by SL Schiefer
“No. You want to work out, that’s fine, but work out here.”
“What’s the big deal? It’s just a class, and it’s a hell of a workout.”
“I don’t like it,” he tells me, shaking his head. “I think you should work out here. Especially if you plan on wearing that,” he says as his hand motions in the air over my body.
“Seriously?”
“Does it look like I’m kidding? You’re barely dressed!”
“Your club sluts wear less than this most of the time, and I don’t see you or anyone else telling them to do something about it,” I remind him as I turn my back toward him to grab my heels and shove them in my bag.
I hear him growl before I feel him. His strong hands grip my hips as he gently presses his hips to my ass, his breath hot against my ear. “Angel, please,” he pleads. “For the love of all that is holy, stay home. Work out here. Please.”
Part of me wants to go just in spite of him. But if I do go, will that do more harm than good? He needs to learn he can’t order me around, but do I really need to fight him at every crossroad?
“Fine.” I pull away from his embrace, leaving him and my workout bag behind me as I head down the hallway to work out in the living room. Drill is sitting on the chair closest to the door. God, he looks bored.
“Feel free to make coffee or something to eat, Drill. I’m going to work out. But I’ll forewarn you now, if you sit there, you’re going to get a twenty minute view of my ass in your face.” I wink.
As I set up my phone’s interval training app and grab my free weights, I hear Mace growl to Drill, “Get the fuck out.” I take it he doesn’t like the idea of Drill having the best view of my ass. I can’t help but internally smile over that one.
***
On the drive to work, my thoughts were filled with Mace. His body, his temper, his touch, his voice, his ability to rock my world. Everything. It’s getting harder and harder to remember why I thought stepping back was a good idea.
After my shower this morning, I found Drill waiting outside for me and Mace in the kitchen, pouring me a thermos of fresh coffee. Of course, I couldn’t just accept the coffee graciously; I had to fight with him right away about Drill following me to the shop. He assured me no one would even know about Drill, but I still don’t like the idea of someone watching my every move. And I had no issue letting that fact be known.
When I walk into work to check the schedule to double check what needs to be done first, Jazz is at the desk, grinning at me. Bruises still litter her cheek and her eye, and there’s a small cut on her bottom lip.
“What?” Narrowing my eyes, I can’t help but ask, “Did you get laid or something?”
“What? No! But Creep is definitely something else.”
“Oh, yeah? I have a feeling they’re all the same. A possessive, territorial, and controlling biker who thinks they call all the shots?” I say sarcastically.
“Who also happen to be generous, sexy, sweet, and caring? Listen here, hooker,” she says rolling her eyes, “I get you’re scared, but for real, it’s time to get over it. We both already know how you feel about him, so forget why it’s a bad idea.” She walks over to me and places her hands on my shoulders. Looking me straight in the eye, she says, “Remember why it’s a good one.”
***
Mace texted me throughout the day wondering if anything happened, if I was okay, if I had plans tonight, what time I’d be home, and so on. Dad gave me a few stern looks every time he’d catch me texting. I swear he was watching me like a fucking hawk today. In all honesty, the entire day sucked ass. Parts came in that were wrong, we had bitchy customers, and Luke was a total pain in the ass to work with on top of it all.
It feels good to unwind with Kate after a day like this one was. I’m in no hurry to get back home, so I take the long way home. Windows down, music up. I’m probably just avoiding whatever is waiting for me at home. It’s hard to be around Mace when I’m not sure how strong I can be on my decision. I’ve never felt as connected as I do with him—or as attracted.
Too quickly, I’m pulling into my apartment complex and find myself calling Jazz.
“Don’t be scared,” she sings into the phone.
“Scared about what?” I’m confused. What the fuck is she talking about?
“Nothing. What do you want?” I can hear the smile in her voice.
“You wanna hang out tonight?”
“Sorry, no can do.”
“What? Why?”
“Because Creep wants me to hang out here, for safety and all that. And he’s kinda sweet and totally sexy, so…”
“Chicks before dicks, dude. What happened to that?” Is she serious right now?
“Aw, suck it up, Rave. You’ve gotta man waiting for you to come home. Go keep him company,” she orders.
“I’m pulling the save me card.”
“You can’t use the damn save me card! That’s for when we’re at bars and need to lose a creeper. You’re not at a bar and Mace isn’t a creeper,” she says with a laugh.
“He could be,” I mumble.
“Have a good night, Rave.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter before hanging up.
As I walk through the door, the lights are down low and soft music plays throughout the room. Mace is standing with a single orange rose in his hand, the orange popping against his black button-down dress shirt and grey slacks. He has the top two buttons undone, allowing the solid, tanned skin of his chest to peek out. The sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, showcasing his magnitude of artwork.
I swallow hard. A fire of need spreads through me, and I have to take a minute to gather my thoughts. He looks fucking delicious.
“Are you going to come in and shut the door?” he asks, his mouth tilted up on one side.
I notice I only have one foot over the threshold, my hand still on the doorknob. I clear my throat as I walk in and shut the door behind me before tossing my keys on the table.
“What’s going on?” I ask wearily.
“I thought you might have had a long day at work, so I made reservations for us for dinner so neither of us has to cook, we can just talk.”
“Talk?” I clarify.
“Yeah, talk.”
“So…you want to take me out on an actual date? Like, the whole romance thing?”
“Yeah,” he nods, holding out the flower for me.
“How’d you know these were my favorite?” I smile, grabbing it and bringing it to my nose to inhale.
“I’m glad you like it,” he says shyly.
Cocking my head, I stare at him, trying to get a read on where he’s at right now. I’ve never seen him like this before. Of course, he’s been sweet and caring at times, but not once have I ever seen him bashful and self-conscious. It’s kinda cute.
I contemplate telling him no, because after today, I just want to shower and do nothing. My entire body is sore, and I’m exhausted, but he actually looks nervous so I decide to go with it. Besides, not having to cook sounds pretty good, and I’m interested to see what he has planned for tonight and how open he can be with me.
“Let me just shower first.”
“Take your time.”
Feeling a bit awkward, I smirk as I walk past him down the hall. Slowly, it turns into a grin. I know exactly what I’m wearing tonight.
Chapter Twenty-Four – Mace
I SPENT A GOOD AMOUNT of time today cleaning out my car, making sure it was dust free for tonight. I made reservations at a nice Michelin starred restaurant for us tonight. I even went out and bought clothes for tonight. Give me my jeans and leather any day, because these stuffy business type clothes are not my style.
When Raven disappeared to get ready, I made myself comfortable on the couch. About an hour later, I hear a door open, so I stand up off the couch and turn to the hallway. Before I can say anything, all the breath is sucked out of me.
Standing in the hallway, in a black dress that looks sinful, is my Angel. The dress is mod
est in front, only showing a little bit of cleavage, but hugs her every curve. The bottom of it stops right above her knees.
“Wow. You look absolutely breathtaking.” I hold my hand out to her, wanting to spin her around so I can see the back of this dress. And she complies, softly placing her hand in mine.
When my eyes land on the back of the dress, or lack thereof, they just about bug out of my head. The dress has straps, but they’re tied around her neck, and the material dips down so low that if it were any lower it would show her ass.
“You’re trying to kill me with this dress, aren’t you? God, I’m trying to be good tonight. Then you come out in that dress. Alright, let’s go, put your shoes on. If we stay in this house any longer we won’t be going anywhere.” I let go of her hand long enough for her to slip her shoes on.
I guess it’s a good thing it’s warm outside tonight or she would be freezing. I would be sweating either way.
Once we’re out the door, she asks, “Where are we going to eat? I can’t imagine you’re taking me to the local drive-through since we’re wearing these clothes.” She laughs.
We reach the car, and I hold her back from opening the door so I can do it for her. “Fancy clothes, good behavior… If I didn’t know any better I would say you were trying to get laid.”
I chuckle. “Tonight isn’t about getting laid. You have reservations about me, and I get it, but tonight is about us getting to know each other. To make it easier for you to come to terms with dating me.”
I’m still standing at the car with the door open, and she has made no move to slide in. She’s just staring at me. I can’t place the look on her face. It looks like lust has filled her eyes but she’s battling a war with her brain. She starts to chew on her lip, something she seems to do often when she’s nervous.
“Gunner, it’s not that I don’t want to do this with you, because I think it’s pretty clear what I want. But it’s so hard when you’re everything you are. I don’t want to get hurt.”
I let go of the door to slide my hand up her arm. Goose bumps break out along her skin, just proving to both of us she’s affected by me. “Angel, I know you don’t want to be hurt. But if you never take the chance, how will you ever know what we could be? How will we ever know what the future holds for us if you don’t give me a fair chance?”
I lean down to get closer to eye level with her. “If you give me a chance, I want all in. I don’t want you to continue to pull back from me. I’ll always give you one hundred percent, except for club business. If I don’t tell you something regarding that, it’s for your own safety.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “If we go all in, I am it for you. You will not fuck around on me, do you understand?”
I have to try extremely hard not to smile at that. She’s always so beautiful when she’s trying to be mean.
“Angel, when I say I will always give you all of me, I mean it. You will have me, no one else. No one else would ever compare to the shit you make me feel.”
She smacks my chest. Pretty hard. “What the fuck, Angel?”
The twinkle in her eyes tells me she is just playing around and isn’t mad at me for something. “You were doing so well being all romantic, then you had to go and say the shit I make you feel. That isn’t romantic. At all. But it’s you.”
With that, she smiles a heart-stopping smile at me and slips into the car while I stand there feeling confused. What the hell just happened? Shaking my head, I make my way to the driver’s side of the car. She will probably leave me feeling like this more times than I can count.
When we’re on the road, she finally turns and looks at me. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going to eat yet?”
I glance at her but turn my eyes back to the road quickly. “If I tell you, will you stop making this whole romance thing so hard for me?”
“You do realize I don’t need all this, right? I just need you to be you.” She reaches her hand across the bench seat and places it on my thigh. Almost instantly, my dick thinks her hand is there for him. Down, boy.
“You’re hesitant because of who I am, so I’m showing you how I can be. For you. We’re eating at Amore Mio.”
The expression on her face says it all. “What? How? I always try to eat there but it’s booked out months in advance!”
I shake my head. “I have connections all over this city, Angel. If I want something done, it gets done.”
It’s her turn to shake her head, and she turns to look straight out the windshield. “Why do I feel like it’ll change my entire life to be with you?”
“Probably because it will. For both of us.”
***
When we’re seated at our table, I order the best wine on the menu and tell the waitress we’ll have the special for the day.
“You’re going to order for me? You won’t do this all the time, will you?” Raven asks skeptically.
“No, I’m just trying to make tonight easy. Let me do this for you.”
She gets quiet on her side of the table, so it gives me time to study her. Her hair is laying in long curls down her back, but she keeps swiping it out of her face because she isn’t used to it being down. Her eyes are roaming around the restaurant, taking it all in.
When her eyes come back to me, they linger. “What’s your favorite color?” she asks me.
“Grey. What’s yours?”
“Grey? What kind of favorite color is that? I would have to pick blue for mine.” She stares at me for a few beats before asking, “What’s your favorite place to be?”
“A couple months ago, I would tell you the clubhouse. But now, that little pull-off we had sex in after the funeral? That’s my favorite place.”
A blush creeps up her neck and cheeks, like I’ve embarrassed her. “Don’t let anything we do embarrass you. I love that I got to fuck you on my bike. I love that bike, and I happen to love you more than that bike, so that was by far one of the best days I’ve had. What about you? What’s your favorite place?”
She blinks a couple times, clearing her throat she says, “I like being at the garage. Working on cars and bikes is really relaxing to me.”
“I can totally see you running your own garage. I might have to have you work on my bike sometime.”
“I’m supposed to take over the shop for Dad when he retires.” Just then, our waitress comes back with our food, forcing us to pause in our conversation.
The waitress sets our food down in front of us. I didn’t even check what the special was. It’s a plate of Chicken Marsala. This is my favorite Italian dish.
When the waitress leaves, the conversation dies down so both of us can eat a little bit of our food.
“If you keep moaning like that, I’m going to fuck you on this table for everyone to see,” I growl.
In response, she smiles like she has every idea of what she’s doing. “Keep it up, Angel.”
“Do you see yourself having any kids? I know club life isn’t what I would ever want for my kids,” she states firmly, making me pause mid-chew.
“I’ve never openly thought ‘yeah, I want kids’ but I’m not opposed to the idea.”
She mulls that over before asking, “Would you leave the club if you had kids?”
“Probably not, but I would step back from going out on trips and all that.”
She nods, going back to her food. Okay, then.
When we’re both full, I pay the bill and get us out of there.
“So how did I do? Did I pass on the romance aspect?” I place my arm around her shoulders, pulling her to me while we wait for the valet to bring my car around.
“Yeah, you did.” She turns her head to look at me after she says that. Without saying anything back, I lean down and press my lips against hers, trying to keep the kiss chaste, but she has other intentions.
She turns toward me and bring her arms around me. Sliding her tongue across my lips, I open my mouth to her as she deepens the kiss.
And we’re caught there, makin
g out like teenagers when the valet decides that’s the perfect fucking time to pull my car around. Fucking asshole.
Chapter Twenty-Five – Raven
GROANING, MACE PULLS away—Gunner. I need to work on that change. As seductively as I can manage, I smile at him before turning to get in the car. Once he slides into the seat next to me, his hand finds mine, capturing it in his. I watch as he brings our joined hands to his mouth, his soft lips pressing lightly against the delicate skin on my knuckles. I can’t help but swoon over the gentle gestures. Gunner is anything but gentle. I know this isn’t really his thing, but it’s nice to see him like this, too.
Maybe he’s right. Maybe I should risk it. If I don’t, will I regret it thirty years from now? Will he be the one great love I let get away? Well, not love…
Or is Dad right? He and Luke have been a bit on the grumpy side since Gunner went to talk with Dad. I just don’t understand why. What would he have against Gunner after only meeting him that one time? Is he seeing something I’m not? Will this turn into being the one big regret in my life? The learning lesson that destroys me, and no matter how much I pray for a chance to undo it, I never will?
I’m terrified.
“Where to?” I ask as he pulls into traffic.
“I thought maybe we could go back to—“He’s cut off by the sound of his cell ringing. I listen to him bark a few grunts and curse words into the phone before hanging up. His brows roll inward to pinch together, his eyes narrowed, mouth pressed tight.
“What’s wrong?” I ask hesitantly.
“I have to go to the clubhouse for a bit to handle a situation. I wasn’t expecting this, but I have to handle this shit. Will you please come with me and wait for me?” He looks over at me, excessively batting his eyelashes in my direction, a smirk playing on his lips.
I fight the smile on my lips but eventually give in. “Yeah, that’s fine. But I’m exhausted, so I may just crash in your room.”
“Hmm.”
“Hmm, what?”
“I don’t know if I should be thrilled that you want to sleep back in my room again, or if I should threaten you about planning on going to bed without me. You know I’m not sleeping anywhere else but next to you there.”
