Nate

Whatever that was, I need more of it. I stand in the middle of the sidewalk as the cab drives away, watching her spin in her seat to watch me until they disappear around a corner. Her eyes are wide, her lips parted, her cheeks flushed. I’ve never seen Domino Thorne lose her composure and wasn’t even sure it could happen.

Until today.

The snow falls in earnest now. Heavy clumps fill the slices of light streaming from the windows along the street. It catches in my eyelashes and gathers on my shoulders. Clings to my hair and covers the tire tracks left by Dom’s taxi in a matter of seconds. I hail a cab and climb inside, pulling my phone out of my pocket after I give the driver my address.

10:37 pm Me: Text me when you’re home so I know you’re safe.

Maybe it’s an invasion of her privacy. Maybe it’s too pushy. Hell, I’m certain it’s a tad on the presumptive side. But I protect the things that matter to me and that kiss moved Dom firmly into that category. The cab slips and slides through the streets and I grip my phone in my hand. I smile when it buzzes.

11:08 pm Domino Thorne: Safe. Your turn.

11:10 pm Me: My turn?

11:11 pm Domino Thorne: To text me when you’re safe.

When the cabbie pulls up in front of my building, I pay him—tipping generously—and trudge through the snow. It falls into my shoes, freezing my ankles through my socks. I stomp my feet as soon as I’m under the awning near the front door.

11:20 pm Me: Safe.

I don’t wait for her to respond because I know she won’t. The phone goes right back in my pocket as the doorman nods on my way in. If I thought I was obsessed before, that kiss flipped a switch in me. For three years, I’ve fantasized about her. Put her so high up on a pedestal that even I knew it would be damn near impossible for her to live up to my expectations.

But that kiss.

If it’s any kind of indicator, the reality of Dom will obliterate my fantasies. I’m too keyed up to sleep, regardless of my early morning at the gym and the several glasses of bourbon I had at the bar. As soon as I’m in my condo, I pour myself another drink and head straight to the wall of windows. Lean my arm against one and stare out at the city. I never expected to get myself here. Into a condo this size, in a city this big. Never expected my little browser idea to turn into something as big as Technocrat.

It makes me wonder how much I’m underestimating Dom.

When I finally feel myself getting tired, I clean up for bed, retrieving my phone from my coat pocket to plug it in on the bedside table. It’s not until I crawl under the covers and turn out the lights that I notice the notification light blinking. Propping myself up on one elbow, I open the app. Immediately after my one-word text to Dom—Safe—is a one-word text from her.

11:20 pm Domino Thorne: Good.

* * *

Snow covers the city. Anywhere else, this much snow would bring things to a standstill. Not here. I step out onto the sidewalk, just as bundled as everyone else, and slip and slide my way to the gym.

On my way, I pass kids shrieking and laughing as they toss snow in the air with their mittened hands. An elderly woman drowning in a heavy coat and too many scarves, fighting a small dog off the front porch of a brownstone. A pair of hipsters ironically leaning on a No Standing sign, passing a cigarette back and forth and rolling their eyes at everything they see.

The gym is packed. All the people who would normally brave the cold have been chased inside by the snow and the treadmills whirr away in a frenzy of heel thumping and heavy breathing. I couldn’t stand it. All that energy and effort just to stay in one place.

“There you are.” Eric, my gym partner, looks up from his phone as I enter the locker room. “Thought you were about to stand me up again.”

I take a seat next to him on the bench and slide off my snow-soaked shoes. “Again? Since when have I ever missed a day at the gym?”

“I’m talking about last night.” Eric leans his elbows on his knees and pulls up a playlist. “You took one look at those chicks at Cadillac Jack’s and left me to fend for myself.”

“I wanted to make a good impression.” I raise my eyebrows. “And just how the hell was I supposed to do that with you tagging along?”

“That’s cold, man.” Eric stands. “But no worries. I snagged that beauty with the big bouncy titties when you got up to take a piss.”

“The one with the dark hair?”

“That’s the one.”

“Did you at least give her your real name?” If Eric fucked Dom’s friend and then pulls his typical disappearing shit, that could spell real trouble for me and Dom. Assuming there is a me and Dom. And assuming she ever finds out that Eric’s my friend.

“Actually, I did.” Eric stands. “You ready to get moving or are we just gonna stand in here all day?”

Eric’s not a bad guy, but he’s not necessarily a good one either. He’s cocky enough to push hard for what he wants and won’t back down easily, which makes him a great gym partner. We meet five days a week and Saturday’s are typically my favorite day at the gym. With zero deadlines hanging over us, we can spend as much time as we want on as many exercises as we can handle.

Today though, I’m not into the workout at all. My mind is so wrapped up in Dom, the woman going to town on one of the treadmills keeps catching my attention. Her back is facing me, but those long, lean legs and that blonde ponytail bouncing behind her are enough to keep making me think it’s her.

“Dude.” Eric’s sitting on a weight bench, glaring up at me, sweat dripping off his face. “Where the fuck are you?”

I stare down at him. “Right here.”

“Nope. Your body’s right here, but your brain is way the fuck gone.” He points to several plates on the bench press. “That enough weight or do you want more?”

I check what he’s got on there. “That’s good.” My eyes flit to the tight ass in the black leggings on the treadmill.

“Light weight.” Eric grins while I slide into position on the bench, grip the bar, and push it upwards, taking the weight.

I spend the rest of the workout focused on what I’m doing, only occasionally checking to see if I can catch a glimpse of the runner’s face. By the time we’re done, I’m sweaty as all hell and my muscles are so shaky, they might as well be made of sand. Eric says his goodbyes and heads into the locker room while I refill my water bottle at the fountain. I’m stalling. I need to see if that woman is Dom and I can’t do that while he’s around. If it is her, I don’t want to share her with anyone. It’s only a matter of minutes before he comes out of the locker room, his hood pulled down over his face and his gym bag hiked up on his shoulder, and swaggers right on out of the gym.

The closer I get to the woman on the treadmill, the more certain I am that it’s Dom. I’ve been a member here for years and can’t remember seeing her once. I stop beside her machine, glancing at the readout on the screen.

“Seventeen miles?” I sound as incredulous as I feel.

She looks down at me, her eyes cool and dismissive until she recognizes me and smiles. “Are you following me?” Her breathing is labored, but considering she’s been running for about an hour and a half, it’s not that labored.

“Me? Following you? I’d say it’s the other way around.”

“You show up at the same bar I go to every Friday with my friend. And now,” she says as she slows the speed on her machine. “You’re here at my gym. Alone. Both times. That doesn’t strike you as odd?”

“First of all. This is my gym. And second of all, I wasn’t alone. Neither time. Nothing strange at all.”

Domino makes a show of looking around for someone. “Not alone, huh?” She arches an eyebrow. “You realize you sound crazy. Claiming to own a whole gym and to have invisible friends.”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t own the gym. But I’m here almost every day and have never seen you.”

“Maybe you just weren’t looking.”

“Believe me, I’d have remembered seeing you.”

Dom frowns, her eyes locked on mine. I don’t know what kind of reaction I expected, but that isn’t it.

“I normally run outside.” She ups the speed on her machine. “Too much snow today.” She glances back at me. “And I’ve been coming here for years, too. You work out in the mornings before heading to the office. Usually with a guy who looks like he’s got more muscles than brains.”

“See,” I say, smiling to cover up how surprised I am. “Not alone.” And with that, I drop her a wink and walk away, pleased to hear her low chuckle as I head into the locker room.

* * *

By Monday morning, the roads are clear enough for my driver feel comfortable behind the wheel, but the temperatures have dropped. It’s not just cold. It’s frigid. I burrow into my coat on the way to work, mulling over a decision I have only a few hours to make. I want to ask Dom out for dinner but I don’t want to cause a scandal at work. I am the boss, I own the damn company, and the child in me keeps pointing out that means I can do anything I want while the adult continues to remind me that in fact, it means the exact opposite.

I spend the entire Monday Meeting of Minds with the thought circling around my head. The hour passes and I barely say a word, which is unusual for me. My nine o’clock meeting with Dom is a little easier. I finally have every excuse in the world to give her my undivided attention. Another woman would crumple under the intensity but Dom laps it up and begs for more.

“Your data is good. The idea’s solid.” I flip through the stack of papers she presented me one more time. “Put together a proposal and let’s get this thing started.”

Dom grins. “Really? Just like that?” Her entire face brightens, her typically cold blue eyes warm until they sparkle.

“Just like that.” I lean back. “I can’t promise anything more than one step at a time, but this is something worth pursuing. Well done, Ms. Thorne.”

Her eyes blaze into mine. “You can call me Dom.” She glances at my lips and two points of color blaze across her cheeks.

“Come out with me,” I say. “Dinner. Tonight.”

She crosses her legs and leans an elbow on the arm of her chair, resting her chin ever so lightly on her pointer finger. “Why?”

“Because I want more time with you.”

“Good.” She runs her finger up along her bottom lip. “When?”

“Tonight. Seven o’clock.”

“Text me the details. I’ll meet you there.” She stands, gathers her things, and saunters out of the office, pausing in the doorway to look over her shoulder. “Nate?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s only fair to warn you. You’re not going to be able to keep up with me.” And with that, she leaves the room, leaving me to stare after her, my dick so hard I’m surprised my pants haven’t split open.