“Uh, yeah?” I say, a little too breathy for my liking.
“I try to keep my apartment pretty clean, but if you leave your jaw hanging around on the floor like that, sooner or later a spider might find it hospitable.” The bastard’s smug face says he absolutely sees how my body is reacting to his. I try to mask my mortification as best as possible, but there is no denying that I was just out right ogling the man, probably drooling too. But I can’t tell, because right now I can’t even feel my fucking face.
“I…I’m no—”I must be having a stroke. His low chuckle pulls me back to his taunt and I slam my jaw shut then slap both palms over my face for good measure.
His only response, “Good girl.”
My eyebrows shoot up to my hairline and I have enough sense in me to keep my hands covering my face. Otherwise he would see two very pink cheeks and my pulse threatening to shoot out of my carotid. Thank God he can’t see my panties right now because that was fucking hot.
I hear him chuckle low and deep and it does nothing to help. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
I don’t move my hands from my face until I hear his bedroom door close softly.
* * *
The walk from his apartment, past the tattoo parlour, and to my car in a lot around the side of the building holds a nervous kind of silence between us. I want to thank him for the mouth orgasms he inflicted on me not once but twice with his food, the real orgasms I’ll have to give myself after seeing what he looks like shirtless, and the squishy heart orgasms I’ve felt all the way from when he held my hand during the tattoo process to when he told me he cares about me. But I’ve died from mortification enough today so, instead I go with, “Thanks, Dom. I really appreciate you letting me crash and staying the night at yourplace.” I shoot him what I hope is a breezy smile as I lean back against my buggy. Dominic stands, hands in his jean pockets. His hair is still a little damp and his chest is now unfortunately covered in a white t-shirt. He looks the epitome of calm, cool, collected while I try desperately to look less like I’ve just been electrocuted.
“And just being there for me yesterday,” I tack on.
“No problem, Hoot. Everyone deserves to have a friend there for their first tattoo.” His smile is genuine but I feel as if a bucket of cold water was just dumped on my head.
Friend.
Because that’s what we are. Just friends. All that heat, chemistry, and sexual tension that was toying with my emotions this morning is clearly one-sided.
With that word blanketing all my other thoughts I lean in and give him a quick hug, pulling back to say, “You’re a great friend.” I turn quickly before I can read his reaction. The sentiment tastes bitter on my tongue and leaves my insides feeling hollow. I start up my car then quickly lower my window. “Don’t forget the double date tomorrow night, I can pick you up after your shift. I know Delaney is all giggles and odd emojis, but this date really means a lot to her,” I call out from my car to where Dominic stands a few paces away.
“I’ll be there,” is all he says. I nod and I roll my window back up, shoot Dom a little wave and then head towards home, calling Delaney through Bluetooth.
“Hello, Pinky. So you got my tex-”
I cut her off, “Apples! The phrase is an apple a day!”
Delaney laughs wickedly. “Eh. Potato, tomato.”
SIXTEEN
Flat White
Dominic
Celeste picksme up from outside Deathless Pigment as planned from the million confirmation texts she’s sent me last night and again this morning. Her sunshine yellow beetle pulls up to the curb carefully. I bite my bottom lip to hold in my laugh, this car is justsoCeleste. I shake my head a little as I scrunch into the passenger’s side.
“What?” she asks as I buckle my seat belt.
“Nothing,” I say, shifting to get comfortable. The car is cute for Celeste, but my longer legs don’t quite have the same comfortable space. My jeans also make it hard to maneuver but I wanted to look presentable, knowing how important this was to Delaney, thus, important to Celeste.
“Sure thing, Peggy.” She turns and gives me a once over. “You look nice.” She turns back and begins the drive at a Sunday Grandma pace.
“And that’s surprising to you?” I ask with mock disbelief, craning my neck to look at her.
“Well, no, just…I…” she sputters. A smile tugs at my lips. “It’s just nice. Jeez, don’t read into it.”
“I just like seeing you flustered, Hoot,” I say, the smile still on my face as a light blush creeps up her cheeks. She turns up the air conditioning, positioning the vent toward her face. The sudden air flower wafts her vanilla and strawberry scent my way and I suppress a moan.
“I’m not flustered. Moving on! So, we are meeting Delaney and her girlfriend Ellie at the bar in…” She checks the clock on the dash with a fleeting glance, “Shoot! We’re going to be late!” She makes a small growl sound in the back of her throat and steps a little harder on the gas. I’m sure in her mind she feels like a daredevil going—I lean over to check her speed—barely five over the limit, but to me she looks like one of those cute Pokémon that can’t fight in battles very well.
Celeste and I make idle chit chat. She tells me about how her tattoo feels now and I try not to blurt out how stunning I think she looks in her summer dress. We pull up to the bar only a few minutes after the time Delaney has requested. I fumble around trying to find the seat belt button to release me from this tiny contraption when Celeste sighs in frustration. She leans over and unbuckles my seat belt for me just as I find the little red button. Our fingers bump against each other and we both freeze, like a zap of electricity shot through both of us simultaneously, holding us in place.
