Collette climbed on top of a chair and motioned for silence. Once the uproar had dwindled enough, she hopped down and moved over to where the guests of honor stood.
“There’s an old saying about good things coming in small packages,” she said, linking elbows with June. “I’ve got living proof standing right next to me.”
The crowd went wild in agreement. Piercing whistles and shouts filled the air.
“What we’ve done for you doesn’t hold a candle to what you have done for all of us. Your kindness and generosity made a difficult situation less traumatic for hundreds of people. Hair is often a woman’s crowning glory, regardless of whether she spends five minutes or an hour styling it every day. It falls out during treatment because the chemo is waging war on cancer, but most people don’t equate a bald head to boxing gloves. They usually view it as a sign of illness, a knee-jerk reaction all of us, including myself, are guilty of.
“When my foster mother’s hair began to come out by the handful, the impact hit me harder than seeing her in the chemo room with drugs trickling into her port. Someone at the hospital told Henri about June and within minutes of picking up the phone, an appointment for the following evening had been secured. I walked into the salon on the brink of tears. June took one look at me and hugged me. Me, the girl whose worst illness to date had been the flu. I almost got sick to my stomach when the clippers buzzed to life and could barely stand to watch as hair fell to the floor. It only took a few minutes, and when the buzzing stopped, Henri looked like a cancer patient, or at least what we have come to expect one to look like.” Collette turned her head to the side and wiped her eyes.
“Jesus Christ,” Neil muttered from my side, startling me. I hadn’t even realized he was there until now. He took a long, deep breath and rubbed his eyes with the cuff of his hoodie. “I can’t stand it when she cries.”
“Calm down, she’ll be fine,” Les said from Neil’s other side, his voice hoarse. “Just give her a second.”
Collette straightened and faced the audience. “Henri stared at herself in the mirror, turning from side to side to check herself out from different angles. I could see tears in her eyes, but the rest of her face had a steely look to it, like she was determined to hold them in. She ran her hands over her head and said, ‘Thank God I don’t have a conehead.’ My brothers and I stood there in shock as June and Henri laughed. A few tears snuck out, but overall Henri was glad to be rid of her hair. She said her scalp had been itchy and achy and felt much better after it was gone.”
“She had a beautifully shaped head,” June told everyone. “One of the nicest I’ve ever seen. And one of the best attitudes I’ve ever seen as well.”
“My story has a point, which I think many of us can relate to. June didn’t just take care of cancer patients. She also took care of their families, comforting them with the same patience and gentleness. And speaking of families, let’s focus on June’s for a minute. Clyde called that night, shortly after we arrived, and June told her kids good night over the phone instead of in person. This entire family sacrificed time together to help others. I don’t know about you, but I think they also deserve some recognition. Get up here where you belong.” Collette moved out of the way as a man and a woman with facial features similar to the honoree took front and center.
“Happy retirement, June!” Collette shouted over the thundering applause.
As the crowd dispersed, I made my way up to my girl. “Great speech,” I whispered in her ear during a hug.
“Thanks, but I’ve given better ones. It came out all choppy because I got too emotional.” She sighed and rested her head on my shoulder.
“Trust me, no one cared about the delivery.”
“We should be ready to roll out of here soon. Just have to tie up a few loose ends and make sure nothing is lying around.”
I playfully kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m going to grab a slice of Lou’s and make sure all the painting supplies have been put away.”
“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s no pizza left.”
“Noooo!” I wailed dramatically, clutching my chest in mock horror.
“Chill, drama llama,” she said on an eye roll. “We’ll grab something on the way home or run out after we get there.”
“Good plan,” I said over my shoulder while walking toward the house.
A line of vehicles snaked down the street as people left to spend the rest of their Sunday at home. After a final sweep of the house’s perimeter to make sure everything had been cleaned up, I climbed into Neil’s Escalade and sank into the soft leather seat for the ride back to his house, where I’d left my car this morning.
As Neil and Collette discussed dinner options up front, I closed my eyes and listened as Ed Sheeran sang about finding love in unexpected places on the stereo.
10
Ryan
I bolted upright, feeling groggy and disoriented.
“See? I told you he’d wake up when we stopped moving.” Collette opened her door and hopped out of the SUV.
“You snore louder than a chainsaw,” Neil said as he pulled his keys from the ignition. “I couldn’t hear the radio over the log-cutting.”
“Makes up for all the times you’ve watched movies with the volume cranked up as far as it will go,” I muttered, rubbing my gritty eyes and reaching for the door handle. “The entire block can recite the iocane powder scene from The Princess Bride word for word, thanks to you.”
“Inconceivable!” he exclaimed, jumping away from Collette when she swatted at him for being a smartass.
I followed them up the path to the back door. Muffled barking came from inside the house. Oscar’s furry face appeared in a window, his wagging tail a brown and white blur as we approached the steps.
“Aw, look at that happy boy,” Collette cooed.
Neil opened the door and stepped aside as the dog raced out and ran down the steps. He trotted over to a section of fence and sniffed around. “Little guy doesn’t like being cooped up all day.”
Oscar did his business and came inside with us. He ran off to another room as we plopped down on kitchen chairs and returned with his leash dangling from his mouth, dropping it on Neil’s feet.
“You’re killing me. I just sat down.” Neil scratched behind a floppy ear, chuckling when the dog laid down and offered his belly. “Give me a minute and then we’ll go for a walk.”
“Can you stop by Lorenzo’s while you’re out?” Collette toed off her sneakers and propped her feet up on an empty seat. “They have the best Italian beef sandwiches in the city,” she explained to me.
“Yeah, I can do that.” He heaved a sigh and stood, cracking his neck. “Come on, bud. The sooner I go, the sooner I can stuff my face and not move a muscle for the rest of the night.” Oscar followed him out of the room with the end of his leash tucked between his teeth.
Collette said nothing, her gaze fixed on a spot across the room.
I angled my head in the same direction, trying to figure out which item on the granite countertop had earned her undivided attention. A Keurig machine, utensil crock, and toaster nestled against the tiled backsplash. Unless she was debating on whether or not to make a cup of coffee, I failed to see what was so captivating.
Continuing along, I looked on the other side of the shiny porcelain double sink, and the light bulb went off over my head. A picture of Henri and the kids sat next to a fruit bowl full of apples and oranges. It must have been taken on graduation day–high school, based on the considerably younger appearance of the kids–since Neil and Collette wore long purple robes. Henri smiled brightly with her arms around the two graduates with Les grinning behind her.
“Today stirred up a lot of memories for you, didn’t it?” I slid my hand across the table until it rested over hers.
“Yes,” she replied simply.
“I wish I could have met Henri. From what you guys have said, she sounds a lot like my mother. We would have gotten along well.”
She nodded, inhaling deeply. “Henri would have threatened you with castration while giving you a hug. And she would have been half-joking about the violence. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do if someone hurt one of us.”
“I would have laughed and hugged her back. Now I see where you guys get some of your traits from. Les has her protective behavior, you have her charm, and Neil has her wry sense of humor. So you see, she lives on in all three of you.”
“I’ve never thought of it that way.” Collette wiped the cuff of her shirt under her eyes. “Ugh, I’ve got to put a lid on the crying before Neil gets back, or he’ll worry for the next two days.” She rose from her chair and crossed the room, retrieving her phone from her purse. “I forgot to ask him to get a couple orders of garlic fries. You’ll reek for a while after eating them, but they’re worth the stench.”
“Speaking of reeking, do you mind if I take a shower?” I asked, pulling the front of my T-shirt away from my chest.
“Go for it. Want some clean clothes to change into? Neil won’t care if you borrow some of his.”
My clothes were disgusting, full of paint splatters and dried sweat, so I appreciated the offer. “That would be great. Thanks.”
I leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before heading upstairs to the bathroom off of her bedroom. As the shower warmed up, I undressed and chuckled at my reflection in the mirror. Yellow specks dotted my hair and face.
A creaking noise made me pause while shampooing for the second time. Collette must have come in to drop off the clothes. I spiked my hair into a sudsy mohawk for a laugh and slid the door open a few inches. “I should be out in a minute or–”
Holy shit.
A neatly folded outfit rested on the edge of the marble-topped vanity, right within my reach. And also within my reach, with a sly grin and a hand on one hip, stood the sexiest woman I’d ever seen wearing only a pale pink bra and matching panties.
Damn, the lingerie made her ass and breasts look fantastic. My dick wholeheartedly agreed and channeled Pinocchio, growing as my eyes roamed over every inch of her body.
“Would you mind staying in here a bit,” she eyed my erection and smirked, “longer? I could use a quick rinse myself and thought it would be a good idea to conserve water by joining you. We all have to do our part to help the environment, you know.”
“Help the environment,” I echoed dumbly as she unclasped her bra.
Her thumbs hooked into the sides of her panties, and she wiggled her hips, tugging the lacy fabric until it slid down her toned legs and came to a stop around her ankles. She stepped out of them and removed the rubber band from her hair, allowing the dark waves to fall loosely around her shoulders.
I wanted to pinch myself to make sure this wasn’t a dream. If it were, I would have to crank one out with Rosie Palm and her five sisters ASAP after waking up alone in my bed.
Collette sauntered toward me and pushed open the door, stepping into the large space. “Cute,” she said, pointing at the top of my head. “You should wear your hair to work this way tomorrow.”
“It’d be worth it just to see the look on my boss’s face.” I tipped my head back into the spray to rinse.
We switched spots, and she raised her chin to wet her hair. Those full, perfect tits lifted as her back arched. Streams of water ran over the plump swells, and my hands moved of their own accord to cup them. “Mmmm, I love the way your hands feel on me,” she said.
“Good, because I love touching you here,” my left hand glided down to her hip and behind to squeeze her ass, “and here,” then skated to the front until it came to a stop directly over her center, “and especially here.”
She moaned as I slipped a finger between her folds and the sound went straight to my groin. I would blow my load soon if she kept making these kinds of noises. “More. Please, Ryan.” Her hips bucked, seeking deeper contact.
I eased a finger inside her. “What do you want, sweetheart? Tell me and I’ll give it to you.”
“I want you.” She grabbed my wrist and severed our connection by jerking away my hand, wrapping the fingers of her other hand around my shaft. “I want this.”
I groaned, willing myself to keep my shit together as she pumped my length in long, steady strokes. “Are you sure? Do we have enough time before…the food gets here?” Thank God I didn’t say Neil’s name out loud and possibly ruin the moment.
“Does it look like food delivery is my primary concern right now?” she asked, tightening her grip on an upward slide.
“No,” I choked out, my eyes crossing from the strain of fighting off the urge to come all over her hand.
“All right, then.” She smiled devilishly and stood on tiptoe to press her lips against mine.
“Damn,” I mumbled, my bottom lip caught between her teeth. When she released me, I pried her hand off my dick and turned her around to face the tiled wall. I captured her wrists and raised them, pressing her palms to the wet surface. “Stay right there,” I ordered, sliding the door open to pull my wallet out of the side pocket of my shorts.
I withdrew the condom hidden inside and tore the packet open, quickly covering myself. “You have no idea how hot you look right now,” I said, nudging Collette’s legs wider with my foot to position myself at her opening.
My hands gripped her hips, pulling back to bend her at the waist. Her fingernails scratched the light-colored tiles as I slowly entered her. “Ohhhh,” she moaned, her head falling forward until it met the wall with a soft thud.
“You feel incredible,” I said in her ear. “Like heaven.”
She rocked her hips forward and back, peering over her shoulder with smoldering eyes. The movement snapped the last vestiges of my control. I couldn’t hold back any longer and brought my hips forward, yanking her back into my thrusts.
“Oh my God,” she groaned, twisting at the waist to look up at me.
My rhythm faltered when I tried to kiss her, which wasn’t easy with the height difference. One of my feet lost its purchase on the slick floor, and I barely stopped myself from falling. With a grunt, I pulled out of her and caught her by the waist, towing her to the other side of the shower. I adjusted the shower head to redirect the stream of water and sat on the built-in bench, coaxing her onto my lap and drawing her knees forward until they met the wall. “There we go,” I said, brushing clumps of wet hair over her shoulders. “I can see your beautiful face much better this way. And it’s easier to kiss you, too.” I anchored a hand at the back of her neck and brought her head down until our lips met.
As our mouths opened to deepen the kiss, she reached down and fisted my erection. With her other hand using my shoulder as leverage, Collette eased herself up and guided me to her entrance. Her eyes drifted shut as she sank down onto me. I smacked her ass, encouraging her to move while nibbling her lower lip. Her eyes snapped open, and she gasped, startled from the light blow. It had the desired effect, spurring her into action. She lifted and lowered in quick succession, her breasts bouncing and hips gyrating.
“Yeah, that’s it,” I ground out, dropping my head to slip a pink nipple into my mouth. Until Collette, I’d been a total ass man. But her incredible tits were impossible to ignore, and I enjoyed giving them lots of attention. I grazed the taut bud with my teeth, winding her wet hair around my hand and gently pulling on the dark rope of tresses. Her body bowed in response, and I switched to her other breast to give it equal treatment. My free hand slid between our bodies, skimming over her flat stomach. “Do you feel me touching all of my favorite spots at the same time?” I flicked her nipple with the tip of my tongue, firmly palmed an ass cheek, and drew circles on her clit with my thumb.
“I’m gonna…Oh…Ryan!” she cried out. Her movements grew choppy as her inner walls tightened around me.
The sight of her coming made me feel like some kind of god. Her deep brown eyes took on a euphoric, faraway look even though they were fixed squarely on mine. I loved the breathy moans and the way her fingers dug into the skin
beneath my shoulder blades as she held on for dear life.
“Keep holding on,” I warned. Bracing my hands on the edge of the seat, I chased my own release, repeatedly thrusting upward as Collette clung to me. “Oh…yesss,” I groaned, burying my face in the side of her neck.
I’d never come so hard before. I felt wrecked-completely spent, physically and emotionally. Using what little strength was left in my arms, I wrapped them around Collette and held her until the water began to turn cold.
We quickly washed up and got out before it became unbearably frigid. I pulled on the sweatpants and T-shirt with Optimus Prime for President across the front. The aroma of food wafted in as Collette blow-dried her hair. She pulled on yoga pants–my dick got its second wind and twitched with interest–and a hooded college sweatshirt.
“I can’t guarantee the safety of your meals if you don’t get down here in the next minute or two,” Neil yelled. “Oscar is circling the table like Jaws. You know how much he loves fries.”
“Don’t give him any!” Collette yelled back, taking the steps two at a time. “Garlic isn’t good for dogs.”
I took a seat on the chair next to her and unrolled the foil from a beef sandwich, reaching for the cup of au jus. “No, you’re thinking of onions. Garlic is fine unless he’s gotten sick from it in the past.”
“She just doesn’t want you to eat any of her share.” Neil broke a long piece of fried potato in half and tossed it to the pooch, who caught it in his mouth. “What a meanie.”
“Ohhh, shut up,” Collette said good-naturedly, dumping the rest of the juice on her sandwich.
Once our stomachs–including Oscar’s–were full and the mess was cleaned up, Neil retreated to the den with his canine shadow. Collette yawned and muttered something about falling into a food coma for the rest of the night.
More than Money (Found in Chicago Book 1) Page 8
