by L. Wilder
“Ogling?”
“You were so ogling her all the time, Big. You couldn’t take your eyes off her, and she was the same way about you.”
“She’s with her sister.”
“I get that, but it’s been weeks. When is she coming back? Is she coming back?”
“Guess time will tell.”
“Seriously?” Henley fussed. “You aren’t going to go out there and sweep her off her feet?”
Cass gave her sister a disapproving look as she said, “Henley, leave the man alone. He knows how to handle his woman. Besides, Josie is a smart girl. She knows Big isn’t the kind of guy you let slip away.”
Before either of them could continue, I got up and put my plate in the sink. I had to finish some things up before I started working on Lauren’s paperwork. As I headed out to the garage, I told them, “I’ll get Lauren’s stuff to you as soon as I can.”
“Thanks, Mike. You’re a sweetheart.”
By the time I got back out to my bike, most of the guys had gone out on a run, leaving the garage to me and Q’. Where he was just getting started installing new chrome exhaust pipes on his bike, I was almost done installing the new sound system on mine. I just had a few final touches that I planned to get done before the end of the day. I’d been working for almost an hour and was just about to finish things up when Cotton walked into the garage. “You talk to Cass?”
“I did. I’ll get in touch with my guy this afternoon. Figure he’ll be able to get what we need by morning.”
“Good. Don’t want her getting any further behind.”
“Things going okay with that? I mean… with her being out at your place?”
Cotton had always been a compassionate leader, one who we’ve all learned we could trust with our lives, and it was rare that he showed any sign of softness, except for when it came to Cass. She’d been the only one who’d ever been able to get to him, but I could see from the look on his face that he was warming up to Lauren. I couldn’t exactly blame him. The kid was easy to get attached to, and knowing how hard she’d had it made us all want to give her a better chance at life. “I’d say things are going pretty good. She seems to be adjusting.”
“And you? Are you adjusting to a house full of women?” I chuckled.
“Not sure I’ll ever get used to that. Mornings are hell, brother,” he complained. “I’m going to go check with Maverick. They should be heading back from Seattle by now. Let me know when you get Lauren’s stuff taken care of.”
“Will do.”
Once he was gone, I headed back into the clubhouse with the intention of getting started on Lauren’s paperwork. Since I was done with my bike, I needed a distraction. My talk with Cass and Henley had my mind on Josie, and thinking about her was the last thing I needed to do, not when my willpower was running so low. I couldn’t stop wondering how she was doing. When I’d asked Nitro about her the day before, he was vague at best. The entire thing was fucking with my head, and I was finding it harder and harder to focus on anything.
Trying to shake her from my thoughts, I stopped by the bar for a drink. After grabbing a beer from the cooler, I made a call to my contact, letting him know exactly what we’d need to get Lauren enrolled in school. He’d assured me that he’d take care of it, and we should have everything we needed by morning. I tried to clear my mind and enjoy a moment alone, but the silence was just too much.
I decided to go back to my office, thinking I could keep myself busy by looking up Lauren’s records from her previous schools. I’d just stepped in my office when I noticed a mountain of wrapped treats scattered all over my computer keyboard. It took my mind a minute to register what I was seeing, so I picked one up and held it in my hand, feeling the crinkle of the plastic packaging against my hand. As I looked at the trademark blue and yellow circle on the packaging, my mind went straight to Josie. She’s the only one who would’ve put a stack of fucking MoonPies on my desk. I turned and looked around my empty room, thinking maybe she was still there. Unfortunately, there was no sign of her.
Hoping I might be able to catch her before she left, I rushed out the door and headed for the parking lot. When I walked past Tristen’s room, I noticed that the door was ajar and the lights were on. Stopping dead in my tracks, I turned back and looked inside. Relief rushed over me when I caught a glimpse of Josie. I opened the door further and found her standing beside Tristen’s dresser with a large duffle bag beside her feet. Like usual, she was wearing a pair of jeans with a long sleeve t-shirt, but she’d changed her hair – added highlights and maybe got a new cut – and her skin had a sun-kissed glow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look more beautiful. “Josie?”
Looking totally unfazed to see me, she peered over her shoulder and smiled. “Oh. Hey, Mike.”
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“It’s nice to see you too, Mike.” Ignoring my question, she started rummaging through the dresser drawer.
I took a step closer, trying my damnedest not to lose it, and asked her again, “What are you doing?”
After closing the drawer, she turned around to face me. She crossed her arms and looked at me with her eyebrows furrowed. “I came back.”
“I see that.”
“Okay. So, now that we’ve cleared that up, I’ve got to finish unpacking.”
“Josie,” I growled.
“What?” She held out her hands with a shrug.
I took another step towards her, closing the distance between us. “What is all this?”
The self-assured Josie I’d always known faded as a more bashful Josie took over. She bit at her bottom lip as she considered what she was going to say next. I waited patiently, and finally got an answer I didn’t expect. “I’m here to stake my claim.”
An odd sensation crept through me, like a smile that overtook my entire body, and I couldn’t stop myself from pushing her for more. “You gonna tell me what you mean by that?”
“Do I have to?” she asked as her face flushed with embarrassment.
“You do.”
“Okay, fine.” She tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and straightened her stance as she looked down at the MoonPie I had in my hand. “Like I told you… you’re my something-good that came from something bad. You’re my MoonPie, and I don’t want to lose you.”
“You’re not going to lose me, Josie.”
“I’m not taking any chances. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never felt like this about anyone. It freaks me out a little, but I like it… a lot.” Her eyes locked on mine, and I felt my blood rush through my veins as she said, “I want you, Mike. So, I’m here to stake my claim.”
Fuck. The woman never stopped amazing me. Just seeing the look of love in her eyes was enough, but hearing her say the words sealed it for me. There was no going back. Josie was mine. “You don’t have to stake your claim, doll. I’ve been yours since the first time I laid eyes on you. Just needed for you to realize it.”
“Then, why didn’t you say something? You just let me leave without saying a damn thing.”
“You needed time with Tristen. You needed it just as much as she did. I wasn’t about to get in the way of that.”
“But, you could’ve called.”
“It would’ve been a distraction you didn’t need. Your mind would’ve been on me and not your sister.”
“Well, it didn’t make a difference. My mind was on you all the time.”
“And mine has been on you. Hasn’t been a minute that’s passed that I haven’t thought about you.”
I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her against my chest. I’d missed her more than I’d even realized, and having her so close made my entire body ache for her.
Unable to wait a moment longer, I crushed her lips with mine. Her hands gripped at my waist, pulling me closer. A moan vibrated through her when she felt my hard cock pressing against her center. Her hand drifted down my hip towards my inner thigh as she ran her fingers over my dick, making
me instantly harder. Her fingertips were like hot cinders as they grazed across my skin, fueling my uncontrollable need for her. I took a step forward and pressed her back against the wall. My hands dropped to her ass and lifted her as she wrapped her legs around my waist. When my cock brushed against her, she gasped and clutched at my sides.
With her cheeks and neck flushed red with desire, she looked at me and whispered, “I love you.”
“Say it again.”
Her eyes locked on mine as she repeated, “I love you.”
I ran my hand across her shoulder and slowly trailed kisses down the curve of her neck while I ground my cock back and forth against her center. “I love you too, Josie Carmichael.”
Her fingers gripped my sides, gathering my t-shirt in her fingers as she pulled it over my head. She took a deep, shuddering breath as the palms of her hands roamed over my bare chest. An appraising look crossed her face as she slowly unwrapped her legs from my waist and lowered her feet to the floor. She gave me a light push, forcing me to take a step back as she dropped to her knees. With a hungry look in her eyes, her hands went for the buckle of my jeans. Moments later, they were settled below my hips and her fingers were wrapped around my cock. My head fell back as she took me into her mouth. The warmth of her mouth and the swirl of her tongue across the tip of my piercing made me throb with need.
“Fuck!” She looked up at me with hunger in her eyes as my hands dove into her hair, gripping tightly at the nape of her neck. Her fingers tightened around me as she continued to stroke up and down the length of my shaft. She took me in deep, greedy and needful, and every muscle in my body grew tense. Every flick of her tongue, every twist of her hand, every suck brought me closer to the edge. I wanted to savor the moment, enjoy every second of having my cock buried deep in her mouth, but my dick had other plans. “Love your mouth, Josie. Fucking incredible, but gonna need to be inside you… Now!”
Her eyes never left mine as she loosened her grip on my cock and slowly stood up before me. My hands dropped to her waist as I reached for the hem of her t-shirt, carefully pulling it over her head. After I unclasped her bra, I slid it down her arms and tossed it to the floor. I lowered my mouth to her breasts as I captured one of her nipples in my mouth. A soft whimper filled the room as I ran the tip of my tongue across her sensitive flesh. While I tormented her with my mouth, her hands drifted down to the button of her jeans. Once she had them undone, she quickly lowered them and her lacy panties to the floor and kicked them to the side. She stood there completely bare and beautiful, making my dick throb with anticipation.
When I couldn’t wait a moment longer, I growled, “Get on the bed.”
My voice was deeper, more demanding than I’d intended, but a spark of lust flashed in her eyes, letting me know she liked it. She slowly stepped over to the edge of the bed and lowered herself onto the mattress. With her hair draped across her shoulder, she looked like an absolute angel. My angel. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was everything I could ever imagine wanting, and she was mine.
He stood over me, watching as I squirmed under the heat of his stare. Damn. I’d missed the way he looked at me, like I was something precious to him, something he’d give his life to protect. I knew then there was no turning back. I meant something to him, and I loved him, heart and soul. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for him. I needed to feel the warmth of his body pressed against mine and feel the heat of his breath against my skin, so I pleaded, “Mike, please.”
He reached for his jeans, and when he pulled a condom from his wallet, I shook my head, “No. You don’t need it. I’m on the pill.”
With that, he dropped it on the floor and lowered himself onto the bed, settling himself between my legs. I gasped when he reached for my thighs and pulled me closer to him. His hand drifted down between my legs, cupping my heat as his fingers raked across my center. “You’re so fucking wet.”
His breath was strained as he looked down at me with hunger in his eyes, and I knew he wanted me just as badly as I wanted him. He brushed his thickness against me, teasing me as he ground his hips against mine until I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him deep inside me. My entire body was consumed with need, making it impossible to focus on anything except the touch of his hands on my body, the soft whisper of his kiss, and the tingling sensation that surged through me whenever he shifted deeper within me.
At first his rhythm was slow, intense and demanding, but he suddenly stopped moving and whispered, “Later, I’m going to take my time with you. I’m gonna make you come over and over again.” His voice was low and needful, making my entire body burn for him. “But for now, I’m going to fuck you hard and fast.” He quickly pulled back before plunging deep inside me once again. “Need to feel you come undone for me.” His pace continued to increase, setting my entire body on fire.
“Yes! Oh God, yes.”
He pulled back and crashed into me again and again, driving me wild with every hard, deep thrust. I felt the familiar sensation of his piercing against my G spot, and a warmth started building in my lower abdomen. My fingers dug into the comforter, twisting and pulling, as my back arched off the bed. A deep growl vibrated through his chest as his fingers slipped into my hair, pulling back so he could expose my neck. His breath caressed my skin as he began nipping and sucking from the base of my ear down to my collarbone. My legs tightened around him as my hips involuntarily jolted forward, meeting his thrusts and taking him even deeper. I inhaled a labored breath as my body trembled and convulsed beneath him. Every muscle clenched around him as my orgasm took hold. He continued his relentless rhythm as my body jolted beneath him. Each thrust was more demanding than the last as he came closer to the edge. I was still floating on the high of my own release when I felt his body grow rigid. A deep groan echoed through the room as he drove deep inside me, holding still as he found his release.
My body fell limp as my legs dropped to the mattress and let out an exaggerated breath. “That was even better than I remembered.”
A sexy little smirk crossed his face as he looked down at me. “Baby, I’m just getting started.”
“You’re gonna have to give me a minute. I can’t even feel my legs.”
He chuckled as he lowered himself onto the bed and pulled me over to his side. I rested my head on his shoulder and listened to the rapid beating of his heart. His arm curled around me, pulling me closer. “You’re amazing, Josie Carmichael. I didn’t know it was possible to love someone so much.”
Hearing those words from him sent a shot straight to my heart. He’d showed me in countless ways, but he’d never actually said the words. My eyes met his as I said, “I love you, too. More every minute.”
His mouth pressed against mine for a brief moment, then he turned his attention over to my bag sitting on the floor. “I hope you didn’t do much unpacking.”
“I’ve only done a little. Why?”
“Cause we’re taking your stuff over to my place later tonight. You’ll be staying there, not here.”
“Staying with you?”
“That’s what I said.” He kissed me on the temple and dropped his head back down on the pillow.
“Wait.” I propped myself up on my elbow and couldn’t hide my surprise as I asked, “You don’t live here?”
“No, baby. I’ve got a place up towards Hurricane Ridge. It’s just easier to stay here when we have stuff going on.”
I lowered my head back down on his chest. “Okay, that makes sense, but I have an apartment of my own. Things I’ll need to take care of.”
“Don’t sweat the small stuff. Just minor details that we’ll sort later. For now, we’ll get you settled at my place, and then the rest will fall into place.”
He made it all sound so simple, and maybe it was. When you know it’s right, you find a way to make it work. After all we’d been through, it was hard to believe that everything was really coming together so effortlessly. “Is this really happening?”
He gave me a light sque
eze as he kissed me on the forehead. “Yeah, sweetheart. It’s really happening, but you should know something… I’m gonna fuck this up. I’m gonna do stupid shit. Gonna say the wrong thing and piss you off. I’m gonna end up aggravating the hell out of you from time to time, but Josie, I promise you this… I will love you like no other man can. Every minute of every hour, you will know that you are mine and nothing will ever be as important to me as you are.”
I looked up at him and smiled. “See… I was right. You are totally my MoonPie.”
“You aren’t going to give that up, are you?” He laughed.
I shrugged my shoulders and giggled. “Well, when I’m right, I’m right.”
“Maybe so.” He looked over at me with lust-filled eyes. “How are those legs feeling?”
A smile crept across my face as I answered, “I can feel them, if that’s what you mean.”
“That’s what I was hoping you’d say.”
He lifted me on top of him, sliding deep inside me as I straddled him. I never knew something could feel so good. I slowly started to rock my hips, and my entire body came alive. We spent the next hour making love, slow and sensual, and by the time we were done, I was just a pile of mush lying next to him.
I could’ve stayed there nestled up next to him for an eternity, but Mike had other ideas. He decided it was time to take me out to his place, so after a hot shower together, we got dressed and headed out into the hall. When we got to the bar, several of the guys were sitting at one of the tables having a drink while the girls were sitting at the bar. Cassidy’s eyes widened with surprise when she spotted us walking through the door. “Josie?”
Henley and Wren turned excitedly at the sound of my name. It felt good to see that they were happy to see me. “Hey, guys.”
“I had no idea you were back. Get your butt over here.”
“I’ll be right back.” Mike gave me a quick wink and headed over to speak to Stitch.
When I got over to the girls, Cassidy reached over the counter and gave me a quick hug. “We haven’t seen you in a while. How’s it going?”
