Disclaimer: Not Mine.
Author's Note: The fans of this fic can be very proud of themselves (especially DomLetty4eva and Nessie16) This is the first time I've actually been goaded into posting a chapter. :)
This was originally supposed to be part of a longer post, but not wanting to actually provoke any mental breakdowns... I decided to post it now. ;)
I will admit though, that I did a bad thing...
I began another story. Which means I now have two sets of characters vying (or rather screaming) for attention in my brain. Oh well...
Here's the next bit...
Please Review as it will help your set of character scream the loudest. (hint,hint)
I'd like to reply to you all personally as usual but it's late and I think if I set that task out for myself this might not get out till tomorrow... so...
Instead:
Jada91
Sugar Happy
Melody
Maile
Emma (that's my name too =)
Ranger Webb
DomLetty4eva
Nikki-da-latina
Pips24
Greenglowchassis
TrueMarine88
Pandemonium
LettyDomluva
ThePhoenix1224
KatherineValmont
LettyRodriguez01
Lou
Alex-Diesel
Thank you all so much for reviewing the last chapter.
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Is this a good idea?
She was standing on the front steps of the house, asking herself the same question she'd been asking herself all day. It was close to four o'clock now, she was much later than usual, but than again she was so backed up with paper work at the office she knew she shouldn't be here at all.
She shouldn't have left...
....wouldn't have left.
If not for a certain rain check she'd give anything to be able to forget.
It wouldn't leave her mind though, the intensity in his gaze, the ripple of emotion that had coursed through her when he'd said, we were friends once...remember...
Of course she remembered.
It wouldn't be so bad to get that back... to try for that... something warm and tender had unfolded itself within her at those words.
Making her realize just how much she would like that back. How much she would like for Dom to be back in her life, for him to be her friend again.
Throughout the years they had been many things to each other...
....but first they had been friends.
She had trusted him... with everything... because he'd been her hero.
He'd talked to her... about everything... because she'd always been willing to listen.
And so she was here. Standing outside the door, debating whether or not it was a good idea to go in there.
To take him up on his rain-check.
To let him back into her life.
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She'd left last night.
Had gone to the restaurant to dine with the execs.
Had entertained them and regaled them with stories - all in all last night had a been success.
She'd made excuses for Angelo and charmed the pants off of the stiffs --not literally -- with smiles and good wine. They were looking forward to working with her in a few months time.
All the while though, the memory of his voice had plagued her. She'd tried to ignore it, to tell herself she'd probably forget; she'd known though as surely as she'd known this morning and as surely as she knew right now.
She was going for a drive with Dom.
She'd gone home with that thought last night, had wanted to go to bed and dream of it. Instead she'd found Angelo waiting nearly at the door when she'd gotten back to the apartment.
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"How'd it go," he asked urgently, as she stepped through the door.
"It was good, they're excited about the project and can't wait for us to get to Chicago," she said lightly as she walked up to him.
After slipping off her shoes, she inspected his face coldly not an ounce of sympathy in her eyes.
Angelo noticed, "You could be a little more sympathetic here Letty. My face is throbbing and I'm not even gonna get to sue the guy."
She smiled slightly, "I would be if I didn't feel like you deserved it," she said as she bent to scoop up the heels.
He followed her, "You think I deserved this?" he asked almost horrified.
She nodded, tossing them into a corner as she turned, motioning for him to unzip her dress, "Yes," she responded, as he began unzipping, "...I do. But we discussed this already, didn't we? Plus he had let you go and then you went and spoke again..." she added casually.
The dress fell to the ground, a puddle of gray silk.
Angelo eyed her bare back as he undid the clips in her hair. The dark waves tumbling around her shoulders, "I'll apologize to the boy," he offered turning her to face him, "Will that make it better?"
She smiled slightly, "That would help. He's a sweet kid, Angelo."
"Doesn't get it from his father."
"Dom can be sweet," she defended, before cringing a little. After their conversation in Mia's kitchen that was the last things she should be saying.
He eyed her a moment, his hands dropping from her arms, "Can he?" he asked coolly.
"Uh... yeah..." she said taking a step as she retrieved the fallen dress, "...to his nieces, to Mia, to - ""... to you?"
She paused, then said softly, "Sometimes," she sighed as she straightened, "I'm getting tired of talking about Dom, Angelo."
"I'm getting tired of hearing about Dom, Letty."
They stared at each other.
He didn't like the way she reacted around Dom.
She could see that... hell... she didn't like the way she reacted around Dom.
Softly she offered him the only reassurance she had to give, "I'm committed to you, Angelo. I'm going to marry you. What Dom and I had is in the past."
He met her gaze, searchingly. She believed what she was saying, he could see that.
He wished, though, that there was some way he could erase the sadness that dwelled in her gaze whenever this man was mentioned.
He stepped forward again, bringing his hand to the side of her face, cupping it gently, " I'm happy to here that. I love you Letty."
She smiled up at him, doing her best to banish the nearly overwhelming wave of sadness that had washed over her as she'd said those words.
Instead of responding to his words, she reached up and kissed him. Trapping his mouth with hers.
She didn't want to hear him say anything else.
Didn't want to hear how much he loved her, how good the move would be, how happy they were going to be...
Didn't want to hear anything at all...
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They'd had sex. At some point from that kiss to when he'd started to take his clothes off she'd managed to move them to his room.
She didn't like to have sex in her bed.
And in the morning he'd kissed her and told her he'd pick her up at Mia's around eight.
It was the closest to an apology for his behavior she was gonna get.
She'd showered, changed, gone to work and been in the process of signing document from two weeks ago when the memory had assaulted her, drowning out everything else with such force she knew she wasn't going to get anything else finished.
"Rain-check...."
"Good, we'll go tomorrow..."
The smart thing would be to just let it go, to pretend she'd forgotten. The smart thing would be to turn around, get back in the car, and drive away.
Something inside told her that.
She wasn't that smart though.
There was nothing wrong with wanting to be friends with Dom. He'd been a very large part of her life for a very long time.
It was logical that she'd feel a sense of comfort, of rightness, when she was around him, when he smiled at her...
...when he touched her....
Sighing in frustration she pushed the door open.
"Auntie Let!!" Jessa exclaimed, as Letty walked in, grinning up at her.
She smiled at her niece, all anxieties and worries melting away as she observed Jessa, Dolly, and Taylor sprawled on the ground... race cars among them.
Race cars and no Barbie's.
After greeting them she commented as much.
Dolly shrugged, "Yesterday Taylor played Barbie dream house with us..."
"... so today we play Nascar with him..." Jessa finished.
Letty grinned, "That's a good compromise girls. Where's your mom?" she asked.
"In da kitchen."
"I'm gonna go say hi to her..."
They nodded in general consensus, returning their attention to the game.
In the kitchen Mia was putting a pots and pans away.
"Should you be doing that?"
Mia glanced at her quickly, "Should you be here?"
"No."
"Ditto."
Letty grinned, "Sit down, girl,"
Mia laughed lightly as she took a seat.
"how ya livin, Mi," Letty asked taking up the job.
Mia grinned, "Same as yesterday, 'though I would have paid to see Dom whack Angelo. Rumor says his whole face was swollen up..."
Letty arched an eyebrow, "You didn't stick around?"
Mia shrugged, "I figured Dom was gonna do somethin aggressive and didn't want Taylor to see it."
"Good, cause Dom nearly strangled him before he punched'm."
"You don't sound very upset. You were furious that time Vince swung at him," Mia commented.
"He didn't deserve it that time. This time he did," she paused, "Kay... maybe not the strangling part..."
Mia laughed softly, but said nothing.
The silence stretched, slowly neither one feeling the need to fill it.
Letty continued to put the dishes away and Mia simply studied her.
After a while, Mia said softly, her eyes sharp, "Dom's expecting you."
It was an instant only but Mia noticed it, had been looking out for it.
Her friend had paused, a look of simultaneous fear and excitement flashing across her face before her features were tamed and she said merely, "Is he?"
Mia nodded, "Yeah, at the garage. He said you'd know what it was about."
Letty finished what she was doing, the silence continued to stretch. When she'd completed her task she went and sat in front of Mia.
"I do," she said, smiling slightly at her friend.
"Are you going to share?"
"I don't want you to get the wrong idea."
Mia nodded, "What idea?"
"We aren't getting back together," Letty said firmly.
Injecting into her voice every ounce of confidence she wished she felt.
"You're not?" Mia asked.
"We're not," Letty confirmed.
"Then what's going on?"
Letty shrugged, looking down, "I... guess... we're trying to get along, you know... trying to be... family again."
Mia said nothing, Letty looked up suddenly, "It was his idea," she stated.
Mia stared at her a moment, her husband's words ringing in her ears...
...'cause maybe there is somethin there...
She smiled knowingly, murmuring softly, "I bet it was..."
Letty eyed her warily, "What's that supposed mean?"
Her suspicions only drew a grin from her friend, "You'd better go... to see what he wants... go on..." Mia urged, smiling, "I'm going to sit in the living room with the kids... go..."
Letty stood still feeling a little apprehensive at Mia's sudden change in mood, "I'm goin, I'm goin," she stated heading for the back door, she paused before exiting it, though,
Asking herself, yet again...
Is this a good idea?
"Letty go," Mia encouraged.
Sighing, she muttered her goodbye to Mia, telling her she'd be back later, and left.
Pulling out of the driveway, the thought plagued her...
Is this a good idea?
... finally pulling into the garage...
She answered herself...
... time would tell...
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She was here.
The guys were teasing her about how she hadn't been to the garage in a lifetime...
She was asking for a beer, demanding to know what was going, what they were working on...
They filled her in, a fair amount of ribbing in the process.
Rolling out would be good, anytime now...
After all she was here for him... he'd told Mia to send her over once she got there.... had been expecting her hours ago...
"Yo Dom, come see who's gracin us wit her presence," Leon called, taking the decision out of his hands.
He slid out and stood, his eyes downcast as he cleaned his hands on a rag.
"Lett's gonna spend the rest of the day wit us, right girl," Vince continued.
Dom looked up then, studying her in her navy blue slacks and sleeveless top, "Naw, man..." he rumbled out as his eyes met hers, "She's spendin it wit me,"
"Wit you?" Leon sputtered, dribbling beer onto his chin as his mouth swung open and his eyes widened.
Dom swung his gaze over to his friend as he walked towards Letty, "Yeah, bro, wit me," he answered, suppressed laughter in his voice.
Even Letty was grinning at the dumbfounded expression on Leon's face. His eyes kept darting between the two of them as if looking for signs of insanity.
"Alone?" he squeaked out, "Is that safe?"
Letty couldn't help it she laughed, Dom didn't, he scowled.
"What the hells that supposed to mean?" he growled.
Leon shrugged finally, wiping at his mouth as he tried to play it off as if nothing unusual had happened, "Nuh... nothin, I'm just saying... d'that... sometimes da two of you... I mean... not that I don't think you can control yourselves.... it's more like that not bein enough...
Letty laughed again, "shhhhhh," she whispered, "...stop while you can..." then walking over she patted him on the back, her eyes twinkling, "Do you need to borrow a sippy cup from the kids?" she asked sweetly.
He shrugged her hand off, and glared at her, "Aren't you leaving?" he growled.
She smiled.
"Gimme a minute to get changed and we'll go Lett," Dom said softly, hid dark eyes watching her.
She nodded, feeling butterflies in her stomach, as she watched him walk away.
Watched him go into the office.
Imagined him peeling off that shirt...
A smothered laugh from Vince, drew her away from her salacious thoughts, "What?" she asked her voice a little crisp, she knew she'd been caught staring.
He shrugged, "Jus wonderin if you're gonna go give'm a hand?"
"Why? Afraid I'll take your place?" she hissed, her eyes telling him to shut the fuck up.
He simply grinned, saved from having to make a comment by Dom's re-entrance in the room.
"Ya ready?"
She nodded, squelching the nervousness inside her. So she was deliberately putting herself in a situation where she'd be alone with Dom.... she was an adult... she could handle it... nothing would happen that she didn't want to happen...
...that, my dear, is exactly the problem... the little voice stated, ...the things you want to happen...Shutting herself up she followed Dom outside, her jaw nearly hitting the ground as she examined his a Mazda RX-8 outside.
How she'd missed it on her way in, she didn't know, but there it was, parked on a side street in all it's glory.
Dom grinned, "You didn't think I'd take you for a ride in anything else, did you?"
"I haven't seen this car since you left," she said softly, her eyes eating it up.
He laughed as he watched her slowly circle the car, "Me either."
She gave him a no-shit-Sherlock look before opening the door and sliding in. He joined her a moment later.
They were silent as Dom maneuvered the city streets. She didn't ask where they were going, he didn't ask where she wanted to go.
Silently she flicked on the stereo, the speakers began pulsing with the sound of heavy metal.
Once out of the city Dom kicked up his speed...
He didn't look at her, but could almost feel her light up with every mph he increased...
She didn't look at him... instead she lowered her window, allowing wind entrance into their vehicle...
.... the wind was strong, making her blink rapidly against it...
Dom looked over quickly, before lowering his window too.
Abruptly, she realized... they were going up...
...the wind pulled her hair out of its style... whipping it around her face...
... they were going up...
And she knew, suddenly, with startling clarity exactly where they were going.
"I don't think we should," she said softly, her voice husky, her eyes gazing out the passenger window. Watching as the appearance of houses lessened and the line of trees darkened.
He didn't respond. Didn't trust himself to not lay out his heart right there.
He'd wondered how long it would take for her to notice.
Now he knew -- 33 minutes.
Neither said anything more. Twelve minutes later he stopped the car on the side of the road, at a spot where the road was giving into one of many sharp curves.
The road curved up the rest of the mountain until you reached a resort of sorts.
He didn't need to go up there. This was the spot he wanted.
He got out.
She didn't.
He opened the door for her, "Come on, Lett," he said smoothly, holding out his hand to her, his gaze dark.
Slowly she took it...
....she let him draw her out...
....let him lead her to the railing, so they could look out at the city below...
... to the spot where twelve years ago he'd kissed her for the first time...
"Hasn't changed has it..." he asked her softly.
She wasn't looking, didn't want to see...
She'd been fifteen, and working on a project about something she couldn't remember now. She'd needed pictures of the city, to paste on the poster board. He'd given her a ride up here.
Mia had been supposed to come with them... but had backed out at the last minute. So she and Dom had made the drive alone. Had come here alone.
And while she'd taken the photos she needed... he'd watched her... and she'd felt him watching...
The kiss had been brief... and sweet...
And just what was needed to set the stage.
A few weeks later she'd gotten the best birthday gift she could've hoped for... Dom.
"Look at it Lett," he was saying softly.
And God help her...
...she did...
"... No, it hasn't..." she whispered back, her eyes studying the view that had first beheld her and Dom together.
He let her study it a moment before turning her to face him, lifting her chin so that their eyes could meet.
"Something's never change, Letty," he said.
She swallowed hard, not wanting to understand what he was telling her... it would complicate her life... she didn't need that... she was happy...
"...something's do," she repeated, hoarsely.
He smirked, "The important things don't, Lett, the important things never change," he said with certainty.
Oh god, oh god... what is he saying???
But that was the problem...
...she knew exactly what he was saying.
Looking away, she summoned every ounce of will power she possessed and pulled away from him.
Walking over to the railing, she stepped over it and sat down against it, facing the view.
He nodded slowly, in the direction where she'd stood, accepting that she wasn't ready. Then he moved towards the railing and followed her example.
They were silent for a long time, both just sitting on the railing, looking out at the panoramic view...
...not looking at each other...
...not touching each other...
Just remembering.
"I like your shoes," Dom said suddenly, he'd been looking around, searching his mind for something neutral to say, something that wouldn't start an argument, something nice.
Letty's eyebrows reached her hairline, "You do?" she asked doubtfully.
He shrugged, "Yeah I guess... there nice an'.... pointy," he finished, examining them more closely.
"Pointy?" she asked, her tone losing none of its skepticism.
"Yeah and..." he angled his head, his eyes focusing on the shoes, trying to come up with anything else that could be said about them....
"...and they're blue... a nice blue..." he finished, pleased with himself.
When he looked up he found Letty looking at him with an incredulous expression on her face.
Before she threw her head back and laughed. A throaty laugh that had him picturing her half naked on his bed as he prepared to pounce on her.
Scowling slightly, he asked "What?" not enjoying being laughed at.
"Dom..." she said breathless with laughter, "...these are five-hundred dollar shoes..." she said gasping, "... and you think they're nice because they're pointy..."
He blinked at her incomprehensibly, "500 dollars!!!" she nodded silently, still laughing, "Girl, have you gone out of your mind!!" he gasped, looking down at them again.
She shook her head, trying to regain her breath, "I don't... I don't buy them," she finished taking a deep breath.
He stared at her, distracted for a moment by the sparkling of her eyes, before a chagrined expression appeared on his, "I suppose you have Mister Fiancée, for that."
She continued smiling, nodding vigorously, "Yep, He's the one who likes to see me outfitted in the shit he can cough up the dough for it," she stated.
"He buys all your clothes," Dom asked.
She nodded, the smile fading, "He pays for it, Victoria chooses it..."
Dom processed that, "...and Victoria would be..."
"His Personal Assistant," she said her tone emotionless, the laughter gone, her gaze back on the view.
Dom studied her profile, "Doesn't that bother you?"
She smiled slightly, tilting her head so that she could see his face, "What? That I'm their freakin Barbie Doll? Should it?"
"Uh... you wouldn't even let me pick out your belt... so yeah..."
She smiled, but it was a sad smile, "I don't have that much to prove anymore," she said softly.
"To prove?"
She nodded, "I always felt like I had to prove something... to the crowds... to show them that I was..." she paused, not wanting to say it.
"Go on..." he prompted, "...to show them what?"
"That you didn't own me," she said, pushing the words out, "And I couldn't very well do that if I was wearing something you picked out for me, could I?"
He eyed her, there was more...
"The only person, besides you, who would know I picked it out was me..." he said.
She wouldn't look at him. But he got the message.
Nodding, he said slowly, "So you didn't want me to think I owned you, but it's okay if he thinks it..."
Letty sighed heavily, before looking at him, a pointed expression on her face, "I don't really care if Angelo thinks he owns because he doesn't. I cared with you because... you did."
He opened his mouth...
"If you make one comment about that sentence Dom, I'm gonna shove you down this nice cliff-side," she said looking away.
He peered over the edge, "Thanks for the warning..."
She nodded, seriously.
"So... been to any good races lately..." he said casually after a few minutes.
She blinked a little before letting a grin bloom on her face. It was the perfect question. Soon they were both lamenting how little they got to race in their present lives.
"I actually haven't raced since I left here," Dom said.
Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, before a devious gleam entered her eyes, "In that case... I challenge you to a speed contest."
He eyed her, "The terms?"
"Fastest one from here up the mountain and back, gets to drive home...."
"You do realize I don't like anyone but me driving my cars," he stated pleasantly.
She nodded, looking like a devilish imp, "I realize that... afraid of losing?" added, a curious tilt to her mouth.
"You're on," he stated.
By the time they were finished, the sun had disappeared into the horizon. He'd timed her and she'd timed him. They'd had to do it twice because on Dom's first try a car had decided to pull out in front him just as there was one approaching from the other side.
He'd claimed that didn't count and Letty had obliged him.
"Perk up, babe, I'll buy you ice cream on the way home."
The offer was met with stony silence as they sped down the mountain side, the windows down, the stereo blasting, and a dark-haired woman's husky laughter echoing in the distance.
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"As a consolation prize this is lacking in... consolation..."
Letty eyed the puddle of liquidly ice cream in his cup as they pulled into the driveway.
"You shoulda eaten it instead of fiddlin with the radio," she stated, shutting off the engine.
"That song was givin me a freakin migraine..." he stated, before looking at her in the drivers seat, "I woulda won that thing if..."
Letty laughed, getting out. When he followed her, she leaned over the hood and laughed some more, "Coulda, woulda, shoulda.... you didn't. I did. I beat you," she stated, enjoying the moment.
Dom nodded, walking up behind her as they entered the house, "Keep that up, girl, keep it up," he warned.
She nodded, grinning, as she plopped down on the sofa, "I will... for a long, long time..."
"I demand a rematch," he stated sitting down next to her. Registering somewhere in his mind that the living room was dimly lit and they were alone.
She grinned, "Anytime, anywhere..." she stated arrogantly.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah... I'll smoke you... again," she said, unable to wipe the grin off her face.
He laughed, his eyes taking in her childish delight at beating him.
"When did you stop loving me?" he asked all of a sudden, his tone suddenly serious.
The question caught her completely by surprise and she was answering it before her brain actually processed it.
"I didn't."
That was a good answer, he thought, a feeling of warmth filling him.
He smiled sweetly at her, "Good," he said satisfied.
Leaning in he put his face near hers, she could feel his warm breath on her mouth, "... cause we've wasted enough time," he whispered, before reaching out gently and tilting her face towards his.
He kissed her gently, his tongue barely skimming her soft lips.
Then he commented something to the effect of, let me know about the rematch, before he left the room.
Leaving her short of breath, the room spinning around her and not entirely sure whether that had actually happened.
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Mia looked up as the kitchen door opened.
"What has you looking so smug?" she asked her brother as he strode into the room.
"Nothing much," he answered smiling, setting the little ice cream cup on the counter.
Before heading for the stairs, he went around to her and from behind wrapped her upper body in a tender embrace.
She returned it gratefully, asking, "What's this for?"
"For being you," he said planting a kiss on her temple.
She smiled as he let her go, "Did you see Letty?"
"Yep."
"Did you do what you were gonna do?"
"Yep."
Mia frowned, "She said she'd come back here when you were finished,"
"She did."
Mia eyed his askance, "Did she leave?"
"Nope," he said grinning wide.
"Oh, god," Mia said nervously, "What did you do to her?" she asked, not like the looks of that smile.
"Hopefully?" he asked, but trailed off.
"Hopefully what?" Mia questioned, her eyes wary.
"Hopefully I just rocked her world."
He was up the stairs before she could ask what that meant.
It was okay though.
Because he'd left her with the first, real, grounded, actually-have-a-reason hope she'd had since he'd arrived.
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Don't Forget to Review!! Pretty Please...............
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