Ascending Paradise (Book 1)***Published now on Amazon!!***

30

 “Oh come on!” I sort of shouted not caring if I had a few people’s attentions. “Everyone knows that Dominic wouldn’t be caught dead starting a fight. He just finishes them.” I said waiting for her to say something back to that.

“Just be careful.” She said and I scoffed. Dominic might be the bad boy of the school, but not once has he really been aggressive towards me. Therefore he isn’t going to. I trusted him to dance therefore I trusted him in other aspects too.

I took a deep breath walking back over to Dominic who was looking out the window while sitting on a one sided bench.

I bit my lip not wanting him to get mad about what she had said, but somehow I knew he already knew what she was going to say to me when I walked away and let her talk.

I sat down scooting towards him and gaining his attention. It was automatic, like we had done it for years. He put his arm around my shoulders and I shifted so I was leaning on his side with my back and leaning my head back on his shoulder.

“Did she warn you to stay away?” He sounded amused.

“She told me to be careful because you fight a lot.” I rolled my eyes and then closed them relaxing knowing we wouldn’t get our food for a little while.

“Just because I fight doesn’t mean I would ever hit a female.” He said with such irritation that even without looking I knew his fists were in balls and he was glaring at Jasmine.

“I know that.” I murmured and just sighed when he relaxed a little bit as well. “I have to tell you something though.” I said sitting up and turning to talk to him face to face.

“What?” He said with a small smile on his face.

“Tomorrow we are going to be practicing lifts and I have to do that shirtless.” I said biting my lip waiting for his reaction.

“Shirtless as in- like nothing?” He asked seeming to try and be okay with the news.

“Like a sports bra.” I said looking at the table and looking for some type of dirt I could pretend to scoot off the table.

“Is there a reason you do it like that?” He coughed and then cleared his throat like he seemed to have a problem with that.

“It gives you a better grip than a shirt that could rise up as I jump up and you catch me.” I said looking at my nails now.

“How do you know that?” He asked and I just went wide eyed.

“I used to dance with a senior… when my mom first opened up the studio. I was sort of a fill in. I had been dropped too many times and I eventually jumped towards him and when he caught me skin to skin, I didn’t slip.” I played it out honestly and I felt Dominic’s arm wrap more securely on my shoulders.

“You still talk to that guy?” He asked and I looked up to see his eyes back to that steel blue from before.

“Nope. I was dropped when his girlfriend’s ankle healed.” I knew he must be a little jealous and for that I knew he would never hurt me. Not abuse or mental. His jealously proves that if he didn’t want other guys to see me shirtless he wouldn’t let another girl get between us intentionally. I would hope anyways.

“So do I have to be shirtless as well?” I heard the playfulness back in his voice immediately.

“Whatever makes you comfortable.” I said knowing I have only seen him shirtless and that was when we were rushing to get started and he came out of the changing room while putting on his shirt.

“Since Maddie isn’t going tomorrow and I don’t have to work I’ll just sit in on the class.” He said and I looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.