“Okay,” I nod timidly, my hands settling on the straps of my dress with hesitation that doesn't go unnoticed.
Dominic suddenly leans in and whispers, “Don't be afraid, Cece. If you're still undecided, we can go back to the cabin.”
If Dominic is trying to confuse me, it's working. If he's trying to distract me from thinking about how he pleasuredme the other night, he's failing at that. Especially as he pulls back after whispering so sweetly, and stares into my soul with soft warmth glazing his vibrant, deep brown eyes.
I shake my head firmly as if I've just found the reason to strengthen my resolve, pulling the straps down my arms without hesitation.
“I'm gonna pretend that I'm just an extra today and have fun,” I declare proudly, smiling as I strip down to my one-piece bathing suit that only holds my stomach in, but is revealing around my thighs to expose my cellulite. It's something I would have been highly conscious of, but when Dominic offers out a hand and rakes his gaze over my body with an appreciative twinkle in his eyes, I have no reason to feel nervous.
“You're no extra, Cecelia,” he says, his voice hoarse as if his throat had just dried. His Adam's apple bobs as he meetsmy eyes again, and he gives my hand a gentle but firm squeeze. “You're the main character, and it's time you owned it. We may be classified as the underdogs, but that's going to change soon.”
Though Dominic's support is heartwarming, I feel the need to clarify what he just declared.
“For you, when you win the trials, and for me, when my father's name is cleared…right?”
Dominic pulls back and takes a deep breath, and I could have sworn I saw a flash of regret in his eyes, a fleeting frown passing his brows.
“Right. Of course,” he agrees with a firm nod, then releases my hand and nods toward the edge of the deck. “Come on! Let's see those diving skills Donna's always talking about.”
I roll my eyes and giggle as I race Dominic to the edge of the deck, where we can dive into the lake, deciding not to read too deeply into our conversation or Dominic's behavior leading to this moment. He's probably just trying to get through the trials amicably, creating a stress-free environment for me so I can be at my best to help him win.
That's the main goal, after all. Now, if my heart behaves and does not become entangled in this situation, it will really help me prevent another heartbreak.
For now, I just need to enjoy myself and be as carefree as I find I can be when I'm with my best friend at the beach.
That's what Dominic and I seem to be forming—a bond of friendship that won't hurt me. At least, I hope it won't.
Chapter 14 - Dominic
Sunbathing is one of the few luxuries I had while out on black ops missions. During the last year, while we were camping in Byron to hunt down a coven of bloodsuckers that'd crawled out of the woodwork after a few decades in hiding, we'd cliff jump off the tallest peak in Coos Canyon and dive into the river below.
Doing something similar now feels different with Cecelia. I remember my sister's letters she wrote me while I was away, describing her adventures with her best friend at the beach. Today, I had the chance to see Cecelia in action, and there's something about it that warms my heart.
Almost as warm as the sun is as it kisses my cheek while I lie on the towel spread out on the warm blanket of summer grass. As I remove my arm from my face, I see two figures in the distance near the forest, and sit upright at attention.
“Hey, who's that?” I ask Santo, who's lying on his own towel beside me.
He squints his eyes as he opens them, then frowns in the direction of my pointed finger.
“We weren't expecting anyone.”
Since Cecelia and Lily started talking after our first dive into the lake, they seem to have grown closer, and I'm glad that she's made a friend.
But now the question of the two figures emerging from out of the woods has me worried, and I get to my feet just as one of the faces becomes familiar when it's lit up by the sunlight.
“Oh, shit!” I swat Santo's shoulder. “It's Tyler. Come on,” I tell him with a nod. “Let's go meet him.”
Since Santo has already heard about my friends from black ops, he's immediately on his feet and following me toward them. I've told him all about my adventures in the black ops squad, and he's been dying to meet them.
Jogging forward, Tyler waves at me, a broad grin spreading across his face and beaming brightly in his blue eyes.
“Yo, Ty, what are you doing here, man? This is a surprise!”
Tyler comes forward to hug me with a firm pat on my back. “I knew you'd be surprised, so I told your alpha not to say anything,” he chuckles, stepping back and pointing at the man beside him, who's equally as muscled-up as either of us. “This is Brutus, my beta from Moonshine.”
My lips curl into a knowing smirk as I shake Brutus's hand. “Does that mean…?”
“Yeah, I was inaugurated as alpha a week ago. My father couldn't wait when I got back from black ops, so things happened pretty quickly.” Tyler nods at Santo, sticking his hand out. “You must be the best friend.”
