Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Domi
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” Domi panted, ducking down behind a large wall, pressing her back against it. A moment later, Mitch slammed into position beside her, the lights on his chest blinking ominously.
Glancing at them, she snickered.
“Quiet,” he said defensively. “You’re a much smaller target than me.”
“Should have thought about that before we got in here,” she told him with a smirk. She wasn’t the one who had chosen laser tag for their first date. “Besides, I warned you I was awesome at this.”
He flashed a quick, hot grin and winked.
“Which is exactly why I chose it. I wanted to see you in action.”
As first dates went, it wasn’t exactly ripe for conversation, but Domi was still learning a lot about Mitch. He was competitive but a good sport. He wanted to win but accepted defeat gracefully. He was also a show-off and a goof, even in the middle of trying to win.
“I have to admit, I’m not doing as well as I usually do.” Domi groaned as she pushed herself into a crouching position, a spot in the small of her back aching slightly. “I’m getting too old for this shit.”
“Okay, Murtaugh,” Mitch said, laughing. He bumped her shoulder, leaning down to sneak in a quick kiss that sparked some heat, even though it couldn’t go anywhere. He was turning out to be a tease. “You’re only what, three years younger than me? I’m thirty.”
“I’m a mom,” Domi countered. “That means the last five years have operated more like dog years. Now, move it, old man.” She leapt into action rather than letting him kiss her again, sprinting across to the next barricade, shooting in the direction of the other team.
The birthday party of ten-year-olds were far more vicious opponents than any adults could be.
They were smaller, faster, and didn’t have any hesitation in throwing themselves in any and all directions, whereas Domi kept worrying about throwing out her back.
Yeah, yeah, she knew she wasn’t that old, but it was times like this when she felt like it.
At least half of the birthday party was on her and Mitch’s team, even if that half didn’t seem super happy about it.
Kind of demoralizing to realize they were the weakest link.
It was still fun as hell… especially since she was kicking Mitch’s ass. Maybe he’d spank hers later to make up for it.
Mitch
Last place. Not second to last, that spot belonged to Domi. Nope, full-on last place. Most number of times killed and injured, least number of hits on anyone else. Embarrassing. Mitch put his hand over his heart as he looked up at the board, shaking his head mournfully.
“This is the last time I play laser tag with a bunch of people half my size.”
“Hey, I’m not that short!” Domi elbowed him in the side, making him grunt.
Chuckling, he wrapped his arm around her. As petite as she was, she tucked in nicely next to him. She was more like two-thirds than half his size.
“What was that?” he asked, leaning down. “I couldn’t hear you all the way down there.”
“I will end you,” she threatened, but she was laughing and jabbing her fingers into his side, trying to tickle him… or something. Mitch tensed his stomach muscles, blocking her attempt. “I don’t have to stand here and take this.”
“That’s right, you could bend over the table and take it.” He curved his fingers around her ribcage just under her breast, feeling the softness of her breasts before she wiggled away.
“Mitch!” she hissed, half-laughing, half-aghast. “The kids!”
“They aren’t watching… or listening,” he said, glancing around.
The kids were involved in their own little party world.
The only ones looking at him and Domi were the ones who had been on their team and weren’t too happy about losing.
Pretty clear who they blamed. “Come on, let’s go get dinner. I’m starving.”
Then she wouldn’t be able to scold him about anything else filthy that fell out of his mouth. What could he say? He had a one-track mind when she was around, especially with the shirt she was wearing. His fingers stroked down the sleeve. It was so soft.
“So, is laser tag a normal date for you?” Domi asked as they walked out of the building. Mitch steered her down the sidewalk. The restaurant he’d chosen was on the other side of the shopping complex.
“Wouldn’t know.” Mitch shrugged. “I haven’t been on a date since high school. I did laser tag and paintball fairly regularly then, but it was always with a group of friends, so I don’t know that you could call it a date, even if my girlfriend was there.”
When Domi came to a halt, Mitch had to as well or risk knocking her over. She stared up at him in surprise. “You haven’t been on a date since high school?”
“Nope.” A bit of anxiety welled up at the reminder.
Hmmm, he hadn’t felt anxious while they were running around the laser tag arena.
Shaking her head, Domi started walking again, and Mitch’s stomach twisted in anxious worry.
What must she think of him right now? Shit.
He needed to give her some kind of explanation.
“My parents had a really nasty divorce my freshman year of high school.”
She turned her head to look at him, her expression a little softer.
“That convinced you that you should never have a relationship?” There was a dubious quality to the question as though she didn’t understand why that would be enough.
“Sort of. It wasn’t the divorce so much.
Hell, by the time they separated, I was relieved.
I think they stayed together for too long, thinking they were doing it for my sake, but it was awful living with them while they were fighting all the time.
Then they divorced, and I thought it would be better…
but it wasn’t.” He shook his head, trying to shake off some of the dark emotions creeping in at the memories.
“They couldn’t stay away from each other, even after the divorce was final, and not because of me. ”
“What do you mean?” she asked when he paused, bewildered. Yeah, it didn’t make sense to him either.
“Mom always says just because they can’t be together doesn’t mean they don’t love each other.
I came home freshman year of college to find them going at it on the kitchen counter.
” Mitch winced exaggeratedly, and Domi laughed.
“They were always doing that. I could always tell when they were seeing each other on the sly and when they fell apart again.”
Domi’s arm wrapped around his middle, squeezing him in a half hug. She pressed the side of her head against his chest, warming him against some of the cold beginning to creep in.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been.”
“It sucked. Gave me a pretty skewed view of love. Went to college, and… well, I didn’t want to try.
Didn’t meet anyone who made me want to try.
” Winking down at her, he tightened his arm to give her a little squeeze back.
“Now, I look at everyone at Stronghold now and start thinking… maybe BDSM helps make a difference.”
“There do seem to be an awful lot of happy couples, doesn’t there?” Domi mused. She grinned when Mitch turned to the left, putting Pasta Plus directly in front of them. Despite its cheesy name, it was damn good Italian and one of his favorite restaurants. “Please tell me we’re going to Pasta Plus.”
“Well, now that you’ve expressed your wish, how can I possibly say no?” Mitch teased. “But yes. It’s my favorite restaurant.”
“One of mine, too. Ana chose to come here for her birthday the past two years. We both love their rose sauce.”
“Then that’s another thing we have in common.” Mitch grinned, his heart lifting. See, nothing to worry about. This was working out really well already. Dating wasn’t so hard.
Domi
As first dates went, Domi couldn’t remember when she’d had a better one. Granted, she hadn’t had any in recent memory, but she hadn’t been as closed off as Mitch before she had Ana. She’d had some first dates.
There weren’t any awkward silences through dinner—only delicious ones after their food came.
She stole some of the ravioli in rose sauce from his plate, and he returned the favor, going after her baked ziti in rose sauce.
They were both starving from all the running around.
It was light, easy conversation, a little banter about who had chosen the better meal, some teasing about the laser tag.
Domi didn’t bring up his parents, though she did tell him a little about hers and more about how she co-parented with Marcus and Julia.
In return, Mitch told her some of his funnier ER stories.
Kind of funny how they’d ended up together.
Domi wouldn’t call herself commitment-phobic, just apprehensive about dating, and Mitch clearly felt the same way.
From what he said about his parents, she got that.
It sounded as if he’d been given a pretty skewed view of what marriage looked like, whereas she’d always had her parents’ loving example.
The fact he’d decided to take a chance on her…
No pressure, right?
When they pulled up to her house, Domi had no doubt Rae was peeking out the front window, waiting inside for an update. She pressed her lips together, amused. Rae was going to have to wait a bit longer.
Mitch walked her to the door, his hand wrapped around hers.
His blue eyes twinkled before he leaned down to kiss her.
Lips pressed against each other, parted, opened.
She leaned into the kiss, her body rousing in anticipation.
Playing laser tag hadn’t been particularly erotic, neither had dinner, but knowing how much fun they could have together? Yeah.
Her lips curved as he began to straighten. Hands pressed against his chest, she curved her fingers slightly, hooking them into his shirt.
“Do you want to come in?” she asked sultrily, teasingly, knowing he would say yes.
“Not tonight.” He pressed his lips against hers, a quick kiss as she stared up at him with shock.
“Not tonight?”
“Now, Domi, you can’t expect me to put out on the first date. I’m not that easy.” Mitch stepped back, pulling away from her and smoothing his hands over his shirt where she’d wrinkled it.
Domi scowled at him. Seriously?
“We’ve been fucking for months!”
“That was when we weren’t dating,” he said breezily over his shoulder, making his way back to the car in the driveway.
Fuming, Domi still found herself checking out his ass as he went. What? He had a really nice butt, and it looked good in jeans.
“You suck,” she called after him.
“Sadist, remember?” Opening his car door, he winked at her, leaning against the opening. “Speaking of, don’t you dare get yourself off. I’ll know.”
“And what, you’ll punish me?” Yeah, she knew she was bratting, but hey, she was disappointed. She’d had a really great first date, a really great end of the first date kiss, and had been looking forward to some really great first date orgasms.
Hmmm.
Wait… does this mean I’m easy?
“I’ll tie you to a spanking bench with your legs spread far apart and use a vibrator on you until you’re begging me to cum…
and I still won’t let you.” A wicked grin accompanied his threat, and Domi’s horror rose even as the words sent a shot of lust straight to her pussy.
Her body was so messed up sometimes. The picture he painted was hot as fuck but also sounded awful.
She couldn’t decide whether or not she actually wanted him to do it.
Would it be worth it?
Probably not.
Sadist.
One who had already proved very adept at knowing exactly how to punish her—and not in a fun painful way.
Giving her a jaunty wave, Mitch closed the car door and got his seat belt buckled. Domi crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at him, still disbelieving he was going to leave her standing there, sexually frustrated. Sure enough, he gave her another wave and drove away.
The rat bastard.
Stomping into the house, Domi flounced to the couch where Rae was sitting. The expression of surprise on her bestie’s face didn’t help anything.
“Was it bad?”
“No.” Domi bit off the word. “It was really good! But apparently, Mr. Manwhore doesn’t fuck on the first date.”
There was a long moment of silence, then Rae burst out laughing.
No love. No love from anyone.