Chapter 34 Thirty Four
After that kiss, the office felt suffocating... It wasn't to breathe anymore. She had missed him too.
His touch.
His lips.
Everything.
Dominic had pulled away first, straightening his shirt and running a hand through his hair.
“I’ll drive you home,” he said quietly.
But when they reached the elevator, his tone changed.
“Actually… come with me.”
Izzy blinked, unsure what he meant. “With you?”
He looked at her. “To my place.”
Her heart started to race again. She didn’t know if she should say yes, but the way his voice dropped when he said it, the way his eyes stayed locked on hers, made it impossible to say no. And she had always been curious about his place. He had been to hers, so there was no reason to hesitate.
“Okay,” she said softly.
The drive was quiet.
City lights flickered outside as they left the busy streets behind and headed toward the hills. Music played faintly in the car, some slow instrumental tune that filled the silence without needing words.
Izzy stared out the window, trying to calm the storm of thoughts in her head.
She’d been to his penthouse for meetings before... sleek, businesslike, predictable. But this felt different.
This was personal.
This penthouse differed from the ones where meetings and business took a place..
She once heard he had over six penthouse in the city for various reasons
After almost forty minutes, they passed through tall iron gates and drove up a long, curved driveway lined with trees and glowing lights.
When the car finally stopped, she realized her mouth was slightly open.
His house wasn’t just big. It was breathtaking.
Glass walls, clean lines, a soft golden glow spilling from inside. The entire front overlooked the city... a mix of modern design and warmth that didn’t feel cold, just… private.
Dominic got out and came around to open her door.
“You live here?” she asked, still a bit stunned.
He gave a small smile. “When I’m not buried in the office, yes.”
She followed him inside.
The interior was even more beautiful.… tall ceilings, soft lights, art on the walls, the faint scent of cedar and something that smelled like him.
There was a magnificent fireplace in the living room, and floor-to-ceiling windows that showed a perfect view of the city skyline below.
Izzy stood there quietly, taking it all in.
“Would you like a drink?” Dominic asked, taking off his jacket and placing it neatly over a chair.
“Water’s fine,” she said. Her voice came out lower than she meant. She was too nervous for a drink.
He poured her a glass and handed it to her, his fingers brushing lightly against hers.
“It’s a public holiday for the next three days,” he said. “Stay here. Spend it with me.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “You want me to stay here?” did he just ask her to stay at his place for three freaking days?.
“Yes.” His voice was calm, serious. “No work. No stress. Just us.”
She hesitated. “Dominic… I ”
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he said gently. “But I’d like you to.”
She nodded slowly. “Okay. I will.” she couldn't say no to him with that look in his eyes.
Ahh, she was doomed!
When she stepped aside to text Maya, her hands shook slightly.
Izzy: Hey. I’m at Dominic’s place.
Maya: Wait, WHAT? Like THE Dominic? As in your boss?
Izzy: Yes. He asked me to stay for the holiday.
Maya: Girl, I swear…. All of a sudden. Are you okay with it though?
Izzy: Yeah. I think so.
Maya: Okay, but keep your head straight. Remember what we talked about. Don’t lose yourself.
Izzy: I won’t. I promise.
Maya: And if he cooks breakfast shirtless, take a photo. For research.
Izzy laughed quietly, shaking her head. “You’re impossible,” she texted back.
“Everything alright?” Dominic’s voice came from behind her.
She turned, pocketing her phone. “Yeah. Just letting Maya know where I am.”
He nodded. “Oh okay. Good.”
He gave her a short tour of the place... the open living room, the kitchen that looked like something out of a magazine, and the guest rooms down the hall.
When they reached the master suite, she stopped at the doorway.
“This is where I sleep,” he said simply.
She didn’t know why her heart skipped again. Maybe because of how casually he said it, or maybe because she could already feel where this night was heading or where she wanted it to end.
Having sex on that bed would be such a bad idea.
“It’s beautiful,” she said quietly.
He looked at her for a long moment, then reached out, brushing his fingers gently against her cheek. “You look tired.”
She smiled faintly. “It’s been a long day.”
“Then rest,” he said softly. “You can take the guest room, or…”
He didn’t finish the sentence... but the way his eyes held hers told her what he meant.
Izzy looked away, feeling her pulse quicken.
“Guest room is fine,” she said finally, even though part of her wanted to stay in his room but she wasn't going to seem to easy this time..
Dominic nodded, his jaw tightening slightly. “As you wish.”
Later, after a warm shower, Izzy stood by the large window in the guest room. The view of the city lights was mesmerizing... tiny dots of gold and silver blinking in the distance.
Her phone buzzed again.
Maya: You sure you’re okay?
Izzy: Yeah. He’s being kind. It feels weird though… like something’s changing again.
Maya: Be careful, Izzy. Kindness can be confusing when you care about someone.
Izzy: I know.
She put her phone down and sat on the edge of the bed, trying not to overthink.
Dominic’s words kept echoing in her mind... Stay here. Just us.
She didn’t know what the next three days would bring.
All she knew was that she was already too far in to turn back.
Deep down in her heart was a tingling