Blue Autumn in the Bayou (Gumbo Love) (41 page)

For the meantime
, Demarcus lived in the house with Tempest, but he and Mer Drace spent their days together getting reacquainted. They fished and crabbed together. They even went swimming in the Gulf a few times. The reunion definitely made a positive impact on Mer Drace because the moment Autumn walked up the porch and caught a glimpse of her grandmother; she could hardly believe her eyes. Mer Drace looked like a new woman. She already belied her age and the blue eyes always gave her a mystic appearance. But at that moment, she looked even younger.

“Mer Drace.” Autumn rushed to her arms and hugged her with a tight squeeze.

“Hi, little one. I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

Demarcus hung in the background as he watched his wife embrace their granddaughter.

Autumn moved from Mer Drace and Travis fell in step right behind her. “Wow, you look absolutely gorgeous. I might have to put this one down and sweep you away.” Travis hugged and then kissed Mer Drace’s cheek.

That’s when Demarcus stepped out of the wings. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to stick with that little young thing over there, son. This one is mine.”

Both Travis and Autumn looked behind Mer Drace as Demarcus made his appearance. Autumn yelped and moved forward until she was in her grandfather’s hug. “Paw Paw, I’m glad to see you again.”

“So am I,
mon sha bebe
.” He kissed her forehead.

Travis
paused before he moved forward. He had to admit from the looks of things, all had worked out, but he still reserved the right to watch the old man just a while longer. “Sir, it’s nice to see you again.” He held out his hand.

Demarcus ignored Travis’s outstretched hand and reached around him and hugged Travis. “It’s good to see you too
, son. It looks as if you make my granddaughter very happy.”

“That’s my life goal.”

“Come inside. No use in standing out here. I have your favorites, both of you.”

Her family spent the evening together for supper. Even her Uncle Damon seemed lighthearted and refreshed. They went to mass and to Autumn’s surprise, Mer Drace and Demarcus had arranged to have their vows renewed. Demarcus agree
d to take counsel with the sitting priest. The convalidation now allowed Demarcus to move into the house with Mer Drace.

Mer Drace shared a few more tears. “Here I’m an old woman and ha
ve finally made my pact with God and the man I’ve loved all my life.”

They were blessed and everyone took part in the
Communion. Maree fixed a light meal that they ate at the cove where Demarcus and Mer Drace shared their first kiss. Autumn clung to Travis the entire time they were on the island. Something about her grandparents’ connection made her more in tune with Travis. She kissed him every chance she got. “How did I get so lucky?”

“I could say the same about me. But if you need a little coaching, I can make you a little more than lucky.” He whispered.

Autumn’s head fell back as she laughed. She raked her hands down his face. A dark shadow covered his unshaven chin and jaw. She pulled his lips to her. “Mmm. You’re just trying to seduce me, crazy man.”

“Is it working?”
he continued to feast on her lips.

“I can’t tell yet. Give me a few minutes more and I’ll let you know.”

“Well, while you’re thinking about it, you’re giving your family something to observe.”

She smiled. “They should keep an eye on those two old people over there sucking face.” She pointed to Mer Drace and Demarcus not far from where they sat.

“Well, when I get you behind closed doors, I’ll bet you any money that they’re not going to be able to do what I have in mind for you, darling.”

Autumn blushed behind her husband’s promise. With all the excitement when they arrived and the late hours they spent laughing and talking with the family, they didn’t get a chance to re-christen her bed in Mer Drace’s house. “I’m sure you’ll school me well, darling.” She drawled.

“Indeed I will.”

For Autumn
, the season flew by only because every weekend Travis was not working he was in New York with her. He racked up on airline mileage points, but she could tell that the traveling was getting the best of him. She was all so glad to do her last performance with him in the audience.

The startup for the center seemed to fall in place. Travis hired a staff but still needed a director. Secretly
, he hoped his wife would feel sorry for him and take leave from performing. He did have one thing to be happy about, their family reunion. The Brooks missed last year’s reunion, but Travis and his brothers were ready to take on the Boudreaux family.

In three days, more than three thousand family members planned to descend on City Park to fellowship and continue the tradition they started more than twenty-five years ago.

Autumn hastened her steps when she spotted Travis standing in what had become their meeting spot. She navigated through a sea of moving people. When she neared, she didn’t leap into his arms as she usually did. Instead she stopped directly in front of him and looked up into his handsome face. She enjoyed his body heat when he wrapped his arms around her. They stood and stared at each other while people busily moved around them.

Travis raised his hands and curved
them around her neck, pulling her forward while at the same time he lowered his lips until he hungrily covered her mouth. He then lowered one hand around her waist and dragged her against his body. He moaned.

Autumn willing
ly opened her mouth and savored the bittersweet kiss. Something was so different today. The way he looked at her, the way he kissed her, were all so new. She couldn’t explain exactly what that something was. She just knew that everything was so new. Whatever it was, captured them and their embrace, and she melted into his arms without hesitation.

“I miss
ed you.” His lips brushed against her face before they recaptured hers in a soulful kiss. “I’m so glad you’re home, darling.”

Autumn looked up at him. He’d only move
d his face inches from hers. She tried to read all the emotions she saw dancing in his gaze. She took her time committing what she saw to memory before she responded. “I miss you so much. I love you.”

“I love you.” He kissed her once more before he finally released her and grabbed for her carryon bag. “Let’s go before I make love to you right here in this airport.”

Autumn smiled and she fell in step with Travis as they made their way to the exit. “Well, if nothing else, we would cause a spectacle.”

Travis looked down at her. The happiness he heard in her voice reached over and touched his heart. All the drama of family coming and getting the park set up for their first event in a couple of days flew out the window. She was the exact medicine he needed. Even if nothing went right this weekend with the reunion, he was in a good place.

The passion standing between them was so intense it could be cut with a cane knife. Both Autumn and Travis talked around it on the drive back to the house. The small talk kept him from pulling over to indulge in one of his many privileges with Autumn.

Travis caught her up on the latest drama with Clem’s children. They hadn’t attended a family reunion in years. However the hush-hush about something Diane and her family was planning forced the children to come
to the reunion. They hadn’t been back to New Orleans since Clem’s funeral.

Once Travis finally got Autumn’s naked body beneath the sheets of their bed, he took his time loving her. He placed small kisses in all the right spots. He admired her body. Her breast
s seemed fuller, the areolae were more pronounced, and he savored each one until they stood at attention.

When he ventured down the center of her flat stomach, he trailed his tongue down a dark line that he
hadn’t remembered seeing there before, but it lead him directly down to the patch of soft, curly hair that hid the object of his desires.

Autumn bucked and bent into Travis’s lips. Her fingers eased through his
short wavy hair, guiding his mouth to spots that seemed to bring her the most pleasure. She held on until Travis broke through the barrier of her warm flesh with his tongue. A spasm sailed through her body so forceful she almost shattered into a thousand pieces.

He trailed his kisses back up to her lips and gave her a sample of her own passion. Travis took his time, only placing the tip of his penis into the wet opening before moving completely inside of her. Autumn attempted to move beneath him to gain better access, but Travis maintained the control, holding her at bay until he was ready.

And, at the point when he didn’t think he could hold on any longer, he enticed her with long hard thrusts. He didn’t stop until they both fell over into that place that always claimed them. His body trembled. With it, he finally collapsed on top of her. Autumn held him tight with her arms and legs. They laid that way until the crazy breathing between them stabilized.

Travis looked at Autumn from beneath lowered lashes. “I love you.”

Autumn didn’t bother to lift her lids. She couldn’t even if she wanted to. She was riding the high of their orgasm. “I love you.” She managed.

Travis rolled over. “Where did this come from?” He ran his finger down the center of her stomach.

“A weak spot.” Autumn answered. Again she didn’t open her eyes.

“This line wasn’t here before.” He traced his finger down her stomach.

Autumn’s stomach jumped at his touch. “What line?” She managed to open her eyes.

“This one.” He took her finger and ran it down the center of her body.

Autumn sat up and glanced down. A puzzled look eased across her face. She drew the line down her stomach with her own finger.

CHAPTER 43

Over the last week Autumn noticed that her breasts were tender, but attributed it to that time of the month. Her monthly schedule fluctuated from time to time, especially if things got hectic. And lately life leaned towards near lunacy. She looked up at Travis and shook her head. “I don’t know. I didn’t notice it until just now.”

“When was the last time you’ve been to a doctor?”

She hunched again. “I got a physical last year. Nothing out of the ordinary, I’m in perfect health.”

Travis placed his hand over hers. “Well, while you’re here, maybe you can get it check
ed out.”

“Okay. I will.”

“Do you feel like going out?”

“When I can have all of this?” She ran her hands over his upper body.

“So what are you going to tell your best friend?”

“My best friend has been getting all the loving she wants. I on the other hand have had to take cold showers. For that reason alone I’m not leaving this house.”

“Not until tomorrow, we have our first fellowship tomorrow.”

“Urrgghh. I forgot. Do we have to?”

“Yes, we have to.” He kissed her hard. “Come here.” He pulled her back down onto the bed. Not a minute later the phone rang; both the house phone and his cell phone rang at the same time. He picked up the house phone while his lips trailed down Autumn’s neck. He didn’t have a chance to speak into the device before he heard the voices on the other end.

“We know you’re in there. Get out of that bed and come on. We’re waiting for you
,” Trae yelled into the phone.

Travis put the phone to his ear. “
Brother, can’t a man make love to his wife? We’ll see your black tails tomorrow.”

“No
, you won’t,” Reggie roared in the background. “We’re in your driveway and we’re coming in if you don’t get out here in five minutes. And let me tell you, there’s about thirty of us on this bus, so get to moving!”

Travis could hear conversations and laughter in the background. “You wouldn’t. Man give us a break, we
—”

“You got all weekend to get some booty, son. Get out here, both of you.” Michael interjected. “Cousin Lloyd is in this bus and you know what will happen if we let him into your house.”

Travis groaned. He placed his head into the crook of Autumn’s neck and shoulder. He continued to hold the phone to his ear. The only thing he wanted to do at that moment was to make love to Autumn. “Okay! You’ll have to give us a minute to take a quick shower, alright? Just hold your horses!” He lifted his head and looked at Autumn. She heard bits and pieces of the conversation, but didn’t know that his family was set to storm into their house. “We have to get dressed, darling, and fast.”

Autumn frowned. “What’s up?”

“My crazy family is ready to storm into the house if we don’t get dressed and join them. You should have really thought a little longer before you married me, darling. I come from a kooky bunch of folks.” He moved off of her and at the same time, pulled her across the bed with him.

“What? What’s going on? Where are we going?”