“What’re doing?” Ryann asked as she opened the door.
Shelly pushed through like a bulldozer. “Evan granted me a break. He’ll probably only last an hour before he calls for relief again. Break out the big-girl drinks.”
“I…I have wine, and I think there’s some vodka,” Ryann said and glanced at the clock. “Make yourself at home. I’m just going to change my clothes.”
“You want a glass—sure you do, what was I thinking?” Shelly called out as she went into the kitchen.
“Just water. I’m going to work out after dinner.” Ryann stepped into her bedroom and bit her bottom lip. Any other night, she would’ve been thrilled to find Shelly on her doorstep, but now, she’d have to explain that she was going to see Payton. There would be questions, advice, and probably a liberal amount of fussing. Ryann shook her head at her luck as she pulled off her shirt and bra, then dug into her dresser for gym clothes.
“Aw, damn!” Shelly said sadly as she stood in the doorway staring at Ryann’s breasts. “Mine used to look just like that. Now they hang their nipples in sadness. Sometimes, they try to sneak out the bottom of my bra. Look at how perfect your tummy is…I kinda hate you. I wanna put my head on your body.”
“You have three beautiful kids.”
“Yeah, I do,” Shelly said with a wistful smile. “I wouldn’t trade them for a perfect body, I just wish I could have both. So you’re gonna start going to the gym again?”
Ryann pursed her lips. “Not exactly.” She bit the bullet as she pulled on a sports bra. “Payton and I are going to a Krav Maga class tonight to see if it’s something we want to do. It’s self-defense and exercise combined. I should have some skills, you know. Schools are becoming dangerous places nowadays.”
“Payton, the woman you were going to avoid for a while.” Shelly nodded as she went over to the bed and sat. “I’ve been thinking about that. I think you should tell her that you’re interested in sex only.”
Ryann was debating between a pair of sweat or yoga pants and dropped both back into the drawer. “Why would I do that?”
Shelly shrugged. “Because maybe you’re both just horny. Friends with benefits, you know?”
“I don’t…I don’t know how I feel about that.”
Shelly met her gaze. “What’s so confusing? Have you forgotten how already?”
“I think there could be more,” Ryann said distractedly. “Now you’ve made this all the more confusing. I’m trying to go the friend route.” She grabbed the sweatpants and took them into her bathroom.
“Look, Mom called today, and she’s planning a weekend gathering. She wanted to know if Leigh could make the trip with you.”
Ryann walked out of the bathroom with one leg hanging out of her slacks. “Did you tell her?”
“No, but she’s gonna call you tonight or this weekend, so you need to figure out what you’re gonna say.” Shelly’s brow rose. “What’re you gonna tell her?”
Ryann threw up a hand and let it drop to her side. “I can’t very well keep it a secret forever, but I’m not in the mood to go up there and be questioned endlessly.”
“Want me to tell her?”
Ryann stared at Shelly as she thought about it. “Yes, but you don’t have to mention that she was unfaithful the entire time. It’s embarrassing enough for her to hear that she cheated on me.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Shelly said with a nod.
Ryann jumped when she heard a knock on her door. “Oh, shit! I haven’t even started dinner.”
“Don’t go to the door like that,” Shelly said as she got up. “Go put both legs in your sweatpants, I’ll take care of Payton.”
“You behave!” Ryann said as she hobbled into the bathroom.
“Of course.” Shelly grinned evilly as she headed to the front door and opened it.
“Hey—Shelly…hey,” Payton said, obviously taken aback. “Are you going to class with us?”
Shelly stepped back and allowed her in. “I’m lethal already. How’re your legs?”
Payton’s face colored a bit. “Thank you so much for everything you did. I think you’re the reason I can walk normally now.”
“My pleasure,” Shelly said with a little bow.
“What has she done?” Ryann raced into the room.
Payton stared at her in confusion.
Shelly frowned and said, “I haven’t had time to do anything bad.”
“I saw you lower your head, I thought you were begging for forgiveness.” Ryann pointed a finger in her face. “Don’t look at me all indignant. You have a reputation.”
“You wanna smack me with a newspaper now?” Shelly asked with a grin.
Ryann ignored her and smiled at Payton. “Hey.”
“Hi. Ready to do battle?” Payton asked as her gaze flickered over Ryann’s attire.
“Uh-huh. Oh! Dinner is all together, I just need to cook it. I’m making a stir-fry with a lot of veggies and chicken breast since you said you wanted to start eating healthy.”
“That’s very sweet,” Payton said as she stuffed her hands into her pockets.
Shelly watched the exchange between them and sighed. “Wow. Y’all are—” She winced when Ryann glared at her. “Y’all are gonna have a great time beating the crap out of each other. I wish I could go and catch some of it on video, but I have to leave now because the tension—that fight tension is too much for me.” She walked over to the door and opened it. “I’ll take a rain check on the wine, I have an important phone call to make.”
Ryann walked over and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll come over one night soon with a bottle after the kids go to sleep.”
“Bring two and plan to spend the night,” Shelly said with a wink and smiled at Payton. “See you both later.”
“I hope I didn’t run her off,” Payton said when Ryann closed the door.
“You didn’t. I told her that she could tell our mom about the breakup, and her pupils dilated. My sister loves to share the juicy tidbits. She’ll enjoy it a lot more than I would have. Mom would say supportive things with an underlying tone of ‘I knew this would happen. ’”
Payton followed Ryann into her small kitchen. “I sometimes wonder what my parents would’ve thought of me. My uncle is very open-minded and accepting, so I’d like to think my mother was the same. I imagine it’s very disheartening to know that your parents disapprove of you.”
“It pisses me off.” Ryann stirred the food in her wok. “Well…it does now, but early on, it really hurt. They were just okay with it when I came out, but when Leigh and I got together, that’s when our relationship really changed. They didn’t say anything, and that was the problem. They ignored the fact that I was seriously involved with someone. My mother and sisters never ask about her when we talk, but they always ask Shelly about Evan. The times Leigh and I went to family gatherings, they said very little to either of us. My dad’s not expressive at all, you never know what’s going through his mind. Leigh’s family was the polar opposite. Her parents treated me more like family than my own.” Ryann nodded. “I’ll miss them.”
Payton looked around the kitchen that was basically the size of a closet. “How do you like your new place?”
“I like it a lot,” Ryann said as her face brightened. “I could live without the loud country music my neighbor sometimes listens to, but otherwise, it’s very comfortable.”
“And how are you personally?” Payton asked gently.
“I’m good, and I think I skipped a few of the streets you mentioned. I’ve found a shortcut over them.” Ryann tapped gently on the wok with her wooden spoon. “She made me furious yesterday, but when I got home last night, I totally forgot about the confrontation. When I woke up this morning, I felt like it should’ve bothered me more. I don’t miss her, and I think there are a couple of explanations for that. The last year we were together, she was absent so much because of work and her other activities, I got used to being without her. My feelings changed a lot, and I wasn’t
in love with her anymore. The second is, as I look back on the past eight years, good memories were too few. Then, something struck me really hard.”
Payton waited for Ryann to continue, and when she didn’t, she asked, “What?”
Ryann smiled. “I just wanted to make sure you were paying attention.”
“Oh, you’ve got it, you don’t have to worry.”
Ryann gazed at her for a moment with a lingering smile. “I realized that Leigh and I were never truly friends. We were lovers first and basically roommates next. I guess I didn’t realize that we were lacking one of the most important ingredients for a successful relationship, and that’s friendship. That’s why you and I can’t be friends with benefits.”
Payton blinked rapidly. “I…what?”
“Shelly suggested that we…you know.” Ryann dropped the spoon into the wok and unplugged it. Then she put both hands on the counter and stared at the wall. “You’re my friend, and I don’t want to play games with you. If we’re intimate, and I feel like we will be, I want it to mean something.” Ryann held up a hand when Payton began to speak. “I’ve said that, I mean it, but my body is miles ahead of my convictions. You should be prepared because I may become weak and start listening to what my body has to say more than my brain. So I elect you the responsible one.”
“I’ve been crazy about you since we met. You’ve elected Bill Clinton president of the chastity club.”
Ryann’s body shook with laughter, but she still refused to look at Payton.
Payton pounded the counter with her fist. “We can do this. We’ll date old-school style. I’ll pick you up at the door when we go one dates, kiss you good night on the front step, and go home. We’ll do that until we’re both ready to take the next step.”
“Okay, that’s a plan. Let’s eat and go kick the shit out of something. Stay over there, don’t come any closer,” Ryann said with a sigh.
*******
Ryann leaned close to Payton after they’d walked through the door of the school. “This is a straight woman’s dream.”
There were only two other women in the class, which was huge. Men of all ages, shapes, and sizes were paired off practicing different fighting techniques. Grunts and the sounds of strikes rang out in the room.
Payton swallowed hard and said, “These dudes are actually hitting each other.”
“Not hard. It takes practice and trust in your partner to really execute the moves.”
Payton and Ryann turned to face a very short bald black man. He was fit, though; his shirt clung to every ripple of muscle in his chest and abdomen. He smiled and put out his hand. “I’m Keith Bellasario, owner and instructor.”
“I’m Payton Foret, and this is Ryann Seely. Drago recommended you.”
“Great,” Keith said with a delighted smile. “Everyone should learn how to defend themselves.” He grabbed Payton so fast she didn’t even realize what was happening until they were face to face. “Attacks happen just that fast. My goal is to teach you to avoid being in a situation like this and how to get out of it if it happens.”
“I’m sold,” Ryann said as Keith released Payton.
“I apologize for startling you, but I could go on for hours telling you all the reasons you should learn Krav Maga. Sometimes, actions speak louder.” Keith smacked Payton on the shoulder. “You okay?”
“I will be after therapy.”
Keith pressed his hands together and held them in front of his chest. “I promise the class will be fast-paced and exciting. Try it tonight, you’ll learn a lot. If you enjoy it, come back and sign up. I’ll give you both the family discount.”
Payton glanced at Ryann, who was nodding, and said, “Okay.”
They started off with the dreaded plank. Payton was finally truly thankful for her time spent at the gym because it took everything she had to keep her body suspended on her forearms and toes. Pride made her want to outlast Ryann, even though every muscle in her body was begging her to give up.
“Go ahead, relax,” Ryann whispered shakily.
“You go first.”
“I can hang here all night,” Ryann said, but she was beginning to wobble.
“Go order us a pizza. I’ll be here when you get back.”
Ryann started laughing and fell. Then she poked Payton in the ribs and made her lose her form. And while their bodies felt like rubber, Keith got them up and had them punch a pad until they were soaked with sweat.
“Now that you’re warmed up, we’re ready to get to work,” he said cheerfully.
“Gotta love those warmups,” Payton said listlessly as she followed Keith to a spot on the mat.
Ryann trailed behind her and whispered, “I thought we were done.”
They learned how to exploit weak spots on the human body. The idea of gouging someone in the eyes with her thumbs was gruesome to Payton, but Ryann was into it a hundred percent. She growled as she practiced each move that Keith showed them, then he turned them loose to practice on each other.
Ryann looked feral when she said, “Now I feel like I can make a meat suit.”
“Couldn’t you just be satisfied with a punch to the throat? Is a suit necessary?” Payton asked with a grin as she dodged a playful jab.
Keith watched them for a while and said, “Let me show y’all how to deflect a punch, and after you practice it a few times, you’ll be done for the evening. He demonstrated by having Ryann throw a few full-on punches, and he easily redirected her swing with a brush of his hand. His fist gently connected with her jaw before she could even recoil. “Practice that a few times, but until you really get proficient, don’t swing hard.”
Ryann and Payton took a few turns in the offensive and defensive positions, then Ryann was ready to get real. “Okay, really throw one,” she said with a growl.
“I don’t feel proficient.”
“I’m the one deflecting, and I feel pretty up to speed.” Ryann’s eyes flashed with fire. “Show me what you got.”
Payton batted her lashes. “You make it sound so dirty.”
“Come on.” Ryann motioned with both hands. “Drill me.”
“Are you provoking me to hit you or something else?” Payton asked with a grin as they circled. “Because that just sounds like sweet talk to me.”
Ryann’s gaze was locked on Payton’s. “I know you can do it hard. Give it to me.”
“Now you’re just turning me on,” Payton said with her fists raised.
“Seriously, I want you to do this. Trust me. On the count of three. One…Two…Thr—”
Just as the last number was falling from Ryann’s lips, one of the other students flopped down onto the mat and distracted her. Payton’s fist caught the corner of her mouth and spun her head sideways. For a second, she teetered, then dropped to her knees.
“No!” Payton shouted and fell down beside her. “Ryann! I’m so sorry, are you okay?”
Keith rushed over and knelt next to Ryann, whose eyes were watering. “Hey, look at me.”
“I’m fine,” Ryann said slowly. “You know…you really don’t see stars, everything just goes white for a couple of seconds.”
“Oh, my God,” Payton said miserably. “You’re bleeding.”
Ryann’s brow shot up. “I am? Cool!”
“She’s a badass,” Keith shouted, and the whole room applauded, except for Payton.
“I’m taking you to the hospital,” Payton said. “Keith, get her to the door, I’m gonna pull the car around.”
“I’m fine, I promise.” Ryann stood without help. “None of my teeth are loose, and it wasn’t a direct hit. You just stunned me. Let’s do it again.”
Payton looked at her like she was insane. “Are you crazy? No.”
Keith patted Ryann on the shoulder. “Let her take you home and put some ice on that, so you won’t bruise as badly.”
Payton glared at an offered sweaty bandanna for the spot of blood on Ryann’s lips. “Thanks, dude, but no. I’m taking the badass home.”
; Ryann threw up a fist as Payton dragged her out. “Good night, my brothers!”
Payton inhaled sharply when the cold night air hit her wet clothes. “You are insane.”
“No, I’m a badass,” Ryann said with a grin and winced. “I really enjoyed that class.”
Payton opened Ryann’s door and helped her inside. Then she walked around to the driver’s side and climbed in. Ryann had reclined her seat fully and was groaning.
“You really are hurt!”
“Not my face. My ass, legs, arms, and abs are on fire. I didn’t want to wimp out in there, but there were a couple of times I thought my knees might buckle from exhaustion. It was a good time. Honestly, what did you think of it?”
“I was really enjoying myself until I punched you in the face.”
“If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll jack your jaw when we get to my place.”
Payton shrugged. “I’m actually considering that.”
“Don’t feel bad. I saw a few guys with bruises.”
“Right, it’s like Fight Club in there. No helmets or padding, just some flimsy gloves. I mean, are we crazy?”
“Hey, I think it’s good to take a few soft hits, so if we are ever really attacked, we won’t drop like a sack of rocks.” Ryann touched her face gingerly. “This is the real deal. Just one class and I feel empowered. Can we go back? Pretty please? I really don’t want to hit anyone but you.”
Payton put a hand to her chest and breathed out a sigh. “You really touched me with that.”
Chapter 17
“Have you ever water-skied?”
Olivia blinked at Ryann’s unexpected question. “Yes.”
“That’s what it felt like with Payton then. I was dealing with all of Shelly’s crazy advice and my own physical and mental struggles when I was alone. I felt like I was in the wake of the boat trying to get up on the skis. When I was with Payton, I felt like I had jumped the wake and was skimming over smooth water effortlessly. Being with her felt so natural.”
Payton slapped the table. “Excellent analogy, baby girl. That’s exactly how I felt, too.”
*******
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Next Time Page 13