Page 1 of Brokered Betrayals
Royce parked the SUV and turned solemn eyes to his husband, or so he hoped that was the message he conveyed. When Sawyer only snorted, he decided not to quit his day job to pursue a career in acting. “After tonight, I never want you to doubt my love for you.”
Sawyer rolled his eyes hard enough to sprain something. “I have never doubted your love for me, and if I did, your piss-poor commitment to consuming cauliflower crust pizza for a single night wouldn’t change my mind.”
Royce gasped and aimed for an expression of shock and outrage.
Sawyer bit his lip to keep from chuckling, but his body vibrated with repressed laughter until it burst free. “You look constipated, which makes me wonder if we should’ve chosen vegan cheese for the pizza. Dairy can be a binder and a bloater.”
“I… You…” The mere suggestion was enough to make Royce stammer. “Just no,” he finally said. “That’s a crime against humanity that I will not abide.” Sawyer consumed more than his fair share of cheese, so Royce suspected—desperately hoped—he was pulling his leg.
“It’s a choice, not a crime,” Sawyer said.
“Okay, then Ichoosereal cheese.”
Sawyer arched a brow. “And I’d like the record to show that I offered to order a meat lover’s pizza for you.”
“Let the record show? Are you addressing a courtroom?” Royce asked.
“Well, I have a law degree from—”
“Duke University,” Royce interjected with a voice as hoity-toity as he could make it.
“Yes,” Sawyer said. “But the record I referred to was our marital one.”
Sensing they were about to engage in their favorite game of Who Does It Best, Royce unclipped his seat belt and turned toward Sawyer as much as the middle console allowed. They’d turned bantering about random topics into a sexy art form where they’d take their debate to the sheets instead of the streets. By the time they finished, neither of them would remember what subject they’d been debating. Royce mentally rubbed his hands together as he cocked a brow. “Who’s keeping score, and what kind of point system are we using?”
Sawyer’s dark eyes turned ornery as he notched his chin higher, ready to take on the challenge. “There have been plenty of times when one of us sacrifices his wants and needs to make the other happy.”
“It’s called compromising,” Royce volleyed. “That’s what married people do. Let the record show that I’m being the mature adult right now.”
“See!” Sawyer cried. “Don’t pretend you don’t tally things up in your head so you can remind me later if I complain about my sacrifice.”
“Give me an example.” When Sawyer gestured to the pizza, Royce waved him off. “Besides that.”
“Okay, then I use every other meal as my exhibits. You frequently put on a brave face and regret it later. Remember the sushi fiasco?”
Royce shivered hard. “I wanted to try it,” he lied.
Sawyer cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. “You bargained sexual favors before agreeing to try it and then went to Taco Bell afterward.”
“I seem to recall someone in this vehicle had ordered a Chalupa and a steak quesadilla,” Royce replied. “Not saying who, but if I did, the name would start with anSand rhyme with lawyer.” They both snickered at their ridiculous mock argument. “So, if I’m sacrificing for food, what are you giving up?”
“Movies, shows, music, vacation spots, and—”
“Yeah, okay,” Royce said. “I get it. I’m a pain in the ass.”
Sawyer smiled devilishly and waggled his eyebrows. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
“Hey! That’s my line,” Royce said. “Let’s toss these pizza boxes on Eddie and Jo’s new porch and run.”
Sawyer took off his seat belt and leaned toward him. “You know we can’t do that. Eddie spent an entire day helping you build Darla’s nursery furniture, and Jo helped me wash and fold all her pretty outfits. Helping them settle into their new place is the least we can do. And I’ve never seen your dad this happy.”
“You’re right.” With a dramatic sigh, Royce turned off the engine and opened his door. “But we’re picking up where we left off when we get home.”
“I’ll be disappointed if we don’t,” Sawyer replied.
The sun had set, and the temperature hovered just below fifty degrees. Royce zipped his jacket higher to ward against the chill. The weather had been overcast and gloomy all day, reminding Royce how much he usually disliked winter. But this year was different because January marked the last stretch until their baby girl arrived. No cold snap or cloudy days could ruin his excitement. Not even cardboard…er…cauliflower crust pizza.
Leaning closer to Sawyer, he said, “So, which of us is on top right now?”