by Tammy Lewis
between Quinn and I. Turning away from her, reapplying my
lipstick, I replied, “Quinn and I are just close friends.”
Noticing her glare harden, scolding me in the mirror’s
reflection, she stated, “then it won’t bother you this evening,
when I take him home.”
Shrugging my shoulders at her, I replied “not at all.”
Quickly making her exit, sure that she was making her way
over to Quinn, to begin putting on the pressure, to secure her
nightly goal, in my absence.
Returning from the bathroom, noticing that Quinn and Ms
Hilary had disappeared, and Marcus and Ellie were getting
closely acquainted up at the bar. Feeling at a loose end, I
began strolling through the grand ballroom, feeling a slight
breeze, blowing in. Reaching the large open doors, leading out
on to a huge overly landscaped garden. I stood, leaning
against a white column balcony, taking in the fresh air. When
suddenly, out of nowhere, I felt someone reach and grab hold
of my arm. To my amazement, pulling me at a great speed,
into a large standing, perfectly sculptured, heavily blossomed
bush.
Chapter 18
“You asked me to kidnap you this evening, was this what you
had in mind? Asked Quinn, pulling me in closer.
Looking deep into his eyes, running my hands along his
forearms and resting my arms up around his shoulders.
Nodding my head slowly, trying not to giggle, taking him and
the moment in, I replied, “almost.”
Watching the confusion consume his entire face, he asked,
“why, what did I miss?”
Trailing my hands along his neck and my fingertips up into
his hairline. Bringing him down to me, closing my eyes
tightly, I began to kiss him, only releasing him to reply, “this.”
Letting him take the lead, pulling me back in for another
tender kiss. Swept away in his loving arms, gaining a little
control, I placed my hands to his chest. Creating a little
distance, unlocking our lips just to ask, “so, do you want to
get out of here?”
Taking hold of both of my hands and holding them up in front
of him, he replied, “definitely, my driver should be around the
back somewhere.”
Then in a drunken rampage, letting his hands go, lifting up
my dress, I charged off down the rear, stone, cascade of
outdoor stairs, that led throughout the garden. Hearing
Quinn charge after me, calling out, “what is it with you
Domini, do you get a kick out of me chasing you?”
Sure, that his voice was becoming nearer, certain that he was
gaining on me, unable to contain my laughter. When
suddenly catching my heel in one of the many layers of my
enormous, elegant gown. I began to tumble, falling down the
last remaining steps. Hearing Quinn’s calls, bumping my
head on something hard and cold, eventually I came to an abrupt stop.
Hiding my eyes, cringing from head to toe, knowing that he
would have seen me fall, alarmed I asked “how much did you
see?”
Feeling him place himself down beside me, he replied “that
doesn’t matter. Are you hurt, do you need me to take you to
the emergency room?”
Shaking my head, I replied, “nothing hurts, just my ego.
Really… did you see everything?”
Taking hold of my hands and pulling them away from my
face, I squinted at him. Watching him reach up and touch my
forehead, I shouted “ouch! Quinn. Stop it!”
Collecting me up into his arms, struggling to take hold of me
through the many layers of my dress, I demanded to know his
intentions, yelling “Quinn what the hell are you doing? Put
me down, I am more than capable of walking.”
Fighting me all of the way, Quinn refused and replied,
“Domini, you’ve hit your head. I am carrying you back to the
car. Whether you like it or not!”
With my arms folded, I huffed and puffed at him, all of the
way over to where his car was parked. Annoyed at how his
laughter progressed, the more annoyed that I become.
Carefully placing me into the backseat of his limousine,
finding ice and a napkin, to try and soothe my pulsating
forehead. Still fighting his hands away, hearing his laughter
soar, I yelled, “Jesus, Quinn, I can do it by myself.”
Ignoring my calls and cries to be left alone, he growled, “I
know that you can, but please Domini, just let me help you.”
Giving in, I lay there, sure that all this fighting and yelling was
sobering me, making me feel each and every ache.
Leaning into the front seat of the car, I demanded that Quinn’s driver take me home. While Quinn sat there grinning
over at me, shaking his head in sheer disbelief, he asked “are
you always this stubborn and bossy when you’re in pain?”
Instantly deciding that I was no longer talking to him, arms
folded, avoiding all eye contact, when thankfully to my relief,
the car began to move. Realising that I was giving him the
silent treatment, trying to break my unresponsive mood.
Quinn began to taunt and tease me, regarding my clumsy fall.
Trying all that he could do, to soften my mood, while I sat
there silent, knowing exactly what he was playing at.
Ignoring his eyes, assessing me closely, noticing my
apartment building appear in the distance. I demanded,
“when this car stops and we go upstairs. If you try and carry
me, I’m warning you, I am going to scream.”
Watching a smile sweep across his entire face, missing the
point completely, he gushed, “so you are going to invite me up
then?”
Squinting at him, confused at how he only filtered my words,
to hear the parts that appealed to him the most. Leaving the
limousine, removing my shoes, lifting up my gown, I made
my way upstairs, with him closely in tow. But not before
Quinn asked, “are you sure that I can’t carry you?”
Exhaling a loud huff, handing him my shoes, I replied, “you
want to carry something Mr H, carry these.”
Standing just inside my apartment, in the hallway. Arms
behind my back, pointing to the zip of my dress, I asked,
“come on Mr, a little help here.”
Feeling his hands instantly free me from the fitted gown,
stepping out of it there and then. Leaving it stood upright in
the middle of the floor, supported by its many petticoats and
layers. Proceeding towards my bedroom in my corseted undergarments, I called out “you go and make yourself
comfortable in the living room. While I go and slip into
something a little more comfortable in here.”
Moments later seating myself beside him in my sweats, I
could see Quinn holding back his laughter, confused I asked
“what’s that face for?”
Unable to contain his amusement any longer, he replied,
“usually when a lady says that she is going to slip into
something a little more comfortable. She doesn’t return in her
sweats.”
Raising an eyebrow at him, trying hard to conceal the smirk
spreading across m
y face. Watching him appear closer,
leaning into me, feeling the knots inside the pit of my
stomach tighten, I called out the first thing that came into my
mind.
“Quinn, I need pizza.”
Ruining the moment completely, reaching for my phone, I sat
there calling the first pizza place that I could find in my
search. Watching him watch me closely, sure that he was just
as confused to why I had asked him back, as I was.
Finishing the call, silence began to fill the air once more.
Untying his bow tie and undoing his top few buttons of his
white cotton shirt, seducing me with his eyes, again I fell
under his mercy. Feeling him move in closer, once more,
when instantly we were both startled by the opening of the
apartment door.
Hearing Marcus enter, calling out in horror and surprise “for
Christ sake Dom’, did you have to leave it there? That dress
scared the hell out of me.”
Realising quickly that I could hear a lady’s voice.
Whispering over to Quinn, with my eyes widened “shit! He’s not alone.”
Squinting at me confused, we both turned to see Marcus and
Ellie as they appeared in the living room doorway. Glaring
over at Quinn, Marcus stood upright, and asked “Dom’, are
you okay?”
Nodding I replied, “Yeah, I’m fine, sorry I ditched you guys. I
just had to get out of there.”
Remaining focused on Quinn, Marcus lifted his head and
replied, “ahh I see, well Ellie and I are going to bed. Is he
staying over tonight?”
Nodding once more, feeling a smirk spread across my entire
face, I replied, “yes Marcus, he is. Do you have a problem with
that?”
Shaking his head, screwing up his whole face in disgust, sure
that he was holding back what he originally wanted to say.
Marcus bluntly replied “nope! Goodnight Dom’.”
Hearing Marcus’s bedroom door close, raising my arms and
stretching out, I yawned and said “I think it’s time to go to
bed.”
Looking even more bewildered than before, Quinn asked, “do
you really want me to stay, or are you doing this to annoy
Marcus?”
Unsure how to answer, feeling the want and need to say yes to
both questions. Yet unsure how my answer would have been
received. Instead, I sighed heavily and replied, “I’ve had a
bump to the head, I think I need someone to stay with me
tonight.”
Nodding, Quinn agreed, following me closely into my room.
Laid out next to him fully clothed on the bed, I asked, “aren’t you going to at least take off more than your shoes? You can’t
sleep in a tuxedo.”
Removing his jacket and bow tie, turning to face me once
more, resting his head on the pillow next to me. Feeling his
hand reach up, brushing his fingertips slowly up and down
my forearm, while the knots in my stomach returned at full
strength. Biting my lower lip hard, sure that I knew exactly
what was going to happen next, feeling the space between us
close in. When suddenly the buildings fire alarm began to
scream out, startling us both, to my relief, completely ruining
the moment.
Turning to see my bedroom door fly open, with Marcus filling
the dark space between the doorway. Yelling, he demanded,
“the building is on fire, everyone outside!”
Skulking, making my way outside, arms folded, pouting,
stomping down the stairs, I grunted, “it has to be a false
alarm. I can’t smell smoke; the building is clearly not on fire.”
Annoyed at my attitude, Marcus growled at me, “Dom’ grow
up, if the fire alarm goes off, you get your ass outside. No
arguments.”
Saluting him and marching over to a wooden bench within
the perimeter of the outside gardens. Seated, noticing my
pizza arrive on one of those cool little scooters, pointing over
in the direction of the delivery guy. I watched Quinn stand
instantly, making his way over to the guy, returning with my
order.
Seated once more, leaning back, lifting a huge slice of pizza
above my head, positioning it above my open mouth, I heard
Marcus call out “you ordered pizza, without me?”
Glaring over at him, shrugging my shoulders, I watched Quinn lift the box and offer him a slice, only for Marcus to
refuse. Making me laugh instantly, sure that I had never seen
Marcus pass up a meal before. Tossing the pizza box next to
us, Quinn leaned in, resting his head on mine. Lifting my legs
up under my chin, leaning into him more, I began to get
myself comfortable. When suddenly Marcus yelled, “Dom’,
what the hell happened to your head?”
Surprised that it had taken until now, for him to even notice, I
replied, “Quinn was chasing me, I fell down a couple of steps,
no biggie.”
Noticing anger sweep across Marcus’s face, only softening
when Ellie linked her arm in his and asked me, “aww that’s so
cute Dom’. How long have you guys been together?”
Looking at Quinn, feeling a grin take over my entire face, I
replied “oh, we are not together.”
Noticing the confusion consume her face, especially when
Quinn explained, “what Domini and I have, it’s more like a
marriage. I take her out, I feed her, she drives me absolutely
crazy, but we don’t have sex.”
Instantly finding him hilarious, I lifted my hand to high five
him, congratulating him on his brilliant explanation.
“It looks like it’s going to be some time until we can get back
inside, why don’t you all come over to my place? Suggested
Quinn, moments later.
Certain that every single hair was standing up on the back of
Marcus’s neck, hearing Quinn’s suggestion. Handing my pizza
crust over to Quinn to discard, I nodded and replied, “we may
as well, the sun will be up soon and I really need to get some
beauty sleep.”
Chapter 19
Arriving at Quinn’s apartment, after one of the most
unbearably silent taxi rides that I had ever experienced.
Pointing to the rear of the apartment, Quinn explained to
Marcus and Ellie, “there are two double bedrooms in the
back, take your pick.”
Thanking him, Ellie proceeded to drag Marcus reluctantly
through to the rear. Not wasting a second more, Quinn took
my hand and lead me through to his bedroom. Where I found
myself, moments later, laid out on his bed, watching him
remove the remainder of his tuxedo. Appearing next to me in
his shorts, he whispered, “are you going to sleep in those
sweats?”
Nodding, fighting my heavy eyes, I replied, “yes, I feel all
warm and snug.”
Tugging at my waist, closing the space between us, I felt him
surround me. Placing my head on to his chest, hearing his
heart race at a great speed, while his lips gently graced my
sore forehead, he whispered “goodnight honey.”
The following morning, waking to hear a loud knock, coming
from Quinn’s bedroom door, fe
eling Quinn begin to stir
beside me. Untangling myself from him, I made my way over
to the door, opening it to reveal Marcus stood at the other
side, with the same bemused expression, that he bore last
night.
Sighing heavily, he asked, “I am leaving, do you want to share
a taxi home?”
Turning to see Quinn awake in the bed, Quinn suggested “you could stay for breakfast and I will take you home later. I make
the most amazing blueberry pancakes.”
Turning to face Marcus once more, to see what he thought,
instantly noticing Marcus shake his head fiercely, he replied,
“Dom’ I’m leaving now, whether you come with me or not.”
Sighing at him heavily with disappointment, wanting to take
Quinn up on his offer. I replied, “do you really want me
sharing a taxi home, with Ellie and yourself?”
Lowering his head, Marcus replied, “Ellie left hours ago.”
Shocked at his claims, I asked “what happened, you guys
seemed to be really hitting it off last night.”
Realising that Marcus didn’t want to talk about it, especially
here, feeling that right now despite my overwhelming
hangover, he needed a friend. Gesturing over to Quinn sat up
in the bed, I suggested to Marcus, “I need to go and say
goodbye, I will meet you downstairs in say 5… maybe 6
minutes.”
Nodding, Marcus proceeded down the hall. Making my way
back over to the bed. Sitting beside Quinn, feeling anxious at
the sight of him half naked before me. Watching him lift his
hand, tracing his thumb against my cheekbone, holding on to
his arm, swiftly he moved into me. Taking my whole head in
his hands, he kissed me with everything that he had inside,
only releasing me to ask, “can I come over and see you later,
take you out for lunch?”
Nodding I replied, “I would like that very much.”
Collecting my things, I proceeded to the bedroom door,
looking back to glance at him, just one more time before I left.
Widening his eyes, he called out, “honey, you have something
on your face.”
Rushing over to the mirror, I asked “what, what is it?”
Watching him summon me to him, leaning over him, curious,
he replied, “the most beautiful smile, that I have ever seen in
my entire life.”
Rising up from the bed, on to his knees before me, taking me