Angie was at her usual post in front of Tom's office, a rare smile on her face. "We're all so proud of you," she said softly.
In all the years they'd known each other, this was the nicest and most personal thing Angie had ever said to her.
"Go on in," Angie said. "Your father's waiting for you. And, honey"—she paused, which gave Melissa a moment to digest the very unexpected endearment— "go easy on him."
Melissa opened the door. Her father immediately stood up. Strangely, he looked nervous.
"Congratulations," he said before she could close the door. "I'm very impressed with the deal you negotiated for JP."
She swallowed back sudden tears. "All my life," she admitted, "I've wanted you to be proud of me."
"I already was," he said, with a shake of his head. "But I never knew how to tell you." He cleared his throat. "I didn't mean what I said about you and Dominic—the way I said it."
"I know you didn't, Daddy. Our relationship shouldn't have been a secret."
"You couldn't have chosen a better man."
"I know."
The next thing she knew, his arms were around her and he was hugging her, just like he used to when she was little and had skinned her knee. He'd always loved her. Now it felt good to know that he respected her, as well.
Many moments later, she bit her lip. "Speaking of Dominic, I was hoping I could ask for the advice of the top agent in the business?"
Pleasure lit her father's eyes. "If you mean me, of course."
They sat on the couch. "I can't represent Dominic and be in a relationship with him, too."
"But I thought you said you weren't seeing each other anymore?" Her father actually looked hopeful at the thought of things working out between her and Dominic.
She shook her head. "We're not. But I've been thinking a lot about things. I want to try to work things out."
Her father squeezed her hand. "Your mother and I are there for you. Anytime. For any reason."
Something warm and solid bloomed in her chest and she nodded, unable to speak. Finally, she turned the focus back to Dominic's career. "So—any great agents you can recommend for my star player? Someone who has experience with great players? Who knows the business better than anyone else?"
"Are you saying you'd like me to work with him again?" her father asked.
She nodded and her father beamed with pleasure. "I can only accept if you'll consider rejoining the agency."
She hugged him again. "Thank you. For everything."
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Fifteen minutes later, Melissa stood silently in Dominic's hallway. A little more than a week ago, he had carried her over his shoulder out of a bar and into his life. But she'd been so full of hopes and dreams and insecurities that she'd turned her back on the love of the greatest man she'd ever known.
And then Dominic had told her his painful story and she'd finally realized that neither of them was perfect.
They didn't need to be perfect. The situation didn't need to be perfect.
All that mattered was the way they felt about each other.
She rang the doorbell, finally understanding what it meant to have one's heart in one's hands. Her arms trembled and so did her legs. But this time, she wasn't going to run. She was going to face her fears one by one until she'd conquered them all. She was going to look Dominic straight in the eye and tell him she loved him.
Dominic opened the door and she stood just looking at him, mesmerized by his beauty, his grace. "May I come in?"
He moved aside to let her in and she could barely wait for the door to click shut. "I came here to tell you ..." The words caught in her throat.
Dominic took her hands, and his touch was so strong, so warm. "Go ahead," he said softly. "I'm listening."
She looked up into his eyes, praying her words would come out right. "I've been in love with you for a long time, Dominic. As long as I can remember."
He smiled. "I know."
"I thought you never noticed me," she said softly. "You were so much older, so much more experienced. I never thought you'd look at me like this, never thought you'd hold me."
"You always were a sweet kid," he agreed, "until you weren't a kid anymore."
"But I wasn't your type," she protested.
"I made sure of that," he replied. "How do you think I felt, lusting after my agent's daughter? You were legal, but that didn't mean you weren't off-limits." He closed the space between them one inch at a time. "But that's not why I pushed you away."
"Then why?" she whispered. He pulled her against him and lowered his mouth, capturing her lips in a kiss that left her breathless. "You make me feel things I never wanted to feel again." His voice was rough with emotion. "When I'm with you, I lose control. Over my body. My mind." He found her mouth again and warmth spread through her body from her head to her toes. "Especially my heart."
"I do, too," she admitted, "but it's different than how I imagined. Better, because it's real. You're real. I'd spent so many years dreaming of you, but the truth is, until this week I hardly knew you at all."
"And now that you know everything, have your feelings changed?"
"They have," she said softly. "Because your wild teenage years, the bad things you've done, the innate power you work so hard to control, the way you make decisions for people whether they like it or not—all of that makes you the man I love today . . . and the man I'll love forever."
He picked her up and carried her down the hall to his bedroom. "For twenty years, I've punished myself for what I did when I was in high school. I've kept my distance from everyone, especially you— because I knew I could love you. I knew I wanted to have a home with you, children with you, the rest of my life with you." He captured her mouth in another hot kiss. "But I can't live without you, so I'm going to have to learn to live with myself and my past.
"I've never loved you properly," he murmured as he laid her down on his bed.
She sank into the soft down duvet. "Yes, you have. Every time."
Dominic pulled his Outlaws T-shirt up over his head. The sight of his bare chest, his tanned skin and rippling muscles, took her breath away, just as it always had.
Just as it always would.
"Am I ever going to get used to looking at you?" she asked with a smile.
Dominic's eyes were hot as he gazed down at her. "I've been asking myself the same question about you."