Without meaning to, Tonya started laughing. She covered her mouth with her hands and stared at Stephanie.
Stephanie’s eyes widened and she sat down. “It’s that good?”
Tonya nodded. She chuckled for a few more seconds. “I don’t even know how to explain it.”
“You don’t have to, because your face lit up like the superdome. I’ll be more than happy to be a fifth wheel on Saturday.”
“Thank you. It means a lot. You’re important to me, and Haley is becoming more so every day. It’s—”
“Important?” Stephanie smirked.
Tonya smiled. “Yes, it is.”
* * *
When Tonya got home, she was surprised and glad that her father’s truck was in the driveway. She was riding on a high and wanted to use that to get them back to step one. She entered through the kitchen, but Robert was nowhere to be seen. Tonya ran upstairs and retrieved the photo album she’d made a few years back when her mother was alive and the best she’d ever been. She pressed it to her chest like it was a precious thing.
This time when she entered the kitchen, he was there getting a cold drink, but Tonya harbored hope that he’d heard her and was waiting. “Can I have one too?”
He didn’t say anything, but he did pour her a Sprite. He held it out for her, and Tonya took it. “Thank you.”
Again, he was quiet.
“I have dreams about Mama. I’ve had them for a long time. Sometimes they’re good and sometimes they’re bad. It’s my subconscious’s way of sifting through the memories. I miss her, but she was suffering way too much. It was time for her to stop. She was so beautiful, and I’m proud that when I look in the mirror I see her all over again. When I came home from med school, I’d take pictures of her. There’s not a lot of them. I figured there would be…time later.” She choked up but breathed through it. “We can look at it together.” Tonya continued to hold the album to her chest.
He looked at her for a long time. His gaze was blank, but finally it softened. He nodded. “Okay.”
Tonya took her cold drink and the album and sat on one of the stools around the island. She expected her father to sit across from her, but she was shocked, pleasantly so, when he chose to sit beside her instead.
He sucked in a breath when she opened it.
Her father smiled. He reached out to touch one of the first pictures. “She was the most incredible-looking woman I’ve ever seen. I was glad…lucky to be hers.”
Tonya was tempted to touch him, but she held back. As they continued to look through the pictures, they barely said three words between them. She was fine with that because somehow, this still felt like a form of communication.
Her father made various sounds as he turned the pages: chuckles, deep breaths, and noises of contentment.
He lingered on one picture in particular. Nicole’s smile was blinding. Tonya recalled that day, and the way her mother had looked at her with such love and pride. It was the perfect time to test the waters. “I’m a product of both of you.”
“What do you mean?”
She chose her words carefully. If she said too little, he would brush her off. If she said too much, he would shut down. “Despite everything that happened, you’re both my parents. I can’t undo that, and I wouldn’t want to even if it were possible.” Tonya took a deep breath. “You can’t undo me either. You made me.” She pointed at the picture of her mother smiling.
He looked at her. His gaze was heavy, and somehow Tonya could tell that he was really seeing her. “We did. If I could go back in time, I’d find a way to make sure she was here, and there’s no way in hell I’d change having you.”
Tonya’s heart was so full, but she was light enough to float. She stared at the photo of her mother. “I think we’re finally at a good starting point to try to fix us.”
They got to the end, which was little more than halfway through; the rest of the pages were empty. When she closed the album, her father stood. He was unsteady on his feet and held on to the counter to right himself. “I think that’s all I can handle for tonight.”
Tonya let him go without protest. When she was alone, she took out her cell and texted Haley.
Be there soon.
A few seconds later, Tonya got a reply.
K.
There were no emojis, no jokes, and no sexual innuendo. Something was wrong. Tonya went back upstairs and packed enough clothes for the next couple days. As she drove past the toll booth, she was tempted to call Haley, but it wasn’t enough. She wasn’t going to be satisfied until she saw her face-to-face.
Tonya got to the 7th Ward in record time. She rang the doorbell. After several seconds passed, she did it again. Tonya leaned toward the door. The TV was loud with the sound of gunfire and explosions. Instead of trying the bell again, she tried the door knob. It turned easily and Tonya let herself in.
Haley was sitting on the couch. She grabbed the remote and lowered the volume on the television. When she turned to Tonya, she looked so sad and helpless.
“Sorry, I didn’t get up—”
Tonya moved toward her quickly. Standing front and center, she looked down at Haley. There was an actual pain in her chest. She wanted to wipe that expression off Haley’s face and replace it with the smirk or smile she was used to seeing. Haley opened her legs and wrapped her arms around Tonya, pulling her closer. She pressed her face into Tonya’s stomach, and in return, Tonya sifted her hands through Haley’s hair.
Haley glanced up. “Hey.” Her voice was quiet and more reserved than Tonya had ever heard it.
“Hey back,” she whispered and waited.
Haley cleared her throat. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“Let me sit down.”
She made a noise in protest as Tonya tried to step back.
“Not going anywhere.”
Haley finally let her go.
Tonya sat down, and when she got comfortable, she patted her lap. Haley smiled slightly and lay down, pillowing her head on Tonya’s thighs. Finding it hard to keep her hands to herself, Tonya scratched at Haley’s scalp.
Haley sighed. “Tang is havin’ money problems…” Several minutes had passed by the time Haley was done.
“God, that’s horrible. I knew it had to be something significant to affect him that way.”
“Yeah, it is. I knew you of all people would understand after all you went through with your mom. I woulda told you about him sooner, but I was tryin’ to keep at least some of his private life, private. I just couldn’t hold it in anymore. It was too big for me.”
Tonya didn’t speak.
“You kept your promise. You made it better.”
“I didn’t do anything.” Tonya was touched.
Haley reached up and wrapped a couple strands of Tonya’s hair around her fingertips. “Yeah, you did.”
Tonya tucked her hair behind her ear and bent down, brushing her lips against Haley’s. Haley smiled into the kiss. She pulled back slowly, reluctantly, and that smile Tonya wanted to see was still there. The ache in her chest disappeared.
“How’d things go with your dad?”
“It went well. I think…we have a chance.”
“Good.” Haley’s gaze turned dreamy. It almost looked like she was drunk.
“I’ve been seeing a psychotherapist weekly for the past two years.” Tonya wasn’t sure why she blurted that out like she did. Maybe she just wanted somebody close to her to know. Maybe it was just an attempt to share more of herself.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t blame you.”
Tonya didn’t know what she was expecting, but this reaction would certainly do.
“Does it help you?” Haley’s tone was curious.
“I’m a very different person than I was two years, really two and a half months ago.”
“When you met me?”
“Yes, when I met you,” Tonya answered softly.
Haley went quiet and stared. Her ga
ze was intense, deep. It was hard not to turn away from it. Tonya felt emotionally naked, but she didn’t, couldn’t look anywhere else. “What is it?”
“You’re…incredible. I don’t know what I did, but when I find out, I’ll do it every fuckin’ day if I have to just to keep you.”
Tonya thought her heart was full before, but now it was running over. There was no way to contain everything she was feeling: warmth, hope, need, and so much more. She leaned forward and kissed Haley again, pouring herself into the caress.
Haley made a sound somewhere between a whimper and a moan. She tangled her hand in Tonya’s hair, holding her there. There was no need.
Tonya didn’t want to escape.
Chapter 23
“You sure you don’t want more coffee?” Haley asked.
“Yes, two cups is my max. By the way, I really like scrambled eggs with paprika now.”
“Knew you would.” The leather couch squeaked lightly as Haley got comfortable. She turned toward Tonya and held up the Xbox controller. “Okay, just shoot every zombie you see. Don’t let them gang up on you. Press the right trigger to shoot; A to jump…” Haley didn’t stop until Tonya nodded in understanding. “You sure you got it?”
“Positive.”
“We’re gonna be playin’ split screen.”
“What’s that?” Tonya’s face was all scrunched up. It was cute.
Haley smiled. “You’ll see. Just keep your eyes open.” She started Black Ops zombie mode. It only took a few seconds before the zombies came shuffling out of the woodwork. Haley rained hell down on them.
“I got one!” Tonya announced.
Haley glanced at Tonya’s side of the screen. She was kind of just standing there and the zombies were coming straight for her. “Shit!” Haley retraced her steps and took them out. “Just stay with me.”
“I was!”
“Uh-huh.” Haley changed weapons to a shotgun and went to work.
“I got another one!”
Haley cut her eyes to Tonya’s side. She laughed. “No! I got one. Keep your eyes on your own screen.”
“I am!”
“Okay. Then what kind of gun do you have?”
“A big one.”
Haley chuckled. “No, that’s me again.”
“Oh.”
Somehow, they got to the next level.
There were even more zombies than before. Haley took care of almost all of them. “Get those two comin’ for you.”
“On it.”
My God she was completely adorable. After taking care of the last two zombies, Haley took another quick glance at Tonya’s screen. “Wait. Why are you jumpin’ in the air?”
“I’m not. I just killed the last two.” Tonya moved her whole body, twisting and turning as she hit the buttons.
Was she serious? Haley looked at Tonya’s expression. Her face was scrunched up again. She was serious. Haley bit her lip, but there was really nothing she could do to keep from laughing.
Tonya glared.
Haley smirked and batted her eyelashes. She paused the game and held out her controller, compressing the right trigger. “This is how you shoot, remember?”
“I know. That’s what I was doing.”
Haley snorted. “Split screen. You’re on the left.”
“Okay.”
She returned the game to live action.
“I stabbed one in the neck!”
Haley laughed so hard she was starting to wheeze. “No, baby. That’s you crawlin’ on the ground. You’re dead.”
“You’re laughing at me.”
“Yesss, I am.” Haley couldn’t breathe. She ended the game. There was no way they could continue playing. She was going to end up with a hernia.
“And you’re still laughing.”
Haley nodded. “I knooooow. You’re too much. I can’t wait to explain football.”
Tonya glared at her again.
Haley leaned over and gave Tonya a peck on the cheek. “I was just kiddin’.”
Tonya smiled, shoved Haley, and tried to get up off the couch. “I don’t like you very much right now.”
“I find that hard to believe. I’m irresistible.” She yanked Tonya back down, and she ended up sprawled on top of Haley.
Tonya chuckled and straddled Haley’s lap. “You are way too full of yourself.”
Haley smirked. “What? You’d rather be full of me instead?”
“That’s not what I said.” Tonya laughed.
Grabbing the outside of Tonya’s thighs, Haley pulled her closer and thrust upward. She nipped at Tonya’s earlobe and whispered hotly, “I know that’s what you want.”
“Mmm, I always want that.” Tonya rolled her hips. “But that’s not all…” She whimpered. “I want your hands. I want your…mouth.”
Tonya was breathless by the time their lips met.
* * *
Haley pulled the shower curtain aside. She smirked at Tonya. “Good, I was hopin’ that blob I saw was you.”
“It was.” Tonya smiled slowly as her gaze crawled down Haley’s body.
She took her time drying off.
“You were singing.”
“Huh?” Haley rubbed the towel over her head.
“In the shower. You were singing.”
“Oh, I do that sometimes, especially when I’m in a good mood.”
“Is that right?” Tonya pushed away from the door.
“Mm-hmm.” Haley leaned back for a kiss.
Tonya smiled into the caress. “Good, I’m glad you’re happy.”
“We’re comin’ down to the wire here. You nervous about meetin’ them?” Haley watched Tonya closely.
She brought her thumb and forefinger together. “Maybe just a tiny bit.”
“Nothin’ to worry about. They already think you’re great for puttin’ up with me.” Haley glanced toward the mirror and put goop in her hair.
“You’re not so bad.” Tonya had that look in her eye again. That hungry one that usually led them right back to bed, the couch, or the shower. It heated her from the inside out.
“I know, but still.” Haley wrapped her towel around her waist. Like it would make a difference. She almost snorted. “They’re great people. I take my friendships seriously, and I don’t have many of them. Nate and Jen are the best.”
Tonya pressed into her from behind and pillowed her chin on Haley’s shoulder. “I believe you, but I’m pretty sure it’s normal to be a little nervous.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” Haley put the finishing touches on her hair. She wasn’t surprised when Tonya’s hands covered her breasts. “Aren’t you tired of playin’ with those?”
“Not when they’re like little knobs leading straight to…” Tonya tweaked one of her nipples, sending a flash of pleasure between Haley’s legs.
Haley went breathless, but somehow she laughed anyway. “I’m rubbin’ off on you. Sounds like somethin’ I would say.”
“Maybe.”
Haley loved that they couldn’t go more than a few hours without touching each other. She didn’t think she would. It was damn near close to being clingy and smothery, but nothing between them felt invasive.
Tonya slowly slid her hands down Haley’s torso. The muscles in her stomach jumped in excitement.
“Mmm, you like it when I touch you.”
The butterflies that were always fluttering around in Haley’s belly when Tonya was around went crazy. Christ. “Yeah.” It wasn’t something Haley allowed often, but with Tonya she couldn’t seem to help it. “Sometimes I don’t want you to stop.”
Tonya pulled at the towel around Haley’s hips. They’d just crawled out of bed a little over an hour ago. Was she willing to go back in? Hell yeah, but…
“They’ll be here soon.”
Tonya groaned and kissed Haley’s shoulder. “Okay.” She stepped back.
A few minutes later, Haley pulled on the T-shirt she’d picked out. Tonya was in the living room, giving them both some much-needed space, but the door
s were open and Tonya’s gaze was on her. Even though Haley was wearing her boi shorts and the T-shirt, she felt naked.
“I voted for Pedro.” Tonya paused. “But my dreams didn’t come true.” She chuckled. “I know that one. The movie with the weird kid who could dance.”
Haley smirked. “Yep.” She pulled on a pair of cargo shorts. They were always loose and accommodating. She adjusted herself and slid her feet into a pair of white Vans lined in red to match her shirt. “Hey, is my belt in there?”
“I don’t know. Let me…” Tonya ducked down, disappearing from view. A few seconds later, she stood and walked toward Haley with said belt dangling in her hand. “It was under the couch. I thought I saw something peeking from under there.”
“Huh, not gonna even ask how it got there.” Haley grinned.
“You probably shouldn’t. Can I ask you something, though?”
Haley took the belt and slid it through the loops on her cargo shorts. She raised a brow. “Yeah, anything.”
Tonya took a step closer. Her gaze dipped and stayed between Haley’s legs.
Haley’s stomach tightened. Jesus, weren’t older women supposed to have more self-control? Haley sure as shit didn’t. She could only take so much, and Tonya was looking at her like she wanted to eat her alive.
“Why is it black?” Tonya licked her lips.
For a moment, Haley didn’t breathe. “You probably shouldn’t ask that.”
“Why?” Tonya smiled wickedly.
Was she trying to kill her? Haley’s heart slammed against her rib cage and she had to fist her hands in order to keep them to herself. “Because Nate and Jen will be here in ten minutes.”
Tonya reached out and hooked her finger into one of Haley’s belt loops, which would have been fine if it wasn’t an inch away from her crotch. “Then answer me, and I won’t keep badgering you.”
Haley swallowed and looked down. Tonya’s idea of badgering was to slide her hand between Haley’s legs and over her right thigh. She closed her hand around the dildo, making the outline visible even through Haley’s clothes. “Why?”
She held Tonya’s gaze and felt it in every cell of her body. “I like the way it looks wet.”
Before she could take another breath, Tonya kissed her, whimpering at the same time. Haley tangled a hand in Tonya’s hair and kissed her back like the fucking world was ending.
Between the Lines Page 27