The roar of a truck’s engine reminded Dominique where they were. It also made her take note of the fact that he was still holding her hand.
A blatantly male smile curled that kissable mouth of his and quickly spread to his eyes. “Are you ready to get up?”
She came close to telling him no, because she wanted to check out his body some more. Instead she nodded and he gently tugged on her hand and pulled her to her feet, bringing her body close to his. She suddenly found his chest pressed against her breasts and his thighs touching hers.
Dominique stared at him, blinking slowly as she tried to get her bearings when he released her hand and took a step back. She could tell from the expression on his face that their closeness had affected him as much as it had her.
“Do you want to jog with me?”
The words had been spoken in the sexiest voice she had ever heard. There was an incredible huskiness to it. “I’ve seen the pace at which you jog,” she answered softly, still looking at him. “I doubt I’ll be able to keep up.”
“Then I’ll adjust my stride to match yours.”
She nodded and they begin jogging, but to Dominique her legs weren’t working right. They felt heavy, weak, still in shock. She forced herself to move at her normal pace and noticed that Jordan had slowed his movements to keep up with her. There was no conversation between them, just deep breaths. By the time they made the one-mile mark, Dominique noticed her movements were less awkward and her pace had steadily increased. But he was still letting her set their rate of speed, and she wondered if she ran hard and fast enough would she be able to rid herself of the heated desire still flowing through her body.
A half hour had passed, and Dominique knew it was time to slow down and do her cool-downs. She had switched from brisk walking to jogging only recently, and she didn’t want to overdo it. Besides, her body could only take so much trauma in one day, and being so close to Jordan had definitely been a major impact.
When she slowed her pace to a stop, so did Jordan. Bending over, she rested her hands on her knees and began taking deep, slow breaths – for more reasons than the obvious one. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jordan bending as well, breathing in and out in a way that made his biceps bulge and his muscles flex. Although he didn’t appear nearly as exhausted as she did, he did look hot and sweaty in a very sexy way. She couldn’t help wondering if that was how he looked after making vigorous love to a woman.
She inhaled sharply. She shouldn’t be having such thoughts about this man who she really didn’t know. Although he had introduced himself, he was still a virtual stranger. For all she knew he could be a mass murderer, a rapist, or serial killer. She quickly glanced around, thankful the park was full and numerous people were about. But still, over the years she had heard enough court cases that involved rape in which the victim had had no idea of the trouble she’d been headed for until it had been too late.
She straightened her body and looked over at him. He had also straightened his body and was staring at her. The intensity in his eyes was heated. Her heart rate accelerated when it felt as if he were actually touching her with his gaze. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before, and she found herself taking a step back. “I have to go.”
“Now?” he asked, taking the towel that was wrapped around his neck and tucking it into the waistband of his shorts.
“Yes.”
“Can I see you again?”
Dominique wanted to see him again, but her cautious nature kicked in. She had to be sure of him, especially after what had just transpired. Until she knew more about him and felt comfortable with him, he certainly wouldn’t be coming to dinner. “Yes, I’ll be back to jog again Tuesday.”
***
“Damn,” was the only word Jordan could think of saying as he leaned against the oak tree and watched as Dominique sprinted away as fast as she could. Thanks to his coming on so strong, he had pretty much – botched things up. The way she had looked at him had let him know she wasn’t used to guys getting turned on just by looking at her. Hell, he usually didn’t get this turned on just by looking at a woman either. But the sexual chemistry between them was too strong, too explosive, and too volatile. Even now he felt the stirrings of desire so deep he would have to keep the towel around his waist until he got home.
Rubbing his neck, Jordan tried to relieve his body of some of the tension he felt. He couldn’t get Dominique out of his mind. Her body was just the way he liked - full-sized and stacked. Some men preferred slender, petite women but he had a thing for a voluptuous woman who had an abundance of everything in all the right places. There was just something about a woman with enough breasts to hold in his hands and enough hips and thighs to cushion a good hard ride. The last thing he wanted to be concerned with when he mounted a woman was breaking something because she didn’t have enough meat on her bones. To some men thin was in, but in his book thick was definitely it. And he thought that she had the best shaped behind he had ever seen. It was thick, tight and pretty damn tempting. Even the large T-shirt she had pulled down over well-toned childbearing hips hadn’t been able to hide that from his view. And her legs were definitely a gorgeous looking pair.
He smiled thinking that he was beginning to appreciate his move to Florida after all. As he began walking away from the park and back toward the condos where he lived, he hoped Dominique would keep her word and show up on Tuesday. Then he would let her know he was an okay guy, a law-abiding citizen with a pretty good job who even went to church most Sundays.
He didn’t want to think about the possibility that he had scared her off for good and wouldn’t be seeing her again. He knew she lived somewhere in the neighborhood and if he had to, he would start asking around and knocking on doors. There was no way he would let her get away.
As he crossed the street it suddenly dawned on him that he didn’t even know her last name.
M
ichelle Kincaid’s expression was one of disbelief. “What do you mean, you’re not going back to the park on Tuesday?”
Dominique turned away from the sink, where she had been busy washing a head of lettuce, to meet her sister’s astonished features. “I’ve decided not to let anything develop between me and that guy. It’s for the best.”
It had been a hard decision to make, but she couldn’t see the point in starting something that likely wouldn’t go anywhere. At least anywhere she was ready to go. She needed to enter into a relationship that started off slow and easy. There had been too much sexual chemistry, too much spontaneous combustion, and too much plain old lust flowing between her and Jordan that morning. After she had gotten home and had thought about it, she had decided the last thing she needed was to be that overwhelmed by any man. It had been bad enough how she had felt about Kenneth the way he had ended up hurting her. Even if Jordan turned out to be a nice guy, she still wasn’t ready to indulge in any type of relationship with a man.
“Dom, you can’t be serious. Do you know the ratio of men to women? When you find one as good-looking as you claim this man is, you don’t jog away.”
Dominique raised her brow. “I don’t see you knocking yourself out trying to find a man.”
“Only because I have issues.”
“What issues?”
“I have an extreme domineering complex, which is something I have to work on. I hate being told what to do, especially by a man.”
Michelle sounded so sincere Dominique couldn’t help but grin. And the sad thing about it was that what she’d said was true. “Okay, you do have issues,” she agreed. She had seen Michelle in action before and pitied any man who had fallen under her spell. Most men automatically flocked to Michelle because of her gorgeous looks and perfect, petite figure. She was one of those women males couldn’t help but drool over. Yet she hadn’t found a man willing to put up with her domineering ways.
“Enough about me, Dom. You’re the one that everyone is worried about.”
“Well, they shouldn’t be. I’m fine. I have plenty of cases to keep me busy, and–”
“But you don’t have a man. Of the two of us, you’re the one who always wanted to get married and have a family. I don’t want you to let what Kenneth did turn you against all men and make you not want to take another chance at love.”
Dominique hadn’t turned against all men in general, but there was a man she planned to avoid in particular. And he was the only one who had peaked her interest since Kenneth. After calling off her wedding, she had gotten a number of offers from interested males wanting to give her their shoulders to cry on and their beds to make love in to help her forget her troubles.
“I will give love another chance one day, but not now.”
“So you’re letting Mr. Hunk slip through your fingers?”
“Yes, that’s about it.”
Michelle shook her head. “I hope you don’t live to regret that, Dom.”
Dominique turned back around to the sink. She hoped she didn’t live to regret it either.
***
“I take it your lady didn’t show up this morning.”
Without commenting to Royce’s statement, Jordan pushed himself away from his desk and leaned back in his chair. He felt frustrated, disappointed, and madder than hell. “No, she didn’t show,” he finally answered.
“I can tell you’re pissed about it.”
“Yeah, I’m pissed. But I’m more pissed off with myself than with her.”
Royce raised a dark brow. “Why?”
“I’m to blame for her not showing up. I came on too strong Friday and scared her off.”
Royce took the chair across from Jordan’s desk.
“So what’s your next move?”
“Wait it out. I doubt she’ll avoid coming to the park forever. And when I do see her again, I’m going to handle things differently.” Even while saying the words, Jordan wondered just how he would downplay his attraction to Dominique if he did see her again, when just thinking about her made him hard.
“Well, I’ve got just the thing to take your mind off your troubles for a while.”
“What?”
“The Fairchild case starts tomorrow. Why don’t you drop by the courthouse as an observer? It’s time you see Judge Kincaid in action so you’ll know how to handle her whenever your time comes. It will be a good idea, especially now.”
Jordan’s forehead bunched in confusion. “Why especially now?”
“Because yesterday during jury selections she was in rare form, and according to Mack, who was in her courtroom this morning, she’s still acting strange.”
“Strange in what way?”
“Hard. She’s not giving any slack. There used to be a soft side to her, but yesterday she all but chewed me up and spit me out.”
Jordan chuckled. Royce always had a way with women, and he found it amusing that any woman, even a judge, hadn’t fallen under his spell. “I thought you said she was tough but fair.”
“She is. I guess she’s entitled to PMS days like other women, but she wasn’t this bad even after her fiancé dogged her out.”
“Dogged her out in what way?”
“According to the newspapers, he told her a week before the wedding that another woman was having his baby.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, man, can you imagine?”
Actually, Jordan couldn’t imagine it. He had a problem with any man who mistreated a woman and he considered what Judge Kincaid’s fiancé had done mistreatment of the worse kind because it involved a violation of trust. And to think it had gotten printed in the papers for everyone to read. How humiliating that must have been for her. “Like you said, maybe it’s a PMS thing.”
“Man, I hope so. Another day like yesterday and I’m liable to develop a drinking problem.”
Jordan’s smile widened. Although he had a full caseload, he decided to stop by the courtroom tomorrow and check out the proceedings for just a little while. As Royce said, it would probably take his mind off his troubles for a while.
***
She was having a bad day, Dominique thought as she glanced around her courtroom and saw all the bored faces. Milton Harper, an attorney who should have retired a century ago, was rambling on and on, citing precedent that was no longer good case law. But because he’d been somewhat of a legend in his day, none of the opposing counsel dared to object.
After enduring what she felt was more than enough, Dominique had no other choice but to object. She then gave Harper, as well as the other attorneys, a look that dared them to question her authority.
Less than an hour later she was back in her chambers with a splitting headache that wouldn’t go away. Her next case was a high-profile one, and since it was the first day, the courtroom would be crowded. No doubt news reporters would be plastered from wall to wall.
“Here’s something for your headache.”
Dominique looked up into the concerned face of her secretary. Ruth Fowler, at seventy, was old enough to be her grandmother and should have retired five years ago. But since the woman never married and didn’t have any family, she had spent her last fifty years at this particular courthouse as a dedicated secretary. And she was a good one. Besides being a secretary, she occasionally acted on Dominique’s behalf as a guard dog, protecting Dominique’s privacy against attorneys and city officials who didn’t have anything better to so with their time than to want to talk politics. Ruth had also been instrumental in keeping the news reporters at bay when word had gotten out about her aborted wedding last year. Dominique thought the world of Ruth and didn’t know what she would do without her.