Page 3 of Tempt Me

“Thanks.” Heat floods my face. Does he know I’m crushing on Dominic? That’s the last thing I need. I spin on my heel as Xavier disappears toward the house.

Dominic drops the basket on the sidewalk and slings the door shut. The sound of slamming metal cracks the silence of the now-quiet neighborhood. “You do realize Xavier is a total player, right? He goes through women like tennis shoes on a 13-year-old boy. I don’t think he’s dated anyone for over three months.”

“Of course, I know that.” My eyes narrow as I glare at him. “I’ve known him my entire life.” I straighten, tossing my head back as the end of my ponytail brushes against my shoulders. “Not that it’s any of your business. I don’t need a babysitter to navigate the men in my life.”

His jaw flexes as he slaps his hands on his hips. “What men? Ben said you and Brock broke up.”

“Yes, we did.” I shift from foot to foot as their neighbor across the street, Mrs. Martin, steps out onto her front porch and makes no bones about watching our conversation. She’s an older woman in her late 50s who’s operated our local flower shop since I’ve been alive.

Brock was a mistake. An epic mistake. He makes Xavier look like a saint. My ex had a bad habit of taking me home and then going out until the bars closed. Only he didn’t go home. He’d head to some random girl’s place and have sex.

The grossest thing? He blamed me for his indiscretions, claiming I was frigid. And then he had the balls to blow my phone up, trying to win me back. Repeatedly. Even after changing phones. More than once. I think he’s finally gotten the message this time.

But I’m not about to spill my dirty laundry in front of Dominic. He already thinks I’m incapable of listening to music while folding clothes.

“Well, don’t go looking at Xavier as a replacement boyfriend. He’s not the type to hold your hand and whisper sweet nothings in your ear.”

“And what would he offer?” I yank the door open. I’m so tired of people telling me what to do. My parents are pushing me to get an accounting degree. Sam is telling me to put more clothes on. My ex blamed me for his cheating. And now, Dominic has the nerve to tell me who I can and can’t date. When he has no interest in me.

“He’d offer a one-and-done and then be off to the next girl. Just because he pays attention to you and flirts with you doesn’t mean you’re someone special.”

Fuck. Can he stab me in the chest any harder? It’s not like I don’t already know he doesn’t think I’m special. Now, he’s going to spell it out.

I lick my lips and swallow over the lump in my throat. “You’re an asshole. How dare you say I’m nothing special? I might not be someone you’re interested in, but that doesn’t mean other guys don’t find me attractive or wouldn’t want to go out with me. Maybe I’ll take Xavier up on that one-and-done. He looks like he knows what he’s doing, and I’ve never heard of any of the girls he’s been with complaining about his skills in the bedroom.”

“Stop,” Dominic growls.

I snap my head around and march in front of my car, rounding the hood and hitting the lawn. “Why don’t you grab the casserole when you get the clothes?” I glance over my shoulder at him while eyeing him up and down like he’s a cockroach on the sidewalk. It’s the only thing keeping me from crumbling andbawling my eyes out. “I think I’ll go inside and see what Xavier’s doing tonight.”

“Bella.” Dominic’s voice sounds like he swallowed a handful of gravel as he stomps toward me.

“Don’t.” I raise my hand, and he jerks to a stop. His eyes flash with fire and some other unidentified emotion. But I don’t care. He’s the one who hurt my feelings. Not the other way around.

“I didn’t–”

“I’m going inside, and I’d appreciate it if you kept your opinions to yourself. I’ve had a rough week, and this conversation is about to top it off. So even though you don’t respect me, I know you respect my brothers and my parents, so please keep your opinions to yourself.”

I spin around and blink furiously at the tears stinging my eyes. When my mom offered to drop the laundry and casserole off, I should’ve jumped at the offer instead of trying again to get Dominic to notice me.

My ex isn’t the only one that needs to get the message. It’s time I got my head out of the clouds and put Dominic in the same category as spreadsheets. A thing that I’d prefer to avoid for the rest of my life. Except, I’d rather set formulas in spreadsheets than have another conversation with Dominic.

Chapter Two

Dominic

“So-o-o, when are you going to do something about this obsession you have for Bella?” Isaac plops down beside me on the sofa, causing the leather cushion to whoosh under his weight.

I glare at him out of the corner of my eye while scanning the room to gauge whether anyone heard his comment. No one appears to be listening to our conversation. “I’ve told you before nothing is going on. Never has been. And never will be. She’s Ben and Sam’s little sister, and I don’t see her as anything else.”

“Then why does your head whip around the second you see her?” He arches his eyebrows. “If I remember correctly when she pulled up, you could’ve snatched the ball before Sam did, but you weren’t paying any attention.”

“That’s bullshit.” I elbow him in the ribs, eliciting a curse.

Typically, we don’t hit full force when messing around, but I’m not in the mood for this conversation. If he and Xavier keep flapping their jaws, Ben or Sam will hear it and beat my ass. She’s off-limits, and we all know it.

However, Xavier and I seem to be the only ones who don’t listen. Xavier can’t keep his hands off her, and I can’t keep from wanting to break his fingers off one by one.

Isaac tips his head toward Bella and Xavier, who’re standing in the kitchen doorway. “If you don’t do something soon. Xav’s going to poach on your territory.”

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