Alexander (8 page)

He rocked into her. He tried to be gentle, to be slow, but she tasted so good, felt so good, that he found he wanted…no, he needed more. He took her mouth and devoured her.

Running his hand up her waist, he grasped the hem of her shirt in his fingers and worked them beneath the thin cotton. Moving his hand up, he skimmed hot skin, felt her muscles ripple beneath his touch. When he encountered her bra, he slid his fingers under it and filled his hand once again with her. She arched into him then ripped her mouth from his as she threw back her head and moaned deep, dark, and primal.

Moving his head down to her ribs, Alex bit then laved the tiny wound with his tongue while he moved the lace from what he wanted. Her. Her and her hard nipple. When she was free, Alex took the hardened peak into his mouth and suckled.

“
Please,” she moaned as her fingers wrapped into his hair and her legs wrapped around his hips. She rode him, rode him as hard as he did her. He wanted her now, wanted her forever.

He froze. Forever?

Alex rolled to his back and away from her to the other side of the bed. He’d only just met her today. This couldn’t be happening. Throwing his arm over his eyes, he tried to get a grip.

What the hell had he been doing? What had they nearly done? He looked over at her when he felt the bed shift to see her getting up and moving to the door. She was adjusting her clothes. It took her slamming out the door when she left the room before he realized she was leaving.

Alex leapt from the bed to catch her. She was about halfway down the stairs when he caught up with her and when he did, he quickly took two steps back when she turned.

“
Leave me alone, damn it. Being with you is like being a yo-yo on a string.” She sat on the stairs. “You have me so churned up inside I’m not sure if I want to beat you senseless or strip you naked and have you.”

Alex flushed. He knew just how she felt. When his father chuckled coming up the stairs, he knew they’d heard her.

“
I’d like to go back to the bakery, please. If someone could please take me, I’d very much appreciate it.” When he stepped forward, she practically snarled at him. “Don’t you dare. I swear to you if you kiss me again, I’m going to hit you over the head with something.”

His dad burst out laughing and his mother was trying her best not to join him. Alex didn’t see anything the least bit funny about any of this and couldn’t understand what the hell they were laughing about.

“
You are suppose to be going—” She lifted her hand and he shut up.

“
Could someone please take me back to the bakery? I have a job there that needs finishing.” She smiled at his dad and he nodded.

“
I’ll take you, dear. Let me get my coat. Alex, why don’t you stay here and keep your mother company?” Alex thought he heard his dad mumble, “it might be safer for you,” but wasn’t sure. They were out the door before he could get a word out.

He looked over at his mom who was smiling at him. He didn’t care for that smile and wished like hell he’d taken Heather to his house. This one had lunatics in it.

“
So, you’ve been kissing her, have you? She seems like a girl who…well, knows her own mind.” Alex wanted to glare at her, but couldn’t take another woman threatening him again today. “Who is she?”

“
My wife.”

~Chapter
8~

Jack looked at his mom again. She was acting strange. He’d never seen her hurt before for one thing, and she was madder than a hornet too. Jack had never actually seen a hornet before, but he’d heard his grandpa Tom say that before about somebody he worked with and decided if they looked like this then he wanted nothing to do with them. She started pacing again when he saw the tears.

“
Mom, why don’t you sit down? You look like you could use a rest.” She actually looked like she could use a good long nap, but he wisely kept that to himself. “I’ll get you a cup of tea.”

While he busied himself with the kettle, he kept hoping Grandpa Tom would come home. He’d know what to do. When she blew her nose again, Jack went over and hugged her. She hugged him back.

“
Oh Jack, what have I done?” He didn’t know what she meant, but patted her on the shoulder as she continued. “That man is going to drive me insane. And if he thinks he can kiss me whenever he wants just because he—”

“
Some man kissed you?” he shouted. “That’s just nasty. Gross, Mom, no wonder you’re all mad and stuff. Did he use his tongue and everything?”

He knew he’d gone just a bit too far when she raised both her brows at him. He wondered if she thought he didn’t know about sex and then decided maybe he’d better not ask. She seemed sort of…unhinged today.

“
He most certainly did not.” Then she frowned. “Not really. He…he did, but I didn’t like it. Not really.”

“
You said that twice. Who kissed you and why?” He didn’t want to think about his mom having anyone kiss her but him. “Is he the one that hurt you?”

“
No, he didn’t hurt me. It was an accident. Why did he kiss me?” She got up and started pacing the tiny kitchen. When the kettle started screaming that it was done, she made them both a cup of hot water. He hated hot tea and he was sure she knew it, but he thought if he got answers, he’d drink both their cups.

“
I don’t have any idea why he kissed me. Maybe he’s deranged or something.” Jack liked the sound of that. “He said he wanted to kiss me again.” He didn’t care so much for that.

“
Why? I mean, I guess it’s okay if you’re married or something when you have to kiss a girl, but gross, why would you do it on purpose? And want to do it again?” He picked up his cup and blew on it, stalling. “I seen people do it in movies, but I don’t see the big deal.”

“
I suppose you’ll change your mind when you get older,” she told him as she sat down with her cup.

He highly doubted that. Girls were okay and he liked kissing his mom, but girls? “I guess kissing a guy is different than when you kiss me, huh?”

“
Very. Men and women don’t always kiss because they’re married either. Though I haven’t been on a date in a long time, I guess they still do that.” She got up and pulled down the cookie tin. “But I would guess your grandpa Tom knows more about that than either of us.”

Jack thought his grandpa Tom knew everything. He was sometimes fuzzy on the details, but he knew a lot. He decided to ask him about kissing when he got the chance. He didn’t think he’d get the same answers he got from his mom, but he’d bet they’d be more colorful. Jack thought he’d ask his new friend Mr. Alex when he saw him again. If he saw him again.

Jack hadn’t told him mom about the stranger or his grandpa Tom. He did tell him about Mr. Alex. He’d told him how he’d shared a table with him and they’d had a good time. He didn’t want to tell him that Mr. Alex had walked him to the bus stop, afraid that his grandpa Tom would think he was a baby, but he hadn’t said that at all.

“
Good for you. It’s always nicer to take a stroll when you have a buddy with you. You can watch each other’s backs while you do it. You say he’s a friend of Miss Caroline? Well, probably knows about your mom then.” Grandpa Tom was quiet for a minute. “Don’t think I’d mention him to your mom. She’s a mite protective of you and would probably make you stay away from him. But listen, boy, he touches you or does anything that has you uncomfortable, you tell Miss Caroline and beat your ass home, hear?”

“
Yes, sir. I will.”

Jack looked over at the paper on the fridge with everyone’s schedule on it. He was thrilled to see his grandpa Tom had to work again in the morning and wondered if his mom would work over too. He was torn about that. He wanted her home to rest, but he wouldn’t mind spending some time with Mr. Alex too.

She got up from the table and started making dinner. He had to get his homework done before he’d be allowed to watch television so he pulled his book bag up on the table. He was just starting on his math when he heard his grandpa Tom’s keys in the door.

After dinner was cleaned up, he and his grandpa Tom sat down to watch some TV. His mom had gone to take her nap and he looked over at the older man when a commercial came on.

“
Grandpa Tom, I have something to tell you. Please don’t tell Mom.” He had to confess. It was weighing heavily on his mind.

“
Can’t make a call on that until you tell me what it is that’s eating you up. If it’s about your momma’s burn then you can rest assured I’ll make sure she keeps it clean and dry.”

Jack knew he would, and so would he. “No, sir. It’s about the man, Mr. Alex, and the real reason he walked me to the bus this morning.”

Grandpa Tom turned off the TV and looked at him. He didn’t say anything, but Jack knew that he’d have plenty to say once he heard. So he told him everything including the man taking pictures.

“
He was across the street when the bus came up. Mr. Alex, he walked in front of me the whole time like he didn’t want him to see me. I wasn’t scared when I was with him, but…well, I was about the man. It was like one of those movies where the kid is watched to see if he has a pattern then he gets snatched.”

“
You say this man, Mr. Alex, he saw him too?” Jack nodded. “You didn’t approach the man, did you? Say anything to him?” Jack shook his head. “You don’t either.”

Grandpa Tom sat back on the couch and closed his eyes. The room was dark, but Jack could see well enough to see that he wasn’t asleep. When he turned to Jack, he knew it was going to be something he didn’t like.

“
I’m going to meet you down there tomorrow and have a talk with this man.” Jack started to protest; he didn’t want his grandpa Tom hurt. “I’ll meet this Mr. Alex. I’m not saying I’m going to tell him stuff, but I think your momma might need a little help with this one.”

Jack wasn’t sure what kind of help his mom might need, but he nodded. Grandpa Tom would handle it just fine for him. Jack went to bed twenty minutes later and slept soundly. Hopefully, Mr. Alex wouldn’t mind meeting an old man.

~~~

Alex found himself watching for Jack. He didn’t have any idea if he’d show or not, but he hoped so. Alex was still a little pissed at his dad because he wouldn’t tell him about Heather, but he would get it soon enough. He was watching for his little baker too.

When Jack showed up with an older man with him, Alex stood up as they approached the table. He knew they were related by the eyes. No one but family could have eyes the color they had.

“
Mr. Alex. This is my grandpa Tom. We…he wants to speak to you.”

Alex stepped up to the counter and left his grandfather at the table. “Sir. Have a seat. I’m Alexander James.” He put out his hand and was rewarded with a hard shake. “Your grandson is a very special young man.”

“
Thomas Laird. Yes, he is. Very special.” They both looked over at the person in question. “He told me about the man who was stalking him yesterday. Did you know him?”

Alex let go of the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “No, sir. Jack pointed him out as a joke, I think. But the man seemed to have an unhealthy interest in Jack. I watched for him as we went to the bus, but he didn’t approach him.”

Mr. Laird turned back to him with a smile. “Don’t imagine too many men are stupid enough to approach you without an invite. You’re a big man.”

Alex flushed. “That I am. My father is as well. I only beat him by an inch. My mom is tall also.”

“
I wanted to thank you. Not many men would care about a kid enough to walk him to the bus stop. He and his momma are all I got. Well, that ain’t true. I got my daughter, but there ain’t a man in this here world that thinks she needs protecting.”

Jack came back with his muffin, a cup of coffee, and a container of milk. His grandda took the coffee and Jack sat down with his muffin. He looked up at him.

“
I’m sorry, Mr. Alex, can I get you something? I got about three bucks left.” When Jack stood, Alex looked over at Mr. Laird and just caught the shake of his head. He was telling him not to offer to pay for whatever he wanted.

“
Sure, I wouldn’t mind one of those muffins. I have coffee, though. That’s very nice of you.” When Jack left to get the muffin, Alex turned to Mr. Laird. “I’m part owner here, sir. I don’t need the boy to pay for my breakfast. I can well afford to pay for his as well as yours.”

“
Maybe I wasn’t thinking of monetary just now but of pride. He has a great deal of it. His mother gave him that. You’d do well to remember that money doesn’t mean squat to someone like Jack or my granddaughter.”

Alex didn’t understand, but he nodded. He didn’t know the man’s granddaughter.

They spoke for a bit longer and then Mr. Laird left. Jack finished his breakfast in much the same fashion as he had the day before. He cut up the muffin in to eight perfectly equal pieces and ate them without a single crumb falling on him or the tray.

“
My mom works here,” Jack said between bites. “She makes these for me at home. Not lately, the oven doesn’t work anymore, but she does make these for Miss Caroline.”

Alex felt the breath leave his body. He looked over at Lisa who was ringing out a customer and she winked at him when she saw him looking at her. He found himself hoping that she was his mother, but somehow knew that she wasn’t.

“
I’m not supposed to tell anyone who I am. It might…the welfare people might come back again or that woman. But she does okay, my mom, I mean. She works too hard, but we got each other.” Alex looked at Jack as he continued to eat his breakfast. “She got hurt yesterday. I was wondering if I could ask you a question.”