Harbour of Refuge (23 page)

“Ye…yes.”

He drew her lobe into his mouth as he continued his tender assault. “Really?”

Spikes of longing pulsed through her and she found herself squeezing her legs together in a futile attempt to stop the throbbing of her clit. If anything, it only made things worse.

She allowed her other hand to grab his shoulder and she wriggled her ass on the seat of the couch. “This was supposed to be a night of talking.”

“We are talking, Halyn Jennings. You’re telling me I need to be a better father. I’m agreeing, but since he’s not awake at the moment, I think I need to focus on how to be a better boyfriend. I’ve neglected you. Far too long.” He released her lobe with a pop and ran his tongue up the whorl of her ear.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

She dropped her head back, allowing him all the access he wanted. She had no willpower when it came to this man. Zero. Zilch. And she didn’t give a damn.

“What do you say?”

“Yes.” Her response was breathless.

He slipped a hand behind her back and scooted her closer still. Staring into her eyes, he grinned—pure sex and seduction—before capturing her mouth with his.

She gave him all he asked for and more. Embracing him, she appreciated how his hard body felt against her curves.

“
Papà!
”

The cry broke them apart more effectively than anything could. Enzo jumped up and ran down the hall towards the room his son was in. Halyn forced herself to stay on the couch. This was between father and son.

She lasted there until Enzo called for her. Moving as fast as he had, she ran into the guest room and saw them on the bed together. The concern and uncertainty in Enzo’s eyes cut her deep. The tears on Liev’s face brought some to her own eyes.

She moved to the other side of the small child and sat. He immediately leaned into her and she dropped her arms around him before pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

“Nightmare?” she asked.

“I think so, he was talking mostly in Russian but what I caught in English was about the men who took him today from school.”

Her grip tightened reflexively around Liev as she stared over his head at Enzo. It didn’t take a genius to see just how livid the man was over what his child had been forced to endure today. She hummed softly as they sat there. Before long, she realised how much of the child she held up.

“He’s sleeping,” she whispered, after checking. They both stood.

While Enzo watched over them, she carefully laid Liev back down and tucked him in. She slipped out of the room first, to give him a moment alone with his son. Needing something to do with her hands, she stopped in the kitchen and began making some coffee.

He arrived behind her and rubbed his hands up and down her bare arms. She leant back into him. “How’re you doing?”

He brushed a kiss along her neck before repositioning himself so they could look at one another. “Honestly, I want to go kick the shit out of…” His words segued into Italian and while she had no idea what he’d said, she got the gist of it. He exhaled and ran his hand over the stubble gracing his face.

In the next moment, she found herself in his embrace. Strong arms curved about her, holding her tight against his hard chest. She wrapped her arms around him in return.

“Thank you.”

There was nothing for her to say, so she kept her mouth shut. The rich, pungent smell of coffee filled the air and she slowly withdrew from him. A short time later, she had mugs before each of them as they sat at her kitchen table.

She didn’t push and eventually he began to talk. Some she understood, some was Italian—she just let those bits go. He wasn’t asking for her opinion, he merely needed to get the stuff off his chest.

Once the coffee had been finished, she took their cups and rinsed them. Stepping to his side, she held out her hand. He accepted her offer and she tugged him up. Silent, she led him through the house, turning off the lights as she went. Soon after, they slid between the sheets on her bed. More tears pricked her eyes as he drew her close and buried his head into her neck.

* * * *

The next morning, after a lovely time in a shared shower with Enzo, Halyn stood next to Liev as he watched her with his pancakes. She ruffled his hair as he shifted his feet.

“Well, not sure how much of a star it looks but we could pretend it was a black hole or something like that.”

He rested a hand against the outer side of her thigh. “I like it.”

“Whew, I was afraid I would have to find someone else to eat this one. Maybe I could have pawned it off on your dad.”

“Pawned what off on me?” Enzo asked, walking into the kitchen.

Liev looked at her and she winked. “Nothing.”

Enzo dragged his hand over her ass as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Humph. I think you two are up to something. Smells delicious. What can I do?”

She told him, and breakfast was upbeat and fun. She’d just shut the dishwasher door and turned it on when she looked up to find Enzo leaning in the kitchen doorway.

“Are you sure I can’t convince you to come boating with us?”

If only
. “I have to work, but it sounds like you two will have fun.”

Enzo moved towards her and hooked an arm around her waist. “Not any way,
any
that I can get you to take the day off?”

She chuckled, placing her hands on his chest. “You are a bad influence. Go, have fun.”

He shook his head. “I tried. Have a good day.” With a kiss that left her lightheaded and breathless, he took his son and departed. She missed him already.
I’m pathetic.

Chapter Sixteen

“Hi, Mr Cassano!”

The call caught him off guard as he hopped free of the boat he’d rented for the day. He made sure Liev had made it off fine before he looked up to see who’d shouted for him.

What the hell is she doing here?
Amber Watkins hurried down the pier looking as though she had just stepped out of a Dolce & Gabbana ad. Accompanying her—being dragged, more like it—was her son Danny. Who also looked entirely uncomfortable.

“We were just walking along the pier and saw you pull up in your boat. Would you and Liev care to join us for lunch? This is my son, Danny.”

“Hey, Liev.” The boy seemed as if he wanted to be anywhere but where he was at the current moment.

“Danny.”

Pleased his son actually had a friend at school he spoke to, he glanced down. “Are you hungry, Liev?”

He nodded. That settled it then, Enzo was willing to endure time with this woman if it would help his son. “We’d be honoured.”

Her smile was more than just a bit predatory. “How wonderful.” They settled on a place which had games for the kids and food. “We’ll meet you there.”

She turned and walked away and he rolled his eyes. Completely inappropriate attire for wearing on the pier, or being near boats. Her heels were at least three inches, her skirt far too tight, and he wasn’t even going to think about her shirt.

“She wants to sleep with you.”

Shocked at Liev’s comment, Enzo nearly stumbled over his feet. “Wh-what did you say?”

“Danny’s mother. She wants to have sex with you. Will you have sex with her as well as Halyn?”

The most he’d ever said to him, and it was this. Enzo shook his head and put his hand on Liev’s shoulder. “Listen to me, Liev. I’m not sleeping with Ms Watkins and I never will. And you can’t say this at lunch, okay?”

His expression furrowed. “Why not? Her attempts to charm are blatant. She knows. Why is it not something to discuss? Will you tell her?”

This must be one of those moments—Jaydee had warned him they would be coming once Liev felt more confident in speaking around him. Many times, a child as smart as Liev didn’t get the concept of social graces, and tended to say whatever was currently on his mind at the time.

He crouched down so they were eye to eye. “This is not something we discuss in public. Do you understand?”

“It’s not a lie, I fail to see why discussing it is not viable.”

“I know, but it’s not polite.”

He blinked and Enzo waited.

“I think I understand. Although she displays the signs of a woman who finds you sexually desirable, I am not supposed to mention her actions, because it is not socially acceptable to discuss adults and their need to procreate.”

He bit the inside of his cheek so he didn’t laugh. It wouldn’t be right—Liev spoke with such solemnity there was no doubt he believed every word he spoke. “That’s about it. You can always ask me anything, but there are some things which need to be done at home and not in front of other people.”

He could see his words were digested. “So you are not angry for my question?”

“No. Never. You should be asking questions. We just need to work on which are proper for public discussion and which are not.”

“Would it be better if I used the word coitus?”

Oh, heaven help him. “No. Anything with bodily functions is best avoided in communal areas.”

Liev furrowed his brow. “Okay.”

Enzo remained on his knees for a few more moments to ensure nothing else would be forthcoming. When none came, he got to his feet and said, “Let’s go.”

Liev fell into step beside him and they made their way up the pier. At the Forester, he hit the automatic lock and watched his son climb in the back seat. He shook his head as he made his way to the driver’s seat and slid behind the wheel.

“All buckled up?”

A nod was all he received. Enzo sighed. Back to that—he’d thought they’d made progress. Hooking his own belt, he got them on the way.

They walked in together and he scanned the restaurant. It was loud, full of screaming and yelling children. He blew out a breath, determined to make it through this.

“Here you are.” Amber appeared before him. “I thought you may have gotten lost and I would have to send out a rescue. Either that, or come get you myself.”

If she’d picked up a bullhorn and blared her intentions, she couldn’t have made her intentions any clearer. He gave her a smile before glancing around again. “Where’s Danny?”

She waved a hand over her shoulder. “Playing on something.” She had a handful of tickets in her fist, and she handed them to Liev. “Go play, sweetie, I’ve ordered us some pizza and it will be arriving soon. We’re sitting over there.”

Amber tucked her arm in Enzo’s after showing Liev where their table was. Her perfume cut through the smell of greasy food and he wondered if she bathed in the stuff. While he wanted to push her from him, he had been raised with manners and that being the case, he escorted her to their table. Once she was seated, he took the chair across from her, not wanting to be at her side.

“So,” she said, curling her lips around the straw in her drink. “Tell me what it’s like doing what you do?”

“Doing what I do?” He paused to place his drink order. Coke—it was a shame he couldn’t order alcohol, he had a feeling with this woman it would make the afternoon go so much easier.

“The boating. It must be exciting to see the world and travel.”

He nodded. “I enjoy it a lot. Hard not to be near family and friends.”

She laced her fingers and rested her chin on them. Her nails were pointed, with French tips. Halyn’s were clean and unpolished. He liked that about her. She didn’t do a lot of dressing up—she was simple and down to earth.

“And what about Liev?”

The hairs on the back of his neck lifted in warning. “What about him?”

“Are you taking him with you or are you”—her voice lowered—“looking for someone to keep an eye on him for you?”

“He’ll be coming with me.” Even if he wasn’t, there was no way he’d let Liev stay with this woman.

“Oh, well, I have room, so you know—if you don’t want to move him during the school season…”

“Thank you for the offer.”

The pizza arrived and he breathed deeply, only to jerk when she hollered across the establishment for Danny.
Damn, did she really just do that?
Liev looked over at him and he merely beckoned him over.

“I hope you like pepperoni, Liev.” Amber took his plate and put a piece on it for him.

Even as she handed it to Liev, her gaze had found its way back to Enzo, and she stared at him as if she wanted him on the plate. The feeling she created in him was creepy.

The boys ate then left again, leaving him alone with the viper. He swirled his drink, finger on the straw while keeping his gaze on his son.

Liev moved from game to game, not really stopping to play anything. Enzo could see the wheels turning in his head as he took it all in. When Danny came up to him, Liev handed over the tickets without any hesitation.

“Are you going to be able to help us out for the parent-teacher night?”

“When is it?” He looked at Amber.

“Next week. They put out a thing asking for volunteers.”

“A thing? What thing?”

“A note sent home with the boys.”

Why hadn’t he seen it? “Um, sure. I think I can do that, sorry, must have forgotten.”

“Great.” A wide smile. “Would you and Liev like to come over for dinner beforehand?”

Time to nip this. “Thank you but I’m afraid I must decline. I have a girlfriend.”

Amber’s gaze narrowed slightly but got decidedly chillier. “Right, I’ve heard the rumours. That toy store girl. Halyn.”

He smiled, despite the urge to shake the superior look off her face. “Yes, that’s her.”

“All right, just thought it would be nice for our boys to play together more. They seem to get along.”

Enzo saw them standing together but to him, it didn’t look like Liev cared to be there. “Thank you for the offer, again. And for the invite to lunch, but we need to get going.” He stood before she could argue and said, “I’ll take care of the bill. See you at the conference.”

Striding off before she could say anything, he approached the boys. Danny was shooting his targets, muttering when he missed and cheering himself on when he hit.

“Good to see you, Danny. Come on, Liev, we have some other things to do today.”

Enzo paid and they went out into the afternoon, which had clouded over while they’d eaten. “Did you have fun?”