Dominic’s hand stroked my ass cheek, and I heard him groan against my skin. “Why do you smell so good all the time? It’s intoxicating just having you by my side.” My lips curved of their own volition and I raked my fingers into Dominic’s hair, making it messier than it was before. “I don’t know, but I could say the same for you.” Tuesday night, after I did my shift at the pub, Dominic came over and stayed. That had been two days ago, and he still refused to leave. We made out and fucked, over and over again, like teenagers, and now I wondered what life without Dominic Moore would even look like? My stomach growled, making Dominic lift his head. “You’re not one of those women who gets ‘hangry’, are you?” I brushed his cheek with my fingers and grinned. “Depends,” I laughed. He promptly stood up and searched for his clothes on the floor of my room. I rather liked him naked. His round ass and perfectly muscled thighs made me hungry for something else. “I’ll make you breakfast.”
I did what I always do whenever I’m overwhelmed. I hid. After meeting Dominic’s mother, I went to work and had another impromptu sleepover at Jody’s place. I was slick and able to make up an excuse not to go home with Kat, Nate, and Dominic, who had shown up later that night. Dominic was suspicious. It was plain as day, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t bear to confront him about what his mother had said to me or what I had pieced together in my head. Perhaps it was only in my mind. After all, I had a tendency to overthink things. But I couldn’t remove the scene from my head nor the tender kiss Dominic gave me before I left for work. It was public and affectionate. It was more. Afterwards, it was just a matter of leaving the house early in the morning and coming home super late, first having checked if Dominic was there to evade him. I texted Kat like a mad woman, always asking if the coast was clear. My roommate was nice enough to help, but I also had to keep her in the dark. I didn
Lena’s apartment was pleasant. It was in an apartment complex in the city's heart and offered a magnificent view. I was scared of heights, so I stayed as far as possible from the windows but still enjoyed the panoramic scene from the comfort of Lena’s armchair in her living room. She hadn’t expected me, and the space was a bit of a mess from her having a meltdown when Chuck left. I couldn’t blame her. The water kettle whistled in the kitchen while Lena prepared two cups of tea. I stayed in the living room and flipped through the piles of magazines and books that littered the coffee table. Once I was done, I stacked them in the corner and cleaned up a bit so we’d be more comfortable talking. I knew what was coming would put salt in our wounds, but it needed to be done. “How was the flight? I know you hate planes.” Lena asked, placing my cup in front of me. I smiled at her and took the cup in my hands to warm my fingers. They were frozen. “It was fine.” Lena nodded and took a sip
Crowns was crowded tonight, but very few people were in the bar area. Most clients were in booths wanting a good meal and to catch the game. We reduced the music in the background and opened the television volume so everyone could follow what was happening on the screens. Martin was manning the bar with me, while Wanda and Jody had their hands full of meal orders and waiting tables. Since I wasn’t swamped, I split my time between Martin and the girls and helped as best I could wherever there was a need. It felt good to be back. The few days off work I took to stay with Lena had done me some good, but I missed my friends from work and the work itself. There was nothing quite like it to change the mind… or the hurt. When my plane landed, I took a cab and came straight here. I hadn’t told Dominic or Kat I was back. I wasn’t ready to speak to either of them. Especially Dominic. It seemed he had already moved on with a new woman at his side. After my little stunt I pulled on him, Domini
The weeks blurred together, and I lost track of where Olivia Sheridan began and where Dominic’s Olivia ended. Many changes had come upon me, and I liked how they made me feel. I had more confidence at work and in my personal life, and with Dominic constantly around me, I felt more beautiful and sexier. But those weren’t the only changes. I changed my work schedule and started working on Thursdays and Fridays only. It gave me more time to stay home to work on my novel and spend more time with Dominic. Every time he stayed the night, I had a nightmare-free sleep, so I made sure to always have him by my side when I went to bed. We split half the week at my house and the other at his. It was nice, and we found a rhythm that worked without overwhelming me. I was ready to try this, short of it sounding like a relationship. I wasn’t looking for one since I didn’t believe I could be a good girlfriend, but I could do this friends-with-benefits thing without overthinking every minute. The agr
Saturday arrived in a blink of an eye, and I was happy not to have any other incidents like the one at Terra. It left me thinking, though. Usually, my panic attacks were mild, and I could somewhat control them, but when I was with Kat at the store, it came on fast and shook me to my core. It was unlike anything I had had in the past. I would need to be more careful in the future so it wouldn’t happen again when people could see me. I was getting out of breath, so I lowered the intensity on the treadmill. I had gotten up early and worked out my frustrations before starting the day. I was lucky the gym was open 24 hours, or else I wouldn’t have been able to go at 5 AM. I was still slightly angry at myself for what had happened with Kat, and I wanted to be mentally and physically exhausted for the rest of my upcoming day. The day before, I promised Kat I would get ready with her for the Christmas Ball, and we would attend together. I was there mainly for moral support, as she would nee
I found my table in the dining room and saw Kat sitting on one of the eight available chairs. I took the one beside her and quickly grabbed the server, passing me with a tray of champagne flutes. I took two, downed the first one, and cradled the second one with my left hand. Kat’s eyes became small slits as she studied me and became concerned. “What’s happening with you? You look weird.” “I had a fucking epiphany, and I think I’m going to be sick,” I mumbled and took big gulps out of the second flute. Nate arrived at our reserved table shortly after with a beautifully dressed woman clinging to his arm. She looked similar to Kat, with a tall, slender shape and loose brown hair cascading down her back. I couldn’t say if she was beautiful since she hid her face behind a black mask, but she had the air of someone who knew she was pretty. I hated her immediately, and I couldn’t imagine what Kat was thinking. I thought I could finish the night without getting hammered, but with everyth
I cursed the size of my dress. It was too big to move around the dancing bodies on the reception room floor, and I couldn’t run to catch Kat, who was drunkenly swaying her body between the ocean of dancers. She thought running away from me was funny, and her drunken giggle echoing in the crowd was testimony. Tears stung my eyes since I walked away from Nate, and my inability to catch my roommate in this nightmare of an evening had me throw an imaginary white flag on the ground. I surrendered. Dominic had sold himself to some rich woman for a day. Nate thought I was no different than Isobel, and I thought my perfectly secured and solid walls were crashing down all over me. I had lost control. After five minutes of grunting and swearing, I finally put a hand on Kat and pulled her close to me. “I’m sorry, Kat, but the fun’s over for us. We’re going home before you puke your guts out.” And before I start ugly crying. “But I don’t want to,” she wailed and let her whole body become j