Bewilder (The Kaleidoscope Album Book 2)

by Oakley, Bryce

  "I'm fine," Sabrina said in a near-whisper. Her eyes flicked down to Domino's mouth.

  The world seemed to slow for a moment as Domino warred with herself about leaning in to kiss Sabrina. She wanted to –– she felt as though she had never wanted to kiss anyone more than in that moment, but also, if she started kissing Sabrina, it would be impossible to stop. Would her lips taste salty or sweet?

  They were treading in open water, literally, and Domino worried about the implications of kissing someone she worked closely with. It was the same reason she had never tried anything with Zoey or Meg, despite them being attractive, funny women that she cared about deeply.

  "Uh, guys, a little help," Meg called, and Domino glanced over to see Meg holding both of their boards by the leashes, the boards smacking her in the legs and the water jostled her around.

  Domino cleared her throat and begrudgingly let go of Sabrina, swimming over to Meg. She grabbed ahold of the side of her board and climbed on.

  "Are you both okay?" Meg asked, looking between the two of them.

  Domino nodded and watched as Sabrina nodded, then began laughing.

  "That was so fun," Sabrina said, climbing onto her board. "Apart from the moment I got the wind knocked out of me. Did you guys see me? I stood up!"

  Domino couldn't help but grin at Sabrina's enthusiasm.

  Meg snorted in laughter. "One second of standing and she's hooked," she said, turning to Domino with a smile.

  "You gonna come surfing with us every morning? We get here right before the sunrise," Domino said.

  "Yeah, you should come," Meg said with a warm smile.

  Domino grinned at Meg. Out of everyone she knew, Meg was the kindest. She was glad that Sabrina was meeting Meg before Billie.

  Whoa, that was a weird thought. Meeting Billie? Where had that plan come from?

  "Absolutely not," Sabrina said with a grin, climbing back onto her surfboard. "That seems like prime shark bait time."

  Domino climbed back onto her own board. "You are more likely to be killed by a vending machine than a shark," she said, shaking out her hair.

  "I appreciate your false equivalence argument, but I'm not convinced," Sabrina said, her spine straightening. She rung out her hair, pushing it back over her shoulders.

  "A few more and then we'll head in?" Domino suggested.

  Sabrina nodded.

  "Your turn, Domino. Show this brave lady how it's done," Meg encouraged her with a laugh.

  Domino grinned, watching over her shoulder for the next wave. When the time came and the swell looked right, she paddled as hard as she could, getting into place.

  She glanced back one more time to make sure her timing was right with the cresting of the wave, but she couldn't help sneaking a look at Sabrina. Sabrina's dark eyes were wide in wonder and amusement, her mouth open in an almost-laugh.

  Domino almost missed the wave, but at the last moment, she looked away from Sabrina, and focused.

  She sat with Sabrina and Meg on the patio, beers in hand.

  "I really thought you had knocked yourself out," Domino said.

  "I was really worried," Meg admitted. "I was honestly shocked that you just popped out of that water."

  "I was on the diving team in high school. It'll take more than one little fall to drown me, I'd hope," Sabrina said, sipping at her beer.

  "You were on the diving team?" Domino asked, surprised.

  "Yep," Sabrina said with a shrug.

  "But you don't like water," Domino said, wrinkling her brow. "It was like pulling teeth to get you in there today."

  "Correction: I like water, but I do not appreciate open water," Sabrina said with a shudder.

  "I hear you. Have you ever seen a picture of a Giant Squid?" Meg said, her eyebrows raised.

  "Seriously," Sabrina agreed, nodding with enthusiasm. "Things like that just... live in there."

  "Hey, I thought you were on my side," Domino said, nudging Meg with her elbow.

  "Don't get me wrong, I'll still brave it, but it really freaks me out to be out on the water in the dark," Meg said, sighing. "I only do it because it's the absolute best time to surf."

  "Why is that?" Sabrina asked, leaning back in her chair and she rested her feet on the railing in front of her. Her toenails were perfectly decorated with a nude hue.

  "Bros," Meg and Domino said in tandem, then cracked up laughing.

  "Bros?" Sabrina asked, tilting her head.

  "Yeah, the kind that claim waves, or worse, steal your wave, or even worse, sissy out of a wave and then yell at you as though it was your fault," Domino said.

  "So, let me get this straight. Y'all surf in the dark just to avoid... men?" Sabrina said, looking between her and Meg.

  "Well, when you say it like that, it sounds awful," Meg said, shrugging.

  "But essentially, yes. I do many, many things in my life just to avoid men," Domino said with a grin.

  Meg clinked her beer can to Domino's. "Same," she said.

  Sabrina grinned. "That's awful that you have to inconvenience yourself just because of jerks, though," she said, rolling her eyes.

  "It isn't so bad. That early, you greet the day doing what you love," Domino said, smiling to herself.

  "Is that how passionately you feel about music?" Sabrina asked.

  Meg looked over at Domino. "Well, I do. What about you?"

  Domino looked down at the can in her hand. "I don't know. I think I used to," she said.

  Sabrina stood, gently touching Domino's shoulder as she walked past her to go back into the house. "I'm going to continue on this pantry or it's going to drive me crazy," she said.

  Domino considered the shoulder touch, glancing over her shoulder. Was Sabrina trying to give her some secret message? Was she trying to remind Domino of their conversation earlier? Was she merely wanting to be affectionate?

  A silly smile crept onto Domino's lips as she watched Sabrina walk inside.

  "Uh oh," Meg said, following Domino's gaze.

  Domino looked back to her, pursing her lips. "Care to share, Meg?" She said, trying to look very serious.

  "Nothing," Meg said, sipping at her beer. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was drying with beach waves, making her look even more sun-kissed.

  "I've got a question," Domino said slowly, not sure how to approach the subject of writing together. "And feel free to tell me no, or that you don't want to, or that you're not comfortable, or that I'm making you feel pressured, or––"

  "Dom, out with it," Meg said, reaching to touch Domino's arm.

  "You know how I've been having a really hard time writing this album?" Domino said.

  "Oh, honey, you know we're all trying to be as patient as possible. If we're––" Meg began, but stopped once Domino shook her head with her hands up in surrender.

  "No, it's not that. I'm trying to ask if you'd like to write with me," Domino said.

  "Me?" Meg asked, blinking in surprise.

  "Yeah. I know when we were going over the demos for Heart's Content , you always had fantastic input, and I feel that maybe you would be a really good change of voice for the album. I want it to be more about us, not just Billie and I," Domino said.

  "Wow, this is honestly the most mature conversation we've ever had," Meg said.

  Domino laughed. "I know, it's gross, right?"

  "Of course I'll try to write with you. I don't know how much help I'll be, but maybe I could bring over my drum machine tomorrow and we could give it a try?" Meg said, her cheeks reddening.

  "That'd be awesome," Domino said, grinning.

  "You're sure?" Meg asked, biting her lower lip.

  "What's not to be sure about?" Domino asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

  "It's just always seemed like writing the songs was you and Billie's thing. I don't want to take that from the two of you just because you're..." Meg's voice trailed off.

  "Just because we're not getting along right now?" Domino asked.

  "Um, well, yeah," M
eg said, shrugging. "But I'm psyched about the opportunity to write together, regardless."

  Domino grinned. "I'm glad," she said. She glanced over her shoulder to see Sabrina sitting on the floor of the kitchen, happily in her own world, labeling bulk food containers. She shook her head, looking back down at her beer with a grin she couldn't get rid of.

  "You know," Meg said. "And I'm just putting this out there. She's very cute, and very sweet, but you don't have to sleep with every woman you meet."

  Domino's jaw dropped. "What makes you think I'm trying to sleep with her?"

  Meg stared at her with a serious expression, as though she was saying, Yeah, right.

  "I can have female friends that are just friends," Domino said defensively.

  "Name one female friend outside of Zoey and I that you haven't slept with," Meg said, sighing.

  Domino thought for a moment, flipping through her mental rolodex of faces and names. "Easy. Sabrina," she said, gesturing back to the gorgeous woman organizing her pantry.

  Meg scoffed. "Cheater. Name another. And make it one you haven't wanted to sleep with."

  "I'm deeply hurt by your accusations," Domino said, holding a hand to her chest.

  "Because you can't name one," Meg said, smirking.

  Domino paused, blinking. "Okay, you know how small the ladies who like ladies circle in LA is. Even counting all of the pansexual and bisexual women I know, it's still a tiny amount," she said.

  Meg laughed, shaking her head. "Bullshit," she said.

  "Okay, you name one female friend you haven't tried to sleep with," Domino said.

  "Easy," Meg said, counting on her fingers. "Julia, Melody, Ashley, Maria, Brittani––"

  "Okay, yeah, I've got it," Domino put her hands up to stop the list.

  "I'm just saying, you've got a shot at a really cool friendship. Don't fuck it up just because you're... eager," Meg said, sipping her beer loudly.

  "Eager?" Domino cracked up. "That's what we're calling it these days?"

  "Don't fuck it up," Meg said, pointing a finger at her.

  A text buzzed in Domino's pocket. She took out her phone and looked at the screen.

  Billie: Will you bring a date for Saturday? I'd like to get the spotlight off of Vero as much as possible for her first meeting of the parents.

  Domino sighed. She turned to Meg, about to ask her to accompany her to her parent's dinner, when another text came through.

  Billie: Not just Meg or Zoey.

  Domino frowned, looking at the screen.

  Domino: I'm not dating anyone.

  Billie: Sure. Bring the cute organizer you took surfing, then.

  Domino turned to Meg, raising a brow. "Wow, Radio Meg," she said, showing Meg the text.

  Meg laughed, blushing. "Guilty," she said.

  "Wow, couldn't have waited ten minutes to leave my house before telling Billie about Sabrina?" Domino laughed, shaking her head.

  Meg shrugged, shaking her head.

  "What happened to not sleeping with her?" Domino asked.

  "Hey, I said she was cute and that we went surfing. I didn't say anything about you potentially dating her or anything coming of it," Meg said, crinkling her brow. "I still don't want you to fuck it up."

  Domino took a deep breath. "You are a mixed bag of advice, Meghan Koo," she said.

  Meg laughed. "I'm heading out. I'll see you tomorrow for writing?"

  Domino nodded, leading Meg to the front door. She carried a bag full of damp swimsuits and wetsuits. "Thanks again for letting Sabrina borrow the suits," Domino said.

  "Sure, anything for a friend," Meg said with a wink.

  Domino rolled her eyes, shutting the door behind her. When she turned around, Sabrina was watching her from the kitchen counter, where she had paused pouring brown rice into a container. Seeing Domino catch her, she hastily began pouring again.

  "Okay, how much did you hear?" Domino said, crossing the room to lean against the counter beside her.

  "What? None. Nothing," Sabrina said, not looking up from her task. She looked adorable, her hair curling down her back, her brow furrowed as she concentrated on the rice pouring into the container with a soothing whoosh-ing noise.

  "Go on, tell me," Domino said, sighing. She raked a hand through her hair.

  Sabrina shook her head, pointedly not looking up at Domino. She sealed the container, pushing it to the side.

  "Do you have plans on Saturday night?" Domino asked, holding the next jar steady as Sabrina poured quinoa into it.

  Sabrina shook her head again, but paused with the quinoa. "No," she said slowly. "Why?" She looked skeptical, and Domino could hardly blame her.

  "Well, can I ask a huge favor?" Domino asked, putting on her best impression of puppy dog begging eyes. She was asking her as a friend, not as anything more. There was nothing behind the favor, only that she needed someone she could trust with her at the party. Sabrina was just a friend, not someone she wanted to sleep with. She could have friends, despite what Meg said. She could totally have friends.

  Sabrina arched a brow, looking up at Domino's face.

  Domino took a deep breath. "Will you please come with me to this family thing?”

  “A family thing?” Sabrina grimaced. “I don’t really do family things. Not even with my own family.”

  Domino continued, trying a different course of action. “Not like as a date or anything, but just as a friend and someone... normal? It's just a dinner, but Billie wants Vero to feel comfortable, and my brothers will be there, and they're... well, intense, and––"

  Sabrina interrupted her, dropping the rest of the bag of quinoa onto the counter. "Wait, Vero De Luca will be there?" Was she... bouncing in excitement?

  Domino paused, her brows knitting together in confusion as she looked Sabrina up and down. "Well, yeah, of course," she said, as though it was a super normal thing for her sister to be dating one of the most famous pop stars in the world.

  She liked Vero, but her time with Billie's girlfriend had been short. She hoped maybe she could get a few seconds with her alone at the dinner to apologize in person.

  "Yes," Sabrina said quickly, and the bouncing in place escalated.

  "You can't like fan girl over her, though," Domino said quickly, but she was trying to stifle a grin. Sabrina's eyes were twinkling with excitement.

  Sabrina scoffed, throwing her hair over her shoulder. "Excuse me? I would never. I am very cool," she said.

  Domino's grin broke through her casual facade. "Yeah, sure, whatever you say," she snickered.

  "Extremely cool. Did you know I surf now? I'm just so cool," Sabrina said, twirling her hair around her finger.

  Domino laughed, rolling her eyes. "You are very cool," she said, patting Sabrina on the shoulder.

  "Seriously though, I had a lot of fun today," Sabrina said. "Thank you for taking me surfing. I never would have tried that without you."

  Domino couldn't help but smile. "I'm glad. And thank you for letting me come to The Organizer Store with you. Who knew I was such a pro at designing closets?" She joked.

  "Yeah, I think you missed your calling. If the rock and roll lifestyle doesn't pan out, you could totally get a job there," Sabrina teased.

  "Wow, you think I have that much talent?" Domino asked, trying to sound honored.

  "Would we call that talent?" Sabrina tilted her head, pretending to think it through.

  "No, talent was you standing up on your very first time out, if only for a quarter of a half of a second," Domino said, grinning.

  "Maybe it was my very good teacher," Sabrina said, rolling her eyes. "Meghan."

  Domino scoffed in mock-outrage and reached to tickle Sabrina, but paused as her hands brushed Sabrina's body.

  Domino froze in place as her laughter quieted, the tension growing thick between them.

  Sabrina was so close. Domino remembered how warm her body had felt in the water, pressed against hers. How good it had felt to hold her and have Sabrina's arms around her own
neck, too.

  Sabrina opened her eyes, the twinkle still in her eye, but her smile faded. Her gaze flicked down to Domino's mouth.

  Then, before Domino could think it through and stop herself, she had closed the gap between them and pressed her mouth to Sabrina's, her lips soft and tentative in a question that Sabrina seemed to know exactly how to answer.

  She tasted sweet like honey ale against Domino's tongue.

  Domino wrapped her hands around Sabrina's waist, pulling her close. She summoned every ounce of reserve, trying to keep from sliding Sabrina onto the counter and taking her right there.

  Sabrina moaned against her mouth, dizzying Domino's rational thoughts. She took Sabrina's hair in a fist and tipped her head back, kissing her deeper. Sabrina brought her hands to either side of Domino's face, warm skin contrasting against Domino's cool cheeks.

  Sabrina pulled back to take a breath, closing her eyes as she held her forehead against Domino's.

  Domino struggled to take a deep breath of her own.

  Was that the best kiss of her life?

  "That can't happen again," Sabrina whispered, her voice cracking slightly as though she was on the verge of tears.

  Domino opened her eyes, taking a step back. She held up her hands. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I didn't mean to upset you. I thought––"

  "You are my client, and I do consider you my friend, but this is an important job to me, and I'm not jeopardizing that just because you're an extremely good kisser," Sabrina said, shuffling backwards to put space between them.

  Domino pursed her lips in thought. "So, you think I'm a good kisser?" She joked, trying to lighten the mood.

  Sabrina scoffed. "Missing the point, Domino," she said, her hands on her hips.

  Domino rolled her eyes. "Relax. I'm fine with friends," she said, holding out her hand to shake on the new agreement.

  Sabrina stared down at it, but tentatively took Domino's hand in hers and shook it.

  "You, Meloy, are unlike anyone I've ever met," Domino said, shaking her head.

  Sabrina sighed. "Am I still invited to your party?" She asked, reaching for the half-empty bag of quinoa.

  "Of course," Domino said with a laugh. She stared down at the woman before her, blinking back against the strong force of rejection Sabrina had just thrown her way. After that kiss, and the way Domino's heart still pounded –– she just wanted to be friends?