8. Elyse
CHAPTER 8
Elyse
BETWEEN NOW AND FOREVER
17 YEARS OLD
“ E arth to Dominic? You’re not paying attention.”
His head tilts, pretending to be annoyed, but I know better.
Smiling, I lean in close, resting against his shoulder and snap the picture. The rough brush of his scruff against my cheek sends a sprinkle of shivers down my spine.
Not that I need another photo—my phone is already filled with pictures of us. But with the sunset painting the sky behind us, I can’t resist capturing just one more.
Seated in the passenger seat of Dominic's old Honda, I feel the vibration of the engine beneath my feet. We're heading to our special spot—the old mansion on Sullivan Ridge. A discovery we stumbled upon as kids after wandering too far one day, and it's been ours ever since.
Crumbling and forgotten, its paint peels in brittle sheets, and its shattered windows gape like hollow eyes. The only way to get there is by walking or driving the barely-there path between our property lines that snakes over the far side of Red Mountain.
Dominic's fingers drum against the steering wheel to the beat of the song on the radio. His jaw locked, his focus intent as he navigates the uneven terrain that can't really be considered a road.
I can't stop myself from staring. There's just something about watching him drive that makes my pulse race. The way his dark hair falls over his forehead, the crease of concentration in his brown eyes, and the way his toned arms flex when he grips the wheel—it's all so…hot. Especially hotter with the new tattoo wrapping around his forearm.
He catches me staring, and a slow smirk spreads across his face.
“See something you like, querida mía?”
"Wrong question,” I reply without hesitation. “What don’t I like about you?”
He laughs, tipping his head back as he rolls his eyes. I unbuckle my seatbelt, leaning across the console to cuddle up against his side.
Dominic let’s out a low tsk, eyes flicking to the unfastened seatbelt. “Ellie girl, I'm driving. It's not safe if you're not buckled up.”
I ignore him, brushing my nose against his neck and breathe him in. His cologne mixes with a scent that's clean, yet spicy, pure Dominic. Indescribable, but completely addictive.
“What if I don't want to be safe?” I murmur, my lips brushing his skin. “What if I want to be reckless?”
He exhales, long and drawn out, before pulling the car to a stop and putting it in park. His hand finds my hip, and before I know it, he's tugged me across the console and onto his lap. My legs straddle him, arms looping around his neck.
“You're a bad influence,” he teases, his lips trailing featherlight kisses along my neck, up to my jaw, and finally capturing my mouth with his. His kiss is gentle, but mine isn't. I deepen it, slipping my tongue against his, and he moans, pulling me tighter.
My hips instinctively roll against him, the heat between us building until it's almost too much to stand.
“Mmm-mmm.” Dominic pulls back, his forehead pressing against mine as his hands cradle my jaw, holding me still. “I'm not fucking you in this piece-of-shit car, in the middle of a field, surrounded by manure.”
I whine, not caring at all how desperate I sound.
A sighing groan escapes my lips as I roll my hips again. “But I’m so horny. I want you.” I kiss up his jaw. “We’ve never had sex in your car.” My whisper in his ear forces the skin right below it to scatter in goosebumps. I dust my breath over the area and watch the goosebumps spread.
Dominic practically squirms like he can’t stand it, but the growing hardness between his legs says otherwise.
“You make saying no to you very hard,” he rasps.
I giggle, swiveling my hips playfully. “You're definitely hard.”
He throws his head back against the headrest, huffing. “What am I going to do with you?”
I take it as a challenge, letting my hands drift down his chest until they reach the waistband of his jeans. “We could…” My words trail off as my fingers find the button on his fly.
Before I can make any real progress, he captures my wrist, stopping me.
“We're almost there, Ellie,” he says. The gruffness in his tone is filled with both desperation and resolve. “Just a little longer.”
His restraint makes me grin. I know he's hanging on by a thread, and sometimes I make it my mission to drive him wild— but I never push too far.
Taking pity on him, I climb back into my seat, buckling up as his shoulders sag. I can’t tell if he’s relieved or frustrated. Likely both.
I figured we’d have sex pretty quickly after our relationship shifted from friendship to something more, but Dominic had other ideas. He wanted to wait—not because he didn’t want me, but because we were both virgins, and he wanted it to be special for me. It was very sweet, yet incredibly excruciating.
Somehow, by sheer willpower—and maybe a few well-timed interruptions—we made it nearly two years before giving in. And when we finally did, it was everything I’d hoped for. He made it special, just like he promised. Every time since then, he’s treated me with a level of care I’ve come to realize is rare. If my friends’ stories are anything to go by, I got lucky—because all my firsts belong to him. And I wouldn’t change a single one.
As the car continues on its journey, I glance out the window, the fading sunlight casting golden streaks across the hills. It doesn’t matter how many times we make the drive, the view never gets old. The hills look as if they go on forever, like it’s just us and them—our own little world. Sometimes it’s like life is spinning too fast, change is on the horizon, it’s inevitable, but then we come here, and I can breathe again.
“We’re here,” Dominic announces.
The car rolls to a stop, the tires crunching over gravel as Dominic kills the engine. A soft silence settles, broken only by the distant rustle of leaves in the breeze and the faint hum of crickets.
I stare out the windshield at the dilapidated house. It looks even more haunting in the fading light, the last rays of the sun catching the jagged edges of broken windows and highlighting the overgrown vines that cling to its stone facade. Despite its decay, there’s something magical about it too.
Dominic opens his car door, and the creak of the hinges echoes in the quiet. He holds my door open, the cool spring air kissing my skin as I step out.
“Still as creepy as ever,” I say, squinting up at the house.
“Creepy?” Dominic smirks, walking around the car. “More like mysterious.”
I laugh, the sound bouncing off the empty space around us. He grabs a blanket from the back seat, slinging it over his shoulder before offering me his hand.
“Come on, Ellie girl. Let’s see the view before we lose the light.”
Sometimes, we come here to escape our parents; other times, we come just for us. For talks, for silence, for the freedom of being alone together. This long-abandoned house has become our unexpected sanctuary.
Hand in hand, we make our way up the familiar path, the cheatgrass breaking underfoot. The mansion looms larger with each step, its darkened windows seeming to watch us approach.
As we round the side of the house, the ridge opens up before us, the valley below bathed in shades of gold and orange. It’s breathtaking, even after years of seeing the familiar view. Dominic spreads the blanket over a flattened patch of grass near the edge, and we settle down together.
The silence between us is comfortable as we take in the dips of the valley. He leans back on his elbows, and I rest my head against his shoulder. The heat of his body against mine is soothing in comparison to the growing chill, and for a while, we don’t need words.
“So, separate schools, huh?” Dominic says suddenly, his voice quiet.
I lift my head to look at him. “Separate schools,” I echo, confirming his question.
Today was the deadline—college decision day—and we both confirmed to different schools—me to the University of Washington and Dominic to Washington State University. Opposite ends of the state, with a five-hour drive between us. It will be the first time since we met that we’ll be apart.
Dominic received a full ride to WSU, something his parents are insanely proud of since he’ll be the first in his family to attend college. His brother Adrian has plans to attend school but he joined the army, with the hope he’ll receive a G.I. Bill to pay for it.
I confirmed my acceptance to UW, a Ledger legacy, one I’m expected to uphold. I’m not even sure what I want to do with the rest of my life, but college always felt like the path I would take. My parents highly regard education, and though they’re not pushy, it’s heavily implied and expected for each of us to get a degree. As the eldest daughter, I set the tone for my younger siblings and won’t allow myself to be the one who fucks up tradition.
I tried to tell Dominic it would be good for us, that we have the rest of our lives to be together, and that four years will fly by. But in the end, I’m not sure who I was trying to convince—him or me.
“I’m scared,” he admits softly, and his admission pokes at my heart like a hot needle.
I’m scared too. Terrified, even. But I don’t want to acknowledge it.
“What are you scared of?” I ask, hoping he doesn’t catch the shake in my voice.
“Losing you,” he responds in a heartbeat, staring off into the distance.
Curling myself closer, I rest my cheek on his chest. “You’re never going to lose me.”
Dominic stays quiet for a long moment before speaking. “We don’t know what the future holds, querida mía. A lot can happen between now and forever.”
Instead of continuing on with this depressing conversation, I move to sit on my knees and press Dominic onto his back. It takes him a second to catch on, but then he’s gripping my hips, digging in as I make my intentions clear. I want to get lost in him. I don’t want to think about the future, because it’s enough unknowns to make me spiral. I’d rather feel Dominic’s body against mine, a reminder of how well we fit together. Made for each other.
“What about this room?”
Dominic gestures widely, showing me a space I’m guessing was once the parlor.
After the sun went down, we made our way inside. The few candles we leave here are our only light.
When we’re here, we daydream—about giving new life to this old house, maybe remodeling it one day. It’s a pipe dream, something that will likely never happen because it would probably be easier to tear the whole thing down and start fresh. And honestly, the last thing I want is to spend the rest of my life in Red Mountain, but it’s fun to imagine. Maybe one day, when we’re older and have lived in other cities, we’ll come back and raise a family here. By then, though, this place will likely be a pile of collapsed wood. It’s barely standing now.
“I want a library.” I give him a playful grin. “Bookshelves from floor to ceiling, with a ladder so I can reach the top ones. Like Belle from Beauty and the Beast .”
He laughs. “Ellie girl, you don’t even read. The last book you read was The Scarlet Letter , and you watched the movie and called it ‘reading.’”
Spinning around, I shoot him a half-hearted glare—or an attempt at one. “So? Maybe when I’m older, I’ll be sophisticated and worldly, and read novels and go to art museums. You never know.”
Dominic’s eyes light up, matching my playful tone. “I’ll build it for you,” he says without missing a beat. “Bookcases, ladders, the whole damn thing.” Coming up to me, he kisses my forehead gently. “And you’re going to be anything you want. Definitely sexy.” He kisses my collarbone. “You’re already sophisticated.” He drags the strap of my tank top down my shoulder. “Titties out of this world, a work of art.” His head dips and I feel his tongue glide across the swell of my breast.
Laughing, I gently shove him away. “Liar. I have the tiniest boobs ever.”
Not letting me get away, he pulls me back, spinning me around so his front is to my back, completely encasing me. His hot breath fans over the shell of my ear, and I sink into his embrace. “Querida mía, your tits are perfect. Your body,”—he moans, thrusting his hips against me so I can feel his erection—“always has me hard.”
“You’re a horndog,” I tease.
He scoffs as his hands roam over my body. “Were you or were you not trying to ride my dick on the way over here?” His teeth tug at my ear, sending a delicious jolt down my body. “And were you or were you not full of me just a few minutes ago?”
I whirl around to face him and cross my arms behind his neck. With the added height of my wedges, we’re almost at eye level. Dominic is 6’2”, but I’m taller than most of the girls we grew up with at 5’9.
“What can I say? You’re a very cute boy.”
Shaking his head, he pulls his lips into a smug smile. “Ellie girl, I’m all man.”
My own grin widens. “Whatever you say.”
He’s quiet for a stretch, just staring at me as the smile on his face slowly eases—looking at me with a seriousness that wasn’t there before. “One day, I’m going to do it—the house, the library. Whether it’s this place or somewhere else, anything you want.”
“Promise?” I tease, raising an eyebrow to break through the tension that’s joined us.
“Promise,” he replies, looking so determined I can’t help but let out a huff through my smile, even though I think I might cry if he keeps talking like this. “We’ll come back here one day and make it happen. It’ll be like those HGTV shows, but with lots of sex.”
I giggle, grateful he’s pivoting the conversation to something lighter. “You’re such a sap.”
“I’m whatever you want me to be.” He pulls me close, capturing my lips with his, and I lose myself.