Page 6 of The Boy I Loved
Dominic’s hands were fisted at his sides and light stubble graced the edges of his face. His long dark lashes created shadows over his cheekbones as they’d always done, and even now, I still wanted to run my fingertips along the sharp ridges of his skin. He seemed different somehow, but I couldn’t quite place why yet.
A chill swept over me from the awkward tension permeating the atmosphere. Despite Dom’s harsh demeanor, Clay remained easygoing, and a deep chuckle rumbled through him like before. He placed his hands in the air defensively.
“Relax. It was just an offer.”
Dominic finally turned to me for the first time, his gaze onlysoftening a fraction before that wall of his snapped back in place. “Go eat,” he ordered like I was nothing but a burden. Like he wanted nothing to do with me. Like everything that happened between us no longer mattered.
I stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded. My chest constricted and a whirlwind of questions invaded my headspace. This wasn’t how I imagined this to go. I’d created a multitude of different scenarios in my mind, but nothing like what was happening now.
“Go,” he repeated, his lips curling into a disgusted sneer.
Hesitantly, I stumbled away from him. If he didn’t want me here, then I’d leave. Clearly, something was bothering him. Maybe the drive had been stressful, and he’d go right back to being the version of him that I fell in love with—that I’d been friends with. Holding onto that hope, I made my way through the living room, not stopping until I was outside.
The warm air soothed my skin, reminding me of a time that had been much, much better. A time that I’d always remember and always hold onto, no matter what happened.
The warm, summer breeze kissed my skin as I moved through the trees expertly. Leaves and twigs crunched beneath our feet. Dominic’s hand clasped with mine as he took the lead, pulling me behind him. My hamstrings burned as I worked to keep up, not being nearly as in shape as he was.
A red backpack hung over his shoulders, determination setting into his features. He told me last week that he’d be going to this corrections camp, and that he wanted to spend one last night in the treehouse before leaving.
I didn’t know what I’d do with him gone. He was the only person I ever hung out with aside from Alice. What would my spare time consist of now? His palm was sweaty against mine, indicating he was either extremely hot, or he was nervous. His hands never felt clammy like they did now.
“Are you okay?” I asked, struggling to keep up with his long strides.
He tossed a look over his shoulder, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth, but I could tell it was forced. His black hair was disheveled, and dark circles decorated either eye.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
I frowned, slightly annoyed that he wasn’t willing to open up to me. Before I could call him out on it, he pulled me to a stop. It didn’t take long for me to realize that we’d already made it to our destination.
Peering up at the treehouse, a sadness burrowed through me. This might’ve been the last time we ever came here together. Who knew what would happen once he returned from camp. We’d both be grown—too old for childish things like treehouses and sleepovers.
Dominic took the lead, hauling himself over the steps and retreating into the small building. I hastily followed behind him, the wood digging into my palms with every movement. I couldn’t count how many times I’d gotten splinters from this place, but it still never deterred me from coming back the next day.
The little house was lit up by the light streaming in through the windows. Dominic was already seated on the mattress with his bag unzipped between his legs as he rummaged through it. He pulled out his laptop, setting it up on one of the little tables we owned.
“Is there anything specific you want to watch?” he asked, glancing over at me. “I brought a handful of movies.”
I thought about that for a moment, rolling my lower lip between my teeth. We both liked a variety of genres, but I wouldn’t force him to sit through some chick-flick when he didn’t want to.
“Maybe a thriller,” I suggested. They were his favorite, and I wanted tonight to be more about him than me, especially since he’d be going away for who knew how long. The thought sent a current of dread building in the depths of my stomach.
He smirked back at me, the sight causing my heart to flip. Hewas different than he had been before his father’s passing. There was a darker edge to him now, laced with something sad and broken. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He got the movie ready and sat down by me on the mattress. There were several pillows propped against the wall for us to lean on so we could see the screen easily. He offered me a candy bar which I greedily accepted, shooting him a genuine smile of my own.
The opening credits danced across the screen as we chewed our chosen snacks. We were spending the night in the treehouse tonight, like we did on occasion, but the atmosphere felt a lot more dreadful this time. There was a chance we’d never have this opportunity again.
As if sensing this, Dominic shifted closer to me, draping an arm around my shoulders like he’d done many times before. Only this time, my body ignited beneath his touch. It wasn’t as foreign as it used to be back when our friendship had been completely platonic.
“I might have had ulterior motives for wanting to spend the night in the treehouse with you tonight,” he admitted, glancing over at me.
My heart thundered in my chest, his fingertips brushing along my bare arm. “Like what?”
A slow smile stretched across his face, his eyes hooding as he glanced down at my lips. “Like this.” He pressed his mouth to mine, capturing the gasp that fled me from the unexpectedness of it. His tongue swept along mine, sending a current of tingles careening through my body.
We’d kissed a few times now, but I had a feeling that he was wanting something a lot different tonight—something I was more than willing to give him.
The kiss grew more heated, his free hand drifting to my waist while he moved his other hand through my hair. A low groan rumbled from his chest.
“Fuck, Hazel.” He breathed, his warm breath feathering against my lips. “I want to taste you.”
