Redemption (Iris Series) (45 page)

“Mark, I’m gonna beat you senseless if you park in my spot again.”  The man stopped when he saw them all in the kitchen. 

This, she presumed, was the judge.  The butterflies let loose in her stomach.  He was a tall imposing man, with graying dark blonde hair, and light colored eyes.

“Hi,” he sputtered with a sheepish smile.  “You can’t possibly be my son’s girlfriend.  You’re entirely too beautiful.”

“What is it with you people?” Jon was shaking his head. 

“I know!  I said the same thing, Pop.”  Mark was grinning from ear to ear.

“You,” Mr. White said, pointing to Mark.  “Go move your car.”  Without waiting for a response, Mr. White walked over and put out his hand to shake hers.  “It’s so great to meet you.  It’s Ayanna, right?”

“Yes, sir.”  Ayanna shook his hand.  It was a firm no nonsense handshake.

“Please, call me Ethan.  What on earth are you doing cooking?”  He turned to Jon.  “Did Cammy finally quit?”

“No, Mr. White.  I’m still here,” Cammy said as she walked in with April, her arm around April’s waist supporting her.

Ethan immediately went to them to take over for Cammy.

“Hello, your honor.”  April leaned up to kiss her husband.  “I thought I heard your voice.  Did you put away any bad guys today?”

“Yes, ma’am.  How are you feeling today?  Are you being nice to Cammy?”

“Yes, sir,” Cammy answered.  “She’s always nice to me.  The best patient ever,” Cammy said tongue in cheek.

A snort came from Mark.

“Go get your car out of my space, and then put mine in it,” Ethan said without even looking at his son, tossing his keys to him.  “Now.”

“It doesn’t sound like you put bad guys away today.  It sounds like you’re in a bad mood.”  Mark snagged the keys.

“That’s because when I come home, I like to park my car in my parking space, thank you very much.”

“Ayanna, please forgive them.  They’ve apparently forgotten how to act in front of beautiful women.”  She turned to her husband.  “And I got my hair done today.  Were you going to say anything about it?”

“I haven’t had a chance yet.”  He lifted up his hand in defense.  “It’s perfect.”  Ethan ran his hand over it, giving her a loving look.  “You’re right.  We don’t know how to act in front of beautiful women.  We get all tongue tied.  I’m sorry, baby.”  He turned to Ayanna.  “Ayanna, forgive us.”

Ayanna had been giggling through the whole exchange.  “I think you guys are great!  No forgiveness needed, so don’t worry about me.  I’m just gonna keep chopping over here.”

“Thanks for the nights off, April.  I’ll see you in the morning.”  Cammy looked at Ayanna.  “Have fun with this crew.”

Ayanna chuckled.  “Thanks.”

Cammy was out the door with Mark following her to go move his car.

Ethan helped April sit in the family room then sat next to her holding her hand.  He looked up at Ayanna.  Because of the design of the kitchen and family area, it was easy for her to be a part of the conversations while beginning to cook.  She sighed happily.  Although she was still a little nervous, she was now in her element, in the kitchen doing what she loved
for
a family she loved.

“Ayanna, I can’t tell you how happy April and I are to get to know you.  You’re all Jon talked about a few weeks ago.  Neither of us could wait to meet you.  Thanks for making the trip.”

Ayanna was tickled pink by the judge’s words.

“It’s my pleasure.  Thank you for inviting me.  Jon speaks very highly of both of you and I was really looking forward to meeting you guys too.”  Jon had walked over while she was talking and put his hand on her back, rubbing it.

“Well, Jon speaks very highly of
you
.  I feel horrible that you’re cooking though.  I know that you’re a chef, but we could’ve order something in.”

“I asked to cook.  It’s what I love to do.  And it would mean a lot to me if you would allow me to do this.  As a thank you for your hospitality.”

“No thanks necessary.  Thank
you
for cooking.  I know you made my wife happy.  All due respect to Cammy, but she hates Cammy’s cooking.”

“Well, I told her it was still going to be healthy cooking.  My dad has taught me well what patients should be eating after heart surgery.”

“That’s right.  Your dad is a heart surgeon.  And your mom?  Did Jon say she was a lawyer?”

“Yes.”

“Wonderful.  We’d love to meet them.  As soon as April is better, maybe we can plan a trip down to the City.”

Ayanna couldn’t believe she had a boyfriend and that she was talking to his parents planning a potential meet and greet with her own.  Unbelievable.  Amazing what a few weeks will do.

“I think that would be great.  Jon actually met them last weekend.  He was a great help to me by being there when I had them over for dinner.”

“Really?” April’s interest perked up.  “How did that go?”

Jonathan was still standing in the kitchen with her, and told them how the night went.  She could tell he wasn’t sure how much of her relationship with her parents he should divulge, so she jumped in while she was mixing things into the pot on the stove.

“My parents and I haven’t always had the greatest of relationships, but we’re working on it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” Ethan said.  “I hope things get worked out.  Life is so short.”  He murmured, stroking his wife’s hair.  April leaned into him cuddling into his hand.  Ayanna almost got choked up watching it.

“Well, we’re working on it.  I have a younger brother and we’ve both decided it’s time to start moving forward.  And just so you know, they liked Jon very much.  He was wonderful, talking to them while I was cooking.  I couldn’t have asked for a better partner that night.”

April beamed.  “I’m glad he was a help to you, Ayanna.  And I’ll say a prayer for your family tonight.”

Ayanna wouldn’t necessarily call herself religious, but she respected the spiritual nature each human possessed and was touched Jon’s mom would pray for her situation.

“Thank you, April.  That means a lot.”

Mark bounded through the door and made eye contact with his dad.  “The car is now moved, your honor.  Back in its rightful home.”  He tossed the keys back, and said, “When are we gonna start drinkin’?  We’re celebrating here, aren’t we?  I mean
Jonathan has finally found a woman who
likes
him.  Where’s the champagne?”

Ayanna chuckled.  Cammy was right.  She was definitely going to have fun with this crew.

……

Dinner had been a smash.  Everyone loved the food and true to Jon’s comments in the car, Ethan and April wanted to hire her.  It made her laugh and feel wonderfully loved.

After dinner, Mark stayed for about an hour.  He was a hoot.  She had asked him how he and Emily got along, and Mark said with glee that they usually fought like cats and dogs.  Somehow that didn’t surprise her considering Mark was very similar in personality to Detective Michael Callahan.

At the end of the night, as they were all heading up to their rooms, April winked at Ayanna then turned to her son and said, “Be mindful of that squeaky board in the floor outside the guest room, would ya?”

Ayanna turned three shades of red, understanding the implication.

“Don’t worry, Ma.  You won’t hear a thing,” he chuckled.

April took Ayanna’s hand then hugged her.  “Thank you so much for dinner.  I can’t wait to see what you’re going to cook up tomorrow night.”  Then she took Ayanna’s face in her hands.  “I can see why my son is in love with you.  You’re perfect for him.”

Ayanna blinked back a sudden rush of tears.  “Thank you, April.  And just so you know,
he’s
perfect for
me
, too,” Ayanna smiled.

“Have a good night.”  She turned to Jon.  “Good night, baby.”

“Night, Ma.  Night, Pop.”

“See you in the morning, you two,” the judge said, and then they were gone.

Before Ayanna could follow, Jonathan grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close.

“You were great tonight.  My parents already adore you, and my brother is half in love with you.”

“Well, if I remember correctly,
my
brother was half in love with
you
,” she grinned.  “So we’re even.”

He plowed his right hand into her hair holding her still so he could pluck at her lips with his own.  “I feel like I haven’t kissed you in forever,” he murmured, licking into her mouth and taking his sweet time enjoying the melding of their mouths.

She hummed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

“I’m sleeping with you tonight, Yan,” he whispered in between kisses.  “My mother won’t be offended.  I promise.  So, consider yourself warned.  I’ll be in the guest room in 10 minutes.”

“Jon,” she groaned quietly.  “I don’t want to disrespect her!” she whispered.

“Did you hear the joke she made about the creaky board?  Trust me on this.  We’re not 16.  It would be different if we were.  So.”  He nibbled on her ear.  “Ten.  Minutes.”

Jon left one of the family room lights on, and took her hand to lead her upstairs.

He left her at the guest room and she immediately stepped on the creaky board just outside the door.  She covered her mouth to stop from laughing, feeling an uncontrollable fit of giggles coming over her.  Jon turned back and gave her a funny look along with an over exaggerated gesture of his finger on his lips to shush her.  She just smiled and went into the room.

Sure enough, 10 minutes later Jon silently entered her room in a t-shirt and pajama bottoms.  He looked so cute sneaking into her room, tip toeing to the bed while she snuggled under the covers laughing quietly.

He stripped, crawled in next to her, and pulled her into his arms.  He smelled like toothpaste, and if she didn’t have her period, she would’ve been all over him.  Instead, she settled for a nice long cuddle and kissing his chest.

“Big boy.”

She stopped kissing his chest for a moment and picked up her head.  “Huh?”

“That would be my nickname for myself.”  She could hear him smiling and then the rumble of his laughter deep in his chest.

She barked out a laugh, then quickly covered her mouth so she wouldn’t make more noise.

“Shh…” he joked.

“You
are
a big boy,” she whispered with a smile.

“Especially when I’m around you,” he snickered.  “When you called me that for the first time, I loved it because it made me feel like your manly man.  So you can call me that anytime, baby.”

She giggled.  “I’ll remember that...big boy.”

“How are you feeling?  Do you have cramps?”

“A little bit, but I’m good.  I usually feel it more in my lower back,” she mumbled into his pecs, smelling his wonderful scent.

“Come here.  Roll on your stomach.  I’ll rub your back for a bit.”  He was already shifting to get her into position.

“You don’t have to do that…”

“Come on, turn over.”

She did and almost started drooling as soon as he worked out her kinks with his magic fingers.  A sound of absolute pleasure escaped her lips.

“Shh,” he said quietly laughing.  “Don’t moan too loudly.  Then my parents will definitely think we’re up to something,”

“JBG, this feels so good.”  She snuggled deeper into the pillow.  “Mmm,” she said a moment later, “I love you.  Have I told you that today?”

“I don’t think you have, no.”

“Well, I do.”

He was cradling her head with his left arm above it on the pillow, while he rubbed with his right.  He nuzzled her cheek.  “Ditto, baby.  Thank you for everything tonight.  You were wonderful.”

“It was easy.  So much easier than I thought.  You have a great family, big boy.”

He smiled and continued to rub as she felt her eyes getting heavier.  Within moments she was asleep. 

The next day was the perfect day.  They all had a leisurely breakfast in the morning, Ayanna updated a couple of things on her blog then Jonathan took her around to see the sites.  They hit all of the places, starting first in Back Bay going to Copley Place with its various shops and boutiques.  They spent a big chunk of their time there since Ayanna had never been.  Although it was pricey, Ayanna was able to find some good deals on artsy accessories at a few of the shops.

When they got home in the late afternoon, April was resting and Ayanna decided to get started on prepping for dinner.

“Do you need any help?” Jon asked.

“Nope, I’m good.  You know me, champ.  I’m happy in the kitchen.”  She leaned up and kissed him.

“Do you mind if I go run an errand?  I won’t be gone longer than an hour.”

She raised an eyebrow.  “Mysterious.”

“That’s right.  No questions allowed,” he smirked.  “Do we need anything else while I’m out?”

She shook her head, her own smirk working on her lips.

He grabbed her face and kissed her.  “I’ll see you in an hour, then.”  And he was out the door.

What the hell was that about?  She wasn’t going to delve too deeply, because she got the sense that it had something to do with her and she didn’t want to ruin anything for him.  She rolled up her sleeves and got to work on dinner.

……

Forty five minutes later, dinner was prepped with a portion of it in the oven.  The menu that evening was a rice and vegetable dish, with salmon on the side.  During the time Jon was gone, Ayanna had surprisingly gotten a call from her mom.  She’d nearly fallen over when she saw the call coming in. 

It turned out she had called to thank her for dinner the other night and to invite her out to lunch the next day.  After picking herself up off of the floor out of sheer disbelief, Ayanna explained to her mom where she was, and that she was with Jonathan’s family in Boston.  They actually had a pleasant conversation and Ayanna told her that April and Ethan had expressed a desire to meet them.  Her mom said she thought that would be lovely when April was up for the trip. 

Ayanna had felt like she had entered the Twilight Zone.

Instead of lunch, Ayanna asked her mom if she wanted to go to the launch of
Chez Catherine
’s the following Wednesday so she could meet Janie.  She figured meeting Janie would allay whatever fears her mom may have still had about the catering business.  Truth be told, Ayanna was still a little anxious about alone time with her mom.  She felt like she needed at least one or two more meetings with a buffer present and she
had
wanted her mom to meet Janie.  Thankfully, her mom agreed to go and they said they’d talk details when Ayanna got home.

Ayanna was just disconnecting when April entered the room.  She sat down and must’ve noticed the shell shocked look on Ayanna’s face because she asked if everything was alright.  Ayanna felt so comfortable with Jonathan’s mom that she sighed and took the next several minutes giving a summary of the conversation with her mother.

“It sounds like she’s making an effort, Ayanna,” April said quietly.

“She is.  It’s such a foreign thing.”  She almost wished she hadn’t said that last part.  “I don’t mean to sound disrespectful about her.  We just have a lot of baggage to work through.”

“I understand.  I didn’t have the greatest of relationships with my own mom.  She was an alcoholic.  Until she stopped drinking, our relationship was non-existent.”

“I’m sorry.”  And Ayanna meant it.

“It’s all part of life.  We can’t choose who our parents are.  We can choose our reaction to them, though.”

“You sound like Ryann.  She’s my best friend,” Ayanna clarified.  “Actually Jon knows her really well.  They taught together at the Academy.  She was the one who had moved into his building?  The night we first met each other?” Ayanna reminded her. 

April nodded.  “It’s sometimes easier to see the situation when you’re removed from it.  It sounds like that’s what Ryann is for you.  Someone who is removed and can see the situation objectively.”

“That’s exactly what she is for me.  And Jon.  He’s wonderful at helping me look at things with a different perspective.”  Ayanna smiled at his mom.  “He really is a great guy.  Ya done good with him, Mrs. White,” she joked.

“Well, amen to that.  Ya never really know how they’re gonna turn out,” she laughed.  “Where is he, by the way?”

“He said he needed to run an errand.”

April nodded.

On cue, he entered through the kitchen door with non-descript bags.  He looked at both of them, a smile playing on his lips and said, “Hello ladies.  I’ll be down in a sec.”  Then he was up the stairs.

“He’s up to something.  Sneaky little bastard,” April smiled, crossing herself.

Ayanna chuckled.

Jon came down a moment later, kissed his mom then walked over to Ayanna to kiss her as well.

“Hello, Mr. White.”

“Ms. Sarin.  How’s everything goin’ over here?”

“Great.  I was just catching up with your mom.”

“And what’s she saying about me today?”

“That you’re a sneaky little bastard,” Ayanna giggled.

He smiled and turned to his mother.  “You need to get yourself to confession, woman.”

She waved him off with a
whatever
look.  “Don’t worry.  I crossed myself.”

He rolled his eyes.

They spent the next several minutes getting the table set.  When the judge arrived, they sat down for a comfortable and intimate meal in the kitchen, making conversation about Ayanna’s food blog, the catering business, Jon’s teaching, and when they all thought April would be able to get back to work. 

After dinner, they had some ice cream, a very small portion for April, and settled in to watch a movie on HBO.  By the time they headed up for bed, Ayanna had seriously felt as if she’d known his parents forever.  They were so easy to talk to, and so...normal.  She already knew that she cared deeply for them.

When Jon and Ayanna settled into bed that night, he was playing with her hair while she was draped over him, discussing what time they’d leave the next morning.  She interrupted him, leaned up and began kissing him.  The last two days of emotion and relief at meeting his family had finally caught up with her and she was experiencing such overwhelming feelings for him, she couldn’t seem to contain herself.

She let her hand skate down his body, until it played with his growing erection.

“Baby, you don’t have to.  If you don’t feel well…”

“Trust me, Mr. White.  I’m feeling fine,” she purred.  “You can make it up to me with another back rub.”

“Mm.  Deal.”  He turned her onto her back and let his lips take a leisurely stroll down her chest.  His first stop was her right nipple.  “Are you sore?”

“No,” she breathed, threading her fingers through his hair.  Her encouragement led him to take the hardened nub into his mouth, sucking gently on it.

He continued his journey over to her left breast and gave it the same attention.  When his lips nibbled down her stomach, he rested his hands on her breasts and plucked over and over. 

Although Ayanna had a tampon in, she could still feel the arousal building.  She was trying not to moan, not wanting to alert his parents, so she bit her lip and let her body push into the places where his mouth and hands were resting.  Her hips began to pump against his thigh.

“More,” she whispered.

He nibbled across her stomach and let his teeth graze her ribcage.  Her stomach quivered at the tickling sensation and the fact that his fingers were lightly pinching at her nipples.

A small moan escaped from deep within.  Jon continued to tease her mercilessly with his fingers then he settled his thigh against her clit and she began to ride it while he plunged his tongue into her mouth, sinking his teeth into her lower lip, tasting it, playing with it.

“Don’t ever stop touching me,” she said in a whisper.  “I love the way you touch me.”

“That’s good.  Because I fucking
love
touching you,” he whispered back in between kisses.  “Every inch of you.  Do you want to come?
Can
you?”  He rocked his thigh into her.

“Yes, yes,” she murmured.

“Then do it.”  His hand continued touching her breasts while he kissed her.

She undulated her hips into his leg, allowing the buildup to carry her higher and higher, until the soft sounds coming from her mouth told the ageless story of the pleasure felt when one was loved.  He swallowed the sounds with his mouth, and she came.

Several moments later, when Ayanna was finally able to form a thought, she squirmed.

“Jon,” she said.

“What, baby?” he said softly.

She pushed him off of her to flip him to his back then crawled down his body.  She bit down on his right flank then sucked the skin between her teeth.  He plowed his hands into her hair and gripped her scalp, holding the long tresses off of her face.

She needed him in the worst way.  Needed to have her mouth on him everywhere, to taste him, feel him, and love him.

His stomach jumped when she got closer to his belly button and the tip of his penis.  Her mouth was only a breath away.  His fingers gripped a little tighter in her hair.  She loved it when he touched her like that. 

She swiped her tongue over his tip and nipped it lightly with her teeth.

He let out a restrained groan. 

“Shh,” she teased.  She nuzzled his cock with her nose and mouth, taking her sweet time.  Moving lower, she nibbled around the tops of his thighs, then even lower to toy with his sac.  Starting at the base, she took a long lick up his shaft then sucked the tip into her mouth.

“Yan.”  He sounded like he was just holding it together.  “It’s gonna be quick tonight.” 

“Shh,” she teased again in a whisper.  “I don’t want your mom barging in.”

“Suck it, Yan.  I’m begging you.”  He
was
begging.  She took mercy on him and pushed her mouth over him taking him to the back of her throat.  Then she swallowed around him.  She knew he loved that.

“
Fuck
,” he whispered.  “I
love
your mouth.  Fuck me with your mouth, Yan.”  His fingers massaged at her scalp, and she could feel his stomach and leg muscles straining.

She wrapped her fingers around him and pumped up and down while swallowing over him, sucking and licking.

He began pushing up into her mouth and she met each thrust driving him more and more crazy until she could tell he was close.  He started saying her name under his breath to warn her, but she latched on and sucked even harder bringing him closer and closer to completion until finally he groaned softly and came in her mouth.  She swallowed and swallowed, lapping at him until she cleaned him completely with her tongue.

She lay her head on his right thigh, tracing her finger over the birthmark near his pubic bone.  He was still breathing audibly and was stroking her hair.  A moment later, she resumed her original position of being draped over him and rested her head on his shoulder, kissing his neck.

He began to knead her lower back and that was all it took.  She was fading fast, but not before she heard him whisper, “I love you.”

……

The goodbye after breakfast the next morning was a sweet one.  Ethan stayed home in the morning so he could see them off with his wife.  Ayanna and April hugged long and hard, with April getting a little choked up when it came time to leave.  She looked at Ayanna.

“I have a pretty good incentive to get better.  I’m looking forward to coming down to New York to see you in your own element, and to meet your parents.”  She reached out and took both Ayanna and Jonathan’s hands into hers.  “I love both of you.  And I’m so glad I’m still here to see the two of you together.”

“Ma, stop crying.  And you know you’re not going anywhere.  Who’d keep us all in line?” Jon asked quietly, wiping the tear away from her eye.

“Alright, get out of here.  Now I need to start praying for your brother to find someone.  Drive safely, okay?”

“You bet.  Love you,” Jon chuckled, hugging her gingerly not wanting to cause any discomfort to her healing incision.

“I love you, baby.  Will you call when you get home?” his mom asked.

“Will do.”  He turned to his dad.  “Bye, Pop.  Love you.”  They hugged just as Ayanna turned to April.

Ayanna kissed her on the cheek saying goodbye one last time then hugged Ethan.  They left moments later in the Jaguar making their way through the quaint streets of the Back Bay of Boston one last time.  They held hands driving down the highway.  After several minutes of driving, Ayanna told him about the call she received from her mom the day before.  She had completely forgotten to tell him about it.

“That’s so great that she called you.  Were you happy that she did?”

“Yeah.  I mean it’s a little strange still, but when I saw it was her calling, my first thought was something was wrong.  Then when she called to thank me for dinner, I felt like I was Alice falling down the rabbit hole.  I was so shocked.”