Chapter Twelve
Candace
Shit.
This is all I need now.
Please God, don’t let me be stuck inside here with him.
Not him and not this.
I squirm out of Dominic’s arms like I can’t get away quick enough while he moves to the panel and presses the button to talk to the maintenance department.
“Sorry, we’ll be a few minutes.There was a power cut in the engine room,” a male voice says.
I don’t even know who’s talking.I’m just grateful for the assurance of being held up for only a few minutes.Then again, a few minutes could be enough to make me crazy around this man.
I kneel, grab my bag and start picking up my things.Along with my phone and keyring, I have a bunch of pens, makeup, and mini notepads.Dominic lowers and starts helping me too.
“It’s okay, I got it.”
“There’s no harm in helping you pick up your pens, Candace,” he replies, but he doesn’t look at me.
As he continues gathering my pens, I feel embarrassed I have so many.I have almost one of every color known to man, and highlighters.There are more pens and miniature notebooks than makeup, making me look like the nerd I was back in high school.Intelligence is great, he has it, but a nerd is a whole other species.
An unwelcomed blush sweeps over me when he spots the little origami angel he made sitting by a larger notebook.I vaguely remember putting it in my bag.Now I curse myself for doing so because it looks like I'm carrying it around with me, which I technically am.
Dominic reaches for it, and his brows lift in surprise when his eyes link with mine.My cheeks burn so I look away and focus on gathering the last of my pens.
He gets up, straightens his shoulders, and I stand too.He’s still holding the angel, and it’s clear from the uncanny look in his eyes he wants me to ask for it.
It sends a shiver of annoyance through me because he can see I want the angel back.
My heart beats out of cadence when he reaches forward and takes my bag from me.I only release the breath I’m holding on to when he drops the angel inside and hands the bag back.
“There you go, Angel,” he says, and I grit my teeth at the nickname.
We stare at each other for what seems like forever and I wait for the elevator to move or the doors to open so I can flee.This tension is too much for me.
Dominic breaks the stare first by dipping his head for a second, but he doesn’t look away or resume leaning against the wall like he was when I first stepped in.Instead, his eyes become hard, flat and emotionless and I have a feeling I’m about to have that conversation he wanted to have last night.
“Is this really how we’re going to be?” he asks raising his palms.My heart grips when a flicker of sadness flashes in his eyes."Candace, you and I are seriously going to be these people who can barely say two words to each other?”
“I guess it is what it is,” I answer, maintaining my stance.
Now he looks pissed. “What is it?What the fuck does that mean?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Well, we’re stuck here so we might as well talk.Tell me what you mean by it is what it is.” He searches my eyes and I feel my guard slipping.
The thing is I want to get the shit off my chest, I just don’t want to talk to him about it.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing.”
“Yes, it is. Candace what do you want me to do?”