Page 55 of Naughty by Nature

Chapter 17

Cheyenne feltlike she’d lost five hundred pounds. She felt lighter in her skin, giddy. As she crept from Sheridan’s room early the next morning, she felt like a teenager.

He’d tried to convince her to stay, to wake together. The kids already knew there was something going on. It seemed stupid to act like it wasn’t.

But she’d stuck to her guns, even as he tugged her nipples into his mouth and tried to convince her. Sheridan Lane was a big teddy bear. He’d held her as she’d cried her relief at claiming her womanhood back, and he hadn’t discouraged her from feeling everything she needed to. He seemed to understand what she was going through.

When he couldn’t convince her to stay, he told her he loved her and let her go. He needed to get dressed for work anyway, he said.

Oh, yeah. It was Monday.

Two more days and she would officially be off for summer vacation.

Cheyenne wanted to call Payton and talk, but it was way too early. Sheridan stopped her before she went to wake the girls.

“Why don’t you let them stay with Olivia? You can see them on the cameras and it’ll save you having to watch them while you’re in your meetings.”

Cheyenne debated for a moment, before nodding her head. “Yes, I think it might be okay.”

The girls had woken before they left anyway, and seemed excited to have another day with Olivia. The teenager, of course, tried to play it cool, but Cheyenne could see the excitement in her eyes as well. As they were walking out the door, Cheyenne heard her ask the girls if they’d ever played Xbox.

“Oh, jeez. My girls are never going to be the same again,” she sighed.

Sheridan gave her a hand up into the gold Sheriff’s department truck, in its special chalk parking spot. “Oh, whatever. I grew up playing video games. Olivia has pretty mild games. Nothing bad or gory.”

They chatted as they drove to work, Sheridan occasionally reaching over to stroke her hand or her hair, or arm, whatever he could reach. And when the day was ended, they did the same, recounting what had happened and just being together. Cheyenne basked in his attention.

The girls were happy to see them home and regaled them with what they’d done together. Nothing epic, just everyday normal stuff.

And as the night waned and the kids went to bed, the tension between Cheyenne and Sheridan built. They didn’t even pretend with the pool that night, just slipped into bed together, loving like they’d been apart weeks rather than days.

Cheyenne rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart recover.

The next day was just the same. They chatted on the way to work, she went to meetings. Normal, boring day. Until Grace called her cell phone just after lunch.

Cheyenne excused herself and answered the call. “Grace? What do you need?”

“Mama, he’s here. The man with the tattoos! He can’t get in the gate but he’s shaking them and Wulf is barking. What if he drives his truck through them?”

Cold terror flowed through her veins and Cheyenne reached for the phone on the wall. “Grace, baby, I’m going to call Sheridan with my other phone, okay? You stay right there. Do not hang up!”

Cheyenne pounded out the numbers of the sheriff’s department, her heart thudding out of her chest. Dispatch routed her call to Sheridan and she repeated what Grace had told her.

“Cheyenne, I am literally down the street from you. Run out and I’ll pick you up on the way. Don’t worry baby.”

Cheyenne could have cried as she took off running, leaving everything behind. Some of her friends asked her if she was okay, but she didn’t have time to stop. “We’re on our way, Grace. You stay on the phone, okay?”

“Yes, Mama.”

“Where are the other girls?”

“They’re with me. Savannah, no, stay here! Mama, Savannah is trying to get Wulf to come inside with us.”

“You tell her Mama says she can call from the door, but she is not to go outside.”

“She already did.”

There was rustling on the other end of the phone and Cheyenne could tell Grace was running. Then she was yelling at Savannah. A dog barked frantically in the background and metal pounded.

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