Right Where We Belong (Silver Springs #4)(41)

“The fact that you didn’t get what you needed is his fault,” he said. “Some of the people in our lives—even the people closest to us—may not possess the compassion or concern they should.” He was speaking from experience. That was what he told himself whenever he thought of that moment at the park when he’d first realized he’d been left behind. He hadn’t done anything to deserve his stepmother driving away. And yet it was hard not to feel she’d rejected him because he was unworthy of the love he needed. The ironic thing was that even after his father chose his stepmother over him, the marriage didn’t last. His father was now married to someone else, someone much nicer, not that Gavin was willing to have a relationship with either one of them.

“I’ve been under a lot of pressure, that’s all.” She was trying to minimize what she felt so that she didn’t bring him down with her. He’d done the same thing, many times. And he’d seen the boys at the ranch act in a similar fashion.

“Do you have some lotion handy?” he asked.

“Lotion?” she repeated.

“Yeah.”

“In the bathroom. Why?”

“Will you get it for me?”

When she did as he asked, he had her roll onto her stomach and used the cream to give her a massage.

“This feels amazing,” she said, “but I shouldn’t be letting you do it.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s late, and you’ve already done so much for me. I’m your neighbor. It’s not like you owe me anything.”

“Relax. This isn’t a chore. I like feeling your skin, your body. I’m doing it because I want to.” And because he believed that touch, when used in the appropriate way, and with care and concern, had the power to heal. He’d seen his mother hold students who were so hardened, so tough, that they’d been sent to New Horizons as a last-ditch effort to help them avoid prison—and who, before long, ended up breaking down and sobbing in her arms. And he’d watched how she used every opportunity to reassure the troubled boys who attended school at the ranch by patting them on the back, giving their arm an affectionate squeeze, welcoming them with a warm hug. She always demonstrated love, and he’d seen how quickly it could make a difference. The love she’d given him had acted as a beacon that’d led him out of the storm that’d been his own childhood.

“Wouldn’t you rather make love again?” she asked. “At least then there’d be something in it for you.”

“Not right now.”

“Because...”

She had a hard time allowing others to be the one to give, he decided. “Because this is more important,” he said, and was relieved when she finally succumbed to his ministrations and eventually drifted off to sleep.





11

“Mom, I had another accident.”

Savanna opened her eyes to see Branson standing at the edge of her bed. Since she didn’t have drapes on the window yet, it was easy to tell that the sun hadn’t come up. The color of the light indicated it was close to dawn, though.

She allowed her eyelids to slide closed again. Just for a few seconds, she told herself. She’d been sleeping deeply, was loath to return to full consciousness.

“Mommy?”

Branson. Her son needed her. The distress in his voice finally pierced through her grogginess. Then she remembered why she felt so relaxed and fulfilled and, in a panic, flung out her arm to see what she might encounter on the other side of the bed. Was Gavin still with her? She hadn’t meant to let him stay until morning, didn’t want her son to see him lying next to her. But since they’d granted themselves only one night, she’d wanted to claim every minute. Not only was he the best lover she’d ever had, which wasn’t saying much considering Gordon was her only other experience, he was also the best lover she could imagine.

Fortunately, her hand encountered nothing but bedding and pillows. And, from what she could tell, he wasn’t in the bathroom, either. There was no light, no noise. He must’ve gotten up and left while she was sleeping.

Thank goodness he’d been aware enough to do that...

Drawing a deep breath in an attempt to compensate for the adrenaline that’d jolted her into full wakefulness, she smiled at her son. “It’s okay, honey. Did you wash off and change your clothes?”

“Not yet.”

No doubt he was wondering why she wasn’t getting up to help him. But she wasn’t wearing any clothes, and she couldn’t ask him to leave while she dressed. She didn’t want him to know she was naked in the first place, since she generally didn’t sleep that way. “Then you go wash up and change while I get you some fresh bedding, okay?”

He hesitated a little longer. “Why is this happening?” he whispered. “Even Alia doesn’t pee the bed. And she’s younger than me.”

“Everything’s going to be okay,” she told him. “I’ll be there in a second.”

As soon as he went out, she pushed back the blankets and forced her body to obey her brain’s commands. Her night with Gavin was over. Time to be a mother again.

With a small smile for how many times they’d woken up and made love, especially for how Gavin had encouraged her to ride him after he’d been on top for the two previous encounters, she shoved her hair out of her face and that beautiful memory to the back of her mind. She wanted to hang on to the good feelings he’d inspired for a little longer, but the afterglow of their night together disappeared when she found her son, changed into dry clothes, crying.