Come On Over (18 page)

"Why
you looking at me like that?" Killian suddenly asks, brow furrowed in
annoyance, and Dominic huffs a laugh, sighing as he leans down to rest his
forehead against Killian's collarbone.

"No
reason," he says, planting a lazy kiss against the artist's throat. The
muscles in Killian's arm twitch underneath his fingers, and he smiles.
"Just thinking."

"About
what?" Killian asks, and for a brief moment, Dominic considers telling him
the truth. He considers telling him about just how hard he has actually fallen
for him, about just how happy that little confession just now made him feel,
and just how much he loves lazing around in bed like this, together, without a
care in the world.

"About
what kind of food you might have in your fridge," he ends up saying.
"I'm starving."

Killian
doesn't respond to that, just stays silent as Dominic sits up and releases his
grip on his wrists. Dominic rubs his eyes tiredly, and when he opens them
again, he's met by the glorious sight of a post-coital Killian lying spread out
underneath him. Their gazes lock, and the combination of golden sunlight and
the blurry vision that comes with rubbing your eyes, leaves Killian with a kind
of glow around him that is just breathtaking. Then Dominic blinks, clearing his
vision, and it's gone. Well, almost; Killian still might be the most gorgeous
person he has ever seen, and for a moment, Dominic wants nothing more than to
lean down and kiss him like there's no tomorrow.

But
he doesn't. It doesn't matter that Killian just admitted to actually liking
him―Dominic isn't about to scare him off with his own, out-of-line
feelings. So he keeps his mouth shut.

"How's
your project coming along, by the way?" he says, the question casual but
sincere, as he gets off of the bed and away from that warm, tantalizing skin.
He grabs his underwear and puts them on as he stands up, before also putting on
his jeans and a t-shirt. He's not really that hungry, but now that he has lied
his way into a corner, he supposes that he has no choice but to actually check
out what food there is to be found in this place.

Killian
sighs tiredly.

"Still
good," he says. "I mean it's going well, but... I just can't get some
of it right."

Dominic
glances back at him. He's still lying spread out over the sheets, like Dominic
left him, staring at the ceiling. He looks lost in thought.

"You'll
get there," Dominic says, shuffling over to the open kitchen. He scratches
his head, his dark brown hair no doubt a ruffled mess―he doesn't bother
checking in a mirror. "Sometimes, you just get stuck."

He
reaches the refrigerator and opens it, leaning against its edge as he eyes its
contents.

"Yeah,"
Killian says dryly from the bed. "Like I don't know that."

Dominic
rolls his eyes.

"I'm
just saying," he says, grabbing a jug of orange juice from the fridge,
before he closes the door. "Just keep pushing, and eventually you'll get
out of your slump."

He
hears Killian move on the other side of the room, and he turns around.

"I'm
not in a slump," Killian says defensively, now sitting up in the bed, and
Dominic raises his eyebrows as he unscrews the cap of the container in his
hands.

"Everybody
has them, you know," he says, taking a sip of juice directly from the jug.
He shrugs, thinking of how his own slump was a pain, and that he is eternally
grateful for finally having his project sorted out. "See it as the
struggles of being an artist."

Killian
glares at him, before his expression softens, and he sighs, smoothing his hand
back over his raven hair. It wasn't too badly messed up to begin with, even
after their frivolous morning activities, but it seems to be more of a nervous
gesture, more than anything.

"Yeah,
maybe you're right," he mutters, and Dominic stops mid-sip.

"Wait,"
he says. "Did you just say, I'm right? Wow, you're just full of sunshine
today, aren't you?"

Killian
groans loudly as he gets up from the bed, putting on his boxers and a pair of
jeans, adjusting the hem of them as he shuffles across the room.

"You
need to shut up," he says, but Dominic just chuckles.

"What
did I do?" he says innocently, and Killian throws him a tired glare.

"You're
getting way too comfortable," he says grumpily, seemingly disregarding the
fact that he was the one who invited Dominic to stay last night, just like he
is the one who has welcomed Dominic's presence here for a rather long time.
"And stop drinking all my juice."

He
reaches out to snatch the jug from Dominic's hands, but has it yanked out of
reach in the last second.

"What
else am I supposed to drink?" Dominic asks, and Killian scrunches up his
face in some kind of bored, incredulous expression, contrasting the softness
from only moments ago.

"The
fuck do I care?" he says, shrugging. "Just leave my shit alone.
You're bankrupting me."

"What,
like you can't afford it?" Dominic says pointedly, thinking about those
loaded parents
Killian once mentioned,
and he wiggles the jug of juice in his hand.

"Making
sure your sorry ass stays fed?" Killian replies, eyebrows raised.
"No."

He
holds out his hand, waiting, and Dominic glances between it and the juice jug.
Then he sighs, giving in, and he hands over the container.

Killian
barely has time to reach for it, before Dominic makes a move, leaning in and
pressing a kiss to his lips, much to Killian's surprise. He doesn't seem to
mind though, at least not judging from the way he reciprocates, sighing softly
as Dominic slides his tongue into his mouth, eyes closed, and definitely not
from the way he slowly moves his hand to Dominic's waist.

The
touch is warm and inviting through the thin cotton of Dominic's shirt, and for
a moment, he can't help but feel that
this
is what it's supposed to be like. This, kissing in the morning and
bickering over orange juice, right after some sweet, mind-blowing sex. The
butterflies in his stomach aren't exactly a drawback either, despite how
unwelcome they are. He just can't help it; Killian is like candy. Hard and sour
with a sweet, creamy center, and it’s enough to make Dominic feel all buzzed
and happy inside.

They
pull apart, Dominic lingering for a moment as he plants a small peck on
Killian's lips, and he opens his eyes only to be met by a pair of dark,
narrowed ones. Killian sighs.

"At
least use a fucking glass," he mutters, and Dominic makes sure not to
smile too widely as he looks away, Killian turning to get something from behind
him. He puts the juice jug down on the counter, before a glass comes out of
nowhere and is set down in front of him a few moments later. This time, he
actually can't stop himself from smiling.

Dominic
foregoes drinking from the jug, half-listening to Killian bustle around in the
kitchen behind him, feeling oddly content as he does it. He fills the glass
with orange juice, and when it has been emptied, he puts it back down. He turns
around, Killian putting on some coffee and getting some eggs from the fridge to
no doubt fry for breakfast, even though it's probably closer to midday than
morning, by now. Dominic moves up behind him, sliding his hands around his
waist and pressing a kiss against his shoulder. He vaguely thinks of how he
wouldn't have dared to do something like that just a week ago, but now it feels
like the most natural thing in the world. Sure enough, Killian practically
melts under his touch, sighing contentedly.

"How
do you take your eggs?" he asks, and Dominic's eyebrows go up. He leans
his chin against Killian's shoulder.

"Over
easy," he says. "Also, I can't believe you just asked me that."

Killian
grumbles, clearly a little awkward about the intimacy of it all.

"Fuck
off," he mutters affectionately. "Don't get used to it."

Dominic
smiles, and stops Killian as he moves to get a frying pan from a cupboard,
instead turning him around so that they're facing each other. He eyes Killian's
face, momentarily stunned by how much he actually loves just looking at it. He
feels like he wants to say something, that he should, but he settles for a kiss
instead, tilting his head down to press their lips together.

Killian
hums pleasantly against his mouth, hands moving to settle on his hips, and
Dominic can't imagine anything that might ruin this.

That's
when the doorbell rings, and they pull apart. Killian glances at the front
door, frowning. He waits for a second or two, as though hoping that whoever it
is might go away, but he's proven wrong when the doorbell rings again. He
groans.

"Oh,
come on," he mutters under his breath, before untangling himself from
Dominic's embrace and heading toward the hall. Dominic stops him and plants
another kiss on his lips, for good measure, and Killian actually flips him off
as he keeps moving toward the door. It does nothing but put a stupid smile on
Dominic's face.

Killian
doesn't bother putting a shirt on, unlocking the door and pulling it open, only
to immediately stiffen when he sees the person waiting outside. Dominic can
practically hear the silent sound of panic in his head, and he frowns a little,
confused as to why.

The
woman standing outside the door appears to be in her twenties, tall and pretty,
with platinum blonde hair smoothed back into a casually formal do, and with an
air that Dominic instinctively wants to describe as elegant
.
Her appearance is clean-cut, a purse slung over the crook of her
elbow, and despite the soft features of her fair-skinned face, it's apparent
that she is anything but pliable.

Her
eyes meet Killian's.

"Great,
you're alive," she says, without preamble, while Killian just stands
there, gripping the door handle with an expression that's more tense and
anxious than Dominic has ever seen it. The woman eyes him up and down quickly,
before letting out a slightly frustrated sigh. "Now, care to tell me why
you've been ignoring my calls?"

Chapter 12

Miss Ainsley

The silence is
deafening. For what feels like several seconds, nobody moves, Killian staring
at the woman in the doorway, while Dominic remains motionless behind the
kitchen isle. Then, finally, Killian seems to pull himself together.

"Rebecca,"
he says dryly, not even trying to hide his displeased sarcasm as he skillfully
hides the obvious discomfort and surprise he just felt. "What a
surprise."

The
woman raises her eyebrows.

"Good
to see you, too," she says, her tone only slightly lighter on the sarcasm.
"Can I come in?"

Killian
hesitates, before stepping away from the door, and the
woman―Rebecca―lingers for a moment. Then she lets out a small,
tired breath of frustration, and steps over the threshold, closing the door
behind her.

"What
brings you here?" Killian says unenthusiastically, making his way over to
a little jar on the coffee table, where he keeps his candy. Dominic has learned
over the past few weeks that seeing as how Killian has essentially replaced his
previous smoking habit with sweets, he tends to crave some whenever he would
normally crave a cigarette. As in, whenever he's relaxed, for instance―or
anxious. Dominic is pretty sure this is an occasion regarding the latter, and
he can't help but wonder why this woman would make Killian feel that way.

"Well,"
Rebecca says. "You didn't give me much choice. You won't answer your
phone."

Dominic
hangs back, puts his hands in his pockets as he watches the exchange. So far,
this newcomer hasn't even acknowledged his presence.

Killian
looks up, unwrapping a lollipop he got from the jar and putting it in his
mouth, and Rebecca's expression turns into one of slightly exasperated boredom.

"Really?
Still with the candy?" she says, and Killian cocks his head in reply. The
woman sighs. "No wonder no one takes you seriously."

"Good,"
Killian says, his voice muffled.

They
just look at each other for a few seconds, and Dominic suddenly feels very
unwelcome, like he's merely observing something he's not supposed to see. Then
Rebecca notices him, however.

"And
who's this?" she asks, gesturing at him, making Dominic glance at Killian
as he opens his mouth to reply.

"I'm,
uh―" he says, taken a little off-guard, and Killian takes the
lollipop out of his mouth.

"None
of your concern," he cuts in, making Rebecca turn back to him. He sounds
almost defensive. The guy who just snuggled Dominic awake and then offered to
make him eggs is momentarily nowhere to be seen.

"Pretty
sure it is," Rebecca says, frowning. Then she sees Killian's shirtless
appearance and Dominic's mussed hair, and she seems to put it together. She
straightens, her expression softening with comprehension. "Oh. You're
sleeping with him, then?"

Dominic
doesn't find the phrasing odd, or insulting. The bluntness just surprises him a
little, and he can't help but hunch his shoulders a bit as he pushes his hands
deeper into his pockets.

"So
what if I am?" Killian says, not missing a beat. "None of your
business, right?"

"Oh,
don't give me that," Rebecca says, annoyed. "This isn't just your
mess, you know."

Dominic
finds his voice then, too curious and confused to stay silent.

"Um,"
he says, making both Killian and Rebecca turn to him. "I just― Who
are you, exactly?"

He
wishes he had phrased it better, but the damage is done, at least judging from
the way Rebecca raises her eyebrows in an expression of utter disbelief. She
lets out a breathless laugh, the sound of it flat and almost bitter, and she
smiles with equal humorlessness, directing her eyes at Killian.

"Seriously?"
she says, clearly on the verge of laughing again. "You haven't told
him?"

Killian
doesn't answer. He just glares at her, jaw working, before he glances away and
absently scratches his chin with his thumb. Dominic knows that gesture, and it puts
him on edge.

"Told
me what?" he asks, despite himself, and Rebecca looks at him.

"Rebecca
Ainsley," she introduces herself. "I'm supposed to be his
fiancée."

There's
no joy, anger, or even malice in her voice―she just sounds vaguely
bitter. But it's still enough to make Dominic's insides feel like they've just
turned to cold lead, and he takes a breath, wondering if he looks as pale as he
suddenly feels.

"She's
not my fiancée," Killian says quickly, and Dominic looks over at him. He
looks pissed, but there's softness there now too, like it hurts him to see
Dominic in pain―because he is in pain, that much must be obvious.

"Yeah,"
Rebecca agrees dryly. "Hence the 'supposed to be' part. I'm no happier
about it than you are."

"So
break it off, then," Killian says, frowning in annoyance as he turns to
her.

"Like
I wouldn't, if I could," Rebecca retorts, folding her arms and frowning
right back. "You know these people don't exactly listen to reason, when it
comes to this stuff."

"'These
people'?" Killian repeats in angry disbelief. "They're your family
too, you know."

"Not
until the paperwork is done."

"Oh,
bullshit," Killian says. His fingers keep fiddling with the lollipop in
his hand like they're used to handling a cigarette; it must be a subconscious
thing. "They don't give a fuck about paperwork, when it comes to that. And
by the way, yours is just as bad as mine."

Dominic
watches the arguing with some detachment, before taking a deep breath and
finally moving from his spot. He catches a glimpse of Killian throwing him a
surprisingly concerned look as he makes his way behind the counter, heading for
the kitchen cupboard next to the oven.

"You
okay?" Killian asks warily. The question sounds unfamiliar on his tongue.

"Yeah,"
Dominic says with a scoff, not believing it himself. "Just really need a
drink."

He
opens the cupboard and retrieves a bottle of god-knows-what, before shoving it
shut and getting a glass from next to the sink. He's not sure if it's clean or
not, and he doesn't really care, right now. Instead, he unscrews the bottle and
fills the glass up to nearly half, before slamming the bottle down on the
counter and taking a big gulp of the served-up liquid. He squints as it burns
his throat; great, he picked whiskey.

"He's
taking it well," Rebecca says with some sarcasm, and Dominic tries not to
roll his eyes as he directs his gaze at the wooden surface of the counter. He
hears Killian curse under his breath.

"Hey,"
Killian says, shuffling over to the kitchen. "You sure you're okay?"

There's
probably more concern hidden underneath that abrasive tone than Dominic has
ever heard from him, but it's not enough to sway him right now.

"Oh,
I'm great," he says. "Yeah, just processing."

He
gestures at his head, and the sarcasm isn't lost on anyone.

"Yeah?"
Killian says in a similar tone. "'Cause―"

"Just
walk me through this," Dominic says tightly, looking up with a frown.
"You're engaged to her―"

He
points at Rebecca, and Killian cuts him off.

"Not
engaged," he says tiredly, but with some desperation for Dominic to
understand.

"Oh,
right, sorry," Dominic continues, an angry edge to his voice now. "
Supposed to be
. Whatever the fuck that
means."

He
throws his hands up while executing a flawless, pissed-off look of
what the hell,
and Killian sighs,
running his tongue along the roof of his mouth, patiently waiting for Dominic
to calm down. It seems that patience isn't something he has ever been good at,
though.

"It
means that I don't want to be," he says, probably a bit more angrily than
one should, when being faced with a wrongdoing they've committed. At least,
that's how Dominic sees it. "And neither does she."

Dominic
lowers his hands to lean against the counter, listening. He still keeps his
dissatisfied frown, however, and Killian sighs again, while Dominic tries not
to feel too satisfied about how the guy looks more discomposed than he has ever
seen him.

"It's―"
Killian starts, waving his hand in an attempt to find the right words, lollipop
secured between his fingers. He looks frustrated, and it doesn't help that the
look Dominic gives him is one of flat annoyance, rather than encouragement.
Eventually, he gives up, exhaling heavily. "Jesus Christ. Help me out
here, would you?"

He
turns to Rebecca, who has been watching from afar. She seems to hesitate, before
she unfolds her arms and makes her way over to the counter, rolling her eyes,
like this is the biggest nuisance in the world.

"Our
families have known each other for years," she explains tiredly, Dominic
now turning his attention on her. The heels of her pumps tap loudly against the
wooden floor, as she walks. "They're both high up on the food chain, both
stupidly rich, and kind of conservative, so you can see why they'd get along.
Anyway, when we were kids, our parents thought it'd be a great idea to mix the
gene pools, and hook us up."

She
gestures between herself and a rather disgruntled-looking Killian.

"Sounds
so creepy, when you put it like that," he says, and Rebecca throws him a
glance.

"It
is
creepy," she says. "Last
time I checked, that kind of shit should have ended about fifty years
ago."

Killian
cocks his head in agreement, putting the lollipop in his mouth as he leans with
his elbows against the counter.

"It's
not like it's written in stone, or anything," Rebecca continues, eyes on
Dominic. "But it's been pretty much planned for the past ten years. I was
kind of hoping they'd forgotten about it, but they've started bitching again,
so apparently they haven't. My parents won't shut up about it, and his parents
won't get off my case, either."

She
motions at Killian.

"Why
do you think I've been dodging their calls?" he says, words muffled by the
candy in his mouth. There's something so childlike and simultaneously rough
about his entire appearance right now, petulant mixed together with hot, and Dominic
honestly finds it terribly endearing. But he forces himself not to smile, or so
much as linger too long with his eyes; he's still pissed, and Killian isn't
getting off that easily.

"Yes,
that's so sympathetic of you," Rebecca says acidly, glaring at him.
"Such solidarity."

Killian
just smiles wickedly at her, more like a brother than a fiancé, and at that
moment, Dominic's initial fears are put to rest. There is no way this woman is
a rival, or anything like it, and there is nothing to worry about on that
front.

Still,
though. Rebecca's entire existence has been a pretty monumental secret up until
now, and he's not sure how he feels about Killian lying to him about something
like that.

"Maybe
they'd actually listen to you," Rebecca says. "You know, if you
tried."

Killian
snorts, taking the lollipop out of his mouth.

"Are
you serious?" he says, laughing humorlessly. "You do know who you're
talking about, right? They're ignoring the hallowed virgin, you really think
they'd listen to the deviant, black sheep?"

Rebecca
groans, shaking her head, before placing her elbows against the counter top and
tilting her head down in a gesture that looks positively forlorn.

"It
was worth a shot," she mutters. "And I'm not a virgin."

"Pretty
sure they're sticking with that image, though," Killian says, only to earn
a glare from his sort-of-fiancée. "Easier for them to stomach, than the
dirty truth of just how
active
you've
been over the years."

He
doesn't say it with judgment, only teasing, and Dominic is once again reminded
of a sibling-relationship, more than anything.

"You
are so full of it," Rebecca says. "I'm not the only one. And besides,
you didn't even tell your boyfriend here I existed."

"He's
not my―" Killian says, a bit too quickly, before cutting himself
off. Dominic tenses up, eyes searching to find Killian's, which are currently
doing a rather deliberate job of avoiding him. He gives it a moment, but
Killian just barely glances at him, before looking away again. "The point
is, they're like a dog with a bone on this. What makes you think I could talk
them out of it?"

"What
makes you think
I
could?"
Rebecca retorts, straightening again and meeting his eye. "You're not the
only one with a sort-of-not-boyfriend, you know, and I'm actually in love with
mine."

The words
sting, for some reason, but Dominic doesn't show it. He knows that Killian
cares for him more than he likes to admit nowadays, but they've still only
barely said it out loud―so far, they've admitted to
liking
each other, and that was just this morning. Hell, Killian
denied him being his boyfriend just five seconds ago, and if nothing else, he's
not about to let Rebecca in on just how much of a rollercoaster their
relationship has been up until now.