Las Vegas Sidewinders: Dominic by Kat Mizera Page A

but kept her mouth
closed. He paused, leaning his forehead against hers. “Toli’s kiss is not
interesting.” He made a simple statement, without any kind of censure.
    “It is,” she protested.
“It’s just…”
    “Molly thinks of Dom and
Toli thinks of Tatiana.” He sighed. “No spark?”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “No.” He shook his head.
“Toli thought maybe this would be good for both, but is obvious is nothing
there. Friends?”
    “Of course.”
    “Do not be sad,” he said,
throwing his arm around her shoulders as they began to walk again. He nudged
her with his hip. “This is okay. Friends are important. Friends maybe more
important than lovers—friends are always there. Lovers… they go.”
    “I won’t go anywhere,” she
assured him. “I hope you’re not angry with me.”
    “That is not how Toli
works,” he said. “Toli is also to blame.”
    “I would really hate to ruin
the best day ever over a kiss.”
    “Kiss was not bad. Toli and
Molly have other thoughts.”
    “I’m trying so hard not to
like him!” she sighed, “but I can’t help it.”
    “Why should you not like
him? Dom is great guy. Does Molly still love Tim?”
    “What? No! I can’t stop
thinking about Dom, but—” She bit her lip.
    “What?”
    “Look at me! I’ll be forty
in July! Dom is twenty-eight. He’s gorgeous and rich.”
    “Toli is not gorgeous and
rich?” he teased, taking her hand and swinging it between them.
    “Yes, but Toli is only five
years younger than me—not almost twelve,” she said. “And Toli is probably going
back to Russia, so I don’t think you’re serious about me.”
    “Toli is still confused
about Tatiana, but Toli doesn’t play games with women. If there was no
interest, there would be no date. Casual sex is nice, but not between friends .
This is not appropriate. Today is all for Molly, to be happy and see L.A. and
leave the place that brings pain for one day. Maybe not love , but
interest is real.”
    She smiled, comfortably
holding his hand as they walked back towards the car, the sun setting on the
horizon and the breeze blowing through her hair. The sun was low enough in the
sky that she could look out over the water and ruminate over everything that
had happened in the last couple of weeks. “I’m sorry there was no spark between
us. I really like you, but…”
    “But heart beats for Dom.”
He smiled too. “This is okay. Dom is lucky.”
    “Dom doesn’t look at me like
that.”
    “No?” He raised his
eyebrows. “Maybe Molly doesn’t see.”
    “What’s to see? I’m too old
and fat and boring for him.”
    “Not true.” He paused,
taking her by the arm. He brought her fingers to his lips and gently placed a
kiss there. “Do you think Toli cannot find a date?”
    “I’m sure you can, but—”
    “But what? Why would Toli
ask Molly for date and then a kiss? Because Molly is fat and old? No. Molly is
beautiful—if Dom does not see this, other men will . I know many men who
will like Molly very much. And if Tatiana does not change, Toli will ask Molly
out again.”
    For the first time in her
life, Molly felt nothing but joy. With a grin, she tugged at his hand and they
continued walking. She couldn’t remember the last time Tim had held her hand
and she didn’t care if this was friendship, a budding romance or simply a
wonderful day; she’d never felt more alive.
     
    Watching them pull up in
front of the building, Dom let out the breath he felt like he’d been holding
all day. Although he’d bought Molly a cell phone, he didn’t feel he could call
her while she was out with Toli. He wasn’t a lover with a right to be jealous,
and he knew he would lose her friendship if he tried to keep her on a leash.
Tim had done enough to her, and he refused to cause her any more distress. He
just wanted her to be happy, but he’d hoped she would be interested in him, not
in one of his best friends. He watched unhappily as she and Toli got out of the
car. Molly