by S Gonzalez
“Ok, fine. But you have to promise me you won’t tell Chris I told you. My mother told me and Rocco that if we every ever told anyone else, she would skin us alive,” he warned before holding up his pinky for me to pinky promise him. I love it when he does that. It is like our own little secret.
Grabbing his pinky and kissing his knuckles, he smiles at me before continuing. “So, the summer before eighth grade, our school had a Mother/Daughter Social, the Saturday before Mothers Day. She was telling one of the neighbors she wished she could go but she only had boys. Chris overheard her and decided he was going to do something for her at home. He told Rocco and me, and we both agreed to help him. Except, the day of, me and Roc forgot.
“That afternoon he set up the patio himself. Emm, you had to see it, it looked like a princess nightmare. There was pink everywhere, streamers, plates, napkinsAnyway, Rocco and I came home from playing baseball and saw what Christ was doing. We wanted no part of that girly shit, so we hid in my room and watched from the window. My mother came home from her shift at the hospital and Chris brought her back to the patio to surprise her. Well, the woman burst into tears at him wearing his church clothes serving her tea and mini sandwiches. Fuck, he even brought her nail stuff down and painted her nails. ”
With a goofy grin on my face I sigh, “Awww, Dom that is so sweet.”
“Yeah, well the little shit got out of yard work for a month. My father was pissed off that we didn’t help him and we got double chore duty. Roc and I were pissed so we told everyone at school what he did. That fucking backfired, too. Instead of kids making fun of him the girls flocked to him for being so sweet. The rest of us were left out in the cold. I swear, we joke about how much ass Justin gets but I bet Chris had nailed more chicks then all of us combined for that sensitive shit he pulls.”
I slap his arm. “Sensitive shit? Dominic Ross, you are one of the most sensitive guys I know. The way you-“
Dominic cuts me off, “Hey, hey, hey. Easy with that word. I have an image to uphold here.” He plucks his shirt away from his chest to drive home his statement. “Besides baby, I have many sides to me.”
“Oh really. Care to share,” I taunt him while popping open the next button on my shirt to reveal more cleavage, knowing it will distract him.
Pulling over to the shoulder in the middle of the New Jersey Turnpike, Dominic slams the car in gear and removes his seat belt. As he leans over the middle console to get closer to me, the heated look in his eyes make me sink into the door. The clenching of his teeth and the dominance in his eyes is scary…and hot, at the same time.
“You want me to fuck you right here on the side of the road?”
“Maybe,” I breathe into his lips that are close enough for me to feel his warm breath.
Kissing me hard and pinning me to the door he lets out a low growl when I grab the back of his head, holding him firmly in place as I kiss the ever loving hell out of him. Between the spicy story I was reading, and his stimulating self near me, I am turned on more then I can contain.
I hear a thump, thump, thump. At first I think it is our hearts, damn near beating out of our chests, but when I hear it again I push Dominic off to look past him at the police officer standing at the window. There must be one behind me also, because I see Dominic’s eyes roam to the top of the window.
“Now you did it. You got us in trouble,” he snorts, pulling himself back into his seat.
“Me? You-“
Rolling down the window I am cut off with the deep voice of the police officer standing outside Dominic’s window. “Car trouble, son?”
“No officer. I needed to make a phone call and since it is illegal to talk and drive I decided to pull over.” He says in his best smart ass tone.
“Fair enough. License, registration, and insurance,” the police officer exhales sharply. I hand the documents to Dominic from the glove compartment; he has a very pleased look on his face.
“I don’t think this is funny,” I scold him when he fails to keep a straight face as the officer moves towards the police cruiser behind us.
“Oh come on, of course this is funny. Besides it is not like I was going to actually fuck you here on the highway.”
“No?” I glance out the rear window to see the officer walking back to my car.
“No. I am going to wait until I can fuck you in my bedroom with my parents downstairs.”
I snap my head back to him, mouth agape just as the officer gets to the window.
“All looks to be in order son. I suggest you get to where you are going.” The officer, being a good sport about the whole thing, hands Dominic back the papers and returns to his car.
“Close your mouth baby, you’re giving me ideas.” I have no doubt in my mind that he is telling the truth and would pull this car over in a New York minute to get me naked in the backseat. I snap my mouth shut and stare straight ahead the rest of the way to his parent’s house.
Then nervousness is evident in Dominic’s posture as we pull onto his street. By the time we pulled in front of the dark grey, two-story house, with white shutters Dominic is stiff as a board and sweating bullets. As he collects himself, I take a second to watch the neighborhood at play.
The houses on his block are all very similar. There are small children playing in front yards and riding bikes on this unusually warm November day. Even though my house is much bigger and no doubt has more amenities, I think I would have rather grown up in a place like this.
“You ready?” Dominic asks as a woman in scrubs exits the house, glancing behind her until she is hidden from view behind the garbage cans next to the garage. She takes one glance around and lights up a cigarette, blowing the smoke straight up.
“That would be my mother, trying to hide from my father because she is not supposed to be smoking. Let’s go have some fun with her,” Dominic says, clearly annoyed by his mothers actions.
He snaps open the door and I do the same, greeting him at the front of the car. He puts his finger up to his lip to tell me to be very quiet as we round the corner to the side of the house. We lean against the garage door and stay perfectly quiet for what seems like an eternity. Dominic clears his throat as Nancy rounds the corner startling her and causing her to take a step back and grasp at her chest.
“Jesus H. Christ, Dominic, you scared the ever livin’ shit outta me, boy,” she yells, slapping him on the arm before pulling him into a big hug. Dominic returns the hug and lifts the small woman clear off her feet. I can see his face scrunch up as he holds back the emotions he feels right now seeing his mother.
“I missed you ma’,” he speaks softly into her ear. Seeing the love that he has for his mother makes me a little envious. I never had that kind of relationship with either of my parents. My father is the parent that I am closest with but he moved out when I was five so I never really had the whole nuclear family thing going on at home. My mother was a shell of a person who was barely surviving herself; she was never what you would call warm and fuzzy. The closest thing I had to a stable parent was Mrs. Cross.
Dominic places his mother back on her feet. The small, curvy woman wipes away a lone tear as she kisses her son on his cheeks multiple times. “Okay, okay, okay. You can stop kissing me now.”
“Never. You’re my baby and I will kiss you until my dying day. I don’t care if your new fiancé likes it or not,” she scolds jutting her thumb in my direction.
With wide eyes, unable to speak I stutter out something incoherent while the two of them laugh at me.
“Be nice ma’.”
“Oh, I am only playing with the girl,” she drawls out with a strong twang of a southern accent. “Besides if the little lady is going to be part of this here family, she better get used to it. With you boys, there is hardly ever a serious moment between ya’.”
Stepping along side me, Dominic snaked his arm around my waist and kisses the side of my head before making proper introductions. “Emma Hill, my mother, Nancy Ross.”
“Nice
to meet you, Nancy,” I offer my hand to her and hear Dominic softly laugh in my ear. Nancy shakes her head, grabs my hand, and hurls me toward her. For being several inches shorter than me, she sure is powerful.
“Darlin’ in this family, we hug. And as long as you are good to my boy,” she pulls back and smiles warmly at me. “I’ll love you like a daughter. But you break his heart, sweetie, I’ll skin you alive.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I swallow hard. Correcting myself, “I mean, Nancy.”
“That’s better. Now, lets go see your father. He has been pacing patiently for you to get home. Making me a damn nervous wreck.” Nancy steps around us and heads in the direction of the front porch, with us trailing closely behind.
“That why you are hiding by the garbage cans smoking?” Nancy stopped dead in her tracks causing us both to nearly knock her over.
“Now, sweetheart, if you want me to feed you while you are home you will forget you saw that.”
“Stop smoking ma’! Or I’m telling dad,” Dominic challenges.
Tuning back toward the house Nancy groans, “Ingrate.”
Stepping into the house, it smells like I expected it to; warm cinnamon and clean laundry. The double story foyer showcases family photos on every surface, all the way up open staircase. I can see a stone fireplace in the living room blazing to my left. A man, who I assume is Dominic’s father, Jason, considering he is his identical twin, is walking toward us from the dining room to my right.
Without looking in her direction, I hear Nancy sniff and excuse herself to the back of the house. Jason gives me a tight smile and stands in front of Dominic, both waiting for the other to make a move.
Dominic sticks his hand out to his father as a sign of respect. “Hey, dad.”
Jason looks at his son’s outreached hand and swallows hard. Without hesitation Jason pulls his son into a tight hug and slaps him on the back a few time. Dominic doesn’t return the hug immediately. He looks stunned by his father’s actions. When it finally registers, Dominic returns his fathers embrace just as intensely.
Jason chokes out, “Welcome home, son,” as he pulls back and clasps Dominic around the side of his neck with his thumbs on his cheeks.
“Thanks, dad. Good to be home.” With a soft nod, Jason releases his son and looks in my direction.
“You must be, Emma. I’m Jason.”
“Yes, I’m Emma. Very nice to meet you, Jason. I have heard a lot about you.”
“From him?” Jason nods toward Dominic, “Don’t believe a word.”
With a wink matching his sons, I can see where Dominic gets his charisma and good looks. Jason Ross could be Dominic’s older brother instead of his father. He has the same sandy blond hair and piercing green eyes. He stands slightly taller than Dominic and wears his age well.
“I have heard nothing but good things about your family, sir,” I assure him.
“Watch her, Jason, she’s a smooth one. She managed to charm the pants off of all of us,” bellowed Rocco as he bounces down the stairs. When he reached the foyer he sweeps me off my feet and twirls me around before setting me back down. Jason gives me a questioning look and Dominic slaps Rocco on the back of the head.
“Well, not all of us, just Junior here,” Rocco jokes rubbing the back of his head.
“Miss me, Roc?”
“Hell yes. Now that Dom is going to be getting laid regularly, he’ll stop being a moody little bitch.” Rocco ducked another one of Dominic’s slaps and returned one of his own, “Ooohhh, too slow.”
“Well, Emma, I see you had your hands full with these clowns, plus Justin. And you lived to tell the tale.” Jason shook his head pushing Rocco out of the foyer to the back of the house where Nancy disappeared to.
“I see there is never a dull moment around here.”
“Not many, Sweetness. Wanna’ go see my room now?” Dominic pulls me to his hard chest and leans his forehead on mine just as the doorbell rings, repeatedly. “That would be Justin.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he always rings the bell that way because it irritates the fuck out of my father,” he tells me before yelling through the door to come in.
“Well hello there, beautiful. I see my friend here is in better spirits, so he must have already gotten laid,” Justin snickers, kissing my cheek as a greeting.
“Fuck you, man. I was not moody. I was just tired of looking at your sorry asses, day after day.”
From the back of the house Nancy yells for us all to come and sit down for lunch. I really like this family already. They are so easy going with one another, and from what I can tell, Jason and Nancy, have an open door policy for anyone they consider family. Before Dominic sits down his father calls him into the other room, to speak with him privately. I can tell by the look on his face he is on guard. After giving me a quick peck on the cheek and breathing deeply a few times he follows his father into the living room.
It feels like forever before he returns to the table, smiling. When he sits down next to me I can see his eyes are glassy, as if he were crying. Before sitting, he puts his hand on my cheek and quietly whispers in my ear, “Would you mind if I invite my parents and my friends to the wedding tomorrow?”
I nod my head to confirm my approval. It was Dominic’s idea to keep everyone out so if he wants to invite his family, who am I to refuse.
“Mom, dad, Emma and I have something to tell you.”
“She’s pregnant,” Justin blurts out without hesitation. Nancy gasps and Jason’s eyes dart around the table. The room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Throwing a roll at Justin, Dominic responds. “No ass. She is not pregnant.” Dominic turns to me and asks with a full-blown smile stretching over his face, “You’re not, are you?” Nancy gasps again and I narrow my eyes at him as I shake my head.
“Pity. Anyhow. Emma and I are getting married-“
“We know.” Chris interrupts.
“Can I finish?” Dominic inquires. Chris waves his hand for him to continue. “As I was saying. Emma and I are getting married…tomorrow. In Vegas. We would like you all to be there.”
“Hell yeah!” Rocco cheers, high-fiving Justin.
“Son, what’s the rush?”
“No rush, dad. I just want to marry her tomorrow. She agreed, so I don’t see a reason in waiting.”
“What about your family, Emma, don’t you want them there?”
The guys all focus their attention back to their plates. Suddenly they are all very interested in putting food in their mouths.
“No, Nancy, my father doesn’t necessarily approve of us getting married and my mother and stepfather…Dominic and I just wanted this to be for us. My family is…complicated,” my voice trails off at the end.
Complicated. That is the understatement of the century.
“Why does your father not approve?” Jason probes. I can see he puts it together as soon as the question is out of his mouth. The irritation that someone may not like her son is thrumming off Nancy as Jason gives her a sympathetic nod.
“Look, it doesn’t have to do with, Dominic ,specifically. My father just thinks that Dominic and I are too different. I’m sure once he gets accustomed to the idea, it will be fine.”
“Hum, well, better he ain’t gonna’ be there then.” Nancy sits back in her chair and crosses her arms.
“This is why I didn’t want any family. I don’t want this to be about anyone but, Emma and me. I would like you all to be there, but no drama. I mean it. We are doing this our way.” Dominic points around the table.
“Can we have a bachelor party tonight?” Rocco asks, wiggling his brows.
“NO!” Dominic and I answer in unison.
“Pussy whipped already,” Rocco mumbles with a grin and a wink in my direction.
“Rocco!” Nancy scolds. “Dominic, if you want us there, we are there. I have off for the next two days so after my shift tonight your father and I will fly out. I wouldn’t miss my sons wedding for the world.�
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Nancy stands from her seat and kisses Dominic on his head and me on my cheek before clearing her plate and declaring she has packing and stuff to do so she must get ready before work. Jason excuses himself to look up flights for everyone. Dominic and I insist on paying for the trip. When I hand him my black corporate AMEX card, so Jason so he can make the
accommodations, he looks at me wearily.
“It is the brides father who is supposed to pay for the wedding, is it not,” I tilt my head and shrug my shoulders. “Feel free Jason, to book everyone first class air travel and three villa’s at the Bellagio. That way you and Nancy won’t have to share with these
knuckleheads.” Jason purses his lips and nods his head in approval before retreating back to the kitchen. The guys all clear their plates from the table and declare they have to run some last minute errands if they are going to leave tomorrow.
Pulling me into his lap, Dominic kisses the side of my head. “Wanna’ see my room now.”
“I thought you would never ask,” I giggle as I hope off his lap, earning myself a slap on the ass when I leave him hanging for a kiss. “Owww, so rough.”
“Oh, honey, you ain’t seen rough,” he tells me as we take the steps two at a time.
“Looking forward to it, Mr. Ross.” I lose my nerve as I get to the top of the steps and realize I don’t know which room is his. He slams into my back with his body and lifts me off the ground toward the door at the end of the hall. I attempt to wiggle free but his strong arms hold me in place as he nips and my shoulder and growls like a caveman.
He throws open the door and once we are in his room, I can feel the energy change. Just thinking of fulfilling Dominic’s little fantasy about fucking me in his childhood bedroom, makes me giddy straightaway. Dominic locks the door and leans against it, arms behind his back, a hungry look in his eye.
I divert my eyes and take in the pale blue room with a navy blue accent wall that showcases the bands show posters over the years. There is a queen size, wrought iron bed in the middle of the far wall, a chest of drawers on the wall near the door and various guitars and music memorabilia cluttering up the space. This is every bit, a boy’s room.