I clear my throat loud enough to break the spell, which sends Dominic jumping back, falling onto his ass in the snow. Sin’s mouth drops open in shock, cheeks flamed red, and her hand quickly runs over her body and hair to smooth out the wrinkles.
“Um… We were just getting worried… And you weren’t answering your phone.” I defend why I was standing here like a Peeping Tom. “But… I can see I was interrupting something.”
“No–” Sin starts, but I cut her off with my hand.
“We can talk about this later. And wewilltalk about this later.” I pin my best friend with a stern stare, and she just nods as if she just got chewed out by her mother for missing curfew.
“For now, you get off the ground,” I gesture toward Dom, who’s still sitting, ass in the snow. He quickly stands, wiping the snow off of his body before I continue, “Let’s get these logs back.”
Dom hurries toward the shed door, pulling it open as I walk directly beside Sin, whisper-shouting, “What the fuck, Sin!?”
“I promise it’s not what it looks like.” Her words were short and contrite.
“I don’t buy it.” I'm echoing her words from a few weeks ago back to her.
“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not selling then.” She volleys back.
“Mhmm.” I hum, choosing to leave it alone for now. However, she’s not going to pretend this didn’t happen. Not with me, at least.
Chapter 13
Our Fake Relationship
Collins
Iturn the corner to the main cabin just as Dom, Sin, and Harley come around it with arms full of logs. Harley’s eyebrows are in her hairline while Dom and Sin look like puppies who got chewing on something they weren’t supposed to.
“I was thinking y’all got eaten by a bear with how long the three of you’ve been gone.” I tease.
“Sorry, Dom slipped. We were just giving him a minute to recover.” Sin says robotically, eyes downcast. Her typical boldness nowhere to be seen.
“Ouch. Let me carry those.” I open my arms, and Dom passes the logs to me before we continue the trek toward the patio.
“What did I miss?” I nudge Dom in the side, speaking softly so Sin and Harley don’t hear our conversation.
“Uh, nothing really.” Dom’s shoulders remain hunched.
“You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”
“Even if I made you promise not to tell Harley?” He asks.
“As long as it wouldn’t negatively impact her, yes.”
“Maybe when we get back to Florida.” He shrugs, putting his mask of confidence back on before we return to the fire pit, dropping a few logs in.
“All good?” Nik’s gruff voice carries over the flames.
“All good.” Dom asserts, he doesn’t say much for the rest of the night. I can’t help but wonder what was happening by the shed.
I take my place back in the lounger, pulling Harley back in between my legs after she’s topped off her hot chocolate. Her peppermint scent floods my nostrils as she lays her head back against me.
“Are you sure everything’s okay?” I hum in her ear.
“I can’t say anything because I don’t know the full story. But yes. Or I mean I think?” Harley says just as quietly back.
“Ready to head home?” I change the topic, I know inevitably when she has more information, she’ll spill the beans. Or vice versa.
“No, I like it out here. The calm, being with everyone… Being with you.” I hope she’s leaving out the part where she wants to keep exploring this connection that’s come to the surface between us.
