“Point well taken. I’m working on that. In the meantime, we’ve decided that you can be Justin’s hero.”

“Is that so?” Jake said, his voice dropping low, dripping with sexuality.

“Yes,” Dominique replied. “I told him that you were a good man to look up to.”

“You told him correctly, baby. There are men out here who are loving, loyal, and stand by their word.”

Dominique stretched out, running her hand back and forth across her smooth, silk comforter. “Do you know anybody like that?”

“Yes,” Jake answered, his voice barely a whisper. “Do you?”

36

36

Dominique reached her office and as soon as she’d settled behind the desk, she called Reggie. “Are you at the coffee shop?” she asked, once he’d answered.

“You know I am.”

“Glad I caught you. Can you add a double shot of espresso to my latte?”

“Whoa, Miss Dom. Sounds like somebody had a late night.”

“It’s not what you think.”

“Whatever you say.” Reggie sang in a voice that suggested things were exactly as he imagined. “Two shots and a latte coming up!”

Dominique rubbed her eyes and tried to shake the cobwebs out of her head. She and Jake had talked until two in the morning, and she’d enjoyed every minute of it. He’d opened up to her about the intimate details of his life: his father, marriage to Robin, and how her death had affected him, and how his own sense of mortality was never far from his thoughts. Later, Dominique would realize that it was in the wee hours of this very morning, as he exposed his fears and vulnerability, that she fell in love with him.

Twenty minutes later, Reggie switched into Dominique’s office. Today he wore tight-fighting cream-colored slacks, a beige sweater, and three-inch heels. She looked up as he approached her desk and thought that no man should look prettier than a woman.

“Here you go, Miss Dom.”

“Thanks, Reggie. Check your Outlook; I’ve sent you a list of things that need to be done today—and oh, don’t forget to call the Body By Night gym and remind Night and D’Andra that their shoot is scheduled for next week.”

“Ooh, I see Miss Dom doesn’t kiss and tell.”

Dominique knew exactly what Reggie was talking about. “Okay, so I was up late last night. But,” she hurried on as Reggie’s eyes sparkled and he fairly preened before her, “all we did was talk. On the phone. It was nice actually,” Dominique continued, after taking a sip of her extrastrong brew. “Jake is a good listener.”

“Child, I can think of better attributes on him than his ear!”

“Ha! Reggie, you have a one-track mind.”

Reggie picked up his coffee and headed for the door. He stopped just inside the office, his hand on the knob. “Is there anything wrong with that?”