All Chapters of Dream Dominant Collection: Chapter 231 - Chapter 240

Chapter 231: A WeddingAfter Jessi and Judd returned from the Keys, Jessi shifted into high gear finalizing arrangements for Alex and Trish's wedding. There were schedules to check, food and liquor to order, and a vast myriad of other details to manage. An inveterate perfectionist, she would have checked and rechecked anyway, but because this wedding was for friends, she felt added pressure to get it right.Since their night at The Castle, she and Judd had discovered a deeper intimacy, and she found that she spent at least a couple of nights a week at his place. Buddy was always thrilled to visit Judd, spending his time chasing birds on the beach until he wore himself out. They also completed the final chore on Graham's list by taking down the battered old ceiling fan over Jessi's bed, replacing it with an ornate silver chandelier. They'd celebrated by enjoying cocktails at Square Grouper and watching the lighthouse across the inlet. Then they'd gone to Judd's and made love for

Chapter 233: What Have I Done?Jessi stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. She'd been trying to remove her makeup, but her hand wouldn't stop shaking. What have I done?Drawing in a ragged breath, she slid to the floor as her knees buckled, and she curled on her side, legs hugged tightly to her chest. A keening cry escaped her lips as she dissolved into sobs. Who did I think I was? How did I lose track of my life like I did? Surfing. Seriously? Showing up half-naked at a BDSM club? I'm forty-fucking-six years old. Acting like I was a twenty-year-old… Like I was some kind of cheap character in a trashy novel. But she had loved him. Judd. And Graham. Both of them. It was too confusing. The idea of selling her home made her feel queasy. How could he demand that she do it?He didn't demand, the voice of reason whispered in her mind.Jessi howled angrily. But he made it clear that was what he wanted me to do.She remained on the bathroom floor, crying until her hea

Chapter 235: One MistakeDisney World didn't live up to the hype, at least in Gary's opinion. It was effing expensive, for one thing. Just getting in cost a fortune, then heaven forbid you should want something to eat or drink. He had plenty of money, mind you, but he couldn't be foolish enough to spend it all. He'd justified the stop by telling himself that, A, it was a bucket list item, and B, after his success in the Outer Banks, he deserved a reward. He laughed, considering how he'd nearly given up after the fiasco in Buffalo. But in North Carolina, he'd gotten his groove back. And he'd show them in Orlando—you don't ignore Gary Wayne Gentry.The morning after his visit to the Magic Kingdom, he awoke with a pounding headache, which he blamed on those sum'bitch kids out by the motel pool the previous night. He hadn't gotten to sleep until after 3:00am. And he had serious recon to do to find the perfect spot for his next appointment. As he left his room for the day, he sa

Chapter 237: RealizationA brisk breeze whipped Jessi's hair as she walked along the beach. The day was cool and overcast, so the beach was virtually deserted. She stopped to capture her red locks into a ponytail and pulled her jacket more tightly around herself. Buddy, tail wagging high, scuttled along the shoreline sniffing at various things the surf washed in.It had been three months since she'd broken things off with Judd. For three months, she'd tried to convince herself that she'd done the right thing. The age difference between them was too great, he lived a different kind of life than she did, she was comfortable with her own life. But she recognized a lie when she told it to herself. Still, she just couldn't see parting with the house. For all those reasons she'd outlined to him, and more. She'd lived there all her adult life. It was her home, her children's home. Not that they spent any time there anymore. Cara and Adam rarely visited anymore. And now with Cara

Chapter 239: Pushed Over the EdgeWest Palm Beach was pretty nice, Gary decided. From Tampa, he'd had in mind to head to Miami, but needs must; West Palm was the next bus, so the die was cast. When he'd gotten off the bus downtown, with his new dark brown hair, he almost believed he was a different person. Maybe I should just stay here. I could get a job, find an apartment, start a new life. He'd found a cheap room in a seedy hotel, the kind where they don't ask questions because they effing don't care. As long as you pay cash, they're happy to not see you. It was mid-afternoon by the time he rolled out of bed. Hungry, he decided to take himself for a walk, maybe find some grub in the process. The downtown waterfront was prettier than anything Gary had ever seen. Turning away from the Intracoastal, he headed west up Clematis Street, pausing to watch a couple of kids playing in the triangle of fountains at Flagler Park. Bars, restaurants, and shops lined the street, and at