Chapter 11
ELEVEN
june
PENELOPE
As spring melts into summer, I can’t recall a season of my life that has felt as wonderful as this one.
Maybe because, for the first time ever, I’m not lonely.
Sure, I’ve always had Chloe and Carl to keep me company, but Dominic is…
it’s difficult to explain. Time spent with him is next level, and it’s not just all the orgasms he gives me.
There’s a certain giddy rush I get when I’m around him, even on the days he gets into his grumpy mood and doesn’t want to talk— I can usually get a smile on his face by the end of the day.
Take now, for instance. He came into the store with a sour look on his face, grumbling about Gloria being sick, and now—
“Fuck, Pen,” he groans against my ear. “You feel so good like this.”
We’re in the break room— I’m sitting on the counter and he’s standing between my legs.
I can’t recall exactly how we got here, something about me not being able to reach supplies on the top shelf?
That’s right, I had hopped up on the counter to reach just as Dominic stormed in from the main floor.
And, well, before you know it, his tongue lashes against mine as he grinds his hard cock against my hips, and his broad, warm hands on my thighs.
He pulls back for a moment, pausing his movements, as we each try to catch our breath. Cupping my face with one hand, he brushes my hair off my face with the other. “I was thinking… maybe tonight, after the festival, I could come by your place?”
“Mmm, that sounds nice.” It’s the Prairie Ridge Summer Solstice Festival tonight, one of those nights where the entire town basically comes out to socialize, drink shitty beer from poorly tapped kegs, and parents try to keep their kids out of trouble— or off the barely semi-safe carnival rides.
We’re actually closing the store early tonight so we can go– not that it matters.
It’s been so slow lately, I’m nervous every day that Gloria will tell us it’s time to close for good.
Dom presses his forehead to mine. “And what if I spend the night?”
My breath catches as I stare into his eyes. The past month we’ve gotten so close, intimately, but we haven’t had sex yet. Not that we don’t want to, the timing simply hasn’t been right. But tonight? A flutter of need courses through me, pulsing in my core.
“That would be perfect.” Lines crinkle around Dom’s eyes as he smiles, the rare, genuine smile that I’ve noticed he reserves only for me. He leans in closer, ready to kiss me again when the door to the break room slams open.
“Oops, sorry for interrupting your love fest,” Chloe announces, entering with her hand over her eyes. “But you two have left the entire store unattended. I may or may not have taken advantage of the situation and snatched some books and trinkets.”
I can’t help but burst into laughter. Dom presses his forehead to mine once more before mumbling, “Let’s get this over with.”
At first, I thought he meant getting through the festival quickly because he's not exactly a fan of crowded events. But then he grabs my waist and helps me down from the counter, and I realize he wants to fast forward to after the festival. When he’ll take me home and.
.. oh wow, my nerves start to tingle with anticipation.
I feel like a damn virgin all over again; the nervous anticipation is real.
Smoothing my peach, mini sundress down from where it hiked up on my legs, I revel in how toned my legs have gotten. While I haven’t been a slave to the gym like Chloe, my daily walks with Dom and Carl have paid off. And it never hurts when I catch Dom giving me a hungry look.
“Be a good boy and behave,” I whisper, walking past him to grab my purse from the locker.
“Oh, I like when you talk like that, Miss Adams.” His low tone sends chills through me. Shaking my head at his train of thought, I feel his eyes on my ass as I walk past him out the door.
An hour later, as the sun begins to set, the festival is in full swing. A live band plays in the beer garden tent, suspicious-looking carnival rides are spinning and twirling, and everywhere people are laughing, dancing, and having a great time.
Except Dom. The poor grump looks miserable where we stand, just outside the perimeter of the beer garden. Chloe left fifteen minutes ago to get us another round, but the crowd has grown so large I’ve lost sight of her.
“I’m gonna go find Chloe!” I shout to Dom.
With a confused look, he leans down. “What?! Can’t hear shit!”
Of course, the band stops playing abruptly as Dom says this and almost the entire tent laughs. The lead singer quips a joke about it, making Dom’s scowl deepen.
Standing on tiptoe, I whisper, “Gonna go look for Chloe, see if she needs help.”
Dom grunts. “Might as well get me an extra beer while you’re there,” he grumbles as he crosses his arms over his chest. “Please.” He adds with a forced smile.
I burst out laughing as the band begins another song, the tent once again impossibly loud.
Weaving through the crowd, I cross the far side of the tent to where the bar stations are set up– it’s also far less noisy over here.
I spot Chloe immediately, sipping on a beer, enraptured in a conversation with a man I have never seen before.
“Shameless flirt,” I laugh, making my way toward her. Giving her shoulder a playful nudge, she whips around to face me.
“Oh my god! Pen! Shit, I’m sorry!” Beer sloshes from her cup to the ground as she pivots back and forth between me and her new “friend.”
“Thought you might need help grabbing the beers?” I smile sweetly at her as she opens her mouth to give me an excuse. “I’m just giving you shit. Who is your friend?”
“Hi, I’m Paul,” the guy says, extending his hand for me to shake. By appearances, Paul is a typical Midwestern man– average height, average build, decked out in blue jeans, a dark shirt, and a Chicago Cubs hat. “I run the lamp store downtown.”
“Nice to meet you!” It takes everything in me to not laugh, because Chloe and I have a long-running theory about that lamp store.
Like, are there that many people buying lamps to justify an entire store for them?
Or is it just a front to launder money? “I’m gonna grab drinks for Dom and me.
Text me later. I mean it.” I whisper the last part in her ear and she blushes.
“Sorry again!”
I wave her off as I get in line for beers. Dom technically said he wanted two, and, the longer I have to stand here in line and overthink things, I wonder if I should skip another drink altogether. Given what’s gonna happen later. At my house. With Dom. In my bed.
“What’ll it be, miss?” Thank god the bartender snaps me out of my train of thought. By the time I make it back over by the tent perimeter, my panties are wet and I can feel sweat dripping down my lower back– a combination of the humidity this evening and nervous anticipation.
The perimeter of the tent has gotten more crowded since I was gone and it takes some delicate maneuvering for a woman my size carrying two large draft beers to make it through without spilling.
I sidle up to Dom, nudging him with my elbow to get his attention.
He turns to me, adoration in his eyes as he takes one of the beers.
With his free hand, he cups my cheek, tilting my face up to meet his lips in a sexy, albeit short, kiss.
“Thank you,” he murmurs, brushing his nose against mine.
The band starts playing a slow ballad, encouraging the couples in the audience to dance.
Dom just wraps his arm around me and pulls me close to his side.
It’s then, when I’m basking in the moment with Dominic, held close in his embrace, that I hear it.
“Damn, I should have made my move when I had the chance.” A woman speaks from behind us, not bothering to lower her voice— and with the quieter song, it’s easy for everyone nearby to hear.
“Ha! Please. He’s clearly a chubby chaser, hun. You don’t want a man like that, no matter how sexy he is,” another woman says, as they both cackle with laughter.
It’s not the first time I’ve been insulted or humiliated by strangers because of the way I look.
I’ve grown somewhat of a thick skin— at least, I retain enough dignity to save my tears for the privacy of my own home.
I remain incredibly still, swallowing down the feelings of shame, even as their laughter dies as they walk away.
Even as I notice people nearby eyeing me in my peripheral vision, as if they’re waiting for me to break.
For a moment, I wonder if Dom even heard them because he’s just as still as I am.
Then he moves his arm from around me, reaches down for my hand and links his fingers through mine.
He leads me through the crowd as I keep my eyes on my feet.
I can’t stand the looks of sympathy, or worse, judgement, from the strangers we pass.
Dom pitches his full beer into the garbage near the sidewalk and I do the same. He doesn’t slow down, just continues to walk briskly down the street with my hand in his. We’re a few blocks away, the noise of the festival reduced to a dull tone, when I tug on his hand, pulling him to a stop.
“Stop, Dom.” He squeezes my fingers tightly before letting go. He doesn’t turn to face me, but runs a hand through his hair. I can tell from his taut muscles and tense movements that he’s angry. “It’s okay—”
“No!” Dom spins to face me, fury in his gaze. “It’s not fucking okay, Penelope!”
His body shakes with anger and I’m struck by the thought that Dom might be more hurt by what just happened than I am. The empathy alone lodges a lump in my throat. I place my hands out to him, palms up. “Take a deep breath and take my hands.”
Dom glares at me as if he’s searching for an ulterior motive.
I motion with my hands again and he sighs, reluctantly placing his hands in mine.
“I’m a big girl, Dom.” He opens his mouth to deny it, but I cut him off.
“No, I am. Literally and figuratively.” I squeeze his hands tight and look him in the eye.
“It’s a fact I’ve been painfully aware of most of my life.
And I’m okay with what happened tonight.
No, I really am. If this had happened last summer, I might be a mess, but I’m not. Ask me why.”
He slides his hands up to my wrists and tugs me forward, placing my hands on his chest and leaning down to press his forehead to mine. I can feel his reckless heart pounding beneath my hands– it matches the wild beat of mine.
“Why?” Dom whispers reluctantly.
“Because now I have you. The way you see me… it’s changed the way I see myself.” Emotions catch in my throat but I have to say this. “You make me feel like the main character, Dom. I’ve never felt special like this, not until you showed me it was possible.”
“Pea.” My pet name is a gruff plea as he cups my face in his hands and presses his lips to mine.
Fisting his shirt in my hands, it takes a few moments before we part, breathless. “Take me home, Dom.”
The rest of the walk home is a blur– I only know the strength of Dom’s hand in mine and the hurried pace of our footsteps.
When we make it to my house, I fumble with the key before pushing through the front door.
Carl hardly greets me from his spot on the couch, just the standard tail thump to indicate he’s happy I’m home.
I turn to Dom as soon as he follows me in, ready for him to take me in his arms again, but, to my confusion, he walks past me.
“Um…”
Dom walks to the couch and leans down, whispering something in Carl’s ear.
Carl’s tail thumps harder as he jumps down from the couch, doing a big stretch before trotting down the hall.
Dom returns to me, pressing a chaste kiss on my lips before murmuring, “Get this pretty ass in your bedroom. I’ll feed Carl and let him out. Give me ten minutes.”
He smacks my ass before heading down the hall after Carl. Okay, my heart is officially a puddle on the floor. How is this man so good?
Snapping out of my moment, I hustle to my bedroom.
It’s not messy, per se, but I certainly wasn’t prepared to host an adult sleepover tonight.
My focus is shoving the clothes on my floor into my closet and ensuring none of my toys have been left out.
Once the clutter is clear, I head to the bathroom to take stock of, well, me.
My hair is a frizzy mess from being out in the humid evening air, so I throw it up into a ponytail.
I take a few body wipes and run them along my arms, pits, neck, and boobs— I don’t stink, but I’ve definitely been sweating.
Aw hell, might as well take the bra off now since it smells like humid summer sweat.
But now my skin is damp from the wipes, so I lift my arms, flapping my hands frantically trying to get my skin to air dry.
Finally I brush my teeth, desperate to have a few layers of freshness between my body and my mouth for Dom.
I don’t linger in front of the mirror— if I did, I would probably spend another hour and still not feel ready enough for what’s about to happen with Dom.
Taking a deep breath, I open the door and step back into my bedroom.
Whatever I was expecting, I was not prepared to see Dom on my bed, wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs.
There just doesn’t seem like there’s enough room on my bed, his broad shoulders, lean, corded forearms, and those incredibly strong thighs.
I've seen some of his tattoos before, but now, without his shirt, I can see the right sleeve extends up his shoulder and across his chest. The most striking one is an elaborate dragon soaring with one wing outstretched.
Dom is so damn gorgeous, I physically ache for him– and not just my core.
Dominic Miller’s hazel eyes spark as he gazes at me, crooking his finger to gesture me closer. “Come here, Pea. I’ve waited long enough.”