Savor (Cottonwood Falls, Book 5)

Savor

Copyright © 2015 Aliyah Burke

Cover illustration copyright © Covers By
K

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Editor: Jessica Bimberg

ISBN:
9781311369208

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This book is a work of fiction. All characters,
places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not
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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 Javier’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?”