But he’d never felt as if he’d acquired Payton. She’d appeared in his life one day and decided to stay. He was well aware that she might choose to leave at any time. He wasn’t in control of this relationship, she was. And maybe that’s what kept the boredom at bay.
He was almost afraid to believe they might make it work. He’d always assumed he’d find the right woman, but he’d imagined it would happen at a distant point in the future, not now. She was the right woman. Brody was fairly certain of that.
So what was required to keep her? He needed a way to support them both, to give her a comfortable lifestyle. Without a job, he could give her four or five years. With a job, maybe a lifetime. And he needed to make sure her fiancé was out of her life for good. He ought to encourage her to contact her parents and smooth out the problems there. And then he needed to plead his case to her family.
Hell, they’d probably be suspicious of him from the start. He didn’t come from some blueblood line with money coming out of his arse. He was a working-class bloke without a proper education. But he had one thing going for him—there wasn’t another man in the world who loved Payton more than he did.
He drew a deep breath. He loved her. It was that simple. Brody gasped, stunned by the revelation. Love was the only way to describe how he felt.
But how did she feel? Payton had been silent on that issue. She seemed content to just go along as they were—lovers, friends, companions. She lived in the present, avoiding any discussion of what was to come.
Why was that? Brody wondered. Was it because she thought their relationship had no future? Or was it because she didn’t want to face returning to her fiancé and family? If she truly loved him, she would have given him some hint by now. Every other woman he’d known was ready to profess love after the second date.
Maybe he just didn’t measure up. Maybe she was biding her time until some other man caught her eye. Brody rolled over on his back and pressed his palm to his chest, aware of the ache in his heart. He’d never loved a woman before, so he’d never risked getting hurt. For the first time in his life, he was afraid. What if she didn’t want him? Would he ever be able to forget her and move on?
He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and pushed himself to his feet. Raking his hands through his hair, he wandered over to the windows and stared out at the river and the lights twinkling from the opposite side.
If he was going to make this work, he needed a plan. Hell, Callum was the planner in the family. Maybe he ought to go to his older brother for advice. Worst-case scenario, he could always work the station. They’d have a home and Payton seemed to enjoy living there. Best case, he’d find a job that allowed them to live wherever they wanted, on the station, in Fremantle, in Manhattan, if they chose.
Sighing softly, Brody walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. He grabbed a jug of orange juice and unscrewed the top, then took a long drink. Suddenly, he was wide awake, his mind spinning with the possibilities. If he couldn’t play, maybe he could coach. Or he could be an analyst for one of the networks. Or a sports presenter on the local news.
Brody strode into the living room and picked up the remote, then flipped through the stations until he came to ESPN Australia. The network played mostly American sports, but there was a nightly program that focused on Aussie sports. He could talk football and rugby and make a paycheck doing it. And if ESPN didn’t want him, perhaps he might convince someone to hire him at Seven Network.
He leaned back into the sofa and closed his eyes. His coaches and friends had all told him he could find a career outside football, but he’d been too stubborn to listen to them, too angry about his injury to even consider the alternatives. But now he had a reason to get serious about his future.
He switched the telly over to a DVD of his rookie season, listening to the analysts as they described the action. His attention shifted to the twenty-year-old kid in the green guernsey. It was hard to believe he’d ever been that young. Though it was only six years ago, it seemed like a lifetime.
“What are you doing out here?”
He turned to see Payton standing in the bedroom doorway. She’d pulled on the Dockers jumper he’d bought her at the game and she looked irresistible in it, her hair a riot of curls around her face.
“Just watching some telly,” he said. He patted the sofa cushion next to him and she crossed the room and curled up beside him.
“Is this your team?” she asked.
“Yep. See, there I am. Number fifteen. Watch. I’ll score a goal.” He waited, knowing every play by heart. This was the game when he’d broken the season scoring record for rookies. “There. There it is.”
“Yay for you,” Payton said, patting his belly. “Good onya.”
He wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her closer, pressing a kiss into her fragrant hair. “I want you to stay with me,” he murmured.
“I’m not sleepy,” she said, mistaking his request.
“No, I mean, I want you to stay with me. I want you to live with me, here, in Australia. I don’t want you to go back to the States.” He’d made the same request back at the shack that night she got lost in the bush. But then, he’d just wanted reassurance. Now, he wanted to focus on the future.
She pushed back and looked up into his eyes, her brow creased in an intense frown. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise me,” he said. “I don’t want to wake up some morning and find you gone. I want to make this work.”
She sighed softly, then glanced away. “I’m here because I want to be, Brody. If I didn’t want to be here, I’d tell you.”
“Would you? You ran out on your wedding. You didn’t tell your fiancé that you didn’t want to be there.”
“That was different,” Payton said.
“How? Tell me how.”
“I—I…” She paused for a moment, then shook her head. “I should have been brave enough to tell him the truth. I don’t have any excuses for that. But I’m different now. I’m not afraid to speak up for myself, for what I want. I promise, I’ll tell you if I want to leave.”
It wasn’t the promise he was looking for, but it was as good as he was going to get. Brody would have to be satisfied that it was enough. And yet he wasn’t. Until Payton faced her family and her ex-fiancé, he’d always be looking over his shoulder, waiting for someone to turn up and lure her back to the States.
Did he really want to live with that kind of doubt? A sensible, secure guy would tell her to go back and clear up the mess she’d made and then return to him, free of any entanglements. But Brody had never cared for any woman the way he cared for Payton. And he didn’t want to let her out of his sight for a moment, much less send her toddling back to Mr. Moneybags.
“Do you ever think about him?” Brody asked.
“Sam?”
Sam. There. She’d said his name. How many times had she said that name? How many times with love in her eyes and how many times with passion in her touch? She had a whole history with this man, a life that Brody knew nothing about.
“Never mind.” He pushed to his feet. “I don’t need to know. I really don’t want to know.” He raked his hands through his hair again, suddenly feeling a bit vulnerable, standing in front of her stark naked. This was exactly why he couldn’t allow himself to believe in a future with Payton.
She might be able to handle it, but he’d surely find a way to fuck it up. “I’m going to go for a run,” he said.
“But, it isn’t even light out.”
Brody shrugged. “It will be by the time I get back.”
“I could come with you.”
“No. I just need to clear my head.” He walked back to the bedroom and put on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, then grabbed his trainers from the closet floor. When he returned to the living room, she was sitting where he’d left her, her knees pulled up beneath the oversize jumper.
“I’ll be back in an hour,” he said. “Why don’t you get a little more sleep and then we’ll go t
o breakfast.”
Brody slipped out of the door before she could reply to his suggestion, then strode down the hall to the lift. He stepped inside, releasing a tightly held breath as the doors closed in front of him.
There was no sense trying to plan his future right now. Until he found work, it would be best to keep his feelings for Payton in check. He could enjoy their time together, enjoy the passion they shared, but anything beyond that would be a risk.
8
PAYTON STROLLED slowly through the Fremantle Market, searching for inspiration for the evening meal. She’d already purchased prawns at the fish market on the harbor and now she was studying the vegetables that filled the stalls.
Though they’d only been in Fremantle for a week and a half, she’d already settled into life with Brody. They’d spent their days touring the city and surfing and trying new restaurants. Yesterday, they’d sailed a friend’s boat to Rottnest Island and ridden bicycles over the picturesque roads. Brody had even rented a room at the old hotel where they had their lunch and enjoyed a “nap” before continuing their tour.
Payton smiled to herself. Though they’d stripped off their clothes before crawling into bed, neither one of them had had any intention of sleeping. Instead, they’d spent a lazy hour kissing and touching before they made love.
It had been a wonderful day filled with long walks and quiet conversation. Brody was a complicated man, troubled by his own doubts and worries. He’d confessed that he was toying with the idea of calling the NFL scout and talking to him about a job.
Though she could sense his tension over scheduling a tryout, Payton tried to reassure him that even if it didn’t work out, it didn’t represent a failure. In the end, Brody made the call.
The NFL scout had arranged to meet him at the Oval tomorrow. Brody had nearly canceled, but she’d convinced him she would be there when he came home, exactly as she was when he left, whether the tryout was a success or not.
The more she got to know Brody, the more she realized how vulnerable he was when it came to his emotions. He seemed so self-assured on the outside, but inside, he was a tangle of insecurities. There were moments when she caught him watching her, times when she woke up and he was clutching her hand so tightly it hurt. Was he really that afraid of losing her?
Though Payton had left a mess in Fiji, she didn’t have any plans to return home. She would have to call at some point and had resolved to do that by the end of the week. The private investigator was probably still searching for her and it wouldn’t do to waste more of her parents’ money or cause them any more worry.
By now, they should be comfortable with the fact that she wouldn’t be coming home anytime soon. They’d have accepted the notion that Sam would not be her husband and that she would not be living a comfortable life in Connecticut, raising their grandchildren and attending charity events.
She shook her head, a tiny shudder running through her at the thought. How close to that life had she come? If she’d pushed aside her fears and married Sam, it would have been her future—everything all planned out in front of her.
But her life with Brody was exciting. Every day was a new adventure. And though he worried about his career, Payton was truly convinced that she could live anywhere with him and be happy. She loved working at the station. And she loved Fremantle, too. But most of her affection for both places had come from being with Brody.
Payton strolled over to a vegetable stall and chose some colorful sweet peppers and fingerling potatoes. She waited for the vendor to put them in a bag for her. Then she moved on to the nearest fruit stall and picked out some red oranges, knowing they would make a wonderful tangy-sweet sauce for the prawns. At the last second, she picked up a kilo of strawberries for dessert.
It wasn’t a long walk back to Brody’s apartment and the weather was pleasant. She’d bought only enough for the evening meal and didn’t mind carrying the bags.
As she approached Brody’s building, she noticed a dark sedan parked across the street. A man was standing against the front fender, his arms crossed over his chest. He saw her almost immediately and Payton’s breath caught as he removed his glasses.
“Sam,” she whispered to herself. Her heart slammed against her rib cage as he slowly crossed the street to where she stood. She blinked, hoping that she was seeing things, but as he came closer, Payton knew he wasn’t a figment of her imagination.
“Hello, Payton,” he said. He reached out and grabbed her elbow, then brushed a kiss on her cheek.
“Hello, Sam. What are you doing here?”
He gave her a cool look, his icy blue eyes cutting through her. “What do you think, Payton?”
She opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. She didn’t know what to say.
“Don’t worry,” he muttered. “I’ll wait for your answer. I’m used to that.”
His words dripped with sarcasm. She hadn’t realized until now, but that was one of things she truly hated about Sam. When he was angry, he got nasty. She’d always just accepted it as part of his nature, but now she realized there were men who didn’t feel it necessary to patronize the women they loved.
“I’d assume you’re looking for me,” she said, keeping her voice calm and detached. “How did you find me?”
“Your parents and I hired a private investigator. They thought you might have had a—a breakdown.”
She bit back a laugh. “I’m mentally sound,” she said. “I’m not crazy.”
“The investigator tracked that Quinn fellow here after he figured out you’d left the station with him. He’s spent the last few days following you. You’ve had quite a vacation. Or maybe we should call it a honeymoon?”
Payton glanced around. She and Brody had been so caught up in each other, they hadn’t even noticed someone following them. “Why don’t you just say what you came to say, Sam. I understand you’re angry and I’m sorry for any embarrassment I caused. But you have to realize I saved us both a lot of heartache.”
This seemed to soften his prickly facade. “Did you ever love me?”
“I think I did,” she said, knowing it was probably a lie. “But I also think I was getting married to please my parents. They wanted me to be settled and happy and I never thought about what I really wanted.”
“And this is it? Some guy you just met? I’ve read the report on him, Payton. Come on, you can’t seriously be thinking of staying here with him. He’s just some washed-up jock.”
“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow or the next day. But I’m happy right now, Sam. Happier than I’ve been in a long time.”
“Payton, be practical. You don’t belong here. You’re thousands of miles from everything you know—your family and your friends. I forgive you. You made a mistake, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed. We can begin again.”
“I did make a mistake,” she admitted. “I should have been honest about my feelings and my fears. I should have told you how I felt long before our wedding day.”
“You got cold feet. Lots of women go through that. But give it a little more time and you’ll realize who really loves you. And then you’ll come home.”
“Sam, I don’t—”
He reached out and pressed his finger to her lips. “Don’t. Just think about what I’ve said, Payton. I’m staying in Perth for the next three days. I think we should take some time to talk. To see if we can smooth out this wrinkle.”
Wrinkle, Payton mused. She ran away from their wedding and took up with another man and Sam considered it a wrinkle. “I don’t think we have anything to talk about.”
“I’m at the Intercontinental. Room 1250. I’ll be waiting for your call.” With that, he turned and walked back to his car. Payton stared after him, wanting to shout out her anger. How dare he assume that she’d change her mind? She wasn’t some feebleminded doormat who could be convinced by his mere appearance.
Sam could wait all he wanted, but she wasn’t going to change her mind. She’d call her parents tonight and tell t
hem exactly that. And then she’d tell them to talk some sense into her ex-fiancé. But first, she’d tell Brody about Sam’s sudden appearance. Knowing Sam and his inability to accept losing at anything, she could expect another visit. She would not allow Brody to be caught off guard.
When she returned to Brody’s apartment, she found him sitting on the sofa, examining his knee. He glanced up as she walked inside and she noticed the worried expression etched across his face.
“Is everything all right?” she asked. From the looks of things, now was not the time to bring up her exfiancé. That could wait until tomorrow, after the tryout.
“Sure,” he said. He pushed to his feet and crossed to her, taking the bags from her hands. “Dinner?”
“Yes. I’m cooking something special. A good-luck meal. I figured it’s about time to show you my true talents in the kitchen.”
“You have talents in the kitchen too?” he teased, his mood shifting quickly. “I knew you were great in the bathroom, the bedroom and the living room. But the kitchen wasn’t something I’d considered.”
“I’m a very good cook,” she explained.
He peered inside the bags, then pulled out the strawberries she’d purchased. Payton reached for them. “Those are for dessert,” she said.
“Can’t we have dessert first?” He took one from the bag and bit into it, then held it in front of her mouth. Slowly, he drew the fruit across her lower lip. She ran her tongue over the sweet juice and smiled.
With a quick move, she bit down on the strawberry, then pulled him into a long, deep kiss. The taste of the berry exploded in her mouth, and Payton wasn’t sure that she’d ever tasted something quite so wonderful.
The kiss went on forever, their hands moving over each other’s body, so familiar yet still so exciting. He spanned her waist with his hands, then lifted her onto the granite countertop. The short shirt she wore bunched high on her thighs and he slipped his hand between her legs and began to caress her.
Payton knew his touch, yet every time he seduced her, he found a new way to take her to the heights of pleasure. He pushed her back until she was lying across the cool granite. Then he pulled her panties off and trailed kisses along the insides of her thighs.
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