Chapter 18
Chapter 18:
I snatch the dangling key from Sandra, my insides burning with embarrassment. “Thanks, Sandra. There was no need for the loud added information, though p>
I sigh and shake my head. This girl can be utterly ridiculous sometimes.
Turning toward the doorway, I spot Dominic holding my bag in one hand and his in the other. Looks like he brought them in from the car while Sandra and I were in the kitchen.
Dominic and I ascend the stairs toward my room—or should I say, our room.
God, it even sounds so alien coming out of my mouth.
When we reach the room, I unlock the door with the key and we step inside. I switch on the lights and plop down on the bed, relishing the softness and freshness of the mattress.
God, I have missed this room so much.
I sit up and pull the packet of cookies from my pocket. Tearing open the shiny brown wrapper, I begin stuffing some of the cookies into my mouth.
Damn, they taste so good.
Dominic opens his box and takes out a casual brown t-shirt and black shorts. He pulls off his shirt, revealing his tanned torso, his muscles flexing as he moves to pull down his black pants. But strangely enough, I don’t feel anything. No butterflies. My heart doesn’t flutter, and I don’t find myself wanting to stare or ogle at him. His body is fire, but my mind is elsewhere—on someone else.
I shove more cookies into my mouth, crunching down hard. Dominic slips into the black shorts and brown t-shirt in seconds, then opens the wardrobe to hang the clothes he changed out of. He places his bag inside before turning back to me.
“Hey babe, I’ll meet you downstairs. I can’t wait to see you in those ripped jean shorts.” He flirts, giving me a quick wink before disappearing out of the room like a gust of wind.
I heave a sigh. what he meant was that he wants to hang out with Asher and Ethan. Boys will always be boys.
The ripped jean shorts he mentioned—well, let’s say they’re the casual boyfriend gift he handed me last week. The day he handed them to me, he explained how he saw them on a model in a fashion magazine and thought of buying them for me.
I know it sounds sexy, maybe to you, but when I received them and heard the story behind the gift, I didn’t feel anything… sexy. I’m not talking about the shorts—they’re sexy as hell. I’m talking about the guy who gave them to me. I’m talking about Dominic. I don’t seem to like him nearly as much as he seems to like me.
But we’re cool together. And I’m still holding on to the hope that he’s the one who will help me get my mind off Asher. Maybe it will take time.
gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀.𝗰0𝗆; 𝓒𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒶𝒻𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝗍𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃
I open my box and take out the ripped blue jean shorts and a red sleeveless tank top. I change into them and zip my bag closed. Carrying it to the wardrobe, I place it beside Dominic’s bag before sliding the glass door shut.
I walk over to the giant mirror in the room and stand in front of it, using my fingers to comb through my hair all the way down my back.
I stare at my reflection, my hand brushing over the pendant of the necklace Asher handed me on my birthday last month.
The steamy moment we shared that day flashes into my mind, and I gulp, my hand clutching and rubbing lightly over my stomach almost instinctively.
Breathe, Isla. breathe. Tonight is going to be amazing. like it has always been. Asher is here, but Dominic is here too. All you have to do is relax and imagine you’re the only person in the room. The guys don’t matter.
All that matters is you and the fun you’re supposed to have tonight.
I draw in a deep breath and turn to grab the packet of cookies from the bed. Tossing one of the remaining cookies into my mouth, I chew as I head out of the room, closing the door behind me.