“No. All they do is rot your teeth.”

  “It’s a small price to pay for how delicious they were,” Bryce said. At least he was trying to ignore her mother.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll get us something to drink,” her mother said and left the room.

  “Sorry,” Payton said to Bryce. “She didn’t even wait to see if you wanted anything. She can be a little rough around the edges.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Bryce said, sitting down in the living room.

  Her mother came back in balancing three glasses between her hands. Heaven forbid she’d ask for help or try to find a tray.

  “So what are you two doing today? Payton never takes much time off. I’m sure she is going into Millie’s at some point.”

  “We didn’t have any plans today other than to come visit with you,” Payton said.

  “And are you going into Millie’s later?” her mother asked, never able to drop it.

  “For a few hours.”

  “Maybe I’ll go in with you and be your sous chef,” Bryce said.

  “Chef,” her mother said. “What Payton does is hardly chef worthy. She makes salads and sandwiches. Bakes some cookies and donuts.”

  Payton felt her eyes start to sting with the insult again. The lack of confidence she’d always felt in her life just pushing forward like a baby rhino wanting to find its mama in a forest full of enemies. Too bad she’d never been that baby that wanted to find her mama and get comfort. That’s not true. She wanted it but didn’t think her mother had the ability to offer it.

  “Sure Payton is a chef. I’m not sure anyone could make the salads she does. Definitely not bake like her. I’d eat all my meals there if I could, but then I’d probably gain too much weight and she wouldn’t find me attractive.”

  Payton smiled at the gentle joke. Her mother, on the other hand, didn’t find it so funny. “We always told Payton to stay in good shape. Her looks were her assets. We even suggested after the first time she was stopped and asked to model that she might want to consider increasing her breast size. It definitely wasn’t her smarts or her career choice that were going to get her ahead in life.”

  “Mom,” Payton said, the heat filling her face. It was one thing for her mother to make those comments to her in private, but another to say them in front of Bryce. She could only imagine what he must be thinking.

  “What? I’m just telling him what we always told you.”

  Bryce shifted on the couch, looking more than slightly uncomfortable over the topic. “I find Payton very beautiful. Anyone would be blind to not see it. But there is more to her than her beauty. She’s friendly. She’s caring. She’s always happy and she is a hard worker. Those things mean a lot more to me than whether someone keeps in shape to land a man.”

  “Thanks, Bryce.” Now she was going to have to do some damage control and hope to hell he didn’t think that was all she was after.

  “No thanks needed. It’s the truth.”

  ***

  Talk about feeling like a fish out of water. This wasn’t even a fish flopping around on the grassy bank, but one that was left on the concrete at noon in a hundred-degree temperature.

  Payton wasn’t kidding when she said they didn’t have the same upbringing. But damn it all, his parents would never say anything so insulting or demeaning as Rachelle did about Payton.

  Now he knew why she was always so hard on herself even when she was trying to be confident.

  And it made him wonder how much of her confidence was forced and not real.

  “Do you have any plans today?” Payton asked her mother. He could see she desperately wanted to change the subject and he couldn’t blame her.

  “I’m going to watch the Nascar race and relax. What I normally do on Sundays. You know that.”

  “The house looks nice,” Payton said. “The shutters are pretty and bright and the floors are gleaming. You should take the time to relax.”

  “You know how I feel about dirt and grime. At least I know you got that from me.”

  He did have to admit that as old as the house was, he was willing to bet there wasn’t a dust bunny to be found, not even behind the couch.

  “I got a lot from you,” Payton said.

  Rachelle laughed and shook her head, but didn’t say anything else. It was probably a good thing to Bryce’s way of thinking.

  It was almost a minute of silence and Rachelle stood up and said, “I’m sure you two have more exciting things to do today than sit in my house.”

  Talk about a dismissal, but Payton stood up and he followed.

  “Enjoy your afternoon,” Bryce said. “It was nice to meet you.”

  “The same,” Rachelle said.

  When the two of them were in Payton’s car, she dropped her head to the steering wheel. Her shoulders started to shake and he was terrified he was going to have to deal with a crying hysterical woman.

  Instead he heard laughter. “Payton?”

  She lifted her head and looked at him. There were tears rolling down her cheeks, but she was laughing like she belonged in the looney bin. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking bringing you here. I swear to you, I’m not nuts.”

  “It’s a good thing. I mean you two look nothing alike and I know your personalities aren’t either. Wow. How did you deal with that growing up?” She stopped laughing and he knew he put his foot in his mouth. “Sorry, that was wrong of me to say.”

  “No. It’s the truth. The truth often hurts. Or it will set you free. I don’t know. It’s a lot of things, but it is what it is. I should tell you though, I’m not like what my mother said. I mean I’m not trying to better my lot in life with a man.”

  “I didn’t think you were,” he argued.

  “Bryce. I saw your face. She said how my father and she thought that was my biggest asset. I don’t think that way.”

  He’d had a moment’s pause when he heard it but then reminded himself how hard she worked and that he asked her out first. When she had sweat on her forehead and her hair pulled back with not a lick of makeup on. He couldn’t even see much of her body at that point.

  Yes, he knew she was beautiful, but she wasn’t using those looks to get a date.

  “I think any guy would pause hearing that. But I know you well enough to know what makes you tick. It’s not that.”

  “No. It’s not. I think because I heard it so much is part of the reason why it bothers me when she says it or someone assumes it.”

  “Think nothing of it,” he said, but deep down something about it was nagging him.

  Chase the Tail

  When they got back to Payton’s place, she knew there was only one thing to do to put this day back on track. She attacked him the minute the door was closed.

  “We need to get our mind off of that visit,” she said, her lips going to his. “We need to focus on each other instead.”

  He picked her up, his hands going under her butt as she wrapped her legs around his waist. “I can get behind that one hundred percent.”

  “I want you to do that.”

  “Do what?” he asked, walking her to her bedroom.

  “Get behind me that way.”

  His hands tightened on her cheeks and she knew he understood what she was saying.

  He walked over to the bed and dropped her down on it, sliding over the top of her, their lips never breaking, his hands now pushing her hips into his. He was hard and pressing through both of their shorts and she was dying to feel him inside of her again.

  She’d never wanted sex so much in her life as she did with Bryce and hated that they only had the weekends to get their hands all over each other.

  As much as she wanted to spend time with him during the week, neither one of their schedules really allowed for it, and she didn’t want to be demanding of his time.

  Hadn’t he already said he wasn’t spending as much time on his work or his thesis? There was guilt on her head weighing her down as if she were carrying bags of concrete. Her neck was stiff, her shoulders sore, but the happiness of spending time with him seemed to outweigh any common sense.

  This wasn’t the time to think of those concerns though. Not when there was a big strong hot guy with his hands on her and trying to remove her clothing faster than normal. She hadn’t seen this side of him yet. Most times he was pretty controlled...sort of.

  She wiggled around and scooted up, pulling her shirt over her head since he was getting it tangled on her arms. “You remove yours, I’ll get mine.”

  “Works for me.”

  He was toeing off his shoes at the same time his shirt went flying. She held back her giggle, knowing he wouldn’t think it was funny, but the two of them looked like two virgins getting ready to go at it at a rock concert while they were high on drugs and alcohol, not having a care in the world who might be watching.

  The minute he was naked he was diving back on the bed, on top of her, but she was having none of that. She’d told him what she wanted and she wasn’t going to let him get distracted.

  She moved out from under him, got on her hands and knees and presented him with the view of her backside, then looked over her shoulder and said, “Behind, I told you. You don’t listen so well.”

  “Shit,” he said, getting off the bed and grabbing for his shorts. “I thought I would get some time to play with you first.”

  “You can play in this position.”

  “I can play in any position if I angle myself right.”

  She liked his way of thinking, then watched as he tossed the condom on the bed and shimmied under her between her legs until his mouth was in line with her breasts. This was one of those times she wished they were bigger and hung down more, but he made do and propped himself up, his mouth latching on and his teeth taking hold.

  Her arms started to shake and her legs wanted to crumble back down to the mattress. But she locked them all in place and savored the feeling of his mouth moving from one nipple to the other as if he couldn’t decide which one tasted better but didn’t want to give up any time trying to figure it out.

  “Bryce,” she said, knowing she wouldn’t be able to stay in this position too long and she was craving something else entirely.

  “I’m getting to it,” he said, inching down a bit, his hands on her inner thighs, then his mouth going right for her clit. It was swollen and begging for contact and he didn’t disappoint.

  He latched onto that tighter than her nipples. Stronger than a poodle refusing to give up her bone to a Doberman.

  She dropped her head down in pleasure, her eyes wanting to close, but she kept them open as she watched him devour her like she was one of the cinnamon buns she’d served him earlier. She had high hopes he’d lick her dry like he had his own fingers after that sugary treat.

  When she started to feel the pressure build, she knew it was time to stop him. “Bryce. I’m so close.”

  He ignored her though, moved his hand up closer, one finger sliding inside of her. Blood was rushing to her head, part from the feelings building inside her body, the other part from having her head hanging down.

  She wasn’t about to tell him to stop though. She couldn’t even if she wanted to and knew Bryce would bring her there again, since he always did. A selfish lover he wasn’t and she’d been with plenty of them in her life.

  He curved his finger just right, sent all that blood that was in her head right to her core where it exploded into a million little bright stars that flooded her soul.

  Her body was depleted of all energy and she thought for sure she was going to fall to the bed when he slid out from under her, but she pushed through and stayed in her position when she heard the wrapper open.

  There was no time to think, plan, or anticipate what his next move would be when he grabbed onto her hips and slammed into her.

  The breath was knocked out of her lungs with that move, the feelings of pleasure so intense. How was that possible after what she’d just experienced?

  No time to question or think about it, not when he was moving in and out. That wetness she always had in abundance just guiding the way for him.

  There were enough force and speed behind his movements that she found herself sliding on the comforter up the bed and not able to stop. He didn’t seem bothered by it, moving her more and more until she found her hands on the headboard, perching herself to fully enjoy what he was doing.

  Their breathing was short and erratic and neither of them probably gave a crap. She knew she didn’t.

  All she cared about was the building of a release she knew was to come that would be higher and stronger than any orgasm she’d had before.

  “Are you close?” he asked her, and as much as it took energy she wasn’t sure she had, she still smiled over the question.

  “Almost. Don’t worry about me.”

  But she knew he would because he always did. And when one of his hands came around and started to rub her overly worked and sensitive clit again, she knew the ending was near.

  Those million little stars from earlier were now turning into a galaxy on their own, spinning and swirling, his hips slamming hard enough into her that there was a slapping noise filling the air.

  Then there was nothing. No noise, no movement at all on Bryce’s part, just him almost hugging her waist, his hips jerking, the moment rising, and then not falling on her part. Until he pinched her clit and she all but screamed, the tightness, the fullness, the pressure just letting go and joining his throbbing as her arms gave way, him collapsing on top of her.

  ***

  Bryce felt like he just ran the Boston Marathon sprinting the whole way trying to chase the tail of the hot woman in front of him.

  Oh yeah, he was chasing the tail in front of him. A naked ass attached to Payton that wound him up and spun him out.

  Now he was probably squishing her but wasn’t sure he had the energy to move.

  He heaved in a big breath, then rolled to the side, his arms spread wide, his eyes on the ceiling, staring. He didn’t see much, though he was looking. It was more like he knew his eyes were open, he just couldn’t focus.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “I think. Are you?”

  “I’m talking and breathing, so I guess that’s a good thing.”

  “Are you blind?” he asked her. “I can see, sort of.”

  She laughed. “I see you staring at the ceiling, so I guess I’m not.”

  “That was one hell of a way to end the day,” he said.

  “Is it over with?” she asked. “Do you need to leave?”

  “I don’t have any plans, but I know you need to go into Millie’s and prep for tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, I do.” She rolled over and sat on the edge of the bed. “I should take a shower first. I feel kind of sweaty and a bit dirty.”

  “I can help you in there if you want,” he offered, not ready to leave or stop touching her.

  “I could always use help in the shower.”

  They got up and walked naked to her small bathroom where she reached over and turned the shower on. “I could come in and help you prep. I’m a quick study if you want to tell me what to do. Or I can just dice and cut things for you.”

  She turned her head and held his stare. Did she think he was desperate to stay with her? That he was clinging? Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut.

  “You can come along if you want, but you don’t need to help. You could just keep me company and we could talk.”

  “I can do that,” he said, pulling her into the shower and lathering them both up for some more fun, glad he made the offer and she accepted.

  Feel Inferior

  Bryce looked up when he heard knocking at his door. It was Anne and he wasn’t thrilled to see her. After the fundraiser over a month ago, he’d tried to avoid her completely.

  Should he have approached her and told her what she said was inappropriate and out of line? Yes, he should have. But the more he thought of it, the more it would acknowledge that what she said mattered. He didn’t want her to think that.

  That Payton had come to him with it when he knew she was embarrassed over the whole situation. That it caused their first fight and that by bringing it up to Anne put importance on something he’d rather forget.

  Instead, he had been cordial to her if they passed in the hall, which since it was summer and they didn’t have classes at the same time, it wasn’t often.

  He wondered if she felt guilty about what she’d done and was keeping her distance from him too. She normally didn’t avoid him like she was.

  “Yes?” he asked.

  “Do you have a minute?”

  “Sure.” He saved the work he was doing and pushed back in his chair, his hands going to his waist, his fingers clasping together as he leaned back.

  “I was surprised to see you with someone at the dinner.”

  It took her a month to bring this up? “What was so surprising about it?”

  “Just that I didn’t know you were bringing a date,” she said.

  “Payton wasn’t my date. Not like you are thinking. She’s my girlfriend.”

  “Oh,” Anne said, looking a bit miserable.

  “Is there a problem with it?”

  “No. I just thought you were single. You never said you were seeing anyone.”

  “You never asked and I don’t walk around broadcasting my personal business with anyone.”

  “I just thought you and I...”

  “You thought wrong,” he said. “And you should have kept those thoughts to yourself rather than imply something to Payton that night.”

  “She told you?” Anne asked, looking pretty smug. Yeah, he should have kept his mouth shut.

  Instead he did something he didn’t do often. He lied. “She didn’t. But someone else did. They’d overheard what you were saying to her in the hallway and thought it was funny.”

  “Thought what was funny?” Anne asked.

  Guess his lie was passable enough. “That they didn’t expect you to be so jealous and weren’t aware you and I had been in a relationship. I told them we weren’t and never had been.”