“Jackie,” Payton said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Hmmm...?”
“What are you thinking right now?”
Jackie bit her lip, knowing exactly what she was thinking. The question was whether or not she should say it out loud. “I’m not sure I should say...”
“Does it have anything to do with kissing me?” Payton asked as they both inched forward. “Because that’s all I’ve been thinking about since you got here.”
Jackie couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she leaned in, her hand on Payton’s cheek, tilting her head as their lips met in a slow, emotional kiss. Jackie’s fingers traced her jaw line as they kissed, and Payton’s soft lips parted against her own, finding her tongue in a sensual dance.
Jackie sighed as Payton’s hand slid into her hair, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss.
Jackie lost herself in the moment, knowing how lucky she was to be here. She’d tried so hard not to daydream about this for the last few weeks, knowing it might never happen, but here they were, picking up right where they’d left off.
Payton broke the kiss, dropping her hand, their foreheads pressed together for a few seconds while they caught their breath. “I uh... I never did give you the tour of this place, did I?”
Jackie caught the playful tone in her voice as she sat back and met Payton’s eyes, a glint of mischief in them. “No. You didn’t.”
“Will we start with the master bedroom?”
“Please,” Jackie said with a grin.
Chapter 22
Payton jolted awake, momentarily confused as to where that blaring noise was coming from, but it was her alarm. She reached for her phone on the nightstand but managed to knock it to the floor.
She cursed under her breath as she shifted to the edge of the bed, and Jackie’s arm fell away from her stomach as Payton picked up her phone, finally turning off the alarm.
“Morning,” Jackie said, her voice thick with sleep.
“Morning.” Payton winced as she rolled over, rubbing her eyes. “Sorry about that. I was hoping not to wake you this early, especially when you’re probably jet lagged.”
Jackie smiled; her eyes barely open as she tucked the sheets up underneath her chin. “I don’t think it’s the jet lag. I think you wore me out last night.”
Payton laughed as she slid out of bed, her bare feet hitting the wood floors, knowing that if she didn’t get up right away, she’d give in to the temptation of curling up with Jackie for another hour or two. She couldn’t though. Kalen was waiting for her in Central Park where they were checking out a few locations for the wedding they were doing the following day.
“I’m pretty sure you wore me out,” Payton said, grabbing her robe from behind the bathroom door and slipping into it. “And I hate to leave you, but I have to get going. Make yourself at home though. There’s a coffee machine that I don’t think is too complicated, eggs, bread... Help yourself. I think I’m only going to be with Kalen for a few hours today, so if you want to do some sightseeing later on, just let me know. I’ll be in Central Park today, but I can come back, or you can meet me there.”
“Sure,” Jackie mumbled, and Payton turned to see that she’d fallen back asleep, her breathing long and deep.
Payton stood in the bathroom doorway, looking back at Jackie, her dark hair splayed across the pillow, and Payton did her best to savor the moment. A tingling sensation swept across her body, and she couldn’t ever remember feeling like this, like her heart was swelling in her chest, like she’d turn her world upside down for the woman lying in her bed if that’s what it took to be with her.
Jackie sat down on a bench overlooking a pond and a bridge, taking a sip of coffee as the snow flurries fell. She was cold but happy, and Payton would be meeting her here in a few minutes. Jackie double checked the message Payton had sent her, and she was nearly certain she was in the right part of Central Park.
She held the to-go cup in her hands, warming her fingers through her black knit gloves, watching all the people stroll by, a mixture of tourists who were looking all around them and locals, who had their heads down, walking briskly to their destination.
She’d spent the day exploring Payton’s neighborhood, just wandering without a plan. She’d had lunch at a deli on her way to Central Park and stopped for coffee twice since then, more to warm herself up than to curb her cravings for caffeine. She’d been pleasantly surprised to find Twinnings tea in Payton’s kitchen and enjoyed a cup while she caught up on her emails, but she was too distracted to reply to any of them.
Even now, Jackie still couldn’t believe how last night had gone. It was what she’d tried so hard not to fantasize about, coming to New York and falling into bed with Payton, but she never thought it would actually happen, not on the first night anyway. And they still had that chemistry, that connection, and Jackie had no idea how she was going to go home without her.
She knew this situation was different than her relationship with Megan, but Jackie still couldn’t see herself in a long-distance relationship. So, that left Jackie wondering if she could leave Spain. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed Payton walking towards her.
“Excuse me. Is this seat taken?”
Jackie looked up, a smile tugging on her lips as she took in Payton. A black beanie covered her head, her blond hair falling in loose waves over one shoulder, a camera bag slung over the other.
“Hey,” Jackie said, sliding a few inches to the left to make room for Payton. “Sorry. I was in another world there. How’s your day going so far?”
Payton sat down right beside her, their legs touching, and Jackie resisted the urge to put her arm around her.
“Yeah, it was good. I think we’re all set for tomorrow. I know the snow flurries make it romantic and everything, but they’re going to be so cold. I’m going to be cold, and I’ll be wrapped up like this. Kalen’s got it all figured out though. He knows the exact spots to bring them, and he’ll have it done in about a half hour. What about you? What’d you get up today?”
“Not too much. I slept in, and I don’t remember saying goodbye to you this morning.”
“Hmm. You fell asleep mid-conversation.”
“Sorry,” Jackie said, bringing her cup to her lips, feeling her cheeks heat up despite the cold.
Payton playfully bumped her shoulder. “Hey, I would have loved to have stayed in bed with you, and I definitely could have used a few more hours sleep. Don’t be sorry.”
An easy silence fell between them. Jackie finished her coffee as they did some people watching, the snow suddenly falling in thicker, heavier flakes.
“We should probably keep going,” Payton said. “Don’t want you to get frostbite on your first day.”
They stood and Payton linked arms with her as they followed the path back towards the street. Jackie knew she was grinning, and she really didn’t care. This is what she came to New York for.
Chapter 23
“So,” Payton said, carrying the empty pizza box into the kitchen while Jackie topped up their wine. “I know I should have cooked for you, but you couldn’t leave New York without trying real pizza.”
“Real pizza? I thought Italy did ‘real pizza,’” she said using air quotes.
“The thing about pizza in Italy is there’s only place that specializes in it. That’s Naples. The pizza I had there was amazing, but then I went to Rome and tried two different places. You couldn’t compare them. New York is full of Neapolitan style pizzerias, and that’s exactly where the pizza you just ate came from. That’s why it’s so good.”
“When did you go to Italy?”
“When I was eighteen or nineteen. I went with my Dad. I have an Italian friend I went to college with who would vouch for New York pizza too. He knows you can’t just go anywhere in Italy and expect award-winning pizza. Sorry,” Payton said when she realized she was rambling. “I’m passionate about my pizza. That was one of the things I always missed when I le
ft for the summer and went to London or Benalmadena.”
Jackie didn’t know much about pizza except that the two slices she’d just had were delicious, probably the best she’d ever had, but hearing Payton talk about something she missed when she wasn’t in New York reminded Jackie that this was all just temporary. Jackie couldn’t ask her to leave. She’d be going back to Spain on her own in a week.
“Hey,” Payton said, her hand rubbing Jackie’s arm. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Yeah. I’m fine.” Jackie knew she had to talk to her about this, but Payton had that wedding shoot in Central Park tomorrow, and this was Jackie’s first full day here. It could wait another few days. They should at least enjoy this bit of time together before they went their separate ways.
“So, what did you want to do or see while you’re here?” Payton asked as they got comfortable on the couch.
Jackie took a drink. She hadn’t really done that much research. “I wouldn’t mind doing some more walking around, just soaking up the atmosphere. I might get an Uber to Brooklyn tomorrow and do some exploring. Walk back towards Manhattan.”
“Definitely do it that way. The views are better. I’ll be finished around five I’d say, if you want to get dinner somewhere.”
“Sure. Yeah. Just text me where to be.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not a better host,” Payton said, picking up the remote from the coffee table and scrolling through Netflix. “Things are quieter after this wedding tomorrow, and it’s just as well. There’s talk of a storm, but usually we don’t get much in the city, so it’s probably nothing to worry about. I have three days off either way so... Hopefully, we can get out and see Rockefeller Plaza, maybe go ice skating. Whatever you want to do.”
“No. It’s fine. I know I didn’t give you much notice, and I’d love to see the tree and all the lights. I don’t know about skating. I’ve never done it before so... Might not be the best place to learn, with all those people around. I’ll turn into a meme.”
Payton laughed. “I’d hold onto you. You’d be fine... Do you want to watch a movie? Something Christmassy? Something funny?”
“Yeah. A comedy might be what I’m in the mood for. Is that okay?”
They flicked through the comedy section, vetoing anything they’d already seen, finally settling on a newer movie.
Payton surprised Jackie by leaning into her as the movie started, and Jackie put her arm around her, deciding that they’d have the serious conversation about what they both wanted in a few days. Right now, Jackie sunk further into the cushions, putting her feet up on the coffee table beside Payton’s as the movie started, wishing this could last more than a week.
Payton reluctantly left Jackie’s side as the credits rolled across the screen, instantly missing the warmth of Jackie’s body and the feeling of having her arm wrapped around her.
Payton went into the kitchen to get the rest of the bottle of wine. Jackie had only been here for twenty-four hours, and already, Payton had added three more things to her growing list of ‘things I love about Jackie.’ Love as in, admired, or cute. Not love, love.
Payton thought Jackie’s aversion to cold weather was adorable. Even though she’d spent most of her life in London, Jackie seemed to be more used to the warm sunshine she’d left behind in Spain. Payton also thought she had a really nice laugh. It was warm and contagious without being loud and overbearing. Payton also loved her accent. It was only after coming back to New York and getting away from all the English accents she’d heard in Benalmadena that she really appreciated Jackie’s London accent. She loved listening to her talk, and Payton realized that this list was getting a little too long. If she didn’t reign it in, she was going to be in serious trouble.
She hadn’t told Jackie yet about her idea of coming back to Spain when she’d finished working with Kalen. Payton didn’t want to just assume that Jackie would be happy to hear that. Payton didn’t know if Jackie would want to start something serious with her. Sometimes, Payton thought she would, like the night before Payton left Spain. They both seemed to want this, but then Jackie arrived last night and a hug seemed like the natural thing to do, not jump into each other’s arms.
They still ended up in Payton’s bed though. She just wasn’t sure what that meant. Was this part two of their holiday fling? Payton wanted it to be more than that, but she didn’t want to be the stereotypical lesbian with her bags packed, ready to move in with Jackie. Well, she wouldn’t move in. She had her father’s place, but it was that same idea, that maybe Payton was jumping into this a little too quickly.
She brought the bottle back into the living, emptying it between their two glasses. “That movie was pretty good,” Payton said. “Sometimes you just need to laugh.”
“Are you finding it tough? Coming up to Christmas I mean,” Jackie said, bringing her glass to her lips.
Payton sighed as she sat down beside her, angling her body towards Jackie, her knee brushing up against Jackie’s thigh. “Yes and no. Mostly, I’m okay, but then I’ll hear a song or remember something, and I’m on the verge of tears. I hate being this...” Payton blew out a breath. “This unstable. Just when I think I’m doing better, it’ll hit me. I’ve always been used to not seeing him for months at a time, and I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not going to see him again.”
“Yeah. I know what you mean. I keep expecting him to breeze through Sun and Sand. We never knew when we’d show up.”
Payton nodded. “Yeah. Guess it’ll take a while to really sink in. How’s Oliver and Alvaro?” Payton needed a change of subject or she’d start crying.
“They’re good. So in love it would almost make you sick,” Jackie said with a chuckle. “If I didn’t love the two of them so much, it probably would. Oliver showed me the photo book you put together for them. You really do have a talent. No one would believe that was your first wedding.”
“I’m still shocked it went so well... If it hadn’t, I probably would have given up right then and there, and I’d be gutted for Oliver and Alvaro.”
“And now you’re working with one of the best, right?”
“Yeah,” Payton said with a smile. “I’m extremely grateful. To Kalen, to Tara. To you.”
“You can’t really thank me. I just asked you to be my plus one.”
“When you asked me...” Payton knew she was getting tipsy and that she might regret the direction she was taking this conversation, but she said it anyway. “Did you fancy me? Did you think we’d end up here?”
“I most definitely fancied you.” Jackie’s lips slid into a smile. “There’s no point denying that, but I was asking you as a friend. I didn’t think we’d kiss that night or that we would end up here. But I’m glad that we did. That we’re here.”
“I’m still waiting for it to wear off...”
“What’s that?”
“You. The effect you have on me,” Payton said, biting her lip, knowing she was saying too much. “The way you kiss me.”
“If we’re lucky, it never will.”
Payton cupped Jackie’s cheek, brushing her lips across Jackie’s. “I hope it never does,” Payton whispered.
Chapter 24
For the second day in a row, Payton had reluctantly left Jackie in her bed.
Payton was back at her apartment now after the wedding, but Jackie was still out, making her way back from Brooklyn.
Payton had canceled their dinner reservations, not realizing how serious the snow storm was predicted to be. She had enough food here to cook them something for dinner, although she hadn’t decided yet what that would be.
Payton shrugged off her coat and hung it up along with her scarf and hat. Today had gone well. The light flurries during the afternoon had been perfect for the photoshoot, adding just enough atmosphere without the concern of potentially relocating it.
Kalen had been so efficient. That was what Payton took from today more than any photography skills. A lot of it had to do with how you interacted with the couple, how
you got them to relax and almost forget that you were there, pointing your camera at them, and Kalen knew exactly how to do that.
If it wasn’t for Kalen, Payton would have been in a taxi right now, headed downtown to meet Jackie for dinner. Payton had been so busy the last few days between working and spending time with Jackie that she’d hardly picked up her phone, and she definitely didn’t have time to watch the news. She’d had no idea that they were expecting at least a foot of snow overnight.
Payton went into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator to try and figure out what she was going to cook when the doorbell rang. She grabbed a bottle of water and shut the door, surprised to hear the doorbell chime for a second time. Payton’s eyebrows furrowed. Jackie didn’t strike her as the impatient type. Well, except when she was in bed.
Payton pulled open the door to find her mother standing in the hallway with her arms folded across her chest, her signature red scarf wrapped around her neck.
“Hi,” Payton said, stepping aside when her mother breezed past her, not waiting for an invitation.
“Hi? I had to hear it from Mary down at the firm that you were back in town,” her mother huffed as Payton closed the door. “She said she saw you last week.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Busy with what?”
“I think I figured out what I want to do,” Payton said, keeping her voice steady. She knew her mother would react badly, but she really didn’t care. “I’m going to be a wedding photographer.”
“What? A wedding photographer?” her mother asked, tugging at her scarf and draping it over the back of the couch. “What about your degree?”
Payton sighed. “I shouldn’t have gone to law school. It wasn’t the right fit.”
“How do you know? You’ve never practiced law.”
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