Payton’s eyes searched the tables again, in case she missed someone. An odd prickling at the back of her neck told her that she’d found her quarry when seconds later, his warm breath tickled her bare skin.
She didn’t dare to move, didn’t know if she could, as this man, this man who engendered the most bewildering conduct from her, reached her side. Neither of them seemed capable of speech, just enjoying the moment. She was almost afraid to speak for fear the magic of the moment would be broken.
“Payton,” Cruz finally said, his words deep and soft.
But whatever he was about to say was lost as Emily Vaughn’s determined face appeared in front of them, and Payton took a step back involuntarily.
“There you are, Payton. Cruz,” she muttered, barely glancing his way before returning her attention to Payton. “I was worried that Kate was going to keep you hostage the rest of the night for wedding photos. Now that you’re here, we should go take a seat as it appears they’re finally going to serve us dinner.”
“Oh. I was planning on sitting with the rest of the wedding—”
“I hope you understand how difficult it is for me, Payton, being here in this strange place,” her mother said in that long suffering voice Payton knew all too well, “not knowing anyone except you. You’re not going to leave me to sit by myself for dinner, too, are you? I promise I won’t make you miss out on the festivities. In fact, I’ll make myself scarce right after dinner. You may want to consider it, too, since our flight leaves in the afternoon and we need to make sure we leave plenty of time to check in and—”
Payton barely managed to restrain from rolling her eyes. “Yes. Fine. Of course, I can sit with you.” If it meant that her mother would retire to their room as soon as they ate, she could force herself to share a meal. A peace offering to the news that she’d dropped on her mother’s lap.
“We’ll both keep you company,” Cruz said and glanced around “We could probably squeeze in another chair at our table, if you’d like.”
“Isn’t that…sweet. But it won’t be necessary. I already have my sweater and purse holding our seats over there.” She pointed to a location several seats away from Kate and Dominic’s.
If Payton wasn’t actually stressed at the unlimited amount of barbs and insults her mother could level on Cruz in the space of twenty minutes, she might have put her foot down. Told her mother that she wanted Cruz’s company and if she didn’t like it, she could leave.
But Payton knew all too well how the woman’s jibes could cut to the bone. And although she was sure Cruz could handle anything her mother threw at him, she would rather save the peace. For now. “It’s fine, really,” she said in reassurance to the concern she saw in his eyes.
“We’ll catch up later,” he said, almost like a promise. He turned to her mother, and nodded briefly. “I hope you enjoy your dinner.”
Casually, he brought his hand to his heart for barely a second as he met her gaze. With a warm smile that left her stomach twisting all over again, he walked over to the table where his family was already seated.
A memory niggled at her. Of Cruz smiling as she nestled into his crook just after making love. Of him taking her hand in his, then laying it over his heart and whispering something in Spanish that she hadn’t understood, but insisted he translate. He’d kissed her hand and returned it to his heart saying—
“Payton? Are you okay?”
Payton jerked her head and tried to smile with nonchalance. “Just thinking how happy I am for my best friend. The ceremony couldn’t have been more perfect. Should we go take out seats?”
Payton slipped into her seat, barely hearing the litany of complaints her mother unleashed about the horrible hotel service. She was thinking about what Cruz had promised. The words playing in her mind like he was right there, whispering them again.
“You have my heart, always and forever.”
Her mother asked her something, but Payton couldn’t remember the question much less give a response, and her mother glared at her in disapproval.
But she didn’t care. Because tonight, like she’d told her mother, she was going to finally do what she had always wanted for herself.
She was going to live on her own terms. Do what made her happy.
And whether or not she and Cruz decided to permanently dissolve their marriage come Monday, tonight she wanted to dance in the arms of the man that she had promised to love and honor all the days of her life. She wasn’t going to worry about what might happen the next day; she was going to trust in this thing that had developed between her and Cruz and see what happened.
And she couldn’t wait to tell him.
Chapter Fourteen
Cruz sat through an interminable conversation between his sisters as they debated the appealing qualities of Henry Cavill, Brandon Routh, and Tom Welling, all men who, in the past decade, had played Superman in various screen adaptations. Daisy seemed to have a soft spot for the brainier, more introspective of the three while Benny’s preference was purely physical—making him fidget for a moment trying to tune out their conversation.
He glanced over to where Payton and her mother sat, looking for any sign of distress on Payton’s part. He’d already decided to rescue her the moment Payton looked the least bit upset, no matter how hard the dragon lady might glare at him. But Payton almost seemed to be in her own world, barely hearing whatever her mother was discussing next to her.
“You are in big trouble,” Daisy’s voice said, breaking into his thoughts. It took him a minute to realize she was talking to him and turned to look at her. She leaned back in her chair, an arm casually thrown over the back of it, and smiled at him with a little too much satisfaction.
He sat up a little straighter. “What do you mean?”
She laughed softly and shook her head. “The way your eyes have been glued on her all night tells me that you’re interested in Payton Vaughn as more than just an…acquaintance.”
He thought about denying it but decided it would be pointless. But he wasn’t about to wax poetic on all the reasons he found the woman intriguing and passionate and like a refreshing breath of fresh air in his life. Especially since that breath of fresh air was about to disappear in a matter of hours. Back to her life. He decided silence was his best defense.
“Fine. Don’t confide in your favorite sister. But from the way her mother is watching her, I’d say you’re going to have your work cut out for you. She’s guarding her like a prisoner. Don’t think she’s going to take well to you shattering her plans for her prodigy.”
Daisy hit the nail on the head with that assessment, but she always was very intuitive. Scarily so.
Kate and Dominic’s wedding party wasn’t overly large but even so it took a couple of attempts for the DJ to get their attention. With the usual introductions and pomp, he introduced the new couple and asked them to go start the evening out on the dance floor as husband and wife.
Kate was flushed with excitement as Dominic brushed her up against him for a soft kiss, taking one hand in his and holding her so close as though he was afraid she was going to slip away. The soft folksy tune of “Crazy Love” began to play and from the look on Kate’s expression, Cruz could see she was shocked and touched by the choice, as some memory must have been triggered.
For a brief moment, the bride glanced across the room at her maid of honor, and Cruz took the opportunity to sneak another long look at Payton. Something passed between the women and she nodded to Kate, a wide smile bursting across her face, tears slipping down.
She was so damn beautiful. Inside and out.
He could watch her all night. The song came to a close and another slow song started. At the DJ’s invitation, his parents and some of his aunts and uncles crowded on the floor.
To hell with Emily Vaughn and whatever certain fit she was going to have. He rose and walked across the patio until he reached Payton. Her eyes were wide with uncertainty.
“Let’s dance.”
“Pay
ton, I don’t think it’s a good idea when you have an early—” her mother started.
But Payton rose to her feet, her eyes still on him. She placed her hand in his. “Love to.”
Whatever else her mother said was lost to him as he slid his arm around her waist, bringing her in closer to him, enough that he could breathe in her sweet familiar scent.
“You know that Emily Vaughn is probably sic’ing a henchman on your ass right now.”
He heard the smile in her voice, though, not disapproval. Not fear.
“Let’s face it. No one can be as terrifying as your mother.”
At this she laughed, the light, melodic sound that reminded him of those carefree moments in the car. Shoving Bueno bars in her mouth with relish as she joked about needing twine and Vaseline now to squeeze into that bridesmaid dress.
“Yeah,” she said finally. She looked up, her green eyes bright. “But somewhere in the past few days I’ve realized that I’m not afraid of her anymore. The power she had over me? That ever-present deep-residing need I’ve always had to try and please her, please my father, to make them somehow…love me?” She shook her head. “I can’t do it anymore. I’ve gone to the right schools, hosted the right parties, dressed the right way…even got engaged to the right guy. But I still didn’t feel good enough. There was always something I should be doing better. So I say the hell with it all. I’m not going to do anything to make anyone else happy first. I’m going to try and decide something new. What makes me happy.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “You came into all of this in the space of one dinner with your mother? What kind of chicken were they serving you?”
She smiled. “Just sitting there tonight, hearing the usual Emily Vaughn complaints where no one was ever good enough when compared to the high standards she’s set for herself, it came to me. She isn’t ever going to be happy, no matter what I do. I started remembering things, happy moments in my life. Moments over the past few days that have made me realize there was more to life than trying to earn my parents’ love and approval. I want to try and feel that way again.”
Happy moments over the past few days. Was she saying moments with him? “So dodging yellow school buses barreling your way on a Mexican highway is your idea of happy times?”
“It was definitely a highlight. But none compared to the moments with you.”
Now his heart was stopping. “Like what?” he asked, his voice gruffer than he’d intended.
“Like discovering that, that night, when we first met? You were going to find me.” She smiled. “I had no idea.”
“Yeah, well you had been pretty unforgettable. Beautiful, of course, but it was your smile, the tilt of your head when you looked up at me. You were just brimming with life and love and spirit. Even in that first moment I felt that any man would be invincible with you by his side.”
She flushed at his words but didn’t say anything, instead letting him hold her as they danced like no one else was around them.
“Cruz?” she asked finally, she paused, biting her bottom lip. “I know you said it was a mistake, but when I asked you to marry me? I think that was the first time in my life I’d ever followed what was in my heart. I knew, in my heart, that you could make me happy.”
He stopped mid-step to study this vision in his arms. She was looking at him almost wistfully now, as she waited for his response. Payton Vaughn. The most enigmatic, passionate, and beautiful woman he’d ever known. He stepped more firmly into the next beat, tightening his arm around her waist, trying to find words.
But Payton wasn’t done. “I know it’s insane, but everything we’ve done the past two days has been absolutely crazy. And I’ve never been happier. What—what if we tried this out. You, me. Just for a little while?”
It was almost too incredible. Too impossible to believe.
But there was no denying she was there, slight but steady in his arms, her eyes staring at him with hope, her lips soft and parted, aching to be kissed. No—for him to kiss her.
Something he’d been fighting the desire to do since she first appeared at the end of that aisle tonight, walking toward him.
Maybe, just maybe…he could be that man.
He could be the lucky guy to have Payton at his side, loving and supporting him, just as he would love and support her.
He brought her against him, holding her there. Then with a quick flip of his wrist, he twirled her out, earning a yelp before he twirled her back in. “Mrs. Sorensen,” he said, the words surprising him as much as they did her. “Are you fishing for a date with me?”
She smiled, her dimples deep and etched in her face as she turned toward him. “I do believe I am.”
He looked down at where her hand rested in his, soft, graceful. He longed to kiss it, to hold it to his heart again. But there were too many eyes. Not here. Not just yet. “I have a few ideas of where we might want to go. But all of them involve you not leaving tomorrow morning with the old battle axe.”
She had dropped her gaze to where their hands were entwined, her breathing a little shallow. “Do any of them have to do with hockey? Because I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find an ice rink here in Puerto Vallarta.”
He chuckled and rubbed his thumb against the softness of her skin. “No, but they did involve you. In or out of a bikini. And sand and water, and maybe a few moments in that extra large tub in my room.”
“I think that might be something that can be arranged.”
This is absolutely crazy.
She, Payton Vaughn, just days after ending a longstanding engagement, was about to step into the suite of the one man who’d driven her crazier than any other man she’d ever known. Who would probably continue to drive her crazy.
But crazy seemed to be their mantra. Nothing they did was normal or rational—especially getting married just one night before on the spur of the moment. It was what made it all the more exciting.
Cruz slipped the keycard in the door, taking a moment to look down at her, his eyelids heavy as if he was already envisioning her naked. He had to stop looking at her like that or she’d be a puddle at his feet before they even got started.
He pushed open the door, waiting for her to go in.
She was doing this. She was really doing this.
Swallowing a nervous hiccup, she entered the low-lit room, thanks to the lamp he’d left on by the window. But it wasn’t the front room that she was interested in exploring, and she continued on to the bedroom, feeling his gaze on her. Her heart pumped loud and frantically from anticipation and she turned to face him.
Scared because she didn’t think she’d wanted anything more than his touch.
Cruz raised his hand to her face, his thumb outlining the curve of her jaw as he closed the space between them. His lips touched her jawline, tender, and slipped to her neck. She shivered and raised herself on her toes to bring him closer.
But Cruz had other ideas as he swept his arm under her upper thighs and lifted her up in his arms, cradling her to him, before taking three long strides to the bed. He laid her down so gently it was as if he feared she might break and stood there for the longest moment, just looking at her, almost as if he was as disbelieving as her that she was really here.
Now. In his bed.
His first kiss was soft, teasingly so, as he kept his eyes on her. She wanted to savor the satisfaction in those dark eyes, but his hand was moving alongside her body making it impossible to think. To stay focused. Then he was kissing her everywhere, and deft fingers were loosening the fabric around her until it was no longer there and she was nearly naked under his gaze.
“You’re sure about this?” he whispered as his lips nuzzled her neck, making her dizzy with need.
She sighed and shut her eyes as the rush of tender emotions shook her. “Not a doubt in my mind.”
Not that she didn’t have other doubts. Doubts as to where this might lead, whether Cruz would find room for her in his life. Whether whatever place she took up in his life would
be enough.
But right now, in this place, at this time, the only thing she didn’t doubt was that she wanted to try. Wanted to see where this thing with Cruz might take them.
And to feel his lips, his mouth, his hands make love to her with the same passion and fervor as the hazy memories from last night showed him capable. Enjoy the moments, for however long they might last.
Although she was hoping for forever.
Payton felt like a wayward teenager as she crept down the hall later the next morning toward her own room. If she could hole up in Cruz’s room the rest of the day she would, but there were some things that had to be settled. Starting with letting her mother know she wasn’t going to be taking that flight back home today after all.
So with a quick note written on the hotel’s stationary and a longer kiss on Cruz’s still sleeping lips, she’d quietly snuck out to go face the dragon.
Her key card slipped in and she slowly opened the door, anticipating the chain to be an extra hindrance to entering unannounced. But no chain was stretched across to bar her entry, and she breathed a sigh as she shut the door behind her and dropped the shoes she’d been carrying to the floor. She’d only taken two steps into the suite when she realized she wasn’t alone, as the person seated on the corner chair, unmoving, came to their feet.
She expected to see her mother’s frown but instead found herself looking into a definitely masculine, handsome, and all too-familiar face. Blue eyes tinged with golden brown turned down. Almost filled with sorrow. Apology. And confusion.
“Brad,” she whispered.
“Payton?” Her mother’s voice rang out from the bedroom and a moment later she joined them.
But Payton could only stare at the man in front of her. The man she had thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with until three days before. The aching pain of his betrayal stung her again, but admittedly less forcefully, as the pain was replaced with a newfound excitement and happiness. And maybe even a little guilt.
Her Accidental Husband Page 16