by Jordan Marie
“You have no idea what I’m doing or going through! Don’t try—”
“I know that people want to talk shit about my family in this damned town, but at least we know how to take care of our own. We don’t fucking let others treat them like shit and then punish them for taking up for themselves.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I growl, but I get the feeling he does.
“Before you walk out on my sister leaving her crying and alone, maybe you need to ask yourself what the hell your father did to her before you showed up.”
“Listen, my father’s a bastard, but Petal should have—”
“She should have a man with enough balls to protect her. I like you, Luka. I always have, and the fucked up part about all of this is I think you truly love my sister.”
“I do.”
“Then I’m sad for you. Because if you don’t wake the hell up, she’s going to leave you. She’ll leave you, and I’ll be the first one in line to help her,” Black finishes, and then he walks out.
The bartender puts his drink on the bar, and I grab it. No sense in letting it go to waste, especially when I’ll probably have to pay for it anyway.
Fuck.
Present:
“Well, well…What do we have here?” Black asks, opening the door.
“Uncle Black!” River yells, tackling his uncle’s legs.
“Hey, buddy! You’re just in time. Terry is in the family room playing video games, and Aunt CC is bringing over the twins.”
“Cool! Bye, Dad! Love ya!” River yells without so much as looking back. There’s nothing like feeling appreciated—I guess. Once he leaves, I look at Black. He’s wearing a smile that’s a fucking mile long. His arms are crossed at his chest, and he looks cocky as hell. That would be enough to set off alarm bells, but it is what I see behind him that could strike fear in any man. Cyan, Green, White, Gray, and Blue. They’re all sitting there giving me similar looks, and at the head of the table is the biggest worry of all: Jansen.
Fuck. This is not going to be pleasant.
“Luka. We were all just talking about you,” Green says. I bet they were.
“Is that a fact?”
“Come on in,” Black says with a grin.
“I need to be going. I’ve got plans for later.”
“I’m sure you do,” Cyan mutters.
“What’s that mean?” I growl.
I’m not taking their shit. Whatever is going on between me and Petal now will stay just that: between me and Petal. We’ve had too much family involvement when it comes to our relationship.
“Blue had an interesting story to tell us tonight,” White informs me. “Care to guess what it was about?”
I cast Blue a look, and the bastard just shrugs. Slowly, I look at each of Petal’s brothers, and then, finally, Jansen. Whereas the brothers are all smiling and staring at me like they have something over me, Jansen’s face is impassive, giving nothing away. Ida Sue has always hated me, but for some reason, Jansen always remained out of it. I grudgingly respected him for that. Now, I have to wonder if he’s about to get involved. Christ! Of course I would have to love a woman with a family who are all flirting with being clinically insane.
Loved. Loved a woman. I mean, I respect Petal now. She’s the mother of my child, and despite our history, she’s an amazing mother. That’s it, though. What’s between us has more to do with sex, not…
I need to quit fucking being a pussy and man-up. A man doesn’t go a year without a woman. He doesn’t turn down a woman like Tani unless… he’s completely in love.
I love Petal. I’ve always loved her, and if after everything between us I can still say that, it’s clear that it will never change. Which means I might as well deal with these assholes, because they aren’t going anywhere, and I’m not giving my wife up—not again.
Which also means, I might as well get used to having Ida Sue as a mother-in-law for the rest of my life.
Fuck.
“You’re not even going to ask what Blue’s story was about?” Green adds.
“The weather?” I ask, doing my best to sound like I’m bored.
“No. Though I did hear something got pretty wet last night,” Cyan jokes.
“Cut it out, dumbass! That’s our sister you’re talking about,” Black growls, hitting him on the back of the head.
“Ow! Damn it! Stop that! I was talking about Luka’s dick!”
Just for fun—and because I can—I reach over and slap Cyan on the back of his head, too.
“Stop even thinking about my dick.”
“Asshole,” he growls, but he’s still laughing.
“I forgot what a joy it was to be around all of you dumbasses,” I sigh, sitting down at the table because apparently I’m going to be here for a while.
“We are fucking awesome,” Gray insists, and I flip him off.
“What’s going on between you and Petal?” White asks, and just like that, any pretense of joking is gone. It’s as if someone flipped a switch and immediately the mood shifts to serious.
“That’s really none of your business,” I tell him and just wait for the fallout.
“The hell it’s not. She’s our sister,” Green yells, and several other brothers chime in. Two of them don’t, however—the two I’m actually the most concerned with.
Black and Jansen.
“She’s my wife,” I answer, my fist clenching with the need to lash out. I don’t want to be discussing this with them. I won’t have her family being part of our relationship—not again.
“Odd. I could have sworn you were divorced,” Jansen answers, and it occurs to me what I said. I swallow down the retort.
“And that you were just out with another woman a few days ago,” White adds, and that’s it.
“Listen. I know you all love your sister, but this isn’t your business. What happens between me and Lo’ is our business. Whatever happens from here on out will remain just that—ours,” I growl, getting up. I need out of here before I go off on every one of them.
“Do you love my daughter?” Jansen asks. The room goes quiet.
“I didn’t realize that—”
“I may have not been the seed that planted this crazy garden, but I’m damn well claiming them, and I have for a while now. So, my question to you, son, is simple: do you love my daughter?”
I look at Jansen. There’s different things I could say here. I could walk away, I could lie, or I could just give him the truth. Jansen’s always been a straight shooter with me, and I find myself wanting to give that back to him.
“I love her. Are you going to cause problems?”
“Good enough. I reckon you will have your hands full enough with Lovey.”
“I figure you’re right. She’s never liked me. I don’t imagine that’s going to change, and all respect Jansen, I don’t really give a fuck at this point.”
“Ida Sue is a good woman. She has a heart of gold, but in every heart there’s a little darkness. I don’t expect you to sympathize,” he says, likely because he can see the coldness that comes over my face. Before I can respond, he starts again. “But you need to know Ida Sue has her reasons for feeling like she does.”
“I don’t see what. I’ve never done a damned thing to her. I realize the way Petal and I got started wasn’t ideal, but that wasn’t entirely on my shoulders either.” I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck and feeling the tension build there. I need to see Petal again. I need to make sure I’m not alone in this, because right now, I’m feeling as if I’m out facing the storm by myself.
“They’re not my secrets to tell, and I won’t be giving them away. I’m just letting you know they’re there. So before you lash out, remember, a woman’s heart is a deep well. It can hold a lot more pain than a man’s can. That’s just truth,” he says mysteriously. He walks over to me and slaps his weathered hand on my shoulder. He leans in where only I can hear him. “Good luck, son. You’re in for a fight, but then again, most good
things are a fight to hold on to.” Then he walks away.
I half-turn so that I can watch him leave. Once the door closes, I realize I’m alone with the Crayon brothers, and this time, every damned one of them is grinning at me like the loons they are.
Great. Just great.
23
Petal
Present:
My final customer leaves, and I lean against the door with a sigh of relief. It feels like today has gone on forever. I haven’t heard from Luka, and I have to admit that it makes me nervous. I thought he would have at least called me or texted or something.
I have this nagging fear that I can’t get rid of, but I keep doing my best to push it away.
I go to the back of the salon and flip on the radio, tuning the music to my favorite station. Immediately, the sounds of Ray LaMontagne float through the air. I close my eyes and listen as the music fills the room with the song “Trouble”. I grab the broom, return to my work station, and start sweeping, swaying to the music.
I’m lost in the lyrics and my thoughts so much so that when there’s a knock at the door, I jump. I look across the room at the glass door to the shop.
My breath catches, lodging in my chest. I’ve loved this man my entire life. My. Entire. Life. He stands there watching me, and for a moment, I can’t move. I couldn’t move if my life depended on it. His dark gaze is staring into me, and I can feel our connection even from this distance—even through the door that separates us. He didn’t shave this morning, and he has new stubble on his face. Somehow, that makes him even more appealing. He’s wearing his uniform and I don’t think I’ll ever get over how commanding that makes him look, or how my knees go weak from the sight of him. Maybe it’s because I know what is under that uniform, but I think it has more to do with the fact that it’s just Luka. If I’m going to be entirely honest with myself, it will always be him.
It doesn’t matter what happens to him or what changes take place in life; Luka Parish will always be the man I love.
My gaze drops down to his hands. His hands are rough and callused, and I love the way they feel when they move over my body, instantly teasing the skin and causing chills to fire through my system. I knew the moment that hand first reached out and touched me, the moment his fingers first wrapped around mine… that his hand was the one I would want to hold for all of my life. This hand—Luka’s hand—was one I would want to hold when I was old and gray. The hand that would give me comfort during times of sadness, the hand that I would hold to share my greatest moments. Luka Parish’s hand was the one I wanted to hold as I marked every moment of my life on this earth. Divorce never changed that. Life never changed that either, and somehow, not even his father managed to change that.
As if on cue, Bonnie Raitt begins singing “I Can’t Make You Love Me”, and the irony of the song isn’t lost on me. I lean my broom up against my chair and wipe my hands on my pants, suddenly feeling more than a little lost. I paste a smile on my face and go to the door to let him in.
“Hey, Lo’,” he greets me softly. His graveled voice feels as sweet as a touch.
“Hey,” I whisper, and the smile on my face deepens as he leans into me.
“I missed you.” He can’t know just how much those three words make joy spread inside of me.
“You just saw me this morning,” I respond, biting back my reply of missing him in return. I step away from the door, and he slides past me to get inside. Once he does, I lock the door. I take a moment to collect my emotions before turning to face him.
“It’s been a long day,” he says, and he’s staring at me intently. I get the feeling he’s searching for something. The idea makes me nervous. I want to just ask him what he’s looking for, what is he thinking, what does he need from me. The words are frozen somewhere in my heart—along with the vow that I would give him anything in the world that I could possibly give just to make him happy.
“Luka…”
“Lo’…”
We say this simultaneously. Which causes Luka to let out a dry laugh and rake his hand through his hair in agitation.
“You first,” I urge him, but he shakes his head.
“You,” he insists. “What did you start to say?”
“I really want to… Can I kiss you, Luka?” I ask him frankly, feeling my face heat.
“I wish like fuck you would, Lo’,” he groans. For some reason, I feel like my words give him exactly what he was searching for a moment ago. That’s good, because as I step into his arms and feel them close around me, I feel like I’m in the one place I’ve always belonged. I stretch up on my tiptoes and then link my hands behind Luka’s neck to bring his lips to mine.
This… this is everything. Luka is everything.
24
Luka
Present:
The minute Petal moves into my arms and presses her lips against mine, the chaos and worry of today fades away. Everything but the two of use cease to exist, and my world is filled with hope. Maybe it’s just one more sign that things might be better this time around. I’m holding onto that as I take back control and deepen the kiss. There’s a part of me that says I should pull back and think about this more, especially considering the conversation with Petal’s brothers and Jansen earlier. But holding back with Petal in my arms takes a stronger man than I will ever be.
“God, I’ve missed you today,” she admits, and I smile. I fucking smile.
“I’ve missed you too, Lo’.” I lean down to kiss the side of her neck and breathe in her scent. Her fingers bite into my back as she pushes her body into me. Was she always this responsive? I don’t think so.
“I don’t know what we’re doing here, Luka,” she whispers, her head going back to give me better access. I push her shirt up, and she helps me pull it over her head, revealing her breasts to me. They’re encased in a silky red bra, and the tits themselves are overfilling the straining cups of her bra. Christ.
“That’s easy, Lo’. We’re fucking,” I growl, but I’m not being truthful. It’s not fucking with Petal. With Petal, it’s always been making love.
I reach down and grab her thighs as she pulls my head down to her and kisses me again. Our breathing is out of control, but who needs air when you have a kiss so hot it brands your soul? The hunger between us burns like an out of control forest fire and is just as hot. Our time apart has done nothing to quench that; if anything, it’s made that part of our relationship stronger.
I pull her up my body, she hooks her legs around me, never letting go of my mouth. I force myself to pull back just enough to look around. There’s a sofa at the front of the store, but it’s not ideal because the store has too many damned windows. It might be dark outside, or on the verge of getting dark, but the streetlights still shine bright, and looking into the shop with the lights on is easy.
“Luka?” Petal questions, her voice pleading and confused all at the same time.
“Don’t you have somewhere private in here, Lo’?” I mutter out in my frustration. I’m torn between letting her go and fucking her against the wall. I’m not sure I care who sees us at this point.
“The room in the back, but it’s tiny,” she whispers while slowly undoing my pants. When her sweet little hand wraps around my cock, I know I’m done for. I sit down in one of the salon chairs, bringing Petal with me. The sides of the chair come up too high, and there’s very little room to move let alone get her knees where I need them so she can ride me.
“Fuck,” I growl in frustration. Petal’s hands still, and I look up at her in regret—only to find her smiling at me. “I didn’t really plan this through,” I admit to her, and the annoyance in my voice is thick. “You got time to come by the house?” I add, hoping against hope.
Her smile dims instantly, and I read the regret on her face at once.
“I can’t. I’ll have to get home to River. By the time we drive out to the house and then back here, I’d be really late getting back, and—”
“He needs you,” I finish
for her, knowing it’s true and hating this whole situation even more. I should have my family under my roof. I should be able to make love to my woman anytime I want. Old anger is pushing at me, and I have to fight the urge to give in to it. Arguing with Petal is the last thing I want. I made her promise to take it day by day, and I need to do the same.
“Yeah, but…” she whispers, and she’s smiling again.
“But?” I ask, praying I’m reading the look on her face correctly.
She slides off my lap, stands up, then reaches her hand out to me. I stand up, curious as to what she has on her mind. She turns us so my back is to the front of the shop, and then slowly begins unbuttoning my uniform shirt.
“What do you think you’re doing, Lo’?” I ask, shrugging out of my shirt when she finishes. She ignores me for a moment, choosing instead to let her hand travel over my chest and down over my abdomen.
“I’ve always loved your body, Luka. Always. I have to admit though that there’s one part I’ve always been fascinated with,” she murmurs, her gaze following the path her hand makes.
I grab her hand and bring it down to my cock which is straining against my pants. “He’s always been fascinated with you, too,” I tell her. She laughs, and the sound is free, giving, and warm—everything I’d loved about Petal in the early days of our relationship before all of the lies, secrets, and families got in our way.
“Cute, but that’s not the part I meant,” she laughs.
“Honey—”
“It’s this little trail of hair you keep right here,” she whispers, going down to her knees in front of me.
“Lo’,” I warn her right before she flattens her tongue out against my navel and uses her tongue to follow alongside the small strip of hair. “Christ, honey,” I groan, my eyes closing. My hands go to her hair, needing that connection with my fingers as she tortures me.