“No,” she replies softly. “I think the headache is going away.”
“There are more fresh leaves on the kitchen counter, along with more Advil and soup.”
“Soup?”
“You have to eat, Alecia.”
Her lips tip up into a smile as she raises her hand and covers mine, pulling it and the cloth away from her head. “Thank you.”
“Prego,” I reply. “You’re welcome.”
She glances over at the kitchen counter and then returns her gaze to mine.
“Pink tulips?”
“I think you like pink.”
She blinks quickly and before she can back away, I skim my knuckles down her cheek one last time, push a strand of hair behind her hair, and lean in to kiss her cheek.
Merda, she smells like lilacs and her soap and simply amazing.
“Eat the soup, cara. Use the leaves if you need them.” I stand to leave and she moves to follow me. “Stay there, I can see my way out.”
“Dom?”
I stop and look back at her, one brow raised.
“I do like pink. Very much.”
I grin and nod and leave while I still can.
Because every instinct in me is screaming for me to scoop her up and find her bedroom and stay there with her for the rest of the weekend.
Chapter Three
Alecia
He made me feel better.
And he brought me flowers. Pink tulips. Not the stereotypical red roses or whatever was available in the grocery store.
Tulips are out of season. He had to find them.
The sun is out this morning, but it’s not hot yet here on the Tacoma waterfront near my condo. I’m walking briskly—okay, I’m sauntering—just fast enough to feel my heart move.
Or maybe those are thoughts of Dominic Salvatore doing that to me.
And isn’t that just ridiculous? So, he was nice. I can’t believe that I let my Advil supply run dry, both at home and my emergency kit that I carry with me everywhere.
That’ll be the first order of business today after my walk: replenish the pain killer supply.
As I adjust my earbuds in my ears and switch to a Plain White T’s song, a bald eagle soars majestically over the quiet water of the sound. The tide is out, revealing all kinds of delicacies for the wildlife, and sure enough, within moments the eagle dives down and picks something up in its talons. Probably a crab.
The eagle flies off with his breakfast and my stomach growls as I reach the pier at a restaurant roughly two miles from the condo.
I turn around and head back and try not to think about Dom.
Not gonna think about the sexy Italian who can cure headaches and make me ache in other more interesting places instead.
Nope, not going there.
Shit. I always seem to go there these days. Even through the pain of a headache rated an eleven on a scale of one to ten, his fingers skimming over my skin and his whispered voice in my ear made my girlie parts sit up and take notice.
And then he had to go and put his lips on me, and it was all over.
I haven’t been this physically attracted to a man in…
Years.
I don’t remember the last time. Maybe never. And isn’t that just my luck? Because Dominic isn’t the kind of guy you have as a friend with benefits and not fall for him. It’s simply not possible.
And there’s no way in hell I’m going to fall for him.
I don’t fall. Love isn’t real. Affection. Lust. Those are real.
And in my line of business, I see how quickly they fade.
Fuck, I’ve lived it.
My neighbor from one floor down—Ray? Ralph? Rob?—drives past and waves out of the top of his flashy convertible. He’s made it perfectly clear that he’d like to give the friends with benefits thing a try. He’s good looking. But he’s not memorable, and it seems to me that if I can’t even remember the man’s name, I wouldn’t be terribly impressed with what he can do in the bedroom either.
I wave back and breathe a deep sigh of relief when I turn the corner into my complex. I hate exercising. I hate wearing sneakers. I hate sweating.
And I have the ass and hips to show for it.
I mentally shrug and press the button for the elevator as Train’s “Hey Soul Sister” beats in my ears.
Now, this I like. I could dance all day. Since I’m alone in the elevator, I cut a rug of my own and boogie around the inside of the car, then come to a complete stop and school my features just as the door opens, in case someone is standing on the other side waiting to get in.
My dance moves are best enjoyed in private. I’m no Meredith Summers.
“There you are!” Emily exclaims and shoves her phone in her handbag. She’s leaning against my door.
“Why are you at my condo at the ass crack of dawn?” I ask, as I unlock the door and step inside, Emily on my heels.
“We have two baby showers and an old lady party today.”
“Red Hat Society party,” I reply, and toe off my sneakers as soon as humanly possible. “How can people wear those?”
“The sister of the mom-to-be at party number one has already called me three times this morning,” Emily continues. “The MTB is allergic to watermelon.”
“We’re not serving watermelon.” I roll my eyes and strip out of my yoga pants and Blake’s old Mariners T-shirt and walk past Emily to my shower. “It’s going to be fine. All of the details are in place for all three parties.”
“I know, I just figured that if I’m getting calls at the butt crack of dawn, I might as well be with you when I get them.”
“That’s kind of you,” I mutter, and step into the shower.
“How was Will yesterday?” Emily yells out from my vanity where she’s primping her hair.
“He was hungry, as usual,” I reply with a laugh.
“And Dominic?”
I pause mid-shave on my leg and frown at the foggy shower door. “How did you know I saw Dominic?”
“Because you’re almost chipper this morning. Blake doesn’t do that to you.”
“I’m always chipper,” I lie, and return to shaving my legs.
“No, you’re not. I love this eye shadow! So? Was Dominic sexy or what?”
Sexy like you wouldn’t even believe.