After setting the GPS on my phone, I lend him my phone so he can follow the directions.
Before I know it, we've pulled up in front of my apartment.
I feel giddy that he's here.
"Yay, now you get to see where I live. It's not as big as your house, of course, but... you know. It's kind of a ranch like yours. Welcome to my humble abode."
I get out of the car, and Dominic says nothing.
There are no street lights on my street, and the lot is pretty spacious. The closest neighbor to me is a few yards away, and I like that we're spaced out.
Dominic's head is on a swivel again, and he has looked everywhere else except at the house.
"Do you seriously live here?" he asks in a deadpan tone.
"Yup! Total peace and quiet," I respond cheerfully.
I wonder why he's asking that and looking back at him; he doesn't seem impressed. Why would he seem impressed? Next to his house, everybody else's must look like kennels.
It feels good to be home, and as I walk in, I feel a sense of pride, knowing the layout like the back of my hand and feeling confident in my domain.
However, as he enters my home and closes the door, I notice how imposing he seems within the confines of my surroundings. For some inexplicable reason, him being in my house makes him appear three times larger than usual. He's like a freaking goliath.
He looks out the window and then looks at me and looks completely lost.
"So no roommates?" he asks warily as though he's on the run from the feds.
"Nope. It's cheap enough that I can pay it on my own, and when I make money from my stories, it covers that and some food. I have Arturos to thank for that because--uh."
Oh shit!
I didn't mean to say that. I turn away from him and close my eyes tightly, wishing that he would just ignore what I just said.
"You spoke to Arturos?"
"Um..."
"I didn't know you guys still spoke to each other."
"Well... uh.... Do you want something to drink?" I ask him, trying to change the subject.
I go into my kitchen, and I look over at him as he walks slowly up to me and ends up right beside me. He's studying me intently. I can tell he's not going to let this go.
"Yes?" I ask as he blocks my way.
"You're just going to gloss right over that?"
"Gloss right over what?"
He rolls his eyes and then takes a seat at the small table in the kitchen.
"So when was the last time you talked to him?"
"..... Yesterday......"
Dominic's head swiftly jerks up to gaze at me, his eyebrows raised in disbelief.
"Yesterday?" he asks with a firm expression.
"Yeah, actually, I ran into him and his girlfriend at the aquarium, and I hung out with them for the day."
"So right before you called me, you were hanging out with Art and his girlfriend?"
"That's correct."
Dominic looks towards my sofa in the living room and then back up at me. He shakes his head in disbelief and closes his eyes for a moment, as though trying to process what I just told him.
"Why didn't you tell me that? And furthermore, why didn't you ask him to help you?"
"Because it had been a long day, and he and his girlfriend already left. Trust me, it was awkward, so I just..."
"Oh yeah? Why was it awkward?"
Oh boy, are we going to have this conversation right now?
"Also, this PC right here needs to be updated, but I can play the game on it-"
"-Lacie?"
"-but I think I'm outdated with the components. You definitely did it in such a way that people can play it who have weaker graphics cards," I start spewing out a word salad, and Dominic gets up and then gently grabs my arm, pulling me towards him so I can face him.
"Why don't you want to talk about this? Did something happen between you two?"
I fall silent for a moment
"I'm not going to be the only one sharing a bunch of stuff, so if I'm going to share private stuff about my life, you have to be open with sharing private stuff about yours."
"Fine, what do you want to know, even though I told you something very private not long ago involving my past, but go ahead."
Wow, did he just try to guilt-trip me?
I shake my head internally. Clever boy.
"Okay, you're right, and for that, you get one."
"Okay. Did you fuck Art?"
I already knew that was coming. Right on the nose this one.
"No."
He continues to stare at me, his expression skeptical as if he either doesn't believe me or expects me to say more.
"Did you guys do anything... like what we did?"
I sigh uncomfortably. I think about all the times I've asked him weird questions as well.
"We made out and we almost did it. You called right before we did."
"Are you fucking serious?" he asks with the most uppity smile.
"Haha, yes. You happy?"
"Has he ever been here?"
"No. Not yet."
"Not yet?" He inquires, playfulness evident in his tone.
Is he enjoying himself?
"So that means you plan on inviting him over. Tsk tsk, he has a girlfriend, Lacie."
"Don't try to shame me haha, I actually like his girlfriend, for your information."
"I didn't know you were into girls."
"Wut? NOOOO I mean we get along."
"Ah."
I can see Dominic thinking.
"Do you want to leave and go back to your house now?" I ask him.
"I don't know, maybe we can hang out here for a little while. I've never been to your house before, so... you can show me how your machine plays the game."
"Okay."
I boot up the game and start showing him my character, and I can tell that as I'm talking to him about different things and as he's explaining to me how to optimize my settings, his mind is somewhere else.
"Sooo..." he starts again as he sits next to me on the floor.
"Oh boy, here we go..." I say jokingly.
"Do you like him?"
"I did, but not anymore... not really."
"So if he didn't have a girlfriend, would you two be together?"
"I don't know."
"How do you not know?" he condescends.
"Because, Dominic, I can't see the future. I don't think so, though."
"Why not?"
"Because I already like someone else."
Dominic peers over at me with his eyebrows raised as though this is news to him.
"Who do you like?"
I decide to toy with him a little. Did he genuinely forget our conversation, or is he so logically oriented that he assumes my mention of someone else means there's another person in addition to him?
I mean, he's the one I like, obviously, but right now, he thinks I'm talking about someone else, and that gives me an air of mystery. I smile coyly and wink at him.
"You have your Kiera, and I have this person."
He nods slowly. I realize that he's quiet again, and when I try to make conversation with him, he either doesn't answer, is spacing out, or keeps the replies brief.
"I can get some parts for you and rebuild your computer. I can make you a nice rig."
"How much will that run me?" I ask.
"It won't cost any money, but you will have to watch the anime with me."
"At your house?"
"Or yours. Whatever. My TV is bigger though and nicer, so yeah, maybe mine. No offense, but your house feels kind of cramped."
-----------
We spent some more time talking about the game and he even prompted me to make certain choices just curious to how I would react to them.
When I decided it was time to leave, he asked me where the bathroom was, and I could hear the sound of water pouring as he relieved himself. I used that as a timer to gather up as much as I could in terms of clothes and anything else, putting them into my gym bag.
As we head back out to the Bugatti, the small gym bag in my hand with some extra clothes and stuff, I see Dominic looking around wildly again.
He looks like a prairie dog looking for a predator in the sky except he's looking in every direction.
"Are you okay?" I chuckle.
"Just get in the car," he replies with a completely serious tone.
As he gets in the car and starts it, he breathes in and out deeply.
"Lacie, are you going to stay here long-term?"
"Yeah, this is my home."
"Why did you choose a place where you can't even see when it's dark?"
"I'm okay; I always look at my surroundings."
"Like you did with the bus today?" He counters immediately.
He got me there, and I didn't really do anything to assure him based on that. It's then I realize that he's actually worried.
"Mr. Dominic, are you worried about me?"
He just looks at me with his usual unreadable expression. There's a soft roll to his eyes and he takes the car out of park.
The Bugatti pulls away, and I feel better that we're going to his house.
"I mean, you live by yourself in a dark lot on a dark street with some questionable people in Philadelphia. Does your father know you live here?"
"Yeah, I've sent him pictures of it."
"I bet they were in the daytime," He retorts.
I smile at him. They indeed were.
"If I was your boyfriend, I would not feel comfortable with you living here."
Something about the way he said that made me feel flutters in my stomach. But he's not my boyfriend, and he made it very clear that he never intended to be, so why was he worried?
"Well, you don't have to worry about that, Dominic, because you're not my boyfriend, remember?," I say with a playfully snarky attitude.
With that, he says nothing.
------------------
We get back to his house and watch a few episodes of the anime while we eat our sushi, and honestly, it's the best sushi I've had in a while.
I can tell Dominic is starting to let loose a bit even though we had the very awkward situation, and it's hard to believe that just last night this dude was eating me out and rubbing his dick up on me. Every time I remember this, I feel a throb course throughout my body and down there.
After we eat, we end up on the 5th episode.
I'm cold again, but I don't want to cross a line, so I'm extra careful with how I am with Dominic. I treat him like a friend.
I can see him staring at me from the corner of my eye, and whenever I look at him, he looks away. After the fifth time of him doing this, I smile and whip my head around quickly to catch him looking at me. This time he doesn't look away.
What is he doing?
"Are you okay?" I ask, chuckling.
"Oh, I'm perfect."
All of a sudden, he tilts towards me as if he's about to topple over to the side, and then he rests his head in my lap.
I attempt to remain composed, though my heart is currently racing so fast right now.
"What are you doing?" I ask, smiling down at him.
"That thing you did with my head; it felt really good. Could you do it again?"
"I don't know, Dominic. Those are boyfriend privileges, and you don't do the boyfriend thing, remember?"
I smile, waiting for a comeback, but I get none, and he just sits up and moves further away from me, staring at the screen.
Oh no. That's not what I expected.
"Come here," I tell him, feeling bad.
"No, I'm good," he says, pouting.
I want to laugh so hard. Why is he so upset? Because I won't scratch his head? I want to laugh so freaking hard right now, but I don't want to offend him. Despite myself, I start giggling, and then I crack up. God damn it.
Through my laughter, I can see that he does not find it funny.
"I'm sorry, but it's just so funny watching you sit over there and pout because I won't rub your head. You're the one that set those rules, buddy."
"I know, and I said it's fine, even though I did rescue you when your car broke down."
My mouth drops open, half-smiling.
"Ohhhh noooo, you didn't!"
He looks over at me with that handsome flirty gaze that says yup, i gotchu. My man's is a master manipulator over here. Let me find out.
"WOW! Are you guilting me right now?" I respond with a playful and feigned sense of outrage.
"Yes," he retorts with a smug tone.
"Okay, fine, give me your freaking big ass head," I say, laughing at that play.
"No, you need to come over here now."
I scooch over close to him, and I start to rub him with my left hand, but he's so tall that even sitting next to him, it strains my arms trying to rub the top of his head.
"I can't reach you like this comfortably."
"Well, how do you want me to sit?"
"I don't know, sit between my legs on the carpet," I instruct him.
He huffs as though it's annoying and an inconvenience, but I can tell he's not totally serious. He sits down in between my legs while I position each of my thighs on either side of his shoulders on the couch.
I lean forward and start massaging his scalp, neck, and shoulders. I can hear him moaning pleasurably. This is also doing something to me. I can hear his little moans escaping him as well as he enjoys the head massage.
"Has no one ever done this for you before?" I ask him as I slowly traverse my fingers over his warm scalp.
"No."
"Really, not even your past girlfriends?"
"No."
"Not even Kiera?" I ask in complete disbelief.
"No."
"Wow, you poor thing."
"Have you done this with other boyfriends?" he asks.
"Yes, I have," I say, trying to ignore the phrase "other boyfriends".
"So, I'm not the first."
My heart surges. First WHAT? Does he not realize that he's implying that he is currently my boyfriend? Oh, I know full well it's probably a Freudian slip but it does make me wonder.
Nah. It's just weird-as-shit phrasing.
"No, you are not. I mean, I like it when it's done to me, so I know it feels good for everyone. Every creature likes their head being petted and kneaded like dough I guess."
"Well, it feels really good... especially when you do it."
"Yeah, but nobody else has done it, so you don't really have a good reference," I say with a soft chortle.
"This is all the reference I need," he says, and I can't see his face, but I can tell he's smirking.
It's funny how, in the little time I've been hanging out with him, I can pick up some of his tells and mannerisms, even though in general, he's still hard to read.
--
The season for the anime is almost over, and at one point, he lets out a slow groan which makes me shiver. He gets the remote from behind him on the couch and pauses the show.
He tilts his head back so it's directly in between my legs on the couch, his eyes closed just enjoying the tantalizing massage.
"Ugh, that feels so ffffffucking good."
"Yeah?" I ask teasingly with a hint of seduction in my voice.
"Yeaaah," he says in a low growl.
My clitoris throbs in tandem with the noises he makes. Oh my god. Is he doing this on purpose?
I look down at him and realize that his eyes are open looking back up at me.
"Hahaha, close your eyes."
"Why?"
"Because it looks weird with you looking back up at me like that."
"Why does it look weird?" he questions nonchalantly and still lost in the pleasure of the massage.
I squeak out a laugh timidly.
"I don't knoooow, just imagine having a head between your legs and it's just staring back up at you, hahaha!"
"Well let's switch."
"Huh?"
Dominic gets up and waves his hand for me to stand up. I follow his order and he sits on the couch this time and instructs me to sit down between his legs.
"We're friends, right? Might as well return the favor," he tells me.
I feel good about this, and I'm actually glad that I have my natural hair right now. If I had a weave or something, I would feel so self-conscious. I'm not comfortable enough with him to have tracks in my head. Who needs somebody's fingers snagging onto wefts like speedbumps while they're trying to be all sensual?
I had retwisted some of my twists, so they look supple and soft. My scalp is clean, but it always feels good when somebody rubs it. Sandy and I used to do that for each other, especially after she got her relaxers. Oh my God.
The feeling that courses through my entire existence as his beautiful manish fingers grip my skull, and gives me what feels like a deep tissue massage, reverberates through my whole head.
Oh my God!
I moan despite myself and I can hear him moan in reply.
"Jesus you're better at this than me," I say, sighing.
"Open your eyes."
My head is tilted back between his legs now, and I look up at him as he's looking down at me. I start cracking up because the angle looks so hilarious.
I am laughing so hard. I feel like I'm going to bust a fart, and I try so hard to hold it in.
Oh God, it would be so embarrassing. That's happened to me before with Sandy, where we were both laughing so hard that I broke wind, and it came out sounding like a rap beat because I was trying to hold it in while laughing.
I have PTSD from that moment, and I'm always worried that I'm going to do it in front of someone I like or strangers.
Luckily, I'm able to calm myself enough to stave off the laughter. Dominic smiles down at me and rubs my shoulders.
Suddenly, he slides down onto the carpet with me, which pushes me slightly forward, so that he's directly behind me, his legs on either side of mine and me nestled within him as his back is pressed up against the front of the couch. We're basically spooning in a sitting position.
He rubs my shoulders and my lower back, and I can feel the evidence of him stiffening behind me up the length of my back.
"Dominic?" I'm barely able to breathe out because now I'm feeling really hot and bothered.
"Yes?" he utters in a deep whisper.
"Just so you know... you're entering that territory, and we should probably stop."
"Why is that?" he whispers again, his voice laced with a sensuous, masculine tone that sends shivers down my spine, and I have a feeling he knows exactly what he's doing.
"Because..." I begin breathing heavily with my mouth open, my tongue sliding from right to left across my top lip in response to his deep growly voice, not really wanting him to stop at all.
I can feel his dick nudging against my back with what feels like a soft, and yet firm, kneading motion. It drives me crazy when he does that. He takes my shoulders in either hand and gently pulls me back towards him so that my upper back is leaning on his chest. He leans back also up against the couch so that the both of us are a little bit more reclined. I can feel his erection more prominently now.
I can feel his breath on my neck as he massages my arms and my sides and oh Lord.
I feel like I'm about to pop.
Both of us are quiet for a while until the sound of our heavy breathing fills the quiet room ambience.
Before things can get too heated I stop and I pull away from him quickly and stumble before I'm able to stand.
"Okay it's getting late so... I'm going to take a shower and prepare for bed," I quickly spit out breathlessly, having used every ounce of my dying willpower to do so.
My view shifts down to focus on his pants and see his gigantic penis standing up at full attention. If there is a land of penises, Dominic's penis would be a Kaiju to them. One Dick.... To RULE THEM ALL! I secretly grin at my own cringe.
I want nothing more than to slide down his pole like a stripper right now and have him skewer me like Vlad the Impaler but I have to stand by my morals.
I really do want to set things right and after the lecture he gave me earlier, I don't want to look thirsty even though I feel that way right now.
I can tell he wants it too but if that's all I am to him he'll always see me as just that.
"Thanks for the massage," I say super casually, releasing a quick breath, as though I'm not affected by our recent hot and heavy exchange.
He gazes up at me with a strange expression, his face wearing a sense of eagerness and hunger. A subtle smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth; he's probably proud of himself for making me flustered. You're flustered too buddy.
You're the one sitting there right now with a massive erection.
I quickly run off into the shower and take a cold one.
------------
I emerge from the shower. This irritates me. I can't stop picturing him and our bodies melding.
Stepping out of the shower, I find him lounging on the sofa again. My nerves spike anew. These forsaken flutterflies are driving me nuts!
As I settle down next to him, I glance at the TV and notice he's tuned into some nondescript show, his face emotionless. It's unusual to see Dominic just zoning out in front of the television because that's something he never does. I look over at him and he refuses to look at me.
I hope I didn't hurt his feelings or something.
"The sushi was really good, and I had fun," I mention.
He snaps out of it and momentarily shakes his head, as though he were deep in thought. Then he looks over at me with a puzzled expression.
"What?" he says as if he didn't even hear me.
Was he seriously spacing out? I want to tease him about daydreaming like I had before, but I think better of it. I offer a guileless smile instead.
"I said the sushi was really good, and I had fun."
"Oh. Yeah, me too."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm okay. Are you?" he replies, grinning slyly at me.
His expression is one of smug satisfaction, and I get the sense he's relishing my earlier discomposure. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he's quite pleased with himself for making me feel weak. My heart flutters a little bit at this, and I absolutely don't mind.
We talk about some random stuff for a while and surprisingly the conversation seems to flow a bit better especially when it comes to games and different types of shows.
I had asked him what type of shows he liked to watch. However, he apparently had an aversion to just sitting down and watching TV. When I pressed for an explanation, all of his metaphorical walls went straight back up.
I'm guessing it has something to do with his past again. He seems very guarded about it and about several things I'm realizing. Given how reticent he is, I'm actually amazed that he opened up to me earlier in the kitchen.
-----------------
10:00 pm
Once again, we find ourselves standing at the doorway to his bedroom. I refuse to go inside and he doesn't invite me.
The conversation has run its course and both of us are tired.
"All right well, good night," I say, breaking the silence.
This time I'm going to be the one in control and I have the feeling that I need to lay off a bit. I think I might have come on too strong with him. I want to save whatever dignity I've left.
"Good night Lacie."
We lock eyes in a moment of awkward silence, each staring at the other.
Almost reflexively, I start to move in for a hug, but then I thankfully catch myself mid-action and proceed to my own room instead.
Scoreboard:
Lacie: 1
Dominic: .... Well.... 5000 or something but still.
I'm grateful for this small victory, even if it's tinged with a sense of loss.
--------------
I'm lying awake, gazing at the ceiling when I hear the sound of two notification pings from my phone.
My heart softens and I gleam.
Dominic: Are you awake?
Me: no
Dominic: do you want to go to choose some parts with me
tomorrow for your rig?
Me: yeah that would be awesome!
Dominic: All right cool. Have a good night Lacie.
Me: Goodnight Dominic 🙂
I smile at the phone and hear another double ping right before I put it back on the charger.
Dominic: 🙂
OH SHIT! Did Dominic use an emoji??? I swear to God. Hell has probably frozen over
I smile and I close my eyes knowing that I'll rest easier tonight.