She peered up at me, eyes wide, before a bashful smile lifted her lips.
“Safety first, right?” She slid her arm into mine, the spark from her touch sending a current up my arm.
“Right,” I agreed, my voice low and husky as my dark eyes met her hazel ones with the same longing. I broke our gaze and led her down the beach, the warmth of her hand triggering the same jolt across my skin. I’d take whatever time she gave me as a gift, not a tease for all I wanted but would never have again.
19
Thea
I trailedDominic as he led me from tent to tent, speaking to every vendor as if he’d known them for years. He was always so social, sometimes to the point of grating on my nerves, and small-town life suited him perfectly. We’d leave one tent, and he’d whisper some gossip he’d just heard about them into my ear. I didn’t miss how engrained he was in his business and the customers he’d gotten to know over the years.
Something else that didn’t go unnoticed was how he introduced me. “This is Thea.” Not my friend, Thea or my ex-girlfriend, Thea. It was amusing to watch people look between us as they drew their own conclusions.
For two people who’d spent most of the past month skating around each other, touching was easy tonight. I linked my arm with his for most of the time as we made our way down the beach, and if he spotted something he wanted me to see, he’d grab my hand and pull me over. We were having fun like the old days, and for once, I let myself enjoy it without pondering the meaning behind it all.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Dominic said, shaking his head as we came to the last tent in the row. An older woman with a veil and a long flowy dress sat hovered over a large bowl.
“Is she a fortune teller?” I whispered, not realizing my cheek was resting on Dominic’s shoulder. This close, his woodsy and familiar scent flooded my senses.
“She’s a dry cleaner,” he whispered to me as he snaked his arm around my waist and drew me closer.
“You know Eliza the Oracle?” I chuckled, despite the rush of heat at the feel of Dominic’s body against mine.
“Her name is Betsy, and she’s always claiming she can talk to the spirits.” He rolled his eyes. “I guess they let her finally pay the entrance fee, and she’s trying to cash in on it with some gullible tourists.”
I giggled, dropping my head to his chest without realizing it. I breathed him in for a moment before lifting my head. His blinding smile stole my breath, but I feared it was robbing me of my senses, too. His grin faded a bit when I took a tiny step back.
“Would you like to know your future?” Betsy cocked her head to the side as she beckoned us with her finger.
“Come on,” I told Dominic. “It could be fun.”
He squinted at me and shook his head. “I could think of better places to throw twenty bucks away.”
“I heard that, Dominic,” Eliza or Betsy admonished with a scowl.
“Oh right, you’re psychic.” He held up his hands. “My apologies.”
I swatted his chest, a laugh slipping out. I hadn’t had any alcohol, but I was drunk from all the laughing and smiling.
He glanced over my shoulder and waved.
“Aiden is calling me over, let me see what’s going on. If they messed up, and Joe was right, I’ll never hear the damn end of it.” He pointed at Eliza. “If you want to waste your money on a reading while I’m gone, feel free. Ask for the lottery numbers for tomorrow night, I’ll give my father a call and let him know.”
He elbowed my side before he jogged away. My eyes stayed glued to Dominic as he made his way down the row of tents. I remembered all the lonely nights I’d yearned for just this.
All I’d wanted was one more day with my beautiful, chatterbox boyfriend, not the broken man who only found the relief he’d searched for by leaving me. I was high from walking up and down memory lane tonight, and I didn’t doubt I’d feel the crushing low the second I arrived back at the rental. I had the Dominic I loved back, but he wasn’t mine to love anymore.
I sat in front of Eliza and dropped a twenty onto her table. She smiled and scooped it up before motioning for me to sit closer.
“Now, let’s see.” She hovered over the water bowl with an intense stare.
“Are those tea leaves?” I asked, trying to decipher the black floating objects.
“Yes, when they gather together I can see things. Lovers, right?” She squinted at me, tapping her nail on the side of the bowl. “You and Dominic?”
“Not anymore. I mean no.” When she cocked a brow, I was embarrassed by my flustered reply.
“Are you sure that’s the truth? I’m sensing a lot of energy in the present.”
