Dive into Temptation [ManxBoy]

12. Bonfire

A/N: Thank you everybody who is leaving comments as they read. It is very fun for me to see your reactions to everything happening :) Please keep it up!

I stepped onto the treadmill in Dom's workout room, the hum of the machine beneath me a steady rhythm. As I started my run, my eyes were forced to look out the wall sized window, giving me the entire view of Dom's backyard and then some. The sun painted the sky in hues of gold and crimson, a beautiful backdrop to the gorgeous yard. Dom and Lily were in the pool, their laughter echoing up to me. They looked so in love, so carefree. Them being out there was the only reason I chanced a workout.

But as I watched them, a nasty feeling curled in my stomach. I couldn't forget what Dom did to me in the shower, and the confusion that followed. How could he be so two faced? He just acted so in love with Lily, smiling and kissing her like she meant the world to him. My mind raced with the rhythm of my feet on the treadmill, the questions spinning faster and faster. How could he put on such a convincing facade?

I scowled, watching them from above. My heart was a battlefield of emotions. Part of me resented Dom for monopolizing Lily's time and affection. I yearned for the simplicity of our childhood, just her and me, free from adult worries. But there was also the anger at his deceit. How could he kiss Lily so passionately after being so intimate with me? If only she knew the true perverted nature of her husband.

And then there was the darker, guilt-ridden part of me that was jealous. Jealous of the affection he showered on her, and not me. I shook my head, trying to dislodge the thought. No, I couldn't let myself feel that. Dom was meant to love Lily, not me. I was the intruder, the disruption to their marriage. If Dom was being unfaithful, it was because of me. I was the problem.

But Dominic had lost whatever curiosity he had for me. Despite the unease he stirred in me, I found myself oddly disappointed, feeling unimportant and irrelevant. That day in the shower, what even was the point? Just to see how far I would let him go? The mere memory flooded me with embarrassment, making me wish the whole thing never happened.

My eyebrows perked up as Dom and Lily scurried to the covered patio, their arms quickly brimming with pillows and blankets. They moved towards the property's far coroner, following along the fence. What was their plan? Suddenly, a hidden gate emerged from behind a curtain of grapevines. Intrigued, I watched as they slipped through, vanishing down a hidden path. The fuck? Where were they off to?

I turned off the treadmill, giving it a quick wipe down before heading downstairs. Sneaking into the backyard, I casually strolled towards the back corner where the grapevines were. I peered through a crack in the fence, but the thick foliage made it hard to see. Leaning in closer, I caught snippets of their laughter in the distance. I cautiously opened the gate, trying not to make a fuss as leaves and spider debris fell on me. I brushed them off and noticed the trail that Dom and Lily had disappeared down. Curiosity piqued, I slipped past the gate, treading quietly along the pathway. Their laughter still echoed in the air, so I made sure to keep my distance to not give myself away. Eventually, I reached the edge of the greenery and spotted a grassy field stretching ahead. Peeking around a bush, I saw Dom and Lily in the distance, arranging pillows and blankets under a grand tree.

The sinking sun cast a hazy glow, making it a bit of a challenge to see, but a gentle breeze traveled over the long swaying grass, the sweet smell bringing me back to childhood summers back home. My chest tightened at the nostalgic smell. What were they doing??

From my hiding spot behind the bush, I could make out a faint flickering, casting tall shadows on the tree trunk beside them. They were lighting a fire! A wave of longing washed over me, craving the familiar scent of campfire smoke and I allowed myself to creep a little closer. It had been far too long since I had enjoyed the simple pleasure of sitting around a crackling fire.