Gypsy's Lady

by MariaLisa deMora

  It had been the work of an hour to get Kelsey to agree to the medication. She’d argued against the delay, making point after point in favor of continuing. Throughout it all, Gypsy had stayed seated on the bed with her cradled in his lap, gently pointing out each time she moved and flinched. She’d finally acquiesced, grumpily, when he told her Tugboat said Maggie could use the downtime, too.

  “Yeah, man. She just needs a break. Tomorrow we’ll be back in the wind.” He strode to where she lay, settling his ass on the edge of the bed. Leaning forwards, he rested his hand on her head, stroking her forehead with the pad of one thumb. “We’ll see you soon.”

  He disconnected the call and tossed the phone on the nightstand before bracketing her body with his arms, staring down at her.

  “Fuck.” He muttered the curse word and froze in place as she wrinkled her nose. Her lashes fluttered, brushing the curve of her cheek softly before her eyes opened. She didn’t look afraid, not of him, but then again, she never had been. Blinking, she smiled and lifted one hand to brush his hair behind an ear. The startlingly intimate gesture released him, and he eased back, putting a little space between them as he stared at her. “Hey, there.”

  “Hi, Gypsy.” She sounded rested and content, her fingers returning to toy with a curl of hair that had escaped again, hanging down beside his face. “You’re all mussy.” This mischievous tone of voice wasn’t one he’d ever heard from her, she was relaxed, the expression on her face easygoing and affectionate. “Fussy mussy.”

  “I am?”

  “Mmhmm.” With a heavy sigh, she shifted and stretched, both arms raised over her head, each move languorous. “You are. How ya goin’?” Another sleepy smile curled her lips and she blinked at him. “Do you know how much I like you?”

  The medication. It dawned on him why she was acting so strangely. Bulldog had said it was strong, and Gypsy was seeing the evidence of that now. “I like you, too.”

  “I bet I like you a fair sight more.” Her back arched and she stretched again. She lifted her arm and rested her wrist lightly on his shoulder, fingers teasing the ends of his loose hair. “I’ve liked you for a long, long time.”

  “Darlin’, you need to rest.”

  “A long, long time.” She gathered a handful of hair, gripping it tightly, the pull against his scalp just this side of pain. “You’re always so proper.” With a tug, she tried to draw his face down towards hers. “I was proper once. My brother said I was a proper poppet.” Kelsey lifted her head, gaze locked on his, mouth so close to his he could feel her breath. “I like you, Doug Tatum.” Rising up that final distance, she brought her lips to his in a gentle touch, her words caressing his skin. “I’m your proper missus, aren’t I?” Heat grazed his bottom lip and he groaned when she caught it with her teeth in a sharp nip. “Your missus likes you.”

  “Kels,” he began to say, but she wrapped her other arm around his neck, bringing their mouths together. Her tongue slipped along his and the instant he tasted her, all rational thought fled. Gypsy stopped trying to pull away and instead, surged forwards. His arm wrapped around her upper body, and he held her tight against him as he angled his mouth across hers. She met him eagerly, her lips pliant under his, their tongues tangling and stroking together. Her hands were busy in his hair, loosening the tie to let it fall in curtains around their faces.

  “I love your hair.” Her murmured words were nearly a moan as she sank her fingers into his hair and against his scalp. She arched, breasts crushed against his chest and he tightened his hold on her. “And your mouth.” She nipped his lip again, giggling at his groaned response. “You have a most attractive mouth, you know? It’s brilliant. I think about your mouth a lot, hubby.”

  That word yanked Gypsy from the aroused haze he’d become lost in, and he pulled back, looking down at the beautiful, aroused woman beneath him. Heavy-lidded eyes gazed back at him, and when he noted how dilated her pupils were, it was just another dose of cold-water reality to throw on his way too eager dick. Medicated, he reminded himself.

  “Kels, you need to rest, honey.” She aimed a kiss at his mouth, and he dodged so her lips slid up his cheek instead, her teeth grasping his lobe with a sharp bite. “Ow, honey. Don’t bite.” Jesus. Her hands slipped down, one curling around the back of his neck, the other coming to rest on his chest. “Kels.” She was nuzzling against his neck now, leaving a trail of wet kisses. “Darlin’.” She arched, her peaked nipples grazing his chest. God, she’s making it hard to be good.

  “Almost memorized your mouth.” Kelsey’s lips moved across his skin as she spoke, and Gypsy had to stifle a groan at the feel. “With my mind. Now it’s my mouth’s turn.”

  His cock was fully on board with her ideas; the blood rushing to it throbbed in time with each soft gasp and moan. The hand on his chest moved south, and he quickly lurched to the side, propped on one arm so he could grip her hand before it clasped onto his dick. “Kels.”

  “I want to be a good missus.” Hot gusts of breath trailed across the skin of his neck, goose bumps chasing each word. “I think you like me. Want you to like me.”

  “I do like you, Kelsey. But you need to rest.”

  She sounded frustrated when she whispered, “I like you.”

  Matching her volume, he whispered back, “Honey, I like you, too.”

  “But I like you.” Her voice rose, fear creeping in around the edges of the words. “Why don’t you like me? It’s because of him, isn’t it? All the things that happened to me? The horrible, horrible things they did. You have to know I didn’t want it. Not from them. Not from Baxter, Brendan, or the others.” Her voice trembled as it rose and fell, and he was dismayed at how much pain it held. “It’s because of that, isn’t it? That’s the sticky part for you.”

  “No, honey. Nothing like that.”

  Louder, her voice was brusque when she said, “Right. It’s all explained now.” She went from holding onto him to pushing away within a breath. “I get how it is. Wh-why would someone as beautiful as you want me?” Her neck twisted, angling her face away. “You could have anyone. Nu-no need to settle.” She shifted in his arms, shoving at his chest. “And here you sit, saddled with damaged goods. I’m so sorry.”

  “Kelsey, honey.” He tightened his grasp on her. “I’m not saddled with anything. I want you with me.” Her sobbing laughter tore through him, making her disbelief clear. “I like you, darlin’. This isn’t me settling.”

  Eyes squeezed tightly closed, she repeated herself, “You can stop now. I get it.”

  Gypsy leaned down, running his nose along the curve of her cheek, breath catching at the sight of tears clumping her lashes. “Kelsey, listen to me.” She didn’t respond, but her efforts to push him away slowed and stopped. “You seriously think for one minute I don’t want you? That you’re not desirable?” He paused and waited, but she turned farther away, cheek pressed into the pillow. “You’re wrong.”

  “No, I’m not.” Lip caught between her teeth, she forced the words out, chest rising and falling with each gasped breath. “I’m not.”

  “Yes, you are.” Her insecurity tore at his heart, and he searched for a way to make her believe him. Only one thing came to mind. I’ll show her.

  He shifted and stretched out beside her on the mattress. He shoved an arm under her, wrapped his other around her waist as he pulled her close, and tucked her body tight against his. She tried to turn away from him, but Gypsy held her fast, waiting until she was finally resting quietly. Gypsy thrust his knees under her legs, wedging himself into place, holding her as if she were seated on his lap.

  Mouth to her ear, he told Kelsey, “You’re wrong, darlin’. You think I get hard for just any woman?” With a controlled push, he lifted his hips, grinding his erection against her ass. “Feel that? Feel me?” The way her breath caught in her throat was enough of an answer, so he murmured, “Yeah, you feel me. You know what it means. I want you. I want you all the fuckin’ time, Kelsey. Kills me to hold back, honey.” He ground aga
inst her again, and gently bit the side of her neck when she pushed back against him. “I’ve been giving you space, Kels. Trying hard to be the good guy, but you’re all I think about. You’re everything I want, promise you. Hell, I jack off in the shower every morning because sleeping next to you is sweet, sweet torture.” He shifted his hold from her waist to a hip, pulling her down as he pushed up again, the pressure of his swollen dick behind his jeans a delicious pain. She’s so fuckin’ perfect for me.

  “You do?” Still edged with tears, her voice was lighter, filled with wonder.

  “Hell, yeah. Wanna make love to you.” She won’t remember the words, he thought, but she’ll hold onto the emotion. With that, he gave himself permission to be fully truthful with her. “From the first moment I laid eyes on you, you’ve been it for me, Kelsey. You’re what I think about when I wake, and the last thing on my mind as I go to sleep. I want you, honey. Want you in my life, forever.”

  “Oh, Gypsy.” She sighed, the breath so deep her ribs visibly expanded under his hold. “I want that, too. I’m tired.” Snuggling against him, she yawned widely, her jaw cracking with the strain. “Oh! I think I’m rat-arsed.”

  “Sleep, Kelsey. I’ll be here with you.” He listened to her breathing slow, becoming even as she began to drift to sleep.

  Barely a whisper, she asked, “Promise?”

  “Yeah, darlin’. I promise I won’t leave you.” She relaxed into him, her arms folded between them, soft breaths gusting across the taut muscles of his chest. “I won’t ever leave you.” He held her, already dreading the moment he’d have to let her go.

  ***

  Kelsey

  She didn’t realize she’d cast her eyes down until the rough touch of Gypsy’s curled knuckle brushed against the underside of her chin. Kelsey looked up and into his eyes, blinking away any trace of the tears that had been threatening. They were walking to meet Tugboat and Maggie for a meal. She had been going over the things she remembered from the night before, finally convinced it was all a dream.

  “Darlin’, what’s wrong?” He’d stopped in front of her and was staring down, tiny wrinkles between his eyebrows. It didn’t take him but a moment to figure her out, and she watched as the corners of his eyes tilted, crinkling. “Honey, tell me what you need and I’ll do it, I promise.”

  “I-I.” Shutting out the sight of him, she held her breath until the sobs receded, and hopefully that damn stutter with them. “I know.” Blinking against the brightness of sunshine, she focused on his eyes. Kind and so damn beautiful, they’d become a welcome anchor for her when they were talking. “I told you. I feel silly. How will they know I wasn’t just pulling something? I don’t want them to think me a fool.”

  “Because riding cross-country is hard on the body, and we all know it. We talked about that.” He grinned, which meant he’d seen the tip of her nose crinkle, and then his expression smoothed out. He opened the door, ushering her through. “Now let’s get something to eat.”

  Maggie was waving from a booth across the room with Tugboat seated next to her, welcoming smiles on their faces and as Kelsey closed in on their table, Tug’s deep voice greeted her, “Miss Kelsey. Glad to see you found a way to roll that reprobate behind you out of bed. You excited about getting on the road this morning?”

  Kelsey stared at them in disbelief. Maggie had already drawn Tug’s attention back to the menu on the table in front of them, the moment as natural and unforced as anything Kelsey had experienced. They aren’t going to make me feel like I’ve gone round the bend. She pulled in a deep breath, losing part of it in a surprised huff when Gypsy’s hand settled on the small of her back. She looked up at him, taking in the sight of his confident, warm smile aimed in her direction.

  “Ready when you are.” Gypsy nodded towards the booth and Kelsey scrambled to slide in, easing across the seat. “Want tea?”

  She stared at the menu lying on the table, angled to fit the space between her and Gypsy. It was exactly as overwhelming as she remembered and the tightness that had threatened to close her throat returned, stripping her of the ability to respond. As if he read her mind, Gypsy swept it away, resting it at the end of the table without looking at the dizzying array of images and words.

  “Kelsey, you want tea?” She nodded slowly. “Milk?” Only when his big hand covered half the menu did she realize her gaze had remained fixed on it. “Kels, don’t worry about that.” His voice was quiet, but firm, and she felt her muscles relax a tiny bit. “You want milk in your tea today?”

  His lips looked different today. Fuller, redder, more striking than they had before. Maybe softer, as if they’d mold firmly to her own. Kelsey let her gaze lock on his mouth, cataloging the changes. When he smiled at her, the bottom lip bowed down, giving her a glimpse of his tongue and teeth. “Kelsey?” She saw and heard her name come from his mouth and it made her shiver. “Pancakes and bacon?”

  Slamming her lids shut for a moment, she straightened on the seat before opening her eyes. The napkin holder was on this end of the table and she reached out, pulling two from the metal container, placing them flat on the surface. The simple act helped slow her heart, freeing her words at least a little. “Ju-just tea, thanks.”

  Gypsy turned as the waitress approached the table and ordered. “One tea, leave a lot of room for milk, and one coffee, black.” Apparently, he’d remembered her penchant for doctoring up her tea. His hand left the top of the table and settled on her leg. When he pressed down, she realized her knee had been jerking up and down. Without missing a beat, he told the waitress, “I’ll have two plates of scrambled eggs and crispy bacon. One with wheat toast, one with white.”

  “Maggie wants a cup of yogurt and some fruit. Can you do that?” Tugboat chimed in, laying their menu on top of the one Gypsy had moved away from Kelsey. “For me, I’ll take biscuits and gravy. Throw some eggs over medium on there, too. Two coffees, black.” Maggie smiled at Kelsey and shook her head.

  The waitress read the orders back, checking with the men to make certain she had them right, then disappeared around the corner on her way to the kitchen. Kelsey glanced back and found Maggie still grinning. “Men.”

  Tugboat laughed deep in his chest as Bear opened the door to the diner. He walked up and asked, “What’s so funny?”

  Maggie rolled her eyes. “These two Neanderthals thought Kelsey and I couldn’t order for ourselves.”

  Bear grabbed a chair and dragged it close, sitting and resting his elbows on the table. “No secret, Mom. It’s a guy thing.”

  Kelsey looked back and forth between them. Tugboat laughed again and angled close to Maggie, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Mags, it’s one way I can show you I care.” He turned and looked at Gypsy and Kelsey, still smiling. “Right, brother?”

  Gypsy’s hand tightened around her thigh, sliding down and then back up a couple of centimeters. “Abso-fuckin-lutely,” Gypsy agreed, and Kelsey stared up at him. Heat fluttering to life in her belly, it rose up through her chest to her neck and cheeks. “We take care of the ones we love.”

  Thirty minutes later, she had nearly recovered from that revelation when Maggie asked, “He’s the Australian doctor I’ve heard so much about?”

  Kelsey looked up from her plate to see Tugboat nod as he tore a bite of toast off with his teeth. “Yeah, he’s MC friendly, so we wind up with him a lot.”

  Bear leaned over and picked up the coffee carafe the waitress had left on the table. Topping up his mug, he said, “Bulldog’s the doc who treated me when I got back from California.” Everyone around the table went still and Kelsey studied Bear’s face. He kept it carefully blank as he continued, “He’s good. He works with Brute on the injuries he got from the IED overseas.”

  Gypsy’s left hand had stayed on Kelsey’s leg and his fingers gave her a squeeze as he explained. “The doc’s a friend. Plays a mean hand of poker.”

  “Th-there’s an Australian physician in Fort Wayne?” As much as she tried to steady her voice, Kelsey stil
l knew it wavered. “Has he been there long?”

  “Came over after he left the Royal Army, from what I know. Been in the Fort for years now.” Tugboat pushed back from the table, lying his cutlery crossways on his plate. “Man, those were some good eats. I’m full.” He rolled his wrist and checked his watch. “We should think about getting on the road soon.”

  “And his na-name is Bulldog?”

  Gypsy nodded. He finished chewing and swallowed then looked down at her, his mouth pulled sideways into a tolerant smile. “You nearly met him. He was at the apartment the day Tugboat came over.” He looked at her for a moment, head cocked to the side. “You want to meet him?” She nodded. “You got it, darlin’. Soon as we get home.”

  “Home.” She wasn’t even aware she’d whispered the word until he gave her leg another squeeze.

  “Yeah, Kels. Home.”

  California

  Gypsy

  Gypsy leaned the bike to the right, instinctively maneuvering around the corner as he raked his gaze along the buildings on the street ahead of them. Tugboat was riding to his right, and Bear rolled behind, their little trio of motorcycles carrying a tired but happy set of riders. Kelsey was folded tight against his back and he gave himself a moment to enjoy how she’d cuddled up to him. Since breakfast two mornings ago, she’d seemed much more settled, comfortable in her skin and among the people they traveled with. Hope it sticks, then he lost the thought as a pair of men strolled into view about half a block ahead.

  Lifting one fist, he pulled his group to a crawl as he visually verified the identity of the man standing to the side of a wide driveway, arms crossed over his chest. Joel. Gypsy grinned and reminded himself of the man’s alter ego, Blue Line.

  Kelsey jolted against him when Tugboat shouted, the inarticulate noise filled with joy. That likely meant the man standing next to Blue Line was his nephew, Carter.

  They angled their bikes into the parking lot, Gypsy following the unspoken direction of Blue Line’s outstretched arm as he pulled close to the metal building. Making a small loop near the structure, he put his feet down and made quick work of backing up the couple of feet it took to park. Kickstand down, he stepped off the bike and reached to grip Kelsey’s waist. She squeaked and smiled as he lifted her from the seat, placing her beside the rear wheel. “Stay here for a minute, honey.” When she nodded, he turned and strode to meet Blue Line.