Savor (Cottonwood Falls, Book 5) (5 page)

“It’s barely six.” Condemnation laced her tone.

“And you said you were keeping him until after
supper.” Apparently, London wasn’t downstairs.

Her smile turned venomous. “Did I interrupt your
torrid plans by bringing your
son
home early?”

“Not at all, but you have no reason to come to my
room.”
Be nice, just for Javier’s sake.

“My grandson misses his mother. He doesn’t need you
shoving your whores in his face. It was bad enough you paraded them
through when my precious daughter was alive.”

Interesting color, rage. A rich, churning red, much
like chum in the water or blood after a shark feeding frenzy.

“I may not be…I
wasn’t
the best husband,” he
said, voice low and dangerous. “I will admit that. However, unlike
your daughter, I remained faithful to my vows. You would do well to
check your facts before you come into
my
house accusing
me
of inappropriate behavior. I’m a widower. If I want a
relationship with someone, I’m allowed. I know you want to take
Javier, but I refuse to give him up.” His voice dropped lower
still. “Keep down this road you’re on, Carla, and you’ll
never
see him again.”

“You wouldn’t,” she gasped.

“In a heartbeat. I’m not funding your need for the
newest and best of everything. I know you’ve cleaned out what your
daughter had in her private account. I won’t give you more.” He
stepped closer to her. “Keep pushing me, you won’t like the results
any more than those I faced in the Octagon did.”

“We’re his grandparents. We not only have a right to
see him, but you should also provide for us.”

“You have no rights, at all. You see him because I
allow it. As far as money, I owe you nothing. I wasn’t good enough
for your daughter until you learned of my money. You didn’t like me
then, and it’s fair to say I still don’t like you. I’m not a
pushover, Carla, nor am I scared of you. Javier is my son.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Are you sure about that?”

Ice coated his heart. “Get the fuck out of my
house.” Each word fell like a dagger from his lips.

She must have recognized the danger in his statement
for she blanched then backed away slowly, like prey attempting to
avoid notice by the predator.

He counted to ten before he left his bedroom, after
checking the bathroom for London. Meeting his son in the kitchen,
he whipped up some food while hearing about what Javier had done
while with his grandparents.

***

“It was her birthday today, Papá.”

Piers looked up from the magazine he read to stare
at Javier. His son sat before the coffee table, drawing on some
paper. “Whose birthday?”

“Ms. Rhymes’.” He chewed on his lower lip and
reached for another colored pencil. “We had cake and sang to her.
It was a cake shaped like a ship from
Star Wars
. Mr. Berry
brought it to her.”

“Mr. Berry?”
Who’s this man who is around my
London?

He’d seen her in private a few more times since that
first night they were together. They talked, shared, and fucked.
Never once had she brought up how she’d left his side without him
knowing. He had fallen for her, knew it, and wasn’t the happiest
about it, but it was what it was.

“He’s another teacher. Teaches fourth grade. We
think he likes her. He asked her to the Christmas party.”

“The town Christmas party?”

Javier shrugged. “The cake was chocolate and white.
The frosting was so sweet, and Ms. Rhymes had tears in her eyes
when they gave her the cake. I like her as my teacher. I’m learning
a lot, and she gave me a few more books to read since I’m done with
the one we’re reading as a class.”

He put down the magazine. “What about the
party?”

“I don’t know. The tree lighting maybe?”

He recalled hearing something about that and made a
note to call her this evening and find out what was going on with
her and this Mr. Berry. He smiled at his son. “Tell me more about
this cake.”

Javier’s grin informed Piers he’d said the right
thing. The change in his boy was amazing, and he knew he owed it
all to London. There wasn’t a day when Javier didn’t come with some
story of what happened today in class. He and Dilbert had grown
close, and the two of them were spending the weekend together.
School was out for Christmas, from now until after the New
Year.

Now, all he had to do was get London something and
find out about this party. Perhaps, it was time to elevate what
they had to something more public. Keep the men away from her and
the women from him.

“Papá?”

“Yes, Javier?”

“Are we staying here for Christmas? Or do we have to
go to Grandpa and Grandma’s?”

“Did you want to stay here?”

“There’s a lot to do around here, Dilbert says. Even
though school is out, there’s lots of activities for us. A parade,
the tree lighting, parties. If we go, I will miss it.” Javier put
down his pencil and pushed to his feet before walking to crawl in
Piers’ lap. “I have friends here, Papá, and I want to be with them.
I have to be so quiet at Grandpa and Grandma’s. I can’t touch
anything, and I know you’re not happy there. I don’t want you to
send me there and stay here. We should be together.” Javier rested
his head on Piers’ chest. “We’re family.”

Wrapping his arms around his son, Piers nodded.
“You’re a smart boy. Don’t worry about me. If you want to go to
Grandma’s, you can go. If you want to stay here, that’s fine, as
well.”

“I worry. You need to find someone. You know,” he
said, “if you wanted to date my teacher, I wouldn’t mind.”

“Ms. London?”

“Yes. I like her a lot. She makes me laugh and
doesn’t ever make me feel bad for wanting to sit by myself and
read. She says she was a lot like me as a child in that she stayed
on the sidelines reading.”

His geeky woman, yes, he could see that. “I’ll keep
it in mind, Javier.”

“Can we go have pizza tonight?”

Tickling his son, Piers grinned at the angelic sound
of his laughter. “Pizza? Are you sure? I was thinking brussel
sprouts and broccoli.”

They went out for pizza—Javier, smiling and happy;
Piers, unable to be sad when his boy was happy. Still, in the back
of his mind, he heard Carla’s statement about whether he was sure
Javier was his son. He made a mental note to take the necessary
steps to find out the truth.

Chapter Five

London sipped her punch and looked around the room.
Festive, cheerful, and yet, she stood alone.
Just like my
childhood.
She smiled at her friends who danced, joked, and
laughed.

“Why are you here by yourself?”

Piers. Just the warmth of his voice was an
aphrodisiac. She flexed her fingers around the plastic cup. “Good
evening, Mr. Cuyper.”

“Really?” he asked. “I’ve had my cock as far as it
could go inside you and you aren’t calling me Piers? I’ve fucked
you in every room in my house and yours. Not to mention outside at
the falls. Still, it’s Mr. Cuyper?”

She flushed and gulped at the bluntness, although,
in truth, she shouldn’t be shocked. He wasn’t bashful about his
words. “Yes, it is.”

“Why are you alone off to the side?”

She locked her knees.
Fuck, his voice is enough
for me to want to hump the nearest hard surface. Preferably
him.
“Honestly, I’d much rather to be at home.”

“In your Wonder Woman PJs, no doubt?”

“No doubt.”

There was no condemnation in his tone and no heat in
her reply. He never seemed to mind her wardrobe of geeky
attire.

“Why are
you
over here? I see Sherry is
eating you alive with her gaze. From my guess, she’s wearing some
of those panties with the vibration in them, and she turns it up
every time she looks at you.”

He brushed his shoulder along hers as he leaned
against the wall beside her, filling her nose with the heady
masculine scent he more than wore, he owned. His chuckle wasn’t
anything that assisted with the condition she found herself in
either.

“I’ve not given her or any of those other women a
single thing more than a greeting as I walk past them. I will say,
though, the thought of you in those panties—so long as I have the
remote, or course—holds a great deal of pleasure for me. To know
that I’m controlling your need for an orgasm. That I’m controlling
the need coursing through you. That because of me, you’re pussy is
soaking wet and if you sat on a chair you’d leave a wet spot.
That
would make me hard enough to split steel with my
cock.”

His words were low enough they only reached her, but
the effect was more than sitting on a brass drum, reverberating
through her with extreme vividness. She longed to cross her legs
and apply pressure to her throbbing clit in a meager attempt to
stop the need his words created in her.

“Not happening,” she uttered, praying he didn’t pick
up on the hitch in her tone.

She jumped when his hand grazed the swell of her
ass.

“Don’t bet on it, babe.”

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“Thinking I don’t care if people know we’re a
couple. In fact, I’m thinking I like the idea more and more. Then,
the women would leave me alone, and the men would leave you the
fuck alone.”

“We’re not a couple,” she bit off before walking
across the room, needing some space.

“How’s it going?” Kendria asked her with a
smile.

“I need some air.”

The woman winked. “I would, too, if that hottie had
been paying attention to me. Watch your back; some of the other
women have noticed.”

London laughed off the words even while the
realization hit her. They’d not been as secretive as she’d hoped
they had. The chill in the air had her wrapping her jacket tighter
around her. Through the dark, she spied all the Christmas lights
that had been set up all around town. They may not have snow, but
that didn’t stop the residents of Cottonwood Falls from celebrating
the season.

The children had had their party, and this was for
the adults. A few brave souls had volunteered to keep children at
their homes so parents could go out and enjoy their party. Javier
was spending time with his new friend Dilbert at their place.

London zipped up her jacket to her chin and began
walking down the street. In her pocket, her phone vibrated, and she
dug it out, answering without looking at the screen. “Yes?”

“‘
Tis the season, sister dearest.
Shouldn’t your cheer be a bit higher?”

She turned her head from the biting wind as a smile
turned up her lips. “Happy holidays, Card. Where are you at this
time? Somewhere hot where the locals are in string bikinis and
showing off beautiful bodies?”

He laughed. “Don’t I wish. I’m somewhere cold.
Although, the snow bunny look has some appeal, as well. I just
prefer bikinis.”

“Don’t want to work for your reward?”

“I don’t have time. I need to be able to get them
out of it in haste.”

She continued on her way, meandering aimlessly.
“Shameful. Why do I encourage these types of conversations with
you?”

“Because I’m your baby brother.”

“You are a pain in my ass. What’s up?”

“I’m calling about what to do with Mom and Dad for
the holidays.”

“You’ve not done anything for them, have you?”

“I swear, London, I lost track of time. Last time I
looked at the calendar, it was like August, and now, Christmas is
just so bloody near.”

She leaned on a lamppost with a lit reindeer
decoration on it. “Don’t worry, I got you covered. I’ll add your
name to it.”

“You rock.”

“Humph. I’m saving your ass is more like it.”

“No one does it like you, sister dearest.”

“Why do you and Bristol even pretend you’re going to
have this covered?”

“We’re trying to be like you, London.”

She snorted and began walking once more, heading
back to the party. “You need to have your head checked before you
go back in the air. I think something is seriously wrong with you
if you’re under the foolish impression I’m going to buy that.

“You know you love me.”

“I do. I also miss you. When are we getting
together? I’ve not seen you or Bristol for a few years.”

“Soon, sis. I promise.”

She stopped at the door to the building where the
adults were gathered. “Okay, I’m going to hold you to that.”

“I know. Now, get back to your party.”

“Love you, Card.”

“Love you just as much, London. Take care, sis.”

She ended the call and stared at the ground. She
missed her family. This year, her parents were spending the
holidays in England, so family wise, London was alone. She would be
surrounded by friends, but sometimes, a girl just needed her
family. Dropping her hand from the handle of the door, she
continued walking on until she reached a small bridge. She leaned
on the railing and closed her eyes.

“You okay?”

Piers.

“Fine.”

She never opened her eyes. At least not until he
touched her shoulder.

“Hey, what’s going on?” His sea foam gaze was full
of concern.

“Nothing.”

“You left the party and haven’t been back for a
while.” He stepped closer, leaving his hand on her. “Talk to me,
London.”

The concern in his tone was almost her undoing. “I’m
fine,” she forced out. She attempted to step back, but he moved
with her until his larger body trapped her between him and the
bridge rail.

“Far from it. Did someone say something to you?”

The protective tone in his voice was another chip in
the walls of her defense. And the one needed to bring it all
crumbling down. “I miss my family,” she admitted with a small
whimper.

“Ah, baby.” He pulled her close to his chest,
pressing her fact to the warmth of his shirt instead of the cold of
his coat. “Come on,” he murmured in her ear before leading her
away.