Page 46 of Beacon

“Funny how we are all so connected, right?”

This has her laughing some more, and I love this part of her. “I guess when most of your friends and family are part of a triad, that extra person makes a big difference.”

“Yeah, you’re right about that,” I agree. “Oh, wait, I thought of something I’ve told no one. I had a crush on Daimen’s first girlfriend. Like a real crush, and it was the first time I ever…” I’m quiet, and wonder if I should say it, and why am I all of a sudden embarrassed? Anyone knows teen boys jack off several times a day.

“You mean you jacked off to her image?” She begins to laugh at me, picking up Otis. “Can you believe it, Otie Totie? The man who has tied me to the bed and had his way with me has jacked off to his brother’s girlfriend. Oh, shit, that’s really funny, but the funniest part is that you’re so embarrassed over it.”

She reaches over to my thigh, moving her hand up to my groin. “Oh, look at you.”

“I’m thinking of you, Sandra, and you’re not helping, sweetheart.”

“I’m not, am I?” she teases, her fingers cupping my erection. “So, are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

“At this point, if you make me any harder I may just pull off on some side road and take you.”

“You make that sound like a horrible idea too,” she says with a snort.

“With Mr. Grumpy Ass, yes, it is.”

She looks down at Otis, asleep on his back. “Yeah, I guess we have no way of shutting him out.”

Moving her fingers from my hard-on, she plays nice.

We pullup to a mid-century modern home just off the Mississippi River. I know this because I’ve been here many times.

“What in the world is this place? And where the hell are we?”

I avoided the downtown area, bringing her to the house first. “Daria has always loved the town of Galena. When she was twenty-one, Daimen bought her this house. He uses it more than she does at this point, since she’s flitting around the United States with all her book signings and such. But, I thought this was the best place to take you for the weekend.”

We’re still in my car. “And I had this plan that I’d tell you I love you on the back deck looking over the Mississippi River, but now we can just forgo those plans. Maybe get dinner through the drive-thru at McDonald’s,” I say with a dramatic sigh.

“Dominic Torano,” she warns, slugging me in the arm. “I swear…”

“Don’t worry, baby, I plan to swoon you this weekend.”

She squares herself with me, and I see Otis has spammed her black jeans with his golden fur. He stays on her lap, still asleep. “Swoon me? Yeah.”

“Oh, this is going to be the swooniest of weekends ever, Rosso. Get yourself prepared.”

“And let me guess,” she begins. “Bringing my baby with me, that was the beginning of the swoon moves?"

And I answer her with a wink. No other words are needed.

seventeen

SANDRA

Idip my head to the side. This is the most relaxed I’ve seen him, telling jokes and laughing. His dimples turn into the giant craters I adore. I love Dom, but I love this version of him even more. He pushes from the car, and I exit with Otis on his leash. Dom throws his arm over me, tugging a key from his jeans pocket.

He opens the door, and I’m met with natural light, many windows, and beautiful trees from the outside. Everything is white, airy, and peaceful. The living room takes up the entire bottom level, where the kitchen without upper cabinets leads to the magnificent view of the outdoors.

“Dom, baby, this is amazing.” I can turn in a complete circle and at every vantage point, I have a view of the outdoors. Through some of the trees, I see the water of the Mississippi.

I turn around, having lost Dominic for a second, only for him to appear in front of me. He has let Otis loose in the house, and I hear my dog’s nails click-clacking on the wood floors around us.

Dom’s lips part, and his eyes connect with my own. He moves his hand to my face, placing strands of hair behind my ear, and strokes my cheek. His posture relaxes, and he moves his fingers to my mouth. A slow smile grows on his lips, tugging me close into his body.

“I had so many plans this weekend, but telling you I love you was the very first thing I’d planned. But, Sandra, it’s you. I want you with me. We’re building to something here. Can you feel it?”

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