Thirty-Three Teagan
Thirty-Three
Teagan
“Y ou don’t have to keep Dominic at arm’s length,” Asia tells me in the bathroom, “not when it’s so clear you want him.”
“I’m just not sure I can trust him,” I say once Wynter has repaired my makeup. Thankfully, it’s only us Gems in the bathroom and I can speak freely. “He shows up to this gala like he has a right to be here and is angry when I question why he came. The next minute, he’s cold and unfeeling, like he was on the court last week when he laid into me. But I suppose I know why. He overheard me talking to Charity about tonight.”
“And in anger, he acted out and struck back at you,” Asia finishes. “Sounds like my toddler, Ryan. However, it also makes Dominic human. He was hurt and acted on reflex. We all do, including you.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“You don’t think you were being a tad overdramatic out there?” Shay inquires, powdering her nose. Her long, dark brown locks are in a half-up, half-down style.
I laugh. “Me? Be melodramatic? That’s Asia’s thing.” I give the short diva a quick smile.
Asia huffs. “As if, heifer. It’s all about you tonight, boo. I got my man.”
I roll my eyes. She certainly does, and I can’t say I’m not envious that all the Gems have found their true loves. Mine is gone because I sent him away.
“Don’t gang up on Teagan in her time of need,” Lyric says, even though she too gave me shit for my behavior tonight. She hates conflict.
“Thanks, Lyric.” I pat her knee. “I’m going out there to pick up my award and be happy because you all are with me. That’s all I need.” But even as I say the words, they ring false because I wish Dominic were here to share this moment with me.
* * *
“Thank you for this award,” I say after I get to the stage to accept the statuette for Real Estate Broker of the Year. “It’s humbling to know all the hard work my team and I have done this year is being recognized. But I’m especially thankful for the five women in my life who uplift and encourage me during the difficult times. This year in real estate has been one of those times.”
I look at Egypt, Lyric, Wynter, Asia and Shay and give them a big smile. I’m stunned to see they’re not alone at the table. Dominic has joined them, sitting beside Egypt. A jolt shoots through me.
He didn’t leave? Even when I made it clear I didn’t want him here?
He stayed.
“Uh, thank you again to the Phoenix Association of Realtors for this honor.” I recover the power to speak and conclude my speech. “Thank you again.” I hold up the award and rush off the stage.
My entire table is on their feet applauding, but I can’t see the Gems. My vision is focused on one person alone: Dominic. I rush toward him. He opens his arms and catches me. I don’t care who’s watching, listening or looking at us. I just kiss him.
I’m suspended in time when Dominic’s strong, firm mouth covers mine. A wave of relief washes over me that he didn’t leave. I angle my head and open my mouth to him. When his tongue touches mine, electricity shoots through my entire body down to where I ache for him.
His hands clamp my waist and pull me closer to match me stroke for stroke. I gasp when I hear a discreet cough from behind us. I’m a bit dizzy when I turn around and see Egypt smiling knowingly and Lyric blushing furiously.
“Might I suggest you two depart for a place more private?” Asia says from across the table. “I think you have an audience.”
The blur fades from my eyes and I notice the entire audience is watching us. There are a few phones out recording us.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Dominic murmurs, grasping my hand in his and pulling me away.
“I’ll see you girls later.” I wave at the Gems, who are all smiling ear to ear. “The limo can take you back to my house.”
“Don’t worry about us,” Shay says. “We’ll find our own way.”
I blow them a kiss as Dominic hauls me out of the room.
* * *
What seems like an eternity later, we arrive back to his place in the limo he procured for the evening. Thankfully, we’ve eased the urgency because Dominic positioned me astride his lap inside the vehicle, tugged up my dress, released the fly on his tuxedo trousers, quickly donned a condom and pulled me down on top of him. It felt so good to have him inside me again. The week had been too long without him.
“I’m sorry I can’t be gentle,” he said, and then he wound his hands into my hair and kissed me hard. I feasted on him as his hips flexed and he thrust into me.
“I don’t want gentle.”
My body arched and I took all of him. I forgot everything but the power and glory of taking everything he had to give because I was giving it right back. I gripped him hard, clenching my inner muscles until the building firestorm exploded.
I gloried in the fact that I love this man who’s always been my soulmate in every way.
By the time we arrived to Dom’s, our clothes were righted enough to exit the car, but I was slumped against his broad chest, dazed by the emotions coursing through me.
Now Dominic carries me from the limo and upstairs to his bedroom. He gently places me down on the comforter, and when I look in his eyes, I see something I haven’t seen in a long time. Something I never thought I’d see again.
And then he shatters me with his words. “I’m going to make love to you.”
He covers my body with his hard, huge one and gives me the softest of kisses before doing just that.
* * *
The next morning, when I roll over in Dominic’s bed, I’m on cloud nine.
I reach for him beside me and frown when I notice the bed is empty. He’s probably making coffee so I fall back against the pillows and relive the past eight hours. The way Dominic kissed me, held me, touched me. It has to be love. The fierce look I saw in his eyes last night was real. I’m certain of it. I haven’t seen that expression since I was nineteen. A couple of months ago, I might have downgraded the feelings I experienced. I would tell myself he’d never loved me, but last night I felt loved .
Dominic was so tender and passionate in the way he paid homage to my body, like I’d been lost to him for years and we were finally together again. He reacquainted himself with every single part of me, leaving nothing untouched. I surrendered myself to him as if I’d been waiting my entire life to do so. There was something comforting about the way Dominic made me feel safe to be completely free.
He is everything I’ve ever wanted. I’m ready to share with him how I feel—that I doubt I ever stopped loving him. That he’s always been the one .
I pick up his tuxedo shirt, slide my arms through and button a few buttons, leaving some undone for easier access. Then I pad down the steps to find Dominic. I can’t wait to shout from the rooftops how much I love this man.
I hear Dominic’s voice in the kitchen and make my way there, but my intuition makes me pause. I can hear Scott, Dominic’s agent, on speakerphone.
“I don’t care about any damn posts about me and Teagan,” Dominic says. “They can rehash our past all they want—that won’t stop us from seeing each other.”
That’s when I remember throwing myself into his arms yesterday at the gala. Phones were in the air. Whatever! I can’t worry about that. I’m about to walk away when Scott mentions the tournament. My ears perk up.
“Dominic, I’m telling you this sneaker company is willing to donate a shit ton of money to the Desert Smash. All you have to do is ditch Teagan and play a solo tournament.”
Ditch me? My heart clutches in my chest.
“I’ve got it all worked out, Dom. All you have to do is agree and they will have the funds wired to the tournament by Monday. You know it’s the right thing to do.”
Of course it is. The charity gets money and Dominic will be center stage while I will be pushed aside as if I mean nothing. What was last night about then? Why did Dominic act as if he loved me, cared for me—when all along he was planning to stab me in the back?
Or maybe he’s not going to betray me. But what does it say that my first inclination is that he would? It means that no matter how much I love him, I don’t trust him. Will I ever?
I’ve heard enough and rush upstairs to the master bedroom. I’m dazed as I frantically look around for my clothes and shoes. This feels like déjà vu, like the first night we made love and I escaped, but this is different. Back then, I was confused about my feelings. Now I’ve just realized I’m in love with a fucking scoundrel!
My dress is a heap on the floor next to Dominic’s tuxedo and my thong. I grab my undies and sweep them up my legs. I need to leave. I call a rideshare and thankfully, there’s one seven minutes out. Meanwhile, I need to be dressed before Dominic gets back because I refuse to have this conversation while I’m naked. I’m just fumbling with the zipper when Dominic returns to the room carrying two coffee mugs.
He stares at my state of undress in confusion. “Teagan? What are you doing?”
I glare at him. “What does it look like I’m doing, Dominic? I’m trying to get dressed so I can get the hell out of here.”
I can tell my outburst stuns him because he looks taken aback. “Damn, Teagan, I’m getting whiplash from your ups and downs. What the hell happened between the time I went downstairs and now?”
I fold my arms across my chest. “I don’t know, Dominic, why don’t you tell me? You and your agent seemed to be having a chummy conversation downstairs.”
His brow furrows in consternation. “Were you eavesdropping?”
“What if I were? Are you honestly going to stand there and act like I didn’t hear what I heard?”
“I don’t know what you heard!” Dominic’s voice rises. “You couldn’t have stayed long because if you heard the entire conversation, we wouldn’t be standing here arguing. We’d be back in that bed.” He points to his oversize king bed.
“Don’t try to snow me,” I say, furiously trying to get the zip up, but I can’t. I turn my back to him. “Can you please zip me up? I can’t go outside like this.”
Dominic stares at me incredulously, but then stalks toward me. I feel his hands on the dress, but he’s not quick about it. He takes his time easing the zipper up my body. When he’s done, I feel his warm palms on my shoulders turning me around. “Teagan, please. You don’t know the entire story.”
“What I know is that I don’t trust you,” I spit out, jerking away from him. “Your agent wants you to dump me so you can play solo in the tournament. And why not? I’m just a washed-up has-been. No one wants to see me play. But even if that weren’t the case, my first thought when I heard your phone call was that you deceived me. Can’t you see? Without trust, we won’t ever work.”
“I didn’t deceive you!”
I scoff and roll my eyes. “C’mon, Dominic, who are we kidding? It’s about more than the tournament. I don’t think I can ever let you have the spotlight without thinking about how you betrayed me in the past. How can I ever trust that you’re not going to steal the show or worse, leave me behind?”
“Dammit, Teagan. Why won’t you give us a chance?” Dominic responds, rubbing his head with his palm. “You’re quick to rush to judgment as if you know everything. You don’t. You did this twelve years ago. You were wrong then and you’re wrong now.”
“Oh, back to that,” I huff. “If there’s some big secret, Dominic, just tell me. Whatever it is.”
“Why should I?” he taunts. “You’re obviously not going to believe a word I say. You’re quick to appoint yourself judge and juror. Why do you always leap to the wrong conclusions?”
I’m furious at his words. “Are you trying to put this back on me? How dare you? You left me and didn’t look back. You went on to have a successful career while I was left with nothing but bad press. How can I trust that you won’t do it again? You’re asking me to put everything on the line, based on faith, and I’m sorry I can’t do that. I don’t trust you, and I see that I never will!” I snatch my heels and purse off the floor and head to the doorway.
Dominic is right behind me and catches me halfway down the stairs. “Of course you would run. You accused me of leaving you, but you’ve never been willing to fight for us either, Teagan.” He reaches me and I have to stare up to look at him. Into his handsome, lying face.
“Fight for what?” I say. Tears are streaming down my cheeks. Uncaring, I brush them away.
“For us!” he yells. He’s as upset as I am, but I suspect it’s because I found him out.
“There is no us,” I respond. “There never was.”
His snatched breath tells me I’ve hit my mark and hurt him just like he’s hurt me.
“It’s always an illusion with you. I set myself up for failure each and every time. Right when I believe—” I stop myself from saying more and rephrase. “It’s snatched right out from under me.” When I reach his front door, I turn back around. “I’m done with tennis, and I’m done with you.”
I open the door and run barefoot to the gate. However, when I use the opener to let in the rideshare car, several reporters accost me on the sidewalk. One of them has a camera and shoves it in my face.
“Teagan, when did you and Dominic get back together?”
“Are you making a comeback from tennis after your fall from grace?”
I turn and glance back at Dominic, who is standing in the doorway of his house, bare chested, wearing a pair of pajama bottoms. The expression on his face is inscrutable, but it’s obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes what we’ve been up to since I’m wearing an evening gown. I push past the crowd of reporters and into the sedan waiting for me. I don’t dare look back because I’m afraid of what I might see.
Instead, my head falls to my hands and I cry.
How the hell did I end up here again?