Blue Autumn in the Bayou (Gumbo Love)

by Clay, Ann

  Travis gathered Autumn’s face in his hands and gently kissed her before he released her. “I love you.”

  “I love you.” She stared up at him for several seconds, heated by the flames he threw at her.

  “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Brooks.”

  Again they all hugged. Travis kept a possessive arm around his new wife. A sense of protectiveness he’d never known before kicked in. Now he understood why his father was so protective of his mother. Nothing came before her, not even the children. He had a lifetime to figure out how extraordinary and overwhelming that feeling could be. When he looked at his brother, he smiled and nodded.

  They pulled into Mara’s Homemade on East 6th Street for a private lunch. Mara’s was known for its Louisiana Cajun and Creole entrees. The room was set up with fresh flowers and champagne for the three couples. Reggie drank ginger ale instead of champagne. “Here’s to my eldest brother and his bride. I hope that you’re as happy as we are, and that you have at least ten babies.” Trae toasted them.

  “Whoa, slow your roll. We are happy, little man, but we’ll have to take advisement on the ‘ten- babies’ issue. I want to spend some time with this beautiful woman before we start having babies. At least, I hope that is our plan.” Travis gazed into his wife’s face.

  She smiled, something she’d been doing since the judge declared Travis to be her husband. “Yes, that works for me, for now.”

  Not to be outdone, Michael stood and made a toast. “Travis, you know how much you mean to me, and now I want to make certain you know that you’ve always been a big brother we could look up to. Now that Autumn has entered our lives, I see a change in you. You’ve always been a good example, and now you’re a better man than you were before. I’m proud to be your little brother, and I wish you and Autumn passion for the next fifty years.”

  “I’ll pledge to that one.” Travis stood and touched his goblet to Michael’s. They all laughed. “Thank you both. You’re easy brothers to be examples for. I am lucky. I love you all.” He saluted everyone at the table.

  They shared a scrumptious lunch and afterwards Trae, Michael, Denise, and Reggie were sworn to secrecy. “You can’t tell a soul, promise me.” Autumn demanded. “We want to tell the families together.”

  “So what are you supposed to do with this, big brother?” Michael pointed to Travis’s wedding band.

  “I’ll wear it on my right hand until she comes home in two weeks. If that’s okay with you, wife?”

  “I think it will be safe there until I get home.” She couldn’t believe she called New Orleans home. But now that she was Travis’s wife, it was indeed her home again. “Promise me, guys.”

  “Okay, already. We promise. But I know Dianne is going to kill all of you, you know that don’t you?” Denise interjected.

  “We’re prepared to throw down with the little woman,” Travis bragged.

  “He has to worry about meeting my father too. Tempest will most likely be a pushover, but I don’t know about Pops,” Autumn added.

  “When he sees how much I love and cherish you, he’ll be putty in my hands.” He kissed her brow.

  “We shall see.”

  The chatter that went back and forth on the way back to the airport was animated and full of laughter, but on the way back to Autumn’s place, the car was quiet. Travis folded his wife’s hand into his lap, her head rested on his chest. She could hear his steady, strong heartbeat. For the first time in her life she felt safe and worry-free. She closed the door on her past, and looked only at what was ahead of them. The warmth of Travis’s embrace made her believe that nothing could touch her at this point.

  They pulled up to the condo, and the driver moved around to the passenger side door and opened it. Travis crossed over her and got out first. He reached in and pulled Autumn from the limo. He kept his hand at the small of her back as they made their way to Autumn’s door. He unlocked and opened it. Before she could take a step, he picked her up and crossed the threshold. “Welcome home, Mrs. Brooks.” He captured her lips while still holding her in his arms, and kicked the door closed. For now the locks would have to wait. He had other plans.

  CHAPTER 27

  Travis gathered her close as he made his way down the short, narrow hallway. He’d taken care to get things ready for this moment. He took her to the room he’d slept in the night before. He’d arranged it before he left. Fresh flowers, candles, and condoms on the nightstand. “Mm, baby.” He placed her gently on the cool comforter sprinkled with rose petals.

  Autumn didn’t notice them at first. Her body sang with need and at that moment, she was caught up in the heat from Travis’s lips and hands. He released her and started by taking off the ivory strappy sandals. He kissed the insides of each of her legs. He held her gaze the entire time. “Move up, sweetheart.” He commanded her to move to the center of the bed once he removed the dress, and undid the pins in her hair. The soft curls fell down to her shoulders and bounced around her neck.

  She obeyed. Her chest rose and fell heavily as she moved to the center of the rose-laden comforter, dressed only in her lacy bra and thong. Travis stepped back and watched her. She was magnificent, absolutely the most sexiest creature he’d seen in his life.

  Autumn fidgeted under Travis bold appraisal. The heat of his smoky gaze made her warm and tingly all over. She closed her eyes, looking into his gaze was too overpowering. “Look at me, sweetheart.” Again, she obeyed. “I love you.”

  She moistened her lips. “I love you, too.”

  He pulled his shirt from his pants and began to unbutton it. Autumn attempted to move over to help him, but he halted her with one of his hands. “Wait for me, darling.” His touch scorched her skin. She sank back down onto the bed. It was then that she noticed the rose petals beneath her. She grabbed a handful and dropped them on her flat stomach. Travis’s crooked smile split his face when she did.

  He eased out of the shirt and let it drop to the floor. Beautifully wide shoulders with rippled muscles crisscrossed his body. Dark straight hair trailed down the center of his chest and tapered down and disappeared below the waistband of his pants. He undid his pants next, paused before slipping them down his massive thighs and stepping out of them. Lastly, he pulled down the black briefs that concealed, until that moment, his most masculine feature and the wonder of her desire.

  Autumn’s eyes feasted on the magnificently hard shaft pointed directly out in front of him. The sight of it instantly sent shockwaves up and down her body. Desire for him consumed her. Everything about Travis was man. All man. His wide shoulders tapered down to slim hips leading to wonderfully muscular thighs and legs. Autumn bit down on her bottom lip as she watched him. When her gaze traveled back up to his face, the handsome features were full of unreserved passion for her.

  Travis crawled in next to her and his hand went to the rose pedals on her stomach. His fingers grazed her soft skin. The power of his touched forced Autumn to close her eyes again. He put his lips to her ear and whispered. “I need you to look at me, darling.” With much effort she looked into his handsome face again. Desire’s flames grew hotter with each moment. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “We’re going to go slow, I promise,” Travis whispered. Tears fell down her face and into her hair. “Are you afraid, sweetheart?”

  She shook her head and at the same time answered, “No.” She touched his smoothly shaven face. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

  “So have I,” he whispered. “So have I.” He captured her lips and feasted on them while pulling her body beneath him. She could feel his throbbing penis against her thigh. Travis’s hand trailed down the length of her, until it cupped her hip in it, so he could bring her body flush against him. They both moaned. Autumn fell in rhythm with Travis. She moved beneath him while her hands explored the planes of his back. She squeezed his arms tight around her husband.

  Travis’s kisses trailed down Autumn’s body. His tongue glided down her neck straight to the center of h
er lovely breasts. With care, he removed the bra to release full high mounds. He teased one and then the other. He took care not to miss one spot of her lovely body. He kissed and nibbled at each inch of her and Autumn arced and responded to every touch.

  As he moved further down, his hands grabbed the elastic of the lace thong and he pulled it down to her ankles. He slipped it from one foot and then the other before tossing the tiny piece of silk like it had no meaning at all. He picked up where he left off, right at the V between her legs. He trailed kisses down the center of her thighs and without prompting, Autumn opened her legs for him.

  He kissed the innermost parts of her thighs holding Autumn’s legs captive. She moaned and gathered fistfuls of the comforter. Travis enjoyed watching Autumn buck and squirm. The aroma of her desire pulled him in and he spread the folds of her female core and kissed, licked, and nibbled at the hooded bud until she trembled.

  He concentrated on preparing her body to accept him. He was more than ready; he wanted to make sure she was. It wasn’t long before she screamed as he tasted the creams of her orgasm. He moved over her, his arm stretching across the bed for the foil package on the nightstand. He continued his distraction techniques; keeping his virgin wife’s mind on the searing touches of his lips, and not on the pain her delicate flesh was about to endure to consummate their marriage.

  “Autumn.” He whispered in her ear. “I love you baby. I love you so much.”

  Autumn responded to his declaration. She kissed his shoulder and any other place she could reach with her kiss-swollen lips. Travis rose up above her to roll a condom over his manhood, but before he could, Autumn folded her hands around him. He gasped. He hadn’t expected it, and the shock of her hands around him sent bolts of lightning desire up his spine. “Oh, baby, what are you doing?” he tried moving out of her grasp.

  For Autumn, his erection was long and rigid, silky soft. She liked the feel of him in her hands, and now she wanted to feel him inside of her. Between the kisses she spoke into his mouth. “No condom, Travis. I want to feel you.”

  “That’s not a wise idea, sweetheart. This is our first time.”

  “Trust me, I’ve prepared for today, Travis. We don’t need a condom,” she assured him. “Please.”

  He tossed the condom aside and went back to the discovering his wife’s body. She tried once again to capture him with her hands, but he caught her fingers and raised them above her head. “Not so fast, sweetheart. We have plenty of time. I need to focus and I want this to be good for you, especially since this is your first time. I don’t want to hurt you, okay?”

  “I want you. I need you now, Travis.”

  “Trust me, baby. I need you too.” He kissed her hard. “Trust me.” He finally spread her legs and placed his tip at the opening of her body.

  Autumn moaned. She also squirmed and writhed beneath him in an attempt to guide his erection further into her moist opening. He could feel it. She wanted it—wanted him. Travis dropped his hands to her hips to halt her movement. He gritted his teeth in an effort to keep himself from thrusting into her. “Oh angel, please.” He covered her mouth and kissed her long and hard, which stopped Autumn’s movement temporarily.

  With that distraction, he thrust past the wall of her virginity. Her scream died in his mouth, and her fingers dug into his back. Once he was buried deeply in her body, he stopped and held himself motionless to give her a chance to adjust to his entry. While he held her still, he continued to assault her lips. “We’re almost there, baby. Are you okay?”

  Tears rolled down the sides of face and into her hair. The pain was worse than she expected. When Travis told her it would hurt, she had no idea this was what he meant. However, just beneath the pain was a throbbing need to have him move inside of her. She eased her nails out of his back signaling to him that it was time to give her a little more.

  Bracing his weight on his knees, started to move slowly. He could feel her body giving and as she adjusted, he gave her a little more. When she tried to move her hips, he cautioned her, “Not yet.” When she moaned, Travis knew she was ready.

  He set the rhythm, slow even strokes. He savored the rise and fall of her body beneath him. To feel her flesh-to-flesh meant everything to him, this was special. In fact he couldn’t remember ever having unprotected sex. This was so different, unlike any relationship he’d ever had. The woman beneath him belonged to him, exclusively, his wife. He loved her with all of his heart. And he gave, in each stroke, a measure of that love.

  Autumn wrapped her legs around Travis’s waist giving him full access. She matched each and every stroke. She nibbled at his lips, chin, or whatever and wherever else she could reach. She lost the battle when Travis sped up the rhythm. She screamed his name and she rode the waves of ecstasy. And once she reached her orgasm, he felt it was the right moment to release his passion into her. He grunted out the essence of his love for her and fell over the cliff shortly following her.

  They both were soaking wet. Travis managed to keep from crushing her but quickly moved off. Once he was laying on his back, he pulled Autumn’s love-soaked body into his. Her hair was damp and clung to her neck and his chest. Their breathing matched one another’s. “I love you,” he whispered into her damp hair.

  She lifted her head and peered up at him. “I love you.”

  With no energy left, they fell into a lovers’ slumber. After a couple of hours, Autumn decided she had a lot to learn from her husband. He was scheduled to leave the following morning, early. She rolled on top of him. He tightened his arms around her. “Where are you going?”

  “Trying to find my husband,” she answered.

  “Listen lady, your husband is resting.”

  “Well, please tell my husband he has plenty of time to rest when he leaves for New Orleans. I need him here to take care of a few things.” She straddled him and moved down so that they met at their chosen weapons of love. It didn’t take much to get him and her aroused again. He entered her once again, this time she stayed on top.

  Autumn liked this position. It gave her a little control even though Travis led the rhythm once again. She lifted her body high as she rode him. Her full breasts danced above him; just the sight of her above him sent him over much quicker and without any more control than their first time. Travis held her hips with his hands and she leaned forward until she collapsed on top of him. She sprawled out on top of him completely sated; she hardly had energy left to blink her eyes.

  Travis held her like she was a lifeline. He didn’t move until she stirred. “Hi sweetheart. Are you okay?”

  “I’m more than okay. I’ve been loved so well, and it feels fantastic.”

  “Yes, it does. I’m going to move you, and then I’m going to go and start a bath for you to soak.”

  “I think I want to make love one more time.”

  “Greedy woman, I don’t want you running from me the next time I crave your body. We don’t want to do too much too fast.”

  “The big man’s running is he?”

  Travis playfully flipped her on her back in the middle of the bed with a slam. “I don’t run, sweet thing. If it were left up to me, you wouldn’t get out of bed today.” He covered her body. “You’re lucky I love you so damn much, otherwise I’d teach you a lesson.” He kissed her hard before moving from the bed. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

  CHAPTER 28

  Autumn’s body tingled all over. She felt like a different person. After being thoroughly loved, she was ready to take on the world. The last time they were at The Blue Note, the owner learned that Clem Boudreaux’s nephew was in the house, and asked him to come back on Terrific Tuesday for a spotlight session. He told them his instruments were at home, so the owner offered to lend him a bass guitar. Travis was fluent on several different instruments, but preferred his own. Still, he reluctantly agreed.

  After he and Autumn managed to come up for air, and to eat and dress, they headed back to the jazz club. He really wanted to break that prom
ise, especially since that night was his wedding night. He wanted to be with his beautiful bride, giving her another taste or two of his loving.

  When they arrived, Ruben recognized him. “Travis, right?”

  Travis nodded and accepted the man’s hand. He took the stage right away. The impromptu band for the night consisted of him and several others he didn’t know. They began the set with a funk groove before Travis took the lead, with the bass into a segment of classic New Orleans Jazz. He made a special tribute to his new wife. The announcement that he and Autumn were husband and wife garnered loud applause.

  Just as he was finishing his set, he saw Romeo walk over to the table where Autumn sat. She stood to greet him. He hugged and smiled down at her. The move pissed Travis off, but not as much as his next deed. His hand slid up and down Autumn’s back. He promptly ended the song and acknowledged the men and one woman on the stage. He just as quickly exited the stage from the front left. He moved toward the table where he left his wife, his hands balled into thunderous fists. He had every intention of punching his knuckles straight through the man’s skull. And just before he got there, Romeo walked away. His eyes flared and his mouth drew into a straight hard line.

  The fire Autumn saw in Travis’s eyes was not the passion she saw there, earlier. “What’s wrong?” She touched his arm and followed his gaze. She saw a cluster of people standing, but no one she thought would be responsible for the scowl on his face.

  His expression softened once she touched him. “Let’s go home.” He hugged her.

  * * * *

  On the drive home, only Clem’s music poured from the speakers. Autumn took to listening to the music he left for her. Once they got to the house, Travis packed his luggage before he moved back to the master bedroom. He made love to her one last time early that morning. It was slow and gentle. He wanted her to have something to remember and to look forward to next time.

  Autumn basked in the glow of Travis’s loving. She wrapped her arms and legs snugly around his body while he stroked into her with long, even thrusts. He took his time savoring her lips; his hands clutched her hips, adding depth as he plunged in and out of her warm, giving body. She yielded to his every command, and used all the strength she had in her legs to pull him as deeply as she could into her wanting body.