Page 44 of Gemini
“Then what?” My whole body was hot now with embarrassment. I found my shorts and quickly tugged them back on. “Why did you come in here and lie with me?”
“You asked me…”
I stilled, unsure I heard him right. “What?”
“Dom’s out late,” he started to explain. “He had to make a run to one of our properties up north. So I came to the apartment to check on you. I was going to stay on the couch but…”
“But what?”
He sighed. “I came into the bedroom. I was going to leave until you called my name. You told me not to go.” He tilted his head studying my face then that glassy look in his eyes turned dark. He started to laugh again. “You don’t believe me.” When Ididn’t answer, he shook his head. He got up and readjusted his shirt. “My mistake, I guess.”
It had to have been in my sleep, from my dream. The timing between us was always so damn impeccable, it really was kind of funny.
He started for the door, stopping at the entrance and placing an arm against the opening while brushing a hand against his mouth. “Dom will be back soon.”
Was it just my imagination or did he actually sound…wounded? He slipped away and I heard the door to the apartment close.
I sat there for a long time, still unable to believe what just happened. The emotions riding me were a dangerous cocktail of confusion, shock, horniness, and a few others I didn’t want to name. Eventually I started to hear birds chirping outside and the first few drops of rain hitting against the window. Not long after I heard the door to the apartment open and close. A moment later, Dom walked in.
“You alright?” he signed, looking concerned that I was just sitting there in the dark. When I didn’t say anything, his expression darkened. “Was it Leslie?”
I opened my mouth then closed it before looking away.
“It’s nothing…” I said at last. “Just a dream.”
“Bad?” I saw him ask.
I turned to stare at the wall and shook my head. “I don’t know.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
It rained all that morning and for much of the day. Dom had gone to sleep, but I was no longer tired, in fact I was antsy. A part of me wanted to leave the apartment, to have Dom drive me somewhere, anywhere. But he needed sleep, and I wasn’t feeling up to traversing the building alone. Instead, I took a long shower then cooked myself some of the food Dom had brought from my place. After, I did what little cleaning I could muster before the pain started becoming too much. I took some pain meds, longing for the pills Andrea had given me as they were much more effective. Taking a small rest, I tried to do some therapy exercises, yoga and stretches mostly, before I found myself back on the couch. The rest of the time was me staring out the kitchen window, trying not to think about what had happened last night and failing miserably.
It was hard at first to believe him, but I didn’t want to think Leslie would pull such a stunt on me, not when I was in such a vulnerable state. He really must have heard me say I wanted him to stay. And maybe I really had said something. We both hadn’t been clear-headed either so I couldn’t blame him fully for what happened even if I wanted to.
I felt a little guilty even if it had been a mistake. I wasn’t usually the type to swing guys around like that. But I couldn’t deny how different Leslie felt. Unlike Dom’s protective, tender nature, Leslie had been so eager, hungry, and unrestrained. It was a wonder I hadn’t realized it wasn’t Dom right away.
Things were getting complicated again, and if I didn’t stop this now, I was bound for a repeat of several months ago.
I sat for a long time contemplating what I was going to do. What I needed to do. No matter how much it was going to hurt, I knew I needed to make a decision on how I was going to deal with this situation. Not just with my sister, but with the twins.
When the rain started to disperse and the light of day was beginning to fade, the door to Dom’s bedroom opened. He stepped out and greeted me with a smile before turning for the bathroom. I heard the shower run and glanced at the clock, seeing it was already four in the afternoon. I waited patiently until he was finished. He came out twenty minutes later and slipped back into the bedroom, returning in a fresh pair of clothes. He went to the fridge and opened it. As he bent to reach for something inside, he paused then looked over at me, pointing into the fridge then making a gesture for drinking.
“Uh…yeah, about that,” I started. “I might owe you a case of beer.”
He arched his brow. “Drank last night?” he signed.
“A little.”
He took out a can of cola and shut the fridge. Opening it, he took a large swing as he came to sit by me. He offered me some, but I shook my head and he set the can on the coffee table.
His hands moved swiftly to ask. “How are you feeling?”
Resting my arms on my knees, I shrugged. “Still, um…sore. But I think the swelling has gone down a bit finally.”
I nearly jumped as his hand reached up to my face, fingers brushing along my cheek. He took out his phone and typed, “It looks like it has.”
I studied his face. Turning toward him, I opened my mouth, ready to tell him what happened last night. But then I closed it promptly, not sure how to start. I cast my eyes down and watched him type out more instead.
