Page 126 of Leave Me Broken

“But I have nothing.”

“You are—” I drop my voice even though I know no one is around us. “Seventeen. I wouldn’t expect you to have anything. I’m not marrying you because you have money. I am marrying you for love, Payson. What’s mine will be yours.”

I’ve learned so many new things about Payson tonight. If there were any doubts we had nothing in common outside volleyball and enjoying sex together, they are gone. It’s not often we just get to sit down and talk. Her dress is just as much of a distraction as earlier, and she keeps giggling whenever I ask her to repeat what she said because she knows I’m distracted too, but chatting is nice. Usually, our time is limited so we rush to get our clothes off and jump into bed.

“So where was Ronni when you and Janelle showed up to the room?”

The smile Payson has been wearing most the night slips into a conflictive frown. “She peaced before we even made it to the mall because Monica made a comment about us, not knowing Ronni wasn’t fully aware.”

My spine steels. “You had a falling out over me?”

“Over us,” she clarifies. “Ronni thinks it’s weird. How it’s weirder than her and her manager—I don’t know, but yeah. Then Janelle stepped in and stood up for you—us, and that upset her more because she was the only one seeing the issue. We tried to tell her you weren’t grooming me or anything like that, but she didn’t want to hear it. She said she will be at the gym tomorrow; she just needed the night to think. It was . . . unexpected, I guess. Or maybe it wasn’t. I don’t really know Ronni anymore. That much is obvious.”

We’re seated in a circle booth, so I move to her side and pull her against my body. She burrows her head into my chest. “We have been lucky thus far, as far as people supporting us. Unfortunately, Ronni is just the start of the hate we will receive when we go public. I don’t know why people can’t mind their business.”

I kiss the top of her head and breathe deeply. Her vanilla scent is strong from her shower, and it’s comforting. “Me either.”

“I think it’s more upsetting because she is one of my best friends. Like, friends are meant to support you, no matter what.”

She’s right. Unless it is dangerous to your health—which I’m not—your friends should support you. I figured Ronni would have seen how much I care based on how many times I asked about Payson’s knee today. She hasn’t had any problems with pain—so she says, but the swelling is still there after a day in the gym.

Our food comes but I stay on the same side as Payson. She asks how my family is doing and I fill her in on what is happening lately. My parents are renovating their kitchen after years of my mum complaining they need to. My brother is still a tit but climbing his way up the company he works for.

“What about your sister?”

Speaking of people who do not approve of us. “My sister is fine, she’s a stay-at-home mum and her life is pretty much the same thing over and over. We don’t talk all that often on the phone; I catch most updates through my parents.”

Payson eyes her plate of pasta. She let me order for her, and the moan she lets out after her first bite, I’d say I did a good job.

“Who all will be here for Thanksgiving?”

“Supposedly everyone. My sister has only visited a few times over the years I’ve lived here because flying her whole family is expensive, but she says she’s coming, and they all have their flights booked. They are flying into Chicago. They will swing by and pick up my nan, then head to my place in a rental.”

She nods. “And they all want to meet me?” Her eyes sparkle against the chandelier light above us. I cup her cheek and stroke my thumb over the roundness.

“My family is very excited to meet the girl who stole my heart.”

Her cheeks warm under my hand with a blush. “I’m nervous.”

I ask her to tell me why and she fills me in. Something along the lines of she wants them to like her and it’s a big deal being introduced to parents, and she doesn’t know how to act. Basically, very naïve worries. It makes me smile.

“Jailbird—” I run my finger over her full lips. “Your worries are irrelevant. My parents already like you and their opinion is the only one that matters and even that only goes so far because I love you. And—” I lean in and steal a kiss. “You just need to be you. They will be happy with that.”

She sighs. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

Payson’s eyes fall, tracking the movement of my tongue while I drag it across my bottom lip. Hungry eyes meet mine.

I move to the curve of the booth and pat my lap, then she is quick to scurry on, straddling me. I can feel just how hot she is between her thighs. Hot and damp from our time in the car, ready to take me again.

“Kiss me,” I demand.

She seals her lips to mine, threading her fingers into my hair at the same time, not caring about the gel I put in it. I work against her mouth, not rushing this moment, just enjoying the kissing. Fully aware my lips will be painted red too. My hands rest firmly on her back, not moving because the rough material of the dress is pulling me out of it. Dammit, Janelle. I give up and drop them to her bare thighs. She shivers under my touch.

“Daddy.”

I stifle a groan.

---