Authors: S Gonzalez
The man who had sung to me a dozen times
before has me mesmerized with his husky voice and
shaky tone. The hypnotic way his body vibrates nervous
energy as he belts out each lyric, as if it were a prayer,
makes me think I have hurt him more then I could ever
repair. It’s not until he starts singing the chorus that my
eyes widen and realization sets in. I take a step back to
each of his steps forward but the spotlight follows me.
Even after I turn and practically run off the stage, it never
leaves me. Just before I disappear into the darkness, stage
left, I feel strong arms catch me around my waist from
behind. The smooth drawl of his voice in my ear, and the
intensity of his touch after two weeks of absence, have
me melting against him.
Dominic pulls me back into the spotlight. Once he
is sure I’m not going anywhere, he pulls a yellow rose
out of his back pocket and runs the petals along my face.
Dominic sings the rest of the song watching me, pleading
with his eyes for me not to run. Before the song ends he
drops to one knee, emphasizing the last line to the song,
encouraging me to answer. My heart is beating out of my
chest and my mouth is arid as I try to find the right
words to say. The crowd erupts into loud wolf calls and
whistles while chanting, “Say, yes”. Girls yelling, “I’ll
marry you” echo off of every wall in the venue.
Justin takes the mic and silences the crowd so
Dominic can continue. Our eyes never break contact, as if
we are in a trance. I watch him, kneeling down before me
with sweat pouring off his face, and nervousness causing
his hands to shake in mine.
“Do you remember when we first met? I do. The
second I saw you through the window of that coffee shop
I was done for. I loved you from the second I saw you,
when you were seventeen, walking into that coffee shop
wearing a yellow sundress. I thought about you for
years when we were apart. I never fell out of love with
you, Emma. When I saw you in New York at the club,
after I thought I had lost you forever, my heart skipped a
beat and I knew that if I didn’t show my hand quickly, I
would lose you again. That was never going to happen. I
love you today more than I could ever possibly express. I
will promise to love you and protect you for the rest of
my life, Sweetness. So, because I am a fool in love, with a
girl who I will never let go of, I have to ask. Emma, will
you marry me?” The room was so quiet you could hear a
pin drop as he pulled out a pale blue box and opened it
revealing the prettiest diamond engagement ring I’ve
ever seen. I look between the ring and Dominic a few
times before I open my mouth. With each passing
second, Dominic’s eyes grow wider and wider with fear.
Marry him?
After a long uncomfortable silence Dominic stands
up, never taking his eyes off me. “Emma, answer me. I
love you, you love me. All the other shit we can work
out. Don’t walk away because you’re scared. He took too
many years from us; he is not a factor in our lives any
more. Please baby, marry me?” He whispers so only I can
hear.
He’s right. If I walk away now, Glen wins. I have
lived in fear for years. Afraid that people would find out.
That when they did, they wouldn’t believe me and I
would be alone forever. Glen took Dominic away from
me once, and I will be damned if I am going to let him do
it to me again.
Feeling like the weight of the world just lifted off
my shoulders I peek at Dominic from the top of my eyes
and nod my answer.
His eyes widen, “Say it!”
“Yes.”
“Yes! Yes, you will marry me, yes?”
“Yes. Yes, I will marry you.”
Dominic yanks my arms until our bodies are
pressed together tightly as he kisses me. The room erupts
with cheers and applause as we continue to kiss,
probably a little inappropriately for public. We seem to
have completely forgotten we we’re not the only people
in this room. The rest of the band bum rushes the stage. I
feel Rocco’s strong arms pull me away from my new
fiancé as he jerks me into a big bear hug. Chris and Justin
gave Dominic a one-armed guy hug, then turn to hug me
just as Rocco sets me down. The crowd goes absolutely
insane with excitement.
Over Justin’s shoulder I see Julie glaring at me
from the side of the stage. No doubt she will be telling
her loving, caring boyfriend what just happened. But for
the first time ever, I could care less. Dominic knows the
truth and he doesn’t care. He could have left me and I
wouldn’t have blamed him in the least, but instead he
proposed.
Holy shit, I’m engaged.
Before heading over
to the hotel, the guys have to stop
by the bus to get their stuff. We don’t have to leave until
Monday morning, so for the rest of the weekend a
swanky hotel room is home. While the boys grab their
stuff I call Wanda and tell her the good news before she
hears it from someone else. Dominic’s proposal wasn’t
exactly low key so it isn’t going to take long for the
paparazzi to get wind of this juicy story.
“What’s up chica? How was the show?” she
answers without as much as a hello.
“Wanda, I’m engaged!” I shout.
“Shut up!”
“No, seriously. Dom proposed at the show
tonight.”
“And…you said yes? You were ready to walk
away when I talked to you this morning. What
changed?”
“Well, nothing really. I saw him and…it was
just…I love him, Wanda. I can’t explain it. I know it’s
impulsive, but everything in my life since I met Dominic
has been impulsive. I have never been happier.”
“Uh, huh. What about the other stuff? Your
family?”
“I can’t let Glen and all that shit take me away
from him. He knows what Glen did. It’s all out in the
open now, and he doesn’t care.”
“I don’t know about that,” Dominic says from
behind me. When I turn I notice his jaw is clenched so
tight his teeth looks as though they are going to crack
under the pressure.
“Wanda, I’ll call you tomorrow,” I say as I watch
Dominic closely. I don’t know what he is thinking and I
am sure there will be lots to discuss but I am not getting
into all that in a parking lot where everyone and their
brother can hear us. We provided the crew enough
entertainment for one tour.
“You got it, babe. I am happy for you, Emma.
Congratulations.”
“Thanks, Wanda.”
I hang up the phone and shuffle from side to side,
looking at the ground. Dominic uses his long index
finger to tilt my chin up, forcing me to look into stormy
emerald pools of emotion. Sympathy fighting against
anger; love against pity. I can deal with a lot, but I don’t
do pity.
“Don’t look at me like that.” I complain, pushing
his hand away from my face and taking a step back.
Suddenly the broken gravel under my feet is the most
interesting thing in the world.
“Like what?”
“Like you feel sorry for me. Don’t. You said it
yourself, don’t let him take any more time away from
us.”
“Lets talk about this at the hotel.” He gives me a
delicate kiss on the lips, dismissing my request.
“Get a room,” Chris yells as he exits the bus with
Justin and Rocco trailing behind.
“Fully intend to,” Dominic replies, kissing my
hand and pulling me into the SUV. Ryan is already at the
wheel and congratulates us as we pull out of the parking
lot and into the highway.
“So, lovebirds, when are we getting married?”
Justin asks.
“We?” I question with a raised brow.
“You marry him, you get us. That’s the way it is,
doll face,” Rocco chuckles.
“Oh God, wait till you tell Nancy. She is going to
flip,” Chris laughs from the passenger seat in the front of
the car.
“Shit, yea. I have to call my mom,” Dominic pulls
out his phone and hesitates before pressing the send
button. He looks more nervous to tell his mother that he
is getting married, than he was asking me to marry him.
“Hi, mom...no everything is fine…yes, they’re
fine. We just finished our show…okay, hold on.”
Dominic pulls the phone from his ear and presses the
speakerphone button. “Okay mom, they can all hear
you.”
“How are my boys?” Nancy’s excited voice floats
through the car.
“Hi, mom,” Chris replies, earning an inquisitive
glance from me. He calls her mom? That’s nice.
“Sup, Nance,” Rocco shouts from the back seat.
“Well, hey there, pretty mama,” Justin adds,
earning a thump on the head from Rocco who shakes his
head in indignation.
I look between all of them, unsure what I should
say. We have never been introduced and she doesn’t
know I am even in the car so I guess I am not being rude
when I don’t respond. I unexpectedly feel like an
outsider in this group. The loving face splitting smiles on
their faces tells me, Nancy Ross, is an important person
to them.
I know Rocco and Chris were like brothers to
Dominic, and Dominic and Justin have been friends
forever. I guess it just never registered that they’re not
just friends, they’re family. I better get used to the fact
that if I am with Dominic, I get the whole crazy crew.
Wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Mom, listen. I have some news,” Dominic states,
his nervousness seeping though his tone. Why though? Is
he afraid that she won’t approve? Oh hell, what if she
doesn’t approve.
“Oh, no. What did you boys do now? Ya’ know, I
thought with a girl keeping y’all in line you would stay
out of trouble. Where is that sweet little thing of yours
anyway?” Even in the dark interior of the car I can make
out Dominic’s bright red blush. He shakes his head at his
mother’s bluntness, but makes no apologies for it.
“Emma, is sitting right next to me ma’. Say hello.”
“Well howdy darlin’. Nice to know you really
exist. If I didn’t see pictures of you two in those story
telling magazines, I would think my boy there made ya’
up,” Nancy drawled in a thick southern accent. I could
hear shuffling papers and voices in the background
coming trough a loud speaker. I remember Dominic
telling me once that his mother was an ER nurse, so I
chalk it up to us rudely interrupting her at work.
“Hello, Mrs. Ross. It is very nice to meet you.”
“Dominic?” Nancy gasps.
“Yea ma’.”
“Is Grandma with you?”
“What? No. Grandma’s dead, ma’.” I stare
quizzically back at Rocco who puts his hand on my
shoulder and gives me a “this is what you are getting
into” shrug.
“Oh, thank fuck. I thought for a second the old bat
rose from the dead and joined you on tour. That means
that sweet thing of yours is talking to me when she says,
Mrs. Ross, huh?”
The boys all burst into full-blown belly laughter.
My face heats up with embarrassment. “Sorry ma’am.”
“Ma’am?” Nancy’s shocked voice makes me slink
further into the seat. Dominic pulls me closer to him and
kisses me on top of my head. “Oh, sweetheart, if you
expect me to like ya’, call me mom or Nancy. Mrs. Ross
was my wretched mother in law, and she is long gone.
May she rest in hell.”
“MA’!” Dominic chuckles.
“Sorry, son. So what’s the news?”
“Emma and I are engaged.” Silence on the other
side of the phone causes all eyes to fixate on the phone
that is illuminating the middle row of the SUV. “Mom?
You still there? Did you hear me?”
“I heard you,” Nancy sniffs. Her voice cracks as if
she is trying to hold back her emotions. The guys gave a
small smile as I look between them. Justin, who was
sitting behind Dominic, puts his hands on his best friends
shoulders and rub them in a show of comfort. “I am
proud of you baby boy.”
From Dominic’s glassy eyes, I can tell he’s getting
emotional talking to his mom. I remember the way he
reacted when I told him in New York that
I
was proud of
him. He insinuated that his parents weren’t. Which now
is odd because I can tell she is very proud of all him, of
all of them; I don’t know why he would think otherwise.
“Thanks, mom. I have to go, but tell dad I love
him and tell him the good news.”
“I think he’d rather hear it from you, Dominic,”
Nancy scolds.
“Maybe. I’ll call him tomorrow but just tell him for
me, okay.”
“Okay. I love you, boys. Y’all be safe. Justin?
“Yeah.”
“Don’t forget condoms, son.”
“MOM!” Dominic shouts. Justin just sits back in
his seat and crosses his arms over his chest as he snorts
quietly into the darkness.
“What? The boy is hornier then a lap dog in heat.”
Nancy states, earning more laughter from everyone,
including Ryan. “Rocco?”
“That’s me.”
“You take care of my Chrissy. I love you, big guy.”
Rocco rolls his eyes but smiles and agrees.
My eyes shoot to Chris who is shyly smiling
through the visor mirror from the front seat. “Thanks,
mom,” he says sarcastically, “I love you.”
“I love you too, Chris,” Nancy sobs through the
phone.
“Emma?” Nancy clears her throat and her new
stern pitch tells me she means business.
“Yes, Mrs.- I mean Nancy.”
“You take good care of my boys. And y’all come
to visit real soon. I miss ya’.”
“I will. They will be home by November.”
“Good. I gotta’ go. They are bringing in a trauma.
Y’all be good. Bye.”
“Bye!” we all say in unison.
Wow! Dominic’s mother is certainly…interesting.
Since we left the venue Dominic has not stopped
touching me. He has been holding my hand, rubbing
slow circles on my thigh, and kissing my temple every
few minutes. It is like he thinks if he doesn’t touch me I
will disappear. We have much to talk about but if he
keeps touching me, the talking will have to wait for
another time. Just as I contemplate straddling him right
here in the SUV, the car comes to a stop outside the hotel.
The concierge greets us at the door. The short
balding man hands everyone their room keys and tells us
the bags will be delivered right away. Dominic whispers
something into the man’s ear before palming him a tip.
He must be eager to get me alone because as soon as he is
finished having his secret conversation he grabs my hand
and practically drags me through the lobby.
When the guys catch up to us at the elevator bank
Dominic holds up his hand for them not to enter. “This is
a private elevator.”
I stand in the middle of the elevator shocked he
just said that out loud. “Private elevator?” I question as I
feel desire burning in my stomach. Not being with
Dominic for two weeks after having him almost every
day for the previous four weeks has made me greedy for
his touch.
“Yeah,” he says, with his back to me as he presses
the stop button. When he turns around I can barely blink
before he cages me in the corner of the elevator. With his
muscular forearms against the wall on either side of my
head and his hips pining me against the wall I am not
going anywhere.
“I am never going to make it to the room. I need
you right now. I though about fucking you on the stage
the second you said yes, but I thought better of it when I
realized every dirt bag in the room would be watching
my wife screaming my name.” His urgent mouth is hot
and needy as his firm lips press against mine. Before this
gets out of hand in front of the security cameras, I have to
put a stop to this.
“We are not having sex in the elevator,” I giggle as
tickle his ribs to force him back. I duck his arm and push
the button back in for the elevator to move. “Patience.”
“Screw patience. I haven’t been with you for two
weeks. That’s as patient as I am willing to get.” Dominic
pushes me against the back wall and molds his hard
body to mine.
His smell. The way his breath feels against my
neck. The way his erotic words fall out of his mouth
while I taste his luscious lips. All these actions at once
force my eyes closed as my senses do the tango.
Just as he is about to hike up my dress, the doors
open, telling me that we are either on our floor or
someone is getting in. Either way we need to stop before
we get caught. I flutter my eyes open long enough to see
we are, in fact, on our floor. I grin up at Dominic after I
pull him away from my lips by his hair. “See, that wasn’t
so hard.”
Dominic’s pupils dilate, as if he enjoyed my
assault. He forces my hand to the crotch of his jeans.
“Doesn’t that feel hard to you?”
On second thought maybe we should just do it
right here, right now. The need I have for this man is
becoming too much for me to handle. As I pull him out
of the elevator he hoists me over his shoulder like a
caveman.
I like.
I take the key card that is peeking out of his back
pocket and reach my hand around to give it to him when
stops in front of one of the door. I hear the card slip into
the slot followed by the buzzing sound that tells me we
can enter. Can’t see much from this angle, but the carpet
is nice.
Once inside the room, Dominic throws me on the
bed and removes his boots, socks, pants, and finally his
shirt. Once his shirt is over his head I see a large tattoo
scrolled down the entire length of his left side, starting
just below his armpit and ending at his hip. I hop up on
my knees to further inspect what he had done.
“Oh my, God.” I breathe as I throw my hands up
to my mouth. I feel a mixture of shock and amazement.
It takes Dominic a second to register, but when he
realizes what I am looking at he straightens up and his
eyes widen. “Shit! I forgot…damn it.”
“Dom, when did you do that? It’s beautiful.” I pull
him toward me, closer to the bed, so I can get a good
look. Dominic lays down on his side so I can inspect the
artwork in its full glory.
The expansive colorful work of art displayed is
similar to my own. It is a treble clef used as the “S” with,
Sweetness, scrolled down his side. His tattoo is much
more masculine then mine; it looks as though the word is
being ripped out from under his skin and visible only
through the tares of flesh. The 3D tattoo looks like it is a
part of him and someone had clawed away at his skin to
reveal it, allowing bright, colorful musical notes, similar
to mine, escape from the skin that is perceived to be torn
off. I can’t help but realize the symbolism as I run my
finger over the well-defined lines. He often tells me that I
got under his skin from the start, and I am the music in
his soul.
Guess he wasn’t kidding.
“The day you left, when the guys and I went out
that morning, we saw a sign for a tattoo convention.
When we were walking around I saw my buddy, Mike,
there. He did all my other ink so when I told him what I
wanted, he was happy to do it. I wanted to show you
when I came back, but shit got crazy and you left.”
I sit back on my knees and fiddle with the hem of
my dress, not knowing what to say. Dominic, rolls onto
his back and slips his arm behind me. “I’m sorry I ran. I
just couldn’t stand the way you looked at me when you
found out. I knew the second you found out what Glen
did to me you would never look at me the same. I love
you so much, I couldn’t take it if you didn’t love me
back,” I managed to squeak out thorough the golf ball in
my throat.
Dominic sits up and takes my hands in his. “Baby,
no. I didn’t mean to. I don’t think any differently of you. I
was pissed-I am pissed, and I am going to kill that
motherfucker for touching you, but I don’t think any
differently of you. Please don’t think that. I just wish you
had told me, so I could’ve helped you. Why did you feel
comfortable enough to tell Justin, but not me?”