His Games, Her Rules

You know that moment in your life when you wished you’d quit your job and do something else with your life? Well, this is that moment for me.

As I park my car, I wish this is a bad dream and maybe I’ll wake up sooner than later, but it’s not a dream. This is really happening. I’m in Dominique Gray’s house and I’m here to administer him treatment.

Monday has never been my day. Mondays are one of the worst days in the week and I despise Mondays. I was doing my work today, attending to patients assigned to me when I got a call that the president of St. Jose wanted to see me. On getting there, I was told Dominique Gray, the hospital’s stockholder and “New York’s finest” was ill and needed treatment in his home and he “specifically” wanted me to come over and administer his treatment.

He could have gotten anyone, a registered nurse, a doctor, anyone at all, but yet he wanted me to be the one. I wanted to argue and tell my superior I couldn’t do it, but I didn’t because I knew it wouldn’t help plead my case.

So here I am, thinking to myself if I’m ready to face the one man who’s swept me off my feet and kept me on edge even though I’ll never admit that to anyone or myself. After our encounter at his brother’s club, which was two days ago, I had gone back inside, only to find out my friends were nowhere to be found. I wanted to linger around the club in hopes my friends would come back but then I saw Dominique again, watching me from the VIPs and I knew I had to get out of there.

And the thought of meeting him today makes my stomach flutter. I shut down my car and grab my work bag from the passenger seat and get down, shutting the door behind me.

I glance around the compound, marveling at how simple it looks but also luxurious at the same time. The only cheap thing in this place is my car. It looks so out of place sitting in the driveway.

“Ma’am.” A voice says and I spin around, coming face to face with Helen, Dominique’s househelp.

“Hi.” I smile at the petite woman as I approach her.

She’s standing on the front steps with her hands behind her back as she gives me a polite smile.

“Right this way, please. Mr. Gray is expecting you.” Of course.

I follow her in, pushing open the double doors as we enter the foyer. The last time I was here, you know, the night I got drunk and Dominique brought me here, I didn’t take a look around. The only thing on my head that day was me getting out of there and going home to wallow in embarrassment. But looking around and taking in every detail, I’m awed by how beautiful this house is. The furniture, the paint job, the arts, everything in here is beautiful and luxurious. There’s not a single dirt on the floor or the furniture.

Helen leads me down a hallway and stops outside a door. She steps aside and gestures for me to go inside.

“Thank you,”

Helen nods and turns to walk away. I watch her disappear down the corner of the hallway and I look away to stare at the tall, veneered oak door.

Why the fuck is my heart beating so fast?

God, I sound like I’m eighteen again, hooked on this athlete who’s the hottest boy in school. Fuck my life.

I twist the doorknob and push the door open. As I close the door behind me, I take in the details of my environment. I’m in his lounge. I remember because Leo brought me here the day I woke up in this house. This lounge is almost twice the size of my living room-wide and very spacious-and Dominique is nowhere to be found.

I drop my work bag on the couch and walk toward the ten-foot-tall transparent wall at the end of this room as I stare at the clear blue swimming pool.

“Wow,” I mutter under my breath.

There’s a movement from the corner of my eyes as I turn around at once. There’s a makeshift office at the corner of the room, and a transparent wall that views the inside of the office. A bunch of files are scattered all over the desk, and an Apple computer is sitting on the desk. Dominique stands up from behind the wide mahogany desk as he walks toward the transparent wall. He flattens his palm on a surface at the corner of the wall that isn’t transparent and the transparent wall or door slides open.

I take a step back, my eyes trained on him as he steps outside of the office. We locked eyes for a long minute, maybe it wasn’t up to a minute but it was the longest minute of my life as my heart beat dangerously fast against my chest.

Suddenly, the air is too thick as the sexual tension between us surrounds the air we breathe.

I bring my eyes down his body, shamelessly checking him out. He’s dressed in a black dress shirt, with the two top buttons unbuttoned, giving a clear view of his pec tattoos. The sleeves are folded to his forearms, showing off his colorful full-sleeve tattoos that end on his wrist. His bottom half is covered in black slacks, with the dress shirt tucked in.

God, he looks dangerously attractive and it’s taking more than my self-control not to jump this man right at this spot. Dominique smirks, like he can read my thoughts as he checks me out too. I’m wearing a navy blue sleeveless dress with a split at the back. My hair is in a ponytail and my feet are covered in black pumps and I look nothing compared to this attractive man in my presence.

“You don’t look sick,” I say, looking away from him as I walk back to where I dropped my work bag.

I can feel his eyes on my body as I go. “And why exactly did you ask for me specifically? You don’t think that would raise suspicions? I’m not even a registered nurse yet.” I say and stop on my track as I turn around, running into a strong body that reeks of heavenly masculinity.

I take one step back at once and give him a knowing glare.

“What am I doing here exactly? Because you don’t look sick to me.”

Dominique exhales and runs his fingers through his hair.

“I wanted to see you.”

“Oh, my God.” I scoff and glance around the lounge before shifting my gaze to Dominique. “Are you kidding me? You brought me here because you wanted to see me?”

Dominique takes one step forward and I take one backward, putting my palm up as I glare at him to not come any closer.

“You’re out of your mind, you know that?”

“I wanted to show up at your apartment, but that would have been creepy.”

“And you think this isn’t creepy? What is your problem?”

“Maybe you’re right. You’ve been in my head ever since that night and I can’t seem to get you out. Now, whose fault is that?”

He’s crazy. Because he’s not making any sense at all.

“Dominique, it’s called a one-night stand for a reason. And knowing the type of man you are, you’ve had hundreds of those. Why’s this any different?”

“Because you’re different.”

“Bullshit.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Dominique bites his bottom lip and takes another step forward, this time I don’t move back and that’s because I can feel the couch behind me, rubbing against the back of my legs. He’s close now, too close, I can feel the warmth emanating from his body.

“Look, I wasn’t joking when I said there won’t be a repeat. If I wanted a repeat of what happened between us, I would have reached out, Dominique.”

Dominique smirks as he mutters, “Ouch. That hurts, Robyn.”

“Yeah. Truth hurts. I’m gonna grab my things and I’m gonna leave.” I say, and before I can turn around to grab my stuff, Dominique puts his arms around me, putting a stop to my escape.

I try to push him off of me but he won’t budge.

“Will you calm down?” He asks, his blue eyes flooding with emotions as he looks down at me. I look away from his eyes, hating every nerve in my body for reacting to his arms around my body.

“I’m gonna let you go, promise me you won’t bolt out of here.”

“Whatever.”

Slowly, he pulls away and I miss the warmth of his body all of a sudden. Dominique takes a step back as he runs his fingers through his hair, feeling agitated.

“What the fuck, Robyn?” Dominique asks as he looks at me. “Why are you so stubborn? Trust me, as much as I find your stubbornness fucking sexy, you just gotta stop. You and I know you want me as much as I want you.”

I bite my tongue to stop myself from giving him a comeback as I stare at him.

“So what do you want me to do? Pretend like nothing is going on between us? Like there’s no attraction between us.”

“There’s nothing going on between us.” I grit out, the lie tasting sour on my tongue.

“Yeah? And yet you melt under my touch,” he whispers as he takes one dominant stride toward me. “Tell me you don’t think about me every night as you touch yourself?” His voice is an octave lower, pulling each of my strings as he waits for me to break under his gaze.

He takes one final step, crowding my space as he looks me in the eye, his intense gaze burning my skin and setting my entire body on fire. I don’t know when my breathing become shallow. My mouth is slightly open as I bite the bottom of my lip.

How dare he do this to me? How dare he drive me over the edge with just his words and his touch?

“Tell me you haven’t thought about that night? How long are you gonna continue lying to yourself that you don’t want me? You and I know you want me. You want me to pin you against the wall and fuck you against it while I watch you come on my dick for the second time.” His filthy words leave my mouth dry and my brain goes into an overdrive.

My hands are clammy as I curl my toes in my shoes. I can hear the fast beating of my heart in my ears and I can feel the wetness in between my legs, soaking up my panties. This is messed up.

How can I let his words affect me this much?

Dominique lowers his head, his eyes locked on mine as he runs the back of his knuckles up the length of my arm. “Tell me you don’t feel that,” he whispers against my mouth, his breath warm.

Slowly, he brings his right hand to the hem of my dress as he slips it into my dress. His palm is warm against my skin and my breathing shallow. His touch is like fire, burning my soul as he brushes his fingers up my thigh. My eyes flutter shut as a whimper escapes my lips.

“Tell me you don’t feel that and I’m gonna stop. I can feel how wet you are and I haven’t even touched you yet.” He groans, his lips brushing against mine as he leaves a trail of butterfly kisses from the corner of my mouth down to my neck.

“God, you’re beautiful.” Dominique removes his hand from inside my dress as he brushes it up my side, and up to the side of my breast. “I want you, Robyn. Every part of you. And holding back because you don’t want to give in will only make me chase you harder.” And then he pulls away, leaving me empty and craving for his hand on my body.

I slowly peel my eyes open to lock eyes with his blue eyes. How can one man infuriate me and make me want him this much?

“You know, I don’t get you. A month ago, you wanted me for a night and then I gave you what you’ve always wanted. And now, what? You want me to admit to you that I want you again. Fine, Dominique. That night was one of the best nights of my life, I loved every bit of it. But that doesn’t mean I want to make a habit out of it. As much as it felt good doesn’t mean I’m gonna be your little sex toy. I have something called self-respect.”

“You and I know you don’t want a relationship or commitment. The only thing you’re willing to commit to is your job. I’m not looking for a relationship either, I’m too focused on my shit. I want you, and obviously, you want me too, even though you’re always gonna be in denial. Why can’t we offer each other what we’ve always wanted without any form of commitment?”

“Friends with benefits.” I stare at him with wide eyes.

“We’re not friends. And I don’t want to be your friend. I want to be something more.”

I chuckle slightly as I bite my bottom lip. I grab my work bag and turn to look at him. “I’m gonna go and pretend we didn’t have this conversation. And also, the answer is no.” I flash him a small smile and head toward the door.

“Are you afraid you’re gonna fall for me if you agree to a no-strings-attached relationship?”

I stop on my track and turn around to look at him. This must be a joke.

“I know what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to dare me so that I would agree to your proposition.” I stare at him and he matches my gaze, not for once backing down.

“Are you?”

I chuckle slightly. “Let’s say I agree to this, which I’m not saying I will. I’m pretty sure you’re gonna be the one who gets to fall first.”

“How so?”

“You and me, who’s asking for a second chance to have a taste of me? It’s obviously not me.” I whisper as I tilt my head to the side, smirking as I bite my bottom lip.

Dominique is taken off guard as he smiles.

“I’m gonna see you around, Dom.” I wink at him as I head toward the door.

“Robyn,” Dominique calls my name.

“Goodbye, Mr. Gray,” I call out, not bothering to look back as I open the door and slam it close behind me.