One-Click Buy: June 2009 Harlequin Blaze

by Tori Carrington

  “What makes you think I’ll give this to her?”

  “Because you want to know as much as I do,” Sam said. “You love her enough not to leave any stone unturned. Send her home. If she comes back to you, you’ll know she’s made her choice.” He held out his hand. “May the best man win.”

  Brody bit back a curse. This guy was arrogant and condescending and in need of a good beat-down. But he was also right. If Brody did want to keep Payton in his life permanently, then she’d have to face up to her past mistakes. It was better to lose her now than later.

  He reached out and shook Sam’s hand, then nodded. “She loves me,” he said.

  “Then I guess you have nothing to worry about. Tell her good-bye. And I’ll see her back home.”

  With that, Sam turned on his heel and walked out of the lobby. He watched as Sam jogged across the street and got into his car. Then Brody glanced down at the airline ticket. He ought to just toss it in the rubbish and forget it ever existed.

  Why not? He could accept the risk that it would all explode in his face at some point. He’d have more time to convince Payton she’d made the best choice by staying. But Sam was right on one point. It was probably better to know how she really felt, before investing his heart in a relationship that was doomed from the start.

  Brody walked back to the lift and pushed the button, then stepped inside after the doors opened. A single shot at an NFL career wasn’t enough. If he wanted to compete with Sam Whitman’s millions, he had to look at other options.

  The moment he got back to his apartment, Brody found his phone and dialed the Dockers’ office. When the receptionist answered, Brody asked to speak to John Cook. When the assistant coach got on the line, Brody drew a deep breath and said a silent prayer.

  “John. Brody Quinn here. Say, I was wondering if you still had the name of that bloke at Seven Network. You know, the one you thought might be able to find a spot for me as an analyst?”

  To Brody’s surprise, Cook had the number at hand and encouraged Brody to make the call. They chatted for a few minutes about Brody’s knee and the possibility of surgery, but Brody cut the conversation short and hung up. After a half hour, he had a list of seven contacts for a wide range of jobs, from school coach to equipment salesman.

  He stared at the phone for a long time, trying to put his thoughts in order. Then he tossed the phone on the sofa and stood up. This was far too important to bungle. The NFL would pay the best, but television was more secure. He’d follow Callum’s advice and write everything down first, the pros and cons of all his options.

  Brody found a pad of paper, sat down at the table and carefully wrote out the skills that he possessed. He’d always been the club’s best student of the game. He read the opposition like no other player and could talk at length about a player’s strengths and weaknesses. He had a good mind for statistics and remembered almost everything he read. He didn’t stammer or mumble and his teammates had often teased him about his pretty face. And he was considered quite charming.

  “What more is there?” Brody asked himself, staring at the list. He owned a suit and tie and a decent pair of shoes. He wrote that down, though he assumed if he got a job in the business world, he’d need a better wardrobe. He started a list for the NFL job and even made one for getting back into Aussie football.

  Brody heard the front door open and turned to see Payton walking in. Their eyes met and for a moment, Brody forgot to breathe. He still found himself amazed that she’d wandered into his life. How the hell had he gotten so lucky?

  “You’re home early,” he said, glancing over at the plane ticket he’d left on the table.

  She held up a sheaf of papers. “I stopped by the immigration office on my way back from shopping. I have to fill out all this paperwork and then call back for an appointment.” Payton dropped her shopping bags on the floor, then sat down on his lap and slipped her arms around his neck. “What happens if they don’t let me stay? What if they force me to go home?”

  “Maybe you need to go home,” he said. The moment the words slipped out of his mouth, he wanted to take them back. Why would he encourage her to leave? Was he compelled to test her feelings for him? Brody took the plane ticket from the table and held it out to her.

  “What’s that?”

  “A ticket home,” he said. “Sam dropped by. I guess he got tired of waiting for you and decided to talk to me.”

  Her expression turned angry. “I left a message that I was coming to see him tomorrow. He always has to control everything. God, I hate that about him. I’m not going home. And I’m not going to talk to him again. I’ll just return the ticket. Or better yet, exchange it for tickets we can use together.”

  “I think you should go home. Payton, I don’t want to constantly be looking over my shoulder, waiting for him to turn up again like he did today. You need to clean up the mess you left behind and then, if you still want to, come back. But this is always going to be hanging between us, Payton. I’m always going to wonder if I’ll wake up someday and you’ll be gone.”

  She bit on her lower lip, her eyes filling with tears. “So you want me to leave?”

  “Of course not. But if you’re going to stay, I want you to stay forever. And if you don’t smooth things out with your family, you’re always going to regret that. Do it now. Make amends. And then come home to me.”

  A long silence grew between them as she considered his suggestion. “You’re right,” she finally said. “This whole thing has been hanging over us like a dark cloud. I know what I want and I shouldn’t be afraid to tell them.” Payton cupped his face in her hands and stared into his eyes. “I’ll go back day after tomorrow,” she said. “After we’ve celebrated your birthday. And I’ll call my parents and let them know I’m coming home.” Payton leaned forward and gave him a fierce kiss. “I will come back. You can count on it.”

  Brody’s pulse leaped. He cupped her face in his hands and molded her mouth to his. How would he live without this? After a day or two, he’d be ready to hop a flight to the States and drag her back.

  But he’d have to be strong and hope that she would return and stay for good. Brody slipped his arm beneath her knees and stood, then slowly walked toward the bedroom, their mouths still caught in a deep kiss.

  As he lowered her onto his bed, they broke apart for a moment. He stared down into her beautiful face and tried to memorize all the tiny details that he’d begun to take for granted. He didn’t even have a photo of her. But then, perhaps that was for the best.

  He could believe she’d existed in a dream, that what they’d shared hadn’t been real. If she didn’t return, he’d continue with the fantasy. And if she did, reality would be better than anything he could have ever imagined.

  They undressed each other slowly, taking the time to touch each inch of exposed skin. There were so many spots on her body he’d lingered over, spots made just for his lips or his tongue or his touch. In his eyes, she was perfection and there would never be another woman like her.

  And when they finally came together in a long, delicious possession, he was already regretting what he’d done. He should have burned the ticket, should have trusted his instincts and kept her with him.

  He thrust deep and held her close, desperate to seal the bond they shared. Again and again, they moved together and when their release finally came, Brody knew just one thing was certain. He loved Payton and if giving her up meant assuring her happiness, he’d do it in a heartbeat.

  JFK WAS CROWDED with summer tourists, the concourse a maze of luggage and late passengers. Her flight from Perth had been a marathon affair, though passed in the comfort of first class. She’d boarded a Qantas flight almost thirty-five hours ago and had changed planes in Melbourne and Los Angeles. At this point, she could barely summon the energy to lift her bag onto her shoulder, much less marshal the resolve to face her parents.

  But her trip was far from over. Before she’d left Perth, she’d booked her return flight and a night
at an airport hotel, putting the charges on her credit card. One last thing her father would pay for before she was completely on her own. She was due to get right back on the plane in another twenty-four hours. In all, she’d be apart from Brody for three and a half days—enough time to realize she could never stay away longer.

  They’d had a wonderful birthday celebration, though it was laced with the bittersweet knowledge that they’d soon be miles apart. After returning from the restaurant, they’d stripped out of their fancy clothes and made love all night long.

  When it was time for her to leave, he’d reluctantly let her go. He’d decided to call a cab, rather than drive her to the airport himself, and Payton was glad for it. Emotional goodbyes would have been too difficult to handle. She was determined to get her problems solved and then return. Neither one of them would have time to be sad.

  Payton wondered why she’d even bothered to leave. She didn’t need to see Sam again. As for her parents, she could have invited them to Fremantle for a visit and a chance to meet the man she loved.

  Payton stopped short, causing a traffic problem on the concourse. She hadn’t admitted it to herself until now, but she was in love with Brody. It had taken thirty-five hours in and out of the air for her to come to that realization, but at least she was dead certain of it. She loved Brody Quinn and deep down inside, she knew he loved her, as well.

  “So what am I doing here?” she muttered, staring at her surroundings. Payton hoisted her bag back up on her shoulder and started off again. “Closure,” she murmured.

  How wonderful would it be to return to Brody without a single thing hanging over their heads? She smiled to herself as she walked, thinking about the last time she’d seen him. He’d stood in the doorway of his apartment building, watching her get into the cab. He’d looked so sad, almost as if he didn’t believe he’d ever see her again. She’d prove him wrong.

  Her parents had promised to meet her outside the security checkpoint and as she neared the spot, Payton said a silent prayer that they’d kept their promise. As she worked her way through the crowd, she caught sight of Sam. He waved at her and she started toward him. He met her halfway, then grabbed her bag.

  “I thought my parents would meet me.”

  “They’re waiting in the Red Carpet Club just down the concourse. I wanted to talk to you first.”

  “I don’t have anything to say to you, Sam.”

  “I have something to say to you,” he said. He took her elbow and steered her over to a row of chairs set against the wall. “Sit.”

  Payton gave him a withering look. She wouldn’t be ordered around like some naughty pet.

  “Please, sit down,” Sam amended, motioning to the chair. “I have something I need to tell you before you talk to your parents.”

  She frowned, taking in the stricken expression on Sam’s face. Payton had never seen him so worried. Her stomach lurched. “What is it? Are my parents all right? Has something happened? Did someone die?”

  “No,” Sam said. He sat down, then pulled her down beside him. “It’s me.”

  “You’re dying?” Payton asked.

  A wry smile touched his lips. “Metaphorically, yes.” Sam drew a deep breath, then met her gaze. “For the past three years, I’ve been carrying on an affair with my executive assistant. Your father found out about it and I’m sure your parents will bring it up. They think that’s why you ran out on the wedding.”

  Payton stared at him, his words a jumble in her mind. “You were having an affair? You were cheating on me? And my father knew about it?”

  “Yes. To all three questions. I know how you must feel and I can only beg for your forgiveness and spend the rest of my life making this up to you. It’s over. It’s been over for a month now and—”

  “Wait,” Payton said, holding up her hand. “A month? You mean, it was still going on while we were in—” She stopped, stunned by the realization. “She was there. In Fiji. Emily was there. We invited her to our wedding. Oh, my God. You were planning to carry on after we were married?”

  “I know this must be a shock, but I can assure you that—”

  Payton shook her head, a laugh bubbling up inside her. “I knew something was wrong. I trusted my instincts and I was right.” She stood and picked up her bag from the floor, slinging it over her shoulder. “Do you want to know what I feel, Sam?” She shrugged. “Nothing. I feel nothing. I thought I loved you, but I know now that what we had wasn’t love. It was obligation. And I’m fine with this.”

  He jumped up and reached for her arm, but Payton avoided his grasp. “Unfortunately, you won’t be taking over Daddy’s bank, but I’m sure you’ll find comfort in the fact that you can keep sleeping with Emily.” Payton held out her hand. “Goodbye, Sam. Have a nice life.”

  He took her hand and gave it a weak shake. Then, Payton turned on her heel and headed down the concourse. As she walked, she tried to make sense of what Sam had told her. Her parents had known about his affair and they’d still gone ahead with the wedding plans. How was that possible?

  When she reached the first-class lounge, she stood in the doorway, her gaze falling on the handsome couple sitting at a nearby table. They spotted her at the same time and her mother rushed up to her, arms thrown open. She gathered Payton in a frantic embrace, hugging her tightly. “You’re home,” she cried. “Thank God. I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever see you again.”

  A moment later, her father appeared at her side and patted her on the shoulder. “There, there. Well, I’m happy to see you’ve come to your senses, Payton. Come on, let’s get out of here. We have a car waiting.”

  “No,” Payton said.

  Her father arched his brow. “No? How do you propose we get home?”

  Payton straightened her spine and took a deep breath. “I’m not going home, Daddy. Not tonight.”

  Her mother gave Payton’s arm a gentle squeeze. “Oh, George. She’s going to Sam’s, of course. Darling, we couldn’t be happier. You know how much we adore Sam. And he loves you. Just wait, this whole terrible embarrassment will be forgotten in no time.”

  “Mother, I’m not going to Sam’s.” She took her mother’s hand and pulled her along with her toward their table. “I think we should order some wine, sit down and talk. I have something I need to tell you.”

  “She’s pregnant.” Her mother pressed a hand to her heart and closed her eyes. Her father held her elbow to keep her upright.

  “I’m not pregnant!” Payton groaned. “Why would you think that?”

  “Sam said you were—oh, how did he say it, George?”

  “Shacked up, Margie,” her father said. “He said Payton was shacked up with some unemployed soccer player.”

  “Football,” Payton said. “Aussie rules football. Mother, Father, sit down,” she ordered. It was time they started treating her like an adult and not some eager child always willing to please. This conversation would be between three reasonable adults—or one reasonable adult trying to calm two irrational-overbearing adults. She drew a steadying breath. “I’ll be right back.”

  She strode up to the bar, ordered three glasses of Merlot and paid with one of the twenties that Sam had given her. Then she carried the wine to the table and sat down.

  “Why are we staying here?” her mother asked. “Why don’t we go home and have a drink? I’m sure the quality of this wine isn’t up to the standards of what we have in our wine cellar.” She took a sip and wrinkled her nose. “Just as I suspected.”

  “This is ridiculous.” Her father pushed away from the table. “You’re coming home with us right now, Payton. You are going to get a good night’s sleep and then we are going to figure out how you can make this all up to Sam.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t love him. And neither should you. He cheated on me. You knew and you were going to let me marry him all the same. You two spent a lifetime trying to protect me and then, when I really needed you the most, you were ready to walk away, to let me marry a man who d
idn’t love me.”

  “Sam assured me the affair was over,” her father said. “And that it wouldn’t happen again.”

  “Well, he wasn’t telling you the truth. Thank God, I figured it out.”

  “When did you find out?” her mother asked.

  “A few minutes ago,” Payton said. “But I knew something was wrong for a long time. I felt it in the weeks before the wedding. And in Fiji. That’s why I ran.” An image of Brody flashed in her mind and she smiled. “And I’m lucky I did. Because I’ve met a man I can really love and trust, a man who wants me and not the bank I’ll inherit. I have to live my life now on my own. And I’m going to do that in Australia. With Brody.”

  “What is she saying, George?” her mother asked.

  “She’s just distraught. You need help,” her father said, turning to Payton. “We can get you help. A nice quiet place to get some perspective.”

  Payton giggled softly. “Daddy, I don’t need help. I’m perfectly sane and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. And I hope someday you’ll come to visit me. I’d love for you to meet Brody. He’s a wonderful man. Or maybe, we’ll come here for a visit. Brody might have a tryout with a football team later this summer.” She gulped down the rest of her wine, then stood, satisfied that she’d said everything that needed saying.

  Though she ought to have been angrier over her parents’ deception, there wasn’t really a point. Everything they’d done had led to Brody and that was all that mattered. She rounded the table and kissed them both on the cheek. “I have to go now. I think I might be able to catch the flight back tonight if I hurry.”

  “You only just got here,” her father said.

  “And now I have to go,” Payton replied, picking up her bag. “I love you both. And don’t worry, I know exactly what I’m doing.”

  She walked to the doorway of the bar, then turned and waved at her stunned parents. It was enough for them to see that she was healthy and happy. They’d get over her broken engagement and their disappointment that Sam wouldn’t be a part of the family. And they’d find a way to explain the embarrassment of the wedding. And maybe someday they would meet Brody and understand why she loved him.