Savor (Cottonwood Falls, Book 5) (6 page)

She didn’t stop the tears and just allowed him to
lead her somewhere. Turned out to be his vehicle. Without of
thinking of the ramifications, she climbed in and tucked herself in
small against the door as the weight of her loneliness hit full
fledged. Right now, she wanted someone to take care of her.

****

“You’re in my house, Ms. Rhymes.”

Piers stopped as he walked down the hall to the room
he’d put London in. They’d been lucky so far in that his son hadn’t
seen her here.
Figures the one time he would is the one time I
didn’t get any.
Piers had brought her home from the party,
killed by the tears in her eyes and the pain in her voice. She’d
barely been awake when he pulled into the garage, so he’d put her
in the guestroom to sleep.

“Hello, Mr. Cuyper. I guess I am. I’m sorry.”

He held the rag in his hands as he waited for his
son to say something else, ready to interrupt.

“You look like you’ve been crying.”

“I have,” she replied.

“Are you sad?”

Piers nearly stepped in and stopped this
interrogation of London when she answered his son.

“I am. I miss my family.”

“And you cry?”

“Sometimes.”

“I miss my mamá sometimes; is it okay that I
cry?”

“Absolutely, it’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with
crying.”

“My grandma says I shouldn’t cry. I need to grow
up.”

“My daddy tells me it’s healthy to cry. That
everyone does at times, so it’s not a sign of weakness.”

Silence for a small time. Piers stole a look around
the corner into the room and saw his son had climbed up on the bed
to join London. He sat pressed tight to her side, and she had her
arm around him.

“Why did my papá bring you here?”

“He was being nice because I fell apart at the
party.” She brushed his hair back. “I should be going.”

“You smell nice. I know I’m not supposed to say that
to you because you’re my teacher, but you’re not teaching me right
now, so it’s okay, right?” He burrowed closer. “Sometimes, I think
my papá misses Mamá as well, but grandma says he doesn’t. She says
a lot of bad things about him then tells me not to tell. It makes
my stomach hurt.”

Piers bit back his rumble of anger.

“I’m sure he does miss your mother. How could he
not? She gave him you.”

“I missed her today when I was with Dilbert and his
mom. We can be sad together.”

She pressed a kiss to his son’s head. “I don’t like
being sad. I don’t want to think they like me sad but want me to be
happy, even if we aren’t together.”

“So my mamá wants me to be happy?”

“Absolutely. All mothers want their children to be
happy. I think it’s a rule somewhere,” she whispered
conspiratorially.

“Where’s your mamá?”

“She’s with my sister over in England. Remember
where that was?”

“I think so. That’s where King Arthur was.”

Piers leaned in the doorway and watched them
together. She was a natural, and his son was soaking up everything
she offered him.

“That’s right. Do you have a map? I can show you
where they are.”

“I know Papá has one on the coffee table. Come on.”
Javier scrambled from the bed and spied Piers. The boy never lost
his smile. “Hi, Papá. Ms. Rhymes and I are looking at England,
excuse us.”

Javier held out his hand for London, who slipped
hers in his smaller one. She gave Piers a slight grin as she edged
by him. He wanted to kiss her and hold her but, instead, turned and
watched as this woman he’d been seeing welcomed his son into her
world even when she wasn’t teaching him. He trailed them to the
living room and observed as London sat on the floor by the table
with his son instead of using the chair. The two of them had their
heads together as they looked over the maps. She engaged him,
didn’t just tell and show, but asked him for assistance in finding
things.

As Piers made them all a dessert, he continually
kept an eye on them as they sat together. London regaled his son
with stories that always had some teaching element in them, be it
geography, math, or the like. All the while, Javier hung on to her
every word.

***

“You’re amazing with him.”

London looked up from where she sat on the couch,
tying on her shoes. “Javier is a great kid.”

“Where are you going?”

“I need to get home. Thanks for letting me have my
minor meltdown.” She grinned. “And for the cookies.”

Piers licked his lips and stepped closer until the
toes of his steel-toed boots touched her shoes. “Stay.”

She flashed her eyes to him. “Here?”

“Yes. Here. Tonight. With me. Go to sleep here and
wake up here the following morning.”

“What about Javier?”

“I’m not living my life in secret until he’s a grown
man, London. I’m falling for you. We’re a couple; he needs to know
this and accept it.”

She shook her head and pushed to her feet. “I’m
sorry. I shouldn’t have let it go on this long. I just didn’t know
how to ignore the craving you create within me.” Her tongue flicked
out and dabbed at the corners of her mouth. “I told you I don’t get
involved with the parents of my students. I’ll find my way
home.”

Her words reverberated through him, but they didn’t
make any sense. By the time he recovered, she was gone and he stood
alone in his living room, the fire cracking and snapping almost
angrily.

Unused to being summarily dismissed as this woman
had done, Piers stomped to his room. If that’s how she wanted to
be, fine. He didn’t need her.

Chapter Six

London smiled abstractedly as her friends joked and
laughed on either side of her. Kendria slanted her gaze in her
direction and raised one eyebrow.

“What’s wrong?” she mouthed.

Shaking her head, London gave a small smile, not
wanting to go over that right now. Thankfully, Kendria let it go
and just gave her a tiny nod before focusing back on the
conversation flowing around them. It had been three weeks since
she’d walked out from Piers’ living room and their relationship.
If I can call it that.
She really shouldn’t. They’d been
having sex and talking, but it wasn’t about dating or furthering
their relationship.

Damn it all.

She shuddered slightly and licked her lips. She
missed him. All of him. The warmth of his arms around her, how it
was to be against his chest, the scent of his skin. The rasp of his
stubble along her body.

“London and I will go get that.”

Kendria’s words snapped her mind back from the Piers
road it was skipping down. “Huh?”

Kendria stood and beckoned her. London pushed up
from her chair and walked along with the jazz singer. “What are we
getting?”

“Away from the group so you will tell me what the
hell is going on with you. You were in the doldrums over Christmas,
and you completely skipped the New Year’s party. What gives?”

She tucked some hair behind her ear then readjusted
her Captain America skull cap. “Just tired is all.”

“You know there’s a test for that.”

“Shut it.”

Kendria laughed, only to sober. “I’m worried. What’s
going on? Does this have to do with your hunky man, Piers?”

“He’s not my man.” Even saying those words hurt.

“Right. He watches you like a dying man staring at
the one thing which could save his life. What happened? You two
were having a thing.”

“Who told you that?”

Kendria snorted. “Really? You grew up in this town.
You really think the fact you spend the night at one another’s
houses goes unnoticed by the general masses around here?”

“Damn.”

Kendria put in the order for five more coffees.
London hunched down in her coat and scowled at the bitter wind
swirling. “Is there a reason we can’t eat inside?”

“People are nosy inside. We eat outside. It’s our
thing.”

“Our
thing
needs to be done in warmer
weather.”

“You wouldn’t complain if you had a man to snuggle
up against.”

“Is that an offer to share Vance?” she quipped,
reaching for three of the cups.

“Vance says yes.” The man in discussion spoke as he
reached in front of Kendria to pick up the last of the coffees.

London experienced a pain of longing when the couple
shared a long, passionate kiss.

“Cold, standing, waiting to get back to my seat,”
she drolled.

Kendria wrapped her arms around the man who’d stolen
her heart and waved London on.

“I’ll just get these back and let the two of you
reunite then.”

She handed out the coffees back at the table and
tried again to join in the conversation. She enjoyed the women, but
her mind continually drifted back to Piers. When her cell rang, she
answered without checking the screen first.

“Yes?”

“What’s for dinner, sister dearest?”

Brows furrowed, she cocked her head to the side.
“Card?”

“I’m hungry.”

“Where are you?” She tugged on her hat once
more.

“Don’t you think you should wear like a pink hat
with the pom pom on top like other girls instead of a Captain
America one?”

She jerked her head and stared across the street.
Balancing on the curb stood her brother, waving at her. She hung up
and called, “Card! I’ll be right back, ladies.” London slipped from
the seating area and hastened across the street to hug her brother.
“What are you doing here?”

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.
“I’m hungry. We’re on a three day in Atlanta, so I came here.”

“You do know they serve food in Atlanta, right?”

He tapped a gloved finger on her nose. “I know. But
my sister is here, and she cooks a mean meal.” He gripped her
shoulders. “You’ve lost weight. Bags under your eyes, but it’s damn
good to see you, Lonny.”

Tears pricked her eyes at the mention of her
childhood name. It had been so long since he’d called her that. He
canted his head to the side.

“Come on,” he said. “I’m freezing my ass off
here.”

“Let me just say goodbye to the ladies.” They did
that swiftly, and she walked back to his car with him, arm in arm.
“Thanks for coming, Card.”

“I’ve missed you.”

“Ditto.” She reached over the console and kissed his
cheek. “Drive, James.”

“Usually, it’s ‘Fly, Cardiff’. But I’ll take it.” He
started the engine. “I’ve come bearing gifts, from Mr. Hawkins, as
well.”

“Your boss is so sweet.”

“He loves you, for some reason, not sure why.”

She punched him in the arm, and he just laughed.
Once they were back at her place, while Cardiff showered and got
settled in the guest room, London began making them some dinner.
Picking some of her brother’s favorites.

***

“Are you sure?” Piers asked his attorney.

“Yes, I’m staring at the results right now.”
Shuffling papers. “Are you okay?”

“Sure thing. Not much choice.” He glanced at his
watch, rage simmering in his veins. “I have to go.”

“Call if you need me to do anything more.”

“Sure.” He ended the call and stepped from his SUV
before striding up to the school’s front door.

It always surprised him to be able to walk right in
when at the other school he’d had to be buzzed inside. He waved to
the principal as he took brisk steps to the room he sought. Pausing
outside the door, he stared in the small window.

London sat at her desk while a tall, black man spoke
to the class. His hair was cut close to his head, and his slacks
and pressed shirt presented a good look. The entire class sat
enraptured by whatever the man spoke about. He allowed his gaze to
drift back to London. Her hair had been captured tight on the top
of her head in some bun, one he longed to take down and thread his
fingers through.

He shoved back those thoughts and rapped on the
glass. Her dark eyes snapped to the door, and she pushed to her
feet when she recognized him. With a quick glance to the room, she
approached and slipped out the door.

“Something I can do for you, Mr. Cuyper?”

So many responses filled his tongue. He ran a hungry
look over her, head to foot. “You’re hot as fuck, London. I hate
this distance, and I want you back in my life. No, don’t say
anything; that’s not why I’m here.”

She frowned. “What happened?”

He gave into the need to touch her and caressed her
cheek. “So intuitive. I got some news today I have to go to Atlanta
to deal with. I won’t be back by the time school lets out. Would
you take care of Javier until I get back tonight?”

She crossed her arms, bringing his attention to her
firm breasts, covered by her pearlescent blue silk shirt. “This
isn’t a whim?”

“No. I just found out I’m not Javier’s biological
father, and I know his grandmother is going to try and grab him. I
have to get to my lawyer’s office.”

“She can’t just take him from you,” she hissed.
“You’ve been his father for as long as he knows.” She touched his
arm. “Do what you must. But go in and tell him, so I am not the one
to break it to him.”

Ignoring the riding need to kiss her, he nodded and
waited for her to step in the room. On her heels, he paused to
glance about the room as she went back to her desk with a smile for
the man talking.

“Javier,” she said. “Your father would like a word
with you in the hall, please.”

His son rose and went to his side. Out in the hall,
Piers crouched down so he was eye to eye with his boy. “I have to
go out of town, Javier.”

Sadness filled his expression. “Like you used
to?”

“No, nothing like that. I have to get to Atlanta and
meet some men to discuss a few things. I won’t be able to pick you
up after school today, but I spoke with Ms. Rhymes, and she is
going to watch you until I get home.”

“Really?” His grin nearly split his face. “That’s
awesome. I’ll be able to talk to Mr. Rhymes more, then.”