Page 13 of Falling Double: The Mating Grounds

I continue, “You’ve already broken the touch barrier. She’s kissed you, and now you’ve just progressed to the next stage—sexual tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. My favorite.” I groan in annoyance and cover my face with my hands, tired of watching everyone muddle through the experiences that I wish I was having right now.

“Right…” He looks at me askance, surely picking up on my frustration but unsure what it’s about. “And I don’t want to go backward, so how do I stay here?”

“Dude, just keep doing the things that got you here. Find reasons to touch her casually, steal a kiss here and there. Sneak off when nobody’s watching. This sort of shit generally sorts itself out.”

He takes a deep breath and flops to the floor on his stomach. “Why are women so terrifying?”

“Beats me, man, beats me.”

Chapter 10

4 Months After The Choosing

Dominique

Reid and I haven’t spoken about the world-shattering kiss since it happened.

I’ve been trying to talk to Imani about it first, but she’s been on a mission. Since Reid turned her down, she’s really trying to get to know everyone else in the house. She’s been eating breakfast with one group, chilling with another, going swimming with the next. She has filled her social calendar. And I’m allowed to join in, but no more twin time to speak of.

I finally corner her while we are getting ready, shoving the door closed in her face as she is about to leave our room.

“Can we chat? Please? I feel like you’re avoiding me.”

“I’m not avoiding you Dominique. I’ve just had the very real realization that I will have my entire life to spend time with you, and I only have a handful more months to be here. To find a partner.” She puts her hands on her hips, and I can tell she’s trying not to look exasperated. “I love you. I will always love you. But I also want to be sure that I love whoever I end up with at the end of this year. I don't want to be assigned someone and miss out on a love match because I was closeted in here with you the majority of the time, pouting. I hope you understand?”

Stunned, I stare at her with my mouth gaping like a fish. Who is this, and what did she do with my naive, sweet sister?!

Finally, I pull myself together in time to say, “I understand Imani, I do, truly. I’m just in a bit of shock because I thought you were mad at me because of the whole Reid kissing me thing—”

“Ugh, I’m so over all that. You were right.” She rolls her eyes and shakes her head, obviously pained to admit it. “But it’s for the best. Now I can go find my person and he can find his.”

I pause. Waiting for her to go on. When she doesn’t, I add surreptitiously, “How would you feel if that person was maybe… me?”

She looks me dead in the eyes, trying to determine if I’m joking or not. When I don’t crack, she bursts out laughing. “Oh boy! Well, that’s a twist. I can’t say I saw that coming, but honestly? You two might actually be fantastic together. Something about it feels right.”

I give her a shy smile. “Well, don’t plan the wedding or anything. I’m just hoping to explore it. See if there is actually anything there before I make any big decisions. You know, explore my options.”

“Uh huh… Well, have fun!” She flounces past me with a wink and a little squeeze of my shoulder. Reassuring me she really is okay with me finding out if there is something between Reid and me after all.

I decide, right then and there, that if I’m going to do this, I need to be about as subtle as a brick through a window. I am not beating around the bush and hoping for the best here just to end up like my sister, unsure and vulnerable. I need to do something very forward to finally suss this out.

Reid

Dominique bangs on the frosted glass shower door, “You’ve been in there forever! Other people need to shower too, you know! What are you doing, jacking off?”

“Maybe I am! Give me five more minutes!” I shout, rinsing conditioner from my shoulder length hair, really taking my time with it now that I know she’s waiting.

“Oh, fuck that. This is getting ridiculous.” She cracks the shower door. “If you won’t get out, then I’m coming in.”

I sputter, my brain can barely put words together. “You would never!” She then does just that and brushes past me on her way to the farthest showerhead. I swallow. Then swallow again.

“Turn around, jackass,” she quips over her shoulder, standing with her back to me. “I’m sick of lukewarm showers when you use all the hot water. And I don’t want to wait around for the water heater to catch up.”

I catch myself staring at her magnificent backside, then up the curve of her waist, and I get the tiniest hint of side boob as she reaches for the shampoo.

Avert your eyes. This is not for you.

Right before I can fully turn away, I notice her swaying her hips back and forth slightly.

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