His reaction to Reni had truly rattled him. Seeing Reni had him all confused and discombobulated. He wasn’t going to be able to share a room with Lorna tonight and not think of Serenity. What he needed was to be in a serene place, a place where he was surrounded by love and could think clearly. That place was home; his parents’ home, namely his old bedroom. His bedroom had always been a place of solace. It was the one space where he could clear his head and find the exact answer he needed.
In addition, there were things there that he didn’t want anyone to see, things he’d hidden there so they wouldn’t be around his home to remind him of his Jewel. Two things were of the utmost importance to be out of sight if he had any chance at keeping his previous devastation from coming under the scrutiny of the rest of his family.
The first was a candle that he’d purchased when he was still deep, deep in a relationship with Serenity. The red of the heart-shaped dish reminded him of the color that always colored her lips and found its way into her wardrobe. The color of the candle was the same, but the scent of it was sensual and heady. It was the scent of the candle that grabbed hold to his senses and catapulted him into daydreams or memories of her.
Thinking of it had him wondering if she still had the glass dish that matched the hazel of his eyes and green candle that did the same or if she’d tossed it out. Was it trash like he was to her? He hadn’t been when he’d had his moment … three-night moment of weakness a few months back. When he was with her then it had been as if no time had gone by. It was during that fourth morning that he’d looked at her and suddenly remembered why he couldn’t get comfortable with her.
He’d been in her kitchen, having just had the most out of this world sexual encounter with her. It wasn’t fucking. It hadn’t been simply sex. It wasn’t even about just getting each other off. Eric had looked at her and seen everything they could’ve been. The connection was enough to have him kissing away the tears that fell from her eyes. He’d captured every single one of her moans with his mouth.
That morning he’d been slipping between whistling and singing. It was something that he hadn’t done ever when he was with Lorna.
The action of standing in Serenity’s kitchen, making breakfast for her while comparing his Jewel to Lorna was like dousing him in ice cold water. He finished making the breakfast and fought the urge to take her up against a wall when she came out of her room. Her hair was mussed and her lips were swollen. Each were outward signs of their lovemaking. The shirt she’d worn had been his and he’d grown excited seeing her back in something that had touched his skin.
Eric could clearly see just how out of it she was and his chest puffed out a little more knowing he was the reason for it. Still, he couldn’t remain there with her. He couldn’t gear himself up for that heartache again.
The reminder of his heartache had him rushing out of the hotel parking lot. If he knew his family, especially his mother, they weren’t allowing Serenity to leave that house. The only available room would be his and he couldn’t have her finding that damn box.
In the drawer, where he kept all of his old t-shirts and jerseys was a box. The box was ruby red, a specially ordered item. If that wasn’t telling enough. In that box was a ring. That ring held a princess cut diamond, side stone with red ruby in 14K rose gold.
Eric had remembered it well because he’d first searched Google to see the types of rings and styles there could be before heading to the stores. When he saw that one, he’d memorized the description even though he’d saved the damn photo on his phone. The sales clerks had gushed at how sweet he was and how much they wished he were theirs. He’d quipped one woman held his heart and one woman alone.
Was that still true or was he settling because he didn’t want to believe the woman that he’d been speaking of that day could actually truly want him in her life, not just in her bed?
One thing was for certain. He had to get home and get that fucking ring before anyone saw it, especially Serenity.
If Serenity’s soft, blue eyes were to lock on and see that ring, then find out he’d had it and for how long, who knows what the result of that shit storm would be?
The Tom Fuckery of “holy hell” just kept continuing to pile on. Eric didn’t know if he’d be able to handle anything else. The one thing he did know was everything always is better in the morning. Dawning light leads to dawning insight. That was what he needed and that would be what he would receive once he was able to sleep.
Tomorrow brought with it new possibilities. The thought of that comforting sleep had him pressing the gas pedal a bit harder.
Eric might not have been rested enough for what was dropped in his lap the next day.
4
Eric’s Gift
Serenity
Reni, sweetheart.” There’s a name even her groggy mind had hoped wouldn’t catch on, but it had just because Mr. Eric Pierson had to have a slip of the tongue. Adjusting herself, she tried to focus on what the matriarch of the family was saying. “Come on. Let's get you upstairs. You can sleep in Eric's room. He and that woman went to the hotel. She said something about not wanting to be in the space of so many of our family's ghost." Serenity smiled up at Mrs. Pierson despite her groggy mind. "I never thought there'd be a day when I actually didn't like a person upon sight of them. There is just something about that woman that irks me."
Serenity slid forward and pulled the afghan from her shoulders. TheE.P. initials let her know that it was the one Eric's grandmother made for him. No one was allowed to touch it, much less use it. He'd told her how everyone in their family always teased him when he became as protective as he was when it came to that blanket.
"Every other member of your family shares their blankets that were made by your grandmother except for you? Linus, I believe you have a problem."
"Yes, I take pride in the things that are handcrafted solely for me. Once it's mine, I hold it close and make sure all know whom it belongs to. You should know this."
"Oh really. What if I don't believe you when you make such claims?"
"I plan to show my Jewel what it means in every way humanly possible. I might have some inhumanly possible ways up my sleeve as well.”
She giggled then as she did just then at the thought of his sense of humor. The fact that the sacred item was wrapped around her and smelling of him wiped the smile from her face almost as quickly as it had appeared.
“Eric shares that with no one. You must be someone special to have him drape that around you.”
Serenity was shaking her head before the words even began to form. Her immediate response to reject anything that had her hoping there was a chance between the two of them was a protection mechanism that she was going to use until she couldn’t use it anymore.
“No. Mrs. Pierson, I think you may have the wrong idea about me. This may be … I’m sure you’ve figured out our connection and all, but there isn’t. I mean … the two of us aren’t …,” Serenity shook her head and tried clearing her throat. Maybe just maybe that would help her complete some of the sentences she kept beginning. “He’s with that Lorna woman. I know you don’t like her and all, but there’s not a chance in hell for the two of us.”
Mrs. Pierson simply smiled and patted her arm.
“Okay, sweetheart. Eric’s room is the third door from the left. He went to the hotel. I don’t want you and my …” Mrs. Pierson leaned in close and whispered the rest of her statement. “Newest grandbaby behind the wheel of a car tonight. Besides, you are exhausted, I can tell. Go on up. You’re welcome to the bed and I have snackable containers in the fridge if you get the midnight munchies. Clare and Madi both had them throughout their whole pregnancies. I’m sure you do or will as well.”
The woman gave her another placating smile and pat before walking away. She set the house alarm before heading to a back alcove that Serenity hadn’t noticed before.
“Well, drats. I guess I’m spending the night at the Piersons.”
She fired off a quick message to her parents
then headed up the stairs. When she reached the door, she had to take a few breaths before opening it. This was the space where Eric spent most of his time when he wasn’t in his loft or the beach house that he owned. He would tell her stories about his drop-ins to bug his parents all of the time.
Eric told her his father said his front door was a revolving one because one or more of the siblings were back home visiting at one point or another every month. The six-month hiatus from the home front for the entire crew had to have taken its toll on their mother. She’d lost her husband and suddenly her children didn’t have time to stop in anymore. Serenity was sure that played a great part in Mrs. Pierson’s reasoning for selling the family home.
Still, it had to be difficult for all of them to be there and not have their father, Poppa Pierson, in the house as well.
“Enough with the tangents and procrastinating. Go inside, climb into the bed, and take yourself to sleep.”
Serenity opened the door and walked in while flipping the switch to light her way. The room was spotless. The bed was even made.
“Surely, someone cleans this. There’s no way this man does this himself.”
“Nope. Mom would have his head if this room wasn’t as clean as it currently is. We all have the same healthy amount of respect and fear of that woman. She once made me spend an entire weekend in my room because I refused to clean my half of the room.”
Serenity turned to see that Clare was standing in the doorway with her sleeping child in her arms.
“I can see that your mother and my mother are pretty much one in the same. Mine once made the bed while my brother was in it and told him to shimmy his way out of it or he would be making it up himself, which was and still is, the one thing he hates doing. He says the fitted sheets never actually fit.”
They both laughed before Clarissa tilted her head to look at her sleeping girl. Serenity moved forward and stroked her hand over the soft curls lying on the little girl’s back.
“She’s so darling, Clare. I can’t believe how peaceful she looks right now.”
“Yes. I love kissing their little faces when they sleep. They almost always snuggle closer to me as if they know even subconsciously I’m the one giving them kisses. You’ll see. It’s the best feeling. It’ll be nice to have a little dark-haired Pierson. Daddy would’ve found that hilarious since Mom didn’t really get hers with any of us.”
Serenity’s eyes widened as she looked into Clarissa’s guilty face.
“Damn.”
“You know? How …,” Serenity slightly tugged on Clarissa’s arm to pull her into the room and quietly closed the door behind her. “How do you know that I’m not only pregnant, but it’s your brother’s?”
Clarissa hid her face in her daughter’s curls for a moment before she confessed. “Okay. I’m the only one that has put it all together. I’m pretty much the only one everyone trusts to not tell a soul what’s going on. They all know I’m a vault. I think the fact that my little people and husband have run me ragged this last week has gotten to me. Trying to purchase this house without Momma knowing it hasn’t helped. Shit!”
Clarissa’s eyes widened again before closing and whispering the expletive again.
“I’m going to pretend that I didn’t hear that last part while doing a little dance for your family on the inside. I am going to deal with the fact that you’ve seemingly pieced together a truth that I didn’t know if I was ready to share until yesterday morning.” Serenity looked at the clock on the wall to make sure it was after midnight. It was, well after. “I can’t believe it. I have to move up my timetable and figure out how I’m going to tell him while letting him know that I don’t expect much from him.”
Clarissa stroked Serenity’s arm before moving toward the door.
“I know it’s a lot to deal with. Believe me. I didn’t tell Nate about the twins until after they were born. I had some extenuating circumstances like a psychopathic husband that believed me to be more his property than his wife, but look at the two of us now. I can’t love that man enough. I know about this Lorna and my brother being something now. There’s a part of me that doesn’t believe he’s happy. I’m going to stop there because that’s not the point. You just have to be clear what it is you want and he’ll respect that no matter what. Just don’t let it fester because it’s going to do nothing but make you crazy in the long run. I’m going to say goodnight before I allow anything else to slip and get branded ‘Alyssa number two’ for not being able to hold onto secrets. Goodnight, Auntie Reni.”
Serenity smiled a bit at the name that Ellison had given her. Clarissa’s baby girl couldn’t understand why everyone else in the house was family since her parents had explained that Christmas was a time for family to come together. From that, the gorgeous browned-eyed girl took it that everyone there was family and started calling Serenity, Auntie Reni. Interestingly enough, she didn’t give Lorna a nickname. As a matter of fact, all of the children had steered clear of the woman for the entire evening.
Knowing that woman was there with Eric made her skin crawl. Something about her just didn’t sit right with her. The feeling was something most of the Piersons agreed upon. They gave her a wide berth. It had surprised her to know that Eric was back with her since he’d been in Serenity’s bed, up against her wall, his wall, and every available surface in his loft a few short months ago.
Falling back on the bed, she allowed a few of the tears she’d been trying to keep at bay to fall. The scent of Eric’s cologne and shampoo wafted from the bedding causing her to sob just a bit.
She’d done this. It was her fault. Serenity was the one to tell Eric to go because she felt it. She felt him pulling away or holding back. There was a sense of his fear tainting their relationship and she decided to set him free. Practically threw him out because of it. Serenity had wanted to see the world and enjoy life, but her end game had always been to get married, settle down, and start a family.
While her heart warmed at seeing mothers with their babies and fathers playing with their miniature versions of themselves, Eric was trying to get her to disregard those feelings. As she thought about their future and what their lives could be, he’d wanted to remain in the present of the place they’d been. She could see the end coming. It was there just beyond the horizon so she reeled in her hopes of life, love, and living with Eric. She bottled up all of everything that she felt for the man that proved to be her equal in so many ways and told him to go. He needed something or someone that wasn’t her and he needed to be free to do it. She set him free then turned away and tried to never look back.
It was the hardest thing she ever did and the one thing she regretted ever since.
When she found out she was pregnant with his child, she curled up into a ball in her bed and screamed at her misfortune. She waited as long as she had to tell him because she didn’t want the reason he came back to her to be because she was carrying his child.
“That’s effectively shot out the window with a blonde that represented walking perfection named Lorna. No chance for an ‘us’ if they are a ‘we’ now is it?”
Her mumbles were a bit loud even for her ears given how quiet the rest of the house was. She climbed out of the bed and went to one of the drawers. One of his old t-shirts was probably in there.
Eureka!
There was one. She’d torture herself for one more night. Later in the day, she’d tell him what she’d come to tell him, even if it was Christmas Eve, and head back to her life. From there, she’d figure out a way to deal with a living, breathing reminder of Eric Pierson every day for the rest of her child’s life.
Serenity sighed and quickly slipped out of the skirt and silk blouse she’d worn before slipping on Eric’s shirt. The last thing she removed was her bra. She’d felt confined all day, which meant she was going to have to go shopping soon to purchase a new one.
Another change that was happening and she was going to need to adjust to during this pregnancy. She had so many to come. T
hinking about all of those things at once had Serenity treating the thoughts as sheep. She counted them until she fell asleep.
Not long after she’d drifted off, she felt the bed dip and heard a slight groan. She didn’t bother to turn or move. Serenity thought she heard a drawer open and close beforehand, but dismissed it and allowed her exhaustion to carry her under, back into a state of slumber. She was just too tired. It was just another thing she had to adjust to with this growing baby. Her life was beginning to become about eating, working, sleeping and doing little else.
Some time later, Serenity inhaled again and was assaulted with a fresh dose of Eric’s scent. Snuggling down under the covers, she allowed herself to fall back to sleep. All of her thoughts were on the man that she knew she couldn’t have and knew wouldn’t be part of her life. The thought of him possibly being there for their child was what she held onto as her body relaxed back into the warmth surrounding her.
When she awoke the next morning, she was warm, too warm. It was the kind of warm that said there was another person sharing the same space with her. The warmth came from the other body, which caused heat to radiate out from her core. The heating of specific areas was what got her into the trouble she was currently facing.
The arm wrapped loosely around her waist gripped her more firmly and pulled her body back, pressing his pelvis forward. It took everything in her not to scream. She bit back the urge to moan at feeling him near her. It felt good. It felt right. It felt like home. His hand was beneath the bunched shirt and resting on her belly. She inwardly smiled then mentally slapped herself for even allowing for the slight slip up.
This man’s hand was resting against a child he knew nothing about and dangerously close to the area that was an integral part of the creation of said life. She needed to get the hell out of the bed and dressed as quickly as possible. No matter what transpired today, winding up in that man’s bed again was not on the agenda. Serenity would be in her bed tonight. Come hell or high water.
Botched Proposal (Pierson Family Values #0.5) Page 5
