But not getting it.
Max’s fat ass swung into my side hard enough to send me stumbling, dragging Ronnie along with me.
I’d like to say I had the grace to catch myself or at least stop Ronnie’s fall. But I could do neither.
I hit the ground hard seconds before Ronnie fell beside me with a yelp that matched mine.
Our groans were synchronized as the dust around us finally settled, leaving just our bodies laid prone on the dirt. I was met with Max’s smug huff in my direction before she walked on past me.
Bitch.
“You sure you don’t want to put that thing down?” I moaned, shifting my body to check for damages.
A thump landed lightly against my side. “Don’t even kid about that,” Ronnie chided, lifting herself up to sit next to me.
“You’re right. I shouldn’t make jokes like that,” I apologized, sitting once I knew nothing was damaged. Except for the bruised muscles down my back. In my elbow. In my hand.
Good thing I wasn’t joking.
Damn beast.
We both managed to drag ourselves up to our feet and dust ourselves off as best we could.
“Now,” I huffed. “Where were we?”
My hands went to her waist, and she didn’t resist as I pulled her in closer. But as I went for the kiss, Ronnie’s head jerked backward.
I tensed.
“What’s up?”
“I’ve got a better idea.” Ronnie smirked, and I knew that little glint in her eye.
“What are you up to, Little Miss Ronnie Marsh?” I purred, the no-good telltales across her face, alongside a soft, cute blush rolling onto the tops of her cheeks.
“How about a date?”
“A date?” I looked up to the sky in pondering, tugging her into my chest. “Why?”
“You had one of my firsts, so how about I take one of yours?”
“A first kiss is hardly worthy of a first date,” I teased, watching her eyes turn into an angry little glower. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t help pissing her off.
It wasn’t like Wolf and Anna, who got their rocks off on starting a fight with each other. This kind tasted sweet on the tip of my tongue, seeing those little angry eyes looking just at me and me alone. I couldn’t resist it.
“Don’t get full of yourself, asshat,” Ronnie grunted, giving me a sharp pinch, shoving away from me. “If you don’t want to graduate from your date-virginity, then you can stay a cherry-boy forever.”
I laughed.
“Fine, fine.” I lunged back for her, arms coming around hers as I stopped her escape. She had barely gotten two feet anyway—she hadn’t even tried to fight me.
Good girl.
“A date it is,” I whispered into her ear, pressing a soft kiss against the side of her cheek and tasting the bitter dirt stuck to her skin.
Goddamn horse.
“But you gotta make it good. I want my first time to be memorable.”
“Don’t worry, princess.” Ronnie smirked. “It will be.”
“Will there be food?” My teeth nipped against the top of her ear.
“Yes,” she gasped.
“Will there be music?” My hand slipped under the rim of her shirt, her stomach flinching at my touch, hips backing into my front.
“Yes.”
“Will there be sex?” I purred, making sure my teeth blew into the hollow of her ear. She shivered.
“Maybe.” Her hand went for my jeans, clutching them tight as her weight tipped back into mine, legs weakening beneath my touch.
“Just maybe…?” I growled, my hand sliding higher toward her bra.
“If you’re good.”
“Baby,” I tutted, my hand slipping down the cup of her bra. “I’m never good.”
Her breath shuddered, her head lolling back to my shoulder. Anticipation built as my finger ringed around her areola.
“Fine,” she gasped on a caving breath.
“Good,” I chirped, pulling my hand out from under her T-shirt as she jerked to reality. My hand gave a sweet, light slap against her ass and I trotted off on my way.
“Hey!” she snapped, behind me.
I turned back and flashed her a bright smile.
“Pick me up at six!”
This is gonna be fun.
* * *
“This is what you call a date?”
“Shut up,” Ronnie growled. “It’s just a little farther.”
“Hmm,” I grumbled, brushing the touch of a fir’s arm out of my face. I looked up, seeing the bright sky had begun to pale with evening purples and blues. “Are we going to get there before it gets dark?”
“Gosh!” Ronnie whipped around to face me, twigs and brushes snapping and hissing at the movement. “Why are you being so impatient?”
I looked to her little shorts, the tank top, and light tartan shirt slung over her shoulders. I could see the bottom of her scar peeking out her side. When we’d started this walk, she’d been pulling on her shirt, so it would cover the scar, but the more frustrated she’d become during our… hike?... she’d given up on the action, not caring. But the point was that my girl was comfortable enough to wear shorts in front of me. And if I was being conceited—which I always was—I’d say she even wore them to tempt me.
“Don’t lick your lips.” Ronnie’s voice cut into my staring. My eyes jumped up from her legs, hand going to my mouth to feel my damp lips.
I hadn’t even realized I’d done it.
I stepped over a small blush to get closer to her. “I can’t help it; I’m hungry.”
“You can eat in a minute, we’re—”
“If you say we’re almost there, I’m going to bite you,” I grumbled, hand reaching out to her shoulder. She jerked at the movement but otherwise leaned into the support of my hand as it inched up closer to her neck. Her long hair swept over the back of my hand and I appreciated its soft touch.
“Can’t I have a snack now?” I purred, reaching up to brush the hair back. My other palm pressed against the inside of her neck, causing her head to tilt into it. The side of her nape was exposed, and I could see the faint thrum of her heartbeat underneath the surface of her skin.
“You can eat in a minute. It’s— OUCH!” Ronnie squealed, jumping out of my grasp. Her hand flew to her neck. “You bit me!”
“You were about to say we’re almost there. Which let’s face it, we’re not.” I sighed, propping my hand up on my hip like I’d seen the women in the club do so much it was comical. “I was promised a romantic date with food and sex. Lots of sex. And yet, we’ve been walking through the back of the woods for almost an hour.”
“I want to shove a tampon in your mouth to stop that girly shit coming out,” Ronnie huffed. Her green eyes narrowed with annoyance, and I had to fight the quirk of my lip.
“Don’t be so crass.” I gasped, my hand going to my chest. “You’re supposed to be wooing me.”
“Woo you?” she scoffed. “All I’d have to do to woo you is throw my panties in your face.”
“Is that an offer?” I purred, dropping my façade. I was done waiting for my date. If I couldn’t go to the date, I was going to bring it to me.
Ronnie’s annoyance changed to caution. Her eyes widened, and her body retreated a step.
“Let’s skip the food part of our date and get to the bit we’ve both been waiting for, Ronnie?” I reached for the hem of my black shirt and pulled it up over my head.
Ronnie watched it fly over my shoulder with wide eyes. “B-but we’re in the middle of the woods.”
“You scared the squirrels will see your naked ass?”
“No!” she snapped, her lips pouting.
“Then what’s your problem?” I reached my hands out to grab the tree branch hanging just above her head, holding on it with both hands caging her in. I didn’t touch her, but her smell was all around me as I leaned in close. I could feel her stuttered breaths began to touch my skin.
“Th-the picnic… we can’t just leave it
,” Ronnie whispered.
“Hm?” I purred. “You don’t sound all that bothered to me.”
Still hanging onto the branch above, I leaned down close until her cheek was a hair’s breadth from my nose, the heat from her red face radiating to me.
Those beautiful green eyes couldn’t decide whether to look into my eyes or at my lips. Her own tongue poked out her mouth, ready to lick her own lips, and not realizing how close we were, they instead touched mine.
She gasped in surprise, eyes jumping to mine.
So goddamn cute.
My arm was shaking with impatience, the urge to grab her and take her right there and then was overwhelming. But that wasn’t my goal. It had been my turn for far too long. This time it was hers.
“Kiss me, Ronnie,” I growled.
I didn’t have to ask twice.
The small gap between us disappeared and her soft lips pressed against mine. They were sweet, gentle, and timid. Different from every time I’d initiated the kiss.
“Hmmm,” Ronnie murmured, leaning back just enough to look me in the eyes. Her tongue poked out her mouth for a second time, and in a long, slow gesture, it glazed over her lips. “You taste like a tree.”
Then she smiled. She fucking smiled.
My restraint snapped.
I jerked forward, grasping her lips between my teeth, wanting to bite them until they bled just to have that shy hiss once more. I wanted to take her ass with my hands and her tits in my palms. I wanted to make her gasp and cry with every tool I had at my disposal.
But I held back, sucking them hard into my mouth until she took in a sharp breath. Her hands grasped my hair and I felt a sharp sting at her pull, but it only turned me on more.
“Ron—”
It snapped.
Not my restraint or hers. Not my patience.
The branch.
“Shit!” I yelled as I went stumbling forward, crashing into Ronnie’s small body and taking her into the brush with me.
We were slapped with leaves, stabbed with twigs, and hit with the hard ground as we slammed into the grass-covered ground. My back felt all of it as Ronnie’s weight pressed down on my wheezing chest, my hands gripped like a vice around her back. Her brown hair was in my face and I felt her chin digging into my collarbone.
“How many times are we going to do this,” I groaned, my chest throbbing with the pain the small girl was inflicting on top of me. “Fuck, Ronnie, you hurt.”
“Not as much as you, you bastard.” Ronnie groaned, lifting her head from my chest. She huffed, flicking her hair out of her face as much as she could to look down at me.
“Touché,” I breathed.
At least I caught her this time. I suppose that was one good thing.
“I’m gonna get up now,” Ronnie warned, beginning to jostle on my chest.
Fuck, that hurt.
“No, no, no.” I grabbed her hips tight in my palms, pressing her down against me.
“Sorry, did that hurt?”
Yes, it fucking did.
“No,” I lied. “I just prefer you like this.”
“Aren’t I heavy?” Ronnie worried, nibbling on her bottom lip.
I released a bruised hand and brushed my thumb against it. “A little.” I smirked. “But I like the feeling of your tits on my chest a little too much.”
Ronnie deadpanned.
“OUCH!” I squealed like a little girl as Ronnie jerked up to her feet with a knee in the ribs and an elbow in the shoulder.
“You’re such a—” I whimpered, writhing on the floor.
“Finish that, I dare you,” Ronnie grumbled, dusting herself off from where she stood next to me. I wrapped a hand around my ribs, taking slow breaths.
My girl is savage.
My self-pity didn’t last long, however, as I heard Ronnie’s sharp gasp. I jerked from the ground, careless to my injuries and flipped onto all fours. “What is i—”
“Ha!” Ronnie’s loud, obnoxious laugh had me stiffening to a stop. “I told you so!”
I followed her gaze and felt her smugness like a suffocating pillow on my face. “Damn,” I grumbled, looking at the blanket laid out next to a large body of water and a pebbled coast. It was about the size of a small lake, but the way the deep orange sun beat down on the surface of the water, casting a warm glow across the bed of stones underneath the surface, I was amazed at the beauty of it.
“How did you find this place?” I asked in awe, bringing myself to my feet to get a better look. “I didn’t even know this existed.”
“Chased a rabbit that was trying to steal a bundle of hay. Was wondering where it was hiding, and I ended up out here.” Ronnie shrugged, pulling her fingers through her hair as she looked between me and the small lake. “It’s safe to say I got distracted and the rabbit got away.”
“You chased a rabbit this far into the woods?”
“There’s a shorter way here, I swear to God,” Ronnie grumbled, still upset about our… detour.
“That’s one out of three, checked.”
“What?”
“The date’s memorable already.” I smiled, and Ronnie met me with an even more beautiful one, with teeth and the wrinkles in the corners of her eyes that I didn’t get to see very often.
“Well.” Ronnie puffed out her chest, a leaf falling from the top of her bra. “Now let’s check off the last two.”
“Can we start with the sex?” I nudged her side.
“No.” Ronnie looked down at the basket parked next to the basket. “I have to woo you first.” she smirked.
“You’re right.” I laughed, taking my seat on the grassy bank where the blanket was bathing in the evening light peeking through the tree tops. “I don’t put out that easily after all.”
Ronnie scoffed.
“Unless you still want to throw your panties in my face… I’d put out for t— Ow!” I groaned, the ache in my side.
“Go find your shirt before I confiscate your food.”
My stomach grumbled. I looked to the flattened bushes where we made our spectacular landing.
Can I even find it?
“Fine.” I pouted getting up from the blanket. “But don’t start without me.”
“Don’t worry,” Ronnie chuckled over her shoulder. “I’ve waited this long for a date with you. I can wait a little longer.”
I paused, looking at the back of her. I recalled the look of the fragile girl that had arrived on the compound that day. For so long, I had been trying to look through the ghost of the person who stood before me, for a glimpse of the young girl I had once known. But now, looking at that straight back, long hair, and confidence that had bloomed while she had been here, I knew I didn’t have to look any longer.
She is all I need.
Chapter Twenty
Ronnie
“This feels like a dream,” I mumbled aloud by mistake, my hands running through his soft, wet hair.
Jax huffed, looking up with a raised eyebrow. The dim light from the candles highlighted the softer parts of his face and they drew my eyes. “Is this really a time to be daydreaming?”
“Hmm,” I mumbled, pretending to think about it. “Maybe not.”
Jax gave me that little quirk of a smile that I now knew was his baffled but enamored smile. According to him, I was like a little mystery in a pretty, wrapped-up box. Which was corny but sweet for Jax. I had expected something more like, “You’re the best pussy I’ve ever laid my tongue on,” which coincidenta—
A moan jumped from my throat. “Jax.” I tightened my grip on his hair.
“Don’t think about other things while my head is between your legs, got it?”
“You can’t stop me.” I stuck my tongue out at him, squeezing his shoulders a little with my thighs.
I hadn’t fully come to terms with looking at the horrible mess down the side of my leg, but when Jax didn’t care, I seemed to forget all about it—so long as there were no mirrors around. The road to accepting my body, scars and all
, was a long road, one I was beginning to walk with Jax.
“Is that a challenge?” Jax purred, crawling up the length of my body, his cold belt buckle brushing against my clit and making me gasp. My hips jerked up against his denim crotch and he stopped.
And growled.
Not like a little one, or a purr. It was deep in his throat and his eyes fixed on the small gap between his belt and my clit with too much concentration.
“Jax?” I whimpered, lifting my hips once more to brush against the cold metal. It made my stomach flinch with the shock, but the tingle it left felt good.
I went back once more. Just a quick touch. But I couldn’t lift my hips from the bed.
“Jax?” I questioned, looking down at the hand pressed flat against my stomach. He wasn’t pushing hard, but there was firmness that left no room for wiggling as he kept me still. “Jax, what’s up?” I urged.
My voice must have held a hint of worry in it, because Jax snapped out of whatever trance he had fallen into. His eyes jumped to my face, and like a bucket of cold water, he jumped up from the bed.
“I’m off for a shower.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the side of my lips, ignoring my stunned expression and walked across the creaking floor into the en suite bathroom.
“Fuck,” I hissed, getting up from the bed.
What…the fuck just happened?
The regret churned inside my stomach as I looked down at my naked body, feeling more vulnerable than I had in a long while. I had a feeling we wouldn’t be going any further tonight.
I got up, dressed in a set of comfortable cotton pajamas—the long trouser kind, not the little booty shorts Jax had bought for me—and climbed under the sheet, turning the light off.
He ran away from me. As fast as he could.
Sure, I knew what the hell I was doing by tempting him, pushing against his belt. I wasn’t dumb. I was frustrated.
I knew what Jax’s kink was. Whether it had been the townspeople who overshared, the girls in the club who loved to gossip, or just the way his eyes darkened at the touch of a rope and a glance in my direction.
He liked to tie people up. Bondage or something along those lines.
Jax: Black Angels MC, #3 Page 24
