7. Calista

7

CALISTA

A s soon as I step inside Domino’s house, an overwhelming feeling of belonging washes over me, taking me by surprise. I spent my childhood and adolescence bouncing around schools and different living arrangements, tagging along with my mom as she let her heart lead the way. While I have a lot of great memories of growing up, I’ve never had a place to call home.

Is it crazy that I feel like I’m finally coming home? It’s not the house itself that feels like a warm, reassuring hug, it’s Domino. His presence. Wherever he is, I’m home.

I stand, frozen in the entryway while Domino continues inside and sets down my purse and other belongings he carried inside for me. I don’t realize I’m crying until Domino turns around, his eyes locking on mine.

"Please don't cry," he says softly as he closes the distance between us. The beast of a man deflates before me as if my tears are causing him physical distress. Domino handles me with such care as he cradles my face in his hands, once again brushing my tears away with his thumbs.

“Sorry,” I murmur in between sniffles.

Domino wraps me up in his arms, surrounding me with his strength. I relax into his embrace, knowing with my entire being that he’ll protect me.

“Never apologize to me, Calista,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. The sweet, tender gesture from such a large, muscled man has me swooning for him more than I already do. “God, if I could go back in time…”

“I’m okay,” I tell him, circling my arms around his waist and squeezing him tightly. We stand in the entryway of Domino’s house, holding each other and gently swaying back and forth. I didn’t know this was what my fragile heart needed, but I already feel like I’m healing in more ways than one.

When we finally pull apart, I try not to frown at the loss of him. Domino looks around the living room and then toward the hallway off to the right, which I assume is where the bedrooms are located. “It’s not much, but mi casa es su casa , as they say.” He rubs his hand on the back of his neck as if feeling awkward or possibly anxious about showing me his place.

“I love your home,” I’m quick to tell him.

Domino drops his hand from his neck and turns to face me, a big, adorable, goofy grin on his lips. I’ve never seen him like this but I love that I could bring it out in him.

“That’s high praise coming from a real estate agent,” he says, taking a step closer to me.

I smile and roll my eyes at him. “I’m barely an agent. I haven’t even made my first sale yet,” I tease. I was hoping to take his lead and make a joke, but Domino’s face grows serious as he takes another step closer, resting his hands on my hips and pulling my body against his.

“The only reason you haven’t made a sale yet is because I needed a way to keep seeing you,” he confesses, his voice low and gravelly. I gasp softly as a tremor shoots down my spine, making me throb with need.

“R-really?” I stutter out, not sure I heard him correctly. There’s no way he’s feeling what I’ve been feeling. Yes, he’s been protective and kind to me today, handling me with such care and giving me sweet kisses on the head, but that’s just because he feels guilty, right?

“Really,” he confirms, dipping his head down until our foreheads are touching. We breathe in the same air and I can’t help but let out a quiet yet needy whimper when he tightens his hold on my hips. “So beautiful,” he says more to himself than to me.

That’s all the motivation I need to angle my head and open myself up for my first kiss ever. Domino hums in satisfaction, his lips hovering over mine, those hazel eyes staring at me with such intensity I might just collapse if he weren’t already holding me up.

“Please,” I whisper, nibbling on my bottom lip.

Domino grunts, licking my bottom lip and then sucking on it. One hand slides up my back, pressing me closer as his mouth covers mine. The other hand wanders down to my ass, gripping me there and helping me grind my soaking wet center against his hardening cock. He starts out with gentle strokes of his tongue, sipping from me as if I’m a decadent dessert.

And then he turns ravenous.

Domino growls into my open mouth, diving in deeper, swallowing down my wanton moans while kneading my soft flesh. My hands slide up his chest and around his neck, and I pull him down so he can consume more of me.

I can't remember anything before this moment. All the pain and confusion fall right out of my head as my giant, sexy-as-hell biker owns me with his kiss, branding me and ruining me for all of time.

I tilt my head up, needing to break for air. Domino nips at my ear and jaw, then trails kisses down my neck. He stops suddenly, rearing his head back and loosening his grip on my ass.

“Did I hurt you?” he asks, his voice laced with panic as he looks me up and down. “God, I was lost in our kiss and almost forgot… Jesus, I’m an animal. Are you okay?”

I answer him by fisting his shirt and pulling him closer. I stand on my tiptoes and press my lips to his, licking the seam and teasing him with a little bite on his bottom lip before backing away. “That was perfect,” I tell him, my face flushed from all the excitement.

“It was,” he agrees, cupping my cheek. “You’re perfect,” he murmurs. “Better than I imagined.”

“You thought about kissing me?” I ask, trying and failing to hide a smile.

“Every second of every goddamn day since I laid eyes on you,” he answers with such intensity I have no choice but to believe him. I’m not sure how to respond, but Domino doesn’t leave me hanging for long. “We can talk about that later, though. Right now, I’ll give you the tour for a change.”

“After you,” I say, lowering my voice to a growl in my best Domino impression.

He smirks at me and rolls his eyes, then holds out his arm for me to take. I loop my arm in his and lean against the solid slab of muscle that is Domino’s body, letting him lead the way.

“Over here, we have a living room-slash-den-slash-relaxation zone. Please note that the TV comes fully programmed with every streaming service known to man. Mostly because I always sign up for all of the free trials and then forget to cancel.”

I giggle at his impression of a real estate agent, which makes Domino look over at me with a boyish grin. God, I love every new thing I discover about this man.

“Moving on, you’ll see a kitchen filled with appliances that are at least two decades old. Some people might call it outdated, but I believe the correct term is vintage .”

“Definitely. Very retro,” I agree.

“Just down the hall, we have what is referred to in the biz as a full bathroom.”

A giggle bursts out of me at how silly he’s being. I love it.

“Please hold all questions and comments until the end of the tour,” he mock-scolds me.

“Hey, I never told you that during our tours! I always encouraged questions. You just never took me up on it.”

Domino grins down at me, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Noted.” I swat at his chest playfully before we continue down the hall. “The main bedroom - excuse me, master bedroom - is right here. It includes what is commonly known as an en suite bathroom. Right next door is the guest bedroom, which has never been used.”

“You’re saying I’m your first?” I ask. My face flushes when I realize how that might have been interpreted.

Domino stops the tour and turns to face me, taking my hands in his. “Calista, you are many of my firsts.”

“You, too,” I whisper, swallowing thickly.

Our eyes meet, and so many unspoken words are hidden just beneath the surface. There's so much more to this man than I originally thought. He's undeniably sexy, powerful, tough, and confident in who he is. But there's a softer side that I think he only shows to me.

“Come, let me get you set up in your room and I’ll find some of my clothes you can change into if you want to shower or anything.”

I nod, letting him lead me to the bedroom. “Thank you,” I tell him, though the words feel inadequate for everything he’s doing for me. I didn’t think I’d be so tired this early in the afternoon, but a yawn escapes my lips and takes over my whole body.

“I’ve got you,” he whispers, tucking me into his side and kissing my temple. “I’ll get a towel and clothes set out for whenever you need them. I’ll be doing some chores around the house, but you just take your time, okay? Come find me when you’re all rested up.”

I nod, giving him a sleepy smile. “Thank you for taking care of me,” I say again. “I’ve never… I don’t think I’ve ever felt…” I trail off, not knowing how to put my thoughts into words. “I’ve never felt like I belonged before. But here with you… I don’t know. Never mind.”

Domino doesn’t let me get away with that. He takes my hand and places it over his heart, then tips my chin up with two fingers. His brownish-green eyes latch onto mine, conveying such vulnerability without even saying a word.

“You belong right here,” he whispers, pressing my hand against his chest. “Right here with me.”

I nod, unable to speak at the moment. Domino doesn’t mind. He simply peels my hand off of his chest and kisses my palm. Without another word, he leaves me speechless, standing in his guest bedroom.

Today did not go as planned. I’m still unsure of what the future holds, but for the first time in my entire life, I know I’ll be safe no matter what happens. I had no idea that’s what I was missing until Domino came roaring into my life with his motorcycle, muscles, and surprisingly tender heart.