Chapter 5

I was walking home from Paxton's place thinking about the nothing exciting that happened, much to my disappointment. It appeared Paxton gave that one lesson and called me graduated. He won't even talk about it and when he did, he said it was done and no more will come of it. What a douche, we had a deal, but not of course he would grow some sort of sense of moral fortitude and renege on our deal. He was just scared of the brothers, like everyone else.

I sighed annoyed as I made the short walk through the forest to my house, mentally cursing my brothers for interfering again. Even if they didn't know they did.

Whispering made me stop in my tracks, almost falling over. I barely caught myself on a large tree about 200 yards from my house. Tilting my head here and there and I soon located what sounded like a quiet argument. I leaned around the tree that held me up and saw Jeremy pressing up against a woman with wildly curly dark hair about an acre away, the large span of Jeremy's back hid her face. They seemed to be having a lust hate moment where they would argue and then when the argument reached a level of intensity they would start humping against the tree.

"You need to tell him!" Jeremy whispered fiercely.

"No, he won't understand, he will think you betrayed him. He still holds to the hope we will get back together." The woman quietly protested. I could hear her sniffing, evidence of the emotion in the conversation. I was thinking hard, trying to remember if Jeremy had said anything at all about someone he was dating and I couldn't think of anything. In fact, I couldn't remember him saying anything about anyone of the opposite sex for months.

"Then I will tell him. I refuse to do this anymore." Jeremy said fiercely and I had to say, I was proud of my brother. I didn't know the situation with this mysterious woman but he was standing up for what was right. That in my book was all that mattered. Even if his secret girlfriend had Jimmy Choo knock-offs — OH MY GOD!

I slapped my hand over my mouth and quietly backed until it was safe to start running. I ran fast and hard until my chest was burning and my throat hurt so bad it was like razors with each swallow.

I ran straight into Ash.

"Fucking hell, Parker, what's wrong?" He said, steadying me before I toppled over.

"Ash!" I gasped, looking back and seeing that you couldn't spot Jeremy and Kim from where we stood, but I knew they heard our voices. He followed my gaze frowning and looked back at me. "What happened? Did Paxton do something?! I told that fucker he shouldn't take those pills until after you go home, it makes him loopy."

I shook my head fast and gave a shaky smile. "No, I thought I saw a… wolf."

Ash snorted, throwing an arm over my shoulders, heading to the house. "You dumbass, you know you shouldn't run from a wolf." He smirked looking down at me. "They like it."

I shivered and he laughed at me. I calmed down and opened my mouth to throw out a lame hypothetical situation that I thought would get me an answer to this recent problem, but Jeremy walked up on us from the direction of the beach and I snapped my mouth shut giving him a smile.

They started talking and I was instantly forgotten, which was fine with me at the moment. I just saw my brother dry humping and kissing my other brother's ex-wife against a tree. I am pretty sure there was a violated guy code there, if not a brother code at least. We walked into the house and brothers started horsing around, with Sam snapping at them to chill out while I started on dinner. Everything was normal.

The next day I was supposed to go back to work at the school and I was nervous. Not because of the going back part, but the seeing Byron part. I knew I wanted to try out the kissing again, but how do you approach something like that? He was very graceful and smooth. I wasn't…

I looked down at myself and sighed. I was wearing a pair of old sweats that I always wore when I didn't have to be in public and a black tank top. The only thing I was superb at was throwing things at my brothers' heads and cooking.

"Knock it off Ash!" Ember shouted from the other room and I rolled my eyes while listening to the brothers' fight.

"Ash, cut the shit." Sam growled in a low voice.

"Don't be such a bitch, Emb. Maybe you should go ask your boyfriend for some pointers on being a man." Ash grumbled back.

"I'll just ask Michelle, since that's all I've been fucking lately." Ember growled out and I had to give a small clap for him. He is always getting picked on by Ash.

There was the sound of a chair slamming against the wall and Sam barking orders to stop. "You leave my fucking girlfriend out of this you fucking prickles princess." There was a situation last year where Ash was secretly dating a woman (Michelle), still is dating her actually, because she had a husband. (They were in the middle of a divorce but were still considered married). 

Michelle met Ember one night at a bar when Ash and her had a fight and broke up. Ember was already three drinks in with a low tolerance and a long drunken night later they had gotten frisky. They woke the next morning and realized what they had done. It wasn't until a few months later when Ash could go public on his relationship with Michelle that they realized the big mistake they made. Ash of course took this personally from Ember but forgave Michelle.

Michelle met Ember one night at a bar when Ash and her had a fight and broke up. Ember was already three drinks in with a low tolerance and a long drunken night later they had gotten frisky. They woke the next morning and realized what they had had sex. It wasn't until a few months later when Ash could go public on his relationship with Michelle that they realized the big mistake they made. Ash of course took this personally from Ember but forgave Michelle.

Michelle met Ember one night at a bar when Ash and her had a fight and broke up. Ember was already three drinks in with a low tolerance and a long drunken night later they had gotten frisky. They woke the next morning and realized they had had sex. It wasn't until a few months later when Ash could go public on his relationship with Michelle that they realized the big mistake they made. Ash of course took this personally from Ember but forgave Michelle.

Michelle met Ember one night at a bar when Ash and her had a fight and broke up. Ember was already three drinks in with a low tolerance and a long drunken night later, they woke the next morning and realized they had had sex. It wasn't until a few months later when Ash could go public on his relationship with Michelle that they realized the big mistake they made. Ash of course took this personally from Ember but forgave Michelle.

Michelle met Ember one night at a bar when Ash and her had a fight and broke up. Ember was already three drinks in with a low tolerance list. Long drunken night later, they woke the next morning and realized they had had sex. It wasn't until a few months later when Ash could go public on his relationship with Michelle that they realized the big mistake they made. Ash of course took this personally from Ember but forgave Michelle.

"She found my prick, pretty easily, and that thing she does with her tongue… goddamnit!" there was a smacking sound and more slamming furniture. I sighed and went outside, grabbed a hold of the hose. Turning it on full blast and drug it inside, pulling the lever on the sprayer, soaking everyone in my reach, though focusing on Ash and Ember as they went from fighting each other to coming after me. I squeaked and took off back outside, dropping the hose in my hurry.

I made it outside the house and to the side of the house.

Then I ran into Sam, bouncing off hitting the ground butt first with a grunt. He was dripping wet and furious. I am sure I can explain and he will understand. I mean he was there. He saw what happened. "S-Sam… I was trying to break up Ash and…" Fuck explaining, I took off running heading his pounding feet behind me making me squeak again in fear. When daddy was away, Sam was daddy and trust me, he took the job seriously.

"Parker, you get back here right now!"

Stupid non-gracefulness caused it to be inevitable that I tripped Ash's voice is echoing in my head.

'You know you shouldn't run from a wolf, they like it.'

I pounded at Sam's back when he picked me up off the ground and threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Now you stop that!" Sam said giving a hard smack on my ass making my cheeks burn with embarrassment, especially when I hear the boys laughing.

"Fuck you, Sam I'm not a kid anymore!" I screeched, kicking my legs.

"You drenched the entire living room, nugget." He said using my childhood nickname and punctuating the statement with another slap making me jump.

"They were fighting! I didn't feel like spending the night in the emergency room!" I defended, but I knew it was a done deal and I was in deep shit. Okay so I could have thought that through a bit more before running after the first semi-solution that came to my brain. I crossed my arms and refused to speak even after I was set on my feet on the porch.

You can act like you have an attitude all you want, but Sam has mastered the 'do not fuck with me because I won't take it' look perfectly. "Now we are going out to dinner and you can stay here and clean up the mess you just made." Sam said, crossing his arms like mine. Well, at least I know where I got that from.

My jaw all but bounced off the ground. "You're going out to eat without me because those two jackasses were trying to rip each other apart?" The smirks from the twins made my hand twitch in the hungry need to slap them.

"No." he said, shaking his head and looking me square in the eyes. "We are going to dinner while those two jackasses help you clean up the mess that they had caused you to create."

The twins' faces fell as fast as if someone turned the channel.

I smirked at them about to open my mouth with a smartass comment but it was a short-lived idea, killed by a sharp tone from the only voice that scared me more than Sam. "Parker, hold your weapon!"

My dad stood behind the pack of boys, his hands crossed across his chest. I almost snorted, but remembered I love life right now, so I didn't. "Yes, daddy." I said quickly, answering the demand he shot me. 

It was actually from my grandmother whom I had never met. Dad said that she used to say: "Fighting is essentially a masculine idea; a woman's weapon is her tongue." So, for as long as I can remember, whenever I was geared up for a super nasty comment, dad would say 'hold your weapon!'

My dad walked around the group so that he was in between me and the boys shaking his head. "Now my living room is soggy and my family is at odds." He looked at Sam who looked down at his hands in shame. "So, NO ONE will go out anywhere until that house is back in order. EVERYONE will work together to clean up while I watch the game in my room." With that, he walked into the house without another word.

"Thanks a lot, Parker." Jeremy mumbled, earning three different palms to the back of the head. I glared at him. "Don't be a douche-bag you know it was Ash and Ember who were fighting. You morons weren't doing anything to stop them while I was cooking dinner! So yes, I brought the hose in to stop them from wrecking the house. It may not have been the right thing to do, but it was more than what you were doing!"

Without another word, I went back inside.

Exhausted an hour later, we finally got it all cleaned up. I had collapsed on my bed, ignoring the sounds of my brothers and dad leaving the house to go to dinner. I didn't want to go, and I refused to cook for them. There was too much to think about and I was still a little more than kinda mad at them for the whole fight.

My phone sounded to tell me there was a message waiting for my attention. I frowned not knowing who it could be and picked up my phone smiling when I saw the display say: Byron.

By chance, I was in the neighborhood and I am almost sure I just saw a truck full of your kin minus you leaving your house. - Byron

They are going out to eat. I wasn't up to being public-like. Are you stalking my house?

I am loath to confess to that habit of mine. Would you like to come and sit on your porch with me? Maybe offer me a drink? Maybe show me your room? - Byron

My heart fluttered, and I jumped to my feet, running to the front door opening it wide with a nervous but bright smile seeing him sitting comfortably on the old rocking chair on my porch. Our house wasn't a large house, but it was solid and comfortable. "Byron!"

He got up and stepped into the kitchen, looking around briefly before he smiled and picking me up as he hugged me. I hugged him back fiercely because well, I needed a hug. He set me on my feet again and I smiled up at him. "How are you handling my kids?"

He smiled warmly and stepped back into his own space. "They are amazing, attentive and I am sorry your friend fell off a roof but I am truly grateful he did." I had to laugh at the sincerity in his face.

"You know I was not too happy about you coming to my classroom?" I said grabbing his hand and two beers and we made our way back through the house to my room. We were sitting on the edge of the bed before he responded.

He looked thoughtful for a moment and nodded. "No, I could see why you wouldn't."

I nodded too. "There are so many that come though the school every year that it irritated me that there would be this body, taking up the space I needed for children to learn." I smiled, squeezing his hand gently. "Then you came and you love the kids and you are funny and sexy and sweet." I smiled wider. "I am glad you came."

"I am glad I came, too." He said, grinning almost like it amused him I changed my tune about him being there. I didn't blame. 

We talked comfortably about school and my family, but soon he finished his beer and stood setting the bottle on the nightstand. I knew he was getting ready to leave so that he didn't get caught by my brothers and dad, so I stood with him setting my glass down too. I opened my arms and gave him a hug, truly feeling more confident than I ever have around a man in ages. He picked me up again and giving me a hug and when he set me on my feet again, I smiled up at him and immediately saw the intent in his look.

He was going to kiss me.

This time I was ready for him. I tilted my head slightly and met his lips halfway and my hands sliding up his neck and tangled in his hair. I had a small moan against his lips and he liked that. His hands slid down my back and rested on the curve on my ass, pulling me closer to him.

Feeling his tongue dart out briefly exhilarated me and I opened my mouth slightly letting his tongue explore my mouth. Everything was perfect and oh Gods was he a good kisser. He bent lower holding under my thighs before lifting me, forcing me to wrap my legs quickly around his waist for balance.

He fell forward landing on the bed, him on top of me with a grunt and a moan. Holy shit, I am making out with Byron and he is on top of me in my bed! I dragged my fingers along his scalp because it seemed like the right thing to do and it made his hips jerk. Oh Gods, do that again! The seam of his jeans rubbed directly across the bundle of nerves between my legs that the thin old sweats I was wearing didn't have any chance of resisting. Not that I would want them to resist.

He was panting when we finally separated for air and he pressed his forehead against mine. "That was…"

"Better than the last time? I am a little new at this." I said, embarrassed but not going to hide it.

He was shaking his head planting little kisses on my lips at once. "It was amazing and, maybe better than before but I loved the one before too." He smirked and got up, offering a hand, but I shook my head.

"If I get up now, we won't make it to the front door and you know it." I said, giving his tented jeans a pointed look.

He smiled ruefully and nodded as he backed out of the room. "Ma'am, I will see you tomorrow and dream sweet." He grinned again, and I listened to his footsteps all the way out the door.

I closed my eyes in bliss, letting the feelings wash over me. I was already daydreaming of when we could meet again.

I woke up to someone flicking my nose. I groaned, swatting at whoever it was and turning away from the assault on my face. "Nugget, get up." 

Guh, one of the annoying five is here.

"Go away!" I groaned into the pillow, my back still to the intruder.

"Get up or I am telling Sam and Dad there was someone over last night." My eyes flew open but I forced myself to stay perfectly still. "What are you talking about?"

There was a sigh and I heard the beer bottles clinking, mentally cursing myself for just falling asleep without cleaning up. "There are two beer bottles in here."

I put on my best bored look and glanced back at him. "I had two beers."

Jeremy stared back at me blankly, clearly not believing a word I was saying. "It was a school night and you never drink by yourself. Parker, you act like I don't know you at all."

Damn him. Then the light bulb went on. I didn't even have to lie about it. "You're right, I had someone here." I said trying not to smirk as I gave my guilty look. "It was Byron."

Jeremy definitely was not expecting that and his head jerked back in surprise. "Byron, the gay one from your work? What was he doing up here in your room?"

I rolled my eyes and shrugged. "Girl talk." I said with a shrug. He looked annoyed that he had nothing on me, but I smirked back at him and he looked at me like I grew a second head.

"What?"

"I know your secret Jeremy." I whispered. Something flashed in his eyes for a split second before it was gone and he tried looking confused again. "Don't act dumb Jeremy, if Jackson finds—" Jeremy's hand was over my mouth in a flash, still smelling of tooth paste and after shave.

"Okay, okay."

I nod signaling I won't say anything more and he gave me a measuring look before standing up and leaving the room without another word. I could tell he was trying to figure out just how many favors he owed me before we were square again.