Disgruntled (10 page)

“You’re pretty young for a cell phone.”
“I take good care of it. I’m smart.”
“That’s for sure.
And you knew what to do. When’s
Todd—” Reva’s cell danced on the kitchen counter where
she had dropped it when she answered the door.
Todd. “Reva, I’m sorry to ask but I need your help.”
“He’s already here.”
“Oh good. I can’t believe she just dumped him. What a
shitty mother. Can you keep him? I’ll be back in a couple of
hours. We have a big shipment we’re trying to get out today.
She didn’t call and he hasn’t been over in a while.” He
sounded rushed.
“It’s fine. Do what you have to do.”
“Thanks. You’re awesome. It won’t be long, a couple hours
max.” The phone went dead.
Eric wandered around, evaluating the room. “Your house is
so much nicer than Dad’s.”
“Why do you think that?” His house was twice as big. Funny
what kids say.
“You have pictures and stuff.” Eric pointed to the colorful
rug under the kitchen table and her bright pictures over the
sofa. The boxes on the shelves by the window caught his
attention and without asking he opened them. The pictures
inside disappointed and he slipped the lid back. “You got
any toys?”
“Not really. I have some paint and stuff though. Have you
eaten this morning, Eric? I’m hungry.”
“No, Mom woke me up and brought me straight here. She
was in a hurry.” He stuck his hands in his pockets like Todd
did when he seemed unsure where to put them.
“How
about
some
toast then?”
He
wrinkled
his
nose.
“French toast with syrup. It’s like pancakes.”
That caught his attention.
Two hours later Todd strolled into the backyard. Reva’s
speakers
blared
Disney
music
and
she
didn’t
hear
his
approach. Two towels spread on the grass gave away their
endeavor as they splattered paint on them. Eric had graced
his with handprints and footprints of bright blue. Reva’s was
more refined. Big refined splotches of red, yellow, and
orange. She hadn’t liked the idea of washing the color off
her feet, or trying to explain it so she had simply tossed the
paint at the towel with an artful flick of the wrist.
“Hey buddy.” Todd’s voice startled her and she whirled
around. A small shriek escaped before she switched off the
music. She wondered how long he had watched. Had he
seen her silly dancing to the music? He grinned.
Yes, he’d seen
it.
“That’s not going to appear on YouTube is it?” she asked.
“Wish I’d thought of that. I was too busy enjoying the
picture.” Eric brushed his blue fingers together and started
to hug Todd. Quick reflexes prevented blue stains on Todd’s
pants but the shirt hadn’t been as lucky.
Reva flinched. “Oops. Sorry about that. Come on Eric. Let’s
get you washed off.” She picked him up and carried him in
an arm lock to the water hose. A quick twist of the faucet
turned on the water and she went inside for soap and a
towel.
“Looks like you had fun,” Todd remarked on her return.
“Well, I’m not equipped very well for
entertaining the
younger generation. So, I opted for what I found. Craft paint
and towels. It should wash out of your shirt if we soak it
right away. It sets with heat though. So, if we don’t hurry,
you’re going to stay blue.” She held out a hand for the shirt.
“Hand it over.”
“You just want to see me na—” Todd stopped and glanced
at Eric as he growled at the blue water that trailed off his
feet in puddles.
“This is a G-rated yard now, but yeah, you caught me.” Reva
shook her hair out of her face to avoid stroking it back with
orange fingers. “Like I said, hand it over.” She snapped her
fingers.
Todd drew the T-shirt over his head and tossed fabric into
the orange hand. He raised a brow and Reva knew he
doubted it would be the same again.
“Your stomach’s blue, Dad.” Eric pointed. Todd looked
down and laughed. The blue paint had seeped through the
cloth and branded him with blue splotches across the pecks.
He had soft lapis-colored hairs over his heart that filtered to
a dark brown toward his jeans. Even the odd color didn’t
squelch Reva’s uncomfortable desire to touch them.
“So are you, bud. Let’s go home and take a shower.”
Reva liked the two of them together. They had an easy
affection that comforted her.
An affection that was based
on trust and a lot more. Todd had never laid a hand on this
child. She was certain. That knowledge made him incredibly
desirable.
“Why don’t you just climb in my shower? By the time you
get home, it would dry and probably crust a nice tattoo.
There’s soap and everything in there, a loofa too. That might
scrub the color off. Sorry about the mess. I didn’t really
think this through, I guess.” She stood.
“It’s okay, Reva,” Todd said. He reached for her arm.
Eric bounced from foot to foot as he admired his work. “I
liked painting. That was awesome Miss Zamora! Can I keep
the towel?” He noticed Todd’s hand on her arm and smiled.
“Of course! It’s yours. Let me iron it so the color sets while
you two clean up. Then we’ll have some lunch. Okay?” She
cast a glance to Todd. He nodded.
Todd tugged Eric’s shirt up. It caught briefly on his head
then released. A white shirt emblazoned with a kid’s team
name, now covered in blue. He tossed it to Reva. She caught
the cloth mid-air and turned toward the sink.
“Wait.” Todd blurted. “Don’t wash it out. Would you mind
ironing those with the towels?”
“But they’re covered in blue paint. They’re ruined. I can get
it out if we hurry and wash them.”
He swallowed and she thought his eyes glistened. “I don’t
want you to wash it out.”
She spread out the shirts on the
counter and stood back.
“Are you sure?”
“Reva, I may not get much more of this with him. If Annie
marries this guy—let’s just say every day or weekend is a gift.
This,” Todd waved his hand toward the shirts, “is a gift. It’s
something he’ll remember and so will I. We’re keeping the
shirts exactly as they are.”
Todd’s eyes lowered and he pointed at her breasts. “You
may want to wash that though.” He grinned. “Eric’s a
hugger.”
Two blue splotches strategically placed. “Oh my God.”
Reva blushed.
Todd’s lips twitched. She watched him struggle to control
the laughter.
“Quite a fashion statement. I think there’s hand prints on
your back too.” He turned, scooped Eric up, and carried him
to the bathroom. The child wiggled and giggled all the way.
From the bathroom Todd shouted, “I’ll pay for your shirt if
you iron that in for me too. Hell, I’ll iron them all myself if
you give me a few minutes.”
“Daddy, you said a bad word.”
“I know. Sorry.”
She heard the water running just before the door closed.
Reva went to her room and changed into a clean bra and
shirt. The tenseness in her neck and back fell away. Todd
wasn’t mad. He hadn’t yelled at Eric for getting it all over
him. He didn’t get upset with her either. Additionally, he
looked hot as hell without a shirt and smeared in blue paint.
How wonderful that this moment had meant so much to the
man! She hugged herself.

Todd stripped Eric, lathered soap into the loofa, and began
scrubbing the blue coating from his skin. Yeah, it’s semiwater soluble. Good thing it hadn’t reached his face or he’d
look as if he had a health problem. The paint left his skin a
faint purplish hue. Still, Eric had enjoyed it. Not just enjoyed
it, he bubbled. As the shower flowed over his face, Eric
rambled on and on about the picture. Apparently there had
been a method to the handprints.
“Dad, did you see the horses? I used my hands to make
them.” The shower water had cleared somewhat.
“You did a great job.”
“And the grass under them? Did you see how I made it go
up around their feet?”
“Hooves. Horses don’t have feet, they have hooves, Eric.”
Might as well use the opportunity to teach something.
“They don’t
have hands either, and no fingers or toes but they do have
teeth. Maybe we’ll go ride some when there’s time.”
“Maybe. Uh, I don’t know how.”
“Then, you’ll learn. It’s not that hard. You just have to be
careful. We’ll try it sometime.”
“Can Ms. Zamora go with us? Does she know how?”
Todd lathered Eric’s hair, rinsed it, and wrapped him in a
towel. “I’m not sure if she does or not. Put your clothes on
and go ask. Let me wash off real quick and I’ll be right
there.” He smiled as Eric wriggled into his shorts and ran
out, leaving the door wide open. If only life remained as easy
as when you were little. Everything a new adventure, no fear
of death or failure. No reason for modesty. He closed the
door. There was something to learn from that.
He heard them singing as he approached the kitchen. He
smiled. The two of them chanting along to the radio. Nice.
He added his voice before rounding the corner. Eric sat on
the counter. Todd grabbed him and threw him in the air
then caught him. It was one of their favorite routines that
always got a bout of giggles from the child.
“Watch out, you’ll hit his head!” Reva warned.
“We do this all the time and so far, he’s only had six
stitches.” Todd winked as he lowered a giggling Eric to the
floor.
“He’s just kidding, Ms. Reva. I had six stitches when I tried
to climb the tree in the backyard and fell. Daddy didn’t do
it.” Eric pulled up the hem of his shorts and showed the
scar. A tiny white mark on his tanned leg.
“Oh, that’s nothing!” She grinned. “It makes you look
tough. Maybe I’ll show you mine sometime.”
Todd suppressed a frown as he thought how she might have
obtained similar scars. The fact that she offered to show
them interested him. He wasn’t sure he wanted to see.
“You had stitches too?”
“Yes, a bit more than that.” Reva pulled a paper towel from
the roll by the sink and wiped down the counter.
“Then you must be
really
tough!” Eric said.
Reva stopped wiping and her shoulders stiffened.
“That’s exactly what she is,” Todd acknowledged. “And
smart too if she can keep someone like you entertained all
morning.” He tousled Eric’s wet locks.
Her shoulders fell and she commenced wiping again.
After a few tries, the ironed artwork lay on the counter for
display. Todd and Reva had taken turns setting the color.
They’d laid cheesecloth over each piece and pressed it. The
heat soaked through the layer and supposedly sealed it,
saving Eric’s handprints for posterity. Todd salvaged Reva’s
shirt from the trash in order to press it. She barely protested.
It was ruined anyway.
“Miss Reva, want to go with us to the monster truck show?”
Eric asked.
Surprised, Todd shot a glance at the round eyes pleading
him to give in. Todd had purchased the tickets online from
the office before he left work. He’d mentioned it to Eric on
the phone that morning. It was intended as a potential
reward for behaving at Reva’s house until he arrived.
“What?” She looked from boy to man.
“We have tickets to the Monster Mash at the convention
center tonight. It’s one of those truck things where they
drive over cars and things. I bought them this morning.” He
wagged a finger at Eric. “There were conditions though and
you know it.”
“I already cleaned everything up.” Eric held up his hands. As
if he had recollected another requirement, he pressed his
face into Reva’s legs and wrapped his arms around her. She
faltered a step to catch her balance and patted his back.
“Thank you, Miss Reva,” he said.
Todd watched her face warm. Did he really see her eyes
glisten? Yeah. Her eyes wandered from the painted shirts to
Eric and then up to meet his gaze.
She gets it.
“No, Eric. I have you to thank. I would have been bored to
tears if you hadn’t been here.”
“Daddy?”
“Yeah?” He liked that Eric used the word even if it didn’t
rightfully apply.
“Reva can go now, right?”
Todd sighed. Damn, the kid liked to put him in awkward
situations. Sure, she could go but did she want to? He raised
his eyes to her.
“Yes, Eric,” Reva answered for him. “Reva can go as long as
your Dad doesn’t mind—but you know it’s not nice to do
that. He may have already asked someone to go.”
Seriously? Who would that be?
It’s not like he had time to
socialize. In fact, he had intended to spend the night in front
of the computer entrenched in invoicing until Eric called.
Now, it seemed his weekend would be a lot more interesting
and certainly a lot less tedious. “I called up Angelina Jolie
but Brad answered the phone and squashed that plan. So, I
guess you’ll do.”
“Well, that’s a bummer. Second fiddle again.” She grinned.
“At least I know who the competition is.” She whirled
around and headed toward the door.
Competition? Did that mean something? Todd followed
with Eric’s hand clutched in his.

“I’ll come by around six-thirty to get you.” He scooted Eric
out the door. “And Reva? Thanks for today. I can’t believe
she—” He stopped as he remembered his audience.
“She probably didn’t know you weren’t there.”
Eric listened quietly. Todd didn’t say what crossed his mind
but knew Reva picked up on it. She nodded.
She knew; she just
didn’t care.
“Thanks.” He tugged Eric’s hand and they headed home.
Man, she was something. The walk to his house was filled
with Eric’s incessant chatter.
Eric held up the shirt and
pointed out every paint smear. The kid obviously didn’t get a
lot of praise on a day-to-day basis. He craved it and Todd
didn’t mind. It frustrated him that Annie hadn’t been the
kind of mom this child deserved. The kind that would praise
him for painting a T-shirt blue with his hands. Or the kind
that would let him paint at all. As soon as they got home,
Eric went to his room to put it back on and Todd changed
into a clean shirt.
Tap. Tap. Tap. A knock at the door. As Todd went to
answer it, he called to the back. “Eric, why don’t you lay
down for a short nap before we leave?”
“’Kay Dad.”
He swung the door ajar and turned back…to Reva. She
glanced around the room behind him.
“Hi.” She hesitated, then reached a hand to his face. Her
fingers were warm against his cheek. He smiled. “I just
wanted to, um, do this.” She entwined fingers into his hair.
He couldn’t help but stare as her tongue trailed across her
lips. She stepped into him and pulled his head down.
What a unique sensation to have a woman kiss you when
she’s
shaking so much she’s
practically vibrating. Todd
wrapped his arms around her waist and held tight, trying to
still her nerves. She relaxed. For a second. Then she pushed
her other hand up to his chest, slipping her fingers under the
shirt he’d recently donned.
Todd sucked in the smell of her hair and her skin. “Reva,
you—”
“Shhh. Don’t stop me while I’m on a roll,” she mumbled.
He wanted to eat her up. She smelled delicious. She looked
delicious. And wow, she felt it too. Reva skidded her mouth
across his cheek and laced her tongue along the lobe of his
ear before returning to his mouth and opening hers for him.
He
didn’t
hesitate.
That
tongue
that
had
slipped
so
seductively across her mouth moments earlier, now tangled
with his. A wet, silky dance performed together. It filled him
with need.
Need.
He hadn’t felt that in a while.
Todd pulled her from the threshold, his mouth locked to
hers. He shifted Reva to one side and freed a hand to slip
the door closed.
“You taste – amazing, Reva,” he whispered huskily.
Amazing. Soft. Sexy. Sweet and incredibly female. Without
thought, he grazed a hand up her spine and trailed his
fingers through her hair. He reared his head back to watch
the softness of it slip through his fingers before lowering to
slip the shoulder of her shirt to the side. He nibbled at the
silkiness of the revealed skin.
Reva moved her head to the side as if to give him more
room. She closed her eyes and smiled.
She smiled
. The most
seductive and beautiful smile he’d ever seen was focused on
him. Then she brought those lips back to his.
“Back at ya,” she said.
One more taste.
Mmmm.
Todd leaned toward her, lifting
from the wall, straining to get closer.
“I’ll see you later,” she whispered. Reva trailed a hand across
his cheek, pulled the door open, and slipped into the fresh
air, leaving him wanting.