“You always this jumpy?” he questioned without looking my way.
“You always this… close?” I countered.
“When I want to be,” he answered, finally looking at me.
The bell chimed, and the doors opened. Domino stepped out first, but not before giving me one last look that stayed with me all the way back to the room.
***
The following morning dawned bright and fresh. It was my first real chance to explore the house in its entirety. The place was too big to take in all at once. It stretched in different directions and split into wings like it had secrets tucked behind every corner. My curiosity led me down a particularly quiet hallway that I hadn’t previously encountered. The energy over there felt different, like that part of the house wasn’t meant for just anybody.
I paused in front of a set of double doors. Hesitantly, I pushed them open and immediately halted my steps in awe.
In the center of the room, engrossed in a workout, was Domino. He stood with his shirt off, beads of sweat glistening on his skin as he methodically moved through another slow set of weights. The muscles in his arms and chest flexed powerfully,showcasing the dedication he poured into his routine. The morning light streamed in from the tall windows behind him, making his skin glisten like polished stone. My heart picked up without permission as my eyes drifted to the large tattoo of a chess king boldly inked across his shoulder blades, a thin streak of red woven through the design, reminiscent of blood dripping down.
Domino completed his set, setting the weights down with a practiced ease, and turned to face me. Our eyes locked, and a jolt of electricity sparked between us.
He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “You lost?”
I opened my mouth, a flurry of thoughts rushing through my mind, but found myself momentarily speechless.
“I—no! I was just… getting to know my new surroundings,” I stammered.
He grabbed a towel, dragging it slowly across his face, his eyes never leaving mine. “This my wing.”
“Oh.” I shifted uncomfortably, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and fascination. “I’m sorry… I didn’t know.”
A corner of his mouth lifted into a teasing smile. “Most people don’t end up over here by accident.”
Despite my best intentions, my eyes drifted, drinking in the sight of his sculpted chest, toned arms, and the defined lines of his abdomen before I caught myself, suddenly aware of my wandering gaze.
“I’ll, uh… I’ll let you get back to…” I gestured vaguely at the weights, “… that.”
I turned to go, desperately searching for a graceful exit.
“Hold up.”
His tone wasn’t raised, yet it held a magnetic quality that made me freeze mid-step.
I glanced back, compelled by his commanding presence.
“Well,” he continued, stepping closer with a relaxed confidence, “since you’re already here, you might as well have a cup of coffee with me.”
My brow furrowed in confusion. “Coffee?”
“Yeah. I want to know more about you."
My heart skipped a beat. “Me?”
“You,” he confirmed. “The girl who has been the topic of discussion these last few weeks.”
There was no flirtation in his tone, just the straightforward curiosity of someone genuinely interested.
I hesitated for a moment, weighing my options, then nodded slowly, feeling a mixture of curiosity and nervous excitement. “Oh. Okay.”
Domino reached for a shirt draped over a nearby chair and pulled it over his head, effectively concealing the very things I had been trying not to stare at. With a casual motion, he beckoned me to follow.
“Come on.”
