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There was shuffling and muttering and laughing on the other side of the line. I laughed too, because I had forgotten about Penelope’s little episode during a trivia night last year.
Remembering that my best friend was also an idiot somehow made me feel better.
“How’re you feeling?” Penelope asked as she took her phone back.
I gave her the same spiel I gave Dante and Juan. I felt lighter knowing my friends weren’t embarrassed by me, but it was still difficult to pretend like table dancing to the fuckingTwilightsoundtrack wasn’t one of the most humiliating moments of my life. Not to mention actually knocking myself out, practically shutting down a bar, and being carried away by paramedics.
I physically cringed at myself.
“Is Dom still there?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat. I hoped he hadn’t told her that we’d taken a bath together last night. That was something I didn’t feel like trying to explain to anyone, most of all myself. “He’s still asleep. I think he’ll head home once he wakes up. I feel like I’m in the clear now.”
“He said you seemed okay last night. Just a little confused, but that you also had alcohol in your system. That’s why I asked him to stay with you.”
My stomach dipped. “Oh, you asked him?” I tried to sound nonchalant.
“Or, well, he offered, I guess. I agreed it was a good idea, though,” Penelope said. “But you are feeling better?”
“Just a light headache.”
“You’re not supposed to be using your phone.” Dom’s groggy, deep, sleep-mused voice caressed me from behind. I felt it run along every inch of my skin as he stepped up behind me and laughed against the back of my head, plucking my phone from my ear. “You’re a bad influence, Miss Mason,” he said as he pressed it on his own.
He leaned against the kitchen counter and watched me as he listened to whatever our friends were saying. “She’s going to be just fine. I’ll be around if she needs anything.” He nodded. “Yeah, well I think she should probably rest. Which includes no cell phones, no television, and no computers.” He plucked my coffee mug off the counter with his free hand and took a sip. “And,” he raised one eyebrow, “no caffeine.”
“Limited caffeine, actually,” I corrected.
He laughed, pulling the phone away from his ear and pressing it against my own. “Say goodbye. Tell Penelope you love her, and you’ll talk to her after you’ve recovered.”
“Bye, Penny. I love you and I’ll talk to you after Dad goes home.”
Before Penelope could respond, he ended the call and set my phone on the counter, caging me between his arms. “If you’re going to get an attitude about my taking care of you, Mace, you could at least call me daddy.”
I pressed a forearm against my mouth, blowing into it and letting out a good, long fart noise. “Zero out of ten for that one, Dominic.”
He threw his head back and laughed before those blazing brown eyes found mine again. “I’m going to run to the store real quick and grab you some things. I’ll be back in a half hour.”
“Grab what?”
“Don’t worry about it.” He smiled as he swiped his keys off the counter and slipped his shoes on. “No phone, no television. You can sit and stare at the wall until I return.”
I flipped him off.
“I mean it, Macie.” His tone was surprisingly serious.
“Okay…” He opened the door and began to step through it. “Daddy.”
He paused, letting out a frustrated groan as his eyes fluttered shut. “You’ll ruin me, I swear.”
I laughed as the door clicked behind him.
Chapter 11
Ispentthehalfhour Dom was gone doing laundry and mopping the kitchen floor. I always thought I was an inherently lazy person, but it turned out I just had an incredibly short attention span. Without the distraction of social media, makeup Youtube videos, or Real Housewives shows, I was able to get so much done.
I had just finished putting the mop away as my front door unlocked and Dom stepped inside. My eyes widened as I noticed his hands were full of several large grocery bags that seemed to be packed to the brim with food. “What the hell is all that?” I asked.
He smiled. “Happy Hanukkah.”
