Page 109 of Fair Play
Ouch.
“You have no idea how hard that was.” I take another step closer. “It almost killed me. But baby, I couldn’t make you choose. Don’t you understand? Forcing you to choose between me and Bodi, that wasn’t going to end well for anyone. You might not think so now, but someday, you were going to resent me for it. And you were upset at both of us, which meant I had to be the bigger man.”
Her eyes puddle with tears but she doesn’t say anything, just stands there looking at me with the world’s prettiest blue eyes.
“Don’t cry, baby.” I slowly reach out and brush away her tears. “I never, ever want to make you cry again. I’m sorry. About everything. I thought I was making the hard decision so you wouldn’t have to. He’s your brother. I’m just some schmuck with no?—”
“Stop saying that!” she cries, shoving me a little.
But she doesn’t mean it.
Her push is half-hearted, even as her eyes blaze with intensity.
“You can’t talk about the man I love that way!”
Fuck, I love this woman.
“Aw, hell, baby, come here.” I hold out my arms and she throws herself into them.
It’s the first—and hopefully the last—time I’ll ever see her cry because of me. But she’s letting me hold her and that’s a good start.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper against her hair. “So, so sorry. I’ll never hurt you again, Billie. Never. It will be my mission in life to make you happy.”
“You already do!” She blinks up at me, her eyes watery and her face a little blotchy. “Itoldyou Bodi would come around. I wish you would have trusted me instead of making decisions for me. I understand what you did now, and I love you for it, but you have to promise me you’ll never do something like this again. If we’re going to be together, we have to make decisions together. All of them. Big ones, small ones, whatever they are.”
“I promise.” I dip my head and brush my lips across hers. “I never want to see you cry again.”
“You better not be the reason I cry!”
“Billie, table fourteen is looking for you.” The busboy comes around the corner, takes one look at Billie’s face, and quickly ducks away.
“I’m at work,” she says, pulling away.
“I’ll be sitting at the bar until you’re done and then you’re either coming home with me or I’m going home with you.”
She hesitates and then gives me a soft smile. “You can come home with me. Nita’s out of town at a conference.”
“Okay.” I watch her go and relief washes over me.
She’s forgiven me.
We still have to make some difficult decisions, but at least now we’re on the same page.
And just like that my life is no longer black and white.
Chapter 42
Billie
It’slate before we get home since I had to close, but I feel brighter, as if I was stumbling around in the darkness and someone finally turned on the lights. I’m not stupid, I understand there’s a lot we need to figure out, but he has to trust me—and our love for each other—enough to know that we’ll find a way. I have so many options, the world is literally mine for the taking. It’s just going to be a matter of discovering which option will work best for us as a couple.
“I need to touch you, Billie,” he says the moment we’re inside.
“Hold that thought,” I reply, leading him to the guest room. “I smell like old corndogs, stale apple pie, and burned oil. I need a shower. And you should wait for me—” I point at the bed. “—right there.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He grins and starts peeling off his clothes.
I take the world’s fastest shower, put my wet hair up in a towel, and brush my teeth. Then I pad into the bedroom starknaked. Rome’s lying on the bed, also naked, and he crooks a finger at me.
