“Fine, suit yourself,” Gloria says angrily just before she turns and looks at me. “Dakota, he wants you.” Then she turns and leaves towards the back. Shit, I really don’t want her to be upset with me. I need this job.
“Why do you insist on me cutting your hair?” I ask. Is he trying to make Gloria jealous, or just annoy her for some reason? I wish he wouldn’t use me to do it.
“I want to get to know you.” His low, rough voice makes chills race through my body. Why does this man have this kind of effect on me?
“I need this job. If this is a way to annoy Gloria or something, please don’t use me.”
“I don’t care about Gloria. It’s you I want to know everything about.” He starts to walk slowly towards me. The closer he gets, the hotter I get. Jeepers, I have never in my life felt this kind of attraction for anyone. Get hold of yourself!
“Why?” I ask. I can hear the breathlessness in my voice. “Why me? You don’t even know me.”
“You are meant for me,” he states. At any other time, I would laugh at his audacity, but going by the attraction I am feeling, I hope he isn’t playing me.
“Well, I’m afraid I have just moved into town, and getting to know someone is the last thing on my list.” I really wish I could say yes, but one thing I have learnt is to be cautious. I see his one eyebrow lift, and then he shoots me the sexiest smile I have ever seen on a man. Damn, he should be banned from smiling. “Please, take a seat,” I say, trying to move away from this awkward topic.
He looks from me to the chair and then back towards me before he shrugs and moves towards the chair and sits down. I am reluctant to touch him, because I have a feeling that the minute I place my hands on him, I will never want to take them off. Reluctantly, I raise my hands and place them on his hair. Darn, I just knew it. It’s as silky as it looks. My fingers stroke back the hair from his masculine face, and I’m really reluctant to cut even a strand of his hair. I see his hooded eyes as they look at the mirror at me.
“Why would you want to cut your hair?” I bite my bottom lip. Shut up, Dakota. What the hell? I’m not supposed to drive clients away. By the way it is going, I will be out of a job by the end of the day.
“If you carry on stroking my head the way you are, I won’t be responsible for my actions.” His voice is even lower than before, and there is a tone of danger in it. Danger that has my blood igniting with heat. I have always been attracted to the bad boys, but I have a feeling that Hunter is beyond my reach.
“You should just shave it all off.” I jump at Gloria’s comment as she walks into the salon again. And then I hear a noise that I swear sounds just like a growl. Pulling back my hands, I look at Hunter, who has now stood up again and is facing both of us.
“I’ve decided not to cut it after all,” he says, an intense look in his eyes. I look over at Gloria and see her glaring at the two of us. Oh boy, this means trouble, as I don’t think she will see this as him flirting with me.
“Of course you’re not!” Gloria sneers. “Did you just come in here to irritate me today, Hunter?”
To my surprise, he raises a brow and just looks at Gloria until she huffs and walks towards the counter again. “What time do you finish?” he asks, but his voice is low as not to carry towards the front of the salon where a woman has just entered.
“Why?” I ask suspiciously. I haven’t found a place to live yet, as I have only been in town for such a short time, so I rented a room at a little bed and breakfast just up the road. The last thing I want is for him to know where I’m staying.
“I want to take you out for dinner.”
“Maybe another day,” I say. I don’t want to jump into anything, but the thought of him kissing me suddenly crashes into my mind, and I can feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. Even though he doesn’t know what I’m thinking about, I have the feeling that he might be thinking in similar lines.
“I will be outside waiting,” he states before he turns to leave, not paying attention to my gasp of surprise at his blatant disregard for my dismissal. What a bossy man. If he thinks he will get me to do his bidding by being overbearing, he will be very surprised.
“I said I can’t make it today,” I say, but he is already walking away and doesn’t even stop at my statement. I see Gloria looking after him, but he doesn’t acknowledge her, which is surprising, as Gloria is a beautiful woman. I wonder if there is something there between the two of them. Gloria seems way too familiar with him.
“That is one fine man,” the customer standing at the counter with Gloria says as she looks at Hunter leaving.
“He’s nothing but trouble,” Gloria says, and then looks at me. Until now, she has been great. I hope that doesn’t change just because of this incident.
“What did he say?” she asks with a suspicious look on her face. I’m not sure I should mention that Hunter wants to take me out, but if he does come to the salon to pick me up, she will see him and think I’m hiding things from her.
“He asked me out.”
She tenses and then shakes her head. “He’s a player, Dakota. Make sure you don’t go for his sweet words, because they mean nothing.”
There is real resentment in her words, which tells me that there is definitely some kind of history between the two of them. Do I want to get in between them? What am I thinking? I have no intention of getting involved with someone. In the end, I will just break his heart and mine, as Jason will never give up! I will not take the chance of getting anyone hurt because of me. That has happened before. I will not let it happen again.
“He belongs to that motorbike club just out of town, doesn’t he?” the customer asks. “All those men are drop-dead gorgeous. One of them delivers in my area. I must confess to having ordered items just to have him come to my house.” She laughs at her statement, which has me smiling at her, but I notice that Gloria has a pensive look on her face.
“Yes, I noticed his kutte,” I say, remembering the words “Wolverine MC” embroidered on the back of the kutte in a dark red. “So, you say that one of them delivers parcels?” That’s a strange occupation for a biker.
“Oh, no, sweetheart, they have a delivery business. All the bikers deliver parcels, but they all allocate in different areas.” I guess it’s better being in the delivery business than distributing drugs or weapons like most motorbike clubs do. Maybe he isn’t such a bad boy as his look portrays.
“Are you going to go out with him?” Gloria asks.
“Well, I said no, but I don’t think he was listening.” She frowns in anger.
“In my opinion, I would go out with him, sweetheart, even if it’s just to look at him,” the woman snickers playfully. I shake my head in amusement at her playfulness.
“Dakota, why don’t you take Mrs. Thomson to wash her hair?” Gloria snaps, which has both of us looking over at her. She must have realized her snappish attitude, because her cheeks start to flush in embarrassment. This thing with Hunter has upset her, which tells me that I need to keep away from him as much as I can, because I can’t afford to lose my job.
“Please follow me, Mrs. Thomson,” I say as I walk towards the basins. After washing her hair, I take her towards the chairs where she will be having her hair cut. The rest of the day rushes past as one client after another walks in. Gloria and I work quite well together. Jenny is also one of the hairdressers, but she’s on leave today. I was lucky to have gotten this job when I did and so quickly, but one of Gloria’s ladies had just left the day before when I came in looking for a job.
I have had a niggling feeling like someone is watching me the whole day, but no matter how many times I look through the floor-to-ceiling salon window, I can’t see anyone. I know I might be a little paranoid, as I am constantly on the lookout for any sign that Jason might have found me again, but I doubt he would have found me so soon.
When Gloria agreed to give me the job, I told her about why I was here, and that I was on the run from my ex. I was lucky that she was very understandin
g to the point of saying that if he showed his face here, she would help me bash it in. The thing that I didn’t tell her is that Jason is in the marines and it is difficult for anyone to get one on him. I wonder how Hunter would do against him? At that thought, I stop what I’m doing and frown. Where did that thought come from?
I have never had such an instant attraction to anyone like I do with Hunter. His very presence dominates my every sense. I wonder if he will be true to his word and come here after work to take me out? Maybe I should ask Gloria and leave a little earlier so that he doesn’t find me when he comes. I know she would be fine with the idea, as she has been quiet and moody the whole day, and I’m sure that has to do with Hunter’s visit this morning.
I want to ask her if there is anything there between them, but I don’t want her to know that I’m interested, in case that will impact her keeping me here.
Our last customer just left, and now it’s just packing everything away. My stomach is in knots, thinking that as soon as I walk out, Hunter will be there waiting for me.
What should I do? I know I want to go out with him, but I also know getting involved with another bad boy is a terrible idea. Looking around, I see that there is nothing else I can do to keep me here any longer. Sighing, I walk to the back to take my handbag and change my shoes. I am walking back into the salon from the back when I hear voices.
When I step through the door, I see Hunter standing before Gloria, his hands low on his hips as she stands before him, a scowl on his face. Her right hand is resting on his chest as a sign of familiarity, an angry look on her face. At my entrance, Hunter’s eyes snap towards me and stay. Gloria must have realized that I have entered, because she pulls her hand away and turns towards me.
“Hunter is here to take you out,” she says, her voice bland but her eyes still showing the anger she has been portraying the whole day.
“I didn’t confirm that I would go out with you.”
He shrugs. “You have to eat. You might as well eat with me.”
“Look, I don’t want problems, and it seems like this is going to be a problem.”
“There is no problem here, is there, Gloria?” Hunter says, not taking his eyes away from me. I glance at Gloria and see her wince at his question, and then she shakes her head in denial.
“No, Dakota, Hunter is right. There is no problem here,” she says, and then she walks towards me. Placing her hand on my shoulder, she nods. “He is a great guy, and maybe he will be able to help you with your situation.” With those words, she steps aside and inclines her head towards him. “Now go and have something to eat.”
It’s not as if I can refuse now that Gloria has practically thrown me at him. “Don’t get any ideas. This is just a meal.” But with the sexual magnetism between us, even I know that I’m lying through my teeth. I haven’t been with a man in the last three years. I think my body is rebelling and wanting the attention that Hunter is silently promising.
HUNTER 3
This won’t be just a meal, but if it makes her happy to think so, I will let her. I have been outside the salon the whole day. There is no way I am going to let another male near my mate until she is bound to me. Two men tried to come in to get their hair cut, and I graciously turned them away. I’m not too sure that I like Dakota touching other men, even if it’s just to cut their hair.
Another thing that I am curious to ask about is this situation Gloria suggested to Dakota that I might be able to help her with. Nothing will be too much when it comes to my mate. I haven’t bound our life force yet, but already I feel an inseparable feeling towards her.
King phoned me earlier on, wanting to know how I’m holding up and warning me to keep my cool. He didn’t tell me, but I know he sent Gunner and Dixon to keep an eye on me. I caught their scent a few times, and their presence was as strong to me as if they were standing right next to me. I know that me wanting it or not, my brothers won’t leave me on my own. We always have each other’s back no matter what.
I come back to the present when Dakota starts walking towards me, her movements smooth as if she’s gliding, her essence intoxicating. Any man would be lucky to have her as a mate. She isn’t only beautiful and sexy as hell, but she seems to have a fiery temper to go with it. Life this morning started to look a whole lot brighter. This woman before me doesn’t know it yet, but she will be treated like a queen. She is my mate, and as such, the most important person in my life, my other half, and the future mother to our children.
When she is standing before me, I take her hand in mine. A bolt of energy races up my arm and instantly has me wanting to pull her against me and devour her perfect lips with a blistering kiss that would leave us both wanting more, but instead, I turn and start making my way towards the door. I hear her huff before she tries to pull her hand away, but I hold fast.
“You’re really very forward, aren’t you?” she grumbles as she falls into step next to me as we leave the salon. “Don’t think you will always get your way, because you won’t.”
I smile. She doesn’t even realize that she is already confirming that there will be a future with us. “I just go for what I want, and don’t have any doubts, Dakota, I want you,” I say, and feel her trying to pull her hand away again.
“You don’t even know me; how can you say you want me?” she argues.
“Well, beautiful, that is what we are going to be doing. Getting to know each other, as I want to know everything about you.”
“Humph, like you would be interested in anything except sleeping with me,” she mutters.
Stopping, I place my free hand on her arm to hold her still, stepping before her so that she must look up at me. “Yes, I want your body, but I also want everything else that is you. Don’t have any doubts, Dakota, I will know your hates, your likes, your dreams, and all your fears. I don’t just want your body. You might not believe me, but you will see.” She raises her eyebrows in suspicion, but what I said is true, and I will prove it to her.
If I told her that I also want her love, her very soul, she would run the other way, and she seems half ready to run already, so I would rather not trigger her fear. I get the feeling there is something that has this woman wary about my intentions, but I will prove to her that everything I say is true.
“We shall see. So where are we going?” she asks, which is a clear topic change, but I will let her get away with it for now.
“There is a great steak place just down the road. The owner knows me well, and it’s quiet.” The last thing I want is to go somewhere with men around. If any of them look at Dakota, I might just bite their heads off. Just walking down the street with her is testing. I’m trying to make it as quickly as possible to the steakhouse, because otherwise, there will be bloodletting of some asshole who thinks it’s okay to look at my woman.
“Well, what are we waiting for? The steak is waiting,” she says as I continue to stand before her.
“You’re a sassy one, aren’t you?” I quip as I turn and continue our walk to the steakhouse. Luckily, we arrive there without me having to kill anyone, which has me relaxing slightly.
“Hunter, didn’t expect to see you here today. Are the others with you? Don’t know if I have enough meat,” Tony jokes. He must be about seventy, but he still runs his restaurant with a firm hand. The others and I usually ride here on the weekends and have a nice meal, and nothing better than rare steak.
“Nope, sorry, Tony. Today it’s just me and Dakota. Have you got something out of the way for us?” I ask.
He smiles and nods as he indicates a table by a little corner of the restaurant. “Sure do. Take a seat and I will get someone to come take your order.”
I guide Dakota towards our table and then pull out her chair, which has her looking at me suspiciously. “A biker who pulls chairs out for ladies. Something isn’t adding up,” she quips. “Either that or you are a Casanova and have a lot of these dates.”
One thing I will try never to do with Dakota is lie, but she sure woul
dn’t appreciate knowing how many women I have slept with, and yes, some of them I have taken out for a meal, but in my defence, she is the first one I have brought here.
The others and I like coming here, and it is somewhere we trust. We have been coming here for years, and Tony doesn’t raise an eyebrow at the amount of meat we eat or the fact that our steak is barely cooked.
“We’re not barbarians, you know, just because we ride motorcycles.” I see her cheeks darken with colour, which surprises me because of her sassiness.
“I’m sorry. That was presumptuous of me,” she says as she lowers her eyes.
“It’s okay. We are a little rough around the edges, and you will find that out when you meet the others.”
She looks back up at me and frowns. “Presuming that I want to meet your biker friends.”
“They’re not just my friends, but my brothers too. We have been together since we were kids. We trust each other completely and know that we are there for each other no matter what.” She will meet the others, because we are a family and family is there to protect each other, and once Dakota and I have bonded, they will be there to protect her when I’m not around.
“What about you, Dakota, any family?” I see her tense at my question. Her eyes lower to the table again, a clear sign that she doesn’t want to talk about herself. Well, that is just too bad, because I want to know everything about her. She is temporarily saved from answering as Julie approaches the table with a big smile on her face.
“Hunter,” she greets.
“Hello, Julie, how have you been?” Julie is sixty-two, and last year when we came in, we all picked up that she wasn’t doing too well. It wasn’t just the smell of sickness but the sense of pain that we could pick up. So, I pulled her aside and insisted that she go see a doctor and threatened to go with her if she didn’t go. To her credit, the next day, she booked an appointment and was told that she was sick. Luckily it was detected early on and she has been able to pull through, but ever since then, she goes out of her way for me and the others.
Bound (Wolverine MC Book 1) Page 2
