Dive into Temptation [ManxBoy]

36. Tempting Touch

A/N: Forgive Adam, okay? He's a naughty sweetheart experiencing his first 'breakup.' And no, it's not a smut chapter.

~*~

The room was dim, the flickering light of the TV casting shadows that danced across the walls. Lily and I were nestled into the couch, lost in the cinematic world before us. Upstairs, the faint sound of Dom's voice carried, still in a remote work meeting, which is what allowed Lily and I our bonding time. Sitting there with Lily, I felt somewhat relieved now that Dom and I were done. I could sit with her without feeling a sense of shame for what her husband did to me. And Dominic was able to continue showering her with love, as if nothing had ever happened between us. So maybe she didn't need to know all the details of who her husband was.

Or she already knew about his strangeness but had found a way to manage it. I remembered that day Dominic had blown up on the man who danced with me, and Lily apologized, had said Dominic could be really weird sometimes. So maybe she was vaguely aware of the man her husband was, in her own way?

"How was Ryan's?" Lily asked, her voice laced with playful suspicion.

"Fine," I replied, the word feeling flat even as it left my lips.

Nothing had happened between Ryan and I since that kiss Lily saw. There had been a few times I sensed his feelings resurfacing, but he thankfully managed to restrain himself and avoided acting on his impulses.

Lily's next question hit like a cold wave, "So... He's got a girlfriend?" The words hung heavy, and I couldn't help but wonder if judgment lay behind them.

"Yes," I answered, trying to decipher the glint in her eye, something mischievous in her gaze.

"Did she give you the hickey?" She asked with a teasing smile and my mouth fell open. She erupted into laughter at my expression, quickly adding, "Whaaat? I don't know what kinda stuff you get up to!"

"Did you give Dom that hickey?" I retorted and her face turned beet red, still with a light smile on her lips. She seemed more embarrassed than upset, and I was curious for the reaction since I knew for a fact she didn't give it to him. She had to know it was someone else. She didn't seem to suspect me at least.

"Touché," She said with pursed lips and then laughed. "Okay, I will keep my mouth shut about Ryan."

I wanted to question her about Dom's hickey. She didn't seem alarmed that I had asked about it, was mostly just embarrassed that I had noticed it. Just as I was about to inquire, we heard Dominic's footsteps coming down the stairs. He entered the living room, looking tired from a day's work on his laptop. But as soon as he saw Lily and me bundled up on the couch, his tiredness faded, replaced by a wide smile.

"My two favorite people," he stepped closer, his eyes looking between Lily and me, a hint of something dark flashing in his eyes. "I love seeing you two together like this."

His voice was filled with warmth and I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions, knowing that things between us had changed. Thankfully, Dominic decided to sit on the other side of Lily, which allowed me to use her as a buffer against any unwanted advances. But I had a feeling that Dominic wouldn't try anything, not wanting to risk his relationship with Lily and the baby.

As Lily nestled into the warmth of her husband's embrace, I found myself shooting a resentful glance their way. The intrusion on my time with my sister was not appreciated. Dominic's eyes then locked with mine, a look of quiet appreciation on his face. I turned away, irritation bubbling up as I fixated on the TV. He should have been tormented, not sitting there so content. The fact that he hadn't been furious after I returned from Ryan's, without even a hint of jealousy or suspicion, was unsettling. It was as if he had stopped caring, and I wasn't sure what to make of that.