Page 13 of Reckless Desire

“Your move,” murmured her opponent, an older gentleman with weathered hands and a furrowed brow.

Dominique forced herself to concentrate. She used her bishop to take out some of the older man’s pawns, gaining an advantage on the board. Frustrated, the man made a haste move without strategically looking over his remaining moves. She then made a move with his knight, attacking the older man’s queen, which was not able to be defended. Her strategic use of her king and queen led to several of the older man’s remaining pieces being taken out, making it difficult for him to make a comeback.

Dominique made her final move. “Checkmate.”

“Hmph. Good game, young lady.” The older gentleman rocked his head from side to side. And here I thought I was gon’ be the one that beat you.”

She gave him an encouraging smile, her hand lightly resting on his arm. “At least you tried.”

The old man chuckled while standing from his chair. Mumbling under his breath, he walked toward the other side of the room where his friends waited. Dominique’s heart skipped a beat when she spotted Vincent at the doorway. His tall and muscular figure seemed to stand out even more in the soft light of the chandeliers. Her pulse quickened as he advanced toward the table with all the poise of a hunter about to pounce on its target; every step had purpose and confidence. Dominique slowly rose to her feet, desperately trying to remain composed.

“Vincent,” she uttered in a low voice, barely distinguishable amongst the quiet chatter of the other players.

He smiled, showing off the deep dimples in each cheek with a hint of something mischievous beneath his charming exterior. “Why, hello, Dominique. Funny running into you here.”

Since yesterday, he’d been completely occupying her thoughts. It felt almost as if she’d conjured him up with some sort of dark magic. His woodsy scent filled her lungs with every breath. Her heart raced, beating rapidly in her ears. His presence had an inexplicable power over her. No matter how hard she tried, she was unable to calm or quiet the thundering bass of her heart, let alone make her voice sound even. “Uhh yeah, heh, what are the chances?”

His gaze lingered on the chessboard, then fixed onto hers. “Mind if I joined you?” Vincent asked, his voice smooth as silk.

Dominique swallowed hard. “Of-of course,” she answered, her voice betraying the slightest tremor. Vincent pulled out her chair, and she eased back into it. He then settled in across from her, his light brown eyes never leaving hers.

“You’re quite the player, Dominique,” Vincent’s eyebrows rose as he studied the chessboard, his fingers drumming lightly on the table. “I was able to catch some of your game a few minutes ago. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone with such an aggressive strategy,” he remarked, his voice low and intrigued.

“With chess, it’s a battle of wits and control. I love to keep my opponents on their toes.”

“Is that so?” Vincent murmured, keeping his eyes locked onto hers. “I’d love to see how well your skills match up against mine.”

Dominique’s chest pounded with adrenaline as she thought of playing Vincent in her favorite game. His smirk seemed almost like a taunt. She raised her chin and gestured toward him with an open palm, mirroring his expression with her own grin.

“Let’s play.”

As they reset the board and prepared to start their battle, Dominique felt a chill run down her spine. The room seemed to close in around them, the murmurs of other players fading into the background. All that mattered now was the game–and the gorgeous man sitting across from her.

Their opening moves were cautious yet bold, each of them testing the waters as they began to probe one another’s defenses. Dominique could feel the intensity building with every piece moved, every pawn captured. It was as if the board had become a battleground for their desires, their longing for control and dominance.

“Interesting move,” Vincent commented, his eyes narrowing as he studied the position of her queen. “Most people would have opted for a more defensive posture.”

“Sometimes attack is the secret. Defense is the planning of an attack.” Dominique’s voice was steady despite the heat rising in her cheeks.

“Ah, a quote from Sun Tzu,” he said with a smirk. “I see we share a taste for the art of war.”

“Chess is war in miniature … and I always come prepared for battle,” she replied, her eyes never leaving the board.

The air between Dominique and Vincent became thick with rivalry. Their eyes conveyed a battle of wills through an exchange of heated stares. As the game progressed, their moves became more daring, each of them vying for control with calculated risk. It was clear that this was more than just a simple chess match–it was an intimate dance, a test of strength and skill.

“Check,” Vincent announced, his voice sounding triumphant as he pushed his bishop forward.

“Nice try,” Dominique countered, moving her king out of harm’s way. “But you won’t catch me that easily.”

Vincent chuckled, his eyes glittering with amusement. “We’ll see about that.”

The game continued on for another hour until they were on the final move. His king was cornered with no escape routes, and Dominique’s queen was just a few squares away, ready to deliver the final blow. Vincent’s only chance was to move his knight to block the queen’s path, but that would leave his king vulnerable to capture. After a few moments, Vincent made his move, and the knight landed on the square, blocking the queen’s path.

Dominique was taken aback by the move, as she had not predicted it. But she was not the one to give up easily, and after a closer observation, she saw there was another path to get her to victory. She moved her bishop diagonally, delivering a check. Vincent’s king had nowhere to go, and he was out of pieces to protect it. Dominique smiled slightly, knowing that she’d won.

“Checkmate,” she finally declared, her heart pounding in her chest as she moved her queen into position.

“Good girl,” Vincent said, leaning back in his chair and regarding her with a mix of admiration and surprise. “I must admit, I didn’t think it was possible. I’m not an easy opponent.”

---