Page 65 of Between Love & Ruin

Ifeel like my life has become one of those 2000s movies. The girl who leaves her douche bag boyfriend and finds someone else. I used to dislike those movies growing up because I believed that once you fell in love with someone, you had to give your all to make that relationship work.

It took me a few years in a relationship with said douche bag to realize why the heroines left their boyfriends in movies.

I used to think I would feel remorse or guilt for it. But looking at the man sitting in front of me, looking at me as if he only ever sees me, makes me feel none of those feelings.

Instead, there’s this need to be closer to him. I want to bridge the gap that still exists between us. But I know jumping from one relationship to another never works out. And I want Dominic and me to work out more than anything else.

His fingers weave through my hair, and I just want to curl up on his lap and sleep. I don’t know what God or the universe was planning when they made us meet at this strange time, but I am grateful for it nonetheless.

Dominic might just be the biggest blessing in my life, and I wouldn’t trade him for anything.

“You should get some rest now,” he says, pulling me up to my feet. “We will figure out everything later.”

He leads me up to his bedroom, and I take in everything. His house is definitely big for just one person, but it doesn’t have that empty feeling.

He opens the door to his room and leads me inside. His bedroom is mostly empty, except for a few plants here and there. The bed is large for just one person, and a sick feeling comes to my mind.

Has he brought other women here? I know he doesn’t date or gets involved with women. But he is thirty. He must have had at least one or two flings.

Did he share this bed with them?

“You can sleep here,” he says, taking off his watch. “I will sleep in the other room.”

I stay silent, trying to let go of the sick feeling in my stomach.

He furrows his brows, trying to read my face.

“No one has been here apart from you, Sienna,” he says, a hint of smile on his face. “Don’t worry.”

Blush creeps up on my face. Half-shy, half-embarrassment. “No, no, that wasn’t what I was thinking.”

He crosses his arms over his chest, amusement on his face.

“Then what were you thinking?”

I bite my lip. “I was just thinking that you can sleep here too. We are both adults. We can share a bed.”

“You want to share a bed with me?” He teases.

“Not the way you are thinking. " I narrow my eyes.

“It’s okay, cara mia,” he says with a cocky smile, inching closer to me. “It’s okay to admit that you want me.”

I roll my eyes, even as my body thrums with need. He is so cocky, and somehow, it still manages to annoy me.

“You can change,” he says, leaving me with a wink. “I will go get your stuff from downstairs until then. You can take clothes from my wardrobe and get comfortable.”

He gives me a playful smile before leaving.

“Still annoying.”

“I heard that,” he yells from outside, and a smile breaks onto my face.

A surge of happiness lights up my mood. Something I haven’t felt in a long while.

With it comes a sudden realization. Maybe I can do this again.

Maybe I can do this with him.