When History Repeats Itself

Chapter Nine

"No way"

"Yes Kerry. We're old friends. Midnight drunken chats are always the best way to start a friendship"

I panicked because the face became clearer now. That was definitely Dom I spoke to that night.

" Dom, what did I say to you?"

"Imagine my surprise when the next morning you remembered nothing"

"Dom, what did I say to you?" I repeated.

"If I tell you, you're going to freak out and then I'd have to explain that it's okay and it doesn't change anything-"

"Dom, tell me everything I told you" I cut him off.

"Well let's see. You started off saying you had a crappy weekend. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes" I said slowly. It felt like opening Pandora's box but I needed to know.

"Okay. I was going to tell you sooner. You told me about your family and the problem with them you were having, then something about visiting your grandmother's grave"

I raised an eyebrow, surprised I left out the part about my night with Damien.

"This is embarrassing and listen, it's okay to... Well it's quite respectable..." As he struggled with words, my heart sank. I remember having a similar conversation with Damien at twenty-one and just like now he was also at a loss for words.

"I told you, didn't i?" I groaned and got off the bed, buried my face in my hands. The ground was taking forever to swallow me up.

Dom pried my hands from my face. I hadn't heard him come and stand in front of me.

"You told me about you and Damien... sleeping together for the first time. Your...first time" he said slowly and I refused to look up at him. I kept my eyes glued to the polished hardwood floor.

"Everyone has their first time at some point. Some earlier than others. Big deal. Look at me, Kerry. You explained your decision"

I groaned once more and still did not look up.

"I respect the choice you made. I was thinking, good for you because I mean Damien is a catch but then that morning after part made me want to punch the dude in the face"

"I want to disappear right now" I said, hoping God or some supernatural force would hear me and grant my wish.

"Okay you're really taking this hard. Good thing I didn't tell you last night like I planned"

'You were going to tell me last night?" I involuntarily looked up at him, looking away almost immediately.

"More important things came up. I don't see why you're so embarrassed by this"

"Why didn't you stop me? There I was confiding in you when I thought you were Chris"

"I tried but you kept saying you could see it in my eyes, you could trust me. I figured I'd let you get a load off your chest."

"Why didn't you say anything till now?" I pushed him, in vain because he did not budge.

"I figured you had forgotten so it didn't matter but then everything changed once I realized we could have a relationship."

That last word made me lose focus. Did he just say a relationship? My heart started racing across my chest. He pulled me into a hug and said to me, "When we get back, you can get me drunk and I'd tell you everything, well almost everything"

He laughed and I pinched him, "you better tell me the super embarrassing bits too"

We heard someone pounding the door and broke apart momentarily before we heard Paba say, "Time to go swimming. Tim is going to be here any moment from now to drag you to the bar"

That was our cue. I stepped out and followed Paba into our hut. I changed into the swimsuit I had left overnight and all morning to dry. I was about to pull on a sundress when Paba stopped me.

"No girl. Time to flaunt it in broad daylight"

"I can't possibly wear only this out"

"We're on a private beach, who cares? Okay Saint Kerry, grab a towel and wrap it round your waist if you want."

So we stepped out in just bikinis and shades, barefoot and with towels draped around our necks. We went to grab a drink at the bar first and sure enough there was Tim the designer drinking shots with Dom.

"Hello Kerry" Tim said, looking me over, "and Paba".

He looked at her from top to bottom and then brazenly asked us to twirl.

"When hell freezes over, Tim" Paba spoke up for us both.

"I don't know how you do it, Dom. I wouldn't be able to stay away from all this right outside my office. That's why I got a male assistant. Keeps the wife happy"

Only then did I notice the ring on Tim's finger.

We joined them for a couple of shots but after this morning's revelation of what alcohol could make me do, I stuck to two shots of tequila. Tim had turned away for a split second to order us coconuts when Dom drew a circle on my lower back with his finger.

If I was holding the shot glass, I would have dropped it. I readjusted my shades like it might give me away even though it was hiding my clearly dilated pupils.

We took off to the beach with Dom and Tim, coconuts in hand and sipping coconut water out a straw. We went swimming and once every few minutes, Dom would secretly make some physical contact like grab my calf under water or graze the back of my bikini with his hand or gently tug my hair.

Delayed gratification or whatever reason for these games Dom was playing was killing me. My hormones were raging and it took superhuman powers to keep me from grabbing him and kissing him till I was senseless.