I watched her ass as she sauntered down to the bathroom. My cock twitched and hardened at the sight of it, a perfect inverted heart, her short skirt swinging as she walked.
I imagined what it would be like, to drag that skirt up over her hips and fuck her senseless.
I shuddered and went to the kitchen, ran my hand under ice cold water to calm myself down, to focus my energy on protecting Linden and not dragging her into my messed up life.
“Making me dinner?” she asked as she strolled into the room.
“Maybe, what do you like?” I asked her, turning the water off and drying my hand. She looked at me quizzically as I did so, I didn’t offer an explanation, what could I say?
“Anything edible,” she replied with a grin. “I called my mom, by the way. I’m good for the night but I have to get back in the morning. It’s my turn to…”
She trailed off. “To what?” I asked.
She seemed reluctant to finish her sentence so I prodded. “What are you doing tomorrow, Linden?”
“It’s my father, I need to look after him in the morning. Every Wednesday I relieve the nurse attendant while my mother goes into work.”
“Your father is ill?” I asked. My mind was racing now, wondering if this was the source of her desperation for money.
“He is,” she said, “Listen, I don’t like to talk about this. Could we just dive into making something to eat? Maybe we can discuss it over dinner.”
“Fair enough,” I replied and walked to my fridge, opened it and started listing ingredients in a high pitched British accent.
I realized at that point that it wasn’t worth it to press her for information. Linden was the type of woman who would clam up if she felt backed into a corner.
I didn’t want that. Either way this played out, whether I fucked her senseless or cut her off for her own safety, I wanted her feeling confident and relaxed around me. I had a feeling that Linden had spent a lot of her life on the outside feeling unimportant. I wanted her to feel important.
“I didn’t realize I was cooking with Chef Ramsay,” she giggled when I handed her a few items, fresh vegetables and a brick of hard Parmesan cheese.
“Not Chef, but I do like to make my own food from time to time,” I smiled and started making her a simple pasta dish with seafood and a decent white wine.
She chatted throughout the entire time, walked around the apartment and looked at my choice of furnishings and artwork, exclaimed and then was quiet, like she was in a museum.
I felt oddly self-conscious, as though I didn’t want her to evaluate me and find me lacking.
It was a strange feeling, being vulnerable emotionally around a woman, and I wasn’t entirely sure how much I liked it.
I did like her gorgeous ass and the deer-like way she walked, carefully putting one foot in front of the other.
God she was magnificent, and the more we talked, the more wine flowed, and the more time she was in my presence, the more I leaned to the side of fucking her.
Erring on the side of caution for her safety didn’t seem half as important as overcoming the ache I had inside, the ache that would only be alleviated once I plunged myself deep inside of her and had her at last.
Chapter Seven
Linden
“Are you sure you’ve had enough?” Dom asked me before clearing away my plate. He was being the consummate gentleman, and I could finally see his wealthy upbringing shining through.
It was apparently in all his artwork, his taste in decorating, even just the location of his penthouse. I couldn’t even fathom how much his place would have cost, it was worth millions more than our shabby little place.
Even his dining table and cutlery, it all felt weighted with wealth, everything in his penthouse felt expensive.
Except for me.
Being here among his things, in his world, it made me feel ugly and out of place. I could feel at home on the back of his bike, in Fat Boys pub, even running guns with him, I felt normal when he was being a gritty, bad ass biker.
It was here that I felt out of place, among his beautiful, fancy things, next to him as a gentleman. He was all good manners and grace, kind and soft around me when he was in his element.
It was unsettling, it made me feel big and ungainly, clumsy and poor.
“I couldn’t eat another thing or I’ll explode,” I said, rubbing my belly. “That was amazing though.”
“More wine?” he asked, holding the second bottle out over my glass. I smiled and tilted it to be filled again.
It was delicious, much better than the cheap super market wine I’d had in my life so far. I’d never understood what the big deal about wine was until now.
I took a sip, swirled it around my mouth and swallowed. I looked up and noticed him watching me with a crooked smile.
“What?” I asked, my face heating up and going red again. I wondered if there was ever a time I wouldn’t feel awkward around him.
“You’re adorable,” he said, “you look like you really enjoy that. The look on your face is pure bliss.”
“It is really tasty,” I replied, looking down.
He took the dishes to the sink and started washing them. I stood up and moved to help him, but he turned around and said, “Don’t even think about it. You take yourself and that glass of wine and go run yourself a bubble bath. The guest suite is down the same hall as the washroom, but the door at the very end. There’s a private washroom with a soaker tub overlooking the city. Go, relax, darlin. You’ll feel better for it.”
“I don’t mind helping,” I said but secretly hoped he would turn me down. The bath sounded perfect, but I couldn’t help myself, I’d spent my entire life helping others and felt compelled to do so now.
“Just go before I drag you down there and throw you in the bath right now,” Dom grinned. “There are clothes in the closet too, find yourself something to sleep in and a nice robe for after the bath.”
“Fine, send me to absolute luxury,” I laughed. “I’ll do my best to enjoy it.”
I wandered down to the guest suite holding my glass of wine, admiring the paintings and photographs on the wall as I went.
I stopped in front of one showing three little boys, two identical and the third a little younger.
I could tell Dominick was one of the older boys, but I wasn’t sure which one. I hadn’t realized he was a twin though, that only served to make him seem much more appealing, I didn’t know why.
I opened the door to the guest suite and gasped. It was glorious, like some kind of high-end hotel room. I giggled and turned around, taking it all in.
I set my wineglass on a side table and jumped into the middle of the massive bed, rolled around on the soft sheets and mattress, felt myself enveloped by their incredible luxury.
I sighed and fell back, looked up at the canopy over the bed and marveled that some people could actually live like this.
Chapter Eight
Linden
I closed my eyes and without warning, the trauma of the day finally caught up with me. I felt tears stinging the back of my eyelids and heard the rat-tat-tat of gun fire in my head as if it were happening all over again.
My heart began to race and I was gasping, barely able to catch my breath.
I sat up, jumped off the bed and gulped some wine, hoping to let it relax my body again.
I went into the bathroom and Dom was right, the soaker tub was huge, enough for a party really, and was in the corner overlooking the expanse of city lights spread out below.
I stripped out of my clothes and stood in front of the window. There wasn’t a single window close enough to see me, we were that high up.
I bent and ran the water nice and hot, found a selection of exotic bath products in a cupboard nearby and poured a bunch of them in the water.
I figured I’d make a nice flowery soup of bubbles and oils, anything to help me get over the day.
I lowered myself in the water and closed my eyes, letting myself drift a
way and lose the tension of my day.
I felt the tears coming back again and couldn’t hold them in this time. I broke down and let them flow, streaming down my cheeks and into the hot water surrounding my body.
I had almost been killed, my new friend had been hurt, and I was still in a desperate situation needing money for my dad’s treatments.
I still hadn’t heard back from the clinic, so I needed to call them tomorrow on my day.
A million little things raced around my head as I tried to slow them down and regain control of my thoughts.
It wasn’t working so I reached for my glass of wine and realized I’d left it behind in the bedroom.
Dammit, didn’t want to get out of the tub and walk across the floor soaking wet, but I wanted that wine.
I bit my lower lip and went over my options, I could soak until I was too hot to stay in the water any longer, or I could mess up the floor and get that damned wine.
Or I could ask Dominick to get it for me.
The thought sent a little electric thrill through me, he would see me without clothes, in the tub.
I mean I was covered by bubbles, but still.
I didn’t know what came over me, but I decided to go with option three, to call Dom.
“Dominick!” I yelled, not knowing if he’d hear me or not.
He must have been listening close by, because I heard him in the bedroom immediately.
“Dom, could you please help me?” I called again.
“Are you okay? Do you need me to come in there?” he asked, right at the bathroom door.
“Um, well, I need my wine,” I said with a small chuckle.
“Your wine? I thought you were drowning!”
“Not quite, I’m just thirsty,” I replied.
“Where is it?”
“In the bedroom, do you see it?”
“I do,” he replied. “Are you covered? Do you want me to bring it in?”
“I’ll be fine,” I laughed and looked down, making sure the bubbles hid anything that would be considered exposing myself.
I heard the door open and Dom strode in, my wineglass held triumphantly in his hand.
“Your wine, darlin,” he said with a grin and handed me the glass.
“Thanks,” I replied and reached up for it. He was staring down at me with an intense gaze, suddenly very serious.
I looked down and realized the bubbles had slipped off my breast and it was fully exposed.
Dom looked at it, almost salivating, like it was a juice steak instead of a regular old breast.
I jerked my arm down and blushed, making sure my breast was covered again.
“Like the show?” I snapped and sunk under the water a little farther.
“Very much, darlin,” he replied and sat on the edge of the tub. “I liked it very, very much.”
Chapter Nine
Dominick
“Now don’t go an cover up on my account,” I told Linden, already missing the sight of her gorgeous breast.
“It wasn’t on your account, maybe I was cold,” she said, taking a sip of her wine. The blush on her cheeks was adorable and I resisted the urge to climb in the tub with her and take her right then and there.
“You certainly looked perky enough to be cold,” I said, looking down suggestively.
“Don’t be a perv,” she giggled and glanced up the length of my body.
“You’re the one checking me out, darlin,” I replied and pretended to cover myself.
“I was not!”
“You were, I saw you,” I laughed and stood up. I held my arms out and said, “Take a good look now, I still have washing up to do.”
“You can stay if you want,” she said, “I could use the company after today.”
She glanced down and took a gulp of her wine as if trying to wash something away on the inside.
Her anxiety, she must have a huge bundle of it welling up inside of her after almost being shot. I tended to get over these kinds of things very quickly, they were part and parcel in my line of work.
Linden was new to it though, and she had never been so close to direct, targeted gun violence.
Even the shooting at the gun drop off hadn’t impacted her like today’s drive by. Nobody had been hurt, and we’d sailed away on adrenaline.
Today she saw Mikey get shot and thought she was next. It fucked with a person’s head.
“I can stay,” I said, “if you don’t mind me trying to take a look.” I raised my eyebrows suggestively and she giggled.
“I don’t mind that either, to be honest,” she replied slowly, lazily. She slid her finger circled around the rim of the glass. I watched her movement, followed it with my eyes, the motion of her elegant digit.
“And why’s that?” I asked, my gaze moving to her face.
“I like you,” she said in a sing song flirty way. “I know I shouldn’t but I do.”
“You’re right, you shouldn’t like me,” I said in a low tone. In spite of the desire I had for her, I had to remember how small and vulnerable she was.
It hadn’t really hit me until I saw her in here, still shaky and terrified even after the wine and hot water.
“I know,” she said, draining her wineglass and handing it to me. “I’m so careful normally, but sometimes I feel like doing something bad. You know?”
“I don’t know, I guess I’ve always been a little bad,” I grinned at her. “So tell me more about what you’re doing tomorrow morning.” I decided to distract her with something that would keep us from going down that road.
It was obvious that we were insanely attracted to each other and if I made the slightest move towards her, we would be fucking like animals within moments.
But I needed to keep her at arm’s length.
She sighed heavily and looked up at me. “It’s my father. He’s sick, he has Parkinson’s Disease. I have to take care of him in the morning once a week, at other times I spend the night with him.”
“I’m sorry, darlin,” I said, “I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay, it’s not like I advertise it or anything. I hate it when people find out, they always change the way they look at me.”
“I don’t look at you any differently,” I told her. “I think you’re pretty fucking courageous I guess, but other than that I still think you’re pretty god damned amazing.”
“That’s what I hate,” she said, “I’m not courageous or brave. I’m just a boring girl who got saddled with some pretty big responsibilities.”
“You’re hardly boring. Being a virgin doesn’t make you boring, it makes you unbelievably sexy,” I said, and against my own internal command, I leaned over her and looked her right in the eyes. “You’re fucking magnificent, and don’t you forget it.”
She smiled up at me, licked her lips and said, “Thanks. I guess I just feel like I’ve missed out on a lot of living.”
“What about your sister? What was her name? Rosie? Doesn’t she help out?”
“Dear god, no. She’s a big pain in the ass. I’ve spent my entire life taking care of her or my dad.”
“It seems to me like you’re about due for a Linden vacation,” I told her. “Is there any way for you to get away from it all? Anywhere you want to go, I’ll cover it.”
“I couldn’t use the money for that,” she replied.
“Wait, what did you need that hundred thousand for in the first place? Is that something to do with your dad?”
She looked away, her eyelids fluttered and she went red. “Yes, it is. There’s this new treatment for him, but it’s not covered by any insurance. I’m waiting to hear back from the clinic to find out if he got in.”
I knew in that moment I had to let her go. I had to push her away from me because she was pure, because she was innocent. It wasn’t just about protecting her from my lifestyle, but it was more about keeping her in tact. I didn’t want to break her, to tarnish her with my dirty life.
I stood abruptly and said, “Your water must b
e getting cold. Let me find you some towels and leave you to your sleep.”
“It’s not that late,” she said, her eyes widening in surprise. “We could hang out a little longer.”
“I’ve got an early morning, darlin,” I told her. “I’m sorry. Maybe some other time.”
I walked out, hating to leave her feeling rejected and confused, but I kept telling myself it was for her own good.
I had a restless night, knowing she was so close to me, and I woke constantly with a painfully hard cock and her on my mind.
I realized some time through the night that it wasn’t going to be as easy to get over Linden as I’d initially thought.
If it was even humanly possible.
Chapter Ten
Dominick
“Hello there sunshine,” I said as she walked out in the morning. She looked rested and relaxed, much better than yesterday.
“Hey,” she said coolly and I sensed some distance between us now. It had worked, walking away from her in the bath last night.
I couldn’t say I was happy about it though, but at least she’d be safe and pure.
I poured her a cup of coffee, made her a couple pieces of toast, and chatted amicably with her over breakfast.
I made up my mind some time during our meal, I excused myself and wrote her a check for the hundred grand she needed. It would give her a chance to help her dad and focus on herself instead of chasing after assholes like me.
“You need a ride?” I asked her after she was finished.
“Yeah, I need to go home,” she replied.
I took her home on the back of my Harley, relishing the feel of her arms around me one last time.
We pulled up in front of her place and I saw that same curtain move, pulling back and dropping down. It must be her mom again. It made me feel good to know that somebody was looking out for Linden, even if they did make her feel boring and unappreciated.
“You take care, you hear, darlin?” I said as she smiled at me nervously and handed back the helmet. I could tell she had expected more to happen last night and was a little embarrassed that it hadn’t.
A Baby for the Bad Boy (A Bad Boy Romance: Dominick and Linden, book THREE) Page 3
