Love in Play

by Zuri Day

  Dominique’s gratitude at Jake’s save of face quickly turned to chagrin. If she didn’t know better she’d think she was being judged. So she didn’t see Justin being chased down the field trying to beat a group of boys across a line of chalk. So what? Who does this man think he is? All of what she did—the long hours, stress-filled days, and lonely nights—was done so that her son could have a comfortable life and an assured future. Nobody was going to make her feel guilty about that, no matter how fine that “nobody” was.

  She pointedly gave Jake her back as she turned to speak to Justin. “How about we celebrate with a thick gooey pepperoni pizza before I go to work?”

  Justin looked over at Jake. “Um, I can’t eat that kind of pizza.”

  “Why not?” Dominique frowned, as she looked from Justin to Jake and back again.

  “Coach says it’s not healthy.”

  Dominique cocked her head at Jake. “Oh, does he now? And does Coach also offer to feed you what he believes you should eat?”

  Jake’s eyes narrowed slightly as he eyed Dominique’s luscious mouth. He didn’t like the attitude coming out of it and knew just how he wanted to shut it up. It had been a long time since he’d had a woman. Too long. His manhood twitched at the thought of the one in front of him bringing him out of his six-month slump. Impulse replaced rationale. Straightening to his full six foot five, Jake responded. “As a matter of fact, I do, Ms. Clark. Lunch. My house. In two hours.”

  “Can we, Mom, please?”

  “Oh no, honey,” Dominique quickly answered, the thought of being behind closed doors with this testimony in testosterone bringing on the squiggles and flutters again. He looked even finer up close, his authoritative air getting on her nerves even as it aroused her. “Thanks, Mr. McDonald, but we couldn’t impose. Besides, I have dinner plans for later this evening”

  “It’s Jake, and it’s no imposition at all. And we’ll keep it light so that you’ll have an appetite for your date tonight.”

  So you assume I have a date, huh? Dominique saw no need to correct this thought.

  “Please, Mom! Coach Mac can really cook!”

  “How do you know?”

  “He brought us cookies the other day.”

  Now it was Dominique’s turn to raise a skeptical eye to Jake. “Cookies? You mean the kind with loads of sugar, butter, and other unhealthy ingredients?”

  “No,” Jake said. “The kind with agave sweetener, unbleached flour, raisins, nuts, flaxseed, and other”— Jake paused, giving Dominique’s ample body the once over—“healthy ingredients.”

  “They were delicious, Mom!”

  I bet he is. “If you say so.”

  Jake looked up to see Shawn and a couple parents heading in his direction. He reached into his jacket, pulled out a card, and gave it to Dominique. “Call me in half an hour to get my address.” He walked off without waiting for a reply.

  An hour later, Dominique was still trying to come to grips with Jake McDonald and the effect he had on her. He was an attractive man to be sure, but that wasn’t the only thing that made her heart race. His confidence was sexy and that he could cook, a total turn on. He was, in a word, dangerous. In two words, a dangerous distraction. Dominique needed to focus. Besides the cover-story drama with the persnickety actress, there was a vengeful board member who’d recently reminded her, in so many words, that he was just waiting for her to mess up, and through all of this, Reggie’s malaise over his lost love continued. With a plate this full, she didn’t have time for a supersized extra like Jake McDonald, even though just the thought of seeing him again made her mouth water. I’ll call and politely decline. With that thought firmly in mind, Dominique reached for the phone.

  “Hello.”

  His voice brought to mind hot chocolate, sticky buns, and other forms of decadence. “Jake, it’s Dominique.”

  “Hey, Nick.”

  Immediately, Dominique copped an attitude. To everyone except Reggie, who called her Miss Dom, and her family, who called her Nikki, she was Dominique. No shortcuts. No other exceptions. “I do believe I introduced myself to you as Dominique Clark.”

  “You did, but that’s a mouthful.” Jake paused and let that unexpected double entendre hang in the air. “So may I call you Nick?”

  Dominique’s jaw tightened even as her lower body squirmed. “I prefer Dominique.”

  Another pause and then, “All right, then. Dominique.”

  She loved the way his voice caressed her name. And had its timbre gotten deeper, lower? One thing had definitely moved. The now-familiar flutter in her stomach had eased its way down to her smoldering cootchie. She needed to end this madness now! “Jake, I really appreciate your offer but—”

  “I’ve just put the food on, enough for three people. Don’t even think about cancelling on me.”

  Justin, who’d been playing his Xbox, ran over to where Dominique sat on the couch. “Is that Coach Mac? I’m hungry!”

  “Yes, Justin, now put on your shoes so we can go get you something to eat.”

  “Where,” Jake asked. “A fast-food restaurant? Are you really going to pass up a home-cooked meal for that junk?”

  Why did he have to hit the nail on the proverbial head? His assessment was so accurate that Dominique couldn’t even be mad. “We weren’t going for fast food,” she said, changing her mind on the spot from a drive-through to a sit-down establishment where the meal wasn’t delivered quite so... quickly. “Where were you going?”

  She barely hesitated. “Red Lobster.”

  “Mom, I hate lobster!”

  Dominique had answered with the first non-fast-food place that popped in her head. Dangit! I should have said Sizzler. “Okay, baby, we’ll choose another place.”

  “What you’ll do,” Jake responded as if he were talking to his squad, “is write down my address and come over so that your son, and his mom, can have a nice, home-cooked meal. Something I have a feeling is a rare occurrence.” Before Dominique could formulate a sufficiently sarcastic response, he continued. “If what I’m saying isn’t true, you won’t be offended.” Once again, Jake had rendered speechless a woman who normally got the last word. “Good. Here’s my address. See you in twenty to thirty.”

  It was actually forty minutes when Dominique arrived at Jake’s place, just so she could show him who was in control. At least that’s what she told herself as she walked up to the well-landscaped residence less than fifteen minutes from her own home. She’d been surprised to learn he lived so close to her. The area wasn’t exclusive but it was expensive, especially on a teacher’s salary. What other surprises do you have in store for me, Mr. McDonald?

  6

  “You’re late.” A perfectly decadent frown marred Jake’s stoic face.

  “Does that mean dinner’s cancelled?”

  Jake and Dominique eyed each other silently. He took in the fact that she’d changed from her hip-hugging purple number to an equally tantalizing warm-up outfit: a baby-blue color that kissed her mahogany skin in a velvety-looking fabric that he instantly wanted to touch. Even this casual outfit was completed by a pair of three- or four-inch pumps. Does this woman always wear heels? And does she always look this sexy while doing so?

  Jake wasn’t the only one battling temptation. Dominique noted the black cotton button-down shirt stretched to capacity over a chest magnifique, with a light sprinkling of hair at its opening just waiting to be rubbed. His arms were large, and thick veins rippled across his forearms and hands. Unlike many men his size, Jake’s stomach was flat, and the shirt tucked inside a pair of well-worn jeans hugged his body the way Dominique longed to do.

  “Guys, I’m hungry.” Justin eyed the adults as one who’d reached the end of his patience. “Are you going to stand there staring at each other all day or are we gonna eat?”

  “Watch your mouth, boy,” Dominique admonished.

  Jake stepped away from the doorway and gave Justin an affectionate slap on the back. “Food’s almost ready, Justin. You pl
ayed good today, worked up quite an appetite, I reckon.”

  Dominique smiled at his choice of words. It reminded her of something her grandfather would say. “You reckon?”

  “Ha! In fact, I do. That’s a little bit of ’Bama seeping through. It’s where my family is from.”

  “Really? My grandparents were from Alabama, too. What part?”

  “Birmingham.”

  “Mine were from Huntsville.”

  “Good. That way we don’t have to worry about being cousins.”

  “Why would we have to worry about that?” Dominique asked. She and Jake had navigated to the kitchen while at Jake’s suggestion Justin had plunked himself in front of a massive flat screen in the living room.

  Jake reached the stove, turned around, and allowed the desire that he’d felt for her since the beginning to show in his eyes. “I think you know why.” He lifted the lid on a concoction of chicken, onions, peppers, and sauce, and leisurely stirred it.

  Dominique swallowed. The fluttering that only happened when Jake was in the vicinity went out of control. “Okay, I’ll admit it. I find you attractive.”

  “I’ll admit that about you, too.”

  “And that there’s definitely a spark between us.”

  Jake stopped stirring and turned. “Is a spark all you feel?”

  “But this situation would simply be too complicated,” Dominique continued, ignoring his question. “You’re my son’s coach. I’m not looking for a relationship and...” The rest of the sentence was silenced by Jake’s full lips connecting with her equally thick ones. It was a wisp of a kiss, the merest meeting of flesh. But the sensation was like magic, potent and filled with the promise of more to come.

  “And I think it’s time to eat,” Jake whispered, once he’d ended the chaste yet powerful kiss. “Justin! Come grab these plates and set the table.”

  It took less than thirty minutes for Jake, Dominique, and Justin to demolish a delicious meal of chicken tacos and spicy vegetable-laden brown rice. He’d used organic this, fresh that, and free-range the other but Dominique had to admit that the dinner was delicious. Conversation flowed as easily as the sparkling pomegranate juice that accompanied the meal. Justin was all ears as Jake shared stories from his NFL glory days, and Jake showed genuine interest as Dominique gave an overview of life in magazine publishing. When she looked at her watch and noted the time, Dominique truly did not want to leave. But staying was not an option.

  “Jake, your healthy home-cooked meal was quite tasty. Our magazine is big on touting the benefits of good nutrition and I realize I’ve been lax on incorporating this fact into my own life. Thanks for the reminder.”

  “Can I come over here tomorrow, Coach Mac?” Justin asked. “Your food is good.”

  Inwardly, Dominique flinched. Nothing like a child to keep it real and diss his mother’s cooking skills—or lack thereof—in the process. “Boy, don’t be ridiculous. You can’t expect your coach to cook for you every day.”

  “But he likes to cook!” Justin implored.

  “Yeah, but I’ve got work to do,” Jake said, once again coming to Dominique’s rescue. “Like studying tape on next week’s rival. Y’all played well today but don’t think that every game will be as easy to win as that one. This next team is going to bring it. Y’all better be ready to give it right back.”

  Jake and Justin continued to talk as they walked to the door. Dominique was glad for the idle chatter, for the chance to rein in the emotions and hormones that had been roiling all evening and to think of an appropriate “so long, farewell” to end their stay. She’d covered it well, but Dominique’s attraction to Jake was not only undeniable, but almost frightening in its intensity. From the covert glances she’d received and the way his hand had casually covered hers at various points of the evening she’d say the feeling was mutual. Just like her bra size, Jake McDonald was definitely a triple D—dangerous, distracting, and now she could add, debonair. It was a good thing she wasn’t in the market for romance. Otherwise she’d be in big trouble.

  The three reached the front door. Justin grabbed his mother’s keys and ran out to unlock the car.

  “Thanks for the attention you’re paying Justin,” Dominique said as she and Jake stood in the open doorway. “He needs good male role models in his life.”

  “And you think I’m one?” Jake took a step and closed the distance between them. One step more and her generous breasts and his solid chest would make their acquaintance.

  Dominique barely breathed. “Yes.”

  Jake’s eyes narrowed and his long, thick tongue flicked out to moisten suddenly dry lips. “You feeling what I’m feeling?”

  Now Dominique’s throat went dry. She placed a foot on the porch before Jake stopped her with a hand on her forearm. His touch was like fire, scorching hot.

  Jake’s face broke out in a confident grin. “Yes, you’re feeling it.”

  “Look, Jake. I’ve already admitted that I find you attractive. But I don’t have time for or interest in a relationship.”

  “Neither do I.”

  “Oh, so you just want to hit it and quit it?”

  Jake’s smile widened. “Basically. We’re both adults here and I don’t know about you but for me... it’s been a while. I’m attracted to you. You’re feeling me, so... why not?”

  Dominique’s back was ramrod straight as she faced him, her heels bringing them almost eye to eye. “Because my goodies are worth more than a damn chicken taco, that’s why not!”

  And before Jake had time to formulate an answer, Dominique was gone.

  7

  “What’s wrong, Mom?” Justin noticed his mother being uncharacteristically quiet on the drive home.

  “Nothing, baby. Mommy just has a lot on her mind.”

  “Is it Coach Mac?”

  “No!” Yes. “Why would you say that?”

  Justin shrugged, totally unaware of the field of dynamite into which he navigated, and in which his mother was trying to prevent an explosion. “You and Coach were looking at each other funny, and then you didn’t want to leave his house.”

  Dominique’s head whipped around. Is this my son or a psychic sitting beside me? “What do you mean I didn’t want to leave?”

  “Y’all kept talking when you got to the door. I think you like him.”

  “Justin Demetrius Clark! Don’t you ever let me hear you say something like that again! Is that clear?” Belatedly, Dominique realized she might be overreacting and went back in for damage control. She loosened her death grip on the wheel. “What I mean, baby, is that I do like Coach Mac, the way friends like each other. The way you and your friend Alvin or your new teammate, Travis, get along.”

  “Dag, Mom. What way do you think I mean?”

  This potent question shut Dominique right up and if it hadn’t, the caller ID showing on her ringing phone surely would. She pulled into her garage as she answered. “Yes?”

  “Still thinking about me?”

  “Ha! So on your resume is a job titled ‘comedian. ’” Dominique remained in the car while Justin bounded into the house. “Either that or you’re exercising that overly confident professional athlete’s swagger.”

  “Am I wrong?”

  “Obviously, since you think you can melt a woman’s panties with a single glance or a single meal.” The fact that Dominique’s va-jay-jay could at this moment be renamed “the burning bush” was, in her mind, beside the point.

  “Dominique, I need to apologize for what I suggested earlier. I stand by my belief that two grown people should be able to do what they want without strings or ties, but I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  “I may have overreacted a bit as well,” she quickly countered. “Two consenting adults can do as they please.”

  “Then with that out of the way, why don’t you come over?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. And you know you want to. There’s no way you didn’t feel what I felt when we were together earli
er.”

  “What exactly did you feel?”

  “Hum. I can show you better than I can tell you. Now quit playin’ and get over here.”

  The phone clicked in Dominique’s ear, signaling the end of the call. The only thing worse than hearing his hang up was the fact that she didn’t get to punch off first. Mr. Big-Baller-Shot-Caller was feeling pretty sure of himself and obviously he was used to having women fall at his feet. If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. That’s what Dominique’s mother, Anita, would say right about now. And if there was one thing Dominique Clark didn’t fall for, it was the okeydoke, or one who assumed too much. She had entertained her share of egotistical, successful men who thought they were all that and a winning lotto ticket. Most of the time she’d found out that their overblown egos were covering up an under whelming endowment. The last thing this big girl needed was a little... anything. Just another reason not to even get this started. Dominique figured she was just the one to stand up to Mr. Jake McDonald, and let him know that as hot and handsome as he was, he was a temptation she could resist.

  Later that night Dominique returned home to an empty house. Tessa had left the place spotless and she’d dropped Justin off in Inglewood to spend time with his cousins. Dominique looked at her watch: 9:30. After flipping through the movie channels and finding nothing to catch her interest, she decided to put in another hour or so of work. She’d just showered and settled herself in the middle of her king-size bed with photos and articles surrounding her when her text message indicator beeped. Too scared to visit me without your son as a chaperone? Really?

  Dominique failed in her efforts to keep a smile from her face as she typed in a reply. Please. Don’t flatter yourself. She waited for his text, and was only mildly surprised when, instead, her cell phone rang.

  “Hello.”

  “Dominique, it’s Jake.”

  Still water and sticky molasses. “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “I believe that. You have no reason to be afraid of me. I’m as harmless as a fly.”