When Storm Clouds Hover

27: Dom - Crossing a line

An hour later, the place was packed full, and the raucous shenanigans by the pool were getting out of hand. Dom was enjoying himself with the boys. They were all sprawled about beer in hand, laughing and joking with each other, when Izzy and Tal came back.

'Smile for the camera, ladies!'

'Ah come off it, Bish,' said Tal. 'Does this moment need to be immortalised?'

Izzy put her hand up to her face.

'You never know when something crazy's going to go down,' Bish said unapologetically.

Dom laughed, a little too loudly.

'We're not exactly raging out of control here,' said Izzy impolitely.

'The night is but young girl,' Bish responded, zooming in on Izzy's hand as if to say, don't tell me what to do.

'Come to think of it,' said Lucus to Izzy, as if the thought had just occurred to him. 'I can see the family resemblance between you and Ava. Don't you guys see it? Izzy looks like Ava.'

'Well, they're both hot if that's what you mean,' Dom said. It hadn't escaped him how good she looked in her little green string bikini. It matched her eyes and really showed off her curves nicely.

Izzy's cheeks turned pink.

'Agreed,' said Lucus.

Izzy pulled her hair over her chest. 'You're sweet, Lucus, but don't you mean Ava looks like Izzy?'

'Can't tell, man,' shrugged Dom, looking Izzy up and down. 'One of you has got way too many clothes on to compare!'

Izzy shifted awkwardly and laughed. 'What are you talking about? I'm half-naked here!'

'Not as naked as Ava and her friends, on the boat,' Dom responded.

Izzy frowned.

'Let's just take this off,' Dom said, taking a step forward to reach behind Izzy. He pretended like he was going to pull the string of her bikini.

Izzy deftly leaped out the way onto the grass curb.

'I don't think so!' she said.

'Just wanted to see if we can spot the family resemblance,' Dom said, laughing.

Lucus piped in. 'No wonder you disappeared all afternoon without telling anyone. Topless chicks -I'd take that.'

Dom chuckled. 'You missed out-for sure.'

'And what, Sac?' said Izzy raising her eyebrows at him. 'You were just there for Tommo? Does the word girlfriend mean nothing to you?'

'Keep your wig on, girl,' said Dom. 'The girls were sunbathing topless...nothing stopping me window shopping.'

'Better be all you were doing,' Izzy said sternly.

'Sure was! Besides, I like my women with meat on their bones,' Dom said, pinching the top of Izzy's arm.

'Are you calling me fat?' she said with a smile.

'Careful,' Tal warned. 'She might sit on you.'

'That's cool, babe,' Dom responded, pulling Izzy by the hand onto his lap. 'We'll talk about the first thing that comes up.'

Dom could feel the skin on the back of Izzy's smooth brown legs, slick with sweat. She pushed his forehead and moved off him quickly. 'Ugh! You're impossible. I don't know what to do with you!'

Dom laughed and winked at her.

'Why don't you two just get it on and get it over with?' said Lucus. 'Put us all out of our misery.'

'And... that's my cue!' Izzy said, making to leave, 'shame on you, Lucus!' Izzy said. 'I thought you were one of the good ones.'

'Sorry, Stormer,' said Luc, 'don't leave on my behalf.'

'Nope - that's it! You've done it. I have to go!' Izzy picked up her purse from where it lay resting on the grass at her feet. 'You boys need to be nicer.'

'And that's a wrap!' said Bish, looking happy with himself.

'You!' said Izzy, pointing at Bish, 'don't you dare post that. I'm warning you. I'll have to kill you.'

'You're alright, girl!' Bish responding, putting his hands in the air in mock surrender. 'Just having a bit of fun.'

'People can get hurt.' Izzy warned.

'Trust me,' said Bish, 'this isn't Insta worthy. By the end of the night, I'll have peops paying me to keep their secrets off the Inter.'

'You're an ass,' Izzy said, turning her back on Bish to face Tal.

'Coming with me, love? Let's go find Cole.'

'Sure, just a sec....' Tal turned to Luc. 'Can I take a drink to go?'

Luc sighed dramatically and reached into the ice box. 'She won't stick around, but she'll drink my beer.'

'Haha! Thanks, Lucas. I owe you.'

Luc offered Izzy a drink to take with her, but she shook her head.

Dom stepped into the path in front of the two girls. 'You sure you want to leave me here alone?' he said to Izzy. 'I'm in a rebellious state of mind.'

'You're in a... something..,' Izzy responded under her breath, deftly stepping past him. Then, as she turned to go, she looked to Luc. 'Watch this one for me, hey?' she said, nodding at Dom.

'Nice seeing you, Tommo,' she gave a quick wave. 'If I don't see you again tonight, you best you be good to my cousin - or else!'

After the girls had left the circle, Lucus turned on Dom. 'What the hell, man? What are you doing?'

'What?' Dom asked the picture of innocence.

'You're flirting with Iz and you know it!'

'Nah, man - Are you kidding? She's just always giving me a hard time about being unfaithful to Em, so I'm giving it back to her - makes her uncomfortable.'

'Careful Sac, I'm telling you', said Lucus. 'She's off-limits. You're playing with fire.'

'Don't get all preachy.'

'It'll be your funeral.'

'Okay, grandma. Got you,' said Dom standing up. 'I'm going to get a real drink. D'you want anything from the bar?'