Page 69 of Unwritten Rules (The Sunburnt Hearts #1)

Chapter Thirty-Five

SINNETT

“ T his feels weird.”

Tatum turns her head, jade eyes roaming over the side of my face. “How so?”

I squeeze her small hand resting in mine, eyes locked on the sunlight streaming through the thick foliage of the oak tree. “For the first time in weeks we don’t have to sneak around or hide out in the confides of my car. We’re able to just… be us. It’s strange.”

She laughs, the sound sweet and airy. My fucking favourite.

“I agree. I almost texted Dad to say I was hanging out with Raya until I remembered that he knows about us.”

Us .

It still feels like a foreign concept despite knowing it’s not.

Not having to hide our relationship from Phil or the media is something I’m still getting used to.

When Tatum called me on Monday to tell me how the conversation with her dad went, I was expecting tears and a podcast length rant about how angry and upset she was.

So imagine my surprise when I answered her call and she was as happy as a clam, retelling the details of the conversation with an ease and calmness that was unnerving.

Three days later and I’m still wondering how the fuck Phil is okay with me dating his daughter.

But I’m not complaining one bit.

My cheek meets the picnic blanket, eyes locked on Tatum’s.

I get lost in them, wondering how the fuck I got as lucky as I did.

Meeting her that night at the pub was the start of my life.

Before her, my world revolved around rugby.

I knew what I wanted and I was willing to do anything to get it, no matter what.

It didn’t seem possible to allow anyone else into my space, not sure if there was room for them in my carefully laid out plans. But I was wrong. So fucking wrong.

Tatum is the best rule I could’ve broken. If I hadn’t, I never would’ve learned what it means to truly live. To appreciate the value in the finer things and feel every second of the big moments.

“He’s been giving me a lot of shit at training the past couple of days. It’s like he wants to punish me for betraying him but is also trying to respect what you want. I can see it’s slowly killing him on the inside.”

I can handle the tough training drills and him pushing me harder in the gym than necessary.

He has gone from giving me the cold shoulder to a slightly frosty presence, which is better than nothing.

At this point, I’ll take whatever he’s willing to give me.

It’s going to take some time to gain back his trust, but I’m willing to do it if it makes Tatum happy and my life a little easier.

Because fuck me, my body is aching today.

“That’s his version of trying,” Tatum says, biting back a smile. “He’ll soften towards you, it’ll just take some time.”

I squeeze her hand. “I’m willing to wait.”

Tatum rolls onto her stomach, kicking her feet in the air as her eyes search my face. Tendrils of strawberry-blonde hair frame her face, having fallen from the messy ponytail she threw up in the car before we got to the park.

“What about your dad?” she asks, her voice gentle. “I know things have been… tense the past two weeks.”

I roll my lips together, turning my attention to the brown tinge on the tips of the leaves. With winter in full swing, the vibrant green will soon be swallowed whole by shades of brown.

“I still haven’t spoken to him.”

“Why?”

I exhale a sharp breath and run my free hand down the side of my face, scratching at my chin.

“Because no matter what I say, he’s not going to change.

He’s always going to put himself in my shoes and try to steer my career toward what he wants.

It’s never been about me, only what he wants me to achieve for him .

And I’m done with trying to survive in his shadow. ”

Tatum’s hand slips from my mine to run through my hair, her eyes watching her movements. “I’m not going to tell you how to handle this because you know your dad better than anyone else, but just know that you’ll feel better once you talk it out. Take it from me.”

“Maybe,” I murmur, eyes fluttering close as her nails glide over my scalp, sending a shudder across my body. “But until then, I’m not going to say a word to him. He can come to me when he’s ready to have a proper conversation about our relationship.”

“That’s your choice, Sin, and I support you.”

I support you .

God, it feels fucking nice to have someone support me and be proud of what I do. Before Tatum, I had no concept of the notion, besides my sister and Gran. But now, she goes out of her way to remind me every chance she gets that she sees me and is willing to be by my side whenever I need her.

I don’t deserve this woman.

Silence befalls us, and we stay in this position, listening to the rustle of leaves and the high-pitched laughter of the children running around nearby, throwing a frisbee with their golden retriever.

Their mother watches from afar, eyes locked on the small children, afraid they might escape from her sight.

With how hard I’ve been pushing myself in training for the game in Newcastle this weekend, I needed this time with Tatum to decompress and fucking relax.

Tatum returned to her position as the club’s physiotherapist yesterday, which boded well for me because I got to steal a moment of her time while she did a full examination of my quad.

Between kisses and knowing smiles, she concluded that I had nothing to worry about.

All I need to do is strap up my quad and be mindful of how I enter tackles during the game.

The status quo has been returned, which means I can breathe a little easier.

My threat to Zoe about getting her kicked off the squad worked a treat because now she refuses to bat an eye in my direction.

She has her sights set on Caleb, one of the guys on interchange.

I pray the poor fucker doesn’t make the same mistake I did by going there, but only time will tell.

His business has nothing to do with me, so I’m determined to keep my mouth shut.

For the first time in two weeks, I feel whole again.

Needing to move or do something to redirect the adrenaline pumping through my veins, I jump to my feet and reach for the rugby ball resting at the edge of the red and black checkered blanket. Tatum’s eyes track my movement as I toss the ball in the air, catching it with ease.

Wiggling my brows, a smirk spreads across my face. “You up for some fun?”

Tatum pushes off her stomach and onto her feet, her nose barely reaching my chest. She tilts her head to the side, eyeing the ball. “What kind of fun?”

“I can run some passing drills with you.”

Heat floods her lightly freckled cheeks. “I don’t think I’ll be very good at it.”

I press a chaste kiss to her forehead and slide my fingers through hers. “You don’t have to be, Tate. It’s all about having fun, yeah? Letting loose.”

She drags her bottom lip between her teeth, and I contemplate stealing it from her and claiming it as mine, but stop short when I realise we’re not the only people in the park.

“Okay,” she finally says. “But if I’m shit, don’t tell my dad or anyone for that matter.”

I chuckle, guiding her from under the oak tree and into the warm winter sun.

“My lips are sealed, strawberry.” I drop her hand and step back, flicking my wrist as a gesture to move backward.

When she’s a few metres away, I toss the ball in the air again.

“Okay, the first drill is simple. I’ll pass the ball to you, and all you have to do is catch it, okay? ”

Tatum rolls her eyes. “That’s it? Easy peasy.”

I grin. “Just you wait, Tate.”

She holds her hands up, ready to catch the ball. When it leaves my hands, spinning through the air like a spiral desperate to hit a target, fear flashes through jade eyes at the speed behind it. Tatum catches it with an oomph , eyes wide.

“What the hell was that?” she huffs, looking between me and the ball. “For a second there, I thought it was going to go through my stomach and out the other side.”

I burst out laughing, slapping my knee as tears spring to my eyes. Tatum doesn’t appreciate my reaction, scowling at me as she pops her hip, the ball tucked under her arm.

“I told you it’s not as easy as it seems,” I offer with a shrug.

“Remember that I’m your girlfriend and not beefy like Khai.” She tosses the ball back to me, and I catch it with ease.

Girlfriend .

I’ve never had a proper girlfriend before.

Sleeping with women on occasion is the closest I’ve gotten to letting a woman into my life, knowing I couldn’t give them all of me, not when I was focused on furthering my career.

I didn’t think I was capable of caring for another person to the point I was willing to give them every ounce of my soul—until I met Tatum.

“Don’t call my best friend beefy,” I playfully warn, tossing the ball in the air. “And you did great. Ready for another one?”

Tatum hesitates, eyes flicking between me and the ball.

My leather jacket hangs from her shoulders, covering a dark green long-sleeved shirt that pairs well with the colour of her hair.

Light blue jeans hug her toned legs, reminding me of what is hidden beneath.

Heat pumps through my veins at the thought of getting her into my bed tonight, naked and all mine.

“Okay, hit me,” she says, her voice lacking confidence as she holds her hands up. “But be gentle.”

Chuckling, I pass the ball to her, lighter than before and she catches it with more grace than the last one.

“Now pass it back.” I clap my hands together, a smile claiming my lips. “You’ve got this.”

The pass she does is terrible, but I would never tell her that. Not when she’s laughing the way she is, my heart ready to explode. It’s a feeling only Tatum pulls out of me.

When the ball lands in my hand after the fifth pass from Tatum, I drop it at my feet and charge towards her.

Jade eyes round at the edges, and in a split second, Tatum takes off running, her laughter like a fucking drug as I chase her down.

She doesn’t get far before I scoop her into my arms, spinning us around until my vision blurs at the edges and my head grows dizzy.

The only clear image I see is her. With a smile only for me.

Her hands find my shoulders as I lower her to her feet, chest brushing against mine. We’re breathless as we stare at each other, our silence speaking louder than any words in the dictionary.

My lips claim hers—gentle and warm. Hands sliding around my neck, we melt against each other.

The kiss is slow and deliberate. For all of the times my body is fucking desperate for her, needing to feel her against me, I enjoy holding her in moments like this—close and all mine.

It’s a testament to how far we’ve come. Being able to slow down and feel these moments is not something I thought we’d get.

We had a ticking clock over our heads, counting down the minutes until we’d inevitably have to part ways.

But to both of our surprise, the clock is gone and we own our minutes, now able to choose what we do with them.

My hands slide over the curve of her waist and pull her body flush against me. She smiles against my mouth and I’m seconds away from combusting because fuck me . But also, I need to relax because if I don’t, I might bust somewhere else.

“This,” Tatum murmurs against my lips. “You and me… I couldn’t be happier.”

I grin, fingers digging into the material of her jeans. “Aren’t you glad I broke your dad’s rule?”

Tatum chuckles, tilting her head to the side. Her jade eyes sparkle and I find myself wanting to get lost in them for the rest of time. “Every day.”

She giggles when I use her waist as leverage to hoist her off the ground, spinning us around again.

I’ve never been one to break the rules for fear of what the consequences might be if I did.

I prided myself on my ability to follow the rules and keep a clear head.

But Tatum was the one rule I was willing to break, not knowing if that decision would blow up in my face or not.

If I hadn’t given in to my desire to kiss her the night I walked her home, we wouldn’t be here right now.

I would still be on the straight and narrow, suffocating under the weight of my dad’s expectations.

Tatum came into my life and pulled me from the tide without realising I was slowly drowning.

And she continues to hold me up without asking for anything in return.

I don’t deserve this woman, but I’m going to make sure that every day she knows she won’t regret the decision she made that night in Barrenridge that led us right here. Led her to me.

With the season half over, I don’t know if we’ll win every game or make it to the grand final, but I do know I’ve already won the most important thing to me.

More important than a trophy or the minor premiership title.

And that’s the woman smiling up at me like I’m able to give her the world—my world.

Little does she know, she already holds the key to my heart. She has since the first night we met. And I have no plans to take it from her.