Page 92 of Scandalous Lover

I shrug and try to shake off the sudden wave of uselessness that’s descending over me. It’s not until I’m starting the stair climb at Reina and Dom’s house that it hits me—I’m about to have Sam all to myself.

Naomi: I’m arriving home now. Will you be off sometime tonight?

Sam: I’ll be here until at least seven. What time are your housemates heading out of town?

Naomi: Boat picks them up at six-thirty.

Sam: Well, I guess I know what I’m doing when I get off work.

Naomi: OMG is it me??

Sam: *winking emoji*

I run the rest of the way up the steps and throw myself into the shower.

I have an epic vacation of my own to prepare for.

“Don’t worry about the AC, the house is set to temperature control so it will take care of it,” Reina is telling me for the third time as she follows Dom toward the front door. “Oh, and the house is smart, but only kind of smart, so if you get locked out of anything, you can override with the keypad using the code 425.”

I smile at her. “Got it.”

“Reina! Get out the door!” Dom yells from the front porch.

Reina grimaces happily, turning to run out the open door and past Dom down the steps. He stands in the doorway, still holding all the bags as I approach.

“Enjoy having the house to yourself,” he says, and his mouth could almost be called a smile. A tiny one.

We’ve been mostly avoiding each other over the last couple of days, and it’s worked fine for me. Hell, it’s been our relationship for my entire life, so I’m used to it. Anything’s better than fighting. It almost feels like a truce.

I nod. “Thanks. I’m going to enjoy the peace and quiet.”

The look he gives me then is most definitely an exasperated smirk that might even be accompanied by an eye roll that he saves for after he turns away from me.

My mouth drops open as I prepare to ask what on earth that look was for, but it’s too late.

“See you Wednesday,” he calls back to me without turning.

I smile and wave until he’s halfway down the steps and then hurry through the quiet house to find my phone.

Naomi: Parents are officially out of town.

Naomi: I’m about to raid their wine cellar.

Chapter Thirty-One

Sam

Itake my time on the steps leading up to Dom’s house amazed at the boldness I feel showing up here, planning to set fire to my best friend’s wishes in his own home.

When Naomi doesn’t answer my knock, I let myself in. I find her in the kitchen, pulling a bottle of pink wine out of the chiller. “I see you found the wine stash.”

She jumps and turns at the sound of my voice. Caught in the act, laughing, she sets the bottle on the counter. “It wasn’t hard. There’s wine in just about every cupboard in this house. And a fancy temperature controlled cooler for it.”

There’s a pop as the vinyl cork slides out of the glistening bottle.

“This is a wine snob’s house.”

“Well, I hope he doesn’t mind me drinking all his Rosé.” Naomi pours a splash into the stemless glass waiting on the counter and takes a sip. “Perfectly chilled,” she jokes, grinning at me. “You want some?”

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