You Are Mine Little Sister (by Syra Tucker) novel Chapter 188

Davis and his family were already at the table. His little girl was whining about something which her mother was trying to figure out.

I set the red box on a side chair, then slipped into the seat beside Dominic. A moment later, Marovelle arrived with a steaming bowl of soup, paused when she clocked him, and sent me a look that said 'explain later' before she sailed on.

After the initial pleasantries, we started eating without much drama.

"Thank you, Dominic," Marovelle said after a few spoonfuls. "You don't know it, but you've been a great help to Rali."

My gaze dropped to my bowl, a shy smile tugged at my mouth.

"It's a pleasure," Dominic said.

"So, what do you do for a living?"

I paused. I hadn't even asked him that.

"I'm a Web Designer. I build websites, manage online operations, stuff like that."

"Mhm. Sounds good. So, could you tell me why you're interested in my girl?"

"Marv!" Rosaline hip-checked her under the table.

My eyes also went wide at her, but she wasn't looking at me.

Dominic, however, didn't seem the least bothered.

"Well..." He turned his head just enough that his eyes found mine. The heat there made me look down, suddenly fascinated by my plate.

"She's beautiful. And beyond that, she has a sweet soul. It's impossible not to like her."

"Hm." Marovelle nodded like she was taking notes. "Why do you have a brow piercing though? You also got tattoos. Who knows what else you got."

"Marv! He's hot!" Rosaline stage-whispered.

"You hit me one more time I'll throw this soup in your face." Marovelle glared at her.

When I glanced up, Dominic was watching me. I smiled, small and involuntary, and then, true to form, my eyes slipped away.

"Do you like them?" He asked me, meaning the piercing, the ink, the look. Meaning 'me.'

Being asked my opinion about him felt… good in a way I didn't have a drawer for.

"Yes," I said softly, then caught my lower lip between my teeth.

"Nah." Marovelle tsked in disagreement. "Those are wayward appearances. Anyway, I do hope your heart is more decent than you look."

I wanted to laugh. Dominic looked decent.

"You just make sure you take good care of my girl, okay? She's fragile."

I rolled my eyes at my plate. She made it sound like there was something between us. There wasn't.

We were just...friends.

I paused on that word, surprised by how it fit.

Friends.

Wow. I had a male friend. And for the first time, the word didn't bite.

The rest of the dinner went well.

Dominic was a nice guy. I felt embarrassingly happy, like someone had ironed the creases out of my chest.

One reason I couldn't wait for the dinner to end was so I could open my gift. I'd been eager to see what he got me.

I walked him to his car, still smiling in my head over the thought of how wonderful Christmas had decided to be.

"I....trust you had a good time with us?" I asked, my fingers lacing and unlacing like a nervous ribbon as we stopped beside his car.

"Yeah. Y'all made my night."

I couldn't stop the smile.

"What're your plans for tomorrow?" he asked, leaning a shoulder to the door.

"Nothing yet. I... might just go out with Ivy and her kid, or stay home all day and see a movie."

The look he gave me deepened. "Would you consider going out with me?"

My thoughts slammed the brakes.

"I mean, if that'd be okay for you. I just know of some really nice spots I'm sure you'd enjoy."

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