Chapter 159

Grace

I really thought I'd be motivated, but as soon as Charles left me alone with the books, that deep sense of resistance hit me again. I pulled the open book back toward me. It was a huge, thick thing. There were no diagrams, no charts, just pages and pages of words. My head was starting to hurt, and I rubbed my eyes.

This was ridiculous. I was thirty years old, and here I was, acting like I was in high school, hating my English homework all over again. I pouted, listening to the sound of Eason and George coming back. Eason was laughing, his voice carrying down the hallway. He sounded happier than I think I had ever heard him. He came down the hallway.

"Still at it?" Eason asked.

I waved him off. "I'll get it done."

"I know," Eason said. "Want anything from the kitchen?"

I shook my head. "Go rest."

Eason hummed. "I will... Why don't you take a doodle break?"

My lips twitched at the thought. My mind involuntarily drifted back to a time when the concept of a doodle break seemed like the only thing that got me through the day. When my problems could be put on hold for just a few minutes of peace. When was the last time I'd taken a doodle break? Sometime in college? After that?

No, it had to be later. I remember it. I think I had been in the dining room.

It was during my marriage to Devin. The thought of it made me tense with resentment. Devin had been gone. Cecil had been only two years old at the time and a bundle of boundless energy. That morning, Devin and I had fought before he left. He'd complained that he had nothing to wear, which was true because I hadn't washed clothes in weeks. I just couldn't make myself do it. I had bought Cecil another week's worth of clothes, or maybe someone else had. I didn't bother changing clothes often enough to be out of clothing. He's stormed out in his pajamas, cursing at me about needing a suit, and I realized I hadn't even sent his suits off to be dry cleaned. Worse than that, I hadn't cared.

It hadn't been until Cecil had gotten so dirty that she had nothing left to wear if one more accident happened that I'd caved. I dragged her basket of clothes downstairs to try and get to the laundry. I remember sitting on the stairs while Cecil was out for a nap, just willing myself to put the stupid clothes in the stupid washer.

I didn't need another break until I had to fold clothes. The thought had felt like a death sentence. Amid the piles of clothes awaiting my attention, I stole a moment for a doodle break. It was a feeble attempt to escape it, but I remember feeling more prepared to fold Devin's stupid t-shirts and Cecil's tiny clothes to put them away.

What are you doing, mommy?Cecil had asked, rubbing her eyes as she toddled over to see. I remember lifting her into my lap so she could see the way she fumbled, trying to hold my pencil and add her own scribbles to the paper.

It was the first time I realized that she would sit in one place for hours if she had something to draw with. That afternoon, I ran out to get her pain and giant rolls of paper the way my mother had gotten me.

I could see her in her little white onesie, looking up at me from a giant piece of paper smeared in every color of the rainbow.

Look, Mommy, a rainbow!

And immediately after the memory faded, I felt like an idiot. Hadn't I just been talking about Cecil and her joy? I hit myself in the head. I bet Charles thought I was a damn idiot for not getting the obvious hint sooner. Hopefully, he wouldn't hold it against me for long and blame it on the stress.

I damn sure was going to.

Cecil was excited to start school, but I knew I wasn't wrong when I thought about the likelihood of her hating it.

If there was a chance for her to like school, to ease into it, it would have to change. But were the programs and curriculum as it was all Senate mandated, or was there room for change?

The answers were in one of these books. I went looking for the index book and found that there were two books on education law. I grabbed those first and brought them closer before starting to read.

I felt the enchantment break just as I was finishing taking notes on the curriculum changes I could make without interfering with the national curriculum requirements. I had no idea what the hell I would do to fund the art programs or who I could hire, but I could work all that out after the audit or sometime in between. Maybe it would have to wait until the drug started to make Wolfe Medical money. Either way, I'd figure it out.

Maybe I'd cut out some sports programs. It wasn't like we were likely to beat any of the lycan teams anyway.

I checked the time.

It wasn't even midnight yet. I almost felt proud, and as I headed out, I ran into Eason and George in the kitchen, drinking hot chocolate and eating again. Eason grinned at me, lifting his mug in a salute.

"You made it!" I nodded. He wiggled his eyebrows. "Going to go collect your reward, hm?"

I scowled at him. "Goodnight, Eason."

He cackled as I climbed the stairs. I went to my room, my heart racing as my gut clenched.

I opened the door and found him mostly undressed, sitting on the bed with a smirk. I let my eyes trail over his bare chest, over every hard edge of him, until my gaze reached the bulge in his pants.

"Before midnight," he said softly, his voice barely a whisper of sound as he leaned back on his hands. "I'm impressed. I think you deserve extra tuition."

I bit my lip and closed the door behind me. His eyes took on that sexy red glow as he looked at me.

"What do you say to a lesson in...more?"

"More?" My heart lurched.

He hummed, a low rumble in his chest. "More."

I bit my lip. "I've never been a good student."

"Something tells me I've got the proper motivation to turn you into a teacher's pet," he smirked. "Lock the door."

"But Cecil--"

"I've convinced George and Eason to run interference if need be. Lock. The. Door."

Before I could say another thing, I twisted the lock. It clicked so loud in the room that it was hard to think.

"Come here."

My feet moved toward him before I could consider it. He didn't move but spread his legs a bit.

"In my lap, darling."

I bit my lip but straddled his legs, settling my weight in his lap. He reached up, sliding his hands beneath my shirt, trailing his fingertips across my belly. It was almost ticklish, if not for the way it felt like he was setting me on fire. He leaned up.

"Arms up."

I lifted them and let him pull my sweater over my head along with my shirt before using the fabric to trap my arms behind me. My heart started to race as he kissed me, long and sweet. There was a question in his kiss that I wanted to answer, and I trembled because he already knew it. I felt him smile against my mouth. He gathered my hair over one shoulder and pressed his face into my neck, taking a deep breath as he drew me closer, setting my weight on the hard line of his erection.

"You did well." He whispered. "Gold stars."

I shuddered. "That... shouldn't be as sexy as it is."

"Everyone likes validation and a little encouragement."

His mouth was hot and hungry. He caressed my breasts through the cheap fabric of my bra.

"You need more lingerie," he whispered. "I'll get you something lacy--do you like lace?"

I shuddered. "I don't really... have a preference."

"You will," he said as he dragged his tongue over the hollow of my throat, licking down towards my breasts. I closed my eyes, relaxing into his arms as he found the clasp at my back and undid it with a twist of his wrist. He shoved the cups up and held one of my breasts in his hands as he drew one of my nipples into his mouth. I shuddered, trying not to pull away, to lean into it and let him do as he pleased because he wouldn't do a damn thing I didn't want him to.

It was a little frightening how assured I was of this.

"Do you have a meeting tomorrow?"

I frowned and looked down, disoriented. "What?"

He smiled. "Plans that would require you out of bed early tomorrow?"

I shook my head, and the glow in his eyes grew brighter as he turned us over and put me on my back.

"Perfect," he grinned. "Let's see how many gold stars you can earn tonight."