Bayou Stix Series: Bayou Stix Limited Edition Box Set (139 page)

Best. Sex. Ever. In. The. History. Of. The. World!

And mine! Finally, all mine! Hallelujah!

I just seduced Cruz in my secret garden. This was always my place. My special place. When things would get insane and my family would get to be too much… I would come here. No one knows about it. Just me. I found it when I was six. I’ve never shared it with anyone before. It was always my secret place. My sacred space. Now, I’ve shared it with Cruz…

We’re still naked and I flop down next to him on the crushed flowers. I want to stay here forever… in my secret garden, but alas we can’t. There’s a party up at the house and my family is also there. Reluctantly, I sit up and search out my clothes. I can feel his gaze on me as I crawl across the crushed wildflowers to grab my undergarments. Standing, I turn and look at him as I slip into my panties. He just watches me with his hand shielding his eyes from the sun.

He looks content. He looks… happy.

“You’re too much, Tifanie.”

I smile. “No, I’m just enough.”

He smiles back as he stands and stretches. His skin is gleaming in the reflection of the sun. He’s so defined. His body is perfection, but then you add in that face and those eyes and I have no defense. I’m just a goner. Is there any wonder I’m completely in love with him?!

Stop that right now. If he had any idea on what you’re thinking, he’d be out of here faster than Usain Bolt!

Baby steps. All in good time, Tifanie!

He smirks at me as he slips his slacks back on. “What’s that look for? What’s going through that head of yours?”

Chuckling, I take in the picture of him with his slacks unbuttoned standing in front of me in my favorite place. Holding out my hands like a camera, I wink at him. “More than you want to know.”

Smiling, he slips his shirt back on and starts on the buttons. I just watch him, as that body I’m fascinated by, is covered back up. He stops and rolls the sleeves before he tucks the tail back in and buckles his belt. I’m so distracted by him I completely stop getting dressed as I watch him.

A voice suddenly approaches the clearing. Putting my finger over my lips, I stare at him to convey that he should be quiet.

He nods as they get closer. I slip my dress on and listen to see who it is. My sister’s voice comes through loud and clear. It sounds as if she’s on the phone. I don’t hear anyone else. “I don’t know what Tifanie was thinking bringing him here. She’s always snubbing her nose at us. I’m so embarrassed. Why can’t she ever think of anyone but herself?

“That…
man
… He’s black! Why would she do that? She can’t really be interested in him!”

How dare she?! How dare she say that! Stupid bitch! I’m furious and I want nothing more than to storm out of here and light into her.

Cruz reads my face and shakes his head to stop me. He shrugs and smiles at me.
Wait, is he ok?! He’s not pissed that she just said that?!

I look at him questioningly. He smiles and crosses over to me as AnnaBeth’s voice slowly gets farther away. She’s still close, but no longer right on top of us. Taking me in his arms, he leans down and kisses me softly. I look at him in wonder. I whisper, “What was that?”

He smiles and brushes his mouth against mine again before whispering back, “Just kissing my amazing girlfriend.”

My heart seems to lighten and I’m surprised I don’t float off the ground. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pull his head back down to me and kiss him with all of the pent up emotions I’m feeling. I put all of the love in my heart into my kiss and tell him without words just what he means to me.

We only break apart as we hear more footsteps on the path. Both of us listen. These are fast and seem angry.

A voice cuts off AnnaBeth’s conversation. “What the hell are you doing, AnnaBeth?!”

She shrieks and something falls to the path. “Jesus! What the hell? What am I doing?! What the hell are
you
doing? Are you
following
me?!”

Looking at Cruz, my shock must be comical on my face. That’s Ty!

We hear a slight struggle and then a curse. “Yes, I am. I cannot believe you just allowed that douche canoe to say those things about Cruz! You’re such a piece of work, AnnaBeth Bellaforte!”

Her enraged voice spits out, “I’m a piece of work?! Me?! I’m not the one making a spectacle of myself! I’m not the one parading my lover around father’s constituents just to embarrass my family!”

“No, you would never do anything to
embarrass
the family, now would you?! You’re so worried about what
daddy
thinks that you don’t give a damn about anyone else. The perfect princess!”

Her painful gasp shakes me to my core. What the hell?!

“
Go to hell, Ty!
You don’t know anything! You go to hell!” Her voice cracks before her footsteps recede rapidly.

The hedges rattle as if someone hit them and Ty mutters, “I’m already there, princess! I’m already there.” before he stomps farther down the path as well.

My sister and Ty?! What the shit did we just hear?!

My eyes are shocked as I glance at Cruz. I whisper, “That was my sister… and… Ty!”

He looks at me wryly. “Yeah, I gathered that too.”

“What the fuck?!”

He grimaces. “I have no idea, Tif. I don’t know.” Taking my hand, he squeezes my fingers. “We should get back to the party.”

I nod. My sister and Ty… The fuck!?

We head to the party and for the next few hours, we mingle and eat and drink. I keep an eye out for AnnaBeth and Ty, but both keep their distance. AnnaBeth stays at Stanton’s side and Ty stays near Grandma Clarabelle putting away a good amount of liquor.

We sing Happy Birthday and a giant cake is brought out and consumed. Grandma Clarabelle talks to Cruz and laughs a lot. She seems to like him.

The party wraps up as it starts to get dark and my parents head inside to change clothes for some fundraiser they are attending. AnnaBeth disappears with Stanton and eventually it’s just Grandma Clarabelle, myself, and Cruz. Ty is passed out on the sofa in the den. He drank a lot of alcohol.

After checking his phone, Cruz excuses himself to make a phone call and it’s just Grandma Clarabelle and me in the parlor. Grandma orders tea and I ask for a coffee and the housekeeper heads off to fix it. We sit in comfortable silence for a bit.

Grandma breaks the silence. “So, dear. You’re in love.”

My gaze swings to her and I laugh at the expression on her face. I’m not going to lie to her. Glancing at the door to make certain Cruz is not there, I nod. “I am.”

She chuckles as she sees my glance. “You don’t want him to know. He’s got some things with him. Some secrets.”

I shrug. “He has some stuff, yes. But, no secrets. I know about everything.”

She nods and leans her head back against the velvet chair. “He’s a beautiful man with a wonderful demeanor. He’s good for you, belle fleur.” The housekeeper quietly delivers our tray of refreshments and excuses herself from the room once we thank her.

I smile as I stir creamer into my coffee. The color reminds me of Cruz’s skin. “He is beautiful. But it’s more than that. He’s just as beautiful on the inside as the outside.” I sigh. “And good Lord, is that man beautiful!”

Grandma Clarabelle chuckles. “Yes, he certainly is.” She looks at me and I notice the light in her eyes. “He did well today. He was scared, but he did well. This family is a lot to deal with. The stigma associated with him and his parentage is an old one. My stuck up son and his wife, your parents, are not going to approve of you being with a creole, a
mulatto
.” She reaches over and covers my hand with her wrinkled one. “But then again, you’re my grand-daughter. You are very much like me and you don’t care what they think. You shouldn’t.”

I smile at her. She’s right. I know people will disapprove of me being with Cruz, but the fact of the matter is that I don’t care what others think. I care what I think. “I know and you’re right. I don’t care what anyone thinks. I only care what I think and what he thinks. And I think that I love that man. He’s my future.”

She chuckles again as she pats my hand. “For what it’s worth, belle fleur… I approve very much of your choice.”

My heart warms. Grandma Clarabelle is the only person whose opinion matters to me. “Thank you. It does matter. In fact, your opinion is one of the only ones that I give one hoot about!”

She squeezes my hand and cackles. “I know.”

Leaning back, I close my eyes as I hold her hand and we stay that way until I hear her deep breaths, relaxed in slumber. I’m sure today was exhausting for her. She’s not a spring chicken anymore. Getting up, I grab a throw from the fainting couch and place it over her as I kiss her forehead.

Heading across the hall, I check on Ty. He’s snoring on the couch. I place a blanket over him as well and head toward the front of the house to find Cruz.

I check the front rooms and they’re all empty, so I cross to the kitchen and let the housekeeper know Grandma Clarabelle is asleep in the parlor and she can head up. I’ll wait around to help her to bed before we head out for the night.

Pouring myself a refill from the coffee pot before rinsing it and discarding the grounds, I head outside in search of my boyfriend.

I hear him on the phone and he sounds agitated.

“I will not! I have no desire to see him. I’ve told you that. I don’t even understand why you want me to. I love you, Momma, but I’m not and you need to stop bringing it up.”

He says a few more things and then he tells her goodnight. I don’t want to seem like I was eavesdropping, so I make certain to make some noise as I open the door. His head whips around and I can see the pain and frustration in his eyes. My heart aches for him. I’m assuming that was about his “father” again.

Crossing the porch as he hangs up, I wrap my arms around his waist and hug him. He hugs me back. Tightly.

Cruz

I
don’t know why Momma is so insistent that I meet with that asshole. I don’t want to. There is nothing he can do or say that will make me forgive him for what he did. I’m not strong enough to do that. I refuse to. He’s up to something and I am not going to be a pawn in whatever game he’s playing.

I hang up with Momma as I hear the front door open. Tifanie walks out and hugs me. I need the contact and I’ve never needed anyone other than my momma before. But, I need Tifanie.

Her arms wrap around my waist and I encircle her as she snuggles into my chest. She murmurs quietly, “Everything ok?”

I hug her tighter. “Yeah, fine. I had a missed call from my momma earlier so I just wanted to return it. She’s on me about meeting with Lucian again.”

I can see from her expression that she’s confused. “Lucian? Wait… His name is Lucian?”

Her body feels tense, so I pull back to look at her. I nod. “Yeah, it is. Lucian Wormer.”

She jerks out of my arms and throws her hands up over her mouth. The horror on her face scares the hell out of me. “What? You’re telling me your father is Lucian Wormer?!”

“The man who raped my momma is Lucian Wormer, yes. How do you know who he is?”

She’s unsteady on her feet and reaches out to steady herself before sinking into a chair. “Lucian Wormer was a friend of the family. I’ve never met him.” She looks at me. “But, I’ve heard his name over the years. My parents knew him. He and my father both courted my mother and when she chose my father over him, he lost his mind. Grandma Clarabelle said that he struck my mother with a fireplace poker and tried to assault her…” She looks at me with an unreadable expression on her face. “My uncle came in and stopped it.”

What did she say? The man who raped my momma attempted to do the same thing to
her
mother?!

I’m going to throw up. “What? Are you saying that the man who fathered me by raping my mother tried to rape
your
mother for choosing another man?!”

She nods. “Cruz… he’s evil. You can’t meet with him. I don’t know what he wants with you, but you can’t meet with him. People like that… Evil like that… It doesn’t just go away.”

How can I be involved with her now? Not only is she from an influential family, but my sperm donor attempted to harm her mother in the same way he succeeded in harming my own. No, no this can’t happen. It was bad enough when it was just my momma, but with this new information, no…

I have to get out of here.

I stand quickly and it startles her. She jerks back in fright.

I did that. She just jumped because she was scared of me. I can’t have her scared of me. I can’t do this. I’m not meant to be with anyone. I have to go.

“I need to go. I’m going to call one of the guys to come get me. Go on back inside, Tifanie. I’m sorry.”

She’s staring at me with her mouth hanging open. She shakes her head in disbelief and stands up. I take a step back as she steps toward me. “What? What the hell do you mean you’re leaving and you’re calling one of the guys?!”

Taking my phone out of my pocket I press the button to call Dade. “It’s best if I go. I’m not doing this to you. Go on inside.”

She grabs my phone and hangs it up. I sputter, “What are you doing, Tifanie? Give me the phone!”