Tear Down These Walls

by Sarah Kay Carter

  “I honestly don’t remember……this one,” Teagan replies. “Most of the other ones….have been….”

  “Erotic?” Kellen finishes for her.

  Teagan’s cheeks burn from embarrassment. “Sometimes,” she whispers. “Sometimes, they are just really weird dreams, but you are in them a lot.”

  “Do you know what I am surprised about?” Kellen says.

  “No,” Teagan replies.

  “You actually called me Kellen in your sleep.”

  “I did?” Teagan squeaks.

  He nods, “Yeah, it was nice to hear.”

  “Why do you go by Trent now?” Teagan inquires, turning to face him.

  Exhaling a long breath, Kellen finally murmurs, “I wanted to leave my old life behind. It’s not who I am anymore. So many people knew who Kellen Grayson was, but no one knew who Trent Grayson was.”

  “Why do you hide from your old life?” Teagan asks.

  “I can’t be part of that world anymore, so I’ve done everything possible do step completely away from it,” he states.

  “Do you miss it?”

  Kellen tilts his head to the side. “You know, I haven’t really thought about it. That was a whole different side of me.”

  “The fame and women,” Teagan says gently.

  Giving her a soft smile, he says, “That’s not the part that I miss.”

  “Come on, that had to make you feel good,” Teagan suggests.

  “Yeah, it was kind of like being on a high for a long time. I got whatever I wanted. I had a different girl whenever I wanted.”

  With a scowl, Teagan says, “Gross.” She looks away.

  “Well, I was always careful,” Kellen murmurs. “It was hollow sex, meant nothing.”

  “What’s meaningful sex like?” Teagan asks, looking back at him. “Is it different?”

  “I wish I could answer that,” he sighs.

  Teagan sits up straighter. “You have never had meaningful sex? What about your ex?”

  Kellen groans, looking up. “Please, I hate talking about that vile woman.”

  “You didn’t love her?”

  He snorts, “I tried. God, did I try. That’s what finally ended us. I couldn’t take it anymore. I knew I could never love her.”

  “Why would you be with someone that you didn’t love, especially for so long?” Teagan asks.

  Kellen looks at her seriously. “I was trying to make the best of a situation.”

  “What do you mean?” Teagan inquires, completely curious. She puts her hand on his arm.

  “That brings us to a subject I’m not ready to talk about yet.” Kellen says.

  “Have you ever been in love?” Teagan asks.

  It takes a second, and then Kellen looks up at her. “No, I haven’t.”

  “Wow,” Teagan exhales.

  “What’s it like?”

  Teagan bursts out laughing. “Ha! Like I have any idea about that. The guy I supposedly loved betrayed me, so I don’t know what truly being in love feels like. I don’t think Justin and I were in love with each other.”

  “You told me you loved him once,” Kellen points out.

  Grimacing, Teagan replies, “I think it was puppy love, not real adult love. We started dating the tail end of our freshman summer. He was all that I knew. My first kiss and everything.”

  “Had you kissed another guy before me?” Kellen inquires softly.

  She looks at him timidly and turns her gaze toward her feet. “You’re the only other person that I have ever done anything with.”

  “I see,” Kellen whispers.

  “Does that make things awkward?” Teagan asks, looking back into his eyes.

  Looking at her sincerely, he answers, “Of course not, I feel……privileged. Though, it makes me feel bad that I tried to have sex with you.”

  “Why!?” Teagan gasps. “Please, don’t say that.”

  Kellen’s face brightens. “Oh, I shouldn’t feel bad?”

  “No,” Teagan replies bashfully. “I enjoyed it.”

  After a slight pause, he whispers, “Me too.”

  “Where do you think we would be if we had done it?” Teagan asks.

  “Probably doing it in the airplane bathroom,” Kellen laughs.

  “Oh, really?” Teagan laughs with him.

  “I’m good, darling. Once you have it, you will want more.

  Teagan starts giggling hysterically. “You think so?”

  “Oh, I know so,” Kellen states seriously. “I can make you feel things you haven’t thought were possible.”

  Her jaw drops, and Kellen gives her a mischievous smile. Teagan leans into him and whispers, “Maybe I need to get you drunk.”

  “You think it would be easier to seduce me if I had liquor in me?”

  Leaning even closer, Teagan presses herself against him. “Tell me, if I got some shots of tequila into you and stripped naked, I couldn’t get you in bed in the matter of seconds.”

  A heat rises in Kellen’s eyes. “Maybe you should try.”

  Teasing him, Teagan narrows her eyes. “Maybe I should.”

  “We have a problem,” Kellen murmurs.

  “What’s that?”

  “I don’t have any protection,” Kellen whispers. “I stopped carrying it.”

  She sits back and crosses her arms. “That’s a bummer.”

  “You’re telling me,” Kellen laughs. He looks at her for a moment. “Teagan, we tease, but you should really wait. Wait for someone who matters.”

  “But….you do matter, Kellen,” she replies.

  “I know,” he exhales. “I meant for someone that you love.”

  “Maybe I’m too scared to be in love,” Teagan mumbles. “And if that’s the case, I will never have sex again.”

  Kellen reaches over and takes her hand. “It will happen; I promise.”

  Teagan sits back and puts her head on his shoulder. She intertwines their fingers and holds his arm. “You will too. Some kind, beautiful woman will come in and sweep you off your feet.”

  His fingers come up and trace their way down Teagan’s face. “I hope so.” She closes her eyes and savors the touch.

  Suddenly, the flight attendant comes back with the orange juice and hands it to Teagan. “Can I get you anything else?”

  Shaking her head, Teagan says, “No, thank you.” The flight attendant walks away. Teagan pulls away from Kellen and takes a drink. “Mmmmm,” she hums. “Good orange juice.”

  “It’s first class,” Kellen chuckles. Teagan pulls down the little table in front of her and sets her drink on it. “So, are you nervous?”

  “About?” Teagan asks.

  “Seeing Captain Douchebag,” Kellen says.

  Teagan frowns. “Yeah…..but,” she starts. “I think having you there will help.”

  “I swear to God, if he does anything, I’m going to give him the beating of a lifetime,” Kellen says as he narrows his eyes.

  “You would maim him if you gave him the beating of a lifetime,” Teagan replies. “You would knock him out with one punch.”

  “If that is what it takes,” he sighs.

  Teagan smiles. “You should teach me to throw a punch.”

  Kellen bursts out laughing. “If I taught you how to punch, it would take all the fun out of it for me.”

  “But, I should know how to punch someone,” Teagan declares.

  “Okay, I will teach you how to throw a punch,” Kellen chuckles. “I sort of showed you that first day.”

  “Right,” Teagan replies, making a fist. “You put your hand like this.”

  “Yup. Then you always throw it like you are going through the person. Here, face me.” Teagan moves in her chair as Kellen grabs her arm and hand. “You throw it like this, moving your arm forward like that.” Teagan repeats the action. “Good, that’s the basic form. When we get back, I will teach you some boxing moves.”

  “My personal lessons,” Teagan says.

  “You’ll be a mean scrapper.”

&nb
sp; With a snort, Teagan sarcastically retorts, “Oh yeah….okay.”

  He smiles at her and squeezes her knee. “I can make you one bad ass cheerleader.”

  Teagan laughs so hard, “Because those two things go together so often.”

  “Exactly, no one would suspect you in a million years,” Kellen chuckles, putting his hand on her thigh.

  She winks at him and sits back against her seat. Exhaling happily, Teagan looks out the window. “I hope this works.”

  “You hope what works?” Kellen asks.

  “That we are convincing enough that dipshit will think we are together,” Teagan replies. “I want him to want me. I want him to fear you, and I want to shove it in his face that he will never have me again.”

  “We just need to be boyfriend and girlfriend this weekend,” Kellen says. “Lots of touching and such.”

  Turning to look at him, Teagan laughs. “So, what we already do, just a little more.”

  “Yeah,” he chuckles back. Kellen reaches over and takes her hand. “I’ll be all over you.”

  “Oh….” She exhales, “What a hardship.” They both smile at each other and lean back in their chairs.

  A half an hour later, the captain announces over the intercom, “We are starting our descent into Detroit. Please, stow your electronics away and put your chairs and trays back in an upright position.”

  “Ready for this?” Kellen asks quietly, squeezing her leg under his strong fingers.

  “Are you?” Teagan looks back at him, smiling. “You’re meeting my parents in a little while.”

  “Come on,” he retorts. “They will love me.”

  “I know they will,” Teagan laughs. “They will adore you, just like I do.”

  With raised eyebrows, Kellen says, “You adore me?”

  “Absolutely,” Teagan declares. She smiles and then looks out the window. “There it is!” She exclaims. “Home.”

  Chapter 11

  Teagan turns and looks at Kellen. “Okay, take the next right, and that’s my street.”

  “Okay,” he says.

  Sighing, Teagan looks at him. “Did you really have to rent a sports car?”

  “Do we want to annoy Justin as much as possible? Yes, so the sports car makes sense.”

  She laughs a little bit, “Okay.” They drive a few blocks, when Teagan exclaims, “There it is! The light purple house.” She points out of the window to the two-story purple house on the corner.

  “It’s cute,” Kellen chuckles.

  “My mom has a thing for purple,” Teagan laughs. “Oh, I’m so excited to see them!”

  “I can tell,” Kellen snorts, with a smile.

  They pull into the driveway, and Teagan practically leaps out of the car. She races around to Kellen’s door. He gets out, and she grabs his hand. “Come on.” Teagan pulls him to the white front door. When they get there, she opens it and yells, “MOM, JERRY, we’re here!”

  “Honey!” She hears her mom say, as she comes around the corner. “I’m so happy to see you!” Teagan runs over and gives her a big hug. Pulling away, Teagan clears her throat. “Mom, this is Kellen. Kellen, this is my mom, Beth.”

  Kellen steps forward and extends his hand. “Hi, Beth. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Teagan’s mom stares at Kellen with wide eyes. “Hi,” she exhales, shaking his hand. Her mom turns her attention to Teagan. “Wow, Honey, good catch.”

  “Mom!” Teagan hisses.

  “Well Honey, look at him,” her mom laughs.

  “Oh my god!” Teagan exclaims. Kellen laughs really hard.

  Suddenly, they hear, “My favorite girl!”

  “Hey!” Teagan yells, leaping into her step dad’s arms.

  “Hi Honey,” he replies, hugging her close. He looks up. “Who is this young man?”

  “Hello,” Kellen asserts, extending his hand. “I am Kellen Grayson.”

  Her step dad shakes it. “My name’s Jerry.”

  Letting go of her step dad, Teagan walks over and puts her arm around Kellen. “We’re so happy to be here.”

  Jerry looks at Kellen. His face is warm, so Teagan assumes he approves of what he sees, so far anyway. “So, how did you two meet?”

  Kellen glances down at Teagan. Her eyebrows knit together as she gives him a look to not say anything because she never told them about the attack. “He’s the instructor of my self-defense class. The girls and I thought it was a good idea.”

  “Oh,” Jerry says with a nod, crossing his arms. “That’s good.” He looks at Kellen. “Do you have much experience in that?”

  Laughing, Kellen says, “Yeah, I have been into martial arts since I was six. I own my own security business, and I’m a former MMA fighter.”

  Teagan’s step dad’s eyes widen. “You’re a what?”

  “He’s an undefeated UFC champion,” Teagan chimes in with bright eyes.

  “Wow…..okay,” Jerry exhales. “Well, it is nice to meet you.”

  “You guys are staying in your old room,” her mom informs them. “Do you want help with your bags?”

  Teagan feels her cheeks get warm as she steps forward. “Oh, we weren’t planning on staying in the same room.”

  “Don’t be silly,” her mom laughs. “You’re adults. We understand that you are doing adult things.”

  “OH MY GOD, MOM!” Teagan blurts out, embarrassed. Kellen bursts out laughing next to her, and she elbows him in the ribs, making him laugh even harder.

  “Please, Teagan, we aren’t dinosaurs.”

  Shaking her head, Teagan says, “Mom, we are sleeping in separate rooms.”

  “Well, that will be a little difficult because we made the spare bedrooms into an office and exercise room.”

  With a shocked look, Teagan gasps, “You did what!?”

  “Honey, your sisters are married. Your room is still there,” her mom reassures her. “It’s fine.”

  Kellen puts his hand on Teagan’s back. “Beth, it’s quite all right. I will go to a hotel.”

  “Don’t be silly,” Teagan groans “We’ll just stay in my room.” Grabbing his hand, she groans, “Come on, let’s get our bags.”

  When they get to the car, Kellen continues to chuckle. Teagan turns around and glares at him. “Are you all right?” He asks.

  “I’m fine,” Teagan snaps.

  “Teagan, baby, I will go stay in a hotel!”

  “Then it won’t look like we are dating,” Teagan moans. She runs her fingers through her hair. “We can sleep in the same bed. We can handle that.”

  “Tell you what,” Kellen sighs in amusement. “I will sleep on the floor.”

  Rolling her eyes, Teagan whispers, “You aren’t going to sleep on the floor. Don’t be ridiculous. We can sleep in the same bed. I won’t bite. I swear.”

  He bends over and whispers, “I might.”

  Teagan starts to laugh. “You will not bite me.”

  “Okay, nibble then,” Kellen murmurs into her ear. “Here….there….everywhere.”

  “SHUT UP!” Teagan exclaims, giggling uncontrollably.

  “We will be fine,” Trent assures her. “Relax, we can sleep together.”

  She nods. “All right, let’s get our stuff inside.”

  They grab their suitcases and carry them up into her room. When Kellen walks in, he stops and looks around. “Now…..this is a cheerleader’s room.”

  “Shut up,” Teagan snaps, trying to hide her smile.

  Kellen walks around looking at the trophies on the shelves. “You didn’t tell me you were good at cheerleading.”

  “Yeah,” Teagan laughs. “We won championships left and right. I was the cheerleading captain after all.”

  Turning around, Kellen gives her a really sincere smile. “You should be proud of this.”

  Teagan rolls her eyes dramatically. “It was cheerleading.”

  “Babe, you won championships. Why didn’t you cheer in college?”

  Instantly, Teagan frowns, “Justin ruined it for me. He slept wit
h my friends.” She pauses and whispers, “I quit the squad right before state competitions. I just couldn’t do it.”

  “God,” Kellen groans. He comes over and wraps his arms around Teagan. She buries her face in his chest as the tears come.

  “I hate that bastard,” she gasps.

  “Where does he live?”

  With a sniffle, Teagan says, “I don’t know. He doesn’t live with his parents anymore.”

  “I’m going to hunt him down and shoot him in the balls.” She feels his words vibrate through his chest.

  Teagan starts to laugh and looks up at him. “That would be funny.”

  “Wouldn’t it?” Kellen mumbles.

  Giggling into his chest, Teagan says, “Let’s win the proper way.”

  “I’m telling you this now,” Kellen whispers. “I really hope you are okay with it because I am going to be all over you this weekend. That asshole will wish he was me, and I will make sure he knows he isn’t close to being good enough.”

  “Promise.”

  “I swear I will be the most epic boyfriend ever this weekend,” Kellen declares. Everyone will want to be us.”

  “Epic huh?” Teagan snorts.

  “EPIC,” Kellen enunciates. They stand there holding each other for a few minutes. Finally, he looks down at her and says, “So….question for you.”

  She looks up at him, “Shoot.”

  “Do you have any uniforms here that you could put on for me? That would be really hot.”

  A devilish smirk passes over Teagan’s face. “I do actually. I have all my uniforms here.”

  “Please, please, please, put one on,” Kellen begs.

  Teagan shakes her head. “Nah.”

  “OH!” He yells. “You are killing me!”

  “Well,” she whispers. “If this weekend goes as planned, I will put on a cheerleading uniform whenever you ask, and I have some skimpy uniforms.” She runs a finger down his chest.

  “How about you promise now,” Kellen teases, raising his eyebrows at her.

  Bringing up her fingers, Teagan crosses them over her heart. “I promise.”

  “Good, now what are we doing today?” he asks.

  “First, Mom is going to cook for us. You will be amazed.”

  “Sounds good, let’s go downstairs.”