Snakes Among Sweet Flowers (14 page)

“Gonna… I can’t….”

Cam simply reached around and gripped Rhodes’s asscheeks, pulling him in. Rhodes cried out, arched, and then Cam was fighting to gulp down the abundance of cum that flooded his mouth. Once Rhodes pulsed out the last jet of semen, Cam pulled back and sat on his knees, wiping at his chin and grinning like he’d just won the lottery.

“Holy shit, Sheriff, that was fucking hot!”

Rhodes huffed but without any real anger, sitting up. “I’m not a fucking sheriff! And what if someone had come by and saw us?”

“The danger just makes it hotter, don’t you think?” Cam raised a brow.

“No. Yes. I mean, people can’t know—”

“I know. I get it.” Cam stood and reached to help Rhodes up.

Rhodes knocked his hand away and stood by himself, then fastened his pants. “This doesn’t change anything. And call me Jackson.”

“All right, Jackson. See you tomorrow morning?” Cam asked.

“Yeah, bright and early.” Jackson’s expression was somewhere between a frown and a smirk. Then he headed out to his car.

Cam wiped blood from the corner of his mouth with the hem of his shirt as he watched Jackson drive off, then pulled down the garage door and closed up shop.

“Wow! Two days in a row, Tommasina,” Cam exclaimed to his cat as he hobbled back toward the house. “I’m getting as bad as you.”

THE NEXT
morning, Jackson groaned as he sat up and smacked the button to turn off his alarm. Everything hurt, and not in that way it usually did after a good workout or game of ball. This felt more like he’d been run over by an 18-wheeler. His head pounded with every step toward the bathroom, and all he could do was stand and stare in the mirror at the mess that was his face.

A big knot stood out above his left brow with bruising surrounding it as well as the eye below. His lower lip was swollen, a stripe of crusted red running across it from where it had split against his teeth. His ass, hips, and shoulders hurt from when he’d landed on the unforgiving concrete, which made it difficult to reach for the knobs of the shower or step over the lip of the tub and into the spray.

After a moment, he managed to extend his arm enough to turn the shower dial to massage, then turned and let it beat down on his shoulders and glutes. He groaned with both pleasure and pain. What had he been thinking? He was acting like some hormonal teenager or something.

Once Jackson had dried off, he popped a few Tylenol, then struggled into his uniform. He hoped this was going to be an easy day, because he wasn’t sure he could climb a tree to save a cat or tackle and hold down Michael Peters to keep him from getting hurt during one of his autistic meltdowns.

With a travel mug of coffee and mirrored aviators on, Jackson headed out to the Watson house to pick up the kids. On the way, he called in.

“This is Jackson Rhodes, on duty, over.”

“Good morning, Jackson. Over.” Brian sounded much more cheerful than Jackson felt.

“Jennifer out again? Over.” Jackson asked, starting to worry.

“Her son is giving her heck. She took the rest of the week off to deal with it. Over.”

“That’s a shame, Brian. I hope things get better for her. Over and out.” Jackson replaced the mic and shook his head. Jennifer’s teenage son was a handful. He’d already caused Jennifer fines for truancy from school and done a stint with their teen court for fighting and public disturbance. Jackson wasn’t sure what the answer was for the boy.

WHEN JACKSON
pulled up in front of the Watson house, he honked the horn instead of going to the door. He wasn’t trying to be rude, but this was just not the day to risk running into Junior, and he didn’t want to explain the bruises to Ruby either.

The kids came running out to the car and Ruby stepped out onto the front porch and waved. She appeared upset about something, but he didn’t mull it over much once the three kids had climbed into the backseat. They were quiet and seemed sullen, so he simply shifted the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway with a wave to Ruby.

CAM WAS
just stepping out of his truck when Jackson pulled up in his Hog Mountain Police vehicle. When the kids piled out of the backseat, he called to them. “I got groceries. Come help me lug them in.”

He grabbed as many bags as he could carry and headed toward the door. “It looks like rain today so I thought we could work on painting some more.”

There was a round of mumbles behind him and when he got to the kitchen, he turned to take a look at the motley crew who had followed him in. The three children all looked tired, shoulders bowed and steps sluggish. While he was worried that they might be getting sick, it did his heart good to see the state of Jackson’s face. Cam’s wasn’t a whole lot better and he’d had to put up with some odd looks while paying for his groceries, but he had to admit that Jackson had gotten the worst of it.

“Well, well, what a cheerful bunch this morning. And, Sheriff, you are looking mighty fine, if I do say so myself.” Cam grinned, which brought on a wince of pain. His jawbone felt as if it might be cracked. He had bruising along the jawline and the inside of his mouth looked like hamburger. Luckily it only showed as puffiness on the outside.

Jackson frowned at Cam but didn’t respond. Probably because of the kids. The fine officer was a bit fidgety if Cam wasn’t mistaken. Well, shit. Looked like Jackson Rhodes wasn’t good with casual hookups.

Galen had finally noticed the state of both of their faces and stepped closer. “Why y’all so busted up?” he asked. Luanne and Tony abandoned the putting away of groceries to see for themselves.

Cam grinned and looked to Jackson for an explanation, who seemed to stutter over his words before finally coming up with a gem. “We had an accident… playing football.”

None of the kids appeared convinced, and Galen humphed his disbelief but turned back to the groceries. “We having cereal this morning, Mr. Sanders?”

“Yeah,” Cam answered and turned his attention to the coffeepot he’d started before running to the store. “Pull down the bowls and set the table.”

“I got a travel cup in the car,” Jackson said with his head down. “I’m gonna get going. Y’all have a good day, ya hear?”

The kids all waved, and Cam joined in before settling himself at the table with the kids and his newly purchased selection of cereal.

THE MORNING
passed at a sedate pace. Thunder boomed in the distance, but the rain held off. The dark clouds seemed to fit the dampened moods as they all focused on painting, with little of the chatter that had filled the room the day before.

Cam wondered what had changed with the kids and worked on a way to ask. Right before lunch, Tony reached across Cam for a rag, causing the long sleeve of his shirt to pull up enough for Cam to see the bruises that ringed his wrist. Cam’s attention jumped from the injury to Tony’s face, but Tony, realizing his mistake, pulled his hand back and turned away. Glancing to Luanne and Galen, Cam noticed they too were being careful not to look his way.

They both had on long sleeves too. In the summer. In Georgia. Why hadn’t he noticed? He ground his teeth and set down the paintbrush.

“Time for some lunch. Gonna go clean up. Y’all wash up in the bathroom,” Cam said and headed to the kitchen. He cleaned his hands at the sink before pulling out cold fried chicken and biscuits from the grocery deli counter. He had just sat down after pouring tea for everyone when the kids came piling into the kitchen. They sat in silence and began eating.

Cam watched them for a moment before asking, “Gonna tell me where you got those bruises?”

Galen smirked and answered, “Had an accident playing football.”

Son of a bitch. Smartass kids. “Okay, look…. Jackson and I got mad and we scuffled, okay? It’s the God’s honest.” He held up his hand as if taking an oath. “I’m sure you and your brothers and sisters do that, right? Now, tell me what happened.”

There was lots of glancing and wordless conversation between the kids, but finally Luanne sat up straight and looked Cam in the eye. “Daddy got drunk last night. And he gets mad sometimes when he drinks.” She shrugged like it was nothing out of the ordinary and not a thing to do about it.

Cam had to disagree with that. He just needed to figure out what he was going to do. He was finishing his second piece of chicken, deep in thought, when a knock came at the door. Cam opened it to find a familiar face.

“Howdy. There was a note on the garage saying to knock here? I don’t know if you remember me. I came by last week with the bicycle?”

Cam nodded and swallowed his last bite of chicken. “Yes, sir. Mr. Barnes, was it?”

“Good memory! I used to have one… I think.” They both laughed at the joke. “I got more bikes and wanted you to check the tires and air them up.”

“Will do,” Cam said. “Let me grab my keys and I’ll be right over.” Cam closed the door after Mr. Barnes turned back toward the garage. He scooped up his key ring and called into the kitchen. “Got some work at the garage. Clean up your mess and no painting until I get back.”

There were mumbles in response. Cam took that as agreement and headed out the door.

CAM WAS
working on the last of the bikes he’d pulled from the back of Mr. Barnes’s pickup when he felt Tommasina weave between his legs. Feeling sure he’d left her in the house, he turned to find the kids standing near the garage door, checking out the bikes with expressions very close to awe.

Cam thought he was pretty tough, but the look in those kids’ eyes just about did him in. He huffed out a breath and reached down to pet his cat. Casually, he asked, “Y’all know how to ride?”

“We found an old bike down in the woods and we took turns on it ’til Daddy gave it to the pawn shop,” Galen said. Cam could hear the resentment in the boy’s voice and knew it would only grow deeper if things didn’t change.

“Watch them while I go settle up with Mr. Barnes, will ya?” Cam strode off without waiting for an answer. His stomach was simmering with an anger he thought he’d buried with his father.

When Mr. Barnes pulled out of Cam’s garage, his pickup was light three bicycles and Cam had promised to repair any further bikes the man collected for free.

Luanne, Galen, and Tony all stood staring between the bikes and Cam, seemingly unsure why they hadn’t been taken but afraid to ask.

“They stay here and you only ride them on my property, not in the street. And not ’til you finish your work, you hear?”

While he’d made his speech, each of the kids had begun to bounce, smiles spreading across their faces.

Cam grinned back. “Work is done for today so get busy riding. And be careful, okay?”

“Yes, sir!” they said in unison, each grabbing a set of handlebars and hurrying off.

Cam sighed. He needed a shower and to get dressed before Jackson came back to pick up the kids. He had plans.

CAM COULD
hear the kids outside screaming and laughing as he tied his shoes, perched on the edge of his bed. He’d taken a long shower and now felt a little more human than he had that morning, the hot water washing away many of the lingering aches from the fight.

He headed downstairs and grabbed a handful of apples before going out on the front porch. He sat on the steps and bit into one, enjoying the cool breeze with the smell of rain in it. He could feel the heaviness in the air and knew the storms wouldn’t hold off much longer.

When the kids came zooming around the corner of the house, he held up a hand, calling them over. They dropped their bikes on the grass and came to sit with him, each taking an apple and talking over one another with tales of their adventures in the last hour.

It was then that Jackson pulled into the driveway. The kids waved and screamed with excitement as Jackson climbed out from behind the wheel and grinned at the kids. He still had on those stupid sunglasses that made him look even more like an asshole cop than usual, but the man couldn’t help looking hot as hell, even with the bruised-up face and swollen lip. The swelling had gone down some over the day, and now it just made him look tough.

“Mr. Sanders got us bikes,” Tony called and pointed to them scattered across the lawn.

Jackson took off his glasses, a brow raised to Cam. Cam shrugged. “Mr. Barnes had some extra.” Then he turned to the kids. “Go store those in the shed while I talk to Officer Rhodes.”

While the kids were obviously disappointed to be done playing, they did as told, wandering off around the corner of the house while pushing their new prized possessions.

“Smart not to send those home with them,” Jackson said as he watched the kids’ retreating backs.

“I got a favor to ask you, Sheriff,” Cam said, changing the subject.

Jackson looked like he was going to correct him but only shook his head and asked, “And what would that be?”

“I want to ride with you to take the kids home.” Cam tried to appear as harmless as possible while Jackson considered him.

“Why?” he asked suspiciously.

“I wanted to see where they live, meet their family. Ask if they can keep coming to help me paint. That sort of thing.”

Jackson was quiet so long Cam started to wonder if he was going to answer. Finally, he nodded. “Okay. They’re dirt poor.”

Cam nodded. Obviously it was more than that and Jackson knew it, but Cam needed to get that ride before he pushed the matter.

When the kids came back around the side of the house, Cam stood and came down the steps. “We’re ready when you are,” he said to Jackson, walking down the driveway toward the cruiser.

Cam got in the passenger seat and the kids climbed in the back. They looked sweaty from playing in long sleeves all day but happier than they had been that morning. He was glad of it.

He turned back to them. “I’m gonna see if you three can keep helping me. Is that okay with you?”

Cam got three squealing affirmatives and grinned at their excitement.

“Is that why you are coming over, Mr. Sanders?” Luanne asked.