Chapter 33 That Was Not Accidental
Dominic POV
I've been in control of everything in my life for years.
My company.
My schedule.
My decisions.
My emotions.
Especially my emotions.
Nothing happens unless I allow it.
Nothing affects me unless I let it.
That's how it's always been.
Until her.
Amelia Carter.
And the problem is...
I don't think I'm in control anymore.
The moment keeps replaying.
Over and over again.
Her falling.
Her grabbing my shirt.
The way I lost balance.
The way we hit the floor.
And then...
Her lips on mine.
It was brief.
It shouldn't have meant anything.
It was an accident.
That's what it was supposed to be.
But it didn't feel like one.
And that's the problem.
Because I didn't pull away immediately.
I had time.
Enough time to react.
Enough time to move.
I didn't.
Instead...
I stayed.
For a second longer than I should have.
And that second changed everything.
"You're thinking about it again."
Ryan's voice pulled me out of it.
I didn't look at him.
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
Ryan laughed.
"This is getting sad."
Sebastian was sitting across the room, quiet as usual.
Observing.
Always observing.
He glanced at me once.
That was enough.
He knew.
Ryan leaned back in his chair.
"So."
I already knew where this was going.
"Don't."
"You kissed her."
"It was an accident."
"You stayed."
Silence.
I didn't respond.
Ryan smiled.
"That wasn't denial."
"It doesn't matter."
"Oh it matters," Ryan said. "It matters a lot."
I exhaled slowly.
"It changes nothing."
"That's a lie."
I looked at him.
"It was an accident."
Ryan tilted his head.
"Was it."
"Yes."
"Then why are you still thinking about it."
Silence.
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't have one.
Or I did.
And I didn't want to say it.
Sebastian finally spoke.
"You didn't look surprised."
I glanced at him.
"What."
"When it happened," he said calmly. "You didn't look surprised."
That made something in my chest tighten.
Because he was right.
I wasn't.
And that didn't make sense.
It should have caught me off guard.
It should have felt wrong.
Unexpected.
It didn't.
It felt...
natural.
And that was the most dangerous part.
Ryan stood up.
"Oh this is bad."
"It's not."
"It is," he said. "Because now you're thinking."
"I always think."
"Not like this."
He wasn't wrong.
I don't replay moments.
I don't hesitate.
I don't question.
But now...
I am.
And it's because of her.
I saw her again that evening.
In the living room.
Sitting on the floor with Noah.
He was talking.
A lot.
More than usual.
And she was listening.
Like always.
Laughing.
Smiling.
Completely unaware of the effect she has on people.
On me.
I stood there for a moment.
Watching.
Again.
Like I always do.
Except now...
Everything felt different.
Because now I knew what it felt like to be close to her.
Too close.
I stepped forward.
She noticed immediately.
Of course she did.
She always notices.
"Hi," she said.
Her voice was softer than usual.
"Hi."
Noah looked between us.
Then smiled slightly.
He stood up and walked toward me.
Then...
He did something unexpected.
He grabbed Amelia's hand.
And pulled her closer.
Like he was placing her next to me.
Like it made sense.
Like it belonged that way.
"Sit," he said.
She laughed a little.
"Bossy."
But she sat.
Right next to me.
Too close.
Close enough that I could feel the warmth of her arm against mine.
Neither of us moved.
Neither of us said anything about it.
But we both noticed.
I could tell.
Noah looked very pleased with himself.
Then went back to his toys.
Leaving us there.
In silence.
Again.
"You're quiet," she said.
"So are you."
"That's because I'm thinking."
"About what."
She hesitated.
Then said,
"...Nothing."
That wasn't true.
I could see it in her expression.
The way she avoided looking directly at me.
The way she shifted slightly.
She was thinking about it too.
Good.
That made this easier.
Or worse.
I wasn't sure.
"Amelia."
She looked at me.
"Yes."
A pause.
I didn't plan what I was going to say.
I didn't think it through.
I just said it.
"That wasn't just an accident."
Her eyes widened slightly.
Silence.
"...What."
"The fall was," I said. "The rest wasn't."
My chest felt tight.
But I didn't stop.
Because I needed to say it.
"I didn't pull away."
She stared at me.
Completely still.
Neither did you.
That part I didn't say out loud.
But I knew she understood.
Her breath caught slightly.
"I..."
She stopped.
Then laughed nervously.
"That was because I was in shock."
"Were you."
"Yes."
"Only shock."
Silence.
She didn't answer.
Because she couldn't.
Because we both knew.
It wasn't just that.
Noah looked up at us again.
Then said casually,
"Again."
We both froze.
"What," Amelia said quickly.
"Do it again."
My composure almost broke.
Amelia covered her face.
"Noah, no."
He frowned.
"Why."
"Because," she said, very seriously, "that was a one-time event."
Noah looked at me.
"Dad."
I almost smiled.
Almost.
"This conversation is over," Amelia said quickly.
Noah didn't look convinced.
But he dropped it.
For now.
Silence settled again.
But it wasn't the same silence.
This one was heavier.
Full.
Unavoidable.
I looked at her.
She looked at me.
And this time...
Neither of us looked away.
Because whatever this is now...
It's not fake anymore.
Not even close.