by Mona Cox
I can’t believe I’m getting turned on thinking about our cum staining his rug, but that’s the biggest thing on my mind right now. His hands are all over me, holding me close, and he’s kissing my shoulder, my neck. I feel so close to him right now that it makes the ache of him not wanting to let my friends know we’re together a little worse. I reach my hands back and touch him, pull his face to mine after I stroke his arms and bring him in for a kiss. I don’t want to think about anything right now.
I just want to live in this kiss forever, before the afterglow wears off and being upset has time to sink in all over again.
When Dominic breaks the kiss, trailing his mouth lower, he turns me around. Looking into my eyes, I can’t breathe for a second. I swear my heart skips a beat, and I forget everything but the way that I feel when he looks at me.
Dominic scoops me up in his arms. I wrap an arm around his neck, pulling myself closer to him and listening to his heart. That sound matters more to me than anything else right now. I think about how everything that’s him is because of this organ inside him, working hard to keep him alive. I think about how powerful and strong Dominic is, and that sound is all part of it. When he lays me down on the bed, I think I can still hear his heartbeat in my mind.
It was fast, not just from cumming, but because he knows we’re on the precipice. I stormed out for a reason. He decided to seduce me this way and I’ve got to start thinking in a level-headed way. But all my body and my heart wants right now is for him to be okay.
What even is that?
“Daphne, I…” Dominic starts. He stops and looks at me, crooking his head to the side. “Are you okay?” he asks me. His voice is so tender. The passion in the sentiment of his statement makes me forget again to aim my frustration at him in any way other than this.
I spread my legs wide. “Come here, daddy, I need you,” I say, licking my lower lip more out of nerves then playing up our taboo little game. I feel the same thrill shoot through me now, but there’s something else that’s making me tingle.
Dominic pulls me close, getting between my legs and sliding his cock deep inside me. His eyes never look away from mine as he sinks his cock into me. His hand on the small of my back guides me deeper.
I roll my hips and slide myself down on him. We’re filthy, covered in each other’s cum, slick together and fucking again. But I like it. The smell of us is thick and the taste of him is all I crave.
We tangle each other up in our arms and slide together. His cock fills up every inch of me and I’m already so close to cumming again. I lock my hands together behind his back and I lift my ass up and shove my breast into his mouth. His tongue and teeth connect with my nipple and I yell out, “Fuuuuuuck!” I’m cumming so hard you wouldn’t believe that just minutes ago we were defiling a rug.
Dominic’s hands squeeze my ass hard, and I feel his steel-hard cock jet streams of cum deep in my pussy. He pulls me down on him and bottoms out in me, emptying all his cum deep in my pussy.
I rest my head against his shoulder, collapsing from the intensity of my orgasm. His cock keeps pumping into me, and he wraps his arms around me, cradling me. I kiss his neck, tasting the sweat on his skin.
I’m doomed, I tell you. Because even as angry as I was, I have no intentions of tearing myself from Dominic’s arms.
23
Daphne
I walk into the dimly lit bar and look around for Heather. She said she’d be wearing a bright purple shirt that sparkles, so she shouldn’t be hard to spot. I see a flash on the far wall, and make my way over.
“Hi, darlin’,” she says, standing up and giving me air kisses.
We settle back down into our seats, and after giving our waiter my order for a cosmo, I decide to just come right out and say it. “I dumped Dominic yesterday.”
Just saying the words is like a knife through my heart. I’ve never said such awful words in all my life, I swear to God I haven’t. I hate them. I hate feeling this way. I’m just glad the bar is dim so she can’t see how red my eyes are. I don’t think I’ve stopped crying in the last 24 hours.
But that look on his face when I asked him to come with me to the concert—he looked like he’d just swallowed a live eel on accident. It was not the response I was looking for.
If he’s only willing to be around me where no one can see us, and this hide-me-away relationship could potentially ruin my career … well, why should I put up with that? There were just too many red flags being raised.
It was smart to break up with him. Smart.
I ignore the pain pounding through me and instead listen to what Heather is babbling on about. “…with benefits, I was okay with that, and then he wanted to do all sorts of kinky shit with me. I gave up my ass for him! You can’t trust what he says, not a word of it. He just likes to use and throw away.”
Hold on, what had she been saying while I’d been throwing myself a one-woman pity party?
“Did you say ‘friends with benefits’?” I ask, trying to keep my voice at an even-keel.
“Well, sure, when we first got together, that’s what he said he wanted.”
“You told me the other day that he said he wanted to be friends with benefits later on, but that in the beginning, he had pretended like he wanted to date you and have a real relationship.” My blood pressure is rising and I’m staring at her, not giving an inch.
“Oh, well, yes, that’s because…well, you see, it’s all kind of confusing,” she finishes lamely.
“Confusing? What part about this is confusing? Either he was clear about just wanting to be fuck buddies from the beginning, or he wasn’t.” My voice is hard and unforgiving as I pin her down into her seat like a dissected frog in anatomy class.
“I’m just worried about you,” she says, putting her hand on my arm and patting it. “That’s all I care about. Just protecting you.”
“Really? Me, a complete stranger off the street? I’m the only person you’re worried about?” I stare at her. Did she really think that I’d fall for that? She starts patting me faster.
“I care about people, unlike other people. Dominic, he just uses people, uses them and throws them away! I want to help other people. That’s what I’m here for.”
I push away from the table and stand up, staring down at her. The waiter is finally coming back our way, drinks in hand, but I ignore him for the moment. “Heather, you and your delusions have caused me enough pain. Don’t contact me again. If you do, I’m calling the police.” I turned to the waiter, the tray of drinks in his hand, and pull a ten out to drop on his tray. “Here. Enjoy the cosmo. Tell your boss it’s on me, the woman stupid enough to believe an ex.”
I turn around and walk out of the bar, head held high. I felt better already. I feel great, in fact, until I get out onto the street and it all hits me—because of the bitter ramblings of an ex, I believed something about Dominic that isn’t true.
And maybe my accusations that he isn’t comfortable about publicly dating me are also true, and that’s something that we need to figure out. But in the meanwhile, I’ve fucked it all up.
And I don’t know how to fix it.
24
Dominic
Tuesday night at Bemelmans’s Bar and here I am, back to looking for a random one-night stand. I thought when I started dating Daphne that I could leave all of this behind me, but I guess not. Not now that she’s left me.
I see a cute blonde over at the bar, and I walk over to flirt with her. I can do this, I can totally do this. There’s a part of me that is removed from the situation, and giving ongoing commentary the whole time we’re talking. Her laugh is too loud, her eyes are too small. She’s wearing an orange shirt and doesn’t she know that orange is an awful color? Daphne hates the color orange, and for good reason. This chic – dammit, I’ve already forgotten her name – looks like she’s wearing a caution sign on the side of the road.
Not flattering.
She’s laughing again and I can’t help comparing her in e
very way to Daphne, and coming up short.
“Listen, it’s been nice chatting with you,” I finally say in a lull in the conversation. Fuck. Still can’t remember her name. I think it started with a H. Or maybe it was a T. “I…uhh…I hate to do it but I have to head out. Have a great evening.” I place a twenty on the bar to keep her supplied with drinks for a bit – suckiest consolation prize ever but it’s the best I can do – and walk away, feeling her shocked gaze on my back as I quickly exit stage left. Yeah, it doesn’t make much sense for me to leave like that; I know that. I know that if I’d wanted, she totally would’ve been up for a night of wild sex back at my place.
But she wasn’t Daphne, and I’m starting to realize that this is a fatal flaw for everyone not named Daphne Williams.
I’m almost to the door when I hear, “Dominic Masters?” I turn and spot Kim, one of Daphne’s friends in high school, with some guy I don’t recognize. “Hi, I almost didn’t see you,” she says, putting her hand out to shake mine warmly. “Dominic, this is my boyfriend Cody. Cody, this is Daphne Williams’s stepfather. Well, ex-stepfather, I guess, since you two got a divorce when we were seniors in high school.”
“Definitely ex,” I say with a forced laugh, putting my hand out for Cody to shake. “Otherwise…”
“Otherwise, I think Mary would have a conniption fit over what you two have been doing these last few weeks,” Kim says with a laugh.
“Oh, you heard?” Out of the corner of my eye, I see neon-orange girl heading towards the door and I try to shuffle Kim and Cody off to the side to let her get past. This whole situation is awkward enough without adding another layer to it. She stalks past us, ignoring me as she goes.
Fair enough.
“Yeah, Daphne told me. It seemed like you two were pretty happy together, at least until Heather got involved.”
“Heather? What? Daphne doesn’t know Heather.” I’m staring at her in surprise. She just shrugs.
“I think Heather tracked her down or something. But Heather gave her this whole song and dance about how you’d lied to her about what you wanted out of your relationship, and how awful you’d been to her. That’s why Daphne was so upset on Sunday. Heather had been texting her bullshit for several days by that point. It wasn’t until after you two broke up that Daphne realized that Heather had been lying to her all along.”
I can feel the rage boiling in my veins but I can’t explode. I have to concentrate on how to get Daphne back. She’s all that matters. We can file a restraining order against Heather for Daphne too, but later.
Right now, I have to fight for Daphne.
25
Daphne
I glance around the table at my besties and realize what a difference a couple of weeks makes. I’d been so happy a couple of weeks ago, when I thought I had something special going with Dominic, and then…
I got stupid. I want to blame it on Heather, but I can’t. I’ve had the last couple of days to really think about what she said and why I believed her, and I’ve realized that it’s because a part of me didn’t believe someone like Dominic could really want me. I know that’s stupid; I’m a damn doctor, for fuck’s sakes. I’m smart, I’m pretty, and I’m pretty funny.
But Dominic had once loved my mom, too, and see how that turned out? I think my subconscious was worried that he’d get sick of Williams the Younger and drop me like a hot potato. Maybe if I broke up with him first, I could protect myself.
Which, let’s face it, makes no sense at all. My mom divorced him ‘cause she realized she loved pussy, not dicks. So yeah, my hang-ups really don't make much sense.
Awesome for me to realize this afterwards, of course. I sigh into my cosmo. I know I’m being pathetic, but I just can’t help myself.
“What’s going on?” Gisele asks sympathetically. Of course she can be sympathetic. She got her happily ever after with her rock star boyfriend. I’m the one who’s going to be single and loveless for the rest of my life…
Okay, I’m literally crying into my cosmo now. Is there a level of pathetic-ness that I hit before my friends quit hanging out with me in public? ‘Cause I may have just hit that.
“I was stuuupppiiidddddd,” I wail. “I thought he wouldn’t like me anymore and I thought he didn’t want to be seen with me in public and I believed an insane woman ‘cause I only look confident but I’m nooootttttttttt…”
Lisa is patting my hand frantically, while looking repeatedly toward the door. I think she’s trying to comfort me, but quite frankly, she’s just acting weird. It was her idea for all of us to meet together tonight, and I can’t help but wonder why. She’s my oldest and truest friend, but she’s been acting super bizarre lately. I mean, when we got here, she was all bossy about who sat in which chair. I don’t mind going along with her ideas, but … why?
Finally, her shoulders relax a little and she says with a grin, “Well, you won’t be sad once you talk to Dominic.”
I stare at her through watery eyes, her face going in and out of focus. “Wha…what?” I hiccup.
I am a pathetic crier.
“When would I talk to Dominic? Are you telling me to call him? I probably should. I want to. I just don’t know how to say, ‘Oh, and by the way, Dominic, I listened to your insane ex a little too closely and I thought you were ashamed of being around me in public and I thought you thought I was too young for you and wouldn’t actually want someone like me and I thought you would break up with me so why not break up with you first, and hey, I’m a little nuts – want me back?’”
“Yes.”
The world stops for just a moment, as I hear his voice behind me say that single word. That one word I want to hear more than anything else. I'm hallucinating, that’s all there is to it. I can’t possibly be hearing Dominic’s voice behind me. I can’t possibly believe…
Peeking one eye open, I slowly turn in my seat and see…
26
Dominic
This is it. This is do-or-die time. Me, a single rose, a diamond ring, and the guts to lay it all out on the line. I can totally do this.
Just as soon as I can start breathing correctly, I'm totally going to do this.
I grip the rose in my hand, thankful that the floral industry has decided that de-thorning roses is a good plan, because otherwise we could add physical pain to the list of ailments I’m suffering under, along with emotional. Not to mention that handing someone a bloody rose isn’t the most romantic thing I could choose to do today.
With a deep breath, I step into the dimly lit bar. There they are, against the far wall, Daphne’s back facing toward me. Perfect. I can walk up behind her and surprise her. Lisa catches my eye and I swear to God, even from over here, I can tell she’s happy to see me, although she doesn’t do anything overtly welcoming, like wave to me.
I make my way over to the table, trying to keep my knees from knocking together, and can hear Di’s words to her group of friends.
“…want to. I just don’t know how to say, ‘Oh, and by the way, Dominic, I listened to your insane ex a little too closely and I thought you were ashamed of being around me in public and I thought you thought I was too young for you and wouldn’t actually want someone like me and I thought you would break up with me so why not break up with you first, and hey, I’m a little nuts—want me back?’”
“Yes.”
Okay, it probably wasn’t kosher for me to eavesdrop like that, but on the other hand, she was talking about what she’d say to me, if only I were here. And I’m here, right now. And I would give all that I possessed in the world to have her turn around and look at me. For her to give me a chance to fix this.
At the sound of my voice, she freezes in her seat, and I swear to God, the world stops. I’m not breathing and no one is talking and Daphne isn’t moving and I panic. What if she doesn’t want me after all? What if she was just venting to her friends, and doesn’t want me? She’s so gorgeous and smart and fucking hilarious and fun to be around, that she could pick any guy in the wor
ld. I grip my rose harder.
She slowly, ever so slowly turns in her seat and peers up at me, squinting as if she isn’t quite sure I’m real.
“Dominic?” she breathes.
I have to do it. I have to lay it all out on the line.
“Daphne, I love you. I want to be with you, both in the bedroom and out on the town. Yeah, I may be old enough to be your father, and at one point, I was your dad. But I don’t see you as a little kid. I see you as the woman you’ve become. I want you in my life, always.”
With a silent prayer to whatever gods may be listening, I drop to one knee and pull out the ring box from Tiffany’s. I open it and all the girls at the table gasp in unison.
I asked the jeweler at Tiffany’s for the biggest, purest, most gorgeous rock they had, and they came back with a stone so big, I’m not entirely sure Daphne should be let out of the house without an armed guard if she’s wearing it. I think the fucker can be seen from outer space.
But what I want more than anything is for Daphne to see it, and to know that above all else, I want her to be known as my wife. I want the world to know that I’m proud of her, and love her with all my heart.
“Oh Dominic,” Daphne says again, but this time, there’s happy tears shining in her eyes.
“Will you marry me?” I ask, for only the second time in my life. When I’d proposed to her mom, I’d done it while seventeen sheets to the wind. I only vaguely remember it. But this moment … this moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
Bringing a fist up to her mouth to hold her tears back, she nodded jerkily. “Yes, Dominic, I’ll marry you,” she says, the happy tears falling down her cheeks. She launches herself off the barstool and straight at me, knocking me backwards to the floor. I stare up at her and she grins down at me. “Yes,” she whispers, and to the clapping and applause of the whole bar, she shows me just how much she wants to be my wife.
