Taboo: A Dark Romance Boxset (Stud Ranch 1)

“Oh Dominick,” I reach out a hand and cup his cheek. I hate that he feels like he has to plead for me to believe him when anyone can see he cares about his patients so much he works himself to the bone. He wants the Boston General residency because he knows it will make him the best doctor, able to save the most lives.

“I know your heart.” My hand slides down from his cheek and I settle it over his chest. His heartbeat is steady underneath my palm.

To my bewilderment, his face crumbles at my pronouncement. His head falls forward and he buries his forehead against my breast. “I don’t deserve you,” he whispers. “Neither of us deserve you.”

“Shh, stop it,” I move so that I’m straddling him, then I run my fingers through his long, soft hair. I don’t care if the position is slightly indecent with me wearing a dress—the bottom has a big round skirt and I’m still perfectly covered.

Besides, all I can think about is Dominick. I just need to get as close to him as possible. I don’t know where all this self-denigration is coming from, but I hate it.

The fact that he’s opening up to me? That I welcome. I just hate that this is what he’s been hiding in his heart. I draw him closer and kiss the top of his head, right where the swirl of his cowlick begins.

“You’re going to be just fine,” I whisper, looking around at the beautiful spring afternoon. “Both of us are going to be just fine.”

And being here in his arms, it feels true. I’ve felt so lost all day, but he brought me back to myself. It’s true that I haven’t fully figured out who I am yet… but maybe that’s not something to be scared of. Maybe it’s something to be excited about.

I get to discover myself. How amazing is that?

And when I’m with Dominick it’s like the entire horizon opens up, huge and vast. Full of unending possibilities and a hundred different paths, each with a bright future.

Always with him by my side.

I lean my cheek on top of his head. He pulls me back against the tree and we hold fast to one another.

Finally, I can’t keep it inside any more. Without really thinking it through, it just pops out.

“I love you.”

The only signal that he hears is his fingers clutch tighter on my waist. Then, for a couple of minutes, nothing. He just keeps holding me, his head buried in my chest.

Except…well, that’s not exactly true.

It’s after about thirty seconds that I begin to feel it.

I’m straddling him and where my sex is pressed up against his, I start to feel him through his scrubs. His cock becomes noticeably hard, pressing up through the denim and against the thin barrier of my cotton panties.

My breath hitches and unwittingly, my fingers in his hair claw at his scalp.

That only makes his cock jump and harden more.

“Sarah.” My name is a long, drawn out groan.

Then he shifts me against him, back and forth, no doubt seeking friction.

The moisture that had just begun to gather becomes a flood at the needy gesture.

Then he stops and breathes out hard, looking up. “Beautiful, no, I don’t want to take advantage—”

I scoff. “I’m not a kid.” Then I feel my cheeks heat. I know we play at the whole Daddy thing but it doesn’t mean that I’m actually—

“I know you’re not,” he hurries to say, obviously reading the expression on my face. And then he kisses me.

Which is the best thing of all.

At least until a couple of catcalls and whistles break out nearby.

I pull away in embarrassment and Dominick helps me to my feet. He shields me from on-lookers while I grab our coffees and pastries. He slings his bag back over his chest.

As soon as we’re out of the park, I bust up laughing, covering my mouth with my forearm. Dominick looks down at me like he was afraid of how I might react, but then he starts laughing too.

He tosses our empty coffee cups in a trashcan as we pass. Then he grabs me up in his arms and swings me in a circle. I shriek as he twirls me around once and then twice.

“God, I love you,” he says, grinning at me once I’m finally settled on solid ground, still giggling my head off.

The giggles immediately die off. And like two polarized magnets, our lips immediately lock together again.

I can’t get enough of him. My legs entwine with his. I need to get closer. I don’t care that people are watching. I don’t care that we get catcalled again.

“Dominick,” I whisper desperately into his mouth between kisses. “Oh God, Dom.”

My breathy words seem to break him out of some kind of trance though, because he moves away from me and grabs my hand.