by Sky Corgan
“While I appreciate the offer, Dom, I'd rather have her with me,” the seriousness returned to Tammy's voice. “I want her to not have to work so hard while she's going to college, you know. She only does those things for you because she feels obligated to return your kindness. In a sense, I imagine it's kind of like having a job to pay rent. I don't want her to have to worry about that stuff anymore. College should be a fun time when you go out with your friends and experience all that life has to offer before you have to buckle down and join the real world.
“I know she wanted to move in with you to save me money. But now I'm moving there, so there's no reason for her to have to live with you anymore. I'm not saying that she's miserable living with you. Most of the times that I've talked to her, she's seemed quite happy. She never complains about you or anything. But she should be at home with her family. I hope you understand.”
I covered the speaker with my finger and sighed, feeling like an asshat for even bothering to call. What could I possibly say to that? She was right. Kim wasn't experiencing the normal college life while living with me, and it was selfish of me to want to deny her that. Too selfish.
“Alright.” I surrendered. “I just wanted to let you know that you have other options. If the move takes longer than you think it will, she can stay here for as long as it takes.”
“I appreciate that, Dom. You've always been so kind to us, to both of us. We'll never be able to repay you.”
You can repay me by letting her stay, I thought, though I didn't dare say it. That was just me being selfish again, wanting what we both knew wasn't the best for Kim. If I really loved her, I'd have to let her go, even if it broke my heart. That was all there was to it.
CHAPTER FIVE
KIM
There was a distance between Dominick and I that was almost palpable. We were in my I'm-mad-at-you routine. I'd cook his meals, we'd eat together, and then we'd both go our separate ways. We had become roommates all over again, the silent brooding kind.
After I had deflected his advance the night that Tammy and Marcus dropped me off, he didn't try again. It was like he had given up on me, given up on us, and that thought caused a painful throbbing in my chest.
Tammy and Marcus ended up picking the big house without the pool. She said they could add a pool later if they wanted one, though Marcus complained that it would take up the entire backyard. Dominick and I drove by the house once so I could show it to him. He agreed with me that it was pretentious. When I asked why he didn't have a house like that, he asked if I wanted him to buy one. I wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but I decided to tell him no. The condo was cozy, not to mention it was conveniently next to a bus stop and right down the road from my college. I couldn't imagine him living in a better place for my situation, not that it would matter soon. When I moved out, he could live wherever he wanted. I wouldn't be relying on him anymore.
A week before Christmas, Tammy and Marcus came down to move into their short-term apartment. To my dismay, they got one with an extra bedroom for me. It was a totally unnecessary expense, but Tammy said she couldn't wait to have me with them again. Besides, Christmas was quickly approaching, and she wanted to spend it together.
I stayed true to my word, cooking up a bunch of food and freezing it for Dominick so that he'd have something to eat when I was gone. It felt like I spent an entire day slaving in the kitchen over a hot stove for him, and all the gratitude I got out of it was a halfhearted thanks. Still, it was the least I could do in return for everything he had done for Tammy and I in the past.
I tried not to cry as I finished packing my suitcases. It was almost impossible not to though. This was it. My last day with Dominick.
I took my time packing, but there was no point in stalling the inevitable. With my suitcases stuffed with everything I had brought and everything I'd acquired over the past year, I went to knock on Dominick's office door and let him know I was ready to leave. He glanced up at me from his computer, and his eyes were full of pain, mirroring my own.
“You ready?” he asked, as if the two suitcases by my sides weren't answer enough.
“Mhm.” I nodded, trying not to look as hurt as I actually felt.
“I guess I should drive you to Tammy's place then.” Dominick stood, though he seemed to be in no real hurry.
“I guess you should.”
He closed the distance between us and picked up one of the suitcases. I smirked weakly at the back of his suit as we walked toward the door. He had gotten dressed up for the occasion, as he always did when he left the house.
Abruptly, I stopped, pretending to look around the condo for a final time as tears threatened to reach my eyes. It felt like if I stepped out of that door, my world would completely fall apart.
“Are you alright?” Dominick asked, turning to face me.
“I'm fine,” I lied. “It's been a long year.”
“It has been.”
“I think I'm going to miss living here.”
“I'll miss it too.”
There's no point in postponing the inevitable. I took a deep breath, keeping my eyes to the floor as I brushed past Dominick and went to open the front door. I would have to make that step outside eventually, whether I liked it or not. Besides, it's not like I would never be coming back. I just wouldn't be living here anymore. This would no longer be my home.
I opened the door, and the light of the sun barely had a chance to stream through before I felt the pressure of the door pushing closed and was consumed by darkness again. I looked up to find Dominick's palm pressed against the door. He was staring down at me with an expression I had never seen before, somewhere between sadness and want. Before I had a chance to ask him what was wrong, his mouth was on top of mine, devouring my words, his body pushing me back against the door, cementing it closed with our weight. Part of me wanted to fend him off, but a deeper part of me wouldn't allow it. I held him close, matching him kiss for kiss, digging my nails into the back of his blazer needily, as if it would kill me to let him go.
“She can't have you,” he breathed into my ear when our lips finally parted.
“What?” I was barely able to squeak out before I felt the firmness of his erection pressing between my thighs.
“I'm not letting you go. You're mine,” he replied.
I swooned from his words, and we melted together, melted into a puddle of clothing and kissing and groping and rough penetration. I gasped as Dominick forced himself inside and bucking up into me. My arms were wrapped around his neck, my leg draped over his hip. I craned my neck for his kisses and moaned shamelessly as he fucked me against the front door. I wasn't aware such a sturdy door could creak. I only hoped that the force of our coupling didn't knock it down. How embarrassing that would be, falling out of the condo in such a state.
“What are you going to tell Tammy?” I asked, though in truth, I didn't care. All that mattered was that I wasn't leaving.
I had secretly dreamed this would happen, that Dominick would beg me not to go, but I had never imagined it would happen like this, right at the cusp of me leaving. Tammy would be expecting me to arrive within the hour. I wish I could say I hated to disappoint her. Fucking Dominick was far more fun though, fucking him and bathing in our love for each other. In that moment, my feelings for him reached a whole new level, an inseparable level.
“I'll think of something,” he responded, barely paying attention to the conversation as he continued ravaging me.
“I don't want you to let me go,” I said, and almost the second I did, the waves of pleasure crashed over me, and my body fell into euphoric bliss. It wasn't much longer before Dominick joined me, panting heavily as he stilled and rested his forehead against mine while his orgasm played out. When he had caught his breath, he began kissing me, first all over the face, then the neck, then moving down to my shoulders.
“What are you doing?” I giggled as he kissed a patch of bare skin near my armpit.
“Making up for lost weeks,”
he mumbled.
“Alright, then.”
He pulled me away from the door, and we went into the bedroom where he continued to kiss me from head to toe. It was such a silly romantic thing for him to do, but I loved every second of it. By the time he finished, his body was geared up for round two, and boy did we have a round two. It lasted all the way up until I heard my phone ring where I had left it in a heap of clothing in the living room.
Dominick jumped up from the bed to retrieve it, looking hilarious at a naked half-run, half-walk. He had slowed down by the time he returned, entering the room casually with the phone to his ear, his erection bobbing while he walked. I couldn't help but smirk at him.
“Hey, Tammy,” he was saying, trying to hide the fact that he was breathless, though he was doing a poor job. “Had to run to get the phone. Kim is in the shower.” Dominick glanced over at me with a sly smile. “That's because she decided not to move in with you after all. She said she was worried about your feelings, so she wanted to let me handle talking to you.” He paused. “I know, teenagers, always changing their minds.”
I frowned at him from the bed, though I wasn't really upset. As long as I got my way, that was all I cared about. There was no way I was moving out. Not now. Hopefully, not ever.
“You know my condo is closer to the college anyway,” he continued. “This is what she wants, Tammy, she just didn't know how to tell you. I think she feels more like an adult living here, like she's kind of out on her own. She's nineteen years old. It makes sense that she doesn't want to live at home. No offense.” Dominick paused again. “Oh look, she just came out of the shower. Here, you talk to her.”
My stomach hit my feet as Dominick approached me with the phone. I mouthed the word no to him, but he shoved it in my hand anyway.
“Hi, Tammy,” I said hesitantly, bringing the phone to my ear.
“Is it true?” she asked with a stiffness to her voice that bordered on discontent.
“Yes,” I sighed. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drop this on you at the last minute, but I realized when I was leaving just how much I don't want to leave. I'm settled in. I actually like living here. Not that I don't think that living with you are Marcus would be great. I'm sure it would be. But, as Dominick said, I'm so close to the college here, and this just feels like home now.”
“If that's how you really feel. I just wish you would have said something sooner.” There was that sadness I had dreaded hearing.
“I know. I'm really sorry.”
Dominick crawled onto the bed beside me and began rubbing my back as I talked.
“You know we only got this big apartment because we figured you'd want to come stay with us. And what about Christmas? Are you going to be here for Christmas?”
“Yes, I'll be there for Christmas,” I quickly replied, feeling guilty about the extra room thing. “I'll come stay with you on Christmas Eve.”
“Alright. I guess there's nothing left to say then.”
“Nope.”
“Well, see you when I see you then.”
“Tammy, don't be like that.”
“I'm sorry, Kim. I just expected to have you here with us tonight. I'm a little disappointed is all. I'll get over it.”
“You better. Just think of decorating that gorgeous new house of yours.”
She groaned, “That's still a ways off, and you're coming to help me, whether you like it or not.”
“I'll be there, sis.” I smiled.
“Good. Well, I guess I'll talk to you later.”
“Talk to you later.”
“Bye.”
Click.
“How did it go?” Dominick asked, as if he hadn't been sitting there the entire time.
“She's not happy.”
“That's what I gathered as well.”
“But, she'll get over it.”
“What choice does she have? I'm not letting you go anywhere.” He wrapped an arm protectively around me, and I sighed contently.
“Is that so?”
“That's so.” Dominick pulled me back down onto the bed, leaning over me to kiss me softly on the lips.
“And what would you have done if I had wanted to leave, hm?” I teased.
“I would have been destroyed.”
The seriousness in his gray eyes bore into me, melting me where I lay into a puddle of warmth. I received his kiss eagerly, moaning as our lips moved together. Then his hands returned to me, and I knew I was lost. But I didn't mind being lost, as long as it was with him.
CHAPTER SIX
Christmas came and went. I felt like crap for leaving Dominick home alone on Christmas Eve, but he acted passive about it as normal, telling me that he would be happy, as long as we spent the end of Christmas day together.
I forced him to decorate the condo this year. Or rather, forced him to let me decorate it. His portion of the decorating consisted of hanging a few ornaments on the tree, though I was able to coax him into stringing up Christmas lights outside by offering him some pre-Christmas booty time. It's funny the things that men are motivated by.
The previous year, he had insisted on not having a tree because it made him feel lonely. This year, that wouldn't be an issue since I was only spending part of the day with Tammy, not the entire Christmas vacation. Still, he didn't seem very much in the Christmas spirit, even after we decorated. Maybe that's because it was last minute, like everything in December.
Christmas itself was nice. Tammy and Marcus bought me a lot of clothing and jewelry and makeup. I wasn't sure why they had gone out of their way to spoil me this particular year, especially since they had just bought the house, but I appreciated it. When I got home, there was a brand-new Volkswagon Eos sitting in front of Dominick's condo with a big red bow on it. The butt-head bought me a car, and I didn't even have a license yet.
“I'll teach you how to drive,” he promised me as I sat behind the wheel and marveled over all the gadgets inside.
Tammy was a bit upset at him for one-upping her, but he didn't care, and neither did I. If she knew the true dynamic of our relationship, the gift probably wouldn't have seemed so odd. Didn't rich guys typically buy their girlfriend expensive stuff for the holidays? For my birthday, he had bought me a pair of two carat diamond earrings set in platinum backings. Ever since we'd been officially dating, Dominick spent a lot of money on my gifts. This car blew the earrings out of the water though.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“I love it!” I replied while Tammy scowled at my happiness from a distance.
She eventually got over my decision to stay living with Dominick, and after Christmas, she cracked jokes about the car, not blaming me for wanting to stay.
“He acts like he's your father,” she commented when I went over to have dinner with them one afternoon.
I wanted to correct her and say that he acts like my boyfriend, but we had been playing up the friendship thing fairly well, so there was no point in ruining it. For all the possessiveness and expensive gifts, Tammy and Marcus seemed to still have no clue what was actually going on.
The next semester began, and life went on as normal, with the new addition of me being able to see Tammy whenever I wanted. As Dominick had promised, he gave me driving lessons on the weekends and paid to put me through driver's education. I was excited to finally have my own car. It felt like life was slowly changing, our relationship evolving to where he trusted me more.
Dominick renewed his contact with Smart Romance Press, and like a dumb ass, had agreed to only marginally better terms than he had been under before. In the afternoons, I found him buckled down in his office, typing away the latest and greatest romance novel, and oftentimes in a bad mood about it. Life continued on the way it had before the new year, with us barely seeing each other, coming together for meals and the occasional romp between the sheets.
One afternoon, I came home to find an unfamiliar man arguing with Dominick in the living room. He looked up at me when I entered, though his eyes didn'
t brighten. He seemed to be about the same age as Dominick, with shoulder-length brown hair and cold brown eyes. He was dressed professionally in a crisp navy blue business suit.
“Hey, Kim,” Dominick greeted me wearily.
“Hey,” I replied, wondering if I should retreat to my room and leave the two of them alone. When the man stood up to introduce himself to me, I knew I couldn't escape.
“You must be the paramour I've heard so much about. I'm Ray Woods, Dominick's publicist.”
“Nice to meet you,” I replied meekly, wondering what he meant by calling me a paramour. I knew it was the name of a band, but I had no idea what the definition of the word was.
Dominick watched us shake hands with a hard expression. He wasn't happy that this man was here. That was obvious.
“Have a seat.” Ray gestured to the loveseat next to Dominick before sitting down on the one across from him. Nervously, I did as I was told, wondering why he wanted me in on their conversation. “I was just talking to Dominick about the publicity party that Smart Romance Press is throwing for Behind Her Green Eyes in New York in a few weeks. He says he doesn't want to go, but I thought that perhaps you and I could convince him otherwise.” The smile Ray gave me made me feel uncomfortable.
“There's going to be a publicity party for Behind Her Green Eyes?” I glanced at Dominick, who looked annoyed. “You didn't tell me anything about it.”
“That's because I don't want to go.”
“Why don't you want to go?”
“Because it's unnecessary.”
“It's very necessary,” Ray chimed in. “The movie is almost done being filmed. This is a party to push the book one last time before the movie comes out.”
“This is just one of a series of parties he's going to want me to attend,” Dominick informed me.
“But it's an important one, thrown by the company. They'll expect you to be there.”