Sweetness (38 page)

Then nervousness is evident
in Dominic’s posture as we
pull onto his street. By the time we pulled in front of the
dark grey, two-story house, with white shutters Dominic
is stiff as a board and sweating bullets. As he collects
himself, I take a second to watch the neighborhood at
play.

The houses on his block are all very similar. There
are small children playing in front yards and riding bikes
on this unusually warm November day. Even though my
house is much bigger and no doubt has more amenities, I
think I would have rather grown up in a place like this.

“You ready?” Dominic asks as a woman in scrubs
exits the house, glancing behind her until she is hidden
from view behind the garbage cans next to the garage.
She takes one glance around and lights up a cigarette,
blowing the smoke straight up.

“That would be my mother, trying to hide from
my father because she is not supposed to be smoking.
Let’s go have some fun with her,” Dominic says, clearly
annoyed by his mothers actions.

He snaps open the door and I do the same,
greeting him at the front of the car. He puts his finger up
to his lip to tell me to be very quiet as we round the
corner to the side of the house. We lean against the
garage door and stay perfectly quiet for what seems like
an eternity. Dominic clears his throat as Nancy rounds
the corner startling her and causing her to take a step
back and grasp at her chest.

“Jesus H. Christ, Dominic, you scared the ever
livin’ shit outta me, boy,” she yells, slapping him on the
arm before pulling him into a big hug. Dominic returns
the hug and lifts the small woman clear off her feet. I can
see his face scrunch up as he holds back the emotions he
feels right now seeing his mother.

Seeing the love that he has for his mother makes me a
little envious. I never had that kind of relationship with
either of my parents. My father is the parent that I am
closest with but he moved out when I was five so I never
really had the whole nuclear family thing going on at
home. My mother was a shell of a person who was barely
surviving herself; she was never what you would call
warm and fuzzy. The closest thing I had to a stable
parent was Mrs. Cross.

Dominic places his mother back on her feet. The
small, curvy woman wipes away a lone tear as she kisses
her son on his cheeks multiple times. “Okay, okay, okay.
You can stop kissing me now.”

“Never. You’re my baby and I will kiss you until
my dying day. I don’t care if your new fiancé likes it or
not,” she scolds jutting her thumb in my direction.

With wide eyes, unable to speak I stutter out
something incoherent while the two of them laugh at me.
“Be nice ma’.”
“Oh, I am only playing with the girl,” she drawls
out with a strong twang of a southern accent. “Besides if
the little lady is going to be part of this here family, she
better get used to it. With you boys, there is hardly ever a
serious moment between ya’.”
Stepping along side me, Dominic snaked his arm
around my waist and kisses the side of my head before
making proper introductions. “Emma Hill, my mother,
Nancy Ross.”
“Nice to meet you, Nancy,” I offer my hand to her
and hear Dominic softly laugh in my ear. Nancy shakes
her head, grabs my hand, and hurls me toward her. For
being several inches shorter than me, she sure is
powerful.
“Darlin’ in this family, we hug. And as long as
you are good to my boy,” she pulls back and smiles
warmly at me. “I’ll love you like a daughter. But you
break his heart, sweetie, I’ll skin you alive.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I swallow hard. Correcting myself,
“I mean, Nancy.”
“That’s better. Now, lets go see your father. He
has been pacing patiently for you to get home. Making
me a damn nervous wreck.” Nancy steps around us and
heads in the direction of the front porch, with us trailing
closely behind.
“That why you are hiding by the garbage cans
smoking?” Nancy stopped dead in her tracks causing us
both to nearly knock her over.
“Now, sweetheart, if you want me to feed you
while you are home you will forget you saw that.”
“Stop smoking ma’! Or I’m telling dad,” Dominic
challenges.
Tuning back toward the house Nancy groans,
“Ingrate.”
Stepping into the house, it smells like I expected it
to; warm cinnamon and clean laundry. The double story
foyer showcases family photos on every surface, all the
way up open staircase. I can see a stone fireplace in the
living room blazing to my left. A man, who I assume is
Dominic’s father, Jason, considering he is his identical
twin, is walking toward us from the dining room to my
right.
Without looking in her direction, I hear Nancy
sniff and excuse herself to the back of the house. Jason
gives me a tight smile and stands in front of Dominic,
both waiting for the other to make a move.
Dominic sticks his hand out to his father as a sign
of respect. “Hey, dad.”
Jason looks at his son’s outreached hand and
swallows hard. Without hesitation Jason pulls his son
into a tight hug and slaps him on the back a few time.
Dominic doesn’t return the hug immediately. He looks
stunned by his father’s actions. When it finally registers,
Dominic returns his fathers embrace just as intensely.
Jason chokes out, “Welcome home, son,” as he
pulls back and clasps Dominic around the side of his
neck with his thumbs on his cheeks.
“Thanks, dad. Good to be home.” With a soft nod,
Jason releases his son and looks in my direction.
“You must be, Emma. I’m Jason.”
“Yes, I’m Emma. Very nice to meet you, Jason. I
have heard a lot about you.”
“From him?” Jason nods toward Dominic, “Don’t
believe a word.”
With a wink matching his sons, I can see where
Dominic gets his charisma and good looks. Jason Ross
could be Dominic’s older brother instead of his father. He
has the same sandy blond hair and piercing green eyes.
He stands slightly taller than Dominic and wears his age
well.
“I have heard nothing but good things about your
family, sir,” I assure him.
“Watch her, Jason, she’s a smooth one. She
managed to charm the pants off of all of us,” bellowed
Rocco as he bounces down the stairs. When he reached
the foyer he sweeps me off my feet and twirls me around
before setting me back down. Jason gives me a
questioning look and Dominic slaps Rocco on the back of
the head.
“Well, not all of us, just Junior here,” Rocco jokes
rubbing the back of his head.
“Miss me, Roc?”
“Hell yes. Now that Dom is going to be getting
laid regularly, he’ll stop being a moody little bitch.”
Rocco ducked another one of Dominic’s slaps and
returned one of his own, “Ooohhh, too slow.”
“Well, Emma, I see you had your hands full with
these clowns, plus Justin. And you lived to tell the tale.”
Jason shook his head pushing Rocco out of the foyer to
the back of the house where Nancy disappeared to.
“I see there is never a dull moment around here.”
“Not many, Sweetness. Wanna’ go see my room
now?” Dominic pulls me to his hard chest and leans his
forehead on mine just as the doorbell rings, repeatedly.
“That would be Justin.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he always rings the bell that way
because it irritates the fuck out of my father,” he tells me
before yelling through the door to come in.
“Well hello there, beautiful. I see my friend here is
in better spirits, so he must have already gotten laid,”
Justin snickers, kissing my cheek as a greeting.
“Fuck you, man. I was not moody. I was just tired
of looking at your sorry asses, day after day.”
From the back of the house Nancy yells for us all
to come and sit down for lunch. I really like this family
already. They are so easy going with one another, and
from what I can tell, Jason and Nancy, have an open door
policy for anyone they consider family. Before Dominic
sits down his father calls him into the other room, to
speak with him privately. I can tell by the look on his face
he is on guard. After giving me a quick peck on the cheek
and breathing deeply a few times he follows his father
into the living room.
It feels like forever before he returns to the table,
smiling. When he sits down next to me I can see his eyes
are glassy, as if he were crying. Before sitting, he puts his
hand on my cheek and quietly whispers in my ear,
“Would you mind if I invite my parents and my friends
to the wedding tomorrow?”
I nod my head to confirm my approval. It was
Dominic’s idea to keep everyone out so if he wants to
invite his family, who am I to refuse.
“Mom, dad, Emma and I have something to tell
you.”
“She’s pregnant,” Justin blurts out without
hesitation. Nancy gasps and Jason’s eyes dart around the
table. The room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Throwing a roll at Justin, Dominic responds. “No
ass. She is not pregnant.” Dominic turns to me and asks
with a full-blown smile stretching over his face, “You’re
not, are you?” Nancy gasps again and I narrow my eyes
at him as I shake my head.
“Pity. Anyhow. Emma and I are getting married-“
“We know.” Chris interrupts.
“Can I finish?” Dominic inquires. Chris waves his
hand for him to continue. “As I was saying. Emma and I
are getting married…tomorrow. In Vegas. We would like
you all to be there.”
“Hell yeah!” Rocco cheers, high-fiving Justin.
“Son, what’s the rush?”
“No rush, dad. I just want to marry her tomorrow.
She agreed, so I don’t see a reason in waiting.”
“What about your family, Emma, don’t you want
them there?”
The guys all focus their attention back to their
plates. Suddenly they are all very interested in putting
food in their mouths.
“No, Nancy, my father doesn’t necessarily
approve of us getting married and my mother and stepfather…Dominic and I just wanted this to be for us. My
family is…complicated,” my voice trails off at the end.
Complicated. That is the understatement of the
century.
“Why does your father not approve?” Jason
probes. I can see he puts it together as soon as the
question is out of his mouth. The irritation that someone
may not like her son is thrumming off Nancy as Jason
gives her a sympathetic nod.
“Look, it doesn’t have to do with, Dominic
,specifically. My father just thinks that Dominic and I are
too different. I’m sure once he gets accustomed to the
idea, it will be fine.”
“Hum, well, better he ain’t gonna’ be there then.”
Nancy sits back in her chair and crosses her arms.
“This is why I didn’t want any family. I don’t
want this to be about anyone but, Emma and me. I would
like you all to be there, but no drama. I mean it. We are
doing this our way.” Dominic points around the table.
“Can we have a bachelor party tonight?” Rocco
asks, wiggling his brows.
“NO!” Dominic and I answer in unison.
“Pussy whipped already,” Rocco mumbles with a
grin and a wink in my direction.
“Rocco!” Nancy scolds. “Dominic, if you want us
there, we are there. I have off for the next two days so
after my shift tonight your father and I will fly out. I
wouldn’t miss my sons wedding for the world.”
Nancy stands from her seat and kisses Dominic on
his head and me on my cheek before clearing her plate
and declaring she has packing and stuff to do so she
must get ready before work. Jason excuses himself to
look up flights for everyone. Dominic and I insist on
paying for the trip. When I hand him my black corporate
AMEX card, so Jason so he can make the
accommodations, he looks at me wearily.
“It is the brides father who is supposed to pay for
the wedding, is it not,” I tilt my head and shrug my
shoulders. “Feel free Jason, to book everyone first class
air travel and three villa’s at the Bellagio. That way you
and Nancy won’t have to share with these
knuckleheads.” Jason purses his lips and nods his head
in approval before retreating back to the kitchen. The
guys all clear their plates from the table and declare they
have to run some last minute errands if they are going to
leave tomorrow.
Pulling me into his lap, Dominic kisses the side of
my head. “Wanna’ see my room now.”
“I thought you would never ask,” I giggle as I
hope off his lap, earning myself a slap on the ass when I
leave him hanging for a kiss. “Owww, so rough.”
“Oh, honey, you ain’t seen rough,” he tells me as
we take the steps two at a time.
“Looking forward to it, Mr. Ross.” I lose my nerve
as I get to the top of the steps and realize I don’t know
which room is his. He slams into my back with his body
and lifts me off the ground toward the door at the end of
the hall. I attempt to wiggle free but his strong arms hold
me in place as he nips and my shoulder and growls like a
caveman.
He throws open the door and once we are in his
room, I can feel the energy change. Just thinking of
fulfilling Dominic’s little fantasy about fucking me in his
childhood bedroom, makes me giddy straightaway.
Dominic locks the door and leans against it, arms behind
his back, a hungry look in his eye.
I divert my eyes and take in the pale blue room
with a navy blue accent wall that showcases the bands
show posters over the years. There is a queen size,
wrought iron bed in the middle of the far wall, a chest of
drawers on the wall near the door and various guitars
and music memorabilia cluttering up the space. This is
every bit, a boy’s room.
“Come here, Emma,” he says in a deep voice while
curling his index finger in my direction to emphasize his
command. I swallow hard and slowly sway her over to
him like a tigress.
“No way you are toping me from the bottom,
baby. This will go how I planned and I will not let you
distract me.”
When I am standing a foot in front of him Dominic
steps behind me to remove my sundress. After he lifts it
over my head and tosses it onto the floor, he runs his
fingertips down my arms, over my stomach and grazes
his thumb on the outside of my white cotton panties.
“Ummm, you smell delicious baby.” He sniffs my
neck and runs his tongue along my collarbone causing
my skin to pucker with goosebumps.
My head rolls to the side to give his tongue better
access to the heated flesh on my neck.
“Remove your bra and panties, Sweetness.
Slowly…very slowly. I want to watch you,” his voice is
husky and deep, it drips over me like warm caramel.
I turn toward my soon to be husband and remove
my bra without breaking eye contact. Dominic has not
taken his eyes off mine. As his green jewels bore into my
blue, his need and hunger for me is written all over his
face.
“Did you know I was an alter boy?” I shake my
head in the negative.
What an odd question to ask a naked woman in
your bedroom.
“I was. Until I was fourteen. My mother insisted.
Went to church every Sunday, too.”
“Really?”
“Yup. So every night for as long as I can
remember I would kneel by my bed and pray. Do you
know what I prayed for, Emma?”
I can only imagine. “Let me guess. Me?”
“Not exactly. After my dick got hard for the first
time, my prayers would be for a smoking hot girl to strip
down in my room and allow me the pleasure of
worshiping her like an angel.”
“Guess today is your luck day, Mr. Ross. Your
prayers have been answered,” I mock as I pull his shirt
over his head.
“Not quite. You see as I got older, my prayers and
fantasies have grown. Now, be a good girl and kneel on
the floor at the foot of my bed and pray for me.”
“WHAT?!” I laugh, but his expression is anything
but comical.
“You heard me. Oh, and remove your panties or I
will rip them off.” I hesitate, but his warning glare tells
me he is absolutely not joking around.
“Now,” he mouths. I comply this time.
“What about you? I am naked and you haven’t
removed a stitch of clothing. Hardly seems fair.”
“Oh, baby, you thought I played fair. You may not
know me as well as you think you do,” he says flashing
me a mischievous smirk. I give him a curt nod and kneel
by the bed with my hands interlaced and my eyes close.
I can’t see, but I can hear him kicking off his shoes
and removing his socks, and jeans. Dominic kneels
behind me and urges my legs wider apart by smacking
my inner thighs.
“Tell me baby, what are you praying for?” he asks,
directly into my ear.
“Right now, I am praying you are going to fuck
me, soon.”
“Very naughty, beautiful girl. Perhaps prayer isn’t
going to do it. Perhaps a good old fashion spanking is
what you need,” just as he finishes his statement his
hand comes down loud and hard on my ass.
I feel his lips part to a grin as he kisses between
my shoulder blades. The anticipation of what he is going
to do next is exciting me to a frothy frenzy. I am turned
on, and scared at the same time. There is something that
sizzles inside my body at the thought of him dominating
me. He dips his head down to kiss the back of my neck
but I reach behind me and pull his mouth down to mine
over my left shoulder. I can feel his erection in my lower
back and I am vaguely aware that I am moaning. Very
loudly.