Savor (Cottonwood Falls, Book 5)

by Aliyah Burke

  Savor

  Copyright © 2015 Aliyah Burke

  Cover illustration copyright © Covers By K

  Sensual Romance Logo copyright © MMJ Designs

  Editor: Jessica Bimberg

  ISBN: 9781311369208

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system-except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the Web-without permission in writing from the publisher or author. The unauthorized replication or allocation of any copyrighted work is illegal. File sharing is an international crime, prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice and the United States Border Patrol, Division of Cyber Crimes, in partnership with Interpol. Copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is punishable by up to five years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000 per reported instance, and seizure of computers.

  This book is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.

  Published by: Sensual Romance Publishing at Smashwords Publishing

  Savor

  By

  Aliyah Burke

  Dedication

  To everyone who supports authors by purchasing, spreading the word, and giving of their hard earned money for our work!

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Additional Books by Aliyah Burke

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  “He’s just so handsome. If he would just look at me and give any sign he was interested, I’d be all over him.”

  “Please, that would be me. Why would he want you? You’ve put on like ten pounds. Don’t you see how fit he is? He needs a woman who will look good on his arm.”

  “You can look good on his arm, but I’ll be good in his bed.”

  “Humph, so you’d think. Wonder who his kid is mixed with. He looks almost part Mexican.”

  Rolling her eyes in exasperation over the gossiping women behind her, London finished uncovering the final tray of cookies.

  Surely, they have something more important to do than gossip about Piers Cuyper or his son. London did her best to ignore them as they continued with their discussion. She wasn’t a fan of talking about a child’s heritage. What difference did it make whether his mother had been Mexican or not? He was a little boy who’d lost him mom. To be honest, London didn’t know much about the man—she tended to stay in her own world if not in the classroom—so beyond the fact Piers was hot as all get out, she didn’t know a lot about his past. Or what had brought him and his son to Cottonwood Falls.

  However, London couldn’t argue with them about how sexy Piers was. She’d seen it and was not going to deny the man’s striking good, handsome as sin, panty-soaking looks. Not that she’d share it with that group; no, that was for her own private fantasies behind closed doors.

  She stood back and surveyed the spread with a critical eye as one of the aides, Susan Hollerston, hastened up to man the table. “Sorry I’m late, London.”

  She tossed the aide a smile. “No problem. You’re here now, and my room is ready, so I’m good.”

  The doors opened, and the first parents with their kids entered. She shot the gossipers a look before pasting a smile on her face and heading for her own room with a final wave to Susan.

  She stood in the doorway and waited for the first of her new students and their parents. She'd previously laid all the necessary sheets out, so the adults could shop for the proper and required supplies for their children.

  “Ms. London.”

  She grinned at the boy who ran up to her. “Hello, young Mr. Clark.” Dilbert was a wonderful child she’d watched growing up over the years.

  “I’ll be in your class this year,” he said.

  She pursed her lips and tapped them. “Is that this year?”

  “Uh huh. Yes, ma’am.”

  London winked at Dilbert’s father, Daniel. “I was certain it wasn’t for another few years yet.”

  Dilbert laughed. “No, it’s my turn, now. Kandy had you last year.”

  She shrugged and chuckled. “That’s right.” She ruffled her hand on his head. “I remember, now. I can’t wait to have you in class.”

  “I’m grabbing the papers Dad.” Dilbert vanished in the classroom.

  “How are you, Ms. London?”

  “Fine, Mr. Clark. How’s the family?”

  “We’re good. Lisa has the girls and is visiting their teachers.”

  “Wonderful.” She gave him another smile as he patted her shoulder and moved by her into the room. The Clark family had a lot of kids, and she’d had four in her classes. Dilbert would be the fifth. More parents arrived, and she grew busy talking to them. Most she knew from around town or having taught previous children.

  “Excuse me.”

  Dear Lord… That voice should be outlawed. She turned around to find Piers standing there. For a moment, she forgot where she was and how she should behave. His chiseled good looks threw her, completely, for a loop. Seeing him from afar was way different than up close and personal. When her gaze drifted down his hard body and spied his son, she snapped herself from the rapidly escalating fantasy she had immersed herself in about Piers.

  “Hello,” she said. Tucking some hair behind her ear, she gave his son a smile. “Can I help you find a room?”

  Okay, that may have just sounded like a proposition. And I’m not entirely sure it wasn’t one on some level. I’d love to get a room with… What the hell is wrong with me that I’m thinking this way?

  She cleared her throat. “I mean a classroom?”

  His eyes, the color of sea foam, held hers. “You’re Ms. London Rhymes, so I’d say I’m in the right place.” He touched his son on the shoulder. “This is Javier.”

  She crouched down before the boy. “Glad to meet you, Javier.” I didn’t think he was going to be in my class; his name wasn’t on my list. “I’m looking forward to teaching you this year.”

  He watched her, brown eyes solemn. “I have a scar on my arm,” he said as he showed her the old injury.

  She didn’t flinch from it. “So you do. It looks like it hurt when it happened. Would you like to come inside and see the classroom?”

  “I like to read.”

  “We’ll do a lot of reading. Go check it out.” She gave him an encouraging smile and stood. “I’m sorry, I didn’t have him down on my list of names. I’ll make him a name tag and get him a seat.”

  Those eyes of his moved over her, marking her. She did her best to ignore the response it created within her.

  “I moved him to your class.”

  “Okay,” she said. “Come on in.”

  She gestured for him to precede her. Shit. He had draped his body in solid black, and all of it molded to his form in a way that sent her tottering perilously close to that fantasy once more. She walked to her desk and sat before reaching for a sheet of construction paper and a marker.

  “Dilbert,” she called out. “Can I borrow you for a moment?”

  The lad skipped up to her desk. “Yes, Ms. London.”

  She swiftly wrote Ja
vier’s name on the paper and folded it in half. Adding tape to the bottom, she handed it to Dilbert. “Can you put this on the desk next to yours? We’re going to have another student this year, and I know you’re so welcoming and helpful he’d be great to be next to you.”

  The small head bobbed. “Yes, ma’am. Is it that kid over there?”

  “His name is Javier. Why don’t you go place the name tag then go introduce yourself to him, help him find another friend before school begins?”

  “Okay.” Dilbert ran off.

  “The sheets are over on the small table for the supplies we’ll be using this year.”

  “Are you going to pretend you’re not curious as to why I put my son in your room?”

  She looked up at him and was glad she was already seated. The way he stared at her was unlike anything she’d witnessed before from a man. For a moment, she debated checking to ensure she was fully dressed, so much heat poured from his gaze.

  “No,” she said, grateful the croak wasn’t too present.

  “Are you sure?”

  Good God, he’d tempt a nun to sin. And I’m way on the other end of the spectrum from a nun. By no means was she easy, but she was definitely no nun.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Yes.” He crossed his arms, drawing her gaze again to the biceps there. “I can see that. I’ve watched you for the past year.”

  His words did something to her insides she didn’t have a name for. All she knew was it wasn’t in a creepy way but a panty-soaking one. Play it cool. While she knew others were in the room, her own world had zeroed in on him. “Sounds like you had a reason.”

  She struggled to remain professional. I suppose lying back on my desk and asking him to fuck me would be considered unprofessional? So would pushing him under my desk so he could eat me out.

  It would be a lie to say she’d not noticed him when he’d come to the school with his son. When a single man of his looks rolled into town, tongues wagged and people took notice.

  “I’ve watched you this past year. How you are with the kids. I want you teaching my boy.”

  Momentarily ashamed for thinking he was interested in her other than for a teacher to his son, she snapped back to complete professionalism. “I love my job and the children who come through my doors. Even the doors of this school.”

  He nodded politely at two women who walked by. “I’ve seen that. My son is reserved. I need a teacher who understands he may not be so outgoing. I need one”—his gaze raked her, again, she wasn’t sure it was professional—“who will nurture and not bully.”

  She bristled on behalf of her town and the school she taught at. “I understand your concern, sir, but I can vouch for all the teachers here. None would bully your son.”

  He blinked at her, unimpressed by her hardened tone. “I want you.”

  Beyond him, Traci Watson, the other second grade teacher, stood in the doorway.

  “I’m not saying I won’t teach him. I’m saying Cottonwood Falls Elementary has a stellar staff of teachers. If he’s on my list for class, then he will get as much from me as the rest in my class.”

  Traci lifted her eyebrows, and London gave her a small headshake, not pulling her attention from the man before her.

  “You’re feisty,” he said.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t like slanders against my school or the teachers I’ve worked with for years.”

  “We are entitled our feelings. Bottom line, I want him in your class.”

  “And, as you can see, Mr. Cuyper, he’s been given a desk.” Her smile felt brittle. “Anything else I can do for you?”

  He dragged that green gaze over her once more. “Not at the moment. I’ll take a look around and gather the sheets I need.”

  She pushed to her feet. “Great. I’m around if you need anything else.”

  More heat flashed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  She moved by him and mingled with the people in her room. Traci approached her and touched her arm.

  “What’s going on? He took his kid from my class and put him in yours.”

  “I don’t know, Traci. He wouldn’t tell me anything more than that’s where he wanted him.”

  “I was hoping to get to know daddy a bit more this year, if you catch my meaning. You’re so lucky.”

  London caught it, but she wasn’t so optimistic.

  Piers stood back, observing the entire room as his son sat at what would be his desk in his new class. The young boy who London had called Dilbert chatted easily by Javier. If his son’s subdued answering bothered him, Dilbert made no show of it. Piers wanted to get home, but his son was engaging another child, and he wasn’t going to stop the exchange.

  Women—mothers—went by, sending deliberate flirtatious glances in his direction. Looks he ignored. There was one woman in this town who’d snared his attention. His son’s new teacher, London Rhymes.

  Allowing his gaze to drift from his child to London, he experienced the same stirring he had the first time he’d seen her. It hadn’t been in any romantic setting, slow motion, or at some fancy restaurant with her all dressed up. Nope, his first sighting of her had happened in the grocery store.

  He couldn’t even say it had been in the produce section with her touching fruit or vegetables. She’d been standing in the cracker aisle, her long toned legs reaching from below a pair of green shorts. Her gray shirt had members of the Justice League on it with the phrase “Get Some Action” surrounding the image. On her feet, she’d had on black sandals.

  Something long dead in him had stirred from his first glance. But, when she’d turned a blinding smile on the child who had run up to her calling out “Ms. London”, his heart had tripped. More than once. She’d dropped instantly to one knee to hug the child, uncaring or oblivious to the yogurt that found its way down her shirt.

  He’d stayed there, listening as she laughed and chatted with the family who came to get their child. How she’d continually waved off their concern for her clothing. Her response had been it would wash out and there wasn’t anything to worry about. He’d learned, then, she was a teacher in the elementary school and decided right then and there she would be teaching Javier. She hadn’t been in school, and she’d still taken the time to interact with the child.

  After his wife died, he’d been a recluse, focusing on his son. Still, when Carmen had been alive, he’d not been the best of fathers. They’d married strictly because she’d been pregnant with Javier. Otherwise, Piers would have moved on with his life without a single thought for her. Javier had changed everything.

  Not between him and Carmen—he’d liked her well enough but to say they’d been in love would be an out and out lie. They’d lusted. They’d fucked. She’d gotten knocked up, and he did the right thing by her. She had liked the notoriety that came with him, and the male attention. Not that he minded the female looks he got. They’d discussed moving here to this smaller town, away from the fast life, to try being a family when she’d been in a car accident. One that had taken her life and gave Javier his scar.

  Until London, no woman had gotten any response out of Piers. She didn’t send him coy looks as others did. In fact, he was pretty confident London hadn’t any clue who he was other than a father. He liked that.

  For the past year, he’d watched her—in and out of school, how she was—and he was even more confirmed in his decision to have Javier put in her class. His boy hadn’t come out of his shell yet, and Piers was concerned. The therapist said it would take time, a fact he understood, but it still bothered him to see Javier so withdrawn.

  “Papá?”

  His lips turned up as he glanced down to see his son there. “Yes?”

  “Can we get a snack?”

  “Absolutely.” He reached out his hand. “Are you excited to start school?”

  “I suppose.” No inflection in his tone. “Dilbert is my friend.”

  “That’s wonderful. I’m sure you’ll see some of the children that had be
en in your class last year, also.”

  “I like Dilbert.”

  “I’m sure he likes you, as well.” They walked to the door. He paused there and cast another glance over London. Her skirt suit showcased her curves. The gray color was offset by a splash of tangerine color on the collar of the jacket. Her hair fell loose around her face and moved in time with her laughter.

  She skimmed over him with a brief look before settling her gaze on Javier. “Good to meet you, Mr. Javier. I look forward to seeing you in class.”

  “Goodbye, Ms. Rhymes.”

  I didn’t even have to tell him to reply to her. “I’ll be seeing you around, Ms. Rhymes,” Piers said.

  “Goodnight, sir.” She turned from him to someone else.

  He knew she’d been pissed at his statement about others at the school. Perhaps she was right, and they were all fine. All he knew was he wanted her to teach his son.

  Later that night, as he walked from Javier’s room once his son had been tucked in, Piers strode to his office. He gazed around at memories from his past life. Trophies. Medals. Things that used to be out in the living room, shown off. Now, they were tucked away in his office where no one else would see them.

  He left the office and drew the door shut behind him. Heading downstairs, he swiped a beer from the fridge and popped the top. He saw his reflection in the large window and saluted himself with the bottle.

  I’m an ex-MMA fighter, who is a widower and a father. I’m still not quite sure what the fuck I’m doing here in this small town.

  He flopped down on his sofa and stretched out his legs. He had other reasons for being after London. He wanted her in his bed. She made him feel alive after he’d been not for so long.

  Chapter Two

  London harrumphed as she stared at the women around her. “Y’all are crazy; you know that, don’t you?”

  Sarah Mallery and Kendria Bonher shared a glance before shrugging with false innocence then laughing even harder.

  “I fail to see what’s so funny,” London griped.

  “Do you ever take your head out of your comic books?” Sarah asked, eyes sparkling.