Uncle Dominic's Touch

Evernight Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2011 Jenika Snow

 ISBN:
978-1-926950-59-4

Cover Artist: Jinger Heaston

Editor: Marie Buttineau

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.  No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

This is for everyone who wants something they can't have, something that didn't conform to others' beliefs. Stand up for what you want and don't let anyone stand in your way from getting it!

UNCLE DOMINIC'S TOUCH

Jenika Snow

Copyright © 2011

Prologue

August 1990

The sun beat down on Chloe. The lilac colored dress she wore was thin and strapless, yet it did nothing to help her cool off. She stood amongst the other bridesmaids, all of the women at least fifteen years her senior. All of them, except Chloe, filled out their dresses. She was only six; a mere child compared to the twenty-something year olds beside her, but her Aunt Clara had chosen her to be a part of this big day.  

Today was her aunt Clara’s wedding. Her to-be husband stood just a short distant from Chloe, the onyx colored tux he wore did nothing to hide the brute strength he exuded. Aunt Clara had been together for as long as Chloe could remember. Chloe knew him as Uncle Dominic, and so this wedding was just a formality, a legal binding of their already permanent relationship.

Chloe looked up to him. She loved spending time at her aunt and uncle's cottage during her summer vacation. Despite her aunt being only in her early-twenties, Clara was a very important person, just like her mom and dad. She was a doctor everyone one looked up to.

Uncle Dominic hadn’t gone to college like Aunt Clara. He was a military man, a man that served his country, as her momma said. She heard people talk about how heroic he was, how powerful and strong. They called him a SEAL, whatever that meant. Maybe one day someone would explain it all to Chloe.

As the sun beat down harder, Chloe could see everyone shift uncomfortably. Why anyone would want to get married in this blistering heat was beyond her. Chloe did admit that the lake behind them glistened like a million tiny jewels under the sun.

When the music played and Aunt Clara walked down the aisle, Chloe couldn’t help but stare at Uncle Dominic. He wore a big smile, his sole attention on his soon-to-be wife. She adored her Uncle Dominic. He was the only one that told her stories of faraway places, the only one that played the knight to her princess. He was never too busy for her. Not like her parents were.

Maybe that was why she liked him the best. When everyone else was too busy to be bothered with Chloe, Uncle Dominic was always there. An idle thought played into Chloe’s mind, one where Uncle Dominic would be too busy to spend time with her. He was married now. What if her aunt and uncle ended up like her parents, too busy for her?

When Aunt Clara stopped in front of Uncle Dominic, she turned and smiled down at Chloe. This had all been rehearsed yesterday. Chloe was nervous, but she forced herself to step forward and take Aunt Clara’s bouquet like a big girl, without any mistakes. She didn’t want to ruin this very special day for her aunt and uncle.

 Uncle Dominic turned and looked down at her. He smiled, but then she saw how he crossed his eyes. It took every ounce of control Chloe had not to start laughing. She did smile, though. She just couldn’t help it.

The ceremony finished without fault, and Chloe found herself stuck in the corner, watching the “grown-ups” have their fun. Still she couldn’t stop worrying if things were going to get weird.

“Why the frown, Chloe?”

She knew that voice, deep and slightly scratchy. Lifting her head, she stared into Uncle Dominic’s bright blue eyes. They always reminded her of the ocean. She had seen enough pictures to know that the color was the same.

“Nothing.” She wouldn’t tell him how she felt, wouldn’t tell him she knew things were going to be different now. They wouldn’t be around anymore, wouldn’t invite her to the cottage on her summer vacations.

When she stayed quiet he spoke softly, “I thought we could tell each other anything?” He pulled up a chair in front of her and sat down. “We’re buddies. Whatever you have to say, I’m all ears.” He smiled and chucked her under the chin with his finger.

“You…” Would he get angry with her? She hoped not. “You won’t have time for me anymore.” He leaned back in his chair and looked at her with a frown.

“Not have time for you anymore? Are you crazy?” She couldn’t help but giggle at his high pitched voice. As if he was shocked she had said such a thing.

“Listen. No matter what, you and I will always be best buddies, okay?”

“Dom! Come on, Dom!”

Chloe looked behind his shoulder at her aunt. Clara had a drink in hand and waved him over with enthusiasm.

“When we get back from Europe we will have you and your mom and dad over, okay? We'll go on the boat and I’ll tell you some more stories. Sound good, kiddo?”

She nodded. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before rising and going over to Aunt Clara. Chloe sighed deeply. She knew Uncle Dominic told her the truth. He never lied.

Chapter One

May 2002

Chloe stood beside her mom while her father took yet another picture. Today she graduated from high school, with honors, and her parents were ecstatic. Finally she was through with the repetition of school, well, at least until college started, but that wasn’t until the fall.

She had big plans, ones that involved spending the entire summer at her aunt and uncle’s cottage, soaking up the sun and relaxing until school started again. They were set to leave for the cottage, and for the next several months it would be nothing but relaxation until life set in again.

Uncle Dominic hadn’t lied all those years ago. He had made sure to have Chloe and her parents over as much as possible. Although, once Chloe started high school those trips dwindled down considerably. Focusing on her studies and taking extra classes during the summer had been prominent on her parents' list. Edward and Johanna Crawford had made it clear that securing her future was much too important.

It had been several years since Chloe had been back to the cabin, and she secretly resented her parents for denying her that one pleasure in life. She missed her aunt and uncle, and despite the fact they visited during the holidays, it just wasn’t the same.

The plan was to leave for the cottage in the morning, and Chloe could hardly contain her excitement. She missed waking up early and going out onto the deck to watch the sun rise. Everyone else would be asleep, but not Uncle Dominic. It was like their little secret, their own special time together when he would let her drink coffee like one of the grown-ups.

They hadn’t spoken during that time, hadn’t uttered a single word as they watched that big ball of light rise above the mountains and paint the sky in a dusky pink. Those times were what she thought about most, what she missed most.

Those had been the days, but now she had eight years of school to look forward to. She was following in her parents' footsteps after all, hoping to make them proud. Wasn’t that what every child did? Wasn’t that what every person aimed for in life? For her it almost felt automatic, repetitive even.

 “Jake! Jake honey, come here and take a picture with Chloe.” Her mother's incessant cackling grated on Chloe’s ears.

Chloe looked behind her shoulder and watched Jake, her boyfriend of two years, stride toward them. He sidled next to Chloe, arm around her waist. Jake was going into law, a profession that her parents approved of.

There was a feeling inside Chloe that urged her something was missing, that there was so much more to life than working herself to the bone. What difference would it make it you had all the money in the world, a prominent career, and people looking up to you if you weren’t happy?

Sometimes she wondered if her mother and father were happy. When was the last time she saw them kiss or hold hands? They didn’t fight, but she knew when they were despite the fact they didn’t raise their voices. The tension they created was tangible. Would she be like that one day? Fighting without saying anything? Miserable because happiness and love were absent in her perfect little life?

God she hoped not. She’d rather be dead than live her life like that.

****

When the picture taking had ceased and everyone started dispersing, Chloe and her parents headed home. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her, but the excitement of what tomorrow would bring overrode that.

“What time are we leaving for the cottage again?”

Chloe leaned back in the seat and turned to look at Jake. His collar was unbuttoned, his tie wrapped haphazardly around his neck. His hand slowly inched its way up her thigh.

Placing her hand over his, she stopped his ascent. “Jake! My parents are right in front seat!” Whispering almost frantically, Chloe couldn’t help but smile at him. He cast an uncaring glance toward her parents. They were both engaged heavily in conversation about some kind of new medical breakthrough. “We leave first thing in the morning.” Chloe tried to turn the conversation back to his original question, but he wouldn’t be dissuaded.

Jake leaned close, his warm, minty breath brushed against her neck and sent tingles throughout her body. “I can’t wait until we get to the cottage, Chloe. I’m going to ravish you.” He inched his hand farther up her thigh and she found herself letting him.

Over the two years they had been together, Chloe had successfully maintained a “no sex” rule. Despite Jake's adamant speech about how they should express their feelings for each other in a physical way, he respected her decision and didn’t press her on it.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to have sex with Jake, or in general, but she just felt like waiting was the best thing to do at this time in her life. She knew she was probably one of the only virgins in her school. Hell, most of her friends were so experienced in the sex department they could make a porn star raise an eyebrow.