Licking my lips, I take my time drinking in the sight of her. For now, this is more than enough. I tuck myself away, readjusting my waistband and smoothing my shirt. “Dinner,” I tell her. “Tomorrow night. I’ll pick you up.”
Arin readjusts herself too, brushing out her hair with her fingers before cooling her cute red cheeks with her palms. “I have plans,” she replies.
“Change them.”
“Can’t. I’m… babysitting.”
“That little girl from yesterday?” I ask, taking her hand as we rise to our feet. I briefly recall seeing the child when I entered Arin’s store, but I focused on her at the time.
“My… roommate’s kid,” she says slowly. I don’t know what to make of her hesitant tone. “I can’t get out of it. Lana works most evenings, so I have to be home to take care of Felicia and—”
The front door swings open rapidly, the metal frame slamming against the wall behind it as a rush of air blows through. It’s so sudden that Arin yelps in surprise. Elio stumbles in, his phone hovering near his ear. My first instinct is to snap at him, but the look on his face tells me something major is going down.
“There was another shooting!” he informs me. “Johnny and a few others were caught in the crossfire.”
Beside me, Arin’s face goes incredibly pale, her eyes wide with concern. “What are you talking about? What do you mean there was a shooting?”
Shit. Talk about a mood dampener.
“It’s nothing,” I say gruffly. “I’ll take you to dinner another time.”
I’m already out the door, Elio following close on my tail. This isn’t how I want to leave things with Arin, but I don’t have a choice. If shit’s going down in our territory, it’s my job to see it fixed. Family matters come first.
No matter how much I want to stay with her.
Chapter 11
Arin
It’s been a whole week since I’ve heard from Dominic, but I don’t know if I should be concerned or relieved.
Things between us got intense.Reallyintense. So much, in fact, it’s all I can think about. The way he kissed me, held me, touched me. The taste of his skin on my tongue, the smell of his earthy cologne in my nose, the sound of his deep growl reverberating in my ear. Obsession doesn’t feel like the right word to describe what I’m feeling, but that’s exactly what it is. Dominic has somehow managed to find a way to occupy my every waking thought, and I’m not even mad.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not mentally kicking myself.
I had the perfect opportunity to tell him about Felicia, but I didn’t take it. It just didn’t feel like the right moment. What we have right now is new and undefined, raw and exciting. If I tell Dominic he has a four-year-old daughter, what then? To make matters even worse, his bodyguard/assistant/friend Elio came running in with news of some kind of shooting. What am I supposed to make of that information?
It’s nothing.
No, you brooding hunk of a tree, it’s most certainly notnothing.
My little shop has been quiet all week, which I wish I could say was unusual, but this is pretty par for the course. I’ve finished the three prom dress orders I received and have them packed and ready for pick up. Lana’s at the restaurant working a double shift, and I’m not due to pick Felicia up from daycare for another couple of hours.
Dominic’s check cleared without a hitch.
I’ve been staring at my laptop’s screen so long I’m starting to question reality. My bank account has never looked this good in my entire life.
I don’t want you to feel pressured.
His words echo inside my skull. I think it’s kind of sweet how concerned he was. The truth is, I don’t feel pressured in the slightest. It’s like he said. He’s paid for my services, and I fully plan on delivering the final products. Everything else is a welcome bonus.
Glancing over my shoulder, I peek at the suits I’ve put together, pinned to four different adjustable mannequins. Once I’m done with Dominic’s order, I’m seriously considering closing shop for a while to put all my energy into getting ready for fashion week so I can get my label off the ground. The suits are far from finished, but they’re definitely taking shape. There isn’t much else I can do until Dominic comes to try them on so I can make adjustments. Until then, all I can do is wait.
UnlessIgo tohim.
Maybe I do need to learn a thing or two about patience. Too bad today’s not the day.
* * *