by Siera London
Kirsten gave Rui a wink. "Now husband, when you get through tickling the help, we need to talk."
Then Kirsten Conners exited the room leaving both Autumn and Rui in a tailspin. His wife, an internationally-known recording artist, was back. And yes, this was one more thing they needed to clarify, but Autumn couldn't help thinking how long it would be before she had to pack her bags...again.
Chapter 10
Rui stood facing Autumn. She wouldn't meet his eyes. What was Kirsten doing back in Endurance? Simone had written his ex-wife dozens of letters in the year, none of them had prompted her to come home in the past. No, Rui knew the woman who'd owned his heart all those years ago. Kirsten's return had everything to do with Autumn being here. Now if he could get Autumn to look at him, maybe he could explain a few things about his former wife. Kirsten being in Endurance spelled troubled for Rui and Autumn. Rui's protective instincts kicked into high gear. He would keep Autumn and Kirsten apart. Knowing Kirsten, she'd be bored by the end of the week. When had his hopes for him and Kirsten's reconciliation been replaced by a future with Autumn? Rui shook his head. The moment Autumn came to Simone's aid with Mrs. Glatt she captured a piece of his heart.
He watched as Autumn pulled a clean shirt and leggings from a dresser drawer. She remained silent. He wasn't sure if she was gathering her thoughts or keeping him from knowing hers at the twisted turn of events.
"Autumn, sit down, we need to talk," he said pushing away from the door.
She glanced up at him. " I don't have time to talk. Simone will be home soon. I need to get dinner on the table."
When she turned toward the ensuite bathroom, he crossed the room in three quick strides, blocking her exit.
"I'll take us out to dinner."
Rolling her eyes, she gave an incredulous laugh, the sound harsh and strained.
"No thanks," she snapped. "I'd rather lick a pig's foot than join you and your ex for dinner."
He grabbed her around the waist. "Hey," he rasped. "Kirsten being here doesn't change anything with us."
She shoved at his chest. Rui didn't budge. Instead he pulled her closer, not surprised when she used the ball of clothes in her hand to keep from touching him. He got it. Kirsten's arrival unsettled him, too. Heck, finding Autumn with Tommy had him ready to spit venom.
"Rui." She breathed his name as if he was the most naive man on the planet. "So, you want me to join you and your family at your first dinner together in more than a year? Seriously, professor?" she asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
He lowered his head till their mouths were almost touching. "What I want is for you to be patient while I get to the real reason for Kirsten's visit."
Autumn dropped her head onto his chest. The sensation of her resting against him was heady, and Rui said a prayer of thanksgiving for this small gesture of trust.
"She told us already," Autumn whispered. "She's here because Simone wants her mother to attend the mother-daughter tea, not me."
The hurt lacing her words threatened to bring Rui to his knees. Without thinking about the possible rejection, he pressed his lips to hers. Using his tongue, he swept across her lips before pushing deep inside. Her mouth softened beneath his. She eagerly drank from him, and Rui let himself drown in her flavor. Autumn tasted even sweeter. She nipped at his lip and the sting shot straight below his belt.
"Nothing," he growled, "will change between us."
For a brief second, Autumn's body stiffened, her kiss less intense. Rui appreciated that his woman needed to be convinced that he spoke the truth. Lowering his head, he stopped at her chest. Her breathing was labored, and he recognized he was in similar shape. Without looking up he captured one taut peak between his teeth and sucked. Ripples of equals parts need and want vibrated through Rui. He lifted Autumn into his arms and walked them back to the bed.
"I love you, Rui."
Things happened quick after that. Shoes kicked off, belts loosened, clothes dropped, and then he entered her. Perfect. He could stay inside this woman forever.
The last coherent word he remembered before a pleasure so intense ripped through his body was, "Love you too," he grunted out. "Nothing changes. I promise," he whispered.
He loved Autumn. Kirsten being in Endurance would not tear them apart. Rui would prove his words true if it took all night.
* * *
The next morning Autumn awoke to find herself alone in bed. Rui hadn't spent the night with her, nor had he invited her to his bed. After their make-up session, he'd left to pick up Simone from school. Kirsten had joined him. Autumn had tried not to feel abandoned. Alone, she'd taken a quick shower, washed a load of laundry, and prepared dinner, a light fare of blackened salmon steaks, sautéed zucchini, and smashed carrots. Two and a half hours later the happy family, Rui, Kirsten, and Simone walked through the door, all smiles with No Limit take-out containers in their hands.
"Autumn, look," Simone said, running up to her. Autumn could practically reach out and touch the excitement sparking around Simone. She could only imagine what it felt like to have her mother back after years of absence. While she lived with her aunt, her mother's visits had been few. Thinking back, Autumn now believed the rare occasions when she did see her mother were well-orchestrated. The visits, though spotty, never happened around significant events like holidays, birthdays, or graduations. Her mother made sure Autumn never got her hopes up about a reunion. "My mom brought me a real diamond necklace."
Simone fished around the collar of her shirt and then held up a thin yellow gold chain. Autumn placed her now cleaned plate in the sink. Wiping her hands on a dish towel, she bent at the waist. A diamond solitaire, maybe a quarter of a carat dangled between the eight-year old’s fingers. Wow. The stone sparkled brighter than a celestial being. Clarity be damned, Autumn could she her reflection there were so many colorless facets to the stone.
"It's beautiful, Simone. Just like you," Autumn heard herself say. In an odd twist, Autumn found that she was happy for Simone. Little girls needed their mommies. There was a time when she would have prayed for a second chance with her mother. Looking at Rui, she acknowledged if Kirsten stayed, she would have to go. She'd stood then, speechless, but watching Rui. Their eyes met, and she noticed his smile had slipped away. So, this was his real life with his real family.
"Thank you. My mom said I could wear it to the mommy-daughter tea on Friday."
She flinched. Rui noticed and took a step towards her. She held up a hand to stay him.
"Autumn, let me help you," Rui said.
"Are you okay?" Kirsten asked. Oddly enough, her concern sounded genuine.
"I'm fine," Autumn breathed, shoring up her spine. "That's great news, Simone." So, this was how it was going to be. She'd been uninvited to Simone's tea. Autumn sighed. What had Kirsten called her? The help. Yep, for the first time since moving in with Rui, Autumn felt like he'd paid her for a service he no longer needed.
She went to her quarters. A part of her wanted Rui to come to her bedroom, even though she'd locked the door. Sleep claimed her some five hours later, well past midnight. Autumn lied to herself. She hadn't lain awake for Rui, nope. Sleep merely alluded her until reality took over. He wasn't coming for her.
The morning was unusually cool. Or, maybe it was Autumn running hot. This morning's run had been painful. Tommy hadn't joined her, and the kitchen had been a mess when she returned home. Was this still her home? Her heart sank at the possibility of having to leave?
"Good Morning," Rui said when she entered the kitchen. He handed her a cup of coffee. She accepted his peace offering and went to sit at the long couch they used instead of chairs on the end of the breakfast nook. Even the warm brew did little to thaw the cold clinging to her bones. Today fell real short in the good department. His eyes danced around like he was unsure where to start. "About last night."
"Don't worry about it. Salmon is great as a leftover."
"Kirsten said she wanted to talk about Simone. We ended up at No Limit fo
r dinner."
Autumn pasted on a smile. "You don't have to explain." Actually, she didn't want to hear it. Old memories started to surface. She remembered the morning her boyfriend walked in the kitchen holding her aunt's hand. She hadn't wanted an explanation then either.
"It just happened to that some of the locals recognized her," he trailed off. "Time slipped away."
"I understand," she said, taking a sip of her coffee. She choked, sputtered, and then swallowed. The aroma while pleasing, the liquid tasted worse than the bottom of a burnt rice bowl.
Rui closed the distance between them, snagging the cup from her hand. "That's Kirsten special blend. I should've warned you."
And so, it begins. Could Rui be right? Was Kirsten's return an indication that she wanted back in Rui's life? Had they talked last night? Had they kissed or worse, consummated their reunion? She searched his face, looking for a sign of betrayal. Not that she’d recognize the bullet before it shot her between the eyes. She hadn't back at home.
"Stop fawning over me, Rui," she hissed.
He dropped to his knees at her feet. Tracking longs fingers through his dark mane, she stared at him.
"You're different, Autumn." Yeah, well, that applied to both of them. "You look at me like I'm going to hurt you. Like I already have. Nothing has changed for me."
"Rui, wake up. Your ex-wife is living in the house with us. She's rich, yet she's here."
"There are no hotels in Endurance. What was I supposed to do? Kick her out of her own house?"
How could she respond to that? It was Autumn who was the intruder.
"Daddy," Simone said, entering the room.
When she saw her father on his knees she stopped. Looking between the two of them she frowned.
"Autumn, are you still going to help my daddy in the bedroom now that my mommy is back?"
It probably would have hurt less if it had been a bullet. Of course, she couldn't continue to share Rui's bed.
"Yes."
"No."
She and Rui spoke at the same time. Simone confused by the opposing answers, looked to her father for clarification.
"Autumn and I need to talk about our arrangement."
Ugh, it sounded so illicit. An arrangement. Yep, the money exchange popped back into her head. Autumn just wanted the house empty, so she could think.
"Simone, grab your backpack. It's time for school." She looked at Rui. "Don't be late for your first class."
He stood to his feet. "I'll drop Simone off, and then come back here. You and I have to talk, Autumn. I don't want us to change."
"You already have, Rui."
Ten minutes later she was alone with her first cup of coffee, one that didn't taste like the bottom of her old running shoes.
"You like sleeping with my husband?"
Her head shot up from the cup she'd been putting to her lips. Kirsten wore a smoky blue silk robe, that gaped open at the neckline revealing too much of everything. What if Simone had seen her on display like this? Her feet were in yet another pair of red bottom high-heels with what looked to be real-fur across the toes. What that heck? Who could compete with gray eyes, flawless skin, and uninhibited sensuality?
From her position on the buffet couch, Autumn faced off with Kirsten.
Kirsten shrugged. "Rui's a great lover," she laughed. "I thought since we've both had him, you just last night," she said with the raise of a brow, "it was a safe topic."
Where was Kirsten trying to take this conversation?
"It's not. What happens between me and Rui is not up for public discussion."
Kirsten stood, crossed the floor, her impossibly high heels clicking like rain on a tin roof.
"We could make beautiful music together,” she brushed one finger over the cap of Autumn’s shoulder. “You, me, and Rui."
Whoa. Autumn recoiled. She hadn’t seen that coming.
"You touch me again,” she growled, the sound feral. “Your head is going to make contact with some hard rock. You feel me?"
Kirsten just smiled. "No need to get physical," she said licking her lips. "Not yet, any way. Rui and I have an understanding when I’m in town. I don’t mind sharing him. Aren’t you the least bit intrigued?"
Autumn didn't know what to make of Rui's ex-wife, but she knew it was time to go. In reality, the ball of anxiety that formed in her stomach last night grew into a full-blown atomic nucleus, unstable and ready to explode. Her dream of belonging to a family of her own, building a life with Rui and Simone had been a fantasy.
“No.” When Autumn stood to leave, Kirsten called out.
"Just think about it. He wants you and I-well, I want you both."
Autumn looked Kirsten square in the eyes. "I don't have to. Tell Rui..."
“Tell him what, feisty little Autumn?”
Patronizing witch. Autumn was of the mind set to snatch one of Kirsten’s mile-high stilettos off her foot and clobber her with it. Bloody shoes, indeed.
"He can take this job and shove it," she paused, “well, you know the rest.”
Kirsten stood, her mouth slack with shock. It was petty, Autumn knew, but a sudden surge of relief flooded her at not being the only one caught off guard. She never would’ve guessed a song title could be so therapeutic.
* * *
Rui walked into his house with one goal, to talk with Autumn. When he entered the kitchen, Kirsten sprang to her feet.
"Hello, darling," she said.
Rui took in the outfit she wore, what little there was to the night robe.
"Put on some clothes on, Kirsten. I don't want Simone to ever see you dressed that way."
God, there was a time when he would have been chomping at the bit to get her out of those clothes. Now, he was a father with a little girl to protect.
"Simone is a beautiful girl. Men will eventually notice her," Kirsten reasoned.
Her lack of motherly protectiveness stung him. Rui remembered that Kirsten could be self-centered, but she had to understand young girls should not be made to dress like grown women, right? He wanted to shield his daughter for as long as possible.
"Not any time soon, so cover up while you're here," he said.
Kirsten came to stand in front of him. The scent of her expensive perfume wafted up to his nose, a mix of flowers, jasmine he thought. He didn't like it.
She smoothed a hand over his shirt. "There was a time when you loved seeing me in even less," she whispered.
Rui stepped back, but Kirsten followed. This time she locked her arms around his neck.
"That was before you left me for a life in the spotlight," he hissed.
Why was he even talking about this? Kirsten wasn't going to change, but he had. Autumn and Simone were his priority now.
"That's the past, Rui. I'm back and I want you in my life."
The hairs on the back of Rui's neck stood at attention. Where was Autumn? The last thing he needed was for her to overhear or walk-in on this scene.
"We have a child together. That’s the only connection we’ll have from here going forward." Rui reached up, gripping both of Kirsten's hands. The feel of her against his body felt wrong. He wanted Autumn.
"Don’t be silly."
Rui smirked. "I’m not anymore. What we had doesn’t work for me. Truthfully, it never did."
Her playful rouse slipped. "Trust me, Rui. We can make it work this time. Simone is older. You've had a successful career like you wanted. Now, we can enter the next phase of my career together, like a family."
Kirsten had gotten even better with her word games, but Rui had learned a thing or two from his ex-wife.
"Like a family?" he questioned. Kirsten would never settle for being a wife and mother. Rui saw that now that she was back in Endurance. "What is it that you really want from me, Kirsten?"
Instead of answering, Kirsten released him, stepped back and opened her robe. Rui was temporarily transfixed. Her body had changed. She was leaner, more defined, yet not as real. She seemed almost mannequin like.
His Autumn was a fluid poetry of smooth valleys and compact curves. Her body was a soft cushion to his hardness. Autumn was right; co-existence for the three of them under this one roof ended today. Kirsten needed to pack.
An audible gasp sounded in the room. Rui pushed Kirsten away, and spun on his heel. Autumn stood in the entryway, a suitcase in hand, and a duffel over one shoulder. Rui frowned. What was she doing? Why would she be carrying luggage?
"What are you doing with suitcases?" he demanded. Autumn glanced at Kirsten standing there with her robe open, her trim body on display. "Kirsten," he growled, "cover yourself."
Rui watched Autumn's face harden before going blank. What in the green hell was going on?
"I'm leaving," Autumn said meeting his eyes. "Looks like I picked the perfect time to put some distance between me and you two."
"No, no, Autumn. You can't leave, sweetheart."
"No, you can't,” Kirsten interrupted. "Rui just asked me what I wanted. I was about to tell him, you."
Rui's brain short-circuited. What in the hell had Kirsten just said?
* * *
So, Rui and Kirsten had an open-door marriage? Or was it ex-marriage? Whatever. Autumn left Rui and his freaky wife in the kitchen and walked out of the house.
Rui came after her. Autumn kept loading her car, shuffling bags to ensure her merger possessions fit. "Wait a minute. Damn it, Autumn. Don’t put another thing in that car."
"No can do," she said closing her trunk.
A moment later, she found herself spun around. She looked up to see Rui's onyx eyes filled with worry, anger, and maybe fear.
"Kirsten is leaving, Autumn. Don't do this, please. You know I want only you."
Autumn wanted to believe him, but it was too little, too late. She'd traveled too far down this road before...recently. When her aunt and her ex- tied the knot, Autumn wanted to appear the bigger person. She’d thought love and family were more important than her feelings. How wrong had she been? Eventually, they all grew to resent each other. No way would she put herself in that situation again. A clean break from Rui and his baby mama drama was best.
