out of the side of her eye. "Definitely not."

His lips curved slightly. That fire came back into his eyes. "Are you sure, little mouse? Because otherwise, you've proven to be an annoying little stalker. If you don't really do... this," he gestured around, "Then why did you come out tonight?"

"Because I'm trying to make friends here." She smiled at him sweetly. "Not something I expect you'd have experience with."

The bartender slid their beers in front of them and Dacian handed her his card. "I've got them both," he said, and the bartender nodded at him and ignored Allie's offered card as she went to run his.

Allie turned to him, her mouth agape. "You didn't have to do that."

His gaze was enigmatic. "I know."

"I wanted to pay for it."

"Clearly I wanted to more."

"You're giving me whiplash here."

"I enjoy keeping you on your toes."

Flustered, Allie picked up her beer and took a sip. She needed the fortification of the alcohol.

"So, do you like it?" he asked, his gaze still on her face. Why was he so intent?

She flushed. "Like what?"

"The beer."

"No, it's disgusting. That's why I ordered another." She turned to head back to the table.

"You're shit at darts, by the way," he called after her.

She froze and turned back to him. "You didn't have to watch."

He chuckled darkly and the wicked sound did wicked things to her heartbeat. "How could I look away? It was a trainwreck. I'm pretty sure the wall will never recover."

"Well, in my defense, I've never played before," she said, her cheeks pinkening again. She hated that he could make her blush so easily. "And besides, you were throwing me off."

"Oh really? And how was I doing that?" His grey eyesgleamed in the low lights, his half-smile bewitching.

"By watching."

"Why, does my gaze make you uncomfortable?" There it was again – that heat behind his eyes. Her breath caught. "I wonder what that must be like." He sauntered past her and retook his seat at the table.