Divine Attraction

DIVINE ATTRACTION

By

Tonya Ramagos

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To all the single moms out there working hard to give their children the best life they can give.

Chapter One

S

tress was rapidly taking control of her senses. Dominique could feel it in her muscles, in her bones, aching to the core. Never had she dreamed that living on her own, without a husband, without a family member to offer financial support and guidance, would be so difficult. As she sat at the kitchen table in her small twobedroom apartment, surrounded by past due bills, the realization that there was no one to call for help hit her like a physical blow. But it was the way she had wanted it. Well…almost. She hadn’t wanted to lose her father in the process. “But you’re not going to think about that now,” she said defiantly to herself. “You have other things to worry about.” Sighing heavily, she snatched up a sheet of paper, almost blank but for three names and corresponding phone numbers listed at the top, and flung herself back in the chair. She couldn’t imagine hiring either of these women, but what choice did she have? The ad had run in the local paper for almost two weeks, and only they had 1

Tonya Ramagos responded and actually kept their interview appointments. Dominique had quickly gained a new respect for employers. She now understood the trials and aggravation they went through when deciding to hire a new employee. No wonder it took most people so long to find a new job, she had thought, time and again. In her case of playing the role as the employer, it had now come down to the wire. She had only two choices; hire one of these women, or turn down the opportunity to make a hell of a lot more money than she was making now. Thoughts of being able to take her son to McDonalds more than once in a blue moon, pay her bills on time, and purchase more of the things she and Kalvin desperately needed bounced around in her brain. If she didn’t hire an evening babysitter today, she would be forced to turn down the promotion. Well, it wasn’t a promotion, exactly. It was a move from the day to evening shift. But in a twenty-four hour bar, the customer and tip difference made the move seem like a promotion. Without making the move, she was certain to fall deeper and deeper in debt. Her chest heaving again, she glared at the three names on the sheet of paper. There was Monica Finch; a strong headed girl right out of high school. Despite her gaudy appearance—piercings everywhere imaginable, long jet black hair, putrid 2

Divine Attraction blue lipstick, and a skirt so short her buttocks nearly showed when she walked—she had struck Dominique as a very sweet girl. But Kalvin hadn’t liked her and if he wasn’t comfortable with his new babysitter there was no way she would be comfortable leaving him each night. Then there was Lucy Pringle. Talk about a real grouch! It had taken all but three minutes of Dominique’s interview with the thirty-something woman to determine she was horrible with children. A woman who was harshly spoken, inconsiderate, and who possessed a temper fuse no longer than the size of a pen tip was way wrong for babysitting anyone’s child, let alone Dominique’s. She couldn’t possibly hire her. She scratched off Lucy’s name, leaving only one candidate. The elderly woman, Elva Noble. Kalvin hadn’t been terribly impressed by her but, out of the three, he had seemed to like her the best. Dominique found her to be a sweet old lady. She lived by herself, not too far from the apartment. She had raised four children of her own and now had twelve grandchildren. A Mrs. Doubtfire type woman had been Dominique’s first thought. But the woman didn’t move as well as the fictional TV star—probably because she wasn’t possessed by Robin Williams—and that was what made Dominique uneasy about the whole idea of hiring her. Fear that the woman was just too old to 3

Tonya Ramagos handle a child Kalvin’s age for extended periods of time. Kalvin was a good kid but he was a typical five year old, energetic and rambunctious. Yet, despite her concerns that the woman couldn’t handle Kalvin, Mrs. Noble did seem to be her best bet. “So we’ll give her a shot.” Dominique decided and rose from the table. She walked to the phone that hung on the kitchen wall, picked up the receiver and punched in the woman’s telephone number. “And if she doesn’t work out, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” “Hello,” a masculine voice said just as she put the receiver to her ear. “Umm…hello. Could I speak with Mrs. Noble, please?” Dominique asked, a bit startled and confused. Not only had the phone never rung on her end of the line, but she could have sworn Elva Noble had said she lived alone. Who was this man answering her phone? The voice on the other end of the line laughed, a quick burst of husky, deep baritone. “I think we’ve got our lines crossed.” “Oh, I’m sorry. I must have dialed the wrong number. Thank you.” “No, wait!” Dominique heard the voice say abruptly. Her hand froze mere inches from hanging up the phone. Putting the receiver back to her ear, she huffed 4

Divine Attraction in aggravation. She was in no mood to carry on a conversation with some strange man. “Yes?” “I was calling you at the same time you were dialing out,” the voice quickly explained. “Talk about timing, huh?” He chuckled. “Oh…well, I guess so,” Dominique stammered. Now she was really confused. She wanted to ask, “Who are you, you strange man, and why are you calling me?” Instead, she cleared her throat and, in the nicest tone she could muster, asked, “Can I help you?” “I hope so. I was calling about the ad in the paper,” the voice said. It was a nice voice. Kind, gentle and soft, the sound of it caressed her ear like a physical touch. Sexy too. A man who possessed a voice like that would no doubt have to have the sexy features to go with it. Dominique leaned her back against the kitchen wall, closed her eyes, a clear picture of a tall, dark and handsome man filling the darkness behind her lids. Or maybe he had blond hair. Sandy blond hair and a deep tan from hours spent at the beach. “The one about the in-home babysitting job,” he said after a long moment of silence and the man in her picture suddenly became one of curly, untamable red hair, impossibly thick coke bottle glasses, completely skin and bones with pants that barely reached his ankles. She opened her eyes, sighed and walked to her 5

Tonya Ramagos chair at the kitchen table. The man was calling about the babysitting job. So much for her sexy theory. Sexy as hell men with drool-worthy bodies didn’t babysit. Yet the voice was too decidedly masculine to belong to some high school nerd who couldn’t get a date if his GPA depended on it. That could only mean… “Oh, I get it,” she said as she sat. “You’re calling for your wife.” Again, the man chuckled. “Uh…no.” “Girlfriend?” she guessed again. She was grasping at straws, but there had to be a reasonable explanation for his inquiry. The thought that he could be calling for himself was just too inconceivable. “Wrong again.” There was a trace of amusement in his voice now and dammed if it didn’t make him sound even sexier. The thought of continuing her little guessing game, if only to keep him talking for a while, was far too tempting. It had been a long time since she had felt an attraction for a man. And to feel that attraction, that warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach, that heat from her ear to her toes, simply from the sound of a voice… Was it possible to fall in love with a voice? “Sister, mother…” “No and no.” He paused as if waiting for her next guess before he said, “Running out of 6

Divine Attraction women, huh? I’m calling for myself. Is the job still open?” Dominique propped her elbows on the table, rubbed her forehead with her free hand as her confusion deepened. Why would a man want to apply for a babysitting job? The concept was practically unheard of! No matter what the man looked like. Girls, women, old ladies…yes, those were the people who babysat children. Men…no! And that told her all she needed to know. It was a waste of time. Despite the fact that his voice had piqued her curiosity as to his looks, meeting with him would be a complete waste of time…time she no longer had to waste. Best case scenario, she would agree to meet this guy and he wouldn’t even show up. Or he would show but be completely wrong for the job. Besides, did she really want a man taking care of her son? Hotheaded testosterone was the last thing she needed interrupting her boring, stress-filled life. “That position has already been filled,” she said, making her decision. She picked up her pencil and drew circles around Elva Noble’s name on the sheet of paper. “I was attempting to call the woman I’ve decided to hire when our lines got crossed, as you put it.” “So you haven’t contacted the woman yet?” “Well…” She hesitated, the pencil stopping mid-circle. “No.” Dammit! Open mouth, insert 7

Tonya Ramagos foot. She had eaten her foot so many times in her life, it was a wonder she still had two of them! Why was it she could never answer a simple question with a simple answer? If she had told him the position had been filled and left it at that, she could have hung up the phone and this crazed occurrence would be over with. She could have forgotten about the voice, about the way that voice resonated through her body with each word he spoke. Instead, she had to continue babbling. “But there’s no chance I could talk you into an interview before you do?” Dominique guessed with a voice like that he could talk her into just about anything but she didn’t dare tell him that. “I would really like the job. I come from a big family and I love children. If you would at least talk—” “I have to fill this position today,” she spoke over him. “Preferably as soon as possible, Mr. Uh…” She faltered, suddenly realizing she had been on the phone with this stranger for nearly five minutes and had neglected to get his name. “Joshua…just call me Joshua.” “Well, Joshua, as I said, I have to fill this position today and my new hire will have to be ready to start tomorrow afternoon,” she informed him, sure that her urgency in the matter would send him away if nothing else would. 8

Divine Attraction “No problem. I can meet with you in an hour.” She hesitated. Oh, why did she have to be so kind-hearted? Granted, she wasn’t all that excited over hiring Elva Noble or anyone else on her list. Dreading the final outcome of her decision was more like it. But did she really want to prolong her agony another hour just to talk to this dweeb? And he had to be a dweeb. Despite the voice that had her thinking of hard bodies and silk sheets, the man had to be a geek. He was too insistent about the job, too eager to be given the interview. “Okay.” The word spilled from her mouth before she had a chance to stop it. Why was she saying okay! Amazing how her big mouth could continue to get her in deeper, even with two feet shoved down her throat. Ugh, now she was really losing her mind. “But if you’re not here in exactly one hour I’m calling Mrs. Noble. What was your name again?” “Joshua…Joshua Divine.” Yeah, I bet you are, she thought cynically, and jotted down his name. And I’m Cinderella. **** Joshua took down the woman’s address, hung up the phone and leaned back on the over-stuffed emerald green sofa. A satisfied grin spread across his lips. It had taken some fast talking, but he had 9

Tonya Ramagos gotten her to agree to meet with him. Now all he had to do was convince her that he was the man for the job. With the impression he had gathered from talking to the woman—despite the fact that she didn’t sound all that excited about hiring whomever it was she had been attempting to call—he had a feeling she would be a hell of a challenge. A challenge he fully intended not to back down from. He picked up the day’s edition of the newspaper and read through the ad for what must have been the fiftieth time since he had spotted it that morning over coffee. The first thing that had caught his eye about the job was the hours. The ones listed in the ad couldn’t be more perfect— three-thirty to twelve o’clock, five to six nights a week. He would be home every night by one, onethirty at the latest, sleep until nine, and still make it to his classes on time. Rising from the sofa, Joshua found himself wondering what kind of job the woman had that would require a babysitter at such odd hours. Working at one of the casinos across the bridge would be his first guess. Just the thought made his insides cringe. He stopped in front of the hall closet, ran his fingers through his hair before opening the closet door. If he were right, that would mean she was either a bartender or a cocktail waitress. No other 10

Divine Attraction position with those hours paid enough for a woman and child to live on. Still, neither one was really an admirable career. Sure, the required dress code was sexy, especially for the cocktail servers, but it was so degrading to the women who had to wear the short, short skirts and extremely low-cut blouses. There was barely enough material in the uniforms to cover their most private parts! And the reputation that followed female bartenders and cocktail servers— trashy, low self-esteem, flirts, easy lays—was not one someone could be proud of, and most definitely not a good influence on a young child. He should know. During the years between high school and college, after Margot died, he had been with more of that type of woman than he cared to admit. He had put those years behind him and intended to leave them there. Shaking off the memories that were suddenly so insistent on ruining his day, he retrieved his black loafers from the closet and slipped his size ten feet into them. No matter what the woman did for a living, it was just the job he had been looking for. Although he doubted it paid much, it wasn’t the money he was after. He had plenty of that. It was the time with the child. His instructor had suggested he find a way to spend more one-onone time with children—children who weren’t his brothers or sisters, that is. 11

Tonya Ramagos Striding to the refrigerator for a can of soda, he was hit by another realization. Heather wasn’t going to like it much if he got the job. It certainly wouldn’t leave a lot of time for them. They would see each other at the college. After all, they had a couple of classes together. That’s how they had met. And he wouldn’t be working every night. They could still squeeze in some time here and there. As he stood in the middle of the kitchen floor and downed a soda, Joshua had to admit he would never have allowed his schedule to become so congested if Margot were still alive. Time with her had been precious, to say the least. Of course, a lot of things in his life would be different had she lived. But there was no use dwelling on the past. Beating himself up for the rest of his life because he had not insisted that she quit that damn job was not going to bring her back. Margot was gone, and Heather was in his life now. Heather was the first woman he had dated exclusively since Margot’s passing and they had only been together for about six weeks. So, did he love her? Who knew what was truly in his heart? Did he care if she got mad at him for taking the job? Yeah, of course he cared. But if she got mad, she would get over it, he decided with a lift of his shoulders. She knew how important children were to him. She knew how much his future as a child 12

Divine Attraction psychologist meant to him. Surely she would understand. Wouldn’t she? **** “I can’t believe you agreed to this. What were you thinking?” Dominique scolded herself through clenched teeth. She stood in the middle of the kitchen floor, gazed around the room. The apartment was a wreck. Not that that was unusual really. Keeping a spotless home was not one of her fortes. She hated cleaning! She stole a glance at the large red numbers on the microwave clock, saw it was nearing one o’clock and she was still walking around in her sleep clothes—a pair of tight spandex shorts and an oversized solid black T-shirt—and her unwanted visitor would be gracing her with his presence in less than an hour! What she needed was motivation, she decided, and walked briskly to the stereo in the living room, slid in her favorite eighties heavy metal compact disk. The blaring sound of screeching guitars and fast beating drums blasted through the once tranquil air of the apartment. Heavy metal music—the best trigger around for a much needed energy rush. It worked, too. Within seconds, she could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins, willing 13

Tonya Ramagos her to get moving. She bounced back to the kitchen table, swaying her hips to the beat of the music and sang, “Don’t need nothin’ but a g-o-o-d time. How can I re-si-st?” Spinning on her heels, she cleared the table of all the clutter and placed her dishes that remained from breakfast and lunch in the sink. She was so lost in the music that she didn’t hear her son enter the room. “Mommy.” Kalvin tugged on her shirttail. “I wanna watch a movie. Can I watch a movie?” Dominique looked down, a smile instantly unfolding on her lips. All it took was one look at her five year old son and her heart filled with a sense of love and happiness powerful enough to fight off any nasty demon that showed his ugly face. Life with the boy’s father may not have been a bed of roses but the end result—her handsome little boy—made it all worth everything she had gone through. Still smiling, she bent her knees, bringing herself down to Kalvin’s level. “Can we wait a few minutes on the movie?” She ran the palm of her hand over his soft, unruly, dark hair. “Mommy needs you to help her right now. Will you do that? We need to clean up the house. There’s someone coming over and we don’t want them to walk into a nasty apartment, do we?” “Nah, I guess not,” Kalvin said in a tone that clearly said he was only agreeing because mommy 14

Divine Attraction said so. “Who is it?” “His name is Joshua. Joshua Divine.” She felt the warm fuzzies return in her stomach as his name rolled from her lips. He may be a nerd. She had reached the conclusion that he had to be a nerd. What other kind of man applied for a babysitting job? But, nerd or not, he had a beautiful name, and that was important. A first name like Joshua symbolized responsibility, professionalism. As for Divine, well, despite the heavenly voice, she seriously doubted there was a chance of the man in question living up to that name. “Who’s that?” “A man who wants to be your new babysitter,” she explained and returned to her chores, quickly cleaning off the scattered items on the counter top. “My babysitter! Cool!” Kalvin jumped up and down, instantly excited. “That’ll be much better than that old lady or that creepy girl.” He faked a shiver. “We can do guy things like play baseball and race cars.” Uh oh. Dominique bit her bottom lip, a sense of impending doom settling over her. If Kalvin was this excited now, by only the mere idea of having a male babysitter, she could be in real trouble. “I need you to pick up all your toys and take them to your room,” she told him, turning from the sink. “Then you can put in one of your movies.” 15

Tonya Ramagos In a flash, Kalvin was gone. Dominique watched as he bounced away, shook her head and laughed. But the laughter died a quick death when she thought of the disappointment he would feel when she told him she was hiring Mrs. Noble instead of this Joshua guy. Because she already knew she wouldn’t be hiring Joshua Divine. He would be so totally wrong for the job. She was sure of it. But her subconscious would never let her rest if she didn’t at least talk to the man. Kalvin would see it too, she decided as she thought of how smart he was for such a young boy. He was generally a good judge of character and she was certain it would take only minutes with Joshua before Kalvin would see that he wasn’t the man for the job. Then he would accept her decision to hire Elva Noble and they could continue on with their happy little lives. Forty-five minutes later, Dominique walked out of her bedroom wearing a pair of tight fitting jeans and a low-cut navy blue pullover blouse. The apartment was clean—as clean as it got, at least— and Kalvin had entertained himself in front of the television with The Lion King. Humming softly to a song from Kalvin’s movie, she made a detour into the bathroom in the hall for a quick check. Just as she turned to leave the room, a loud, thundering knock at the door announced her visitor had arrived. 16

Divine Attraction “Geez! Knock my door down, why don’t you?” she mumbled under her breath as she made her way down the hallway to the living room. She glanced at her watch. Ten minutes early for a babysitting interview! She hadn’t even met the guy and already he was getting stranger by the minute. Punctuality was desired—even expected. Being so early for what most considered to be a piddly job was downright silly. “He’s here! He’s here!” Kalvin jumped up from his position on the floor in front of the television, the expression on his face so bright it could have replaced the sun. Dominique stopped and, with a fixed glare, addressed her son. “Calm down,” she whispered a bit more forcefully then she had intended. “You let me do the talking for a while and then you can talk to him. Okay?” Kalvin’s eyes lowered to his dirty tennis shoes. “Okay,” he agreed sullenly. Dominique’s heart wrenched at the sound of disappointment in her son’s voice, a tone she absolutely hated to hear. She had heard it so many times in the little one’s life—usually as a result of something his father had done or, better yet, something he hadn’t done—and detested being the one to bring it out again. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” she said softly, reaching out to ruffle his hair. “You can talk to 17

Tonya Ramagos him, too.” The smile returned to Kalvin’s face as Dominique proceeded to the door. She eased it open and felt her knees turn to jelly. Thank God she was holding onto the doorknob or she might have very well slithered to the floor. Her breath caught, a breath that was filled with the tantalizing scent of spicy men’s cologne. Surprise—no, more like absolute shock—rendered her completely speechless. Her gaze locked on her visitor and my oh my… This man was no geeky, coke-bottle-glasseswearing, pocket-protector-bearing nerd eager to greet her. He was more like a GQ cover model in the flesh with a long, lean body and a charming, heart-stopping smile that had her insides starting a complete meltdown. No doubt about it, if she had opened a Webster’s dictionary right then, she was sure she would have found a picture of this man right next to the word “incredible.”

18

Divine Attraction

Chapter Two

D

ominique was staring. She knew she was staring but she couldn’t help herself. And who could blame her when faced with such a hotbed of perfection? There was no way the man before her was the man she had spoken with on the phone. And yet, there was. Hadn’t she first guessed that the smooth, sexy voice belonged to an equally smooth and sexy man? Her gaze dropped to his feet, noted the shiny black loafers he wore, slowly climbed up again. Black slacks that no doubt concealed a pair of strong, muscular legs led to a teal green button down shirt that failed to hide the ripples of his chest. His face was clean-shaven, his skin a deep tan, his lips a luscious shade of pale pink. Then she reached his eyes…and she was lost. They were green. But not a shade of green she had ever seen before. They were so light and yet so bright. So stunning that it took all the strength she could muster to prevent the moan that ached deep 19

Tonya Ramagos in her throat from escaping. And this man wanted to be her son’s babysitter! No way. No fucking way! He was absolutely, positively way too dropdead gorgeous to be a babysitter. But a mommysitter… Hmm, now wasn’t that a pleasant thought? “Hi,” he said. Oh yeah, this was definitely the same man she had spoke with on the phone. That short, single syllable word was all she needed to hear to confirm that fact. He extended his hand. “I’m Joshua Divine.” “That you are,” Dominique murmured. It wasn’t until she saw his smile bloom into a full blown grin, saw the glint of amusement in those mesmerizing eyes, that she realized she had spoken aloud. Her cheeks flamed and if she could have buried herself in a dark, deep hole at that very moment there wouldn’t have been a shovel in the world that could have dug her out. “I’m Dominique Gabor. No kin to Za Za,” she said quickly, though her frail attempt at a joke failed to hide her embarrassment. She put her hand in his. Bad idea. Very, very bad idea. His grasp was tight yet gentle, his skin warm and only slightly callused, and she felt the effects of that physical contact all the way to her toes. The want that coursed through her, the need to feel that hand on other parts of her bare flesh rocked her insides. It was too much, too quick, too 20

Divine Attraction fierce, too shocking. She nearly jerked her hand free of his but instead forced herself to pull back slowly. Her mouth had gone dry, all the moisture in her body settling at the heated point between her legs. She licked her lips, swallowed and dared to speak. “Please, come in.” To her surprise, her voice sounded even, in control. Strange, when nothing else about her felt that way. She sidestepped, allowing him to enter, watched him as he moved inside. Her gaze slid down the wide expanse of his back, settled on his tight fitting slacks and damn if his backside didn’t look as good as the front. She quickly averted her gaze. He’s here for the job, Dominique. Not for a date. Quit gawking over the poor man. “I apologize for being so early but I didn’t want to be late either,” he said as he turned to face her. “I got the impression on the phone that you weren’t willing to wait a minute past an hour.” “I wasn’t,” Dominique said and closed the door. She paused, took a deep composureregaining breath. The man was here for a job. That was all. Just because he was out-of-this-world good looking and the only man in eons to arouse her to the point of distraction with a simple touch didn’t make him any more suited for the job of babysitting her son than he had been before. As long as she kept reminding herself of that, she 21

Tonya Ramagos would make it through this interview. “Hi Joshua,” Kalvin said, appearing at Joshua’s side. “Mr. Divine,” Dominique reflexively corrected. Joshua kneeled down, a kind and inviting smile curving his lips. “Well, hello there.” He shook Kalvin’s small hand. “And I don’t mind if you call me Joshua.” He flashed Dominique a quick glance that had the butterflies in her stomach doing the mambo and said, “You can call me Joshua too.” Then he returned his attention to Kalvin. “And what is your name?” “Kalvin.” “Kalvin, that’s a really nice name.” “My mommy gave it to me. She says it sounds like a responsible, big-person name.” **** Joshua chuckled. “That it does.” As does Dominique, he thought and added sensual and erotic to the list. Just like the woman who possessed the name. What she looked like hadn’t crossed his mind, though if he had thought about it he would have expected her to be attractive. If he were right about her job, and unfortunately he was certain that he was, the money she made depended greatly on her appearance. But a walking heart 22

Divine Attraction attack? He would have never guessed that. And the woman was definitely fine enough to send a man into cardiac arrest. Hell, he had nearly asked her to call for an ambulance the moment she opened the door! Her hair was the color of Swiss mocha, long with the appearance of sheer silk. He had to fist his hands at his sides to keep from reaching out, running his fingers through those long strands. She had a young look about her but it was in no way childish. Chic, exotic, playful, those were better descriptive words. Her eyes were a captivating, deep blue, her skin lightly tanned. And as for the rest of her… Sweet Jesus! The woman had just the right curves in all the right places. The kind of curves that would drive a man wild. He should know. His hormones had been doing the wild thang since his gaze first landed on her. “Do you want to watch a movie with me? I’m watching The Lion King. Do you like that movie? It’s almost over, but you can finish watching it with me if you want.” Kalvin’s excitement poured out in short jumbled sentences and Joshua had to laugh. “Come on,” he said and tugged on Joshua’s hand. Joshua glanced at Dominique, who nodded her permission, as Kalvin began pulling him through the small, squared foyer toward the living room. 23

Tonya Ramagos Once there, Kalvin plopped down on the floor in front of the television and began watching the movie. Joshua stood beside the boy, looked around. The apartment was small, much smaller than the house in which he lived. From where he stood, the layout was easily identifiable. To his left was an Lshaped kitchen decorated in pale green, with a small round wooden table that sat four. Almost directly in front of him stretched a hallway with three closed doors. One leading to a bathroom or possibly a closet, the other two to the bedrooms, he presumed. The furnishings were spare, but what little he saw certainly hadn’t been purchased cheaply. Either this woman made one heck of a living in tips, or she was very thrifty with her money—only purchasing what she really wanted instead of something just to tide her over for a while. “You’re not watching The Lion King,” Kalvin said, tugging at Joshua’s pants leg. “I thought you liked it.” “Oh, I do.” Joshua reached down to ruffle Kalvin’s hair with the palm of his hand. “But my favorite is Finding Nemo.” Kalvin’s bottom lip protruded and he looked back at Dominique who was standing with her arms folded across her chest watching them curiously. “I don’t have that one yet.” 24

Divine Attraction “I do,” Joshua said. “I’ll bring it over sometime.” “Cool!” Kalvin exclaimed, happy once again. “You certainly have a lot of movies, Kalvin.” He scanned the wall behind the television lined with shelves that held rows upon rows of movies. “You must have nearly every cartoon ever made.” Kalvin’s attention had returned to the movie, so Dominique answered instead. “There’s a regular customer that comes in the bar everyday. He’s an old man but from what he says he has an amazing electronic set-up at his home. He’s a movie freak, owns practically every movie ever made, cartoon or not. Almost every week he brings me a stack of movies for Kalvin. Copying them is illegal but we’re not selling them and it sure saves me tons of money.” “So you work at a bar,” Joshua said, shoving his hands in the pockets of his trousers. **** His tone of voice had changed as had his expression and an alarm bell rang in Dominique’s head. He sounded almost…disappointed. But his expression had become unreadable so she couldn’t tell if the disapproval she had picked up on in his tone had really been there or if it was simply a product of her overactive imagination. 25

Tonya Ramagos Dismissing it as the latter, she said, “I work the day shift at Party Paradise. The bar on the left on the highway. I’ve been there for almost two years.” She unfolded her arms, started to walk toward the kitchen. “Would you like something to drink before we begin?” “I’m not much on alcohol, especially this early in the day.” Dominique stopped, turned to look at him. Was he making a joke? He certainly didn’t look as though he were. Did he really think she was offering him an alcoholic beverage during a job interview? “I guess that was the wrong time in the conversation to offer you a drink,” she said and forced a smile, “but I was thinking more along the lines of a soda or bottled water, maybe.” “A bottle of water would be nice.” Perplexed, Dominique continued to the kitchen, grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge then turned and leaned against the counter. Joshua had moved to the burgundy recliner opposite the sofa, his back to her. She stood watching him for several long heartbeats. If she didn’t know better, she would swear the man had a problem with her job. But that couldn’t be right. Could it? And even if it was, who the hell was he to judge? He had to be pushing thirty—although he looked damn good for his age—and he was applying for a babysitting job for crying out loud! 26

Divine Attraction No, it wasn’t right, she decided. She was being silly, allowing her own feelings about her job to cloud her senses. Not that she was ashamed of her job because she wasn’t. She loved being a bartender. But sometimes she did feel just the slightest twinge of embarrassment about her profession. Becoming a bartender hadn’t been her first career choice. Hell, it hadn’t even been her tenth choice. But it was the job she had fallen into several years before when looking for a job that paid good money and didn’t require a college degree. And what did she care anyway, she thought defiantly as she pushed herself off the counter. She was the one in the position of employer here and he was the one looking to get hired. He was the one in the spotlight. Not that she had changed her mind about giving him the job. If anything, the last few minutes had only resulted in reinforcing her decision not to hire him. She certainly didn’t need someone around who would have her second-guessing her job for Pete’s sake. No matter how dammed good he was to look at. So she would get back in there, get this interview over with, get this man out of her house and then she could go on with her happy little life. But as she returned to the living room, handed Joshua one of the bottled waters, she found herself wondering if she really wanted to speed through 27

Tonya Ramagos this interview quite so swiftly. What would it hurt to spend a little while looking at him? Their gazes met as he took the bottle from her and he smiled his thanks—a smile that had her bones turning to butter and she had her answer. The instant attraction she felt for this man, the explicitly graphic images of getting it on that came to mind each time she looked at him, was why she had to get this interview over with. “If you work the day shift at the bar, why do you need an evening babysitter?” Joshua asked as he twisted the cap on the water bottle. “Starting tomorrow afternoon, I’m no longer on the day shift,” she said, moving to the sofa adjacent the recliner. She tucked her legs beneath her as she sat, propping an elbow on the armrest. Joshua’s concentration seemed to be on the label of the bottled water. “Marge, the woman who has been tending bar in the evenings, has decided she wants my shift. I don’t have to give it up, even though Marge has seniority but I desperately need the extra money I can make on swing shift.” “Do you enjoy bartending?” He looked up but it took a long moment for his eyes to make it to her face. She glanced down, realized that the way she was sitting with her elbow propped on the armrest had caused her low cut blouse to gape open, affording him a view of the edge of one breast. It 28

Divine Attraction wasn’t until she moved her arm, effectively reclosing the gap, that his gaze met hers. A heat that began at the valley between her breasts crept up her neck, threatened to redden her cheeks. She hadn’t meant to do that, to put herself on sexual display for this man but the look that rose to his eyes told her he thought she had. She caught a quick flicker of desire in their green depths, saw him squirm uncomfortably in the recliner, and then there was the look of disappointment, disapproval. What was this guy’s trip? “It’s okay,” Dominique answered honestly. “I enjoy meeting new people. Most of all I enjoy helping people.” And that was what she had wanted to do with her life. Help people, to counsel. Nearly everyday, someone came into the bar wanting to talk about the troubles they were experiencing in their love life; they looked to her for advice. Her own love life might suck, but she was great at counseling others on theirs. Playing “Dear Abby barmaid” was probably as close as she would ever get to fulfilling her dream of becoming a true counselor. Her response seemed to stun Joshua, and she didn’t miss the look of surprise that rose to his face. So it wasn’t her imagination after all. The vibes of disappointment and disapproval that she had sensed, were really there. He had a problem with her being a bartender and was certainly not 29

Tonya Ramagos trying very hard to hide that fact. Anger shot through her and, with it, the need to put this man in his place. But she didn’t cower from that need as she had done most of her life, sinking into her own skin rather than facing the confrontation and expressing exactly what was on her mind. No. She was getting better at speaking her mind these days, maybe because she had grown accustomed to handling obnoxious drunks. Joshua Divine may not be an obnoxious drunk but he had pissed her off and she was dammed sure going to let him know it. Keeping her voice low for Kalvin’s sake but making sure her tone revealed all the icy anger she felt, she said, “You were expecting a different answer, weren’t you?” She rose quickly from the sofa. Their gazes met, held. “I bet you were expecting me to say I enjoyed meeting all kinds of men everyday. Well, you’re wrong. Yes, there are many female bartenders who are in the business to meet men. I’ll grant you that. But there are also just as many of us who do it because it’s a job and nothing more. I hate being treated like a piece of meat. I hate being hit on by drunken scum every minute of the day. I work at the bar because it’s the only job I can get without a college education that pays enough to support my child and myself. I damn sure don’t do it to meet men and you will never see me leave the bar with a man much less 30

Divine Attraction bring one home.” **** Joshua sat back. Damn if she wasn’t even sexier when she got mad, he mused silently. Maybe the glimpse down her blouse that she had given him hadn’t been intentional. Maybe it had. Maybe what she was saying now was the truth. Maybe it wasn’t. But one fact still remained, he wanted this job and if he didn’t turn the course of this conversation around quickly he wouldn’t stand a chance in hell of getting it. He stood, tilting his lips in a slight smile that he hoped would dull the darts of anger she was shooting at him. His mind had latched onto the last words she had spoken, recognized the opportunity to change the mood. “Does that mean I get the job?” “What!” She planted one fist on her slim hip and glared at him as though he had suddenly sprouted a second head. “You said I would never see you bring a man home,” he repeated her words, now fighting hard not to laugh. She looked so… Cute, sexy, hot! And, not for the first time, he had to remind himself he was applying for the job of babysitting her son. He wasn’t interested in this woman on a personal level. Although, those eyes, those shapely breasts, 31

Tonya Ramagos those slim hips… He cut off the thought before it could go any further, forced himself to remain on track with the conversation. “I wouldn’t know that to be true unless I’m here when you get home. So does that mean I get the job?” “You’re insane!” Dominique threw her hands in the air. “You insult me, call me everything but a slut, in so many words, and then expect me to give you a job?” Kalvin’s little voice broke through the heated conversation. “Joshua, I think you made my mommy mad.” Joshua glanced down at the boy who had turned from the television and stretched his arms behind him, leaning back to peer up at Joshua and Dominique. The boy was so sweet and innocent. But Joshua didn’t dare smile at him this time. A smile would certainly only infuriate Dominique more. “Yeah, I believe I did.” He reached out and gently grabbed Dominique’s arm. The touch sent a lightening bolt of desire to parts of his body he didn’t dare think about at that moment but he ignored it. “I apologize if I offended you.” “Well, you did,” she spat. Yet she didn’t make a move to free her arm from his grasp. “And I don’t know if I can accept your apology.” Joshua retained his grip. It was as if once he got his hand on her he couldn’t let go for fear of never 32

Divine Attraction touching her, never feeling that tingle again. He found himself wanting to pull her closer, wanting to slide a hand across the nape of her neck and slam his mouth on her alluring lips in a hot passionate kiss that was sure to drive all her anger away. But he didn’t dare. “Honestly, I never meant to imply anything,” he said, hoping she could hear the sincerity in his voice. He allowed his hand to slowly move down her arm until it dropped limply at his side. If he didn’t, there was no telling what his senses would lead him to do. “Before you throw me out, can we take a deep breath and start over?” He stuck out his hand just as he had outside the apartment when he had arrived. “Hello, my name is Joshua. I’m here to apply for the babysitting job.” **** “Oh, you’re real cute,” Dominique said dryly and rolled her eyes. But she had to turn her back to him so he couldn’t see the way the corners of her lips were twitching to smile. Cute didn’t do a thing to describe the guy. And the tingles, the heat, the desire she felt when he touched her… Each time they had touched had been merely casual—shaking hands in greeting, his grabbing her arm in an attempt to calm—but, sweet Jesus, the way her body reacted to those casual touches 33

Tonya Ramagos had her panties growing wet. Maybe she had overreacted, misread the expression in his eyes. It wasn’t often that she found it difficult to read someone, gage what they were thinking by looking in their eyes. But hadn’t she been second-guessing her readings of this man almost from the first second? Maybe it was simply her own complex over her job. Everything she had said in her heated rage had been true. She did hate the reputation female bartenders seemed to have in the minds of the general public. It often put her in a very defensive mood when talking to someone about her career. She slowly turned to face him but it was Kalvin her gaze landed on first. He was standing beside Joshua now, his expression hopeful and pleading, begging her to forgive Joshua and give him another chance. And with that she knew her son would never forgive her if she threw Joshua out that minute. So much for being a good judge of character, she thought. You’re supposed to be on my side. “All right, you’re forgiven,” she said and sighed. Joshua let out a low whistle of relief, took a step back and sat in the recliner. “Thank you.” Apparently satisfied, Kalvin selected another cartoon off the shelf and popped it into the VCR. Dominique began pacing the floor. She didn’t 34

Divine Attraction look at Joshua but did see the slight smile that played on his lips in her peripheral vision. “Okay, Mr. Divine,” she said, shooting him a look. The smile disappeared. Obviously he didn’t care for the way she was attempting to take them back to a completely professional, less friendly level. Well, that was just too bad. “Why do you want the job of babysitting my son and what makes you think you would be a good sitter for him?” Though the smile was gone, his posture remained relaxed, easy. “I love children,” he said with a lift of one wide shoulder. “I’m the oldest in a large family of two sisters and three brothers, ranging in ages from five to twenty-five. I’ve been around children all my life and can’t stand to go a single day without having one around.” “Why not have a child of your own?” Dominique suggested. “That’s the sure-fire way to have one around twenty-four hours a day.” He chuckled. “Yeah, I guess that would make sense.” Then his expression changed, clouded. “Let’s just say I’m not ready for my own.” Dominique had a feeling she had hit a sore subject. Did he truly feel he wasn’t ready for his own child or had someone told him he wasn’t ready? Had a child been taken away from him, maybe due to irresponsibility or something? No. This man definitely didn’t strike her as the type to be a dead-beat father. She could hear his 35

Tonya Ramagos love for children in his voice, see it in his eyes. Something else had happened to make him feel he wasn’t ready for his own. Maybe it was something as simple as not finding the right woman to mother his child. “Okay,” Dominique said slowly, continuing to pace. So the man loved children. That was a point in his favor. A bit odd that a man would love children so much to apply for a babysitting job and she told him as much. “Mr. Divine, I must admit that when I ran the ad in the paper I only expected to be contacted by women. I’m sure you can guess how strange it is to me that a man, an adult man, such as yourself, could be interested in babysitting a child. Don’t you have a job, a career?” “I’m a college student.” Dominique stopped abruptly in the middle of the floor, shot him a look that she knew revealed every ounce of the shock she felt. “You’re a college student!” She repeated it more to clarify the statement in her own mind than for any other reason. “And exactly how old are you?” “Twenty-nine. I’ll be thirty in three months,” he said, seemingly completely impervious to her astonishment. He picked up the water bottle he had sat on the end table, took a long gulp. “I’m studying to be a child psychologist,” he explained. “My instructor advised me to try to spend more 36

Divine Attraction one-on-one time with children other than my siblings and their friends. I guess I could accomplish that by working at a daycare,” he shrugged. “But I’m in my last semester and I have a full class load. Daycares don’t offer the hours that I’m available to work. Besides, it’s kind of hard to spend one-on-one time with a child when there are so many others around like there are in a daycare.” Dominique felt a heavy steel wall slam shut in her mind. He had actually been convincing her to reconsider her decision to hire him until he came out with that. She pinned him with a hard glare, one that could have burned holes through metal. “I will not have my son being used as some sort of experiment.” Joshua laughed, shook his head. “You do speak your mind, don’t you?” he said, obviously amused. “I promise, Dom—Ms. Gabor,” he corrected himself. “I have no intentions of practicing psychology on Kalvin. Believe me, I get enough of that in class. I simply want the opportunity to spend time with a child. I want to watch someone other than my brothers and sisters learn and grow into their own person.” Dominique wasn’t sure if his explanation was good enough for her or not. Uncertainty settled in the pit of her stomach, but still, she moved on. “You said you have a full class schedule. Are you 37

Tonya Ramagos sure that won’t interfere with this job?” “Not as long as the hours you listed in the ad were correct. I really don’t have a full schedule but it’s pretty packed. Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have classes from ten until two. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, my classes end at eleven. I don’t see any reason why I couldn’t be here by three-thirty each afternoon.” “What about your personal life? You said on the phone that you’re not married. Do you have a girlfriend?” It was an important question. She was not, absolutely not asking for personal curiosity. She looked at him, at the way he sat looking so confident and comfortable in her recliner, at his dark hair that looked so silky smooth it seemed to scream for feminine fingers, at his hard muscled body that she had been longing to feel pressed against hers since the moment she had opened the door. Yeah, right. The question may have been relevant to the interview but the woman inside her, the one who was magnetically attracted to this man, wanted to know too. And he guessed it. She knew it by the gleam that came to his eyes, by the way his lips twitched from a bit-back grin. “Yes, I do have a girlfriend. Her name is Heather.” Jealousy, irrational and envious, snaked through Dominique. Had she actually thought a man as easy on the eyes as this one would be 38

Divine Attraction single? Dammit, the woman in her had hoped so. She wanted to grill him about this girlfriend, to find out exactly what the woman had done to get her claws in such a gorgeous creature. Instead, she voiced a more appropriate question. “And how does she feel about you applying for the job?” He hesitated, sighed, glanced around the room before finally meeting her gaze. “She doesn’t know yet. I haven’t had the chance to talk to her. But I’m sure she won’t have a problem with it,” he added quickly. “She knows how badly I’ve been looking for something like this.” “Weekends—would they be a problem? I may be working Friday and Saturday night some weeks.” “No problem at all.” “I don’t want your girlfriend over here,” she said in a tone that left no room for argument or discussion. She wasn’t going to have a woman in her house intimately involved with her son’s babysitter. Unless that woman was her. Stop it. Stop it! She silently scolded herself. Single or not, gorgeous or not, if she hired this man he would be her son’s babysitter and nothing, absolutely nothing more. “I wouldn’t dream of having Heather over here,” he assured her. “I couldn’t bring her to any other job. This one would be no different.” 39

Tonya Ramagos “I was only offering to pay eighty dollars a week,” Dominique said and ignored the twinge of embarrassment she felt at the small sum she was able to pay. Eighty bucks wasn’t much for six nights of in-home babysitting but she had toyed with her budget, pushed things around, and retallied until she had squeezed out all she could. “If things work out with the person I decide to hire I will probably pay more after a while, when I can afford to.” “That sounds reasonable to me.” It did? She bit her tongue, quickly masked her surprise. His finances were none of her business but how could he expect to live off of eighty dollars a week? How did he support himself? Then she thought, duh, he didn’t have to worry about that. He was in college. He was one of those men who still lived with his parents at the age of thirty. And here she was thinking he sounded so responsible. Tongue in cheek, she fell silent, resumed her pacing as she thought. She had been spitting off question after question for a half an hour and suddenly she was speechless. The thing was, despite the fact that he was still dependent on his parents and somewhat arrogant about his feelings toward her profession, he had answered all her questions perfectly. Even old lady Noble hadn’t done that. There was still the little tidbit about his 40

Divine Attraction psychology major. Her concern of him interfering with the way she was raising Kalvin was still there. Aside from that, what reason did she have for not hiring him? There had to be something! She stopped, turned, and found Kalvin once again standing beside Joshua, wearing that oh so hopeful, begging expression. He liked Joshua and she knew she would never hear the end of it if she hired someone else. “All right, you’re hired,” she said on a quick whoosh of exasperated air. “On a probationary basis,” she added quickly. Joshua and Kalvin looked at each other and Kalvin gave him a high-five. They were teaming up on her! Great, now she’d outnumbered herself. Still, an overwhelming sensation of relief passed through her. The relief of knowing she had finally conquered one obstacle standing in her way to riches and her happiness. “My boss will be making the new schedule tonight,” she told Joshua. “I’ll call her and then give you a call but I will most likely need you to start tomorrow.”

41

Tonya Ramagos

Chapter Three

W

hen Joshua saw the silver Saturn parked in the driveway of his home, he had no doubt who it belonged to. He pulled in behind it, slammed his midnight blue sports utility vehicle in park and hopped out. Frustration had him jamming his fingers through his hair, rolling his eyes to the sky as he treaded across the grass to the house. Heather had let herself in again and was probably making herself at home. Girlfriend or not, she had no right to enter his place when he wasn’t there and she most certainly had no right to take possession of the spare key he usually kept in a hiding spot outside the door. He never should have told her where he kept the spare key. But how could he have known she would take the liberty of confiscating it at the first opportunity? He should say something to her, he knew, demand she return the key, but he hadn’t. And he probably wouldn’t, he thought on a resigned sigh. He was a man who chose his battles 42

Divine Attraction carefully and fighting about a key simply didn’t seem worth the effort. Then again… He stepped through the front door, tripped over one of her high-heeled shoes. Irritation bubbled inside him as he spotted the mate to the neck-breaking object lying where she had tossed it to the floor several feet away by the glass coffee table. Textbooks were scattered over the cushions of the long, rust colored sofa. A dirty plate and empty glass sat on the edge of the glass end table. One shake would have sent it and the pile of ketchup that remained on the plate tumbling to the pale beige carpet below. Teeth clenched, jaw tight, he grumbled under his breath, “The least you could do is clean up after yourself.” He snatched up the shoe by the door and placed it next to its mate by the coffee table, straightened the books into a nice neat stack on the end of the sofa and carefully removed the plate and glass from the end table. He stopped in the doorway to the kitchen, slammed his eyes shut and took a deep, forceful, calming breath. This room was even more of a mess than the living room. Mayonnaise left open to spoil with a butter knife resting on the lid, a loaf of bread also left open and topped with a packet of sandwich meat and three slices of cheese, a bottle of ketchup and a carton of milk were strewn across the Formica counter top closest to the 43

Tonya Ramagos refrigerator. “One simple move of your hand is all it takes to put this stuff back where it belongs,” he muttered but took it upon himself to put the items away. He snatched up the mayonnaise, moved to the refrigerator and was bending to place it on the shelf when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention. He shot a glance over his shoulder. And there she was looking right at home and completely innocent. “It’s about time you got home,” Heather cooed. She moved in on him, slid her arms around his waist and nestled her plump breasts against his back. Joshua’s muscles constricted from her touch—a totally opposite reaction from the erection he generally got at the feel of her soft breasts against his body. He was too frustrated with her to be turned on and was desperately trying to keep that frustration under wraps less he bite her head off. “Honey, I wish you would learn to pick up after yourself when you’re in my house.” He straightened, slammed the refrigerator door shut. “That’s what I was coming in here to do but you beat me to it.” She stepped around him, her arms never leaving his waist, until their gazes met. Her charcoal gray eyes penetrated his. “You didn’t mention anything about going anywhere this afternoon. Where have you been?” 44

Divine Attraction Joshua opened his mouth to explain but snapped it shut quickly when his gaze lowered to the long button-down white shirt she was wearing. His shirt! It was far too large for her and the top three buttons were undone, inviting a view straight down to her bare, smooth legs. She wore nothing else. He should have found it sexy. Instead, it was simply one more log tossed to fuel the fire. She had let herself into his house, made a mess everywhere and helped herself to his clothes, all without permission. “I had to go out for a while.” He pried himself free from her embrace, turned to wash the dishes in the sink. Everything she had done would have been acceptable, had she asked. But she hadn’t. She was acting as if she lived with him, as if his place and everything in it belonged to her as much as him, and he didn’t like it. “Did you see what I put in the refrigerator?” She asked, moving to lean against the counter next to the sink. You mean you actually put something in the refrigerator! Joshua almost said but caught himself. There was no use getting on her case about her nasty habits. It had never done any good before and most certainly wouldn’t have any effect on her now. “No, I didn’t notice,” he said dryly. Heather ran a hand up the outside of his shirt until her fingers tumbled inside between two 45

Tonya Ramagos buttons. She caressed the dark curly hair that covered his chest. “I bought us a bottle of wine,” she purred. “I thought we could relax while we studied tonight.” “And I thought we had agreed to go to the library to study,” he countered. He leaned over, rested his elbows on the edge of the sink, and glared out the window. Not that he could really see much through the multi-colored curtains but he was afraid if he looked at her right now he might snap. “The library is always so crowded,” she said, her hand abandoning the hairy patch on his chest to slowly creep its way up to caress the side of his face. “I can’t concentrate with so many people around.” That was a lie if he’d ever heard one. The population of Summer Springs was small and the chance of a lot of people occupying the library was virtually nonexistent. No. He knew the real reason she didn’t want to go there and he told her so. “In other words, studying isn’t exactly what you have in mind for tonight.” “Oh, I have plenty of studying in mind,” she whispered seductively. Her free hand was on his back and sliding down. She cupped his right butt cheek, leaned into him to nip at his ear. “My kind of studying just doesn’t involve a lot of books.” Joshua looked at her, his eyes instantly 46

Divine Attraction returning to the view down her shirt. This time, his body acted as expected. He felt himself growing hard behind the zipper of his pants, felt the carnal urge to explore those plump, rounded breasts. And squashed it. He turned, reached up and fastened two of the three buttons, further rejecting the invitation. “Nice thought, sweetheart, but I really need to study with books tonight.” He stepped away from her, putting a safe distance between them. “We both need to study. Tomorrow’s the big day for the Assessment and Evaluation exam and neither of us is really ready for it.” “But we’ve been doing nothing but studying for weeks!” Heather protested, pushing strands of her short blond hair out of her face with one quick swipe. “I didn’t do this much studying in high school! I’ll admit there are still a few parts we need to focus on. So I figured we could study those for a while and then commence to studying each other.” She said the last while walking toward him, her arms finding their way around his neck. “Honey, we’re in college, remember? It’s supposed to be more difficult. And I really need to go to the library tonight,” he said and, to soften his rejection a bit, kissed the tip of her nose. “Professor Dailey recommended a book that will help us figure out some of what we’ve been 47

Tonya Ramagos having trouble with. A book we can find at the library. Now, go get dressed.” Her arms dropped from his shoulders and he could see the disappointment laced with a hint of anger in her eyes as she glared at him. Then she let out a huff and stomped out of the kitchen. Joshua stared after her, his mind reeling. What was wrong with him? Here he was with an attractive woman who was all too ready to spread her legs for him and he wanted to go to the library! But the truth was, the library had merely served as today’s excuse. Before today, it had been something else. He had been making excuses, rejecting her advances for nearly four months now. Not because he didn’t want to have sex with her. The throbbing that had yet to fade in his cock was proof of that. But he didn’t love her. He cared for her, yes, but he wasn’t in love with her. And she wasn’t in love with him. More, he had a sneaky suspicion that she was only with him because of who he was, because of the size of his bank account. Maybe he was wrong but until he knew for sure it was best to keep their relationship out of the bedroom. “You never did tell me where you were this afternoon,” Heather’s voice flowed through the house from the bedroom. Joshua had made his way to the living room 48

Divine Attraction and was gathering his textbooks together for the library. “I went on a job interview.” His answer brought a clear picture of Dominique Gabor to his mind. And dammed if the throbbing in his cock didn’t intensify. The way she had looked up at him with those captivating, dark blue eyes. The way her hips had swayed like a well-oiled metronome as she had paced the floor in front of him. The way his hands had ached to touch her, hold her. The way his lips had tingled to taste her. “A job interview!” Heather flew into the living room wearing her own white pullover shirt and a pair of blue jeans so tight he could have sworn she would have needed a cement mixer to pour her into them. She came to a halt right beside him. Her short blond hair was slicked back, the sides fastened in the back with a barrette. “You never told me you were looking for a job. Why on earth are you doing that?” “I wasn’t actually looking for one.” Joshua lifted a shoulder as he plopped down on the sofa. “I ran across the ad in the paper, called the number and had the interview an hour later. There really wasn’t time to tell you about it before.” “What kind of job is it?” “Babysitting.” “Babysitting,” Heather repeated, disbelief 49

Tonya Ramagos ringing in her voice. She folded her arms across her chest, stared at him as if he had lost his mind. Once again, he was reminded of Dominique. The way she had looked at him as though he had sprouted a second head when he had asked her if he had the job. The way she had looked so incredulous, so furious and so dammed sexy all at the same time. Joshua slammed his eyes shut, erased the memory from his mind. The woman was a bartender and nothing in the world could make him travel that road again. She was also now officially his employer. Yet another reason she should see a neon “hands off” sign every time he looked at her. And, as if he needed even more of an incentive to keep their association on a strictly professional level, there was Heather. Despite his suspicions of her, despite the fact that they weren’t in love, despite the fact that he was seriously beginning to doubt they ever would be in love, he was still in a relationship with her and he was not the cheating type. “Yes, babysitting,” he said with an almost imperceptible nod, regaining focus on the conversation at hand. “It’s a little boy named Kalvin. He’s precious, Heather. You should see him.” He smiled as he thought of the young boy, of the high-five the boy had given him when his mother said he had the job. Kalvin had been 50

Divine Attraction rooting for Joshua, hoping Joshua would be his new babysitter. “And his mother, I bet she’s real precious, too,” Heather spat. Actually… Joshua thought but didn’t dare say it. Instead, he pinned Heather with a narrowed glare. “That was completely uncalled for.” “You’re right, and I’m sorry. But isn’t babysitting a job for teenagers or something? And why do you need a job anyway? You have more money than most people ever dream of having in their lifetime.” “I’m well aware of how much money I have.” And you never miss a chance to remind me of that, he thought grimly. “I didn’t take the job for the money. I took it for the interaction with the child. I need to spend some time with a child that isn’t kin to me. What better way to do it than babysitting someone’s kid?” He shrugged. “What about us?” Heather asked, her finger waggling back and forth as she pointed to first herself and then him. “Did you even think about us? If you’re going to classes all day and working at night, when will we get to see each other?” He had thought about that but in truth, only for the briefest of moments. And the knowledge of that, of the fact that he hadn’t been concerned with how much of his time with Heather the job would take away, made him feel like a total shit. 51

Tonya Ramagos Guilt had him standing, pulling her into his arms. “Heather, calm down, baby,” he said softly, soothingly. “We’ll find time for us. I promise.” **** As it turned out, it was almost a week before Joshua’s first day on the job. It had taken that long for Dominique’s boss to get the schedule rearranged. Today, Dominique rushed from room to room in her apartment at top-notch speed. It was already after two and, if she didn’t get a move on, her new babysitter was going to arrive for his first evening of work to find his employer still in her underwear! If he got her message, he would be arriving any minute. Due to the hold on the schedule, she had phoned him the day after the interview and asked him to sit tight until she called again. The instant the new schedule was made she had placed the call but had reached the answering machine instead. The masculine, sexy recorded voice that had picked up echoed through her mind for what had to be the hundredth time. Refusing to allow herself to dwell on the good looks and magnetic attraction of her new employee, Dominique pushed all sensual thoughts out of her mind just as she had each time since she’d laid eyes on Joshua Divine. It hadn’t taken 52

Divine Attraction her long to learn the easiest way to ward off the sensual thoughts about Joshua was to simply remind herself that he was a man pushing thirty and still living in his parent’s home. What a real turn off! She stepped into a pair of blue and white striped shorts and slid on the sapphire uniform Tshirt with the Party Paradise logo on the pocket. Her next mental focus was the amazing sensation of relief she had experienced when she had agreed to hire Joshua Divine. That sense of relief was still present in her bones. “And you thought you were going to beat me. Ha!” she said aloud to her imaginary demon. “This time I win.” Still, there were other issues that remained and shook her with nervousness. For instance, leaving Kalvin for the first time with his new sitter. Joshua had convinced her he was capable of handling Kalvin and showing him a great time in the process. However, he was still an unknown factor. He’d had no references for her to check out other than his family, and naturally they wouldn’t lie. All she knew about him was what he had revealed. Although she had to admit, she would probably have had the same nervous feeling or worse if she had hired Elva Noble instead—or anyone else for that matter. Vigorously towel drying her long strands of 53

Tonya Ramagos hair, she walked through the apartment to the kitchen, stopping first by the stereo. Kalvin was in his room playing with his toys and the front two rooms of the apartment were filled with an eerie silence which she quickly remedied with the fast drumbeats and screeching guitars of heavy metal music. Earlier in the day, she had made a mental list of everything she needed to leave in easy-to-find places for her new babysitter. Knowing that the numbers to the bar, her aunt, and even to the hospital, fire and police stations were suspended from the refrigerator door with a magnet eased her nerves a little. There was plenty of food in the cabinets and plenty of liquids for them to drink. Kalvin’s favorite snack—gummy bears made with real fruit juice—sat on the countertop waiting for his little mouth to devour them. Everything seemed to be in order. “Except me, that is,” she said aloud and was headed for the bathroom to complete her hair drying when that door-shattering knock blasted through the apartment. “Guess he got the message,” she muttered, making an about-face in the center of the hall. The handsome figure that greeted her this day was more casually dressed than on the day of the interview. Joshua wore a black pullover shirt and a pair of jeans that fit so well they put cowboys in 54

Divine Attraction their Wranglers to shame. In his hand, he held a copy of Finding Nemo, just as he’d promised Kalvin. An amused grin rose to Joshua’s face at the sight of her wet hair and pale face. “Am I too early?” “N—no,” Dominique stammered. Her pulse was beating ninety to nothing and she had to take a few deep breaths to calm it down. Why did this man have such a crazy effect on her? It was as if she had developed a crush on him the minute she saw him. But she was too old for that, wasn’t she? She was twenty-six years old, for heaven’s sake, and here she was acting like she was back in high school! “You’re not too early. I’m just running late.” She recovered, running her fingers through her still wet hair. “I see you got my message,” she said, leading him into the apartment. “I was home when you called but the ringer was turned off on my phone and the volume was down on the answering machine,” Joshua explained, following her to the living room. “Thank goodness for the blinking light on the machine. I wouldn’t have known you had called. I don’t know who messed with them.” Sure you don’t, Dominique thought. Be honest. You wanted privacy. And why? Well, we know what you were doing, don’t we? 55

Tonya Ramagos That irrational pang of jealousy surged though her at the thought. Even knowing that he lived with his parents didn’t help. It only disgusted her that he could do something like that under his parents’ roof. How grotesque! A siren of caution went off in her head. If he was the type to do that sort of thing in his own parents’ house, what was to stop him from doing it at hers? The promise he’d made to not allow his girlfriend over, perhaps. Maybe even that love for children he said he possessed. Yeah, that was it. The knowledge that Kalvin was there would be enough to stop him. Hopefully. “Joshua!” Kalvin’s high-pitched squeal ripped through the apartment. “You brought it.” He pulled the movie from Joshua’s hands and began examining the cover. “Of course I did. I promised you I would.” Joshua smiled, ruffling the boy’s hair with his palm. “I appreciate you coming early,” Dominique said, grabbing the stereo remote from the end table. She turned off the blaring music and tossed the remote aside. Moving slightly, she balanced herself with a hand on a nearby wall and slipped her feet into a pair of shoes. “I wanted to show you around the apartment a little and let you get comfortable with everything before I leave.” She glanced at her wristwatch. “But first I have to 56

Divine Attraction finish getting ready.” “This looks really cool,” Kalvin was saying as Dominique walked toward the bathroom. She stopped just outside the bathroom, one hand on the doorframe, and watched them. Joshua was explaining something about the plot of the movie, and Kalvin was all ears. He was really good with kids and that relieved awareness returned. Then Joshua’s gaze moved down the hall and their eyes locked. He flashed her a sexy, sensual grin that had her breath catching in her throat and the butterflies in her stomach throwing a party. Reflexively, she returned his smile and disappeared into the bathroom. As she put on her makeup, she thought of Joshua and Kalvin. Seeing the two of them together, the delighted expression he brought to Kalvin’s face, was beginning to make her really glad she had hired Joshua. Despite the fact he was a man almost thirty years old and still living with his parents, she was starting to feel he could be a good influence on Kalvin, too. Heavens knew the boy needed some man that he could look up to. His father almost never showed his face and now his grandpa was so angry with her that he wasn’t speaking to either of them. She sighed. At least maybe Kalvin had a new friend who would be there for him.

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Chapter Four couldn’t clear his mind of the picture of Joshua Dominique standing in the bathroom doorway. The sexy, alluring way she had looked at him, the pose—a shoulder resting against the door jam, one hand on the wall next to her cheek, one perfectly shaped leg straight while the other was bent ever so slightly—ignited a fire of arousal in his pants. On a scale of one to ten, the woman was a twelve and dammed if the mere sight of her didn’t have some very exotic, very graphic images of what they could do together forming in his mind. “Let’s watch the movie when Mommy leaves,” Kalvin was saying, jerking Joshua from his reverie. “Wanna see my room?” “Umm…sure,” Joshua answered absentmindedly. His eyes still glued to the bathroom doorway where Dominique no longer stood, he allowed himself to be pulled by Kalvin to his bedroom. “I have lots of toys.” Kalvin grinned from ear to 58

Divine Attraction ear. “Look.” He bounced to a small table across the room. “Do you like Harry Potter? I have all the toys from the movies, even the newest one.” Joshua took a few steps closer to the boy and perched on the end of his twin size bed. “Have you seen the movies yet?” “The first two but not the newest one. Mom said we should wait till it comes out on video. That way, I can watch it whenever I want. I told her I don’t want to wait but she wouldn’t listen.” Joshua stifled a laugh as he looked around the room. For a single mother who, on first impression, seemed to be so conservative with her money, she appeared to spare no expense when it came to her child. He guessed there had to be somewhere in the range of close to a thousand dollars worth of toys, books, and other items surrounding him. Anything and everything a boy Kalvin’s age liked, and then some. “I have all the Harry Potter books, too,” Kalvin continued, moving to sit on the bed beside Joshua. “Mommy reads them to me every night.” Suddenly a crestfallen look of longing and unhappiness overtook his precious smile. Joshua instantly stiffened. “What’s wrong?” “Mom won’t be here every night to read to me anymore.” His bottom lip eased out into a pout. “She always reads me to sleep.” “I’ll read to you,” Joshua said quickly and felt 59

Tonya Ramagos an empty space in his heart that he hadn’t realized was there until now fill with the thought. He had always enjoyed reading to his younger brothers and sisters before bedtime when he still lived at home and even now he sometimes stuck around to read his youngest brother to sleep. He slipped an arm around Kalvin’s shoulders, pulled him closer. “I know it won’t be the same as your mommy reading to you, but it’ll be better than nothing at all, huh?” “You’ll do that?” Kalvin’s face brightened. “Of course I’ll do that. You can count on it.” “Is he driving you crazy yet?” Dominique kidded, poking her head into the room. “Not at all!” Joshua allowed his arm to fall from Kalvin’s shoulders. “We’ll play some more in a few minutes. Okay?” Kalvin nodded, hopped off the bed and began playing with his toys. Joshua stood, eyeballing Dominique. Completely dressed and ready for work, she looked so fragile, almost like a teenager. She had applied a touch of makeup to her already shimmering, slightly tanned face, and her long, mocha hair now hung in a glossy stream around her face and down her back. Joshua pushed his fingers through his own hair. Damn, but the woman was beautiful. A pang of jealously speared through him, 60

Divine Attraction startling him to the core. It was the thought of her standing behind a bar in less than an hour being admired by dozens of drunk, sex-driven men that did it. Worse was how he knew she enjoyed every minute of it. Oh how he hated it! But there was nothing he could do. She was a grown woman and what she chose to do with her life was her decision, as long as she didn’t allow it to affect Kalvin’s best interest. That, he had decided, she obviously held as a priority above her own personal desires. Dismissing all negative thoughts of Dominique, Joshua stepped toward her. He stopped beside her and took another glance at Kalvin. “He’s a wonderful child. You’ve obviously done a great job at raising him.” An expression of sheer shock flashed across Dominique’s face and was quickly replaced by a glimmer of maternal pride. “Thanks,” she said. “I’m going to be leaving soon, but I wanted to show you a few things before I do.” Leading Joshua to the kitchen, she continued. “There are hot dogs in the fridge and buns in the microwave. You can fix that for supper. Kalvin only eats ketchup on his. Oh, and there’s frozen French fries in the freezer or, if you don’t want to cook them, there are several bags of chips in the cabinet. I usually feed him dinner around five and he gets a snack at six. He prefers these gummy 61

Tonya Ramagos bears,” she instructed, picking up a sealed individual packet off the counter, “but sometimes he wants something different. As long as it’s not chocolate I don’t care.” She pulled a scrunchie from her pocket and expertly pulled her hair into a high, tight ponytail as she spoke. “Bedtime is at eight-thirty. I know it sounds early, but if he doesn’t get to bed by then, I’ll never get him up for preschool in the morning.” It occurred to Joshua that the boy should be in kindergarten, but in the next heartbeat he answered his own question. Kalvin’s birthday had to fall in the wrong month for starting at the age of five. He glanced at his wristwatch as he listened. It was three-thirty-five. She said she had to be at work by four, didn’t she? Raising a finger, he opened his mouth to alert her. “Hang on a minute.” Dominique threw a hand in the air. “If I don’t get this all out while it’s on my mind, I’ll forget something.” Joshua lifted a shoulder and returned to listening, but he couldn’t prevent the amused grin from rising to his lips. She looked so…cute, standing in the middle of the kitchen racking her brain for instructions, all the while unknowingly making herself late for her first night on the swing shift. 62

Divine Attraction “I usually give Kalvin a bath before bed, but you don’t have to do that if you’re not comfortable. I can do it before he goes to preschool in the morning.” Spinning on her heels, she headed for the refrigerator. “Here’s a list of numbers in case anything happens. The number to the bar is right here on top. I’ll be the only bartender working tonight so I’ll be the one answering the phone. You can call me for anything, no matter how piddly you think it might be. I don’t get in trouble for personal calls so don’t be worried about that. My aunt’s number along with the numbers to the police station and fire department are on here, too.” She turned back around to face Joshua and rubbed her hands together. “I think that’s it. Any questions or concerns?” Joshua chuckled. “Yeah, just one thing. Aren’t you supposed to be at work at four?” “What time is it?” Dominique eyes widened. She whipped her head around to glance at the clock on the microwave. “It’s ten minutes till! Shit! I’m going to be late. I’ve got to go.” Spinning around, she snatched her purse off the table. “Do me a favor,” she hollered as she raced to Kalvin’s room to say goodbye. “Call the number to the bar that’s on that list and tell whoever answers that I’m on my way.” With a quick kiss to Kalvin and a wave to Joshua, she was out the door in a flash. 63

Tonya Ramagos Joshua could only shake his head and laugh as he picked up the phone. **** “Damn it, damn it, damn it! Would you get out of my way?” Dominique beat the steering wheel with the palm of her hand and yelled at a slow driver in front of her. Stuck in heavy afternoon traffic, she was only a block away from the barroom and it seemed like it was taking forever to get there. “I don’t know where you learned to drive, but obviously you need more instructions. That pedal in the floorboard that your foot is supposed to be on is called the gas pedal. If you push it a little bit harder, the car will go. I promise,” she continued to fuss. Finally, they crept down the block, and she whipped into the parking lot of the bar. “Great! The one day when more than a handful of people are at the bar at four o’clock in the afternoon and I have to be late!” She bolted out of the car, tossed her purse over her shoulder and stormed through the door of the building, heading straight for the employee office behind the bar. The dayshift bartender, Marge, appeared in the doorway of the office. The fifty-ish woman nodded at Dominique. “I’m so sorry I’m late.” Dominique hastily 64

Divine Attraction tossed her purse on the desk. She felt bad for having kept Marge waiting. “Slow down. It’s not a problem,” Marge assured her, stepping aside to let Dominique through the doorway. “It’s not like I was never late relieving you when our shifts were reversed. Although I never had such a sexy voice call you to tell you I would be late.” Her eyes twinkled. She pushed a strand of her gray-streaked auburn hair behind her ear and angled her head to one side. “Who was that anyway?” Stopping to lean against one of the beer coolers, Dominique took a few deep, calming breaths. “He’s my new babysitter.” “Some babysitter,” Marge said teasingly. “No wonder you were running late. But isn’t he supposed to be babysitting Kalvin?” “That’s who the guy was at your house?” one of the customers piped in before Dominique could answer. It was Ronnie, a short, plump, balding man and one of the regular customers that came into the bar at all different hours of the day. “Come on, Dom. You could’ve come up with a better story than that.” “Yeah, you could’ve said he was a repairman, or your uncle or brother or something,” one of the other regular customers chimed in. “But the new babysitter, now that’s about as lame as ‘the dog ate my homework’.” 65

Tonya Ramagos The bar erupted with laughter. “Can I get another beer, Dom?” another customer asked once the commotion settled a bit. He slid an empty bottle toward her on the bar. “Sure.” She smiled and reached into the cooler. She could see what her night was going to be like. Oh, why couldn’t those guys find something else to amuse themselves other than her new babysitter? “First of all, I don’t have a brother and all of you know that,” she said as she popped the top on the beer bottle and served it to the customer. “And second, it’s not a story. The guy is my new babysitter. Or, should I say, Kalvin’s new babysitter,” she added for Marge’s benefit. “I had to hire one so I could pick up the swing shifts.” “And you just had to hire a male one,” Ronnie continued to tease. “Hey, he applied and, as it turned out, he was the most qualified for the job.” Dominique threw her hands in the air with a shrug. Well, not actually the most qualified, but the only one both she and Kalvin agreed on. Of course she wasn’t about to tell her customers that. They were giving her a hard enough time about Joshua as it was. “I bet he was the cutest, too,” Marge teased, moving around the bar to become a customer now that her shift was over. “He sure sounded dreamy. Is he?” 66

Divine Attraction Dominique felt the heat rising to redden her face. She turned around quickly, using the excuse to fix Marge her favorite drink to prevent the customers from seeing her blush. “He’s nice looking,” she admitted in the most casual voice she could muster. But the feelings that erupted inside her as the image of Joshua Divine in those tight-fitting jeans flashed through her mind were anything but casual. He’s beyond nice looking, she added to herself as she mixed the drink. Completely, utterly gorgeous was more like it. **** Joshua kicked back on the sofa, propped his feet on the coffee table in front of him. The only sounds that flowed through the apartment came from the television, which remained on with no one paying it attention. Kalvin had been in bed for close to three hours. After taking the required time his body needed to recuperate from an eventful evening with energetic boy, Joshua was now bored out of his mind and longing for company. He smiled as he thought about his first evening with Kalvin. The boy was smart; Joshua had to give him that. Well mannered too…for a five year old. Dominique needn’t worry about him practicing his child psychology on Kalvin. The boy 67

Tonya Ramagos didn’t need it. Though they had only spent one night together so far, Joshua had seen nothing but a happy, content and active child in Kalvin. And active he definitely was, Joshua mused. Six nights a week of non-stop Kalvin and he would be able to give up his membership at the gym. After devouring their manly dinner of chili dogs and frozen French fries, the had commenced to the toy playing—and hadn’t that been fun with the mounds of toys the boy owned—then settled down to watch a movie before Joshua gave Kalvin his bath and read him to sleep. He’d had very little trouble with the boy all evening, only finding the need to reprimand him once when he attempted to get away with not picking up his toys before bed. After tucking in Kalvin, Joshua had cleaned up the remaining mess they had made—along with most of the mess they hadn’t made as well—and settled in on the sofa to study. But instead of studying, he found himself concentrating on Dominique. The way she had looked when he had caught her watching them from the bathroom door, complete sexuality and a pose that made picturing her naked way too easy. His mind reworked that image even now, saw her with one hand propped on the doorframe, one leg slightly bent and absolutely nothing covering that silky looking flesh. He saw her breasts, small but 68

Divine Attraction perfectly round, her nipples erect and inviting him to taste. He even saw the flat expanse of her stomach, the soft mound of dark curls between her legs and that made his cock throb. Would that image ever be erased from his mind? She had called several times throughout the evening to check on them, each time leaving the sound of her voice to replay again and again in his memory. Just like the message she had left on his answering machine the previous evening. How many times had he replayed that message, listening to the sound of her voice? He had lost count after three. She had sounded nervous, uncertain, but even so, her voice had been heart stopping and imagination building. Joshua wondered, not for the first time, what she would have said had she not been talking to a machine. Would she have struck up a longer conversation if he had answered? Frustration coiled in his stomach. Because of Heather, he would never know. She had been the one to mute the ringer on the phone, turn down the answering machine’s volume. He hadn’t realized she had done it until she left his house last night and when he did, boy had he been angry. Because she’d had plans for them…again…she had taken it upon herself to obliterate the possibility of interruption. Her attempt at seduction had been more determined than ever 69

Tonya Ramagos and yet somehow he had managed to stand his ground, to resist her advances and tugs toward his bedroom. It had been tempting. Oh boy had it been tempting. To take anything and everything she offered him. But he had made a promise to himself after the many one night stands following Margo’s death that he would no longer engage in casual sex and until he felt differently about Heather that’s all sex with her would be. He thought of Dominique again, of her curvaceous body, the myriad of sexual emotions she inspired in him, and couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever feel differently about Heather. Though he cared for her, she didn’t spark the desires, the wants in him that one glance at Dominique did. Oh, how he wanted to touch her, to skim his hands over her flesh, explore all the beautiful curves and secrets of her body. And that was a train of thought he absolutely, positively did not need to travel, he told himself and stole a glance at the clock on the VCR. It was quickly approaching midnight and the woman driving the train he refused to board would be running over him with that very train in a matter of minutes. Joshua rose from the sofa, returned to cleaning the few things he had neglected earlier in the evening. He was passing by the table in the kitchen when he tripped over a pair of 70

Divine Attraction Dominique’s shoes. Geez, what was it with women these days? Didn’t their mothers teach them how to clean anymore? She was as bad as Heather. He shook his head, picked up the shoes and made his way down the hall to Dominique’s bedroom. Because the door to the room was closed, he hesitated outside, wondering if he should enter. He swung the shoes in his fingers, told himself he was just putting away a pair of shoes. It wasn’t like he was planning to go through her personal belongings for crying out loud. But when he opened the door, he was met with the sweet, tantalizing smell of sheer femininity, of Dominique. Maybe coming in here wasn’t such a good idea, he mused, his gaze landing on the items she had left strewn across the unmade queen size bed. He spotted the bra first—fire engine red and made completely of lace—and the image that came to his mind of her wearing that bra had his cock growing stiff. He loved red on a woman, would love even more to see that red lace cupping Dominique’s perfect breasts. He would pull her into his arms, trace the outline of that lace against her skin, lick his way under that lace at the same time unfastening the clasp to free her breasts for him to taste, explore. A blue silk robe lay beside it. Okay, so that wasn’t so bad. The robe would cover 71

Tonya Ramagos the temptation. But he could tell by the lack of material that it wasn’t a long robe, probably reaching her at mid-thigh, and that realization, that picture of the blue silk brushing her tanned legs increased the throbbing in his groin. “Nope, definitely not a good idea,” he decided aloud, adjusting the crotch of his pants to relieve a bit of the pressure that had built there. He placed the pair of shoes on the floor by the dresser and nearly ran from the room. He was closing the bedroom door when he heard the knob on the front door jiggle open. Startled and feeling like a child caught snooping in a forbidden space, Joshua ducked into the bathroom, flipped on the light. All he needed was for Dominique to think he had been nosing through her bedroom. He could explain himself easy enough, but would she believe him? He didn’t want to find out. Especially not when he was sporting a very visible hard on. He heard a loud thump—probably that monstrosity of a purse she carried as it met with a hard surface—then the sound of creaking hinges as she pushed open the door to Kalvin’s room. He waited until he was certain he had managed to tuck the provocative images of her in that red bra and blue robe away in his mind, certain that the erection those images had given him was at least no longer visible though his pants, before he left 72

Divine Attraction the sanctuary of the bathroom. They stepped into the hallway at the same time—him from the bathroom and her from Kalvin’s room. She jumped when she saw him, placed a hand over her heart as if to keep it from leaping from her chest. “You scared me,” she said on a quiet gasp. “Sorry,” Joshua laughed, keeping his voice low too as not to wake Kalvin. He waited until they were in the kitchen before he asked, “How was work?” “Long,” Dominique answered as she pulled the makings for a sandwich from the refrigerator. “I’m not used to this night shift thing. It’s busier. Which is a good thing,” she added quickly. “Better money, but more work and later hours too.” “You’ll be adjusted by this time next week,” Joshua predicted and headed for the living room to gather his things. Not that he was in any hurry to leave. If he were honest, he had been waiting hours for her to come home and would have liked to stick around and talk with her for a while. But he guessed after a long night of dealing with drunks, the last thing she wanted was her babysitter hanging around to chat. “How did it go with Kalvin?” she asked from the kitchen. “Did you have any trouble?” “None at all.” Backpack in hand, he returned to the kitchen, set the pack on the floor at his feet. 73

Tonya Ramagos “He’s a fantastic kid.” Dominique turned from the counter, a mayonnaise-covered knife in hand, and smiled proudly. “Yeah, he is, isn’t he?” Joshua spotted a stack of video cases on the counter and smiled. “I take it your movie fairy was at the bar tonight.” Dominique giggled. “Yeah, he had to drop off the weekly delivery. This time there’s more there for me than Kalvin, though. There are several movies I’ve been wanting to see but haven’t had the chance.” “I’m assuming I’m working tomorrow night as well?” he asked, hooking his thumbs in his pockets. “Oh, yeah, sorry. For the next couple of weeks I’ll only be off on Sundays. I hope that’s okay.” She had turned back to making her sandwich but shot him a glance over her shoulder at that. Her tone told him she was worried he would have a problem reporting to work six days a week even though she had told him it would be a possibility when she’d hired him. “After that, my schedule will be arranged so that I’ll have two days off.” “No problem,” he said easily because it wasn’t. In truth, he found he wasn’t looking forward to having a day off. Hesitantly, he asked, “Is there anything more before I leave?” She turned to him now, sandwich in hand, she 74

Divine Attraction said, “No, I don’t think so.” But her expression said something totally different. The look in her eyes, the grim set to her lips made him think she wanted him to stay. But was he seeing what was really there or only what he wanted to see? Because he couldn’t be sure, he fought the urge to offer to stay. It was better this way, he mused, for him and possibly for her too. He had made promises to himself that staying behind would have broken to smithereens, and he had an obligation to Heather—to himself— not to break those promises. Heaven only knew what would happen if he stayed. He knew his intentions were only to talk with her, to get to know her better. But intentions were often taken over by desires and that had to be avoided. Theirs would be a working relationship and nothing more. That was the way it was and the way it would stay, the way it had to stay. Resigned, he hefted his books and gave her a parting smile. “Then I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at three-thirty.”

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Chapter Five

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n a bench in the playground in Dominique’s apartment complex, Joshua sat studying for his next big exam. He glanced up from the books in time to see Kalvin whoosh down the six-foot slide a few feet away and smiled. With one day to go, they had almost made it though their first week together. He was enjoying the job, Kalvin seemed to be enjoying him, and as for Dominique… Well, he and Dominique had slipped into the perfect employee/employer relationship. Just as it should be, he mused. Sneaking a peek at his wristwatch, he saw that the time had somehow managed to get away from him. He and Kalvin had been at the playground a lot longer than he had planned. It was nearing six o’clock and he had yet to feed the boy his dinner. He encountered a minimum of pleading and begging before Kalvin reluctantly gave in and followed him back to the apartment. 76

Divine Attraction Dominique’s instructions for dinner had been a can of Spaghetti-O’s but Joshua had other things in mind. He knew she was attempting to keep the menu quick and easy but felt the boy needed more substance and nutrition than chilidogs and Spaghetti-O’s so he had taken it upon himself to bring tonight’s dinner. Making a pit stop by the grocery store on his way to her apartment, he had picked up a pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, a box of Mac and cheese and a can of vegetables. Still quick and easy but a better meal for the kid, he had decided. The shocked and slightly annoyed expression with which Dominique had greeted him upon spotting the bag of food he had brought had given him only a moment of pause. She had smiled and said thank you, of course, offered to pay him back even though he insisted that it was his treat, but her irritation with him at changing her menu plans without asking had been clear despite her attempts to hide it. Well, he thought as he set the chicken to bake, she would just have to get over it. Kalvin kept him company at the kitchen table while he cooked and when he sat the plate of food in front of the boy a short time later he got a wrinkle-nosed expression of thanks before Kalvin plunged in. They ate in a companionable silence. To 77

Tonya Ramagos Joshua’s surprise the boy cleaned his plate, leaving not a single morsel to be tossed away. But instead of jumping up to resume playing as he usually did when they finished dinner, he shifted in his chair to sit on his knees, propped his elbows on the table and asked, “Would you want to see your kid if you had one?” Joshua, not yet through with his own food, paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. Alarm bells rang in his head even as a fist tightened around his heart. Kalvin couldn’t know what a question like that did to him, the memories and emptiness it opened of the child he had once been so close to having. “Of course I would,” he finally said and continued to eat. “And I will someday. I think I would like to have a son. And I hope he’s just like you,” he added, attempting to make light of the conversation. But his attempt died a miserable death when Kalvin said, “My daddy never wants to see me. He never even calls.” The way the boy’s lip protruded in a pout was bad enough but the glimmer of tears that moistened his eyes… God, what was he supposed to say to that? How could a man not want to be with his child? His own child hadn’t been given the chance to be born and he still longed to be with it daily. Yet here was Kalvin, quite possibly one of the brightest, cutest, best children Joshua 78

Divine Attraction had ever met, and his father didn’t want him. Joshua knew nothing about the man who’d had a part in bringing Kalvin into the world. He hadn’t asked about him and Dominique hadn’t volunteered any information. Still, the urge to pound the man into a bloody pulp for the misery the man was inflicting on this innocent, young child bubbled inside him. “Mommy said he’s just really busy,” Kalvin continued. “But she’s busy too and I still see her everyday!” A single tear spilled over, slid down his cheek. And then he asked the one question Joshua had been praying he wouldn’t ask. “Why doesn’t my daddy want me?” Oh God, oh God, oh God. How was he supposed to answer a question like that? He had no guidance, no previous experiences from which to draw the proper answer. Thinking back quickly to his own childhood, he couldn’t remember a single time when he needed his father that he hadn’t been there for him. Nor could he think of anyone he had ever known who had been faced with the same, or even a similar, situation. Think Joshua, he told himself. Wasn’t he training to handle stuff just like this? Wasn’t that why he was going to college in the first place? So what if he had promised Dominique he would use psychology on this boy. He was fairly certain she had never expected anything like this to come up. 79

Tonya Ramagos His mind reeling, heart pounding, he scooted his chair closer to Kalvin’s and pivoted the boy in his seat so they were face to face. “It’s not that your daddy doesn’t want you,” he said softly, slowly, and prayed he was speaking the truth. “Sometimes…sometimes adults haven’t quite grown up enough themselves to accept the responsibility of having a child. They make bad decisions, don’t do a lot of the things that they should. I’m sure your daddy loves you very much and, sooner or later, he’s going to realize what is right.” “I sure wish you were my daddy.” This time, it was Joshua’s eyes that filled with tears. Overwhelmed with emotion, unable to speak for fear his voice would crack, he drew the boy into his arms and hugged him tightly. When he was certain he had pulled himself together again, he pulled back and smiled. “How about we get your bath over with now and then we’ll read some more of your book before bedtime.” **** Stiff and sore, Dominique walked through the door of her apartment a few minutes after midnight and was met with an eerie silence. The lights had been left on in the kitchen and living room but there was no sign of Joshua. Or the mess 80

Divine Attraction that had cluttered the apartment when she left at three-thirty, she mused. “I see you’ve cleaned my house again,” she said to thin air as she slipped out of her shoes, tossed her purse on the end table. Though it hadn’t been in his job description, Joshua Divine had turned out to be a full-fledged nanny rather than simply a babysitter. It amused her that he saw the need to provide maid service in addition to taking care of her child. And, even though she had gotten a bit miffed with him this afternoon for purchasing food for dinner, she secretly found cooking and cleaning very seductive traits in a man. So where was her sexy, seductive nanny? She wondered as she walked through the silent apartment. She usually found him sitting on the sofa or in the kitchen but he was in neither room tonight. He wasn’t in the bathroom either, she easily deduced when she saw that the bathroom door was open and the hallway was bathed in darkness. Ignoring the hint of panic that had her pulse picking up pace, she moved to Kalvin’s room, eased open the door. And found her babysitter, along with her son, sleeping soundly together on Kalvin’s bed. She leaned against the doorframe, hugged herself and smiled. They looked so peaceful, so 81

Tonya Ramagos cute together, almost as if they were father and son. She hated to disturb them and almost didn’t. Joshua didn’t have any classes the next morning, she knew. But allowing him to sleep the night at her apartment, even if it was in Kalvin’s bed, wasn’t a good idea. Softly, carefully, she eased across the room, lightly touched Joshua’s arm and forced herself to ignore the tingles that crept up her fingers. “Joshua,” she whispered, then gently shook him for good measure. “Joshua, wake up. I’m home.” He stirred, rolled onto his back, his eyes slowly fluttering open and she felt herself start to fall into the deep blue depths of those sleepy, tantalizing eyes. How would it be if she were in Kalvin’s place right now? She could almost picture it…her lying beside Joshua, one leg draped over his, one arm over his broad chest. Dominique blinked, erased the image forming in her mind’s eye and cleared her throat. “I’m home,” she said, her tone—thank you, God— revealing nothing of what she had been thinking. She walked to the opposite side of the bed, gently planted a kiss on Kalvin’s cheek and pulled the comforter up to his chin. “I apologize for falling asleep like that,” Joshua said around a wide mouthed yawn as they tiptoed out of the room. “I didn’t realize—” “No big deal,” Dominique said quickly. But it 82

Divine Attraction was. Finding him asleep that way, in her son’s bed, looking into those eyes as he was slowly pulled from sleep, had done something to her…something she refused to acknowledge. Because admitting to the way her heart had fluttered, the way a vise had seemed to grip at her heart, would be giving into the truth that she was beginning to feel way more for this man than a simple working relationship entailed. It was a truth she absolutely, positively had to ignore. “I see the two of you had a good time at the playground,” she said in an attempt at normalcy. Keep the conversation at small talk. Look at him as little a possible. That was how she had learned to make it though her encounters with Joshua Divine. “I think he enjoyed himself.” They were in the kitchen now and Dominique had begun pulling the makings for her nightly sandwich from the fridge. She was moving slow, she knew, her back aching and her feet screaming with each step. Joshua apparently realized it too because he asked, “Rough night?” “Friday night,” she said on a breathy chuckle that held no humor. “It’s always one of the busiest nights at the bar and, though I’m used to being on my feet for hours on end, I’m not used to making them run for so long. My feet are killing me!” He stepped beside her, gently grasped the wrist 83

Tonya Ramagos of the hand she was using to open the mayonnaise jar. “Sit down, get off your feet. I’ll make your sandwich.” She stared to argue, knew she should, but the look he shot her left no room for disagreement. Then, to further enforce that look, he pointed to the kitchen table in a silent order. “I don’t want to keep you. I’m sure you’re ready to get home,” she said as she reluctantly obeyed. She needed him to get home, to get out of her kitchen, out of her apartment! The time they had spent together in the last week had been minimal at best. A few short minutes before she left for work and after she returned home. No more time than it took to say hello, tick off instruction for the evening, and then later, for him to clue her in on Kalvin’s night before he was out the door. But they had already read through the normal script tonight. This—his staying after working hours— hadn’t been included. So now what? What did she say? What did she do? She watched him as he moved about the kitchen, a man comfortable in his surroundings who never wasted a movement, and the first answers to her questions that came to mind were certainly not the correct ones. What did she say? She could say to forget the sandwich. She could admit that the hunger inside her had suddenly intensified to something so 84

Divine Attraction much more than a sandwich could feed. Unless he put himself between the two slices of bread, she mused. What did she do? She could get up from the chair, take the few small steps that would put her directly behind him, slide her arms around his narrow waist. She could slip one hand between the buttons of his shirt, delve her fingers into the dark curls she guessed covered his rippling chest. She could turn him around, rise to her toes and plant a kiss on his lips that would blow both of their minds. Then she could lead him to her bedroom where she could… “I hope you like chicken.” His words cut through her musings like a sharp bladed knife. Good thing too, because the direction her thoughts had been racing had been a right turn on a strictly left oval track. “We had a couple of pieces left over at dinner and I thought it would make a good sandwich for you when you got home.” “Chicken is fine,” she said quickly. He sat the plate on the table in front of her, stood back and clasped his hands behind his back. “And what would you like to drink with that?” She rolled her tongue over her teeth to hide her smile. Whether he was playing babysitter, waiter or just plain man, he was too dammed sexy for words. “There’s a bottle of white wine in the 85

Tonya Ramagos fridge,” she said as she kicked off her shoes, began to massage her feet. “A glass of that sounds like an absolute dream right now.” He nodded almost imperceptivity and turned to the refrigerator. “Mind if I have a glass, too?” “No, help yourself.” Though his question surprised her, she didn’t allow it to sound in her voice. He was making no move to leave, instead finding yet another reason to prolong his stay. Nervousness shook her insides even as delight tingled though her veins and the conflicting emotions had her rambling. “Believe it or not, even though I work in a bar I don’t drink often. I do like a glass of wine on the weekends, though. Especially after nights like tonight. I can see this quickly becoming a weekend ritual.” “There’s nothing wrong with a glass or two here and there.” Joshua returned to the table with the glasses of wine, handing one to Dominique before taking a seat next to her, his own glass in hand. She hadn’t touched her sandwich and he noted that fact with a pointed glance first to the plate and then to the foot she was busy massaging. “Here, let me do that, you eat.” She started to protest but the feel of his hand as he wrapped his long fingers around her ankle, pulled her leg into his lap, had the words dying on her tongue. She had never thought of feet as being a possible erogenous zone, but oh boy, when he 86

Divine Attraction touched her there… Then again, the man could probably touch the tip of her nose and send creamy juices of delight streaming down her thighs. “What kind of plans do you and Kalvin have for tomorrow?” His thumb skimmed over the bone of her ankle, cupped her heel, his fingers beginning a pressured but gentle massage but it was the way he looked at her that left her stupefied. He could have been twiddling his thumbs or petting a puppy and would have had the same relaxed, nonchalant expression on his face. Did he not feel what she felt when their skins came in contact? Did he not feel the same jolt of electricity, the same overwhelming lust and desire to explore, to taste, to take? Obviously not, she thought and felt the frustration tangle with the desire in her belly. She picked up her sandwich, too a huge bite. “Nothing that’s etched in stone,” she answered around a mouthful of chicken and bread. She chewed quickly, swallowed. “Why?” “Tomorrow is my youngest brother’s birthday. He’ll be six. Party, lots of kids, junk food, games, the works… Kalvin would have a blast.” Dominique picked up her glass of wine, sipped. A child’s birthday party. Joshua’s brother’s birthday party. Sure, Kalvin would probably have the time of his life. But what about her? Spending 87

Tonya Ramagos the day in the company of people she didn’t know, watching Joshua with his girlfriend. No doubt he would bring her. “That’s very thoughtful to invite Kalvin but I don’t know Joshua…” He gave her foot one final squeeze, eased it off his lap and leaned down to pick up her other foot. Resting her heel on his thigh, he continued his massage. “The Divine’s really know how to throw a party. Even when it’s for a six year old,” he added with a quirk of his lips. “Kalvin would love it, I’m sure…” “But?” he said when she allowed her words to trail off. “But I wouldn’t feel comfortable. I wouldn’t know anyone there.” “You know me.” He shot her a sexy sideways glance that had her toes wanting to curl. “And you’re comfortable with me, aren’t you?” Comfortable wasn’t exactly the word she would use to describe how she felt in Joshua’s company. A teenage virgin with a monstrous crush and the burning desire to lose her cherry would be a closer description. An adult woman attracted out of her mind and itching to take but knowing she couldn’t have would be dead-on. Avoiding a direct answer, she said, “I’ll think about it.” “Good enough for now. The party is at my parent’s house at eleven, Pine Book Estates, third 88

Divine Attraction house on the left.” Nice neighborhood, she thought and nodded. His hand stilled on the top of her foot and he reached for his own glass of wine with his free hand. But he didn’t pick it up to drink, instead skimmed a lazy finger lightly around the rim of the glass. “There’s something else,” he said after a moment. “Something I wanted to talk to you about. Something I thought you should know.” Because he was studying the glass rather than looking at her an alarm bell chimed in her head. “Is something wrong?” “Kalvin put me on the spot at dinner tonight.” Dominique shot up straight in her chair, her leg falling from Joshua’s lap. “What do you mean he put you on the spot?” Concern, fear, dread, had her heartbeat picking up pace. “He wanted to know why his father doesn’t want him.” Slowly, Joshua lifted his gaze until it locked with hers. “Oh, God,” she whispered and her eyes filled with tears. “I was beginning to think, had actually hoped, that Kalvin had forgotten him. It’s been so long since he’s mentioned his father. I divorced the son-of-a-bitch so I could give myself and my child a better, happier life, and all I succeeded in doing was hurting Kalvin.” Joshua scooted closer to her, placed a hand on her shoulder just as he had done with Kalvin 89

Tonya Ramagos earlier that evening. Reaching up, he brushed away a tear that trickled down her cheek. “You are not the one hurting Kalvin. His father has done that. Do you think things would be any different if you had continued to live in a marriage you were obviously unhappy in?” “I don’t know. I kept telling myself it was best to leave. That it would be the best thing for both of us. I just couldn’t stay with him any longer.” Suddenly feeling restless, she stood, paced the kitchen floor. “I don’t even know why I married him in the first place. Our relationship was never a bed of roses. He was a liar, a cheat, a complete asshole! Abusive,” she added, her voice dropping to a barely audible whisper. “He abused you?” The shock, the outrage, she heard in Joshua’s voice had her spinning to face him. “Not physically. He never hit me, never laid a hand on me. But sometimes words can be worse than a physical blow. He hated it when I got pregnant. Even though he had been the one to push for a child. Make sense out of that one.” She chuckled but there was no humor in the tone. Pacing again, she shoved her hands in the pocket of her blue jean shorts. “I met him just after I graduated from high school. He was nice at first, of course. A gentleman, kind and considerate. That lasted all of a couple of months. Then he 90

Divine Attraction turned…weird. Absolutely nothing like the man I met. I don’t know why I stayed with him then, but I did. My father kept telling me he wasn’t right for me, but I wouldn’t listen. A few months later I found out I was pregnant, and we were married immediately. Call me stupid, I guess.” “Young and lonely would be more my guess,” Joshua said, sipping his wine as he listened attentively. “The year I spent married to that man was the worst year of my life,” Dominique murmured. As she spoke, she released her hair from the binding scrunchie that held it high on her head, allowing her hair to fall down her back. “Finally I couldn’t take it anymore. We got into a fight one night, I saw a door open in my mind and I flew through it. I took Kalvin, I left and I never looked back.” “Is that when you came here?” “No, we moved in with my father. We were living in Louisiana at the time.” She ran her fingers through her hair to straighten it. “We stayed with my father for a while and then moved into an empty trailer he owned. We didn’t move here until two years ago.” “What made you come to Mississippi?” Dominique returned to her chair at the table. “When I left my ex, I had no money and no job. I hadn’t gone to college the way I had planned because he had forbidden me to go. The only job I 91

Tonya Ramagos could get was waiting tables. I made pretty good money, but it wasn’t enough to pay all the bills, so what I couldn’t afford, my father picked up. “At that time I had such a low self-esteem, I had gotten to the point that I just didn’t care about anything. Worse, I had convinced myself that I needed a man in my life to be happy. I needed a man who would tell me how beautiful and wonderful I was, instead of constantly putting me down.” Her gaze dropped to her lap as the tears brimmed her lids once again. “Working as a waitress, I was asked out a lot. Sometimes I would turn them down but most of the time I accepted. I started dating this one guy who loved to hang out at this bar. Turned out that he was exactly like my ex-husband. But while I was at that bar one night, the manager offered me a job. He taught me how to tend bar, make all the drinks. It was better money. A lot better money. So I quit my other job and became a full-time bartender.” “Where was Kalvin though all of this?” Because he asked in a tone that held no condemnation, no accusation, she answered in kind. “At my parents’ house, probably wishing his mother would spend more time with him.” She sighed, felt her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment, guilt. “I was heading down a bad road but was too stupid to realize it. Even though 92

Divine Attraction I was making good money by that time, I was spending it like it grew on a tree, and yet I had nothing to show for it. My father was paying most of my bills and taking care of Kalvin. Nearly everything you see here,” she said, indicating the furnishing around them with a flourish of her arm, “my father paid for. I didn’t realize what I was doing to Kalvin, as well as myself, until I heard him call my mom ‘Mommy’ one day. It broke my heart! He was spending so much time with my parents that he was starting to see them as his instead!” “So you picked up and moved to Mississippi to get Kalvin away from your parents?” “Not exactly. When I heard Kalvin call my mom ‘Mommy’ it opened my eyes. I was twentyfour years old and, although I was no longer living with my parents, I was living off of them. I was born in Mississippi so I knew the area and I still have some family here. I decided the right thing to do was to get out from under my father’s wings and learn to stand on my own. “Of course that didn’t make my father too happy and he’s no longer speaking to me, but Kalvin and I are doing better on our own. It’s hard and we’ve been through some really rough spells but we’re making it. And now that I’m making more money, I’m sure things are only going to get better. Still, the best part of it all is that I know 93

Tonya Ramagos whatever Kalvin and I have, it’s because I got it for us. I worked hard for it. Not that it was given to me because someone felt obligated to give it to us or felt sorry for us.” “Then it sounds to me like you’ve made the right decision.” Joshua’s lips curved in a comforting smile. “Yeah,” Dominique sighed. “I just wish my father would see things that way. I tried to explain everything to him—my reasons for leaving the state, the fact that I needed to learn to stand on my own two feet—but he wouldn’t listen. He got so angry! And, in turn, I’ve felt so guilty for acting as cold-hearted as I did but, no matter how much I explained, I just couldn’t make him understand. Finally I decided the only thing I could do was follow through with my decision and prove to him that I can make it on my own. Unfortunately, even now that I’ve proved myself, he’s still not speaking to me. My mom calls now and then to check on us, but my father…” She fell silent, afraid she would start to cry again. Joshua was sitting close, so close that it was easy for him to slide an arm around her shoulders, pull her until her head was resting on his chest. “You’re father is just finding it hard to let his little girl go. Parents like for their children to be dependent on them. Instead, you’ve showed your independence. You’ve shown him how grown up 94

Divine Attraction you are, and he’s finding it hard to accept that. He’ll come around. Just give him some time.” He was caressing the back of her head with his palm, slowly and tenderly petting her like he would a frightened kitten. She should pull away, she knew, but couldn’t find the strength. Being in his strong and caring arms, feeling the slow, easy rise and fall of his chest against her cheek, was so what she needed at that moment. So she stayed there, reveling in his scent, in his touch. “Feeling better now?” he asked in a barely there whisper and she could have sworn she felt his lips brush the top of her head. It startled her so much that she pulled away a bit too quickly, looked at him, studied, but saw nothing that told her whether or not she had truly felt his lips on her hair. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “You asked one question and got the spill of the last five or six years of my life. But thank you. For listening,” she added. “You don’t have to apologize.” Though she had pulled away from him, his hand remained on the back of her head. It moved now, slowly inching its way under her hair to cup the nape of her neck. “Any time you need to talk, remember I’m here. I mean that. I’m here, Dominique.” Hearing her name roll from those lips, in that voice, gave her insides a jolt. The kind of jolt she definitely shouldn’t be having while still in the 95

Tonya Ramagos man’s arms. She saw his gaze drop to her mouth, watched them widen ever so slightly when she ran her tongue slowly over her bottom lip. Then she felt the almost imperceptible pressure of his palm on her nape as he pulled her closer. Eyes locked in a gaze so intoxicating, so penetrating, that nothing could have torn them apart, she eased into him. Her hand flat on his chest, she felt his quickening of breath, the upbeat of his heart. He was going to kiss her! And she wanted him to. Oh God, how she wanted him to. Their faces were only a breath apart, so close their noses brushed and the unspoken communication between them was crystal clear. They both wanted what was about to happen. Yet, when their lips reached the point of nearly touching, it was Joshua who broke that silent communication. “I think I should go,” he whispered. “Before we do something we may regret.” Everything inside her wanted to object, to tell him there would be no regrets. But she couldn’t. Deep down, she knew he was right. Not only did he have a girlfriend standing in the way but there was the true nature of their relationship. Theirs was an employee/employer relationship and if they let it get out of hand, there was no telling what the outcome would be. As hard as it was to fight the temptation, she had vowed not to allow anything to happen between them. And no matter 96

Divine Attraction how difficult it was to pull away, she had to keep that vow.

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Chapter Six

B

y eleven-fifteen the next morning, young Luke Divine’s birthday party was well underway. The backyard of the Divine family’s spacious twostory home swarmed with children of all ages, some family, some not, playing various outdoor games, running around and screaming happily…and Joshua was right in the middle of it all. With a grin as wide as the Mississippi River plastered to his face, he dashed across the yard to catch a football tossed by his brother. “Go long,” he hollered, taking a step back. His return throw sailed over the heads of several kids, angling down until it landed expertly in little Luke’s arms. “Way to go, dude!” He pumped an arm straight up into the air in victory. Luke’s green eyes lit up in sheer surprise. “I caught it, Joshua! I caught it!” He jumped up and down, waving the ball in the air. “Good job, champ.” Joshua clapped, headed toward him. “You’re going to be quarterback for a 98

Divine Attraction pro football team before you know it.” He ruffled the child’s dark sweaty hair with the palm of his hand. “I’m going to take a short break. The other kids are playing tag over there. Why don’t you join in the with them, and you and I will play some more later?” Luke skipped across the warm crisp grass to his friends a few feet away. Joshua shook his head like a large dog, causing sweat to fly through the air as he walked toward the adults who sat conversing on the back patio. It was odd, not having all of his brothers and sisters and their children present. Only he and Natalie, Luke’s mother and Joshua’s younger sister, were in attendance. Of course, they were the only two of the children to remain in Silver Springs. The others had moved from town long ago, each with their own careers that often made it difficult for them to get away simply for a birthday party. “Well, look who finally decided to quit running around like a two year old and join the big people,” Heather greeted with only a half smile as he approached. She squirmed in her chair, her face holding the look of a woman who was completely uncomfortable and on the verge of being angry. Uncomfortable, he knew, because she was an only child from divorced parents and family events were not her forte. Angry at him for leaving her 99

Tonya Ramagos alone with his parents and older siblings so he could play with the children. “Only for a few minutes.” He plopped into a folding chair beside her, rested his elbows on his knees. Heather scooted closer to him and somehow managed to wrap her arm around his waist despite the armrest of the chair in which he sat. Her touch felt cold against his shirtless skin but all too soon that coolness turned to radiating heat. He had needed a moment to cool off but wasn’t going to get it as long as she insisted on being crammed against him. “That’s our Joshua.” Constance Divine laughed. “The Peter Pan of the twenty-first century. Give him a child and a football and he’s set to go for hours.” “Speaking of children, Heather tells us you have a new job,” Mitchell Divine said, reaching for his glass of freshly squeezed lemonade. “Do you want to tell us about it?” Joshua shot Heather a look, leaned back in his chair and jammed his fingers through his already rumpled sweaty hair. He’d been so busy with college and babysitting that he’d neglected to mention his new job to his parents. The fact that Heather had told them was a bit of a surprise. Not that he feared their disapproval. However, Heather had yet to completely come to secured terms with the job. Was it possible she had 100

Divine Attraction mentioned it in hopes his parents would hit the roof and order him to quit? Surely she should know he wouldn’t. His parent’s opinion mattered to him but he didn’t allow it to rule his life decisions. “It’s just a part-time thing. I’m babysitting a little boy while his mother works at night. His name is Kalvin.” He smiled. “He’s a precious child. Well behaved, too! I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve spent with him so far.” Constance leaned forward, the smile gone from her expression. For a moment, Joshua thought she was going to hit the roof. But when she spoke, he realized it was her motherly concern and not anger that he saw in her soft hazel eyes. “Are you running low on money, son?” “If you are, you know all you had to do was say so,” Mitchell chimed in, echoing his wife’s grave tone of voice. “No, no, I didn’t take the job for the money,” Joshua said quickly. “My psychology professor suggested I should find a way to spend more time with children that aren’t my brothers or sisters. I took the job for the time with Kalvin.” “Kalvin, what a handsome name,” Constance said and the smile returned to her lips. “It sounds responsible, professional. I bet that child will make something out of himself with a name like that.” “Yeah, that’s what his mother says.” 101

Tonya Ramagos Heather let out an irritated moan, threw herself back in her chair. Joshua chose to ignore her. Frankly, he was becoming weary of the whining, the disgusted attitude and aggravated sighs that followed any mention of Dominique in Heather’s presence. “And what is the boy’s mother like?” Mitchell asked with only a short, measured glance at Heather. Joshua paused, thought. How would he describe Dominique? Beautiful? Tantalizing? Sexy? Maybe in his mind, but never to his parents and certainly never in front of Heather. Yet, each of those adjectives and so many more described Dominique Gabor to a T. Flashbacks of their almost kiss last night assailed him. Oh yeah, she had definitely been beautiful, sexy and way too damn tantalizing last night. So much so that he had nearly lost it. He had nearly kissed her. And where would they have gone from there? It was anyone’s guess but he had easily come up with several possible conclusions since he had walked away from her, body screaming in denied agony and hard as a stone. Everything between them could have spun completely out of control last night. But reality had stepped in like a slap in the face, bringing with it the realization that doing anything with her, absolutely anything would be one very big 102

Divine Attraction mistake. She was his boss. She was a woman who held a job that he completely despised. And, if he needed any more reason to keep his common sense intact, he had Heather. Deciding it best to keep to the simple, less incriminating truth, he said, “She’s nice.” If he’d said anything else, he would have left an opening for a whole slew of questions he’d rather not address. “I had hoped you would get to meet her for yourself. I invited her to bring Kalvin today.” That statement had Heather jerking up straight in her chair. “You invited her to the party!” “Yeah.” From her reaction, one would think she was aware of the thoughts going though his mind about Dominique, of the almost kiss they had nearly shared. But he knew Heather had no clue about any of that and he intended for it to stay that way. He was determined to get past this insane attraction he felt for Dominique and somehow make things right with Heather. It was the right thing to do. Despite her possessiveness and irritating faults, despite his suspicions of her true intentions, he was more compatible with her than he would ever be with Dominique. “With his mom’s work schedule, Kalvin doesn’t get the chance to hang out with a lot of children outside of preschool,” Joshua continued, addressing his parents. “I thought he would enjoy coming to Luke’s party and I was certain Luke 103

Tonya Ramagos wouldn’t mind.” “You know Luke, the more kids to play with, the merrier.” Constance looked toward the yard, sought out her youngest son in the core of all the children. “Why didn’t they come? You did tell them how to get here, didn’t you?” “Of course! Dominique assured me last night she would think about bringing Kalvin but she wasn’t exactly comfortable with the idea.” Joshua frowned. “I was hoping that wouldn’t hold them back but I guess it did.” “Think again,” Natalie raised a finger, pointed through the air. “Unless you invited some other woman with a child that you haven’t told us about yet, I would say she’s here.” **** Dominique’s heart skipped a beat as her eyes locked with Joshua’s across the spacious yard of the Divine property. The thought of turning around and running away as fast as she could plagued at her. She had come close to turning the car around and speeding straight back to the apartment many times before she had even pulled in the driveway. But she had made the mistake of telling Kalvin where she was taking him and knew he would be terribly disappointed if she didn’t follow through. 104

Divine Attraction So, instead of chickening out, she had forced herself to focus on the perfectly manicured lawns that lined the street of estates. Hedges trimmed to perfection, pristine windows that caught the morning sunlight, casting a riot of colorful streams through the clear air. Someday she would live in a place like this, she mused. It had been the thought of mingling with Joshua’s parents that had her so ill at ease. It was almost as if she were about to meet the parents of a man with whom she was exclusively involved, but much worse. She wasn’t involved with their son at all! What was she supposed to say to a bunch of adults she knew nothing about? Sure, she made conversation with strangers at the bar on a daily basis but that was different. It was her job. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t even pretend that this was any comparison. She watched as Joshua rose from his seat, walked down the patio steps and headed toward her. A new level of nervousness curled inside her with each step he took. He stopped so close at her side that their shoulders brushed, sending electric bolts of fuse blowing desire all the way to her toes. “Cool! Look at all the kids, Mom.” Kalvin tugged at the hem of Dominique’s tank top. Her hand flew up to the neckline, gluing it against her skin to prevent it from lowering. “Can I go play, Mom? Can I?” 105

Tonya Ramagos “You most certainly can,” Joshua answered before she had the chance. “See that boy over there in the football jersey? That’s my youngest brother, Luke. He’s the birthday boy. Run up to him and introduce yourself.” Kalvin bolted across the yard and joined right in with the other children as if he had known them all his life. “I’m glad you decided to bring him,” Joshua said, his gaze following Kalvin, who was immediately accepted by the other children and welcomed into the fun. “See, he’s having a great time already.” “I almost didn’t. Bring him,” Dominique qualified. “I was tangled between my discomfort and what would be good for Kalvin. As you can see, Kalvin won out.” “Doesn’t he always?” Joshua asked and when he looked at her the grin that tilted his lips had her stomach doing that fuzzy, flippy thing again. She looked away then remembered the package she held and extended it to him. “I’ll let you take this. It’s a present for your brother.” “A gift was not a stipulation of the invitation.” Dominique shrugged. “Maybe not but I couldn’t very well show up at a six year old boy’s birthday party without a present, now, could I?” She squinted as she looked up at him, the blinding sunlight at his back cast a yellowish glow around 106

Divine Attraction his head making him appear more of an angel than a mortal being. He is an angel. A divine angel at that. She shook off the thought. She had expected there to be a bit of tension lingering between the two of them. Despite the fears she had developed over meeting his parents, that was the real reason she almost hadn’t brought Kalvin to the party. After what had nearly happened in her kitchen the night before, she had been certain Joshua wouldn’t act the same around her again. But to her surprise, it seemed he had put the incident behind him. A near mistake that was caught and prevented before it happened. That was all it had been. He probably hadn’t thought any more of it. Hormones often caused two people to do strange things, things they wouldn’t do under normal circumstances and, while she was sure his hormones were not in desperate need, hers were definitely out of whack! It had been far too long since a man had touched her in the way he had last night. Come to think of it, twentyseven years too long. Now all she had to do was succeed in erasing the incident from her mind as he had. Looking at that bare chest with its rippling muscles and curly dark hair, she knew for a fact that was one task that would prove to be easier said than done. “Okay, so I guess a gift was in order.” Joshua 107

Tonya Ramagos chuckled. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to the adults.” He placed a hand on the small of her back and gently propelled her forward. There was no denying the pervasive tremor that ran through her from the warmth of his hand on her back. It was the nonchalant touches from him that affected her most, the casual touches that he probably thought nothing of and yet she felt all the way to her toes. She balled her fingers into fists at her sides, fighting the urge to return his touch, to slip her arm around his narrow waist as they walked. Nervousness had her insides rocking, her heart pounding so loudly that she only half heard Joshua when he began to introduce the adults seated on the patio. “It’s very nice to meet you, Dominique,” Constance greeted her, reached out to shake hands. “We’re delighted to have you here. Joshua was just telling us about your son. I must say he looks as precious as my son described.” “Let me get you a chair,” Joshua whispered. His hand slipped down her back, sending sharp arrows of heat through her belly. He stepped off the patio and placed Dominique’s gift with the mound of others lined across a nearby table, then returned with a folding lawn chair for her. “Would you like some lemonade?” Natalie offered, standing. “It’s freshly squeezed and a real treat for your taste buds on such a hot day as this.” 108

Divine Attraction “I would love some. Thank you.” Dominique smiled and, jeez, even her lips jittered from her nervousness! She lowered herself into the chair Joshua provided for her, folded her hands in her lap and took several long, deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself. She was being sized up, measured and at least one set of eyes was finding her wanting. The eyes belonged to a semi-attractive blond who sat a few seats away and they were staring her down as if she were some sort of repulsive creature! Dominique had missed the blonde’s name during the introductions due to the deafening pounding of her heart but it didn’t take a genius to figure out who she was. Heather. It had to be. She wanted to stare back, to pin the woman with the same assessing glare that she was receiving. She wanted to see exactly what it was about the woman that had hooked into the heart of Joshua Divine. Resisting the urge proved to be yet another difficult task, but one that she was able to accomplish even if just for a few moments. “I must say we were surprised when our son told us he had found a job. Especially babysitting.” The gleam in Mitchell’s glistened with amusement. It was easy to see where Joshua had obtained his handsome features. Despite the age difference between the two, father and son 109

Tonya Ramagos could almost pass as twins. “Tell me, Dominique, what is it that you do for a living that requires you to be away from home so late at night, dear?” Dominique started to answer but hesitated when Joshua cleared his throat. Loudly. It was the type of sound one made in warning to another, or, in this case, when they didn’t want a particular question asked. But it was too late. The question had been asked and Dominique had to answer. She watched Joshua as he lowered himself into the chair beside Heather, his gaze remaining fixed on Dominique. But it was what she saw in that gaze that gave her pause. Apology, consolation, tenderness. But what for? It was a simple and expected question with a simple answer. Natalie returned from inside the house with two glasses of lemonade and handed one to Dominique before returning to her seat. Grateful to have something back in her hands, Dominique shifted in her chair and hoped her uneasiness wasn’t as apparent to her onlookers as it was to her. “I work on the highway at Party Paradise,” she answered, her voice revealing only a miniscule of her nervousness. “I’m a bartender on what we call the swing shift.” “A bartender, huh?” Mitchell nodded but it was his change in expression that gave Dominique her answer. Though he covered it quickly, she didn’t miss the flash of disapproval in his features. The 110

Divine Attraction same flash she had seen on Joshua’s face the day of his interview. What did this family have against bartenders? She guessed she could have said she worked as a showgirl or on a street corner and would have gotten the same reaction. A heavy tension began to settle over the patio. All fell silent for several heartbeats before Constance broke the ice. “Your son is absolutely adorable.” She shot Dominique a wide smile as she gazed across the yard. “He does look a bit older than Luke, though. Joshua said he was in preschool. How old is he?” “Kalvin is five. His birthday falls after the cutoff date for the school year so he won’t be starting big boy school until next year.” “Big boy school?” Heather scoffed and scowled. Dominique simply ignored her. Obviously the woman had some sort of problem with Dominique. But what? Was Heather jealous? Did she feel threatened, perhaps? The thought was quite amusing. “Kalvin calls it big boy school,” she said to Constance. “He’s informed me that as soon as he begins school next year I will no longer be able to treat him like anything but a big boy.” “Aren’t children just so cute at that age,” Constance laughed with an appreciation only a mother could have. 111

Tonya Ramagos “Mom, don’t you think we should gather up the kids and let Luke open his presents now?” Natalie asked. “Then we can all cool off with a scrumptious bowl of ice cream.” “I’ll get everyone together,” Joshua volunteered and all but bolted from his chair. Dominique watched his retreat. If she didn’t know better, she would swear he was just as uncomfortable as she was. And that realization had her thinking that she shouldn’t have come. She had feared it wasn’t a good idea and, from Joshua’s actions, it appeared her fears hadn’t been unjustified. She felt a hand rest on her shoulder, looked up into Natalie’s kind and comforting eyes. “I could use a hand setting out the presents, if you would like to help,” Natalie said softly. Dominique followed Joshua’s sister to the side of the yard where a table had been set up and was now covered with presents. The feeling that all eyes were on her hadn’t subsided but she fought to ignore it, battled to relax. “It’s good you decided to come,” Natalie said as she began rearranging the boxes wrapped in various happy birthday papers on the table. “Joshua was looking awfully disappointed when he thought you weren’t going to show.” That surprised Dominique, that he had wanted her there that badly. But as she gazed across the 112

Divine Attraction yard, she spotted Joshua in the middle of all the children, spinning Kalvin around in his arms, she knew it wasn’t her he had wanted to see but her child. She just came along with the package. Misreading the look of disappointment Dominique knew was on her face, Natalie said, “Hey, don’t let my father get to you. I could tell he made you uncomfortable back on the patio. Don’t let him get to you,” she repeated. What was it about this petite, auburn-haired woman, that had her feeling as though they had a bond already developing between them, Dominique wondered. She hadn’t dared to quiz Joshua on his feelings about her profession, wouldn’t have even considered asking Joshua’s father why he disapproved. But Natalie, for reasons Dominique couldn’t name, she knew she could ask Natalie and most likely get the truth. “Does your family have something against bartenders?” Natalie laughed, leaned against the table and raised a hand covered in beautiful, gaudy diamonds to shield her deep hazel eyes from the blinding sun. “It’s not just bartenders. Believe me. My parents are from the old school—my dad especially. You know the type. The men who feel a woman’s place is in the home, bearing children and waiting on her husband hand and foot. That kind of thing.” 113

Tonya Ramagos “And Joshua, does he have the same views about women?” “Naw, Joshua is a modern day man.” Natalie shook her head. “He’s always viewed men and women as equals. He believes that it should be both the man and the woman’s responsibility to take care of everything from the bills, to the household chores, to the children.” Dominique sighed. “Funny, but he hasn’t come off to me that way.” “My brother is a hard one to figure out, but once you do, you’ll know exactly what he’s thinking just by looking at him. Take Heather for instance,” Natalie nodded toward the patio. “I still haven’t figured them out. They’re all wrong for each other. She claims to love children, but she doesn’t want to have anything to do with them. She’s snotty and hates family gatherings. All things that make my brother tick! He doesn’t love her. I can tell. He may care for her but it’s not love. And she doesn’t love him either. Why the two of them are even wasting their time is beyond me.” “She definitely has a cold pair of eyes.” “Oh, you mean the way she’s looking at you.” Natalie chuckled, batted a hand through the air in dismissal. “Ignore her. She’s just jealous.” “Jealous of what?” “My brother’s time, of course. That…and you.” One brow quirked, a sly smile curved her lips. 114

Divine Attraction “Has she ever met you before today?” Dominique shook her head. “That explains it. The job you’ve given my brother is cutting into the time he has to spend with her. Not to mention the fact that you’re young, beautiful and have a child whom he has obviously quickly grown attached to. The only tidbit of security Heather may feel is from your job, if she even knows anything about what’s behind that.” But what was behind that? Dominique started to ask but before she could utter the first word they were bombarded by happily screaming children.

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Chapter Seven oshua owed Natalie a favor. A very big favor, he Jmused as he watched his sister and Dominique standing under a shade tree, conversing about who knew what and indulging on cake and ice cream. Thanks to Natalie, Dominique’s obvious unease was beginning to fade. He dared even think she might be beginning to enjoy herself. And as for the kids, well they appeared to be having the time of their lives. Especially Kalvin. Joshua didn’t think he had ever seen such a wide smile on the young boy’s face. He saw Luke break away from the group of kids, run toward him. Joshua kneeled, putting himself on his bother’s level as Luke whispered, “Is it time?” “Are you sure you don’t want to wait a while longer, play with your new toys and stuff?” Joshua asked. “I’m sure.” Luke nodded eagerly. “I can play with them later.” 116

Divine Attraction “Okay, I’ll tell your mom.” But Natalie had disappeared, Joshua realized as he pulled himself to his full height. He walked to where she had been, to where Dominique still sat. “Where did Natalie disappear to?” “Ladies room,” Dominique answered, squinting from the blinding sunlight. “Is there something I can do?” “If you don’t mind. We need to gather Luke’s presents and get them inside the house so they won’t get wet.” “Wet?” Dominique eyebrows shot up. “Water hose tag,” Joshua explained. “A timehonored Divine birthday tradition.” “Water hose tag,” she repeated on a laugh. “Something tells me we’re about to have a lot of drenched little boys on our hands.” “And big boys too,” Constance said, slapping Joshua on the shoulder as she walked by. “If you don’t want to get wet, Dominique, I suggest you follow us adults back to the patio.” “I know I am.” Heather scurried quickly behind Joshua’s mother. “If any water gets on my new silk shirt, it will be ruined.” “Who wears a silk shirt to a six year old child’s birthday party anyway?” Dominique muttered and rolled her eyes. Joshua managed to stifle a laugh but couldn’t hide his smile. He leaned into Dominique, 117

Tonya Ramagos whispered, “Trust me, only Heather.” Dominique gasped, her expression one of sheer horror and embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” “It’s all right. Heather takes some getting used to but she’s nice.” “Yeah, I can tell,” Dominique said dryly. “Uh oh, they’re dragging out the water hose,” Natalie said as she approached. “Time to gather up the gifts.” “I’ll help you,” Dominique volunteered. “Hey, Nat, are you going to join us?” Joshua asked as they walked away. “Not today, dear brother. Unlike you, I believe I’m getting a little too old for water hose tag,” Natalie called over her shoulder. “Awe, you never get to old to play in water.” **** “He’s such a kid.” Natalie shook her head as she began loading her arms with boxes. “I don’t think that man will ever grow up.” “Kind of like Peter Pan, huh?” Dominique giggled, gathering her own load of boxes. “That’s what mother always calls him.” Carrying more than their arms would normally allow, Dominique began to follow Natalie toward the house. The battle of water hose tag had 118

Divine Attraction already started behind them, as had the gleeful screaming and chants of “You can’t get me”. She was halfway to the patio when she unknowingly became the target. Cold water, so cold it nearly froze the blood in her veins, hit her back in a quick, steady stream. She yelped, nearly dropped the armful of gifts she was carrying. With slow caution, she looked over her shoulder, scanned the yard of children. Everyone had stopped, most with wide-eyed expression that told her they were expecting her to blow her top. Then her gaze landed on the culprit, water hose in hand. Her son. Her own son! “Uh oh, sorry, mom,” Kalvin hollered, his entire little body shaking from the laugh he was desperately trying to keep inside. The battle lasted all of three seconds before he burst. “You!” Dominique shrieked. “You did that!” And Kalvin laughed harder. “Should I take those for you?” Constance asked and, without waiting for an answer, began to relief Dominique of her load. “Thank you. I believe it’s my turn to take possession of that hose.” Dominique spun on her heel, stomped through the grass toward her son. “Oh no! She’s coming,” Joshua yelled. “Kalvin, run!” Dominique broke out into a run herself, tackling Kalvin and the hose to the ground. Water 119

Tonya Ramagos sprayed into the air, falling like rain on top of them. They laughed together as she wrestled the hose away from him. Standing, she gazed around to find someone who was still dry and immediately spotted Joshua. “Oh, the biggest kid of them all and he’s still dry,” she yelled, flashing him a mischievous grin. “We can’t have that now, can we?” Joshua’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “Uh oh.” **** “She’s beautiful, you know?” Natalie picked up a dishtowel from the counter in the Divine kitchen, dried her hands as she watched her brother rearrange the refrigerator to accommodate the leftover birthday cake. Having had his fill of water hose tag, Joshua had sought the refuge of the house, changing into a dry suit of clothes before helping his sister with the cleanup in the kitchen. “Who’s beautiful?” he asked, head stuck in the refrigerator to his shoulders, voice muffled. “Dominique. She’s way more attractive than Heather.” Joshua straightened, turned to glare at his sister. “What’s wrong with Heather? I thought you liked her.” 120

Divine Attraction “We tolerate her,” Natalie corrected, raising an objective finger. “We tolerate her because you like her but she’s all wrong for you, Joshua, and I think you know that.” “I think I should be the one to decide who’s right or wrong for me, Natalie,” Joshua stated sternly. Natalie was his favorite of the three sisters and yet she had the agitating knack of butting into areas of his life in which she had no business. All their lives she had always tried to tell him who he should and should not date. When he brought a girl home to meet their parents, she was the first to point out all that was wrong with the girl and why he shouldn’t go out with her again. The problem was, nine times out of ten she was right! “Josh, the two of you have nothing in common.” Natalie crossed her arms over her chest. “She’s a snob! She’s hates family gettogethers, can’t stand children, and has her nails so deep in you that you can’t see it. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that she’s only after your money. She puts on this act to make you believe she wants everything in life that you do and you buy it hook, line, and sinker.” Joshua huffed. “You’re wrong. Yeah, she’s not crazy about family events. I’ll grant you that. And she’s not very good around children. She’s an only child. She’s accustomed to being the center of attention. You can’t fault her for that. It’s how she 121

Tonya Ramagos was raised. But she makes me happy and that’s all that matters.” He whipped around, slammed the refrigerator door shut. Trinkets that decorated the top of the fridge rattled from the force. “If that were true, yes,” Natalie conceded. She stepped away from the counter and walked to the window. “Josh, you’ve been lonely for so long that I don’t believe you remember what true happiness with a woman is like. You’ve forced yourself into believing that Heather makes you happy, but she doesn’t. She makes you happy.” She pointed outside to where Dominique had taken Joshua’s place as the entertainer of the mob of children. “I can see it in your eyes every time you look at her. If you only realized how your face brightened when she showed up for the party. I haven’t seen that glow, that look of uncontrollable desire, since…well, since Margot.” Joshua clenched his jaw, fixed a potent stare on his sister. Inside, his heart bled from hearing someone else speak that name. Margot represented a time in his life that no one in the family talked about anymore. Those had been both the most wonderful years of his life and the most painful and his family understood that. “What’s holding you back? The fact that she’s a bartender, too?” Natalie continued to pry. “What happened to Margot was a terrible tragedy. What happened to your baby was even worse! And the 122

Divine Attraction things you did after their deaths were not too pretty either. But neither was your fault. You’ve tortured yourself over it all long enough and now you’re making Dominique pay for it?” “I’m not making Dominique pay for anything except my salary for babysitting her child.” “You’re wrong. How blind can you be? She’s attracted to you. It’s so obvious! And you’re falling for her too. But you’re fighting it tooth and nail and I don’t believe for a second that Heather is the reason for your battle. Let Margot and your past go, Josh,” Natalie said softly. Walking over to him, she placed a caring hand on his shoulder. “It’s over. It’s done. Nothing in the world can change it and nothing can bring it all back. Let it all go.” “I have let it go,” Joshua spat, slapping away her hand. “And you need to butt the hell out of my personal life.” Tears brimmed in Natalie’s hazel eyes. Joshua knew his cruel words went straight to her heart but dammit, hers had gone straight to his, straight into that deep, dark hole that never healed. “If that’s the way you want it,” she said softly, sadly. “Just remember I’m here for you when you’re ready to come to your senses.” And with that, she left him standing alone in the kitchen, alone with his thoughts, with the memories her words had uncovered, with the feelings he didn’t want to 123

Tonya Ramagos acknowledge. Joshua walked over to the window, placed his hands on the counter before it and gazed at Heather, who had yet to move from her chair on the patio. He scanned the yard until he found Dominique. Luke, Kalvin, and a few other boys had tackled her and she was rolling on the ground, laughter bright on her face. Despite his anger, his heart softened as a streak of heat jolted through him. Somewhere inside, he wondered just how much of what his sister had said was right. Was Heather really completely wrong for him? Was he really falling for Dominique? He had been putting up such a battle to control his heart. And he was miserably losing that battle. **** Dominique stood, still laughing, and brushed the grass from her sun-dried blue jean shorts. She stole a glance at her wristwatch, realized it was nearing two o’clock and here she was sweaty, sticky, covered in grass and in desperate need of another bath before heading to work that afternoon. She would need to leave now if she hoped to have a prayer of making it to work on time. Though the party had gotten off to a nervous, rocky start for her, she found a part of 124

Divine Attraction her longed to stay. But responsibilities being what they were, she wasn’t left with much choice. Time to break the new to the kid, she mused and sought out Kalvin in the group of joyful children, yelled, “Kalvin, time to go, son.” Kalvin came to an abrupt halt, turned to look at her, his bottom lip immediately poking out in a pout. “But I’m not ready to go.” “But we have to,” Dominique said a little more sternly and walked toward him. “Come on, Mom, can’t we stay?” Any other time she probably would have given in without a moment’s hesitation. But not today, not when she had to be at work in a little over an hour. She sighed, mentally prepared herself to face Kalvin’s disappointment, then kneeled down to his level. “I don’t want to go either, baby, but I have to go to work soon and I still have to shower and change.” Kalvin’s gaze dropped to the ground. He shuffled his feet and, so softly she almost couldn’t hear him, asked, “Can’t you just call in or something?” “No. I can’t. If I don’t work I don’t get paid and if I don’t get paid then we don’t have money to buy all those cool toys you’re always begging me for. We’ll come back soon,” she said and silently scolded herself for making such a promise. It was nothing short of a bald-faced lie. More likely than 125

Tonya Ramagos not, they would never come to this house again. But was it so wrong to let Kalvin believe they would for truce’s sake? Yes! “Is something wrong, sport?” Dominique hadn’t seen Joshua’s approach. No doubt it was the crestfallen look on Kalvin’s face that had lured him their way. “Mom says we got to go. But I don’t want to go. I’m having too much fun.” “Ahh,” Joshua drew the word out, a look of complete understanding settling in his eyes as he gazed at Dominique. But there was more there, in the depths of his eyes. She saw a disappointment that very nearly mirrored Kalvin’s. And longing, need. It was the latter that had her pulse accelerating, her tummy fluttering and a heat developing between her legs. “Do you really have to go?” he asked, his tone soft and dripping with sex appeal. Dominique nodded. “I have to work tonight, remember?” Then a thought occurred to her and she asked, “You are still going to be able to babysit, aren’t you?” “Of course! As a matter of fact…” He scratched his chin thoughtfully, glanced at Kalvin. “Why don’t you leave Kalvin with me and we’ll come to your house when the party’s over?” “Hey, that’s a great idea!” Kalvin jumped, all disappointment instantly replaced by excitement. 126

Divine Attraction When Dominique hesitated a bit too long, Joshua’s face turned pleading, much like a two year old. “Come on, Mom. You know I’ll take care of him and we have such fun together. I promise to be a responsible driver too. We won’t go cruising down the beach, picking up girls or anything.” “Ewww, yuck!” Kalvin’s response to that had Dominique laughing and the mirrored expressions of begging had her giving in. “Oh…all right. But don’t wait too late before bringing him home and don’t go anywhere else.” “I have to take Heather home,” he said with a slight grimace and quickly added, “But we won’t get out of the car. I promise. Please.” He stuck out his bottom lip, batted his eyelashes. “You’re just as terrible as he is.” Dominique slapped his shoulder but couldn’t prevent the chuckle that escaped. “The two of you really have to stop ganging up on me like this.” “But it works,” Joshua mused. “Yeah, too good.” Dominique groaned in defeat. She knelt down, brushed a kiss across Kalvin’s cheek. “You be good for Joshua and I’ll kiss you goodnight when I get home from work.” ****

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Tonya Ramagos Hours later, Dominique stood behind the bar at Party Paradise, washing the mound of dirty drinking glasses she had allowed to accumulate. It was unusually slow for a Saturday night and the more she looked at the clock, the slower time seemed to pass. Still, she found herself not all too eager to go home. Nervousness had set in almost to the point of making her frantic. Would Joshua stick around again as he had last night? After what had almost happened last night, she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to or not. That close call to the kiss she had fantasized about for so long was all she could think about. Even meeting Heather at the party hadn’t been able to erase the strong attraction she felt for Joshua Divine. Heather was all wrong for him. She had seen that the moment their eyes met. Even Natalie had said so. But it was not Dominique’s place to comment about it. Joshua was her employee and nothing more. What had nearly happened last night had just been a freak accident and would never happen again. Never! She was sure of it. Catching a figure out of the corner of her eye, her heart jumped. “You startled me,” she said and clasped a hand over her heart as she turned to face… David? Wasn’t that his name? He was the new bartender for the graveyard shift, her relief as it was and she was all too happy to see him tonight. 128

Divine Attraction David snickered, laughter lines creasing around his mouth and slate blue eyes. “Sorry.” He blew a strand of sandy blond hair out of his face, reached to roll up the short sleeves of his uniform shirt until it looked more like a muscle shirt. His arms were deeply tanned and well developed. “I thought since I’m already here and it’s so slow tonight you might like to duck out early.” Get off early on a Saturday night! No way was she going to turn that down. “Are you sure?” “Yeah. Count your register and get out,” he kidded, pointing toward the door. “I’ll finish up whatever cleaning isn’t done.” “David, you’re a doll.” Dominique flashed him a gleaming, wide smile. Minutes later, she bolted out the door to her car and sped away. In the car, her thoughts returned to Joshua. Why was she worrying so much about him anyway? It wasn’t like she was interested in a relationship. It was the last thing she needed. Her ex-husband and her wild days after him had burnt her out on that. She was single and had finally found happiness in being that way. Just her and Kalvin. That was all she needed, all she really wanted. But the fact that Joshua was nothing like her ex-husband or any of the other men she had ever dated was hard to ignore. And fighting her growing attraction was becoming more of a battle than her heart was prepared for. Was it her 129

Tonya Ramagos overactive imagination or did she sense that he felt the same intimate need and infatuation for her, too? “Who knows,” she muttered to herself. She parked the car in front of her apartment and stepped out. Inside the house, all was quiet. Winding her way through the rooms, she saw no sign of Joshua. Probably fell asleep with Kalvin again, she thought and felt the smile rise to her lips. Softly, she entered Kalvin’s room, surprised to find him sleeping alone. She quickly but gently planted a kiss on his cheek and quietly closed the door as she left the room. A creak at the end of the hall made her turn just as Joshua stepped out of the bedroom. Her jaw dropped. Joshua froze just outside the bathroom door. His flabbergasted expression mocked hers. Water glistened on his tanned skin like tiny diamonds and he wore only a towel! Before her gaze could drop any further, Dominique glanced up into his wide, astonished eyes. A hot wetness pooled at her middle from the sight of his muscular body, bare and wet. She couldn’t help but wonder what sight would await her under that towel. If it hadn’t been such a boltfrom-the-blue moment, she was certain that overactive imagination of hers would have had a field day. Joshua, obviously battling between standing 130

Divine Attraction there dressed—or undressed—as he was and making a mad dash back into the privacy of the bathroom, tightened the towel at his narrow waist. “Y—you’re home early,” he stammered. It was the first time she could remember ever hearing him stammer. It would have been quite amusing if she hadn’t been buried head deep in raging hormones. She wanted to step to him, unfasten that towel he was so desperately trying to keep tied at his waist, look, touch, hell, even taste the package that would be revealed. She licked her lips reflexively and watched his eyes widen even more, saw the surprised recognition there. He knew exactly what she was thinking and that realization had her blushing. “The—uh—graveyard shift bartender let me off early.” They stood there, eyes locked, understanding looming in the sexual tension that had built around them for several long heartbeats before he finally said, “I should probably get dressed.” “Yeah, you probably should,” she said softly though she could think of nothing less that she would rather him do. He hesitated a moment longer and then disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Dominique stared at the door, willed her body to move to no avail. As if she could see straight through that door, her mind conjured the picture 131

Tonya Ramagos of him dropping that towel. All hard muscle, intoxicating ripples, dark hairs and long, stiff cock. It was the last that had her nearly melting into a puddle in the carpet. The need to feel him inside her swept through her with the ferocity of a bullet through flesh. Would he do it? If she opened that door right now, caught him completely naked and exposed, advanced on him and made it abundantly clear what she wanted, would he give it to her? The desire to find out, the need finally put her into motion. She nearly ran down the hall to the kitchen. Wine! She needed wine she thought and made a mental note to buy something stronger to have on hand for moments like this. She was pulling the chilled bottle from the fridge when Joshua walked into the kitchen. “Sorry about that,” he said, his voice now steady and normal. “I had no idea you were home.” “It’s all right.” She turned from the counter and lifted the bottle of wine. “Want a glass?” “Umm…yeah. I could use one of those right about now,” he said with a slight chuckle. “I take it business was slow at the bar tonight.” “Miserably,” Dominique groaned. She handed him a glass, pulled out a chair at the table. Her eyes scanned the now fully clothed Joshua Divine. Navy blue slacks, tan and blue pinstriped button132

Divine Attraction down shirt neatly tucked in. He was obviously dressed to take on the town. Joshua sat down at the table across from her. With a grip on his glass that made the muscles in his fingers visible, he said, “I didn’t think you would mind if I took a shower. I have a date with Heather tonight and figured it would be easier than going home to change.” Jealously shot through her, white and hot. A date with Heather. She should have known. “No, I don’t mind.” She sipped her wine, hoped she was coming across as nonchalant about the whole thing as she was attempting to. “Heather seems really nice.” Yeah, right! “How did the two of you meet?” Joshua eyed her suspiciously, sipped at his wine before answering. “We met at the college. We have a few classes together. You don’t have to pretend you like her, you know,” he said, a grin playing at the corners of his lips. “I saw how rude she was to you today at the party and I apologize. She’s not real crazy about family get-togethers and never fails to let her aggravation show.” “It’s no big deal.” She shrugged. “You’re the one who has to put up with her. Not me. So where are you taking her at this time of night?” “The Windermere.” Dominique couldn’t hide her surprise. “Isn’t that the really nice restaurant in the Jamboree 133

Tonya Ramagos Casino? Funny but you don’t strike me as the casino-going type.” Joshua chuckled. “I’m not, actually, but they have the only restaurants open at this time of night.” “True.” Dominique nodded slowly. She fell silent, her mind reeling as she tried to put her next question into words. Finally, she asked, “You do realize that place isn’t cheap?” Joshua pushed his long slender fingers through his towel-dried hair. “Why is it I get the feeling you think I don’t have any money at all?” Dominique hesitated. How could she tell him she had realized the truth about him the first day they talked without harming his ego? There simply wasn’t a way. A man and his ego were easily crushed from the smallest embarrassment. She had learned that a long time ago. “I just put two and two together, I guess,” she said, not meeting his gaze. “And came up with what?” he prodded. “You’re almost thirty years old, in college, babysitting for eighty dollars a week and still living with your parents. It wasn’t hard to figure out.” Joshua bit down on his lips but she could see his laughter in the slight rise and fall of his shoulders. When she glared at him, he only laughed harder. 134

Divine Attraction “Geez! I had no idea your life was that funny,” she said dryly. “It is when you put it like that,” he said between laughs. “I guess I should tell you more about myself. Dominique, I don’t live with my parents. I have my own house on Beach Boulevard. I’m in college at the age of thirty because it took me this long to decide what I actually wanted to do with my life. Obviously you don’t know much about what happens in the news in this city, and I don’t really feel like getting into it all right now, not to mention that I hate bragging, so just trust me when I say money is the least of my worries. Okay?” Confusion replaced by disbelief and embarrassment, Dominique could only nod. Something told her to press for more information but, after the heated redness she knew had consumed her face, she truly didn’t want to hear any more tonight. Then again, while he was opening up to her, there was one other question that had yet to be answered. “While we’re dipping into your personal life, can I ask you something?” she questioned, twirled a strand of her hair around her index finger. When he nodded, she asked, “What is it about female bartenders that makes you and the rest of your family look as if they’re about to pounce?” It was amazing to watch how quickly his face 135

Tonya Ramagos clouded over. He sighed, closed his eyes. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he reopened them. “If it’s all the same to you, I would rather not get into that tonight.” “Then it is something,” Dominique squeaked. No imagination this time. She had been right all along. “I knew it!” “Yes, there is something,” Joshua admitted, sliding a cupped hand down his nose to his chin. “Although what you appear to be reading as anger is actually something far different.” She hesitated to push any further. If it wasn’t anger she had seen on his face, on his father’s, then what was it? “Could we please save this conversation for another time?” Joshua asked, his voice almost pleading. “It’s not something that’s really easy to talk about.” The sound of his voice, the look in his eyes, had her backing off. Whatever it was had to be far more serious than she realized. “Sure, if that’s what you want.” Downing the remainder of her wine, she stood, walked to the cabinets. One by one, she opened and closed them, looking for a red box. “Oh, where did I put those things?” she muttered. “What are you looking for?” “There’s a wedding reception tomorrow night at the bar. I have a beautiful set of crystal glasses I 136

Divine Attraction was going to let the bride and groom use but I can’t remember where I put them. I wanted to get them out before I forgot.” She opened the tall cabinet by the refrigerator, spied the box. “There they are!” She stretched, rose to her tiptoes, but the box remained just out of touch of her fingertips. Why in the hell had she put them on the top shelf? “Here, let me help,” Joshua offered. He stepped behind her, reached over her shoulder and pulled down the small, red box with ease. He slowly lowered the box to her hands, his arm coming to rest on her shoulder. It was another one of those delicate, nonchalant touches that rocked her to her toes. She felt the warmth of his breath brush against the back of her neck and goose pimples popped out over her entire body. His arm still on her shoulder, she slowly turned. She looked up, met his eyes. “Thank you.” It came out as a whisper and revealed all the heat and want that raged inside her. “I should go,” he said and it sounded as though he were instructing himself more than simply telling her. “You don’t have to. Not unless you want to,” she said before she could stop herself. What was she saying! Where was her sense of control, her sense of right and wrong? She knew nothing could 137

Tonya Ramagos ever happen between them and yet she was all but asking him to stay! His hand rose to her face, his thumb brushing her cheek in a light, feather-like caress. “Please don’t tempt me,” he whispered breathlessly. “I’ll see you on Monday.” Slowly, he stepped away from her, hesitated, then gathered his things and left. Dominique hugged her arms close to her chest. She couldn’t believe the things she had said, what she had asked of him. Her body hummed with unfulfilled need, her pulse beating so fast it could have won the Indianapolis Five Hundred and her heart was sinking. Let go of the fantasy, girl, because it’s never going to happen.

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Divine Attraction

Chapter Eight

“H

oney, the movie is over.” Heather’s voice ripped through Joshua’s sour musings. She hadn’t left when they had awoken that morning. Instead, she had practically forced him to spend the day curled up on the sofa with her watching movies. Last night had totally changed her. Now she was clinging to him as if he were her lifeline. And it was completely his fault, he mused as he stood to change the movie. He had toyed with her emotions and it backfired in his face. What had he expected? Dinner with Heather on Saturday night could have marked the top of the list in the Guinness Book of World Records for the worst date in history. She wouldn’t have agreed, he was sure, but for him the terrible night compared more to being thrown in a round room with orders to find a corner than merely a simple dinner with his girlfriend in a fine dinning restaurant. It was all because of Dominique. She had been stuck in his mind all night long! Super-glued so 139

Tonya Ramagos fixedly that he had found himself bringing her into each and every conversation more times than his conscious mind cared to admit. At first it hadn’t seemed to bother Heather. But as the night progressed, annoyance set in and finally she had let him know about it, requesting in a not-so-kind tone to please leave his boss and her child out of their personal life. Joshua had forced himself to comply with her wishes—keeping Dominique only in his mind and out of conversation—and the night had continued with fewer faults. Until he and Heather returned to his place. It was then that the night turned into nothing less than a catastrophe! They had slept together and dammit, it wasn’t right! After all the weeks of controlling himself, not allowing himself to give in to her sexual temptation, he had lost his willpower. What in the hell had he been thinking! Dominique, that’s what. Her words from the night before echoed in his mind. “You don’t have to. Not unless you want to,” she had said. Why did she have to say that? It had taken all he had to pull away from her at that moment. Inside, he knew what was right but the biggest part of him had wanted to stay. Now she was stuck in his mind more than ever. So much that it had been her face he had seen and not Heather’s. It had been her full, plump breast he had kissed and sucked on, her sweet sensual lips he had kissed, her soft 140

Divine Attraction breathless moans he had heard. Admitting all that to himself, he thought he would hurl. How could he be so cruel, so coldhearted to Heather? Even if she had no idea what had been going through his mind, he knew and it made him sick inside. What was happening to him? Never before had he regretted the act of sex as much as he did at that moment. Never before had a woman affected him the way Dominique was. Even Margot, as much as he loved her, had not caused him to lose all sense the way this woman was. He had, more or less, just met her and already she was controlling his every thought! Joshua had sworn to himself that he would not fall for her. She was his boss and nothing more. Not only that, but she was a bartender. A profession he just couldn’t get past. No way could he get mixed up with another bartender. It was just too dangerous, too idiotic. His mind couldn’t take it again. Moreover, his heart couldn’t go through it again. Not now, and not ever! But the blatant sexuality of Dominique Gabor made her completely irresistible and was driving him insane! He had to get her out of his head. The near kisses, her sweet flowery smell, her soft warm touch, the temptation to stay with her last night. He had to erase it all from his mind. He had to focus. He heaved a sigh, tried to decide on a movie 141

Tonya Ramagos but was startled by the ringing of the phone. Heather groaned loudly. “Damn, I forgot to turn the ringer off.” Joshua shot her a look of steel that had her grimacing. She knew he was still angry from the last time she had pulled that stunt. He walked to the phone, cleared his throat and answered. When Dominique’s voice flowed through the line the feeling that washed over him was equivalent to that of putting Aloe Vera on a sunburn. Just hearing her voice eased the fire burning inside him to talk to her and yet, at the same time, ignited another more intense fire to be with her. “I’m sorry to bother you on your day off,” she said. “But I’ve got a problem and I figured you were the only one who could solve it.” “What’s wrong?” he asked, instantly on alert. “Has something happened with Kalvin?” The minute the words left his mouth, Heather hopped from the sofa and began pacing the floor, cussing every word in the book. He threw an irritated hand in the air to silence her. “No, no, it’s nothing that serious,” Dominique quickly assured him and he felt his heartbeat slow to a steady thump. “I’m looking for my brown boots. You know, the ones I wear all the time. I’ve been looking for them all morning and can’t seem to find them. Do you know where they are?” He laughed. He couldn’t help it. Here he was 142

Divine Attraction thinking the absolute worst and she was looking for a pair of boots! “I know it’s a silly thing to call for but it’s not that funny,” Dominique said dryly. “It is when they’re right under your nose.” Still laughing, he fell back onto the sofa. “Have you tried the closet?” A pause, then finally, “Which one?” “Yours.” “Why would I look there?” she asked as if the thought was ludicrous. “Isn’t that where they belong?” “Well…yeah. But I didn’t think you ever went in my room. Besides, I never put anything where it belongs,” Dominique said with a near squeak. “You’ve got to quit cleaning my house when you’re over here, Joshua. I can’t find anything! I hired you as a babysitter, not a full-fledged nanny. Cleaning is not in your job description.” “Hey, I have to have something to do when I’m there and Kalvin has gone to bed,” he defended himself. “Yeah, I guess so. Gotta go now. Thanks.” The line went dead. Still laughing, Joshua hung up the phone. He looked up, spotted Heather standing stiffly, hands planted on her hips, eyes flaring with anger and contempt. “Now she’s calling you at home on your day 143

Tonya Ramagos off,” she spat coldly. “She’s my boss, Heather. It’s not unheard of,” he said and pushed himself off the sofa. He returned to the television, asked, “What do you want to watch next?” But she wasn’t willing to let the subject drop so easily. “It is when it’s simply to have a casual conversation.” “It wasn’t casual. I cleaned up her house last night after I put Kalvin to bed and she was looking for a pair of shoes.” “Couldn’t she have worn a different pair?” “I guess she didn’t want to.” He shrugged, shoved the first movie his fingers came across into the VCR. He wasn’t going to do this, he told himself. He wasn’t going to fight with Heather over Dominique. Heather, of course, had a different idea. She stomped to his side, grabbed his arm and spun him to face her. “I’ll tell you what she wanted. She wanted to talk to you!” she fumed. “Joshua, you’re cleaning her house, taking care of her son, cooking dinner and inviting her to family gatherings. You’re becoming more of a house husband than a babysitter, for crying out loud!” “I invited Kalvin to the party,” he said through clenched teeth. “He couldn’t very well come by himself, now could he? As for dinner, the kid has to eat and I clean the house because I get bored. 144

Divine Attraction What more can I say?” He threw his hands in the air in frustration. Heather, steadily shaking her head, stepped back. “No, I don’t believe that. There’s something more. You spend more time with her than you do with me!” Joshua rolled his eyes. “You’re wrong, Heather. I spend more time at her house, not with her. It’s a job and you’re letting your jealously cloud your senses.” “I think I have a right to be jealous, Joshua,” she shrilled, jammed a finger at her chest. “I saw the two of you at the party yesterday. I saw the way she looks at you and the way you look at her. Last night at dinner, you couldn’t talk about anything but her. She’s all you ever talk about anymore!” “Oh for heaven’s sakes! You’re blowing this whole damn thing out of proportion. You know good and damn well that’s not true.” Was it? “Forget it. I’m not arguing with you about this. I know what I know and I know what I saw.” Without another word, she snatched up her purse and stormed out the door, slamming it violently behind her. Go after her, you idiot! a little voice screamed, but Joshua didn’t move. Why should he go after her when she was the one who was wrong? She owed him an apology. Or was it the other way around? In the next heartbeat he realized it truly was the 145

Tonya Ramagos other way around. She was right. No matter how hard he tried to fight it, he was falling in love with Dominique. Still—hearing her car door slam, hearing the engine start up, hearing the tires squeal on the pavement as she sped away—he never made a move to stop her. **** Dominique swirled the straw in her soda thoughtfully as she swayed back and forth on her barstool. Business was next to dead at Party Paradise on this bright and sunny Sunday afternoon, much as it had been the night before. Only a few regular customers lined the bar opposite her. In the distance, the sound of pool balls clacking together could be heard from the game room. Kalvin was having a field day. Because the bar also had a restaurant inside, children were allowed access during the daytime hours and Kalvin took advantage of it as often as she would let him. The numerous video games and pool tables that occupied the back room would keep him occupied for hours. Or at least until the quarters ran out. “Thanks for coming in to help with the reception preparations,” Leanne Middleton, Dominique’s boss and owner of Party Paradise, 146

Divine Attraction said. The thirty-five year old plopped onto a stool beside Dominique and twisted the cap on a light beer. “No problem. I was happy to help.” Dominique smiled. Leanne took a long swig of her beer. She brushed a strand of shoulder-length, sandy blond hair out of her face and said, “It’s amazing but sales seem to be going up on the evening shift since you took over. Are you enjoying it or do you regret the move?” “Oh, I definitely don’t regret the change,” Dominique was quick to assure her. She spun her barstool a bit to face her boss. “The tips have been great. I sat down this morning with my calculator and, if the money keeps coming in like it has the last couple of weeks, Kalvin and I should be living comfortably soon enough.” Behind the neck of the beer bottle, a satisfied smile rose to Leanne’s lips. Dominique knew she had built Party Paradise from the ground up. But it was her obvious concern for her employees’ happiness that had helped to transform it into one of the most prominent, respectable bars in all of South Mississippi. But Leanne’s smile didn’t remain for long. Her aquamarine eyes taking on a serious look, she said, “I was hoping the change would work out well for you but I can’t help but notice, if you’re so 147

Tonya Ramagos happy, why the long face?” Because money doesn’t conquer all happiness. Because I want a man that I don’t want to want. Because that man now knows that I want him, and he doesn’t want me back. “I still get bummed from time to time about my father,” Dominique said. Even though it wasn’t the true reason she was gallivanting on another planet at that particular moment, it still wasn’t a lie. However, it was a situation of which her boss was fully aware and she hoped it would prevent her from having to talk about Joshua. With Leanne’s next question she realized her hopes were short-lived. “And the babysitter? How is he working out?” Dominique knew Leanne was avoiding the subject of her father because it always upset her even more, but Joshua was far from a better subject and, of course, the one she had chosen. “Kalvin likes him,” she responded simply with a lift of her shoulder. She began twirling the straw in her now watered-down soda again. “And Dominique?” Leanne’s perfectly plucked brows arched upward. “According to Marge, he sounds like the dreamiest man in the world over the phone.” “Yeah, and looks spectacular in a towel,” Dominique muttered with an exasperated moan. It wasn’t until the words left her mouth that she 148

Divine Attraction realized she had said them aloud. Heat rose to redden her cheeks. Dammit! Why couldn’t she keep her thoughts to herself these days? Leanne’s eyes widened to the size of tires on a Mack truck. Eagerness poured from her voice. “Oh girl, do tell.” “It’s nothing like you’re thinking.” Dominique chuckled slightly. “David let me off early Saturday night. When I got home Joshua was in the shower. He didn’t realize anyone was in the apartment and walked out of the bathroom wearing only a towel.” “Ooo, are we sure that wasn’t a staged incident?” Leanne mused. “As positive as I could possibly be. He was showering for a date with his girlfriend.” And then I tried to get him to stay with me when I knew he was on his way to be with her, she added silently. How pathetic is that? Still, just the thought of Heather sent her spirits plummeting to the deepest, darkest holes of the earth. He was too good for her. Way too good for her. She didn’t deserve him. Why did the snobby, snotty women always get the best-looking men? Leanne cocked her head toward Dominique, her eyebrows flying up in a captivated gaze. “Is that a trace of jealously I hear in your voice?” “No!” Dominique spat way too fast. “He’s my babysitter. He can’t be anything more.” 149

Tonya Ramagos Leanne leaned back in her bar stool, her glare fixed and potent. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t wish he could be more,” she countered. “Oh, Leanne, I don’t know what I’m wishing.” Dominique sighed hopelessly, slapping her forehead with the palm of her hand. “I can’t get him out of my head! I think about him all the time and when I see him I feel things I’ve never felt before. Every day I find myself anxious for his arrival, and every night I don’t want him to leave. It’s all so weird. I wasn’t prepared for the feelings I’m having. Although I don’t think anything could have prepared me for a man like him.” “Unexpectedness, uncontrollable let-yourimagination-run-riot burning desire, inability to concentrate on anything else, sure sounds like love to me,” Leanne sang with a wide grin. “But I don’t want a relationship!” Dominique exclaimed, her tone rising. A few customers across the bar looked her way. Blushing again, she lowered her voice. “That much I do know. It’s the last thing that I need, and Kalvin certainly doesn’t need it. His father has hurt him so badly and still does with each passing second. The last thing he needs is another man in his life to get attached to and end up being disappointed.” “And you don’t think he’s becoming attached to this man already?” “Yeah, I know he is, but that’s different. Joshua 150

Divine Attraction is his babysitter. That’s what he sees him as. Not as Mommy’s boyfriend or his future stepfather but as a friend and his babysitter. That’s the way it should stay.” Dominique shook her finger at her friend. “And even if I did decide I wanted a relationship and he wasn’t my babysitter he’s almost thirty years old and still in college. Even if I did want a man in my life, I would want someone who I didn’t have to support. Someone who could be a better role model for Kalvin. Besides, there’s something more about him that tells me there would still be no chance for us.” “Are you sure you’re not simply making up this conflict to keep from admitting how badly you really want him?” “No, no way am I imagining it.” Dominique shook her head. “If you saw the look he gets on his face any time my job is mentioned, you would know I’m not seeing things. He has some problem with my being a bartender and, believe me, it’s a huge problem. His parents got the same look when I met them yesterday. I cornered him on it last night but he said he wasn’t ready to explain everything to me just yet.” “You met his parents yesterday,” Leanne voiced her intrigue. “Joshua has a six year old brother. He thought it would be great if I brought Kalvin to his 151

Tonya Ramagos birthday party, so I did. It was strictly a friendly get-together. His girlfriend was even there! But that’s not the point. Even Natalie admitted there was something wrong with him and my being a bartender, but she wouldn’t tell me what.” “Natalie?” Leanne repeated, eyes narrowing. “Joshua’s oldest sister.” “Dominique, this man’s last name wouldn’t be Divine, would it?” Startled, Dominique glared at her boss. “Yeah, Joshua Divine. How did you know?” “Holy cow!” Leanne’s jaw dropped. “And obviously you have no clue who he is, do you?” “Should I?” “Girl, do you live under a rock?” Leanne giggled and placed a gentle hand on Dominique’s shoulder, leaned closer conspiratorially. “Honey, his family is one of the richest families in South Mississippi. Possibly even the state!” “No way.” Dominique shook her head in disbelief. “We can’t be talking about the same Joshua Divine.” “There’s only one that I know of.” Leanne threw herself back on the barstool. “Let’s see if I can tell you more about him. He’s the oldest of six children belonging to Mitchell and Constance Divine. Tall, dark hair, the most amazing bright green eyes you’ve ever seen with a body that would make any woman puddle at his feet.” 152

Divine Attraction Yep, that sure sounded like her Joshua. But how could it be? Dominique had been to his parent’s house. It had been nice but nothing extravagant. Nothing like the home of an overly wealthy family. And Joshua, he had never shown any signs of being rich either. Well, other than admitting he could support himself even though he was a full-time college student. Money is something I don’t have to worry about, had been his exact words. Oh my God! Could it be true? “I gather from your expression that we’re talking about the same Joshua Divine.” Leanne smirked in clear amusement. “I can’t believe you’ve never heard of him. His father is always on the news for something or other.” “I never watch the news. But I—” Dominique exhaled slowly. “I never would have dreamed… I mean, he doesn’t act rich. Neither does his family. And they don’t live in a gigantic, elaborate house or drive fancy cars or dress in outrageously expensive clothing.” “The Divines aren’t people who like to flaunt their money around,” Leanne said and took another long swig of her beer. “They never have. But believe me, they have plenty of it and have made sure their children will be well taken care of all of their lives.” “Wow!” Dominique breathed. “I guess that’s 153

Tonya Ramagos why they looked so disappointed, almost furious when they found out I’m a bartender. I’m not good enough for a family like that.” Leanne gasped, placing the beer bottle on the bar with a loud thud. “Oh my gosh! That’s it! You don’t know, do you?” Dominique’s heart skipped a beat. “Know what?” “Do you remember the bartender who was stabbed a few years back? No, you wouldn’t.” Leanne answered her own question with a shake of her head. “You weren’t living here then, I believe. It’s been about six or seven years ago now. Anyway, it was in all the papers.” “A bartender was stabbed at work?” Dominique was shocked. She had never thought about her job as being a dangerous one. Apparently, she had been wrong. “Yeah, Trevor’s Tavern. They closed their doors not long after the incident. It was one of the worst bars on the coast, attracted a really rough crowd. From what I heard and read, a fight broke out on a Friday night. The bartender was the only person on duty and tried to break up the fight. When she stepped in between the two men, one of them jabbed a switchblade straight through her.” “That’s horrible!” Dominique gasped. “I’ll tell you what was really horrible. She was pregnant.” 154

Divine Attraction Dominique slowly closed eyes that burned with unshed tears for a mother and child she never knew. After a long moment, she said, “That’s so sad. But I don’t understand what all of that has to do with Joshua and the Divine family.” “The woman’s name was Margot Fredrick,” Leanne explained slowly. “She was Joshua Divine’s pregnant fiancée.”

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Chapter Nine jammed a hand through his hair in Joshua frustration and leaned his head back on the arm of the sofa. He exhaled a long, loud sigh as his textbook fell from his lap and hit the floor with a thud. It was no use. Studying was not an option. He had known it before he even bothered to open the textbook but he’d had to try. Was he going out of his mind? He was only months from graduation. If he didn’t find the power to concentrate soon, he was sure to flunk everything he had worked so hard for. “Women,” he mumbled, rising to a seated position on the over-stuffed sofa. He covered his face with the palms of his hands. Trouble with women was the last thing he needed and yet the only thing that was happening in his life lately. Heather was still not speaking to him. She hadn’t even graced him with as much as a glance during class that morning. She hadn’t said a word to him since she stormed out of his house the day 156

Divine Attraction before. Not that he had really tried to talk to her, either. He couldn’t even truly find it in himself to be upset over their obvious breakup. He hated that he had hurt her but that was about as far as the pain in his heart went. Under the circumstances, he had decided it was best to let it go—to let her go. Natalie had been right. They weren’t right for each other. No matter how much he cared for her, he couldn’t continue lying to himself, hoping he would fall in love with her. She wasn’t the one and every fiber of his being had known that all along. Dominique, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. She had become permanently planted in his mind. Every hour, every minute, every second, his thoughts were of her. Ignoring those overwhelming sexual emotions that rose each time the thought of her crossed his mind was becoming next to impossible. His sister’s words rang in his head. You’re falling in love with her. Was he? How could he be? Knowing what a life with her would mean, what he would have to learn to accept. How could he be falling in love with her? The fact that she was a bartender should have been a major turn off in itself. There was no way he could chance going through what he had with Margot. Not to mention all the things he had learned about most women bartenders after her 157

Tonya Ramagos passing. He had quickly come to learn she had been one in a million. That one special woman in the slew of loose, easy-to-get-to-bed women that made up the remainder of the female bartender population. So, did he still see Dominique that way? Deep down he wasn’t sure but on the surface, no matter what she said or how she tried to deny it, he couldn’t allow himself to believe she was any other way. Two in a million just didn’t seem possible. Yet, his bodily reaction to her could be explained as nothing but…love. No woman had ever brought about those uncontrollable needs of longing and desire the way she did, not even Margot and he had loved her with all his heart and soul. To top it all off, he had arrived home from his daily classes to discover the blinking light on the answering machine. His heart ran wild when he first heard Dominique’s voice. Then he listened further to the actual message and his spirits took a major downfall. She had called to inform him that he wasn’t needed to babysit Kalvin that evening. She had said something about an aunt or someone wanting to keep Kalvin for the night, so he now had an extra night off. Dammit! He didn’t want the night off. Attempting to make the best of the evening, he had decided to pour himself into his studies 158

Divine Attraction instead. However, the longing to be with Kalvin— to play games with him, find out how his day had gone at preschool, tuck him into bed at the end of the night, see his mommy—blew his concentration straight to Jupiter. Dammit! No matter what he did, he couldn’t get his mind off Dominique and her child. Every fiber of his being wanted them both, right then and there. They would play together as a family and then…then he and Dominique would put Kalvin to bed and have some private playtime of their own. The thought brought a mischievous grin to his lips. Slapping his face to his hands, he leaped from the sofa. He was going stir-crazy sitting around this house alone. Worse, he was going to become absolutely certifiable if he had to spend another twenty-four hours without seeing Dominique. He could just picture those men in the white coats stepping onto his doorstep, barging in, tossing him in a straight jacket and taking him away to the loony bin. He was certain it was going to happen if he didn’t find some mental relief fast. He had to see that beautiful, bright face. Hear that soft, sweet, seductive voice; gaze over those sexy curves… “That’s it.” He threw his hands in the air in surrender. “I can’t take it anymore.” Then it hit him. The sure-fire way to get Dominique Gabor out of his sexual mind once and 159

Tonya Ramagos for all. It was so simplistic he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it before. All it would take was to see her at work. Just one time, see her in action flirting with every man that entered the bar, flaunting her slender figure for all males to drool over. Seeing her behave as a true female bartender, as he was sure she would, was certain to erase from his mind forever any idea of being intimate with her. **** Dominique spun around behind the bar, snatched a bottle of vodka off the shelf by the jigger in midswing, and poured a shot in the silver shaker cup. She topped it with Bloody Mary mix and added dashes of celery salt, Tabasco, and Worcestershire Sauce, before flipping a smaller silver shaker cup into the air. The cup expertly landed open end down into the larger one. She clasped a firm grip on the two cups and shook them wildly to the fast paced music blaring from the jukebox. It wasn’t her normal preferred eighties heavy metal, but it was fast and it was rock, so it was danceable. After pouring the cup’s contents into a tall glass, she added the garnishments of sliced lemon and lime accompanied with a celery stick, and slid the glass across the bar to the customer. 160

Divine Attraction “Thank you, gorgeous,” Bruce Morland said. The middle-aged, well-dressed man handed her a twenty-dollar bill. “You know, you keep up all that tossing and pretty soon you’ll be able to give Tom Cruise a run for his money.” “Yeah, but I bet I still won’t make as much money as he did when he had to learn it for his part in Cocktail.” Dominique flashed him one of her “tip me well” smiles and spun around to the cash register. She counted out his change on the bar in front of him, then moved on to her next patiently waiting customer. The problem was, a quick scan of the bar revealed she had taken care of everyone for the moment. It was nine o’clock and business was normal for a Monday night. Not too busy, but not too slow. A few tables near the dance floor sat eighteen customers and about ten lined the bar. Thankfully, each and every one had proved to be good tippers. She hadn’t had the time to count, but she was fairly certain she had made close to a hundred bucks, and she still had three hours before she knocked off her shift. Finding it hard to swallow due to her own dry mouth, Dominique grabbed a glass and pumped it to the rim with ice cold water from the mixer gun. She had just touched the glass to her lips when she glimpsed a customer she had missed. She gulped down half the glass of water, then placed it on the 161

Tonya Ramagos top of the closest beer cooler and made her way to the opposite side of the bar. Halfway there she came to an abrupt halt. Complete shock made her heart flip flop. Feeling her knees going weak, she coached herself silently. Calm down. Get a hold of yourself. You’re at work, remember? After a few deep, calming breaths, she forced herself to move forward, praying all the while that her legs wouldn’t give from under her. Wouldn’t that be a sight for her customers? “Well, well, well,” she sang, placing a napkin on the freshly varnished bar. Her voice came out steady and strong, much to her surprise. “Let’s see. How does that line go? What’s a guy like you doing in a place like this? I must say you are the last person I expected to see here.” “I got bored,” Joshua said with a wink and a breathtaking ear-to-ear smile. Oh, don’t smile at me like that. Not here! “Funny, I never pictured you as the type to resort to a barroom when you got bored.” “All right, you got me. I’m busted. I’ve been curious to see where you work. I’ve never been in here. Since you gave me the night off, I figured now was as good of a time as any.” Dominique turned slightly, scanning the level of her customers’ drinks. “It’s a nice little neighborhood bar. Not too shabby and the customers who come in are usually nice and well 162

Divine Attraction behaved.” She smiled. The sudden cloud that rose to Joshua’s eyes sent her mind reeling. Poor baby, she thought, her heart going out to him. Now that she knew what had happened to his fiancée, his attitude toward bars in general was completely understandable. In the next heartbeat her inner voice screamed, You idiot! What a thing to say to someone who lost a loved one in a barroom brawl. “What can I get you to drink?” she asked, attempting to recover the cool atmosphere of the conversation. He puckered his lips thoughtfully. “Better stick with beer tonight. Light in the bottle, please.” “One light beer coming up,” Dominique sang. She spun on her heel and came back in a flash, setting the bottle on the napkin in front of him. “My treat.” “Oh, you don’t have to do that,” he objected, reaching for his wallet. “I know but I still owe you for the food you brought to the house and, speaking of pay, I got my check when I came in this afternoon. I’ll have your money for last week tomorrow afternoon if that’s all right.” “Of course. No rush.” Yeah, I guess not, Mr. Moneybags, she thought, amused by the way he attempted to hide just how much money he really had. Then another thought occurred to her and she could not help but voice it. 163

Tonya Ramagos “So, where’s Heather? I expected you to be spending the evening with her.” She didn’t know what had made her ask but when she stopped to think about it her intrigue deepened. There he was, sitting before her in a barroom on his night off instead of out with his girlfriend. What gave? His gaze fell. “She’s not speaking to me right now,” he said dryly. Dominique’s heart leaped in her chest. No matter how selfish and cruel she knew it was she couldn’t help the joyous feeling the news brought to her. “You didn’t break up, did you?” she asked, doing her best to show concern. “I don’t really know, but I think so,” Joshua shrugged. “It’s probably for the best anyway.” She wanted to ask what exactly he meant by that, but a masculine voice hollering from the opposite side of the bar caught her attention. “Hey, Dom, you’ve got another customer over here, sexy,” the voice said. Dominique rolled her eyes for only Joshua to see. “I had almost forgotten I was at work. I shall return.” She smiled before spinning to tend to her other customers. “Say, beautiful, when are you going to let me take you home and show you what a real man can do for you?” Bruce Morland asked. He reached out, laid a hand on her arm as she placed a beer on the bar for the customer next to him. 164

Divine Attraction Dominique glared under her lashes at Bruce. “Umm…let’s see.” She pretended to hesitate, stiffly removing her arm from his embrace. “How about…never.” “Still not ready to give in, huh?” Bruce shook his head, making a clacking sound off the pallet of his mouth with his tongue. “Nope, and don’t be surprised if I never do.” Her words were forceful, making it clear that she held no interest, yet she strived to remain polite. A nice brush-off. That was the easiest way to deal with the many advances she faced on a dayto-day basis. Being nice saved the chance for a good tip and yet put the man in his place without embarrassing him in front of his drunken buddies. Satisfied for the moment, Bruce turned his attention to his beer-drinking buddy and instantly became lost in conversation. Continuously aware of Joshua’s eyes on her every move, Dominique performed her job as she would on any other night. New customers came and went, each getting served with the same kindness and conversation. When passes were made toward her, she brushed them off just as she had done with Bruce and every other man who hit on her during her shifts. When she found she had a few minutes to herself in between serving the customers, she would return to Joshua and they would talk about 165

Tonya Ramagos Kalvin and anything else that came to mind. It didn’t take long for her to realize he had ulterior motives for his visit—the intention of proving that she fit into his belief that all female bartenders were downright sluts. He hadn’t said as much, but it was obvious from the looks that rose in his eyes when she kindly turned down the many proposals offered to her by her customers. She had proved him wrong and couldn’t stop a satisfied grin from pasting itself to her face. The evening had gone off without a hitch until thirty minutes before quitting time when a couple of customers who had arrived about an hour and a half before erupted into a heated argument. Hearing the shouts coming from a table in a darkened area to the right of the bar, she was instantly on guard. A quick glance revealed her regular customers had their eyes glued to the two men as well. Knowing if anything serious broke out her big butch customers would take on the role of her bouncer, Dominique felt a surge of power rush through her. When the two angry men stood up, yelling vulgar remarks and pointing at each other, she dropped the drink she was in the process of serving and bolted in their direction. Knowing she was no match for either of the men, she kept the bar between herself and the two burly men and shouted, “Hey, calm down right now. We don’t 166

Divine Attraction allow fighting in this bar. If you’ve got a problem, take it outside.” The men went silent only long enough to glance at her, then their shouting continued. Realizing that her first attempt to control the situation had failed, she tried a different approach. “Both of you,” she yelled, pointing fingers in their direction. “Out!” “Forget it, babe, we’re not leaving,” one of the men darted back. “I’m about to take this jackass down right here, right now, and beat him to a bloody pulp.” “Fine, then when the police get here you can deal with them,” Dominique said forcefully. Spinning on her heels, she stomped to the phone by the register. “You can’t call the cops on me,” the man flared. The man seemed to forget who his beef was with as he swung toward her. Out of the corner of her eye, Dominique spotted Bruce rising from his seat. She motioned for him to sit back down. Reluctantly, he eased back down into his stool, remaining in a position to pounce if the need arose. “I can call the cops, and I will.” She picked up the receiver. “So if you don’t feel like spending the night in jail, I suggest that you and your buddy over there hit the road right now.” Grumbling cusswords under his breath, the 167

Tonya Ramagos man stomped toward the door, followed by his defiant friend and the rest of their party. Dominique stood, phone in hand, and watched through the window until she saw the brake lights of their car leave the parking lot. The silence in the barroom was deathly thick. “Big, bad Dominique strikes again!” Bruce shouted when she finally set the phone back on its base. “Handled expertly as usual.” He shot her thumbs up. The bar instantly erupted in talk of the episode. Taking a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart, Dominique returned to her job as normal. It wasn’t until after she was sure everyone was happy again that she remembered Joshua. When their eyes locked, the fear she saw on his face made her heart crumble. The story her boss had told her of Margot’s death jumped to the front of her mind. He’s in shock. God, there’s no telling what’s going through his mind. Slowly, she walked toward him. “Are you okay?” she asked, reaching to touch his hand that lay on the bar in front of him. He was shaking. Seconds passed before he snapped out of his daze. “Ye—yeah,” he finally stammered. “It’s getting late. I should really be going now.” “Joshua, are you sure you’re all right?” Dominique asked again, not releasing her grip on 168

Divine Attraction his hand. Covering her hand with his free one, he forced a smile. “I’m fine. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon, right?” “Yeah, tomorrow afternoon.” He rose, left the bar. Her gaze stayed on him as he walked out. What he must have been thinking, feeling, fearing would happen—it had been written all over his face. She wanted so much to rush after him, to ask him to stay, to take him home with her and embrace him until all the fear was gone. But she didn’t. She couldn’t. Instead, she returned to her job as usual and prepared for her shift to end.

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Chapter Ten

S

miling proudly, Dominique folded her arms across her chest as Kalvin bolted across the room of his preschool to a group of children huddled in the floor and immediately joined in on the fun. With a slight wave of her hand, she said goodbye to his teachers and sauntered out of the building. She squinted as the sunlight hit her eyes. It was a beautiful day. Not too cold and not too hot. The sky was cloudless and full of chirping birds. Easing into the driver’s seat of her car, she started the engine and slowly pulled out onto the main road. It would be four and a half hours until she would have to return to pick up Kalvin. Unfortunately, those four and a half hours were jam-packed with errands. Now that she was making more money at the bar, she could catch up on the tons of things she hadn’t been able to afford before. Like the oil in her car for instance—five thousand miles was way too long to drive 170

Divine Attraction between oil changes. She also planned to open a checking account today. Although she had been in Mississippi for nearly two years, she had neglected to take the time to set up an account. Truthfully, checking accounts made her nervous when she knew she didn’t have enough money to keep it at a comfortable balance. But now, paying for everything in cash or money orders was becoming more trouble than it was worth. Coming to a stop at a traffic light, she found her thoughts switching to Joshua. It had only been a couple of days since the incident at the bar but nothing had been mentioned about it since that night. Still, the event plagued her mind. Many times she had wanted to bring up the subject and many times she had found the perfect opportunity, yet something inside her prevented her from voicing her thoughts. Joshua seemed to have forgotten all about it but she knew deep down that wasn’t true. The light turned green and Dominique snapped out of her daze, pressing her foot gently on the gas pedal. Her car had just made it to the center of the intersection when the terrifying, ear-piercing sound of squealing tires filled the air. The blow came hard and fast. Her forehead slammed the steering wheel with excruciating force. Then her upper body bounced back to the driver’s seat. Stunned, she sat in stillness until the throbbing in 171

Tonya Ramagos her head beckoned her hand to rise and cover it. Blinking several times to adjust her focus, she peered out the windshield. Cherry red metal crinkled and bunched up from the side of her car was the only thing she could see. “Oh my gosh,” she gasped, tears welling in her eyes. Okay, don’t panic, her inner voice advised. You’ve just had a wreck. Take a few deep breaths, calm down, and try to get out of the car. A voice broke through her reverie. “Miss…Miss, are you all right?” Careful not to rattle her brain more than it already had been, she slowly turned her head to the driver’s side window—shattered and gone— and gazed blankly. “Y—yeah, I think so,” she stammered, her voice shaky. “My wife called for the police. They should be here any minute,” the man informed her. “Can you move? Can you get out of the car? Do you need an ambulance?” “N—no, I don’t need an ambulance,” Dominique replied absently. With great caution, she lifted the inside handle on the door and pushed. Nothing happened. “Wait, the front finder is really bashed up. It’s going to be hard to open the door.” The man straightened, grabbed the outside handle. “I’m going to see if I can pull it open enough for you to 172

Divine Attraction get out.” Dominique winced at the spine-cringing creak of bent and broken metal being forced further out of shape. Finally, the door was opened enough that she could squeeze through. Once outside the car, she tried to stand, but her legs had turned to jelly. The man caught her by the arm just before she hit the ground and leaned her against the rear of the car. “Are you sure you’re all right, Miss?” “I’ll be fine. I’m just a little shaken, I think.” “You aren’t bleeding anywhere, are you? Don’t move too much. You have glass from that window all over you.” Dominique stood quivering all over, allowing the man to brush the glass from her hair and clothing. It wasn’t until then that she actually looked at the helpful man who had come to her aide. The bright sunlight glistened off his smooth, balding, round head. He was a short, older man a bit on the hefty side with kind soft gray eyes, wrinkled cheeks and a thick graying mustache that hung like a curtain over his pudgy lips. “There, I think I got most of it. It doesn’t look like you were cut.” The man stood straight before her. “Did you hit your head?” Dominique dropped the hand still covering her forehead. “Yeah, I must have hit it on the steering wheel,” she muttered. The complete incident came 173

Tonya Ramagos as nothing but a blur. “You should go to the hospital and let them check you out,” the man advised. “You may have a slight…” His last words were drowned out by the shrill of approaching sirens. Two black and white squad cars followed by a sheriff’s department car whipped up to the scene. Finding herself able to focus more on her surroundings, Dominique looked down the length of her car, beginning with the driver’s door and stopping at the lump of metal that used to be the front fender and side of the hood. The tire beneath was flat, causing the car to lean to one side. A couple of feet separated her car and the black, newer-model Chevy S-10 pickup that had plowed into her. A quick scan told her the truck had sustained far less damage than her car. “Figures,” she muttered under her breath. “Did you say something, Miss?” the kind man asked. Dominique returned her attention to the man. “The other driver, is he hurt?” “I don’t believe so, ma’am. I saw him jump out right after the collision. I think that’s him over there talking with that officer.” Dominique followed the man’s pointed finger to a butch figure waving his arms about wildly before a uniformed officer. It wasn’t until he 174

Divine Attraction turned slightly her way that she recognized the man. Uncontrollable fury rose to heat her face. Her teeth clenched. Before she realized what she was doing, she bolted the short distance and came to a screeching halt at the man’s side. “You!” she gasped in horror. “You’re that lunatic I threw out of the bar the other night.” “You know this man, Miss?” the officer asked. He held a small, spiral-bound notebook and pen. He had been jotting down whatever it was the other driver had been telling him. “A couple of nights ago, I threw him out of the bar I work at for trying to start a fight,” Dominique explained. Her voice had come down, but only a notch. Anger still spilled with her every word. “Well, it looks like he found another bar that wouldn’t throw him out,” a second officer said, appearing with a half drunk bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand. “I found this wedged between the driver’s seat and the console. There are also several empty beer cans tossed on the floorboard.” “Sir, you’re under arrest,” the first officer said immediately. He shoved the notebook in his shirt pocket then reached around with his other hand for the handcuffs kept on the side of his belt. He began reading the drunken man his Miranda rights as he slapped the cuffs on his wrists behind his back. 175

Tonya Ramagos “What are you arresting me for?” the man slurred. “I’m not drunk.” “Sure you’re not,” the officer said dryly. “You are being arrested for drinking and driving, reckless driving, causing an accident and anything else I can think of between here and the station,” the officer informed him. “Put him in my squad car,” he ordered his partner. “I’ll take him in as soon as I get some information from this young lady.” Turning his attention to Dominique, he pulled the notebook from his pocket again and asked, “Can I get your name please, Miss?” “Dominique. Dominique Gabor.” “And your driver’s license.” The officer peered at her from under thick, dark lashes. Dominique hesitated. Her mind was still so rattled she could barely focus on the officer’s questions. “It’s in my purse in the car.” “I’ll get it for you,” the kind man with the baldhead said, touching her gently on the shoulder. “Witnesses say the driver of the black truck ran the red light,” the officer informed her. “From what I can gather, you were not at fault. I just need to get your personal information for my report, then you will be free to go.” The bald man returned with her purse. Dominique absent-mindedly fumbled through it, pulled out her license and handed it to the officer. 176

Divine Attraction “What about my car?” she asked as the officer began scribbling down her information. “You’ll need to call a tow truck or I can call one for you if you like,” the officer said, not looking up from the notebook. “The driver of the truck doesn’t have insurance, so you’ll have to file a report with your own insurance company for the damages.” Dominique’s eyes widened as she digested the officer’s words. She didn’t have insurance either but she didn’t tell the officer that. Insurance was not required in the state of Mississippi unless the car was financed—which hers was not—and her insurance had lapsed three months before due to nonpayment. Another errand she was supposed to have run this week. She would have to pay out of her own pocket for all the expenses of getting her car fixed! “Of course, you can file a suit in small claims court for reimbursement of the cost,” the officer continued but Dominique was only half listening. “Everything you will need will be on the accident report. You can swing by the station in a couple of days and pick up a copy.” Handing her license back to her, the officer concluded, “That’s all the information I need from you. If you’re sure you’re not hurt, you’re welcome to go at any time.” “Thank you.” “I have a cell phone you can use to call a tow 177

Tonya Ramagos truck or a family member if you want, Miss,” the balding man offered. Without a word, still in a complete daze, Dominique followed the man back to his car. Not sure what tow truck company to call, she called her aunt instead, who would make the call for her. She would have to have the car towed to her aunt’s house anyway or risk being evicted from her apartment for violation of the section of her lease that read no broken-down cars allowed in the parking lot. **** Joshua slid the key in the knob then swung open the front door of the house just as the phone began to ring. He tossed his textbooks on the coffee table on his way by and snatched up the receiver, plopping down on the sofa as he brought the phone to his ear. “Joshua? Thank goodness you’re home!” Dominique’s frantic voice filled the line. Normally the mere sound of that soft, sensuous voice would send a riot of emotions through out his body, but not this time. This time, there was something wrong. She sounded breathless, worried, almost on the verge of tears. “Dominique, are you all right?” he asked. He sat up straighter on the sofa, his heart pounding so 178

Divine Attraction hard he could feel it in his neck. Dominique sighed heavily. “Yes and no. I need a favor. Kalvin will be getting out of preschool in half an hour and I can’t find a way to go get him. Can you go pick him up for me?” “Sure,” Joshua agreed, his suspicions rising. “Did your car break down or something?” “You could say that.” she chuckled wryly. “It’s broke, all right. I had a wreck this morning.” The blood that had been pumping frantically through his veins suddenly turned to ice. He felt the color drain from his face. “Are you all right? Were you hurt? Where are you?” “Yes, I’m all right, no, I wasn’t really hurt, and I’m at my aunt’s house.” she answered each question in order. “The car isn’t drivable so I had it towed here. That’s the other part of the favor that I need. Can you come by here and pick me up after you get Kalvin? My aunt couldn’t leave work and I need a ride back home.” “Yeah, no problem.” Grabbing a pen and paper from the end table, he jotted down her aunt’s address along with the address to the preschool. “Yeah, I know where both of these are. I’ll leave right now.” “I’ll call the preschool and let them know what happened and that you will be coming to get Kalvin. They may ask for identification so be sure you have your license with you,” Dominique said. 179

Tonya Ramagos “Oh, and Joshua…thanks.” A warm smile rose to his face. “No problem, baby.” **** Forty-five minutes later, Joshua pulled up outside Dominique’s aunt’s house with Kalvin in the passenger seat. The second the SUV came to a full stop, Kalvin bolted across the yard to the door. Watching from the window, Dominique saw her son running across the yard and opened the door just as he reached for the knob. “Mommy!” Kalvin shouted. Leaping up, he wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed with all his might. “Are you all right, Mom? Are you hurt?” Tears burned her eyes. She shut them in an attempt to prevent the water from falling. It was scary how quickly something terribly wrong could happen in life. One second everything could be a bed of roses, and the next, life as you knew it could be gone forever. For a moment, she wondered what would have happened to her son if she’d been severely injured or even killed in the wreck. Brushing the depressing, negative thoughts aside, she thanked her lucky stars she was still alive. “I’m fine, sweetheart,” she whispered, 180

Divine Attraction returning his tight embrace. Opening her eyes again, she spotted Joshua striding toward them— worry and fear painted all over his face. “Thank you so much for doing all of this,” she said to him, easing Kalvin back to the ground. “I know it’s way beyond your job description.” Joshua scowled at her futile attempt at a joke. “I would have been highly pissed off if you hadn’t called me.” Reaching out, he brushed a tender thumb over her forehead. “You’re going to have a nasty bruise there.” “Yeah, I know. I hit the steering wheel. No airbag.” “Did you go to the hospital? You could have a slight concussion.” “No, I didn’t go. I feel fine,” she insisted. Except for the sickness I’m going to feel when I find out how much all of this is going to cost me, she added silently. The last thing she needed was a damn hospital bill she couldn’t afford on top of all the rest. “It looks way worse than it is. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about my car.” Her gaze moved to the cherry red Honda Accord parked in the driveway. Joshua walked toward the car. A low whistle escaped his lips. “Holy cow, Mom!” Kalvin exclaimed, skipping around the front end of the car. 181

Tonya Ramagos “Judging from your expression I would say it is as bad as it looks, huh?” She folded her arms across her chest for comfort as she watched Joshua. “Well…” He stepped around the car to see the full amount of damage from all directions. “I’m no mechanic by any means but…” “But how much do you think it’s going to cost to get it fixed?” she jumped in. Her tone bluntly said, “Stop beating around the bush and give it to me straight.” Joshua bit his lower lip. “This is just a guess but I would say a few thousand easy.” Dominique’s heart fell to her stomach. Her eyes slammed shut. That was far from the news she had wanted to hear. So much for catching up on the bills. “Whose fault was it?” Joshua asked. “Not mine,” she answered a bit too quickly. “I was taking off at a green light. I had just reached the middle of the intersection when the guy ran the red light from the other direction and plowed into me.” She didn’t want to worry him further by telling him it had been the asshole from the bar who had been driving the other truck or that he had been drunk at the time. “Did you get his insurance company?” “He doesn’t have any insurance.” Dominique’s gaze fell to the ground. 182

Divine Attraction “Oh, no, and neither do you,” Joshua concluded from her expression. “And you have no way of making him pay for it unless you take him to court.” Dominique shook her head, feeling the tears rise to her eyes again. “I had insurance, but it was canceled a few months ago. I was going at the end of the week to get it back. Now it’s—it’s too late.” That was it. All the tears she had been holding in began to burst from her eyes in one uncontrollable gush. Joshua gently took her hand, pulling her into his arms. “Pull yourself together, baby. It’s going to be okay,” he said soothingly. He caressed the back of her head with the palm of his hand. “I just thank my lucky stars you weren’t hurt or…” Dominique forced herself to pull from his tight, comforting embrace, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand. She looked up at Joshua’s taut face, and she froze. He cares. He really cares. That was just general concern she saw in his eyes. It was more. Way more. Holy God! “Mom.” Kalvin’s little voice broke the sexual tension that had begun to build in the air. “I’m all right, sweetheart,” Dominique assured him, wrapping an arm around his tiny shoulders. Looking back at Joshua, but careful to avoid those breathtaking eyes, she asked, “Can you take us to 183

Tonya Ramagos the apartment? I only have a couple of hours to get ready for work.” Joshua angled his head. “Are you sure going to work tonight is such a good idea? Dominique, you’ve been in an accident. You should really go home and rest.” He sounded more like a doctor than her babysitter. “I’ll still stay and take care of Kalvin so you can have the evening to yourself.” A night in the house alone with Joshua and Kalvin—oh, how many times had she fantasized about that? Too bad it couldn’t happen. Damn! There were so many reasons she could not let that happen. “I have to go to work,” she said stubbornly. “Now I really need all the money I can get,” she added, casting an angry gaze toward the car. “Fine,” Joshua said. “Then you can take my SUV to work.” “No!” Dominique said quickly. “I mean—I can call a cab. Thanks for the offer.” “It wasn’t an offer. It was an order.” Joshua’s countered. “There’s no sense paying out the wazoo for a taxi when I have a perfectly drivable vehicle sitting right there.” He nodded toward his midnight blue sports utility vehicle. “I can’t go anywhere until you get home, anyway.” “Are you sure?” “Positive, now let’s go.” Sliding an arm around her waist, he propelled her forward to the 184

Divine Attraction passenger side of the SUV. He waited for her to get situated in the seat, then closed the door. For several seconds, he gazed at her with an expression she couldn’t interpret before walking around the front of the truck and hopping behind the steering wheel.

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Chapter Eleven hung up the phone from his third Joshua conversation with Dominique in a matter of hours and stood to pace the carpeted living room floor. She had called to check on Kalvin, who Joshua had just put to bed, as she always did when she was away at work. However this night, her calls weren’t just casual. She was in desperate need of someone to talk to, someone not downing booze at the bar. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going on with her. She was stressed to the max, worrying out of her mind. She probably hadn’t eaten a decent bite all day. Putting one foot in front of the other, Joshua wracked his brain, wondering what he could do to resolve the situation. Her car was the first thing on her mind. He knew that. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything he could do about that tonight. Still, he had to find some way to lift her spirits, even if just for a few minutes. The idea of cooking a gourmet meal and having it ready for her when 186

Divine Attraction she walked in the door at midnight came to mind. That would help. At least then he would know that she had gotten her nourishment for the day. Picking up the pace, he went to the small Lshaped kitchen only to discover that the limited supply of food items it contained blew that idea to smithereens. He sighed. Leaning against the counter, he gnawed his lower lip. He couldn’t go to the market. The closest one was over two miles away, too far to walk with a sleepy five year old in the dark, and he had insisted on her taking his truck to work. Damn! Pizza was out of the question, which was unfortunate since it was the only place in town that would deliver. “Not necessarily,” he said aloud as an idea came to him. In a flash, he was across the apartment, picking up the phone. “Natalie? How’s my sweet little sister doing this evening?” “Oh, boy.” Natalie’s quirky chuckle flooded the line. “What are you up to, Joshua?” “Oh…close to six foot I believe,” Joshua kidded, twirling the phone cord around his middle finger. “Cute,” Natalie said dryly. “You want something. I can tell. You never call me anymore and you certainly don’t butter me up for nothing. So spill it.” “Geez, so much for small talk.” He attempted to sound hurt but failed miserably. “I need a huge favor.” 187

Tonya Ramagos “I gathered that. What kind of favor are we talking?” “A trip to the grocery store. I need a few things.” “And you can’t go yourself because…?” “I don’t have my truck. Dominique was in a wreck this morning.” Natalie gasped. “Oh my gosh! Is she all right?” “Yeah, she’s fine. Physically anyway,” Joshua added. “Mentally, she’s a basket case. The car’s got a lot of damage. The guy who hit her didn’t have insurance and neither does she. Anyway, she was going to take a taxi to work tonight but I insisted she take my truck instead.” “And now you need it,” Natalie concluded. “Well…yeah. The woman never buys groceries—not good ones anyway. I wanted to cook dinner and have it ready for her when she got home tonight but there’s nothing here to cook.” “You’re cooking dinner for her.” The intrigue in Natalie’s voice rang loudly. “Don’t read to much into this, sis,” Joshua warned. “I doubt she’s eaten all day and I just want to be sure she doesn’t cause herself more problems than she already has. Now will you go to the store for me or not?” “Yeah, I’ll go for you,” Natalie said on a sigh. “What do you want?” 188

Divine Attraction What did he want? His thoughts had ventured no further than his decision to make dinner and have Natalie do the shopping for him. “Umm…” Joshua stalled, walked into the kitchen. “Pick up some skinless chicken breast. She loves chicken. And some teriyaki sauce, a couple of red and green bell peppers, onions and rice.” “Doing a Chinese cuisine, dear brother? Is that all?” “Sounds good to me. I just hope she likes it.” “Anything to drink?” Joshua’s gaze shot to the empty wine rack on the back of the countertop. “Chardonnay. Get the good stuff.” “Now we’re talking,” Natalie said, her voice taking on a teasing tone. “Anything else?” “That should do it. I’ll pay you back when you get here.” “And where do I bring this?” Joshua gave her Dominique’s address, then said goodbye. An hour later, Natalie arrived at the apartment, her arms weighted down with the bag of groceries and the bottle of wine. “There’s another bag in the backseat of the car,” she told him as she stepped inside, headed straight for the kitchen. Joshua got the last bag from the car, joined his sister in the kitchen. Peeking into the bag, he shot Natalie a perplexed look and asked, “Why did you 189

Tonya Ramagos buy a pie? That wasn’t on the list I gave you.” Natalie tossed him a glance over her shoulder. Her back to him, she rummaged through the cabinets. “You’ve got to have something for dessert. Since you ordered me not to read too much into this dinner ordeal, I figured dessert should be edible instead of extracurricular.” “Cute,” Joshua said dryly. But silently he had to admit the latter form of dessert sounded much more appealing. And he so didn’t need to go there. “What are you looking for?” “A vase. Do you know where she keeps them?” “What in the world do you need a…” He trailed off when he spotted the dozen red roses carefully placed on top of the grocery bag. “Natalie.” He groaned her name. “Why did you buy those?” Natalie spun from the cabinet, flashed him a wicked ear-to-ear grin. “An elegant dinner deserves something to dress up the table, right?” “Teriyaki chicken is hardly elegant,” Joshua countered, lifting a brow. “And I thought you weren’t reading too much into this evening. You know, especially since I asked you not to.” “Hey, can’t blame a sister for trying.” Natalie shrugged but her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Now where is a vase?” Joshua shook his head, knowing it was hopeless to argue with his headstrong sister. “I don’t know 190

Divine Attraction but I’ll find one before she gets here, okay?” “Do you need some help making dinner?” “No, I think I can manage.” He reached into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet. “How much do I owe you?” Natalie plucked a hundred dollar bill from his wallet. “That should do it.” “Geez! What grocery store did you go to? I could’ve taken her out to dinner for less than that.” “Yeah, to McDonalds, maybe.” Natalie laughed, rolled her eyes. “Hey, I got the wine, too, remember? And you said the good stuff. The good stuff doesn’t come cheap. Neither does a dozen roses.” “Which weren’t on your list,” Joshua reminded her. Natalie shrugged again and he laughed, shook his head. “Thanks for your help, sis.” “No problem. Anything for a blossoming relationship.” When Joshua shot her a warning look, she laughed, headed for the front door. “Call me tomorrow. Let me know how things went tonight. I want all the details.” “Get out of here,” he groaned and heard the door shut. **** When Dominique rounded the corner, she first 191

Tonya Ramagos saw Joshua leaning against the kitchen counter then the table set for two. Surprise rendered her speechless. She stopped, eased her purse to the floor, all the while her gaze staying locked on Joshua. “Hello.” He said it softly with one of those breathtaking smiles that had her hormones jumping to full alert in an instant. “What’s this?” She managed to ask with a quick glance at the table. “A spirit pick-me-up. You had a rough day. On the phone, you sounded as though your night wasn’t going much better. I thought a good dinner might help you forget your troubles if only for a little while.” Overwhelmed, she walked to the table, ran a finger down the petal of one of the roses. “Joshua, you shouldn’t have.” And why had he, she couldn’t help but wonder. Dinner for two, wine, roses… When was the last time a man had bought her a dozen roses? Her father had bought her roses on her graduation day. Did that count? Another thought occurred to her and she asked, “How did you get these? I had your truck.” “A little fairy named Natalie,” he said, walking to the table, pulling out a chair for her. “Ready to eat?” “Give me a sec.” She held up a finger. “I have to kiss Kalvin goodnight.” Less than a minute passed 192

Divine Attraction before she returned to the table, took a seat in the chair Joshua had pulled out for her. “I wasn’t sure what types of food you prefer but I knew I couldn’t go wrong with chicken. Teriyaki with sautéed vegetables,” he said questioningly as he set a plate before her on the table. Dominique didn’t care much for vegetables but after all he had done who was she to complain? “It looks fabulous,” she said, watching as he poured the wine. “It isn’t the weekend,” he said in reference to the wine. He had obviously picked up on the fact that she only drank on the weekend. “But I felt tonight could be an exception.” “Definitely,” Dominique agreed with a nod. She lifted her glass, took a large sip. She didn’t know a lot about wine or the different types and this was one she had never tasted. “What kind is this?” “Chardonnay. Do you like it?” “Love it! It’s so smooth, not too tart,” she said and took another sip. Joshua smiled, sat down across from her with his own plate of food. “Picking out the right wine with certain foods can be a bit tricky,” he said and stole a sip from his own glass, nodded. “But this one works.” Watching him, Dominique felt an emotional band tighten around her heart. He had gone to so 193

Tonya Ramagos much trouble, done so much tonight, all for her. Unable to stop herself, she stretched an arm across the table, laid her hand over his. “Thank you for this,” she said and smiled though she felt the corners of her lips quiver, felt her eyes begin to burn as tears welled. “Hey,” he said, turning his hand over to clasp hers. “This was supposed to make you feel better, not make you cry.” She sniffled, laughed. “They’re happy tears. I promise.” “Now that’s something I’ve never understood about women,” he said, shaking his head. “Crying cause you’re sad, yeah. But crying when you’re happy? That completely baffles me.” “Women are supposed to baffle men,” she said and gently, albeit reluctantly, eased her hand out of his. “It’s our lot in life.” He laughed and his amusement shown in his eyes. God, those eyes! They taunted her, begged her to want him, dared her to fight against them. And she did want him. Dammit but she did. Worse, she nearly told him as much before she checked her tongue. She was losing grip on her thin string of control, losing her ability to fight bit by bit. How much longer could she keep her desire, her need for him a secret? Afraid her thoughts and tongue would betray her, she picked up her fork, stabbed a thick strip of 194

Divine Attraction chicken. “Joshua, this is fantastic,” she said, savoring the flavor of the teriyaki mixed with that of the onions and peppers. Not only was the man drop-dead gorgeous but he could cook too! “Glad you like it,” he said and began eating his own food. “I can usually pull out a pretty good meal when I want to.” “And are you always so modest? No. Don’t answer that,” she said quickly, waving her fork at him. “I already know you are.” “Oh really. And exactly how do you know that?” “You’ve certainly been modest about your financial situation.” Joshua stopped in mid-chew, confusion and curiosity in his eyes. “My financial situation?” “You’re rich,” she said as if he, of all people, didn’t know how much money was in his bank account. She didn’t of course but from her conversation with Leeann she knew it was quite a lot. Not that it matters but you never gave me any indication, never told me that your family is one of the wealthiest in the South.” “I thought you knew,” he said with a lift of one shoulder. He paused to finish chewing, swallowed, lifted his wine glass. “Well, at least until the other night. Hell, I thought everyone in town knew. It’s not like we keep our financial standings a secret. My father has done a lot for this 195

Tonya Ramagos city. He’s continuously featured on the news for something or other.” “I don’t watch the news. I didn’t know anything about you or your family except what you told me which was a precious little. Here I was under the impression that you were just a normal, everyday man, broke, still in college and still living with your parents at the age of thirty.” He grimaced. “In other words, you thought I was a worthless bum. Jeeze, how could you think that about me?” His hurt expression was so obviously feigned Dominique nearly laughed. “By the way, I’m not thirty yet. And I told you I didn’t live with my parents and that money didn’t mean a thing to me.” “True,” she conceded. “But you darted out of the conversation before telling me that the reason money means nothing to you is because you have more than you know what to do with.” “Does that make any difference?” All playfulness gone, he stared at her with a seriousness that made her want to squirm. “Of course it doesn’t. I already said it didn’t” “And does that make me any less qualified to babysit Kalvin?” On that one, Dominique did laugh. “Honestly, Joshua, other than being a student in child psychology and having five younger brothers and sisters, you have absolutely no qualifications for 196

Divine Attraction the job.” “Then why did you hire me?” She froze, her fork dangling in mid-air over her plate. Why had she hired him? She had been opposed to the idea from the start, agreed to the interview only to soothe her own conscience. He had angered her only minutes after entering her apartment and yet she had still hired him. “Kalvin liked you,” she finally said with a nonchalant shrug. At least that much was true. “I see,” he said slowly, the amusement returning to his eyes. “And was that the only reason?” “Yes, it was.” Even to her own ears, it sounded as though she were telling herself that rather than him. Afraid he heard it too, she quickly said, “I found it important that Kalvin like his babysitter. After all, I knew he would be the one who would spend the most time with whomever I decided to hire.” “You’re absolutely right.” Joshua nodded but there was a faint smirk quirking his lips. “Although your feelings about the person you hired were important, too. You had to be sure you were comfortable leaving your son with a stranger.” Yep. He had heard it, she decided. And because of that, he was toying with her, prying for information. Should she give it to him, she 197

Tonya Ramagos wondered. Should she tell him everything? No. Absolutely not! She shouldn’t. She couldn’t! Unable to think of a safe response, she left the conversation dangling. She fell silent, quickly finishing off her plate of food, her wine, then rising from the table to take her dishes to the sink. “I’ll get that,” Joshua said, stacking his own dishes at the table. “You don’t have to,” she argued, twisting the knob on the hot water faucet. “I’m just running water over them so they won’t be so difficult to clean later.” And putting some distance between you and me, she thought. She watched the water as it streamed from the faucet to cover the plate, lifted a hand to her stiff neck and began to massage. “I wish you would go to the hospital,” he said and the sudden closeness of his voice had her selfmassage dying a quick death. He had stepped up behind her, so close behind her that she could feel the heat of his body on her back. “You could have whiplash,” he said softly. “Even if it is, there isn’t much a doctor could do for…” Her words trailed off when she felt his hands come to rest on her shoulders, start to massage. A sharp, hot, sweet sensation shot through her very core and she had to lean against the counter to keep from melting at his feet. 198

Divine Attraction Oh God, oh God, oh God! Now was not the time for him to be touching her. Not when she was exhausting all her energy to keep herself from reaching for him. Her grip on that thin string of control slipped another inch. **** He shouldn’t have touched her. Joshua had known that from the moment he stood from the table, with each step he had taken toward her. Yet he had made the move anyway and, God, the feel of her thin shoulders under his palms was a sweet agony. He had given her a massage before and held his control. Okay, so it had been her feet rather than her shoulders but he had still had his hands on her and he hadn’t allowed anything more to happen. He could do it again. Couldn’t he? She moaned, a soft almost inaudible sound, and he knew tonight’s massage would be different. He no longer wanted to keep his control, no longer wanted to prevent the natural string of events that would occur if he surrendered his fight. He wanted her and tonight he was going to take her. To hell with the consequences, to hell with tomorrow, to hell with it all. He leaned in, brushed his lips lightly over the bare flesh of her neck and felt her shiver beneath 199

Tonya Ramagos his fingers as they continued their light massage. When she didn’t pull away, he dared a lick, light and soft with just the tip of his tongue, and this time she whimpered. “Joshua…” She did move then, but not away from him. Instead, she angled her head to the side, exposed more skin for him to explore even as she allowed herself to rest against him. He knew she could feel his hardness in the center of her back, the evidence of just how badly he wanted her, and he was glad. He wanted her to know. There would be no more secrets, no more hiding, no more guessing. Tonight, he would reveal all. Tonight, he would take all. He licked again and the taste of her silky smooth skin had him feeling drunk, ravenous. His tongue trailed down her neck, dipped under the collar of her shirt. Alternating licks, nibbles and sucks had her moaning and grinding her back against him. The soft sounds, the semi-pressured movements, nearly sent him over the edge. He felt her begin to turn under his hands and nearly whimpered himself when he thought she was about to make him stop. But she didn’t. She turned slowly, her head doing a measured roll that kept his lips on her skin even as she moved to face him. Her arms snaked around him and she pulled him closer still. He kissed her throat, licked his way over her 200

Divine Attraction jaw and up her cheek before he dared a look at her. She was gazing at him now through heavylidded eyes darkened by desire, surprise, shock and confusion. And he saw something else there too. Something he wasn’t sure he wanted to acknowledge. He saw her falling—literally saw her taking the plunge—through the spheres of attraction and lust, into the realm of love. It should have stopped him, should have at least given him a moment of pause. Was it because he felt himself falling with her that he continued on? He slid a hand beneath her ponytail and finally allowed himself to do what he had been wanting to do almost from the moment she opened the door that first day. He kissed her. He had meant to kiss her softly, sweetly, but the instant their lips touched he felt himself explode. His tongue pushed its way into her mouth, not waiting for invitation, and sought hers, began a delicious duel of possession and branding. The need to feel more of her, taste more of her, took paramount control and he very nearly lowered her to the floor before he wrestled away an ounce of preventive strength. He didn’t want to take her that way. He wanted to show her a night of tenderness, of passion, of… Okay, a night of love. Not a quick, animalistic roll on the kitchen floor. His free hand tugged at her shirt, pulled it from the confines of her shorts and delved inside. 201

Tonya Ramagos His palm skimmed over her tight, flat stomach, moved up her abdomen and hesitated only a moment before cupping one breast through the lacy material of her bra. He felt her squirm against him, heard her moan into his mouth and his own lips curved into a smile even as he continued to ravish her mouth. It was all the encouragement he needed to continue his exploration. His fingers found the front clasp of her bra, released it, pushed the material aside even as he pulled her shirt up farther to expose her now bare breasts. He felt her quick intake of breath just before he broke the kiss, knelt to take one breast in his mouth. “Oh God,” he heard her gasp, her fingers burying themselves in his hair. She arched into him, pushing her breast deeper in his mouth as he licked, sucked, nibbled. “Joshua, please…” She drew the last word out in a pleading moan that had his cock screaming. In one fluid motion, he released her breast, his arm slipping behind her and lifted her off the floor, into his arms. “What are you doing?” she asked on a breathless laugh. Joshua gazed at her, into her eyes that had widened slightly, at her lips that were red and swollen from his kiss, and knew that he was doing what he had wanted to do all along. Any doubts he’d had, any battle he had been fighting was 202

Divine Attraction instantly swept away. “I’m going to make love to you,” he told her in a whispered tone that left no room for argument. “I’m going to make love to you like I’ve wanted to do from the moment I laid eyes on you.” She stared back at him, her eyes searching his until finally she nodded. But he had only taken a single step away from the counter before she said, “Wait,” and he thought his heart would hit the floor. “The water in the sink is still running.”

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Chapter Twelve

D

ominique had never known such tenderness with a man. She felt like a princess being rescued by her knight in shining armor from the castle of hell guarded by a demon dragon. He carried her like a bride over the threshold of her bedroom, kicked the door shut behind him. It was dark, only the faint gleam of the moon offering a bit of light. She could see only the outline of his face but it was enough. Everything else, all that he was feeling, all that he was thinking came through to her in his touch. Voices of objections echoed in her head, too many voices to count. But she ignored them all. Right or wrong, regretful morning or not, no matter the consequences, she wasn’t going to stop what was about to happen between them. Handling her as if she were a fragile flower, Joshua eased her down onto the bed, lowered himself on top of her. The warmth of his breath on her face as his lips neared hers sent a riot of 204

Divine Attraction delectable emotions sweeping through every fiber of her body. She could feel his arousal, strong and hard in his pants, as he pressed his lower body against her and opened her legs, bringing that pressure down where she wanted it most. “I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he whispered into the darkness. “You’ve done something to me. I can’t explain it. I’ve wanted you from the moment you opened the door the day of the interview.” She started to speak but the feel of his tongue sliding down the side of her face to her neck, the way he began to ground his lower body against her, erased any intelligent words she might have said. His hunger for her was shocking, insatiable and completely mirrored her own for him. He had turned her body into a blazing mass of unsatisfied desire and she wanted, needed, nothing more than to feel him inside her right now! Her hands traveled down the back of his shirt to his tight buttocks, squeezed, eliciting a deep moan from him that drove her wild. “Touch me,” she whispered, her tone begging and breathless even to her own ears. But she didn’t care. She felt begging and breathless, as if the entire world would end if he didn’t take her soon. “I want your hands on me. All of me.” That was all she had to say. He grabbed her hands, pulled her to a seated position under him 205

Tonya Ramagos and lifted her uniform shirt over her head. Her bra still unfastened, she slid her arms out of the straps as he tossed her shirt aside. His hands returned to her then, cupping her breasts, one in each hand. He weighed them in his palms, studied them, then bent his head, sucked one round, pink nipple in his mouth. Dominique threw her head back, moaning in sheer pleasure. Her fingers laced in his hair, fisted around it and tugged. His tongue fondled the peak of her nipple for a spine-shivering moment before he slowly raised his head. Their eyes locked in the darkness and she could just make out the way the corners of his mouth curved ever so slightly in the hint of a smile. Releasing her grip on his hair, she skimmed her hands down to unbutton his shirt, peel it from his shoulders. The warmth of his skin radiated through her palms as she caressed his bare chest, sank her fingers into the dark curls. They eased back down on the bed together, his hand slipping between them to unbutton her shorts while hers followed suit to unsnap the waistband of his jeans. He rolled off of her then, tugged at her shorts and sent them and her panties flying to the floor at the bedside. With growing passion, she removed his shoes to get rid of the binding, burdensome jeans and underwear that stood in her way. He caught the jeans just as she 206

Divine Attraction was about to toss them and pulled his wallet from the back pocket, took out a square blue packet of protection. Dominique lay down beside him, her bare breasts pressing against his side. She ran a finger caressingly along his jaw line. “That really isn’t necessary,” she whispered. “I’m on the pill.” “Just a precaution,” he said, turning to her again. He reached behind her head, freed her hair from the scrunchie, laced his fingers in the strands as they fell over her shoulders. “It never hurts to be double protected.” She might have had a question, at the very least a comment about that, but everything in her mind was lost when his hand slithered up her thigh, slipped in between her legs. And then, God yes, he was touching her. His hand cupped her, had her hips lifting off the mattress. When he dared to slip a finger inside, her breath came out on a whoosh of air she hadn’t been aware she was holding. It wriggled inside her, massaged and pumped. Soon, another finger joined, stretching her, bringing her violently close to release. She fought it, wrestled with the need to explode, the need to hold on until he was buried inside her. Scarcely, she felt him shift beside her, rise and move until next she felt him between her legs. She barely had time to register his intentions before his fingers were sliding out of her only to 207

Tonya Ramagos be replaced a heartbeat later by his tongue. And, oh sweet baby Jesus! He made love to her with his tongue, pumping, licking, sucking and then his thumb brushed lightly over her clit and control became a thing of the past. She exploded. There was no other way to describe it. Her fingers dug into the mattress on either side of her hips, her body tensing from head to toe only to melt in convulsions of orgasmic shock as her juices poured from her into his mouth. His tongue lapped at her wetness, greedily drinking her dry before he slowly rose, lightly kissed his way up her body until he was hovering over her. His face was inches from hers and she could smell herself on his lips. Mind scramble, she could think of nothing to say except, “Wow!” He chuckled softly, brushed his lips over hers. “Ready for another one?” “I don’t think that’s possible.” She really didn’t. She hadn’t known her body could do that in the first place. Not that she had never had an orgasm. She had. But never like that. Never one that blasted through her, out of her, with such force that she was left mindless and dizzy. Could he do that to her again? Oh please, she found herself praying. Please let him do that again. “Do you need more time?” The tip of his erection brushed lightly between her legs and, to her pleasant surprise, she felt 208

Divine Attraction herself growing wet with anticipation. “No.” She shook her head, her hands moving to cup his butt cheeks. “Fill me, Joshua. Take me. Take me now.” He slipped inside her, his cock hard and large, stretching her, filling her until she was certain he could go no farther and then deeper still. He stopped, buried completely inside her, and gazed down into her eyes. Her vision had adjusted to the darkness now and she could see him clearly. The tenderness she had felt from the first moment he touched her, the pleasure he was feeling at being inside her, the fight to keep it slow and gentle etched in his expression. But she didn’t want it slow and gentle. She wanted to feel that mind-blowing sensation as she detonated again, this time with him inside her. Her hips lifted, driving him deeper still, then fell in a quick, measured stroke, only to raise again a split second later. He allowed her to set the rhythm, following her pace with even, quickened strokes of his own. He plunged into her, hand her riving beneath him, clawing at his shoulders with her fingernails. It felt that good. “Dominique…” He hissed her name in warning. “Baby, I can’t…” And there it was, the clenching of muscles, the light-headiness that told her she was reaching the mountaintop. “Now, Joshua,” she heard herself say before she was biting back a scream of 209

Tonya Ramagos pleasure tinged with only a hint of pain. He drove himself into her so deeply she felt every long, glorious inch just before she tumbled into the quakes and jerks of an orgasm more violent, more mind numbing than the first. In the depths of her own deafening paradise, she heard him grunt, softly cry out, felt his body tense and ease as he found his own release. He fell on top of her panting and lightly shivering from exhaustion. She felt his heartbeat against her chest, its rapid rhythm falling into sync with hers. It was a long moment before either of them could speak. “That was some dessert, Mr. Divine,” Dominique finally said once her breath slowed to its normal, even pace. Joshua, still sprawled on top of her, lifted his head and smiled from ear to ear. “Actually, there is a French Silk pie in the fridge that was intended for dessert.” “Uh ah, no French Silk pie in the world could compete with that.” “Oh, really.” His eyes twinkled in amusement. “In that case, can I offer you another slice?” Her brows shot up in surprise. “Again?” The man’s stamina was unbelievable. Could he really do that again? Why not? She thought in answer to her own question. He had done it twice already. Her hand 210

Divine Attraction inched between them, snaked its way down until she found his erection still enclosed in the condom and, holly cow, still hard. “I hope you have another one of those.” She didn’t need to say it for him to understand she was referring to the condom. “I have one more,” he said and sucked in a breath as she began to remove the used one. “After that, we’ll have to improvise.” “And you’ve already proved to be a master at that.” “Shall I serve up another slice of that pie?” “Not yet,” she said and, obviously catching him off guard, flipped him onto his back, moved over him. “I get to do some improvising of my own first.” And with that, she licked her lips, grinned and went down on him. **** Dominique’s eyes fluttered open, then quickly shut again in agony from the blinding sunlight that poured through the bedroom window. For a moment, she lay with her eyes closed, mentally preparing herself for the day ahead. Somehow, she had to get estimates from body and mechanic shops on the cost of repairing her car. After which she would spend some quality time with Kalvin. She was not sending him to school today. It wasn’t 211

Tonya Ramagos often she allowed him to miss, but, with no way to get him there, keeping him home seemed like the best alternative. It wasn’t until she felt the squirm of a figure beside her, heard the soft masculine moan and felt the arm slide over her tummy that the events of the night before raced back to her mind. Sunlight forgotten, her eyes flew open. Heart pounding in her chest, she slowly turned her head. Joshua slept soundly beside her, his breathtaking features so peaceful. It was nice, not waking in the cold, empty bed alone, she admitted to herself and the security of that feeling had her wanting to wake him with the promise of more pleasures equivalent to those they had shared during the night. But she couldn’t, she shouldn’t. No matter how badly she wanted him again, what she truly had to do was get him out of her bed. She had to get him out of the apartment before… “Joshua,” she said softly, shaking him gently at first, then a bit harder. “Joshua, wake up.” His eyes opened slowly with only a trace of confusion before he focused on her and grinned. “Good morning, beautiful.” He turned on his side, propped himself on one elbow and leaned in for a kiss. For a brief heartbeat, she allowed herself to forget again. She forgot all of the reasons she 212

Divine Attraction shouldn’t be kissing him, all the regrets of last night that had started to weigh her down the instant she saw him sleeping beside her, forgot that she had to get him out of her apartment. She allowed herself to become lost in the kiss, to become lost in him. But only for a heartbeat. Then, she was pushing at his shoulder, breaking that kiss. The force of her shove had him falling back on the mattress. “Is my breath that bad?” he asked in a poor attempt at a joke. Dominique ignored him, slipped out of the bed and bent to gather his clothes. “You need to get dressed,” she told him, laying his clothes on the bed beside him. “And get out of here. Kalvin will be waking up any minute.” “And that’s a problem?” he asked, sliding to the edge of the bed to slip into his pants. Seeing him again, naked and bulging with muscles, she knew it would take all the control she could muster to throw him out instead of making hot, passionate love to him again. “Yes, it’s a problem!” She quickly covered herself with her knee-length, red satin robe, tied the strap with a rapid tug. Keeping her voice low as to not wake Kalvin too soon she said, “He can’t see you here.” “Why?” It was asked so simply, so unconcerned that she 213

Tonya Ramagos wanted to say Duh, don’t me a dumb ass but instead she said, “It would confuse him.” “The boy is smart, baby,” Joshua said, slipping into his shoes and shirt at the same time. “He’ll figure it out.” “My point exactly,” she said dryly. “You don’t want him to know I spent the night here,” Joshua said in a tone that suddenly rang of clarity. “He doesn’t need to know,” she said, walking to the door. She stopped, turned to face him. “Last night—” “Was amazing, wonderful, stupendous,” he supplied, moving toward her. She shook her head, opened the door. “It shouldn’t have happened, Joshua.” Needing to put distance between them and fast, she stormed down the hall. Regret was turning to anger…at herself, at him. She had no right to be angry with him, she knew, but being angry right now was better than dissolving into a puddle of tears. No matter how amazing, how wonderful, how stupendous last night had been, it had been a huge mistake. And to make that mistake even more monstrous, she now knew without a shadow of a doubt that she had fallen in love with him. With all her heart and soul, she had fallen in love with a man she couldn’t have, a man with too much pain inside that she could never heal, a man who could 214

Divine Attraction never accept chosen profession. “What do you mean it shouldn’t have happened?” He grabbed her arm, whipped her around to face him. She hadn’t realized he was so close. She had managed to make it only to the end of the hallway before he caught her. His eyes had turned hard, his voice dripping with freezing ice. “We shared something last night, Dominique. Something that I know you felt too.” “Can’t we please just forget about last night?” “Can you? Can you forget that I made love to you last night?” He traced the V opening of her robe, the light touch of his fingertip leaving a trail of fire in its wake. “Can you pretend I didn’t touch you last night?” He leaned in, nipped her cheek, her jaw. “Can you pretend I didn’t taste you, kiss you all over, that I was never inside you?” “Stop.” She couldn’t take it, could handle feeling his hands on her again, his mouth kissing her again. She stepped back, reached deep within herself for strength. “I have to forget it.” “No. You don’t” He wasn’t going to make this easy. Why had she thought he would? How could he not realize how wrong they were for each other? Had the sex been that good? Yes, she admitted. It had. Nearly good enough to make her forget why they couldn’t be. But the truth had quickly slapped her in the face and, once 215

Tonya Ramagos he allowed himself time to think, it would hit him too. But she was running out of time. Kalvin would be waking any second and Joshua simply couldn’t be there when that happened. She had to protect her son to say nothing of protecting her own heart. It all had to end. Now! Hardening the strength she had managed to find, she did the only thing she knew to do. She pissed him off. “Last night was nice. You’re incredible in bed and you gave me exactly what I needed. But it’s over. We had sex and now it’s time to move on.” “Are you telling me that’s all last night was to you? A one-night stand?” “More or less.” She lifted a shoulder, saw his jaw clench as she stepped around him. “You wanted to get my mind off my troubles last night. You succeeded. Thank you.” “I cooked you dinner to get your mind off your troubles,” he said through gritted teeth. “That had nothing to do with anything that happened afterwards and you know it.” “What I know,” she said, moving to the front door, “is that you had I have a professional relationship we must uphold. Allowing last night to taint that will only cause more problems between us. Kalvin likes you Joshua. I don’t want to find a new babysitter for him but I will if I’m 216

Divine Attraction forced to.” She turned, found him standing only a few inches away, disbelief and shock evident in his eyes. He shook his head, stepped through the doorway she had opened. “I thought you were different.” “I guess you were wrong.” She shut the door in his face just as her tears began to fall.

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Chapter Thirteen

H

e had let his dick override his brain. Nearly from the moment he had met Dominique Gabor, he had been fighting against exactly that. Yet, last night, he had lost the battle. More, he had allowed his heart to override his brain as well. How could he have been so wrong about her, he wondered as he strolled down the sidewalk to his next class, his shoulders slumping from the mysteries of the morning’s events. How could he have fallen… Joshua ran a frustrated hand through his hair, stopped, looked to the sky and wondered, not for the first time, why he was even bothering to attend his classes that day. Three down and two to go and he had yet to focus on anything but Dominique. The best he had been able to do was pray that none of his instructors got a wild hair up their rumps to slap out a pop quiz. He would surely fail. With a shake of his head, he began walking 218

Divine Attraction again, his thoughts returning to the only path they could see. Dominique. Okay, there was no denying it, he admitted albeit reluctantly. He was in love with her. So, how could he have fallen in love with a… With a… He couldn’t even bring himself to think of her as a slut. Because she wasn’t a slut. He knew it, in his mind, in his heart. Despite her profession and the views he had developed over the years about women such as her, she had proved to him that she didn’t deserve to be dumped into that category. Yet, wasn’t that how she had acted that morning? Wasn’t that how she had attempted to make him see her? Last night had been, more or less, a one-night stand. That’s what she had told him. But dammit, did she really feel that way? I thought you were different. I guess you were wrong. The last words they had spoken echoed in his head like a scream in a deep, dark cave. No. He wasn’t wrong. He couldn’t be. She could tell him he was wrong until she became blue in the face and he would never believe it. Last night had been far more to her, meant far more to her, and there was no way she was going to convince him of anything different. She couldn’t. He hadn’t been wrong about her. He kicked at a rock on the sidewalk, sent it sailing and hoped, as an afterthought, that it 219

Tonya Ramagos didn’t hit anyone. None of it made sense. She had all but kicked him out of the apartment. He had expected… Oh hell, he didn’t know what he had expected from the morning after but it certainly hadn’t been for her to practically toss him out on his ears! He rubbed one of them now, thinking of how he had stood on the front walk outside her apartment completely dumbfounded, staring at the door for who knew how long. He had wanted to open that door again, stomp back inside and refuse to leave until they had settled this. It’s what he should have done, he mused, knowing that any attempt he made to move on from this point would be futile until he worked this out with her. Hell, even breathing seemed like a wasted effort today. But he hadn’t done it. He had left instead, come to school like a good little boy. And hadn’t that proved to be the biggest waste of his day’s energies? “Joshua.” He heard the voice, soft and decidedly female, pictured the look of passion on Dominique’s face as she had whispered his name in the night. And then he looked up, glanced to his right and found that Heather had fallen into step beside him. Not now. He felt like screaming it but settled for a quiet sigh. Why not now? Having a woman pissed 220

Divine Attraction at him and ready to toss him on his ear seemed to be the day’s theme after all. “How’s it going?” It was a lame response but the first to roll from his tongue. They hadn’t spoken since the day she had stormed out of his house. What had been between them, what would happen to their relationship hadn’t been settled, he realized now, and yet he’d hardly had a second thought about it. A fight with Heather and he had simply dismissed it. A fight with Dominique, a smaller and less heated one at that, and he felt as though the world was coming to an end. Now wasn’t the time to analyze that one. “We have a few minutes before class. I thought we could chat,” Heather said. Though she spoke softly her tone was anything but conversational, her words dry and clipped. That was good, Joshua decided. Much easier to handle than the pleading, tears or seduction attempts he was accustomed to from her. “I was under the impression you had said all you needed to the last time we were together,” he told her, shooting her a quick glance. She looked good, he thought. Polished and sophisticated. Normal. “I saw your truck at the bar last night.” Said in any other context, from any other person, it would have been a small talk statement. But from Heather, in reference to Dominique, it was a poke. A poke he felt like a hot dagger 221

Tonya Ramagos straight to his gut. Not because he knew what Heather was thinking or even cared what she thought, he admitted with only the slightest twinge of guilt. But simply because the mere mention of Dominique had a vice squeezing at his heart. He wouldn’t have minded going back to last night when Heather had seen his truck at the bar. Then he could relive the hours he had spent with Dominique, maybe do or say something that would have the morning after turning out differently. “Dominique took it to work,” he told her. “She was in an accident yesterday.” He left it at that, feeling it was more than enough explanation. “Yeah, well, I knew I was right.” Heather rolled her eyes. “Anyway, I thought our relationship deserved a better closure. That and I needed to return this.” Joshua took the key she held out for him, said a quiet thank you and watched as she walked away. He waited to feel… What? The pangs of loss, regret, longing? He felt none of those. What he did feel was a weight of need so heavy he didn’t have the strength to lift it. But Dominique did. If only she would. ****

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Divine Attraction She didn’t want to hire another babysitter. The thought of going through all of those inquiring phone calls, the interviews, had Dominique closing her eyes and praying that she wouldn’t have to fire Joshua. And that was to say nothing of how Kalvin would react if she did. He liked Joshua, far more than she had hoped. He would be devastated if she were forced to find someone new. So she wouldn’t, she decided with a forced determination she wished her mind would back up. She and Joshua had crossed the line between employer and employee last night and there was no going back. That much, she knew. However, if they could somehow learn to coexist without last night constantly interfering, everything would be all right. When the phone rang, she pushed all thoughts of Joshua aside and answered. But to her dismay, the call offered no solace to the day’s miseries. “Dominique.” Her father’s voice vibrated through the line. “What’s wrong? You sound like you’ve been crying.” She had been and dammed him for realizing that. Damn herself for not being able to hide it. “No, everything is fine, Dad,” she said quickly. “I was uh…peeling onions, that’s all.” It was a lie. She had cried buckets since slamming the door in Joshua’s face that morning. 223

Tonya Ramagos And, from the pressure behind her eyes, she doubted it would be long before she began to fill another bucket. But her father bought it. Not that she had thought he wouldn’t. The fact that she didn’t even eat onions would never occur to him. It had been two years since she’d had a real conversation with her father. Two years since he had said more than the quick hello and here’s your mother to her. But he had done the dialing this time. Could it be that he was finally coming to his senses, finally ready to accept her decision to move away and put their father/daughter relationship back on an even slate? “Your mother and I are thinking about renting out the trailer you used to live in,” he said and she felt the small hopes that had been rising fall to a quick death. “I don’t suppose you’ve decided to forget about whatever it is you’re trying to prove and move back home?” “No, Dad,” she answered on a heavy sigh. “Things are going good for me here.” At least everything that had nothing to do with Joshua Divine. “If you and Mom want to rent out the trailer, go ahead. I’m sure the extra money will come in handy.” “I’m not kicking out tenants when you decide you’re ready to come home, Dominique.” He sounded so cold. He always did when she talked 224

Divine Attraction to him these days. Until two years ago she could have counted on one hand the number of time he had spoken to her in that voice. Now, her fingers and toes didn’t provide enough digits to get an accurate sum. “This is your one and only chance. Once we rent out the trailer, you won’t have a home to come back to, unless you move back in with your mother and me.” “I don’t plan on coming back, Dad,” she said and felt the deja vu of a tape recorder on repeat. “I’m happy here. Kalvin is happy here. And I hope that someday you’ll find it in yourself to understand that.” “I understand that you’re being selfish and pigheaded,” her father countered. The urge to go oink, oink through the phone line was too strong. Instead, she bit back the retort and said, “I’m sorry you feel that way, Dad. I have to go now. I love you.” She hung up the phone and mentally reached for another bucket to fill. **** “Are you talking to him yet?” Leanne asked, propping her elbows on the bar. Dominique busied herself with rearranging glasses on the back of the beer cooler. The Monday night crowd of after work drinkers had tapered off, leaving only a select few regulars scattered 225

Tonya Ramagos about the bar. “Of course we’re talking,” she said without a glance at her boss. “He’s Kalvin’s babysitter. We have to talk.” “You know that’s not what I mean,” Leanne said dryly. “It’s been over two weeks since the two of you had sex.” Dominique’s head snapped up. “Could you say that a little louder? I don’t think that guy in the poolroom heard you.” “No one heard me.” Leanne batted a hand in the air. “And you can’t keep pretending it never happened.” “I think I’ve done a pretty good job so far.” Dominique stuffed her hands in her pockets, rocked back on the heels of her tennis shoes. “It was sex, Leanne. The great American pastime, loads of adults do it every night.” “And just as many—or, I would hope just as many—make love. Which is exactly what you did with Joshua. What you described to me was certainly not just a romp between the sheets. There was too much passion, too much of a connection to be anything but making love.” Leanne paused, sipped her drink. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Dom—the way he stands in the doorway each afternoon watching until we’re out of sight. He loves you. And you love him. Yet you won’t talk to him. Hell, you won’t even borrow his truck to come to work anymore! Not that I mind giving 226

Divine Attraction you a ride, but aren’t you’re being a bit…ridiculous?” Childish. That’s what Leann had started to say. Dominique knew it, could hear it in her boss’ tone. And yeah, maybe she was being childish. No doubt about it, her refusals where Joshua was concerned were certainly putting an unneeded burden on Leanne, taking advantage of her generosity. Most other employers would have fired her by now for not having her own transportation. Instead, Leanne had been giving Dominique a ride to and from work for over two weeks. All because she was being too childish to borrow Joshua’s offered truck again, Dominique mused. But she simply couldn’t bring herself to take anything from him. She had taken far too much already. The less she took from now on, the easier everything would be. “I’m saving every dime to get my car fixed,” she said on a sigh of desperation. “With any luck, I should be able to get it back on the road in the next week or two. Can you deal with me for that much longer?” “Honey, I can deal with you for as long as it takes,” Leanne assured. “That’s not the point, and you know it. I’m not worried about your car. I’m worried about you, and I don’t understand the problem with Joshua.” 227

Tonya Ramagos Dominique covered her face with her hands. Her voice muffled and pleading, she said, “You know the problem.” “What, that you’re a bartender? Come on, Dominique! Do you know how silly that sounds? So what if he’s had some bad experiences with bartenders. Losing the woman he intended to marry in a barroom brawl along with his first unborn child. All of that happened years ago.” “Time doesn’t erase all pain,” Dominique said dryly, moving to the edge of the bar near Leanne. “No, it doesn’t. But it heals wounds and allows people to put things behind them and carry on,” Leanne said, reaching out to lay a caring hand on Dominique’s shoulder. “I don’t want to lose you. You’re one of my best employees. But if it’s really this job that’s standing between you and the man you love, then, speaking as both your boss and a friend, my advice is to quit. Jobs are a dime a dozen, Dominique. True love, the love like you and Joshua share, that kind of love comes around once in a lifetime.” “It’s not just my job,” Dominique argued stubbornly. “Although even if it was, I still wouldn’t quit. I will never allow myself to become dependant on a man again. I tried that with my ex-husband and I got screwed, remember? “Joshua is nothing like your ex-husband.” “Oh, believe me, I know that, but Joshua and I 228

Divine Attraction are from two different worlds. He’s practically royalty and I’m a peasant. We’re too different. That alone would destroy us before we even started.” “You’re making excuses.” Leanne shook her head in desperation. “Why, I don’t know. But I’m telling you now, Dominique. You will never find another man like Joshua Divine. You let that man slip through your fingers, and you will regret it for the rest of your life.” **** Leanne’s friendly words of warning weighed heavily on Dominique’s mind. Yet when she returned home that evening, she was no closer to attempting to smooth things over with Joshua than she had been before the talk with her boss. She loved him. She loved him more than she ever thought possible. That wonderful night, he had made her feel things, things no one else ever had. Her heart was breaking. Each time he showed up at the apartment to babysit Kalvin, each night when she came home from work, her heart shattered more. They acted like strangers now, barely speaking, hardly looking at each another for the short few minute spans they were together. He performed his job as he always had, then gathered his belongings at the end of the evening 229

Tonya Ramagos and left. Her mind whirled to the first night after they’d made love. She had returned home to find an elaborate dinner waiting for her on the table, soft romantic music playing in the background, the flickering glow of candles the only light in the place. Joshua had stood beside the table, his face full of hope. She had almost given in to him that night. Her need for him, to have his hands on her again, to taste his kisses, to feel him inside her—the desires were almost too much to bear. Almost. Instead, in the cold, hard fashion she had developed since that lustful night, she had blown off Joshua and the dinner, claiming she wasn’t hungry and ordering him to turn off the music before he left. The anguish that had risen to darken his features had brought tears to her eyes. Determined not to let her feelings show, she had made a beeline for her bedroom, closing and locking the door behind her. Once she heard the front door slam, she had known it was safe to come out. Tonight, however, there was no dinner waiting for her on the table, no soft romantic music playing. She found Joshua stretched out on the sofa, a textbook open across his chest, sleeping. He looked so peaceful, so serene. With a day’s growth of beard on his face, he looked more rugged, more 230

Divine Attraction blatantly sexy than usual. Her body craved to be with him again. She wanted to kneel beside him, wake him with passionate kisses beginning with his tanned forehead and spanning to wherever she decided to stop. But she didn’t. She couldn’t. She might be falling apart on the inside, but on the outside, she had to remain strong. No matter how deeply she loved him, even if he felt the same for her, which she was still unsure of, a relationship would never work. Leanne had said she was making excuses. Maybe she was, but it was only because she knew the truth deep within. The pain she felt now was bad, but the heartbreak that was sure to result from a terrible definite end to a serious relationship with Joshua would be far tougher to swallow. Plastering that grim, stony expression she had now mastered to her face, she shook Joshua awake. “I’m home,” she said simply, silently ordering herself not to look into those gorgeous green eyes as they fluttered open. “Hi,” he said, his voice groggy as he lifted himself to a seated position on the sofa. He ran his fingers through his hair, yawned. “Sorry I dozed off. Studying can get pretty boring. Sometimes I think I’m too old for this college stuff.” “Won’t you be finished soon?” she asked, wandering to the kitchen for her usual late night 231

Tonya Ramagos sandwich and chips. “Finals are next month.” He stood, stretched, followed her into the kitchen. “Trust me, it’s not soon enough. Though I can’t help but wonder what I would do if I flunked after coming this far.” Dominique slapped the makings of a turkey sandwich together and snatched a can of soda from the fridge. She plopped down at the table and bit into the sandwich. “I’m sure you’ll do fine,” she said around a mouthful. “Oh, if you’ll hand me my purse over there, I’ll give you your money for last week.” “It’s nice to have you talking to me again,” he said, taking the seat across from her instead of grabbing her purse as she had asked. “Don’t read too much into it.” But he already was. One tiny step around the solid wall of ice she had built and she could already feel that wall beginning to melt, dissolving any barrier she had between herself and a world of complication. “Your aunt called this evening,” he said conversationally. He placed his arms on the table, laced his fingers together in front of him. “She had a friend of hers look at your car.” “Did she say who?” Her aunt’s associations could sometimes be a bit frightening. Most of them were great people but some had proven to be complete screw-ups. “Louis Smol—Smol—” 232

Divine Attraction “Smolisch,” Dominique provided, her lips curving involuntarily in a smile at his struggle. “I forgot about him. He’s a great mechanic and pretty good with bodywork, too. Did my aunt say if he could fix the car or what he will charge?” “She said he couldn’t give her a definite price because there may be more damage that won’t be obvious until he begins working on it.” Joshua leaned back in the chair. “But he did give a ball park figure of fifteen hundred to two thousand dollars.” Fifteen hundred to two thousand. Ouch! Dominique winced, set down her sandwich and reached up to free her hair from the binding ponytail holder. “Could be worse, I guess,” she sighed. “I’ll get in touch with him next week.” “There’s no need to.” Dominique froze, narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean there’s no need to?” “I told your aunt to have him fix it. As long as he doesn’t run into any problems, it will be ready by the weekend.” “You—” She broke off, felt the string on her temper tighten. Stay calm, she told herself and took a breath. “Why the hell did you do that?” she blurted, nearly screamed it. So much for staying calm. “I don’t have the money to get if fixed right now! I have most of it, but it will be another week or so before I have that much. He may allow me to 233

Tonya Ramagos pay him some now and the rest later, but I wish you had talked to me about it first. If a decision had to be made tonight, you could have called me at work.” “Don’t worry about it,” he said with an ease that made her want to slap him. “I told your aunt I would drop off a check in the morning before my classes.” Dominique clenched her teeth, glared at him. “I can’t give you a check to drop off when I don’t have the money. I don’t even have a dammed checking account! I was on my way to open one when that son-of-a-bitch plowed into me.” “I have a checking account,” Joshua said calmly. “Look, I know you really can’t afford that kind of extra expense right now. I’ll pay for the repairs and you can pay me back when you can.” The tightened string on her temper snapped and what little control she had been holding onto went flying out the window. She lost it. “Have you lost your mind?” she shrilled. “What the hell make you think I would let you pay for my car?” “It’s no big deal. I can—” “Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear,” she cut him off. “Let’s try it this way. You—are—not— paying—for—my—car.” She said it slowly, forcefully, as if she were speaking to a disobedient two year old. “Come on, Dominique. I’m just—” 234

Divine Attraction “Geez! I sleep with you once and you think you own me.” She leaped from the table, stomped to the sink, tossed in her empty plate with a loud thud. “That’s just like a damn man.” She heard him sigh. Several moments passed in silence before he finally said, “I don’t think I own you. I’m just trying to help you. Why won’t you let me?” “I don’t want your help and I sure as hell don’t need it,” she said, spinning from the sink. “I’m tired of you taking it upon yourself to do whatever you want without consulting with me first. You’re always bringing over food and new toys for Kalvin and anything else you feel like. You act like we can’t afford anything. Now you want to pay to have my car fixed!” “Dom—” he stood, took a step toward her. “You were hired as a babysitter and nothing more,” she continued to rant. “I make plenty of money to take care of my son and my responsibilities. We may not be as rich as you but we are not a charity case and I resent the fact that you insist on treating us like one.” He stopped, stiffened and she thought for sure he would shout back at her. But he didn’t. When he spoke, his tone remained soft, low, and dammit, in complete control. “I apologize. I didn’t realize I was doing anything wrong.” “Of course you didn’t. You’ve got money. Why 235

Tonya Ramagos not use it? You can afford to buy Kalvin that certain toy that I have to save a week for to buy. Why not buy it for him now? You can afford the expensive bottles of wine, the fancy dinner makings. Why not buy them too? You clean my house, do everything for my child and now you’re making my financial decisions too!” “Keep going,” he said, the slightest bit of his own temper now sounding with his words. “Do you want me to apologize for having money? Should I apologize for wanting to do things for you and Kalvin? Come on, Dominique. I can’t know what to do or how to act with you unless you tell me. Instead, you’ve completely stopped talking to me. You act like I’m not even here.” “Believe me, I know you’re here,” she muttered and stomped past him. “Good. At least that’s something. Look, I know how worried you’ve been about your car. I hate to see you that way. I try to talk to you and you ignore me. I try to get close to you and you move away. I try to do things for you and you accuse me of taking over. You give me one night—one incredible, mind numbing, heart stealing night— and then you tell me to forget about it. You’re driving me nuts, Dominique! I want to be with you so bad it’s killing me but you won’t let me have you. I love you, dammit! Why can’t you see that?” “Probably because you never told me,” she 236

Divine Attraction yelled, whirling to face him and her eyes locked with his for the first time that night. Her breath caught, her pulse hammered in her ears as his words penetrated. He said he loved her. Loved her! Across the kitchen, Joshua braced himself against the counter for support. His expression mirroring the astonishment she knew was on her face as if he couldn’t believe he had said it either. “Well, it’s about time,” Kalvin’s voice tore through the air. Both heads whipped around to find him standing in the living room, hands planted on his hips. “Does that mean Joshua is going to be my new daddy now?”

237

Tonya Ramagos

Chapter Fourteen

K

alvin was fired up with excitement and getting him back to sleep proved to be a more difficult task than Dominique could have imagined. All the questions—Were she and Joshua getting married? Where would they live? Would they be having a baby sister or brother for him soon after the wedding?—complicated the task to no end. For the first time in her life, she didn’t know how to answer her son’s difficult questions. The questions about his father had become commonplace. While they were always hard to answer, and while she knew she never really told him the truth, she always had an answer. But the questions he was asking now, how was she supposed to answer them? Joshua had said he loved her. She knew without a doubt she loved him. But nothing between them was solved. If anything, the complication scale had just tipped over. After more “I don’t knows” and “no’s” than she 238

Divine Attraction had ever spoken in one conversation in her life, Kalvin finally drifted off to sleep. Sighing with relief, Dominique eased off the bedside and quietly left the room. A part of her half-expected Joshua to be gone. She didn’t know why she would expect that. Maybe because everyone she had ever fought with, or even had the slightest disagreement with, had walked out on her leaving everything unsolved. But not Joshua. She found him pacing the living room floor. When he spotted her entering the room, he stopped, looked at her in question. She could see it all on his face. What had she told Kalvin? How did she feel about what he had said to her? Where did they go from here? “He’s finally back to sleep,” she said, her voice low and jittering. And now I wish he wasn’t, she thought as she watched Joshua. They would have to talk now, she knew, and about more than the single night they had shared, about more than their working association. Nerves rocked her insides, made her feel sick to her stomach. Everything about her, inside and out was shaking. She wished for her temper to return, for the anger she had felt in the kitchen, for anything but these feelings of uncertainty, apprehension and dread. He walked to her and her heartbeat kicked up another notch. At this rate, she would be dead 239

Tonya Ramagos from a heart attack in a matter of minutes. At least then she wouldn’t have to face the dreaded talk, she mused. “What did you tell him?” he asked. She looked at him, searched his eyes, attempted to see inside, to read his thoughts. What she saw had her gaping at him. Amusement. The twinkle in those astounding green eyes told her so. He thought all of his was cute! “I told him no,” she answered simply and watched that twinkle die out. “Okay,” he said slowly. “It’s the truth.” She shrugged. “So you’re saying you aren’t in love with me?” “No.” The look of disappointment… No, it was far more than disappointment. The look of sadness, loss of hope, hurt, that washed over his face had tears welling in her eyes. “I’m saying that it doesn’t matter if I love you. It would never work. You and I would never work.” He brought a hand to her cheek, gazed into her eyes with a compassion that had a tear spilling over. “Do you love me, Dominique?” he asked softly. “Joshua, I—” “Do you love me?” She closed her eyes, breathed in his scent, reveled in his touch. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, I love you. But you and I—” 240

Divine Attraction “Can make anything work as long as we’re in love,” he finished for her and she wished could feel even an ounce of the determination and certainty she heard in his voice. “Whatever problems we have can be worked through together. That’s what true love is all about.” “You don’t know how bad I wish I could believe that.” She stepped away, turned her back on him but he simply moved around her until they were once again face-to-face. “Why can’t you?” “There’s too much, too many differences. My career, for instance,” she said as was of example. “You can’t handle my career. I know you can’t.” He slowly nodded, pushed his fingers through his already ruffled hair. “You’re right. I don’t like it. But I can learn to accept it. I will learn to accept it,” he added in sheer determination. “Can you learn to see me for me and not Margot?” she asked and watched the dagger shoot into his heart, saw the surprise flash through his eyes before they clouded over with pain. “You know about Margot?” Dominique nodded. “How much do you know?” “Everything, I think.” “I need to sit down,” he said absently. He reached for her, took her hand and led her to the sofa. “Tell me what you know.” 241

Tonya Ramagos “She was your fiancée, your pregnant fiancée. She was a bartender. Both she and the baby were killed in a fight that broke out in her bar.” “That about sums it up,” he sighed. “Your boss told you?” Again, she nodded. “I’m sorry. I should have told you the other night when you asked. I just didn’t feel it was the right time.” “It’s all right. I understand,” she said softly. “I would like to tell you now—in my own words—if you’re willing to listen.” “I am.” She found needed him to tell her, needed to hear the truth from him. “Margot and I were engaged for almost a year,” he began, leaning back on the sofa. “We met our senior year of high school and got engaged right after graduation. At that time, the legal drinking age was eighteen, which also meant you only had to be eighteen to serve alcohol. Margot began working at the bar right before we met and she loved it. It was what she wanted to do. I was young. I knew I had loads of money waiting for me in the bank. So I blew off college and decided to devote my entire life to her.” He turned Dominique’s hand over in his, laced their fingers together and continued. “Although neither one of us would really have had to work, she insisted on doing it anyway. Working made her feel more complete. I tried to get her to find another job, at least a better bar, but she refused. 242

Divine Attraction She felt she had something to offer the deadbeats that came in that place. In the end, she gave them her life and the life of our unborn child.” His voice cracked at the mention of his unborn child and stopped, swallowed hard. “I was devastated by her death and even more by the death of our child. I was lost, lonely. I began going to every bar in town, taking home bartenders, sleeping with them, desperately trying to find another Margot, I guess.” “But you didn’t,” Dominique whispered. God, hearing the story from Leanne had been heart wrenching enough, but hearing it from Joshua, seeing the pain and anguish in his eyes… She cursed herself for putting him through this. “No.” He shook his head. “All I succeeded in finding was more misery and a terrible attitude toward women bartenders.” “I guess that’s understandable.” She winced in resentment. If it weren’t for all the women who were in the profession for the wrong reasons, she wouldn’t be going through all this hell. “No, it’s not,” he countered, shifting slightly to face her. “It’s not right because I almost allowed those ill feelings to ruin my love for you. I have things in my past, Dominique. I’ve been hurt. I made more wrong decisions in dealing with that pain than I care to admit. There will always be a place in my heart for Margot and the child we 243

Tonya Ramagos never had. But you—I love you more than I ever thought I could. You make me feel things that even she couldn’t.” A tear slid down Dominique’s cheek as she watched him open for her completely, saw as his expression, his eyes revealed everything inside him to her. He did love her. He did want to be with her. “I can’t live without you, Dominique,” he whispered, pulled her closer. He brushed his lips across her forehead. “Please don’t make me.” “You sure are talking a long time.” “I’m talking eternity.” His eyes serious, he raised her hand to his mouth and kissed. “Marry me, Dominique.” **** Six Months Later “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Joshua, you may kiss the bride.” With great care, Joshua lifted the veil covering Dominique’s face. Slowly, their lips met in a wonderful, firework-exploding kiss for all to see. An eruption of applause broke out behind them. “Hey, save that stuff for your honeymoon,” Natalie yelled, causing a blast of laughter to explode among the four bridesmaids. 244

Divine Attraction Turning to the crowd, Joshua held Dominique’s hand high in the air as they descended the aisle of white satin-like material. Dominique’s eyes glistened with tears of happiness. Joshua’s parents had accepted the news of their plans to marry far better than she had expected. After a long talk with their son, they had actually been overjoyed with the news. Constance had even stepped up to the plate to plan the wedding immediately—insisting the event be held in their backyard. Joshua’s family had done a fabulous job with the decorations for the wedding, transforming the backyard into a shrine of romantic symbolism. They had abandoned the tradition of only virgin weddings being white. After all, as Constance said, it was the twenty-first century. Who held to tradition these days? White magnolias draped, hung, and poked out from everywhere; the patio was lined with ribbons and lace. Tiny white lights sparkled in the trees. They had spared no expense. From the three-tier wedding cake to the elegantly catered refreshments, the entire event had certainly cost a bundle. Still, it was the most gorgeous scene she had ever laid eyes on. There was only one thing that could have made the day better—if her father could have set aside his stubbornness to be there to walk her down the aisle. Instead, Mitchell 245

Tonya Ramagos Divine had taken that privilege. Stopping at the end of the aisle, they shook hands with the many guests in attendance, thanking them for their voices of congratulations and for joining them on their festive day. Then Dominique remembered the figure standing in the shadows that she had spotted out of the corner of her eye when she was walking down the aisle at the beginning of the ceremony. Quickly, she scanned the audience of guests until she spotted that figure again, still planted in the same spot. She squinted, arched her neck until the figure came into focus. That’s when her heart stopped. Could it be? The figure slowly walked toward her, came into few and proceeded until he stopped within inches of her. With a nod and a soft hello, he addressed Joshua, then returned his attention to Dominique, who gazed at him through tear-filled eyes. Without a word, he reached out, lacing his arm in hers, and began leading her back up the aisle to the archway. Once there, he gently spun her to face him. His deep blue eyes glistening with tears, he placed a finger under her chin and kissed her softly on the lips. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it in time to do that when it really counted.” “But you’re here, and you’ve done it now,” she choked. “That’s all that matters.” Tears gushing 246

Divine Attraction from her eyes, she stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed for dear life. “Thanks, Dad.” “I love you, honey,” her father whispered. “And I love you.” They held each other for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, pulling himself from her embrace, he gazed down at her, a smile curving his lips. “I should get you back to your new husband now.” Reaching to wipe the tears from her face, Dominique returned his smile as they descended the aisle once again. Joshua stood exactly where she had left him, now talking with her mother. Slowly, Dominique allowed her father to lead her back to her husband. “I believe this belongs to you now,” her father said, holding out her hand for Joshua to take. Dominique cleared her throat, struggled to regain her composure. “I see you’ve met my mom,” she said, pulling Joshua closer to her. “This is my father, Henry Gabor. Dad, this is Joshua Divine.” The men shook hands. “You were right. I would have never been able to forgive myself if I had missed this special day in my daughter’s life. Thank you.” “Thank you?” Dominique repeated, her gaze dancing from husband to father. 247

Tonya Ramagos “And thank you for taking the time to listen to what I had to say.” Joshua nodded. He glanced at Dominique and added, “And deciding to be here for your daughter.” “Would someone mind telling me what’s going on here?” “Let’s just say your new husband made me see how stupid I was acting and what I was missing out on,” Henry answered with a sigh. He put a hand on Dominique’s shoulder, squeezed. “I’m sorry for everything, sweetheart.” “Me too,” she said softly. “But how…” “I got your father’s number from your aunt and called him,” Joshua explained with a lift of one shoulder. “In summary, I talked, he listened, and here we are today. Let’s just leave it at that for now.” “Grandpa!” Kalvin’s shrill blasted through the chatter of the back yard. Within seconds, he had dashed across the yard, jumped up, and landed in his grandfather’s arms. “We’re going to give the two of you a few minutes alone,” Dominique’s mother said to her and Joshua with a wink. “Come on, you two, let’s go find something to drink.” Dominique watched as her parents scurried away with her son. “Are you all right?” Joshua asked softly when they were out of sight. He stepped in front of her, 248

Divine Attraction grabbing both of her hands in his. “I’m fine,” she sniffled. “Better than fine, actually. I’m the happiest woman in the world, and I owe it all to you.” “I love you, Mrs. Divine,” he whispered. A sly grin spreading across his face, he slid a hand down to her tummy, making a quick glance around to be sure no one was watching or listening. “Both of you.” Dominique felt her eyes grow wide. “You know!” she gasped. “I guessed.” He shrugged. “Dr. McKnight’s office called while you were out yesterday. You left your checkbook on the counter.” “My checkbook.” She slapped her forehead. “Thank God! I didn’t know what had happened to it. But still, how did you know? Surely they didn’t tell you. They would be violating all kinds of laws.” “They didn’t tell me. I simply put two and two together. I know Dr. McKnight is an OB-GYN. You never said anything about going for a regular check-up. Then I realized you’ve had this special glow about you the last few weeks. The kind of glow that women get…” “When they’re pregnant,” Dominique finished for him. She had never experienced so many mixed emotions as she had when her doctor confirmed what she had already suspected to be 249

Tonya Ramagos true. She was pregnant. While she had been delighted to hear the news, she had also been a bit fearful of telling Joshua. They had only decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. They had yet to discuss those lives involving any other child but Kalvin. What he would think, how he would feel, how he would react, had plagued her from the moment she’d heard the news. “I’m six weeks,” she confirmed. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you yesterday but I wanted it to be a surprise. I had planned to tell you when we were alone tonight. I guess double protection is a sensible precaution after all.” “Yeah, good thing we slacked off on that,” he grinned. “So you’re not mad?” “Mad! Honey, you and that little boy over there—” He pointed across the yard to where Kalvin stood with her parents, both he and her father fidgeting uncomfortably in their tuxedos. “The two of you have made me the happiest man alive. And now we’re going to have a baby! I couldn’t ask for more.” “Well, there is more,” she said. “I’ve told Leanne I’m taking a leave of absence. At least until after the baby is born.” She used her finger to push a strand of unruly dark hair out of her new husband’s eyes. “You know you don’t have to do that,” he said 250

Divine Attraction softly. He knew why she had come to her decision. It was out of respect for him—his feelings and fears. While he had learned to accept her career, she still held his interest in top priority. “I know,” Dominique tilted her head. Rubbing her belly, she added, “But I want to. Our future means more than our past.”

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About the Author

T

onya Ramagos is a best-selling author of young adult romances. After several years of writing solely for teens, she decided to let her imagination soar to include erotica, romances and mysteries for adults. When she’s not writing, she’s reading. Though she was born and raised in South Mississippi, she is now a resident of Tampa, Florida where she lives with her husband Jarett and handsome boys Gavin and Korlin.