“So that means she won’t be sneaking off to India any time soon?” Tori asked.
Dallas’ eyes widened. “You were going to leave the country?” he asked. “Even after…”
She leveled an icy look at him that spoke to the fact that she wasn’t the least bit apologetic for her actions. And it also spoke to the fact that given the chance, Alicia would do it again.
Chapter 17
12:27 p.m.
Dallas peered at Alicia more closely, trying to clear his vision. He gripped her arms and lifted Alicia so they were eye to eye. “I would come for you. No matter where you go, I’m going to find you. You know that, right?”
The small smile on Tori’s face vanished the moment Dallas brought Alicia against his chest and held onto her as though even an inch apart was too much.
“Separate houses,” Alicia said after a while had passed. “And that’s my final answer.”
“Fine!” Tori threw up her hands. “That will be the end result, but for now you’ll live with us.”
Dallas studied Tori for a long while, analyzing the myriad of expressions that she tried to hide. “One last time, Tori. This thing between me and Alicia is not going to end. So, if you want to get out of it now ... .”
“You know what I think?” Tori snarled, a single hand riding up on her hip.
Tori’s tone made Alicia walk away, turn back to the window.
“I think your dick’s doing a lot of your thinking right now,” Tori said. “I think once you’ve had a few more times with her and the novelty wears off, then you’ll realize she isn’t so special. She’s not going to marry you. She’s not going to have your children. So what purpose does she serve other than being someone you can stick your dick into?”
Alicia stiffened, but Tori kept going. “Until we walk down that aisle, she’s like the number zero. She’s just a placeholder until the real thing comes along.”
“Tori,” Alicia said, staring at Tori as though seeing her niece for the first time. “You keep attacking me like this and you’ll see just how gentle I’ve been with your mother.”
Tori did a little hop and hurried from the suite.
* * *
Dallas booked a flight to Texas for Alicia and changed the existing reservations for Tori and himself. When he hung up from the call, he turned to Alicia.
She said, “I need to cancel my flight,” she whispered, then froze as though realizing that she shouldn’t have brought that subject up.
“Yes, about that,” he said, taking the opening she had reluctantly provided. “You were running again, and you weren’t even going to say goodbye. Just like last time. Why would you do that to me knowing how I feel about you?”
“Because none of this makes any damn sense,” she replied, moving back toward the bed. “I feel like I’m all over the place. I want to be the old me again, where everything was predictable. Normal.”
“There’s no such thing as normal for us anymore.” Dallas gathered her into his arms and placed a kiss on her lips. “Are you saying that you wish that we had never shared those moments? Would you have rather lived your life without knowing what real pleasure feels like? What love can feel like?”
Alicia closed her eyes, and he could only hope she was reliving their time together because those moments walked through his mind more often than he could control.
Dallas lowered his hand to her buttocks, pulled her close and buried his head in the soft curve of her shoulder. Then he trailed his lips up to her ear and whispered, “Do you want me to tell you all the reasons I need you?”
Her eyelids fluttered until they closed, and he continued. “Do you want me to bare my soul to get you to understand?” Dallas kissed the vein pulsing at the base of her neck, then the smooth skin along her cheek. “I meant it when I said I love you.” He continued until his lips were at hers. “Stay with me. Let me show you how much I care.” Then he took the tip of her earlobe between his lips and teased her. “I’ll take you to India some other time. I promise.”
Slowly, her arms wrapped around him. “Do you know what you’re doing, Dallas?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re accusing Tori of biding her time, but you’re biding your time, too.”
Dallas pulled away. “What makes you say that that?”
“You don’t even try to filter your affection for me when you’re in front of her. You think that her seeing us together will be the thing that will make her finally give up.”
He looked away, and she added, “You’re going to hurt her into leaving you. And that’s not fair. A clean break—a real clean break, not this wishy-washy bullshit you’re doing today—would be better all the way around. You’re being selfish, Dallas.”
“And I’m not the only one.”
Her hands slowly fell by her side.
“I saw the look you gave Tori when she asked you that question.” Dallas watched her expressions, and a slight tint of red flushed her honeyed cheeks. “You do want me all to yourself.”
Alicia remained silent for a long time, and she let out a long slow breath. “And I feel so bad about that. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I think straight when it comes to you?”
“Because you’re falling in love with me.” He pushed a few strands of hair away from her face. “I can’t say the same for Tori. She’s not in love with me and she knows that while I love her, I’m not in love with her.”
He kissed her. She tried to resist at first, but soon melted under his touch. “Everything that is wonderful about a woman, I see in you,” he whispered into her ear. “I feel comfort, pleasure. I love bringing out your sensuous side. Watching you submit to me is a powerful thing. It’s addictive.”
Alicia pulled back and glared at him. “I’m not submissive!”
Dallas chuckled and tried to guide her back into his arms.
She pushed him away. “I’m. Not. Weak!”
He peered at her and realized, this was no laughing matter. That word truly upset her, so he conceded, “All right. You’re not submissive.” Before she protested more, he added, “Come on, let’s get out of here. Let’s just give this a try and see how it works out. All right?”
After a moment she nodded. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
“I’m not falling for that a second time,” he shot back.
“Dallas, please, give me a moment to be alone and absorb all of this before I step into that madness. Because it’s not just Tori who has to compromise. I had my own plans. I had my own life before you penciled yourself in.”
Dallas peered at her for a long while, then grabbed her purse and luggage and carted them off, looking at her over his shoulder.
Alicia released a long, slow breath and turned her back to him. His heart skipped a beat when she leaned forward to rest her forehead on the window. He could feel how heavily this weighed on her. But until Alicia changed her mind and decided to marry him, this was the way things would have to be.
Chapter 18
6:16 p.m.
Plano, Texas
Hours later, Alicia stood in the marbled foyer of Dallas and Tori’s spacious condo. Once again she was amazed and overwhelmed at the massive open living and dining space with a ceiling that had to be at least eleven feet. The redbrick fireplace was positioned so the flames could easily reflect off the cathedral windows. The place was a perfect blend of rich earth tones and leather furniture. Even now, it felt more like home than anyplace she had been since.
With a sweeping gesture, Tori said to Alicia, “Definitely nothing like Harper Avenue.”
Alicia took in the familiar abstract artwork along the living room wall, then gave Tori a patient smile. “Indeed. I should know. I picked out everything I can see from here.”
Tori’s jaw went slack and her hand fell to her side. But before she could say anything, Dallas took Alicia’s hand and moved her further into the space. “I took your suggestions and combined some rooms since you were last here.” He gestured toward the back a
rea of the condo. “Now there’s three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, a chef’s kitchen—though nobody ever uses it,” he added on a sour note, then pointed toward a set of spiral stairs. “A loft upstairs and a den with a library right next to it.”
Alicia’s gaze took it all in. “It’s still absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you,” he replied.
Alicia could tell he wanted to say more. She was glad he didn’t.
“I’ll put you in the guest bedroom,” Tori said motioning upstairs.
“No, she’ll take my bedroom,” Dallas corrected, aiming toward the foyer to get the suitcase. “It’s much bigger. Women need space.”
“You sleep in separate bedrooms?” Alicia asked, unable to keep the shock from her voice as she looked from one to the other.
“It was my idea,” Tori said. “Sleeping together would provide way too much temptation.” Tori took a seat on the leather chase and crossed one slack-covered leg over the other.
Dallas gave Tori a long look before he turned to Alicia. “I’ll move into the guest bedroom,” he said, then started to wheel Alicia’s suitcase toward the back of the condo. He turned back to the two women staring after him and said, “And I’m starving. Are we eating out or in?”
“In,” Alicia answered at the same time Tori said, “Out.”
“Looks like I’m the tie-breaker,” Dallas said thoughtfully. “I’m all for a home-cooked meal over restaurant food any day.” He nodded toward Alicia and said, “I called the housekeeper from the airport and had her stock up. If you’re up for it, would you mind—”
Alicia quickly maneuvered around a shocked Tori who remained in the center of the living room long after the other two had left.
* * *
An hour later, Alicia put the last of the platters on the kitchen table as Dallas took a seat at the head of the table.
“Shouldn’t we eat in the dining room,” Tori said, frowning at the spread on the table.
“I thought we could be a little informal this time,” Alicia responded softly.
Tori gripped the back of the chair as she said, “So now you’re dictating how this house runs?”
“Tori, sit down and eat or don’t eat at all,” Dallas said. “My stomach is not going to make time for drama.”
She plopped into the chair to his left. Alicia settled gracefully in the one on his right.
They bowed their heads as Dallas said grace, ending with, “And bless the hands that prepared it—”
“And the stomachs that have to tolerate it,” Tori added dryly.
Both Alicia and Dallas opened their eyes and stared at her.
She shrugged. “I’m just saying.”
“And we ask for your patience and guidance in all things,” Dallas finished with a pointed look at Tori. “Amen.”
“Amen,” Alicia added with a wary glance at her niece.
“You both did a great job,” Dallas said, grinning as he scanned the spread before him.
“I didn’t help with this. I had some studying to do,” Tori said, eyeing Alicia with undisguised hatred. “Some of us actually want to work for a living.”
Dallas and Alicia ignored that barb as he began to pile up on the Romano crusted chicken, rice pilaf, and steamed green beans and garlic bread.
“Dallas…” Alicia began, eyes widening as she saw her meal disappearing from the platters as though being sucked into a vortex.
“Yep,” he said, sliding the salad bowl his way.
“Where are you going to put all of that?”
Tori laughed, lightening up the moment. “Finally, someone agrees that he eats entirely too much.”
Dallas wrinkled his nose at her. “I have the metabolism to support it.”
“You ain’t never lied,” Alicia mumbled.
His fork paused midway as he looked at her and smiled. “What?”
Alicia shook her head and he took that moment to slide a little extra food on her plate as she said, “You’ve lost some weight, so I thought that you had cut back on the amount that you’re taking in.”
“Nope, I just work out a little more,” he admitted. “Balance. Balance works for me.”
“And speaking of balance,” Tori said, pouring herself a full glass of white wine. “How exactly do we pull this off?”
Dallas took a few bites and glanced at Alicia. When she shrugged, he turned to Tori. “You’re the one who suggested it,” Dallas said. “How do you see this working?”
Tori froze and for a second it seemed as if she wouldn’t answer. “Well, I—I hadn’t really thought about it beyond coming here.”
Alicia blinked. “Oh, my god. You didn’t think this would actually happen.”
“No. No, it was nothing like …” Tori withered under Dallas’ hard glare, and quickly amended. “Okay, I thought that once you saw our home, what we’ve built together, you would feel out of place here.” She scanned the area and added, “I didn’t realize that I’d been living in your shrine.”
Dallas’ gaze shifted from Tori to Alicia. “Are you still packed?”
She nodded and he stood.
“Wait,” Tori said, gripping his wrist to keep him in place. “I don’t mean for you to take her somewhere—”
“Tori,” Dallas sighed, “either we’re going to do this or not. But we’re not going to fight about this every night.”
Tori’s fork clattered to the plate. Her chest heaved in an effort to rein in her emotions.
“So how is this supposed to work,” Alicia asked gently. “We’ve all walked into this blindly, so let’s establish the boundaries, how our days will pan out …”
Dallas pointed to an oversized calendar hanging next to the stainless steel fridge. “Well, until the end of April, I go to training every morning, practice in the afternoons, games most nights. Away games are all put on there and then I’m gone for a few days here and there.”
“Okay, that’s your schedule,” Alicia said. “Let’s start with something like cooking,” she said to her niece.
But Dallas interjected. “I would love to have home cooked meals for a change. At least some of the time.”
Tori opened her mouth to protest, but Dallas said, “This right here,” he gestured to his nearly empty plate, “is like solid gold. I’d prefer my meals were prepared by a woman who cares what’s being put into me.”
Tori smacked her lips. “But we love fine restaurants—”
“We do it because you don’t cook—even when you have time. And I can’t cook—”
“But you can learn,” Alicia jumped in. “Last time I checked, your hands, eyes, and brains all worked just fine.”
“If you ever saw me in the kitchen, you’d say something totally different.” He gave her a toothy grin. “But I make a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” he added with a mischievous lift of her left eyebrow, causing Alicia to laugh.
“Give me a break,” Tori muttered and stabbed her baked chicken breast with her fork.
“All right, I can manage to cook breakfast and dinner some of the time,” Alicia conceded.
“Sleeping arrangements?” Tori said, softly.
Alicia looked at Dallas, but his focus shifted to Tori. He was silent for a few moments, then said, “We’ve slept in separate beds for a year, Tori. That’s not going to change.”
“So you’ll sleep in her bed every night,” she asked in a tone that sounded like she was trying to keep the tears from her eyes.
He nodded and the tears that she was fighting back sprang to her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Tori.” He released a heavy sigh as he massaged his temple. “I tried to tell you. This isn’t going to be easy for any of us.”
Tori took a deep breath and said, “I think that you should—”
The cordless phone rang and Dallas gestured for Alicia to answer since it was closer to her.
She answered with, “Avery residence.”
“May I ... speak ... with ... Dallas?” The female on the other end spoke slowl
y as if she were trying to figure out who’d answered the phone.
Alicia smiled. Katie, Dallas’ agent probably recognized her voice, but wasn’t sure. After all, it had been a few years.
“Katie?” Alicia asked just to be sure.
“Alicia?”
“Yes. How’s it going?”
“When did you … what are you … when did you get back?”
Her gaze shifted to Dallas. “I’m just here for a little visit.”
That statement caused Dallas to put his fork down.
“Well, welcome back,” Katie crowed. “Is Dallas around?”
“Yes, he’s right here.” She handed the phone to Dallas who covered the mouthpiece as he looked at her. “A little visit?”
“I didn’t know what else to say,” she said with a mild shrug.
Dinner was cut short when Dallas trotted up the stairs to the loft to take the call. The two women stayed silent for a long while before Tori pushed her plate toward the center. The chair scraped hard against the natural wood floor as she backed away from the table.
“I have a splitting headache,” she said through her teeth and for a moment sadness settled in Alicia’s heart.
Tori stood, then looked at the spot where Dallas had sat. “I realize that you might think this—” she circled a finger to mean the kitchen and dining area, “is familiar territory. But please keep in mind that this is my house. I’ve been here a lot longer than you ever have. I’ve been in his life a lot longer than you have.”
“I’m sure you won’t let me forget,” Alicia countered before she took a sip of wine and focused on polishing off her meal.
Tori’s eyes narrowed to slits. “He’s going to get tired of you, you old bitch,” Tori snarled causing Alicia’s head to whip toward her. “And when he does, he’ll realize that you weren’t so special. He got over you last time, and he’ll do it again. Then, Plan A will be in effect again.”
Open Door Marriage Page 11
