Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Tearing his hungry eyes away, Sam curled his hands into fists.
Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to agree to live with Dominic, after all.
“How did you convince her that I should live with you?” Sam said, looking down at his hands.
“She didn’t need much convincing. She knows it’s her fault that my cover was compromised. I warned her, she didn’t listen. Now we must work with it. She knows my sugar baby’s disappearance from my life would make things even more suspicious. She might dislike me all she wants, but she isn’t stupid. She knows how important my mission is. She won’t let her personal grudges affect it again.”
Sam wasn’t all that sure about it but didn’t argue. Dominic knew her better than he did.
When they pulled up to a beautiful house in Kensington, Sam probably shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was. He had known that Dominic Bommer was supposedly rich and successful, so it was hardly surprising he had a house in one of the most expensive London neighborhoods.
But it still felt surreal as he followed Dominic into the house.
The house was as pretty and elegant on the inside as it was on the outside, but, to Sam’s surprise and relief, it was homey and looked lived in, not at all as impersonal and intimidatingly perfect as he had half-expected.
The huge brown couch in the living room looked particularly comfy and inviting, and Sam sprawled out on it with a sigh of bliss.
“By all means, make yourself comfortable,” Dominic said wryly, but his eyes were soft as he looked down at him. He picked up Sam’s bag and disappeared into the guest room.
“Order us pizza, Nick!” Sam yelled. “With pepperoni, bacon, and sausage.”
“Do you want me to start a bubble bath for you too?” Dominic called out.
“Great idea!” Sam said, grinning when he heard Dominic laugh and call him a lazy baby.
There was a bubbly feeling in his chest that made it impossible to stop smiling.
Was this what happiness felt like?
* * *
A week later, Sam was positive he’d never been happier in his life.
Living with Dominic was even better than he’d imagined. Sam had expected to feel a little awkward, as he normally did when he stayed at someone’s place, but Dominic had never made him feel like he was intruding or unwelcome.
The only problem was, living with Dominic wasn’t exactly helping him get rid of his crush. The word “crush” seemed so inadequate for the warm feeling that filled his heart as he watched Dominic make them breakfast, looking sleepy-eyed, unshaven, and a little grumpy. Sam wanted to pull him close and kiss him so badly that he felt like he was choking on want.
Sam absolutely hated watching Dominic leave for work, but he loved when he came home. No matter how tired Dominic was, he always had a smile for him. He seemed happy to see Sam, happy to spend time with him after work, happy to train him and have him around.
Sometimes, Sam talked him into playing video games—why did Dominic even own an Xbox if he never used it?—and sometimes they worked out in the gym downstairs, but more often than not, they just hung out together and watched movies. Those evenings were Sam’s favorites.
It was one of such evenings. They were sprawled on the couch, the TV the only source of light in the room. Sam’s head was on Dominic’s lap, Dominic’s fingers carding through his hair absentmindedly as they watched the movie.
If someone asked him, Sam wouldn’t be able to explain how they’d ended up like this—they’d started out at opposite ends of the couch with a very respectable distance between them. It was genuinely baffling. It didn’t seem to matter how hard Sam tried not to be too needy for Dominic’s affection; it never worked.
Regardless of how they’d ended up like this, Sam knew he should probably move away, but God, he couldn’t. Dominic’s fingers were tracing patterns across his scalp, little tiny movements that washed Sam’s body in shivers. He felt like he was floating, deep contentment coursing through his body at every gentle touch. He didn’t want this to ever end.
“Hey,” Dominic murmured, looking down at him. “Why are you smiling?”
Was he?
Sam shrugged, smiling helplessly. He looked Dominic in the eye, his chest swelling with that warm, intense feeling he was scared to name. “This is probably very soppy, but I kind of adore you. You know that, right?”
Dominic leaned down and kissed him on the nose.
Scrunching up his nose, Sam laughed. “It doesn’t count, you know. Say something. Something soppy.”
Dominic gave a snort. “Sammy, you have a government spy-slash-assassin petting your hair. It doesn’t get soppier than that for me.”
Sam pouted. “You suck.”
Dominic laughed, his thumb pushing against Sam’s bottom lip. “Quit pouting. Secret agents don’t pout.”