Page 45 of Carnal
Then I see his hair, and my eyes widen in surprise.
“You hate it,” he says nervously, smiling in a boyish way that shows off his dimple.
I shake my head and reach out a hand to run my fingers through it. “You look so handsome,” I say earnestly. If I wasn’t mistaken, I’d say he wasblushing.
God, he’s so fucking cute.
Lunchbox whimpers in Dante’s arms. I take him and step aside so Dante can come in.
“I’m so sorry for leaving you,” I say, nuzzling my puppy’s black and white spotted fur. Dante must have given him a bath this morning, because he smells like his shampoo.
Evan never took care of Lunchbox, never did anything for him, so Dante’s care for him melts my heart in ways he just doesn’t even understand.
“Thank you so much for taking care of him,” I whisper, voice thick with unshed tears.
“You’re welcome.” He hands me the flowers. “These are for you.”
I smile as I take the bouquet from him. I’m not sure what kind of flowers they are, but they’re the most vibrant mix of colors that resemble fire: bright yellow in the center bleeds into a soft orange tipped in blood red.
“They’re so beautiful,” I murmur, mesmerized by them. “Thank you.”
Dante doesn’t say anything, he tucks some hair behind my ear and caresses my cheek with his thumb, carefully so as not to hurt the bruises on my face. My stomach does somersaults from the gentility of the action coming from such a large—sometimes dangerous—man.
Now that I’m actually looking at him, I see a bruise on his cheek that I hadn’t noticed before, and his nose is a little swollen.
My brows furrow in concern as I reach out and gently touch the area around the bruise. “What happened?”
“It’s nothing. Just got hurt at work is all,” he says dismissively, never taking his eyes off me.
“Does it hurt? I can get you an ice pack.” I start to turn toward the kitchen, but he grips my waist to keep me in place.
“I’m fine,” he says quietly. “I promise.”
I nod. “Okay. So, I really hate to ask this of you, but would you be able to keep Lunchbox for a little longer? My sister loves him, but she doesn’t want animals in her house,” I say with a chuckle.
He nods. “Of course. So, what happened last night?”
I sigh and look behind me towards the hall where the bedrooms are. Matthew and Ebony are fast asleep, but my sister is a light sleeper, and I don’t want to disturb her with my company.
“It’s a long story, Dante, but the short version is that Evan is dead.”
Dante’s eyes widen. He and Evan didn’t know each other well, and they certainly didn’t have the best interactions, but I’m sure this isn’t easy for him to hear, either.
He doesn’t say anything for a minute, and neither do I. Lunchbox nuzzles his face into my neck and whimpers; he must be able to sense the change in the air.
“How are you, baby?” Dante finally asks.
I swallow. “Honestly, I’m having some conflicting feelings that are making me feel like a horrible person.”
“Don’t say that about yourself, Essence,” he says quietly, but his tone is a little harsh. “You’re a saint for dealing with him as long as you did. You’re free now,” he says, echoing my earlier sentiment.
I exhale. “Yeah. I am.”
Dante checks his watch. “Well, I should let you get some rest.” He takes Lunchbox from me and holds him close. “How am I supposed to get in contact with you now?”
“My brother-in-law ordered me a new phone; it should be here in a few days.”
He nods. “And…” he trails off, seeming unsure about his next question.