“Ericsson, you’re nothing but a show off.” Sam shook his head. “So, Dom, how do you and Hailee know each other?”
“We're old friends.” Old friends. I hate saying that. We’re so much more than old friends. Dom put on the sincerest smile he could muster.
Kaden gave him a sideways look and then glanced at Sam.
“Okay, we'll go with that,” Sam said, right before Trina elbowed him in the ribs.
Dom gave them both a glare. Kaden needs to keep his mouth shut. Dom wasn’t willing to compromise a really nice date with Hailee. “We ran into Hailee not too long ago. She was being hassled by these two guys. I stepped in and ended up taking them both down.”
“I still say you're lucky. Coach Walker would've killed you if you would've—”
“If Dom would've what?” Coach Walker asked, as he and his wife walked up to their table.
With no delay, Dom answered. “Would've lost last night.”
“Quick on your feet. That's what you get paid for, Zanetti. Well, you boys don't have too much fun. The missus and I will be way over there with the old front office folks.”
“Hailee, I just love your tattoos,” Lexi cooed. “And that dress, it looks just gorgeous with them.”
“Oh, thanks.” Hailee’s face turned a bit pink, and Dom couldn’t help a smile. She didn’t realize just how stunning she was, and it amused him that she still found it hard to accept a compliment.
A booming voice interrupted their small talk. Dom turned to see Tyler and Paige in the doorway. Kris was standing with a microphone. “Your attention please. Please welcome the new Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Kidd.”
Applause filled the room as the new couple slowly made their way to the sweetheart table set up for them at the head of the room. As they reached their table, people started to clang their glasses, calling for a bride and groom kiss.
“Okay, okay!” Tyler leaned over and planted a long kiss on Paige. When he moved back, she pulled him in for another, and the room erupted in laughter and more glass clanging.
Dom glanced over at Hailee fidgeting with the silverware and no longer looking at the happy couple. He slid his hand on top of hers. As quick as he did, she pulled away.
“I’m going to go get a drink. Be right back.” She hurried over to the open bar.
“Uh-oh, not good if she has to get wasted just to spend an evening with you, Dom,” Torin joked.
“He’s used to that,” Kaden added. His date, Lexi seemed oblivious to their joking banter as she watched it all with a dull stare.
“You guys suck, you know that?” Dom decided he better go make sure she was okay. Leaving his friends back at the table, he met up with her at the bar. “Hey, you okay?”
“Yeah.” She took a long drink. Music played and her words were soft. “Why?”
He wasn’t convinced. Her lips smiled but it never reached her eyes. He also knew calling her on it was a bad idea. Taking her hand in his, he could feel her resistance at first. But after he flashed a flirty smile, she relaxed. “C’mon, let’s sit back down. Looks like they’re starting to serve dinner.”
Dinner music played and everyone was busy eating. But Dom’s eye was on Hailee. Her body language said she was nervous, the way she hunched a little and played with the potatoes on her plate. What is she thinking about? He finished his chicken and vegetables as Torin came back to the table with a large plate of cookies.
“Guys, there’s a huge table over there full of cookies, like any kind you can imagine. I’ve never seen such a thing. Seriously.” He set the plate in the middle of the table. “Here, help yourself. I’m going to go get another small plate for myself.”
“If I can direct your attention to the back of the room, Tyler and Paige will be cutting the cake now,” the DJ announced.
Tyler led his new wife over to the table. After cutting a slice, Tyler pretended he was going to smash it in her face. Paige shook her head no-no and wagged her finger.
After Tyler backed off and gently put the piece to her lips, Paige uncharacteristically shoved a piece in his face, then smeared a bit of icing on his cheek before licking the rest off her finger. The guests laughed and clapped.
Servers started to collect empty plates and the DJ announced that it was time for the first dance. Tyler and Paige made their way to the dance floor. Ty looked so happy. But who wouldn’t be, with a great girl like Paige?
Hailee was picking at her cookies too, occasionally watching the bride and groom dancing. She wasn’t as calm as she was in the church, and certainly not as clingy with him. He liked holding her hand the way they used to, and liked even more that she had wanted him to kiss her. If only they hadn’t been interrupted. Looking over at Kaden and his flavor of the month—or week, Dom wasn’t sure yet—what he realized was that he didn’t want that anymore. He only wanted Hailee.
When they invited the guests to join them on the dance floor, Dom grabbed her hand and pulled her up. “Dance with me.”
“Dominic, I…”
He didn’t want her to object, and he wasn’t going to give her a chance. The music was slow and heavy. He pulled her amazing body close to his and ran his fingers down her shoulder, before wrapping his arm around her. She was warm, and her skin was soft and smooth. He held her one hand in his and swayed her to the rhythm. Her expression was uneasy at first.
When she stared up at him, he smiled and whispered in her ear, “I missed you.”
A heavy sigh escaped her lips and she stared at him with heavy blue eyes. Her lips slightly parted, welcoming him. Does she want me to kiss her? He wanted to kiss her. He ran his thumb over her soft bottom lip. The music filled his ears, while her scent filled his senses. He needed to kiss her.
But not here.
His thumb trailed down her chin, pinning it between his forefinger and thumb. Against everything he wanted to do, he kissed her on the top of her head and molded his body to hers, moving with the music. She laid her head along his collarbone. His heart pounded against his chest and he wondered if she could hear it. His hard-on strained against his pants, and he was positive she could feel that.
“What are we doing?” she mumbled, directed at him.
Dom took a heavy breath. “I have no idea. But I’ll stop if you want me to.” Her body was so warm against his. No one fit with him the way she did.
“You mean stop dancing?” she said, never lifting her head.
“No.”
Looking up at him, her expression changed and a flash of something he couldn’t decipher shone in her eyes. “I need a drink.” Taking his hand, she pulled him to the bar.
“Two Jack and Cokes please.” He handed a glass to Hailee, then downed his own quickly. He was so hard that it hurt; a break was a good idea.
“Hey there, kids,” Kris said from beside them. “Two waters please. Having fun?” He squeezed Dom’s shoulder.
Hailee nodded. “It’s very nice.”
“Catch you kids later.” Kris handed Kat a bottled water and pulled her into the wedding crowd.
“Dominic…” She looked up from her drink.
“Yes?”
“Dance with me again?”
“Absolutely.” He didn’t know where this was going, but he was willing to go along for the ride. Every moment he looked at that black dress, the hotter it got, and that harder he got.
Taking her hand, Dom pulled her to a quiet corner of the dance floor. Her chest was rising and falling heavily. Was she nervous or turned on? He wanted to run his fingertips down her collarbone, and trace the lines of the tattoos on her chest.
Torin walked by them and let out a low whistle, reminding him they were in the middle of Tyler’s wedding.
“Funny,” Dom said to Torin, who walked away laughing.
The music changed. It was more upbeat, and harder to slow dance to. Dom didn’t want to let her body go. Maybe it’s for the best though, before things go too far. Not that I would mind.
Dom slid his hand into hers and moved them off the dan
ce floor as it filled with people dancing to the popular song. There was no way he could dance like that with the stiffie he was sporting.
“They’re going to be serving cake soon,” Dom said as a server walked by with the slices of white cake with white icing on a tray.
“I don’t really want cake,” Hailee answered. She was still holding his hand and was now running her thumb up and down his palm. Her eyes were wide and nervous; she bit anxiously on her lip. “Unless you want cake.”
He didn’t want cake, he wanted her. Is it too forward to assume we are leaving now, grab some cake and get out of here?
She leaned in, looking up at him the same way she did at the church. Her lips slightly parted. His brain short-circuited with every memory he had of her lips on his. No bunny he’d had ever measured up to her. Having her back in his arms again reminded him why.
“Excuse me.” Dom stopped the server. “Are there any wrapped up to go?”
“Sure, over on the table by the door.” She pointed.
“Thanks.” Dom pulled Hailee to that table, handed her a wrapped piece of cake, and took one for himself.
“You leaving?” Kaden stopped him.
He could obviously trust his buddy. “Yeah, we, uh…”
“No worries. I got your back, bro. I’ll tell the guys you had to go.” Kaden grinned knowingly. “Nice to see you again, Hailee.”
When Kaden had moved away, Hailee looked up at Dom with that same look from before.
“Come home with me,” Dom said in a low growl. He tipped her chin up towards his mouth before meeting her warm lips. With the mixed signals he’d been getting all day, he prepared himself for a slap in the face. Maybe worse. But instead, she responded by lightly kissing him back. She tasted sweet like cookies. Her lips were soft, just how he remembered. His stiffie turned into a hard-on. It was probably a good idea to get out of here. Taking a breath, he leaned his forehead against hers. “Please come home with me?”
She looked up at him with big, sparkling blue eyes. A strand of her violet hair fell into her eyes; he swept it away. She wasn’t answering, but her body still leaned against his. His hard-on pressed between her thighs. She hadn’t moved away yet.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Hailee
His lips felt so good on hers. Dominic’s tongue swept along the outside of her mouth for a moment before retreating. Her brain knew that they were still in the hallway of the reception hall, and that the wedding party and all the guests were still inside celebrating. Her body didn’t care. Dom’s talented lips made her weak at the knees, and walking would prove difficult at the moment.
Probably not as difficult as it would be for him. She knew what was pressing between her thighs. Dominic was overwhelming her senses, and tonight she was intoxicated by him.
“Please come home with me,” he murmured.
She wanted to, but couldn’t find her voice. Ironically, he was a gorgeous hockey player and his stick pressed against her, clouding her senses. Her heart pounded as she looked up at him. Every time he’d touched her tonight, her mind had moved farther and farther away from why she left him. She missed him. She craved him. All she could do was nod.
Dom grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her to his truck.
“Hey! These heels aren’t made for running, you know.”
“So take them off.” His voice was low and intense. She remembered that from when they were together; it was his bedroom voice. But if you ever heard it on the ice, it was deadly.
They were only about halfway to his truck. It looked so far away. “I’m not taking off my heels.” Before Hailee could finish the words, he pressed his warm lips to hers. His tongue flicked her lips open and explored her mouth. Her knees trembled and she was swept away by his kiss. When he pulled away, he was holding her heels, and had swept her off her own feet. Literally. Dominic picked her up and carried her, cradled in his arms, to his truck.
“How did you… What are you doing?” How…? When did he get my heels off?
“Sweet-tart, don’t question it. Just hold the cake.”
The drive to his place was quick. Every intersection had a green light and there was no traffic. In her mind, it was a sign that this wasn’t the wrong thing to do. It didn’t matter though, because the second he touched any part of her body she was going to forget any thoughts of not doing this. He was like an addiction. That was the exact reason why the past three years she had stayed as far away from him as she could.
The mood in the cab of his truck was thick with tension. The engine roared as he sped down the highway. Dominic reached over, setting his hand on her knee, sliding it under her skirt so it rested directly on her thigh. His hand was warm and rough. And there goes any rational thought.
Within minutes he pulled into the parking lot of his complex. She had rushed out of here so quickly the other week, that she hadn’t stopped to take any notice of the place. It didn’t look like your normal apartments. It had to be only six or so floors, and from the parking lot, the feel was that it was a more expensive building. Their place together in Ontario wasn’t shabby, but it wasn’t like this.
“Nice place.” Her heart was thumping in her chest, and her body warmed as he caressed her thigh after shutting off the engine.
“Ready?” His eyes sparkled, and that damn flirty smile was back. Before she could answer, he hopped out of the truck and ran around to open her door. Grabbing her hand, he assisted her out of the vehicle.
As her feet touched the pavement, her heels back on again, his strong arms pulled her against him. Dom leaned down, his lips lingering just inches from hers, his hot breath on her face. He softly ran his knuckles down the side of her cheek, and chills ran through her. She couldn’t focus on anything but his lips. For some unknown reason, words just came falling out. “I wanted you to kiss me in the church.”
“Oh sweet-tart, don’t worry, I’ll more than make up for it, but I need to get you inside first.” The cocky, flirty grin on his face made her insides turn to goo. When he grabbed her hand, she mindlessly followed him inside like a little puppy dog.
“Dominic,” Hailee murmured as she stared at him in the elevator. But he put his finger to her lips and made a “shhh” sound.
The elevator doors opened on the top floor. He held her hand the whole way down the hallway. “Listen, I’m okay if we end up just talking.” He unlocked the door, inviting her inside the spacious loft. Shutting the door behind him, he spun her around, shoving her against the door with a gentle thud. “But I sure hope we don’t.”
A gasp escaped her as his mouth met hers. His lips were warm when they assaulted hers. She wanted nothing more than to be wrapped up in him. His cologne surrounded her, his scent was intoxicating, and the taste of his lips made her dizzy with need.
Clarity shone through for a moment, and that one moment was enough to have her questioning her actions. Wait, what am I doing? Standing here in his apartment, wrapped up in his arms. Woah, this needs to slow down.
“Wow.” Taking a moment for a breather, Hailee pulled away and glanced around the loft. “This place is huge. I never noticed the last time I was here.”
“Yes, the three of us have plenty of space.”
What? Who else lived here? “Three?”
“Me and Kaden. And this little guy.” He picked up a dark gray cat as it meowed. Her insides exploded at the sight of him cuddling that adorable little cat.
“Aw, he’s so cute.” Dom always had liked animals. But her eyes weren’t on the cat. He was cute and normally she would grab the cat and snuggle him, but right now, she was talking about Dominic. What is wrong with me? “What’s his name again?”
“Smokey.” Dom’s eyes darkened as they slowly devoured her. The grin that slid across his lips warmed her to the core, and lit a fire in her stomach, a fire that threatened to creep lower. The cat caught her attention as he started to squirm. “But he has to go. He has things to do. And so do I.”
“Wha—”
His l
ips crashed down onto hers, making that fire slide straight between her legs. Forgetting all about his cat, she locked her fingers behind his neck as he lifted her hips to meet his. Her skirt was very restrictive and there was no way she could wrap her legs around him like she craved to do. She could feel how hard he was through his pants, and she wanted to be closer. His hand ran through her hair, and as a moan formed in the back of her throat, she arched her hips into him.
Dominic pulled his mouth away and gazed down at her. She couldn’t stop the hard breaths that came out of her. Her heart drummed hard against her chest. Before she could say anything, he grabbed her around her thighs and tossed her up onto his shoulder.
“Dominic! What are you doing?” She squealed.
His actions surprised her, but excited her as well. Without a word, he carried her through the apartment and kicked open a door. Standing her up, he slid his lips over her cheek. The room was dark until he turned on a small dimmed light in the corner of the room. His bedroom. Even in the shadows, she could still see his cocky, sexy grin, and feel his eyes consume her.
Dominic’s lips slid down her neck and over her collarbone. His hands ran over her hips and tugged at the fabric of her dress, bunching it up, and with one quick movement, he pulled it up over her head and tossed it onto the floor. Standing in front of him in only her bra, underwear and nylons, she felt more exposed than when she was dancing at the club.
His hands grabbed at her nylons, sliding them down to the ground, and as if it were instinct, she stepped out of them. But it was his turn now. Before I take off another stitch, it’s his—
Dominic kissed her mouth, parting her lips with his tongue. His hand pushed into her hair and tugged at the strands, making her gasp into his mouth. His other hand ran across her bare midsection, tickling her skin. She kissed him back, letting him explore her mouth with his. No longer worried about standing before him exposed, she wanted his hands on her.
Her fingers trailed down his jacket. She broke their kiss and began undoing the buttons, and then tossed it onto the closest chair. She loosened his tie, and his eyes closed as her fingers ran over the fresh stubble on his face. As she skimmed her finger over his lips, his tongue poked out to lightly lick at it. Heat rushed through her body, pooling between her legs.
Shutout (The Renegades Series Book 5) Page 16
