Animal’s Reformation

by Wilder, Chiah

  “Austin has another friend. He just went to get him,” Kennedy said into Olivia’s ear.

  “No … I’m not interested,” she mumbled.

  “How do you know—you haven’t seen him. Anyway, no one’s asking you to make a lifetime commitment to him.” Kennedy picked up her glass and brought it to her mouth.

  “I’m not in the mood to make small talk. The band’s going to be starting, and I really don’t want some guy shouting in my ear while I’m wondering what the hell he’s saying.”

  “I’m definitely getting worried about you. Look at Harper—she’s enjoying Darcy’s company.”

  The lead singer announced his band, then a burst of electric guitars and drums filled the place. Suddenly the room seemed too small, too hot. Olivia felt like she was suffocating—she needed some air. She stood up and pointed toward the bathrooms and Kennedy nodded, her eyes sparkling as Austin and another cookie-cutter guy came over to the table.

  Olivia grabbed her purse and made her way to the door, weaving through the throng of people yelling to each other over the blaring music.

  Outside, the air felt cold and sweet. She stumbled away from a group of patrons smoking cigarettes and leaned against the brick wall, drawing in a deep breath. Olivia looked up into the night sky studded with stars, and suddenly realized that she had never been with a man who treated her well. So afraid of being alone, she’d settled for men who’d paid her compliments and attention while mistaking their carnal lust for love. All the men in her life had been different variations of her father: a bully, philanderer, and egotist.

  “I’m perfect fodder for the psych couch. A fucking cliché,” Olivia muttered under her breath, puffing out clouds that dissolved into nothing.

  She shivered as goosebumps rose on her arms and rubbed her hands up and down them for warmth.

  “Was the music too loud?” the deep, familiar voice murmured close to her ear.

  Warm tingles shot through her traitorous body, and Olivia didn’t like it one bit. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t even heard Animal approach. She looked up and the soft expression on his face mesmerized her.

  “You’re fucking freezing,” he said as his warm, strong arms slipped around her.

  “I’m good,” she answered through chattering teeth.

  “The fuck you are.”

  “No, really.” Another shiver racked her.

  Without a word, Animal pulled open his leather jacket. In seconds she was wrapped inside, his body heat warming her skin. Her heart jumped and plummeted straight down to the pit of her stomach. Something she’d never felt in all her life ached inside her. Olivia shivered, but this time the cold had nothing to do with it.

  “I didn’t expect to see you tonight,” he said, his breath hot on her skin.

  She looked up at him and noticed a small silver hoop dangling from his right ear. A strong urge to suck his lobe into her mouth and run her tongue across the metal overwhelmed her.

  “You don’t look like a schoolteacher tonight,” he added in a low voice. His dark eyes were on fire.

  Heat stole up her neck and spread across her cheeks. “Is that a compliment?”

  “Fuck, yeah.” Animal’s arms wrapped tighter around her.

  He’s Lucy’s dad. What the hell is wrong with you? Her rational mind yelled at her, but her lascivious body leaned closer to him. Olivia knew that she should push him away and go back inside to join her friends, but it felt so right being in his arms. Yeah … totally nuts.

  She pulled back just a bit. “Won’t your date wonder where you are?”

  Confusion marked his face, then a smirk curled up his lips. “The redhead? She was just some chick trying to get it on with me. Were you jealous?” Animal’s intense stare bored into her.

  Olivia cast her eyes downward. “No, why would I be? You can date whomever you like.”

  “You’re not a very good liar.” He chuckled. “Why the hell are you out here in the cold?”

  “I needed a breather. There’re too many people inside.”

  “Aren’t you gonna keep your date waiting?”

  This time it was her turn to be confused. “Date? I came with my girlfriends.” Then she remembered the friend that Austin had brought over to the table. So Animal was watching me. A schoolgirl thrill rushed through her. “Oh, you mean that—”

  “Suit and tie at your table.”

  “He’s a friend of the guy who’s hitting on my friend Kennedy. I don’t know any of them.” She tilted her head back and met his gaze. “Were you jealous?” She ran her tongue across her bottom lip and his eyes watched the movement.

  Filled with lust and desire, the heat of Animal’s gaze met hers, burning holes straight through her body and making her gasp. Before Olivia could react, he yanked her closer and crushed his mouth on hers. He tasted like whiskey and smelled of leather and something clean—like snow falling on evergreens.

  Animal tangled his hand in her hair and jerked her head back slightly, intensifying the kiss. A low moan escaped from her parted lips and their breaths mingled before he slipped his tongue deep inside her mouth. Fiery. Passionate. Demanding.

  Bright warning lights flashed in her brain, and Olivia wanted to pull away before she lost herself, but her body wouldn’t let her. It was like all her senses had been seduced and she felt as if she were floating in a haze of sensual heat.

  “Olivia,” he whispered slowly, prolonging each syllable as if he were savoring them.

  Never before had her name sounded so beautiful, so sexy, so wonderful as it did at that moment. Another moan broke from her lips as she leaned in for another kiss.

  His cellphone rang loudly, jarring both of them, and he pulled back. “I need to get this.”

  When he slid the phone out of the front pocket of his jeans, she could see the word HOME on the screen, along with a picture of Lucy. Olivia groaned inwardly and the sexual fog enveloping her evaporated into the frigid night air. She pushed away from him, and he held up his hand gesturing her to wait a minute.

  Animal spoke in a low voice on the phone, and Olivia only heard snippets of the conversation, which she gathered was about Lucy staying up later than her prescribed bedtime. As father and daughter hashed it out, humiliation pricked at Olivia’s cheeks as she berated her reckless behavior with a student’s father. How could I let that happen? Kissing him in public in front of a bar. She brought her shaking fingers to her temples and massaged the dull throbbing that would inevitably lead to a doozy of a headache.

  The cold breeze brought on another onslaught of goosebumps, and without Animal’s warmth, she shivered profusely. Deciding that her best move would be to go home, Olivia turned around and headed back to the bar to retrieve her coat and say goodnight to her friends. To say she was mortified by her actions would be the understatement of the year.

  “Olivia,” Animal called out to her.

  Heavy footsteps came from behind her and she stopped. “I need to get back inside.”

  “Yeah, it’s cold as fuck out here. I’ll buy you a drink.”

  “No, thank you. I’m going home,” she answered.

  He grabbed her arm and spun her around so that she faced him. A faint scowl marred his perfectly shaped eyebrows.

  “What the fuck?” he said.

  “I’m tired, although I don’t really owe you an explanation.”

  Animal shook his head. “Yeah, you do. Are you pissed off about the kiss?”

  “Yes.” She held her hand up to stop him from speaking. “Not at you, but at me. I overstepped the boundaries.”

  “What fuckin’ boundaries? Yours?”

  “Yes, and the school’s as well. You’re Lucy’s dad and she’s a student at Slavens. It should be pretty obvious why I’m upset at myself.”

  A smile whispered across his lips. “I’m not gonna tell, so there’s no problem. Anyway, you’re not Lucy’s teacher.”

  A jolt of pain stabbed into the back of her skull like an ice pick. Shit! “This really isn’t open
for debate. I had too much to drink and I acted foolishly—end of story.” She pressed the heel of her palm against the side of her head.

  Animal glared, unblinking. “There’s no fucking way you’re believing that ‘I’m drunk’ bullshit. You don’t wanna have some fun? That’s cool with me. I got a hot redhead in there who’s more than willing.” He jammed his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket, and she saw a muscle jump in his jaw.

  His words affected her like a slap in the face, and she was annoyed by it. “You’re free to do whatever you like,” she said through clenched teeth before stomping away from him.

  A tidal wave of heat washed over Olivia when she entered the tavern. Another band was on stage setting up as she made her way to her table. Harper and Darcy were still talking with each other, and Austin had his tongue halfway down Kennedy’s mouth as they clung to each other. At least he’s not a student’s father. Shit.

  “Olivia did you get lost?” Harper asked, a rosy glow lighting her face.

  “I just stepped out for some air. I’ve got a splitting headache, so I’m going to take off. Are you good?” She glanced at Darcy then back at Harper.

  “I’m very good.” Harper smiled broadly. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Okay, great.” Olivia slipped her arms through the sleeves of her coat then pointed at Kennedy. “Tell her I said bye—I don’t want to disturb her.”

  Harper laughed and leaned in a bit closer to Darcy, who snaked his arm across the back of her chair. “I will. Drive safely. I hope you feel better.”

  “Thanks. I just need to get some aspirin in me.”

  Olivia walked through the tavern toward the front door, very much aware of Animal’s penetrating stare on her. Outside, the cold night air circled around her bare legs as she strode across the parking lot. She slid into her car, locked the doors, and cranked up the heat. Leaning over, she took out a pair of gloves from the glovebox and slowly put them on. Her head was a throbbing mess, and all she wanted to do was wash the makeup off her face, change into her comfy pajamas, and go to bed.

  The night had been a disaster, but what had made it the absolute worst was that Animal’s kiss had showed her that every other one she’d had in her life had been wrong. And I loved every single minute of it.

  Large white flakes began to fall as Olivia pulled out of the lot, and she switched on the windshield wipers. She stared straight ahead at the snow swirling in the headlights of the oncoming cars as she slowly made her way home.

  Chapter Ten

  For the past two weeks, Animal had closed shutters and pulled blinds on the windows that faced south, essentially shutting out the view of Olivia’s house. The way he figured it, he didn’t need any fucked-up princess messing with his dick, so the less he saw of her, the better it was for the both of them.

  Olivia had made it abundantly clear that she’d regretted their kiss, and the last damn thing he’d ever do was chase a chick who didn’t want what he had to offer—a great fuck. The lame BS excuse about being Lucy’s teacher didn’t cut it with him, and she’d had the damn gall to blame the way she responded on being drunk that night. Animal decided that the good teacher had been scared of the passions he’d aroused in her when they’d kissed. And by the way she’d responded, there was no fucking doubt in his mind that he’d turned her the hell on.

  Animal went to the sink and washed the breakfast dishes then reached for a dish towel. He briefly shook his head, then went about drying the plates and coffee mug and putting them into the heavy old cupboard his dad had given him when he’d bought the house. The wooden cupboard had belonged to his paternal grandmother who’d brought it back from her small village in Ireland.

  He slid the dish towel off his shoulder and hung it over the oven door handle. “Fuck her,” he muttered under his breath.

  Anyway, Animal wasn’t interested in her type: one who always played by the rules, believed sex equaled love, and drooled over the thought of being Mrs. Prince Charming. Give him a woman who held up her middle finger to authority and that’s the one who got his blood pumping and his dick hard. Nah … he didn’t need the goody-goody next-door neighbor. There were too many other chicks to mess around with—willing, available women who didn’t give a flying fuck what people thought.

  Animal went into the family room and walked over to the coffee table strewn with magazines and books of motorcycles. He straightened up the stacks and set them on a bookshelf next to the fireplace. A blaring car alarm pierced the quiet, and Animal walked over to the window to see if there was any trouble. Olivia’s car was parked on the driveway, and he could see the back of her head in the driver’s seat, her arms moving like a frenzied bird flapping its wings. A few neighbors rushed out to see what the commotion was in the normally peaceful cul-de-sac.

  Finally the noise stopped and Olivia stayed in the car for a long moment before she opened the door. Instead of turning away, Animal propped an elbow on the window frame and watched as she stepped out onto the driveway. He sucked in a sharp breath and stayed still for several seconds, staring at her.

  She wore skinny jeans, short boots, and an oversized sweater that came right to her waist. Olivia popped open the trunk and leaned inside, showing off that luscious ass, and pulled out a large canvas bag filled with what looked like groceries. He watched her try to balance the bag on her knee while she grabbed for something else inside the trunk.

  The sunlight filtering through the leaves dappled her skin, highlighting her hair. She straightened up, a sack of food in one hand and a plastic gallon of water in the other, and she looked up at the trees with her head tipped back. As sun rays shone on her face, and her long hair cascaded down her back, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her. Fuck, she’s beautiful.

  As if sensing his scrutiny, Olivia glanced his way. For a long second, they looked at each other. Animal noticed her green eyes, wide and startled, and the pinkish flush on her cheeks. Seeing her that way—surprised, rattled, and aware—went straight to his dick.

  Olivia put the items in her arms down and turned to face him square on, a smile tugging at her lips, her chin lifting up in defiance, and her eyes sparkling … with desire? Maybe, but whatever it was, it made him want to plummet himself into her, to touch and smell and taste her. Fuck. Animal took a deep, ragged breath and kept his gaze fixed on Olivia even after she turned around, picked up the groceries, and faded away into her house. He stayed and watched, hoping Olivia would come back out again. The seconds turned into long minutes, and still, he stood against the window just to catch a glimpse of her, but she never appeared.

  The cellphone in his pocket vibrated just before he pushed away from the window. It was Jax letting him know that Lucy was having a good time at his house. Cherri had arranged a slumber party for their daughter, Paisley, and Lucy had been glowing from excitement for the past two days about the sleepover. Animal pretended not to notice, but whenever his daughter wasn’t looking, a big grin broke out over his face. The best thing that had happened since Lucy had come to live with him was how Paisley had become her best friend. Sometimes, though, Lucy would come home after spending an afternoon at Jax’s house and she’d be more sullen than usual. From some of the things Lucy had said about Paisley having “the best mother in the world,” Animal surmised that when his daughter saw her new best friend and Cherri together, it reminded her that her own mother had abandoned her. Animal didn’t know how to deal with those emotions any time they’d come up, so he usually tried to distract her. Video games and Legos seemed to do the trick.

  He slid the phone back into his pocket, closed the blinds, and stared around the quiet house. This was the first time in five months that he was alone. It was liberating and Animal decided to make the most of it. It’d been way too long since he’d gone to a club party and hung out with his brothers. A night of booze, rock and roll, and sex sounded good to him. The memory of his kiss with Olivia and the way she looked at him earlier that day played through his mind. Animal rolled his neck a
nd then his shoulders, the muscles tight. Maybe he just needed to get laid to thwart the tension that had been building since the sexy neighbor moved in next door.

  He scooped up his jacket from the back of the chair and thrust his arms through the sleeves. Animal just needed an outlet for his sexual tension, and the club girls would be more than willing. It was about time he lived it up a little; he’d missed the parties, playing pool with his buddies, and being a damn bachelor. With Lucy gone for the night, he had every intention of living up to his road name. Animal had earned it with every chick he banged and every bottle of Jack he downed, and it was time—if only for a night—to reclaim his reputation.

  Animal tossed the keys to his bike in the air and caught them as he made his way to the garage. He threw one leg over his black Harley-Davidson Fat Boy then rolled the bike to release the kickstand. The motorcycle roared to life then lurched forward as he sped down the street. He threaded through the streets until he hit the old highway road, then increased his speed. Cool air carrying the sweet scent of pine engulfed Animal while mountain streams, forests, and wildlife blurred past him as he swayed around tight curves. Animal had taken the long route to the club, enjoying the sun on his skin, the drone of the engine, and the feel of the ride. The past few weeks had been snowy, and busy, so he hadn’t been able to take out his bike, which had driven him crazy. Now, with the temperature in the high 50s, Animal relished the opportunity to go for a long ride before he headed to the clubhouse.

  Two hours later, he pushed down the kickstand, removed his sunglasses, and walked across the lot, the gravel crunching under his boots. It was still early in the afternoon and most of the brothers would be either passed out or still snoozing from the previous night’s party.

  Before he could pull out a chair, Hog, a prospect, rushed over and placed a shot of whiskey and a bottle of beer in front of Animal. Staring into the distance, he tilted his head back and let the whiskey burn down his throat, feeling—for the first time in two weeks—the sweet unknotting of relief.