Dominic watched Samaire with growing concern. She shoved her hands in her long light brown hair. Her golden eyes were dull and her full lips were pinched. Her fair skin had gone white. The woman had always been uptight but he had never seen her this upset before. He glanced at the message on her phone.
“‘Transform’?” he asked as he curled his arm around her shoulders.
She felt soft and delicate against him.
“What is he talking about, Sam?”
“Nothing… Never mind…” she whispered.
“You are white a sheet, so stop with the nothing nonsense and tell me what the hell is going on.”
Samaire sighed and shrugged.
“Brian Connolly helps celebrities manage their public image on social media. He is a big deal and he’s interviewing me for a job.”
She covered her face with her hands.
“But I have to pass a test… It has to do with me reinventing myself into a wild party girl.”
Samaire Grainger… a party girl? He couldn’t wrap his head around the idea. This Brian Connolly knew how to test her. Samaire didn’t have the attitude to be a wild girl. She was quiet and gentle. Serious and intense. Always had been.
At times, it turned into anxiety. When that happened, Dominic tried to distract her until she calmed down. He wasn’t always successful. But this test was something else.
Samaire didn’t like revealing anything about herself, but he discovered something new every time he saw her. Like when she had unintentionally shown her deep romantic streak when she gathered the love stories of his grandparents and parents for a Valentine’s Day feature on the website.
She had tried to act as if it was all to emphasize the family aspect of the winery, but she couldn’t hide her true interest from him.
“Are you going to do the interview?”
“Dominic, I really want this job.”
Samaire stumbled to the barstool, then sat down and flopped her arms and head onto the bar.
“Everyone in my industry would kill to be Brian Connolly’s protégé. I want to be the one. Just for once in my life, I want everyone to envy ME. Have my colleagues know my name and listen to what I have to say.”
Dominic was missing something.
“Then what is stopping you?”
“Is not that easy, Dom… It means I have to appear... bolder than I am.”
Bold? No, that wasn’t Samaire Grainger. She was like his favorite dry wine, a balanced contrast of sharp and sweet. He would have added flowery, considering her secret romantic side, but now he wondered if there was an underlying hint of spice.
“You know what? From my point of view, this interview technique is questionable,” Dominic said. “Are you sure he’s not one of those creeps who uses his position to get women into bed? Does he use job openings as a casting couch?”
“Dominic, please.”
Her voice was muffled.
“Now is not the time to share your paranoid theories that I’m walking into danger or something…”
“Paranoid theories?” he repeated.
Dominic had pulled Samaire and his sister, Lena, out of one bad situation after another for as long as he could remember. He didn’t ask for the role as their protector but he couldn’t stop being concerned. Especially about Samaire. She seemed more vulnerable and more trusting than his sister.
“You didn’t answer my question, Samaire. What do you know about this guy?”
Samaire sighed.
“He’s a legend and has launched the career of many influential people in the field. Brian can make you a star or he can send you back into obscurity. He gets thousands of résumés in a week and he approached me for a job. ME!”
He realized Samaire had been seduced simply by the way she was offered the position.
“Am I to understand that this is your dream job?”
She rocked her head from side to side.
“I never allowed myself to dream about it, Dom. I didn’t think it was possible for someone like me to even be considered…”
Dominic sat down next to her.
“What about your business? You built it from scratch. You are the boss.”
“I know,” Samaire said and lifted her head. “I love my work. I love being in charge. But this offer... I could be more. I could be a star in my industry. I could do things I never dreamed I could, meet people I never thought I could meet…”
He watched her silently. He didn’t think that accolades would have been important to Samaire. She didn’t seek the spotlight. She rested her head against her hand.
“You know, the thing is, I’m sure I could do this assignment. I can create an image and maintain it. Make it feel authentic. I’ve done it many times for my clients. It’s my job. But the question is… Can I do it to myself?”
Dominic shrugged.
“How is it different than working with one of your clients?”
Samaire smiled at his suggestion.
“I can be a different person online. That’s what’s so great about social media,” she said as she splayed her hands in the air. “With the right strategy, you can appear more successful, more popular, and more interesting than you are in real life. But face-to-face? Forget it.”
“It’s not that hard to do something wild and crazy. Take my word for it. All you need is poor judgment and witnesses. The problem is living it down for the rest of your life.”
“Not you, Dominic! You’re the golden boy. You could do anything and it doesn’t stick to you. In fact…”
Samaire slowly pushed her hair from her face and sat up straight. Dominic could see the wheels turning in her brain.
“In fact… what?”
“In fact, you’re an expert on… this. You could help me reinvent myself.”
Dominic’s eyes widened.
“Excuse me? I don’t know anything about transformations or changing an image. That’s why I hired you to promote this place, remember?”
“But I don’t have a personal image.”
She pulled at the lapels of her blazer and smoothed her hands over the pink blouse she wore underneath.
“And it’s time to work on that. With your help.”
“No way, Samaire! Forget it! I’m not doing this! No, sir! No, ma’am!”
“Dom… please… I need help! Your help.”
He wasn’t sure what all it would entail, but his imagination was going wild. Dominic didn’t like that determined look in Samaire’s eyes. He raised his hands as if he could stop her.
“If this guy is making you do weird assignments for an interview, what is he going to make you do once you get the job? Listen, I’m not so sure about this Brian Connolly guy.”
Samaire slapped her hand against the bar.
“Dominic Weston, I’m calling in a favor!”
“No…”
Dominic stood up and crossed his arms.
“Look, when I said I owe you one, I meant something like a reference or a free case of wine… but not some strange makeover… or whatever this is…”
She slowly rose from her seat and met his gaze. She had a spark in her eye that he hadn’t seen before.
“Do you know how many favors I’ve done for you? How many times did I make your project my top priority? You wouldn’t want that to stop now, would you?”
“What are you saying? That you’ll stop working for me?”
He couldn’t let that happen. Samaire’s work was critical to his success. Not only that, but she made his work life easier.
“No… No, I won’t because I’m a professional. I will continue to work for you because we have a contract.”
Samaire copied his stance and crossed her arms.
“But… I won’t break my neck trying to meet your insane deadlines and emergencies.”
“You wouldn’t!”
She couldn’t. Samaire never said no to him. He hadn’t realized that until now.
“Well… let’s hope it doesn’t go that far. I’m calling in all my favors!” she said and pointed at him. “If you help me transform into a party girl for one week, I promise to wipe the slate clean. You won’t owe me anything. You have my word.”
Dominic paused. Anything? That was a generous offer.
“Seriously?”
“I swear it!”
He believed her, but that didn’t mean he should agree.
“I’m telling you… This is going to blow up in our faces.”
Her golden eyes twinkled when she realized he was weakening.
“No one will know, Dom. Not a soul!”
Dominic scoffed at her prediction.
“You are transforming yourself into a wild party girl. Someone is going to notice.”
“It’ll only be temporary.”
She clasped her hands together, silently begging him to agree.
“Please…. You can spare a week.”
“There is no such thing as a temporary reputation.”
He’d been labeled as the ‘golden boy’ in middle school and everyone in town still expected him to succeed in everything he did.
“I got it!”
Her eyes grew round as the excitement built inside her.
“I’ll tell everyone I went off the rails and you pulled me back from the brink of self-destruction. You’ll be the hero in the story. The Golden Boy saving the Wallflower!”
Samaire loved storytelling in her social media campaigns but this was different.
“No one is going to believe that.”
“Please, I can spin a story,” Samaire said with quiet confidence. “Brian doesn’t agree with some of my methods or my emphasis on storytelling. This is my chance to show him that I know what I’m talking about. So, what do you say? Are you in?”
Dominic sighed and ran his hand through his hair. It was clearly important to Samaire to show her expertise to this so-called legend. But Dominic didn’t trust the guy’s motives. He doubted there was a legitimate job offer at the end of the test.
Samaire was naive and her ambitions were blinding her to the risks. He needed to watch over Samaire and make sure she didn’t do something that could hurt her in the long run.
“All right! I’m in,” Dominic replied with great reluctance. “Tell me everything this guy wants you to do. Start from the beginning.”
“Really? Are you really in?” Samaire was surprised by Dominic’s answer. He was obviously not thrilled about her plan and she’d figured she’d have to do a lot more convincing. She doubted he would go back on his word but she couldn’t take any chances with so much at stake.“Dom, you need to think really hard about this. Because once you’re in, you’re in… I can’t afford for you to have second thoughts.”“What’s there to think about?” Dominic asked as he sat down on the barstool. “One hand washes the other. You scratch my back and I scratch yours. You need my help and I need yours.” She frowned. Was it really that simple for him?“That’s it?”“That’s it, Sam.”&nb
Even so, that didn’t mean this wasn’t a game for Brian Connolly. Brian was like the bullies she’d known most of her life. They sensed her vulnerabilities and while they couldn’t figure out the source of her tension, they toyed with her until she wanted to run away and hide. Her quiet demeanor and her ability to blend in to a crowd didn’t always protect Samaire. But this time, she wasn’t going to hide. She was going to show her level of expertise even though it would also demonstrate what she couldn’t do. Well, that was a risk she needed to take. Samaire had to prove to the Brian Connollys of the world that her methods and style were just as valuable as theirs.“Sam, we have to do this my way. It’s faster. Easier. 100% success guaranteed.”
“I approve of the shirt.” His fingers stroked the lace.“It looks like you’re not wearing anything underneath. It’s very distracting.”“I think that was the general idea. There’s a thin lining underneath that matches my skin tone.” But with his large hands against her spine, it felt as if there was no barrier between his skin and hers.“Next time go for a brighter color so you stand out more,” Dominic suggested as his hand slid down her spine. “How long have you been at the party?”“I just got here.” She sounded breathless as her heart pounded against her chest.“Perfect.” He bent his head and Samaire closed her eyes. He was so close and she wanted to curl into him. She shivered as he whispered in her ear.“So, this is what you need to do. First, relax. This is a party, Sam.” How could she relax when she was wrapped in Dominic’s arms? The man of her hottest fantasies surrounded her. Her hands were tied behind his neck and she was tempt
Dominic found Samaire on the other side of the bonfire. Her eyes widened when she saw him striding toward her and her spine stiffened. She immediately headed to the parking lot but he caught up with her.“Why did you walk away after the dance?” Dominic asked. He looked over his shoulder but no one was around. The light from the bonfire didn’t quite reach them, and they were safe from prying eyes.“The song was over, Dom. Why are you following me?” Because he couldn’t stop himself. He was always aware of where Samaire was, who she was with and what she was doing. Until tonight he’d thought it was because he’d assigned himself to watch over her, but now he wasn’t so sure his motives had been that noble.“Everything was going great…” he said. “Marshall’s eyes bugged out and he’s probably going to make a move on you.” She wrinkled her nose.“This isn’t my goal.”“You want to create a persona. I thought we were doing that. Did you change your mind?”
What did she think about Dominic wooing her? Seducing her? Her heart fluttered against her chest. She would be living out her fantasy. For a whole week! Samaire tried to keep a thoughtful expression as excitement pulsed inside her. Who cared if it was pretend? She couldn’t appear too eager as she accepted his idea. There had to be a problem with this plan but Samaire was willing to take the risk. She wanted to know what it was like to be with Dominic. Samaire understood that if he truly was in lust with her it wouldn’t last. She wasn’t the kind of woman who could keep his attention. In fact, no woman was. But this way she could enjoy the experience and there wouldn’t be any long-term awkwardness once their ‘fling’ fizzled out.“Are you sure you want
He shouldn’t have kissed her. And he shouldn’t think about it anymore, Dominic decided as he walked to Samaire’s apartment the next evening. Eagerness pulsed through him and Dominic tried to will it away. He gave an irritable sigh. He needed to focus on his job tonight. He also needed to complete this favor for Samaire without adding any complications. But if Dominic had to describe Samaire Grainger, he would only use one word: complicated. She made his job easier but the woman was difficult and stubborn as a rock. Samaire argued with him over the tiniest detail with no provocation. She questioned everything from his plans for Cedar Creek Wine Cellars to his enthusiasm. And being questioned wasn’t something Dominic was used to or liked.
Dominic forced his attention back to the whiteboard.“Why do you need to work like this? You don’t have to do everything step-by-step in chronological order. I’m sure we could knock off a few steps.” Samaire rushed over to the board, her arms outstretched to block him.“Don’t touch a thing, Dominic. Please! This is a system that I’ve perfected over the years. It’s working for me and this is all that matters.” It was tempting to tease her and pretend to erase the board with the sweep of his arm but it was obvious how protective she was of her work. Almost in an aggressive way…“You don’t always need a system. Take last night… We improvised and it worked out perfectly fine.”“Just because it worked once doesn’t
“Okay, Sam… I’m waiting,” Dominic said a couple of moments later. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and one ankle hooked over the other. His smile was wide and crooked. His eyes twinkled, daring her to make a move and knowing she wouldn’t.“Shut up, Dom! I’m thinking,” Samaire whispered as she glared at him. She looked around the room for inspiration. The small bathroom had white walls and a black-and-white-checkered tile floor. Her gaze rested on the towels that sat on the porcelain sink. She had no idea what to do next.“Shouldn’t we be making noises?” he asked as he checked his watch. “You know… Moans? Groans? Whispers? Bump rhythmically against the door?” Samaire marched over to him.
Dominic pulled out of the parking spot but stopped when he heard a bang on the back of the car.“Dom! Wait! Don’t go!” ‘She was there… Samaire came to him…’ He got out in a second. Her hair was free from the knot and was getting wet and she squinted as the rain hit her face. The bag dangled from her shoulder, and Samaire took deep breaths as if she had sprinted from the coffee shop.“Please…” she added almost whispering.“My darling…” Dominic exclaimed.“I don’t want you to stay away…”“Are you sure?“Yes…”“Look, I know you don’t need my protection,” he said in a rush. “Lena always complains about how overprotective I am. I guess it’s because I was the big brother and I had to show her the way. Once you and my sister became friends, that protection covered you, as well. I don’t know how to stop trying to look out for you, Sam… It’s how I take care of the people I love.”“I don’t want you to stop, Dom,” Samaire said as her expression softened. “But I also
‘Everything we shared was fake.’ Two weeks later, Samaire’s words still haunted Dominic. She had said some other things that had stung but that statement bothered him the most. If what they’d had was fake, he wouldn’t feel this depressed and alone. He would sleep at night and function through the day. If what they had wasn’t real, then why did he feel as if he’d lost something special? Dominic slowly got out of his car and bent his head to ward off the cold and misty rain. He strode to the small coffee shop where he knew Samaire was waiting for her friend Deanna. He wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to confront her in public. Samaire didn’t like surprises and she withdrew into herself when she was cornered. She was going to hate what he was about to do but he had tried to reach her for weeks. Samaire was avoiding him... she was hiding from him. Dominic’s stomach turned at the thought. Hiding because of him. Samaire had just begun to step off the
Samaire’s hands shook as she tried to unlock her car door. A howling pain raged inside her, ready to tear free. She had to lock down the bitterness and the dark, swirling emotions. She was just a hook-up for him? A quickie? Someone to bang and left on the side of the road? Her heart was in pieces and she needed to get out of the parking lot… Of the city, for that matter. “Leaving town? Really? That’s your solution… That’s the best you can do? Damn it, Samaire!” she scowled herself. “You knew the fling was a bad idea, and you did it anyway. You knew you’d get your heart broken… Well, congratulations! You are in love with the man who broke your heart forever!” Okay, running away wasn’t a solution but she won’t stay there and show him or the world how much the words he said to Brian Connolly had hurt her or how she thought she had meant something to him. Giving no reaction had been her only defense for years and it came automatically to her.“Sam! Where ar
There weren’t enough words to describe Samaire. He could only choose a few… Intense. Wild. Serious. Beautiful. Strong. Wonderful. Loving. Determined. Sexy. Perfect. But the list could go on and on. He would sing Samaire’s praises but there were many things he didn’t want to share with Brian. He knew the douchebag would not appreciate her strengths and vulnerabilities. Connolly would search for her flaws, real and unimagined.“What is it you want to know about her?” Dominic asked.“She works on your social media…” Brian said before he quaffed the wine. “What does that entail?”“We had no social media presence until we hired Samaire. She built our strategy… Connected us with the world.” Dominic quickly ran down the list of Samaire’s duties and realized it was a lot. Somehow Samaire managed to put all of the pieces together and create excitement for his business.“Have you seen any results?” Brian asked as he leaned back in his chair. “I’m sure you can’t dir
“Why? What’s wrong with the tasting room?” Samaire asked looking around. She was surprisingly light-headed as her legs wobbled. Her muscles ached as the lust coiled tight in her pelvis.“No one’s here... No one can see us, Dom, so relax…”“I can’t hide you if anyone walks in, baby.” Samaire smiled at his protective gesture.“They won’t…”“Darling, let’s stop for now… Let’s continue this at your place or mine…”“But here is so much better… And I don’t wanna stop, Dom…” She slowly slipped down from the counter and gently, shimmied out of her sexy dress. Samaire stood still for a second allowing him to take her image in. Dominic’s gaze went from her breasts to the apex of her legs. It was like he was caressing her with his eyes.“You are absolutely breathtaking…” he whispered. Unable to remain passive any longer, Samaire got near him, unfastened his white shirt, and tugged it loose. Eager to feel his skin, she shoved the shirt from him. Samaire slo
It was close to midnight when Samaire got out of her car in the Cedar Creek Wine Cellar parking lot. She wasn’t sure what had prompted her to come back here after the party. Dominic hadn’t invited her back. Instead, he’d given her an intense look when she had left with Brian. Samaire walked to the door as a couple of employees were leaving.“Is Dominic still here?” she asked.“Yes,” one of the waiters said as he held the door open for her. “He’s always the last one to leave. We just saw him in the tasting room.” She thanked him and stepped into the bar. She paused as the door closed behind her. She hadn’t been here when it was empty, and most of the lights were turned off. Samaire quietly went up the metal stairs and headed to the tasting room. She stopped in the doorway when she saw Dominic. His white shirt almost glowed in the shadows. He was in the far corner, sitting on a barstool near the counter, and looking out the windows that faced the evergreen t
Hours later, Dominic peered over the heads of the guests and glanced at the entrance of the tasting room. The room was now comfortably filled with wine enthusiasts but not packed from wall to wall. He had caught snatches of deep discussion and glowing compliments about the reserve label. Tonight had been a success but one component had been missing. Dominic curled his arm tighter around Samaire’s waist and pressed his mouth against her ear.“I don’t think he’s going to show, darling.” Samaire’s back stiffened and she glanced at the door.“You’re probably right.” She returned her attention to him and smiled sweetly.“Well, I guess that means more brownies for me.” Dominic was intrigued by her indifferent attitude. He remembered her anxiety when Brian had first announced his visit. Why the change? Was this part of her wild party-girl act? If so, she did it very well.“The tasting room is going to close in half an hour,” Dominic said. “He
By Friday night, Dominic had grown quiet and tense. He stood by the desk in his office as the darkness of the night gathered. For the next three hours, he had to be the genial host for his party while watching Samaire gain the attention of a total douchebag. He reached for the wine bottle on his desk and poured a small amount of the Merlot into a wineglass. This time he didn’t care about the bouquet or heavy oak aging. Fuck that! All he could think about was Sam. This night was about her. FOR her. When he heard a knock, Dominic set the wine bottle to the side and glanced at the office door.“Come in, it’s open.” The door cautiously opened and Samaire peeked around the corner.“Dom, you wanted to see me?”“Yeah, come.” She walked into the room and closed the door behind her. Her silky hair was swept up in a soft and romantic style that emphasized the graceful lines of her neck. The dark lavender dress complimented her pale skin and pale
“Who was on the phone?”“Brian,” she said as she crawled onto the bed. “I invited him to your party as you suggested.” Dominic didn’t say anything as she straddled his hips. His hands automatically went to her legs and stroked them tenderly. So, she invited Connolly… Well, she must really want that job in LA. He didn’t want her to go, but he couldn’t hold her back. Why was it that he had known Samaire for most of his life but only noticed her when it was almost too late?“Dom, I need to ask another favor…” Samaire leaned over him, her fingers gripping his shoulders.“Yesterday you said I don’t defend myself and I know it’s true. I want to be more assertive, but I’m not sure where to start.” He had trouble thinking straight as the sense of impending loss continued to roll through him.“You’re very assertive with me, darling,” he said gruffly. “Our brainstorming sessions can turn into heated arguments.”“Okay, but I’m that way only with you,” Samaire replie