Dominic:I actually haven’t thought about you at all today.
Thea:Okay.
Dominic:I’m serious. I didn’t give a second thought to how amazing you felt in my arms. Didn’t think about your lips, or about your perfect ass in those goddamn shorts. And I absolutely did not think of your beautiful body quivering in my lap when you came. Not even once.
I wanted to be annoyed. Bothered. But I was annoyed over hownotannoyed or bothered I was.
I’d fooled myself thinking that I wouldn’t fall right back in love with him if I let myself forgive him. But falling back meant there was a time I hadn’t been in love with Dominic. And even I couldn’t entertain that nonsense in my head.
Dominic:And I never wanted to grab the back of your neck in your office and kiss you until your knees gave out. Nothing is sexier than when you slump against me all flushed and hot. Not that the image of it is burned into my brain or anything.
Thea:That all sounds very casual.
Dominic:See? And I’m not thinking of excuses to come back to see you today.
Dominic:I need to come back around 4. We can talk about my visions for seating.
Thea:There are no tables or chairs yet, and they’re wiring for electric today.
Dominic:So? Are the chairs supposed to glow or have shocks? Even so, we can still plan. See you later.
Thea:Do I have a choice?
Dominic:Always a choice. But I think maybe you’re not thinking about me, too. Just a hunch.
22
Thea
“I’m so sorry,”I told Caterina, trying to keep from hacking in her ear, but the horrid tickle in my throat got the best of me.
“Stop it. Don’t be silly. We can hang out another night. You sound awful.”
It was as if my mother had some kind of voodoo. She mentioned the word sick, and my sinuses clogged by the end of the day and I woke up with chills and a deep cough. I really hoped that I wouldn’t get sick out here but no such luck.
“I feel awful, but it passes in a couple of days. Usually. The worst of it, anyway.” My head fell back on the arm of my couch. The room spun because I’d raised my head too suddenly.
“Do you need anything?”
“I found a small pharmacy close by, and they’ll deliver my prescriptions this afternoon. I wish I had some soup. I stocked up on everything here but that.”
“I could help with that. My husband makes a kick ass chicken soup. What else would you like?”
I smiled, despite the death I felt like. Caterina was good people.
“A roll would be amazing, but do you guys deliver out here? I know it’s not very far, but it’s a different town.”
“I sleep with the owner. I’ll hook you up. Until then try to get some rest.”
I chuckled as we ended the call and cuddled up in the blanket I’d found in one of the closets over me. Caterina was great, but not having any friends or family around when you were sick sucked. The loneliness hit me hard and zapped the little energy I had left.
The pharmacy knocking on my door woke me up from a dead sleep. When I rose from the couch, I wasn’t even sure what time it was.
After trudging into the kitchen in search of something quick to eat so I could swallow the first antibiotic pill, I swore I heard a second knock. My bell didn’t work, and I’d never followed up with the rental manager to get it fixed since I had no visitors anyway. On the walk back to the door, it registered how sadly pathetic that was.
I prayed it was the soup Caterina promised me, but when I opened the door, I found Dominic with two huge shopping bags.
“What are you doing here?” I managed to say. My voice had surpassed that sexy rasp I’d had at first and was now a frog-like croak.
