“Well, I apologize if I hurt your male ego.”
“It’s fine,” Dominic said with a deep exhale.
“Now, back to your sister, Alisha,” Waverly began and waited for Dominic’s slight nod to confirm she had the name right. “How is she? I didn’t see her at the pageant.”
“She was there,” said Dominic. “She went to meet up with Tiffani after her loss.”
“Runner-up isn’t a loss.” Waverly shrugged and sat back to allow their waiter to pour a glass of water for each of them. She thanked the young man and continued the conversation, leaning forward again to speak in a hushed tone. “You do recall Vera reminding me of my flaws.”
Dominic shook his head. “I don’t care what that woman said or what it was about, and neither should you.”
Waverly waved off his pep talk. “Normally I pay no attention to anything Vera has to say, but you have to agree with what she pointed out.”
“What?” he asked.
“You don’t think it’s a coincidence your best friend...”
“Brother,” Dominic corrected her. The smile disappeared for a moment. So, blood or not, Waverly understood Will was family to him.
Waverly nodded. “Brother. Your brother participated as a judge in a pageant I won.”
“So? Are you arguing about the legitimacy of your win?”
With the amount of pressure she used to keep her lips from spreading into a goofy grin, Waverly worried her Pageant Pink lipstick from Ravens Cosmetics would smear. “I don’t know.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Dominic said, reaching across the table. He pulled her hand into his and traced a circle around the top of her wrist. He’d done the same move earlier at the docks at the Magnolia Palace and it was just as intoxicating. “You were in a beauty pageant, emphasis on beauty.”
“Yes,” Waverly said with a short nod. Something told her to pull her hand away. People at nearby tables and passing by watched the public display of affection.
“I’ve never heard of a woman arguing about her beauty.”
“Not beauty,” said Waverly. “I meant about the contest being rigged.”
“Rigged? I thought the point of a pageant was who is the prettiest.” Dominic shook his head and pulled his hand away.
She wished then she’d done it first. At least if she moved her hand away, she would be able to control the void she felt from the absence of his touch. Waverly needed to put some distance between them. “We’re more than pretty faces,” she said of his assessment.
“I didn’t mean it as an insult,” said Dominic.
“I don’t think you understand what I’ve gone through to get on the Miss Georgia path. I can’t have it crash down because of some scandal coming out that Will did a favor for you.”
“Like I told the crazy lady,” Dominic went on, “I didn’t know Will planned on picking you. I knew he came to town on business for Ravens Cosmetics and the pageant, but at the time of his arrival, I hadn’t even met you.”
Waverly pressed her lips together again. “Okay. Maybe I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.”
“Aren’t you generous?”
“You are, actually,” she said. “Since you’re my sponsor, I’m still going to wear your Miss Crowne’s Garage sash across my body.”
“You can wear anything of mine you like—my sash, this shirt...in the morning after we wake up.”
Waverly cleared her throat. “Dominic.”
“Waverly.”
The waiter came over and took their orders. She didn’t know why she was surprised Dominic ordered a rare steak. Even in his suit, his behavior struck her as primal. Earlier it had been the way he approached her, claiming her with his tone and securing his stance when he held her hand. A shallow breath caught in her throat with the fantasy image of his large hands roaming over her body. Waverly reached for her glass of ice water and took a long drink in an attempt to douse the flame threatening her insides.
Dominic chuckled. “You okay?”