Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
Frappuccino
Celeste
I spring through the doors of Biblio chipping away slowly without even meaning to.
I watch as he doesn’t hide his smiles behind smirks, or his love for these people behind nonchalance.
He’s letting me in on his life in a way that I’m almost positive most people have never seen.
I like not having to hammer my way in. I like that he’s opening up on his own. Maybe I like it more than I should.
“Honestly, Hoot, for your first time, I think you should have Rick do the tattoo. Vic may be the brains behind the operation, but Rick’s skill is unmatched. He did almost all of mine,” he pauses to roll up the sleeve of his Henley, displaying his corded forearms.
I knew he was fairly fit, but his shirt and apron hide just how defined those arm muscles are.
Suddenly my mouth is as dry as a desert and I realize I might have a new kink for beefy forearms. On one forearm is an intricate tattoo of a coiled snake, its head facing down towards his hand.
It is so incredibly detailed, every scale stands out even in the greyscale.
The shadowing of the body makes it seem ready to slither from his arm onto mine.
Pinterest feed forgotten, I absentmindedly step closer, running my fingertips across it.
I wasn’t familiar enough with tattoos or designs to know if this kind of realism was common.
I’d never seen a tattoo have such a life of its own.
I feel goosebumps rise on Dominic’s skin and only then do I realize his arm is still under my touch.
I still my fingers, glancing up to meet his gaze.
His head is bowed toward me, our faces only inches apart.
I open my mouth to say something. What exactly I’m not sure, but then I see his eyes dart down to my parted lips and back up to meet my gaze once more.
I close my lips and quirk a smile pulling my hands back from his arm.
He quickly pulls back as if remembering where we are and scratches the back of his neck with his non-snake hand.
“So, um, yeah, I can ask Rick about his schedule and if you want to go in for a consultation or just email him some reference photos beforehand,” Dominic says, pulling out his phone and texting me all the information.
My phone lights up at its arrival but I barely notice it.
My eyes strain to focus back on his mouth.
“That’s great, thank you.” I say, throwing as much honesty behind those words as I can. I really do appreciate him opening up about this. It’s immediately clear to me that Victoria and Rick are way more than just landlords to him.
“So can I see more of what your inspiration is?” He tilts his head towards my phone. I quickly snatch it back into my chest, my head full of new ideas for my tattoo.
“On second thought,” I smirk, “You can see it once it’s finally done.”
“I can hardly wait.” His lips tug up on one side in his signature smirk then part as if he’s about to say something else when a whorl of chestnut hair and jazz hands take over my vision.
“PINKY!” Delaney screeches very close to my ear, rendering me momentarily partially deaf. Blinking away the ringing in my ears, I pull back to find my best friend with the biggest ruby red smile plastered on her face.
“Um, hello, Lane. Why are you smiling at me like one of those clowns in the street?” I ask bemused.
“Hello, Delaney, nice to see you again.” Dominic raises a hand in greeting politely before returning behind the coffee bar.
My mind clicks at the realization that they’ve already met, when Lane scoped him out and said something about a lesbian version of him?
I keep my amusement sequestered as I focus back on what Delaney is saying.
“Hello, hello! OKAY! So, you know the long-distance girlfriend that’s the best person in the whole wide world thing I’ve got going on?” Delaney starts, I nod along. “Well! She’s moving here!”
My eyebrows shoot up, a smile splitting across my face for my best friend’s obvious joy. “That’s amazing! Why the change?” I ask, holding her hands as she practically vibrates in front of me.
“She just finished her program on the east coast and is going to work under the costume director here on campus, while starting a new program in set design in the fall!” Delaney begins squealing.
I glance at Dominic, who has a small smile on his face as he listens in while serving another customer.
“So, are you free to grab lunch so I can talk your ear off more about my amazing girlfriend?” Delaney asks me, then quickly turns towards Dominic, “Oh, Nikkie, you can come too!”
He smiles as he wipes his hands on his apron, “I’d love to, Delaney, and congrats her moving here, but I’m still at work.” He glances at our surroundings pointedly.
“Oh right, okay well then you two definitely have to come out on a double date with us!” Delaney adds, and before I can protest or argue she shushes me with a finger on my lips.
“I will not take no for an answer, Pinky. Tell Nikkie to leave the apron at home and we can figure out a time the next time she visits.” Delaney eyes Dom’s work attire with a raised brow as if he has a choice in the matter.
I put my hands up in surrender, allowing Delaney this victory.
She gives me a quick squeeze, waves to Dominic and runs off yelling something about cleansing her apartment.
I turn back toward Dominic who’s stacking mugs away on the shelf behind him. “I guess we’re going on a date.” I sigh with a shrug.
Dom’s hand slips and a cup shatters across the floor. I startle and turn to grab the broom in the corner but he stops me with a hand raised, not even looking at me, as if already assuming I would offer help.
He clears his throat and chuckles, “I’ve got it, Hoot.” He winks at me and begins sweeping. For some reason I feel all hot and bothered. It’s just a wink, but somehow it has skated its way across my skin like a caress and I shiver in response.
Did his apron always drape so snugly around his thighs?
I screw my eyes shut and mentally chastise myself for looking at Dominic’s thighs. I need to get out of here before I start drooling.
I stash my phone in my purse and turn, making my way for the door. “Okay Peggy, I’m off. I’ll see you on our date!” I jokingly holler over my shoulder just as I make my way past the cafe tables. As my foot crosses the threshold, I hear another cup crash against the linoleum tile.