Page 4 of Fae-King It (Mystical Matchmakers #5)

CHAPTER THREE

The next day, Dominique found herself on pins and needles, waiting for Ronan to call. Or show up. Or otherwise irritate her in some way.

But he never appeared.

She finally decided she had a reprieve when she left the office with still no sign of him. It wasn’t until she got home and changed out of her work clothes that he ambushed her.

Dominique was in her kitchen, staring into the fridge and trying to figure out what to make for dinner, when the doorbell rang. Oscar meowed and darted toward the front door, probably hoping it was a food delivery.

Wondering who it could be, she followed and put her eye to the peephole. When she saw Ronan standing on the other side of the door, staring straight back at her, she hissed.

He smiled at her, the grin just a little crooked. “I can hear you.”

“I know,” she muttered.

Ronan waited a beat. “You gonna let me in.”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

His grin widened, and his eyes twinkled as he lifted a brown paper bag. “I brought empanadas.”

Dominique sighed. She loved empanadas. He rattled the bag for emphasis, and she swore she could smell a whiff of fried pastry. “Fine,” she mumbled, her fingers twisting the locks.

When she opened the door, Ronan’s eyes started at the top of her head and moved over her body to the tips of her lavender painted toes.

His expression turned sultry and a little arrogant when his eyes returned to hers. “You should wear this to your office,” he said.

She looked down at the snug teal tank and loose, light cotton pants with teal and gold pinstripes on a cream background. “I’m sure my clients would be inspired to trust me at first sight.”

“They’d be inspired for something.”

She wanted to make a face at him, but she didn’t. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction. That was exactly what he was looking for.

“Why are you here, Ronan?” she asked, leaning against her doorjamb and crossing her arms over her chest.

“Having dinner with you and discussing our next steps. Are you going to invite me in or make me stand out here in the cold?”

“It’s April,” she argued. “It’s not as though there is snow on the ground.” He stared at her until she stepped back and said, “Go ahead and come in if you must.”

Ronan entered her apartment. He looked around with obvious curiosity. She wondered what he thought of the space. Her apartment was decorated in shades of cream, beige, and pale pink. It was a study in neutrality, but it wasn’t cold. It was warm and inviting. Soothing. It felt like a sanctuary rather than a clinical atmosphere.

He’d barely taken two steps into the apartment before her cat ran up to him and twined around his ankles, purring and mewing. “Who’s this?” he asked, crouching down.

“That’s Oscar,” she answered, her voice catching on the last word. He was using his left hand to pet her cat, and she could clearly see the curse mark on his wrist. The one he’d hidden with a glamour the day he’d come to her office.

Ronan ran his fingers through the cat’s fur. “He doesn’t seem very grouchy.”

He glanced up in time to see the smile that tugged her lips. She couldn’t fight it, even though she tried.

“You actually named him after Oscar the Grouch?” he asked, straightening from his crouch.

She nodded. “When he was a kitten, the resemblance was uncanny. His personality is anything but grumpy, but he looked cranky all the time when I first got him. So, I called him Oscar.”

Ronan chuckled. “That actually makes sense. And the irony tickles my humor.”

She shrugged. “Mine, too. Would you like something to drink?”

“What do you have?”

“Water, iced tea, wine, or beer.”

“You have beer?” he asked, not bothering to hide his surprise.

“Yes, I like beer sometimes,” she answered, rolling her eyes.

“I’ll take one.”

She went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of honey wheat beer from a local microbrewery. Ronan shot her a dry look, which she answered with a shrug. If he wanted specific beer, he should have brought it with him.

“Thanks. Are we eating at your table?”

Dominique nodded and gestured to the four-top round table in the little nook next to the kitchen. She moved to the cabinets and got a couple of plates, then she grabbed two forks.

Ronan lifted a brow at the utensils. “Seriously? You’re not going to eat with your hands?”

“This is for anything that falls out,” she answered, gesturing with the fork.

He smirked as she set everything on the table, and then she went back to pour herself a glass of wine.

After they were seated and divvying up the empanadas, Dominique asked, “So, what are our next steps?”

“Well, first, we’re going to eat dinner.” He chuckled when she rolled her eyes again. “And then we’ll discuss our trip to visit my parents for your official introduction as my fiancée. I told them we would be there next weekend, but we can postpone it a week or two if necessary.”

Dominque was tempted to tell him to do just that, but she knew that it wouldn’t help her nerves in the least. “Next weekend is fine.”

She took a bite of one of the empanadas and nearly moaned. It was delicious. The beef was spicy, and the dough was crispy on the outside and light on the inside.

“Where did you get these?” she asked after she swallowed her first bite.

“Little place not far from here. The owners are from Argentina. The chimichurri sauce is amazing.”

They ate in silence, but, surprisingly, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Oscar lingered nearby for a while but eventually gave up and flounced over to the couch, where he jumped up onto the cushions and stretched out.

Once they were done eating, Ronan reached into his pocket and removed a small black box, setting it on the table next to her plate. “Since we reside in the human realm, we’re going to do this whole thing the human way as well.”

Confused, Dominique picked up the box and flipped back the lid, staring down at the ring sparkling inside it. “What’s this?”

“Your engagement ring.”

Dominique looked up, her blue-green eyes glittering like the stone in the ring. “Why?”

“My parents will expect it. And I’m sure your assistant would be skeptical if you showed up to work one day married without at least a short engagement.”

Dominique hadn’t thought of that. She and Veronica were friends, but they maintained a distance between them. That was intentional on Dominique’s part because she didn’t know how to be someone’s friend. And she really didn’t know how to be someone’s fiancée.

She looked back down at the box, taking in the ring. The stone was an aquamarine. In the fae realm, aquamarines symbolized the deepest loyalty, wisdom, and truth. She almost laughed at the thought. For her, and for Ronan, this ring represented none of those things. It also wasn’t a stone typically used in betrothal rings. Usually, fae men and women had aquamarines set in their weaponry, pendants, or even tiaras or coronets for nobility.

“Are you going to put it on?” he asked.

A light sweat broke out on her skin at the thought, but she realized she didn’t have much choice. Dominique managed to control the tremor in her hand as she tugged the ring free of the cushion. The oval stone shimmered like the clear waters of a tropical ocean. There were no other stones surrounding it, just a delicate setting on a slender band.

She slipped it onto her left ring finger, her breath catching as it slid into place. It fit perfectly.

When she looked up, Ronan’s eyes were focused on her hand. His gaze moved to hers. “It looks great on you.”

“Why an aquamarine?” she asked.

He paused for so long she didn’t think he’d answer. Finally, he said, “It matches your eyes. Since we want everyone to believe we’re in love, it seemed like something I would want you to wear.”

“I see,” she murmured.

“Speaking of being in love, you’re going to have to act like you can actually tolerate me while we’re visiting my family.”

She raised an eyebrow as she stared at him. “I’m capable of acting as though I enjoy your company, Ronan. You’re the one who’s going to need to work on looking smitten .”

Dominique got up from the table, taking their empty plates to the dishwasher. She straightened when she finished and yelped when she turned around to find him directly behind her. His blue eyes blazing, Ronan backed her against the cabinets, his hands brushing her hips as they came to rest on top of the counter on each side of her.

She tried to pull back, to put space between them, but he stepped into her, crowding her space. His hands shifted from the counter to her hips, sliding to the base of her spine. His thumbs ran beneath the hem of her T-shirt, touching the bare skin of her lower back. Goose bumps erupted on her flesh, and she took a stranglehold over her body to keep her knees locked out, so she didn’t melt to the floor.

Ronan stared down at her as though he couldn’t tear his gaze away from her. His tongue came out to wet his bottom lip and Dominique was suddenly spellbound by the sight of his mouth. He leaned forward slightly, his lips barely touching hers in the whisper of a kiss.

Her mouth tingled fiercely as though she’d been shocked by electricity. Dominique inhaled sharply, her mouth opening in an effort to draw in more air. His tongue slipped inside, a soft, wet slide against hers. His fingertips dug into the flesh of her hips, drifting lower to grasp her ass. Dominique reached up and fisted the front of his T-shirt, holding on for dear life.

Finally, just when she was ready to drag him down onto the kitchen floor, Ronan released her mouth.

His face was only inches away, his blue eyes fierce as they locked onto hers. “I’ve been practicing my acting skills since I was a child, Dominique. Anyone watching would believe I’m smitten.”

She took a shaky breath, trying to gain control over her body. “Okay. Everyone will believe,” she agreed. As long as she ignored the fact that she was so turned on she could barely see straight.

“See? It will all be fine.”

She wanted to laugh at that because nothing about the kiss felt fine. Shocking. Thrilling. Electric. But not fine.

“We leave next Friday morning. Pack for three days in the fae realm. I’ll bring you back Monday after lunch. Do you need a gown for the Autumn Gala?”

She shook her head.

“All right,” he murmured, releasing her.

Dominique watched silently as he walked out of the kitchen. She followed, stopping just inside the living room entry, and watched as he leaned down to give Oscar a few scratches. The traitorous cat purred and flicked his tail with happiness.

Once again, she could see the curse mark on Ronan’s left wrist. Without thinking, she rubbed the fingers of her left hand over her own. It was strange that the sight made her feel a slight sense of possessiveness. As though the shared mark gave her some sort of ownership over a part of him.

Ronan moved to her door, turning to look at her after he opened it. “I’ll be in touch soon, Dominique.”

He shut the door behind him, taking the time to twist the lock on the knob before he did. She couldn’t suppress the shudder that ran through her body as she heard the echo of his final words in her mind.

That statement sounded very much like a threat, but she wasn’t sure if she dreaded it or looked forward to it.