Colt (Desert Sinners MC Book 2)

by Rachel Lyn Adams

  Thinking of Ember in bed wasn’t helping my wayward thoughts. I should have let her leave, but I offered to walk her upstairs instead.

  We walked past the door that led to my room in silence. When we reached hers, she turned to say goodnight. Without thinking, I leaned down and kissed her.

  We stumbled into her room and as I laid her on the bed, I realized I was exactly where I wanted to be.

  25

  Ember

  The feeling of waking up in Colt’s arms was something I wouldn’t ever get used to. I didn’t want to move for fear of waking him up and breaking this perfect, peaceful moment. When I first moved here, I never would have guessed Colt would be the one making me feel protected and cared for.

  After a few minutes, he began to stir. “Good morning,” he said as he rolled over to face me. Even though things were actually pretty great between us, and he’d really opened up to me last night, I still had this fear of him regretting us being together. But he looked relaxed and was smiling down at me.

  “Good morning.”

  Without saying anything else, Colt moved over the top of me and kissed me deeply. His lips were soft, and his beard rubbed against my face in the best way. All my self-doubt about what we were doing left as his kiss consumed my every thought. This moment right here was everything I’d fantasized about since the first time we were together.

  He pulled away from our kiss but continued to hover over me, bracing his weight on his forearms beside my head. “Want to go for a ride today?”

  I assumed he meant on his bike, but I couldn’t be sure with the way he started trailing kisses down my neck while his hardness pressed against the apex of my thighs. It was a Sunday, and I didn’t have anything planned. Even if I did, I would have given those plans up to spend a day on Colt’s bike with him.

  “Yes,” I moaned as he waited for my answer.

  “Is that a yes for the ride or for me to continue what I’m doing?”

  I could hear the laughter in his voice. It was a side of Colt he tried to hide, but he was letting go a little bit more every day. Kate had said Colt laughed more, smiled more—because of me. I needed to stop waiting for something bad to happen and enjoy what was happening.

  “Both?”

  It took a while before either of us were able to pull ourselves out of bed and get ready. He tried to follow me into the shower, but I knew that would lead to more delays in getting on the road. When I wouldn’t give in, he reluctantly headed back to his room, so I could shower alone, and get dressed.

  I walked downstairs to meet him and was a little surprised to see so many members sitting around the huge dining table this early in the morning. I offered everyone a quick greeting and went about preparing my coffee.

  While rummaging around in the refrigerator, looking for my creamer, I felt a pair of large arms wrap around me. As I stood up, I felt his lips on my neck, nipping and sucking at my sensitive skin.

  The catcalls that broke out reminded me of the audience we had. “What are you doing?” I tried to keep my voice down, but judging by some of the laughs from the table, they’d heard me.

  “Sorry,” Colt said, not looking at all sorry with a smirk on his face. “You were bent over, looking hot as fuck. I couldn’t control myself.”

  I felt the blush creeping up my neck. This man had the power to ruin me if he kept acting like that.

  “Hurry up with your coffee, I have somewhere I want to take you,” he said as he smacked my ass.

  I looked around the room at the smiling faces. It seemed they liked this side of Colt as much as I did.

  The weather was gorgeous, making for a perfect ride. Less than an hour after we left the clubhouse, we were pulling off on an exit for Lake Mead. I mentioned wanting to take a tour of the dam a few days ago and was touched that he not only remembered, but took time out of his busy schedule to bring me here.

  “This is so cool,” I said as I stepped off the bike and looked around. “Thank you.”

  “My dad used to bring me here a lot when I was a kid. We’d go camping, fishing, all the things a young boy likes. It’s pretty cool.”

  Hearing Colt share details about his life always thrilled me, but he wasn’t used to talking about himself or his past, so I only got pieces but stored them all away. He was a closed-off type of person, due to his mom having left him and his dad, but also from Jenna’s actions. I knew it wasn’t easy for him to share, and all I could do was keep encouraging him and be patient.

  “Do your parents live nearby?” I asked, noticing how he always left out his mom.

  “My dad has a house up in the hills over there. Ten acres.” He pointed to an area on the other side of the lake. “The kids love coming out here to visit him and his fiancée, Lydia.”

  I wanted to ask more questions, but I didn’t want to push for more information when he was already giving more than I expected. Regardless of his childhood, it was clear that family meant a lot to him, and that was something I could understand. I saw that evidenced by the way he was with his kids. Even while running a club, my father made his wife and children his top priority. It was a quality I admired.

  While I enjoyed spending the day at the lake, having Colt by my side was the highlight. He would occasionally reach over and grab my hand while we walked around. It was something I was afraid I could get used to.

  On the way back home, I was surprised when we pulled off the highway and started driving through a sparsely populated neighborhood. I was even more shocked when we pulled into the driveway of a sprawling ranch-style home.

  “Are we visiting someone?” I asked as he offered me his hand to help me climb off the bike.

  “Nope.” Colt smiled, not offering me any more information.

  After a few moments, I huffed. “Well, are you going to tell me what we’re doing here?”

  “How about I show you instead?” He was still smiling, but there was a little nervousness hidden behind his cool veneer.

  He led me up the brick pathway, which stepped up to a large porch at the front of the house. The swing and potted plants made it look inviting. I ran my fingers over the wood railing, admiring the craftsmanship. Whoever lived here had put a lot of work into the small details.

  I watched as Colt dug out a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the door before pushing it open so we could enter.

  I looked up at him with my mouth gaping open. “Is this place yours?”

  “It is,” he confirmed.

  If I was impressed with the outside, it didn’t begin to compare with the inside. The home was gorgeous. There were three bedrooms, perfect for Colt, Jett, and Jasmine. The kitchen was large and inviting with state of the art appliances. A brief vision entered my mind of me cooking a meal for him and the kids in there. I was clearly getting ahead of myself.

  There wasn’t much in the way of furniture yet, but the space looked move-in ready to me.

  “Are you planning to move here soon?” As I said the words, I was hit with a small pang of sadness. I didn’t want him to leave the clubhouse, knowing we would see less of each other that way.

  “I am. Jett and Jasmine are spending the night here next weekend.” I could feel his excitement at finally getting more time with his children. “I still need to get their rooms ready and decorate for Christmas, so I’ll be staying here most of the week.”

  “I can help… if you want.” I was a little apprehensive to offer. This was his home, for him and his children, and I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries, and Colt had plenty of them.

  “I’d love that.” He stepped forward, placing a lingering kiss on my lips.

  With one simple act, he was causing me to long for a future I wasn’t sure was a possibility but wanted, nonetheless.

  26

  Ember

  Colt was excited to have Jett and Jasmine coming over for the weekend before Christmas, so that’s why I was here on a Thursday night, making sure everything was just right. We were going to decorate the tree w
ith the kids, but I still wanted the house to look festive when they got here.

  Colt was working at the bar tonight since the manager called in sick. With the holidays, it was busy with tourists who wanted to visit a restaurant owned by a notorious biker gang. I rolled my eyes when he told me that, but I told him I had everything under control and sent him on his way. The fact that he trusted me with this task was huge and I was going to make doubly sure everything was perfect for their arrival.

  Over the course of the past week, he’d painted both of their rooms. Jasmine’s was a light pink while Jett’s bedroom had a green accent wall to go with his baseball theme. Some of the guys came over the last couple of days and helped move in the furniture, so it was only a matter of putting finishing touches on everything tonight.

  As I finished making Jasmine’s bed with a cute princess bedding set, I heard a loud knock at the door. When I peeked through the curtains, I was surprised to see Jenna on the other side.

  “Where’s Colt?” she asked while pushing by me as I opened the door.

  She looked around the house, taking in every feature. If she was looking for something to bitch about, she wasn’t going to find it. Colt had made sure the entire place was kid-friendly and safe.

  “Colt’s at work. Is there something I can help you with?” I asked, trying to maintain my composure. What I really wanted to do was toss her fake ass out of the house.

  She looked me up and down and then waved me off with a flick of her hand while her other hand held a folder. “I seriously doubt it.”

  The first time we met, we were on neutral ground. But, now she was in Colt’s home, and I felt a little protective of this space. I wasn’t going to let her waltz in here and think she was in control. I walked back to the front door and opened it. “I guess you’ll be leaving then.”

  “I have an offer for him,” she said, ignoring my not-so-subtle hint for her to leave. “I think he’ll be pleased with it and there won’t be any need for him to keep up with this fake relationship.”

  What? How could she possibly know anything about that? Only a handful of people knew the truth and none of them would say anything to her. Unless Colt told her himself, but that didn’t make any sense to me. He’d been adamant about not telling her. She must have seen the confusion on my face, so she continued to explain.

  “Oh, don’t look so surprised. Like you didn’t know Colt was using you to help him look better in our custody battle. Anyway, he was in one of his moods the other night and explained that a judge might see it fit to grant him more time with his kids since he got his own place and was in a stable relationship.” She used air quotes when saying the word relationship, and my stomach dropped a little. “I came over here to let him know that I’ve thought about things and have come up with a custody agreement I think both of us will be happy with. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to know he doesn’t have to continue with this farce.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I didn’t want to think there was any validity to what Jenna was saying, but why would he have told her our relationship was fake just a couple of days ago?

  Was it possible he was keeping me around just to help him look better in front of a judge? Maybe he saw this as a way for me to pay him back for keeping me from being sent back to Reno. I knew his kids meant the world to him and he would do anything to keep them in his life. And this was a win-win for both of us.

  A low-level buzz of panic began to grip me because it sounded legit. I had no reason to believe Jenna, but all my doubts about Colt and me suddenly flooded my mind at the same time. I could stay here all night and analyze Jenna’s words, but that wouldn’t do me any good. I needed to talk to Colt about it, but he wouldn’t be home for a few more hours.

  I looked back at Jenna, who was making herself comfortable on the couch. Since it was clear she didn’t intend to leave any time soon, I made an excuse to get out of there. There was no way I could play nice with her, and I wasn’t about to get into a pissing match with her about who had a right to be in his home and who didn’t. Any authority I felt disappeared the minute she mentioned their talk the other night. I didn’t miss the triumphant smile she flashed in my direction as I walked out the door and called for an Uber.

  As I waited for my ride, I looked around the nice neighborhood with wide sidewalks where Jett and Jasmine would probably learn to ride their bikes, Colt looking on and encouraging them.

  Who would be by his side when that memory was made? I had a feeling it wouldn’t be me and why I ever thought that was possible seemed incredibly naive. When would I learn? Would I ever learn from past mistakes?

  As my ride pulled up, I decided I would hear him out and not jump to conclusions. But more doubts crept in. I wasn’t fully part of his life, so Colt talking to Jenna without telling me shouldn’t have surprised me, but I was foolishly hurt by his omission of their conversation. Things had been good, even great, between us. It hadn’t felt like play-acting but I also knew people didn’t change overnight unless they had a reason to. And Colt had two very good reasons. A part of me was bracing for another harsh dose of reality, and the other half... was hoping I hadn’t fallen for the same trick twice.

  When I made it back to the clubhouse, I was relieved to see Kate and Evelyn there. They beckoned me to join them at the bar, and I definitely needed a drink after dealing with Jenna.

  I filled them both in on what went down.

  “There is no way he’s using you, babe. Jenna is an evil bitch and no one around here likes her. This is probably just her way of trying to make Colt miserable. It’s what she does.”

  I wanted nothing more than to believe Kate, but it wouldn’t be the first time someone used a relationship with me for their own gain. I was still playing the game with Torch and I didn’t think my heart could handle Colt using me too.

  I ordered one too many drinks and could hardly keep my eyes open. I looked at my phone to see what time it was. Colt wouldn’t be off work for another hour. I wanted to wait up for him, but maybe it would be better if we talked tomorrow.

  “I think I’m going to head up to my room,” I said as I hugged both of my girls.

  I spent the last week falling asleep with Colt next to me, so I found it difficult tonight to drift off while I was alone. How did someone become so attached to another person in such a short amount of time? Unable to get comfortable, I decided to go to Colt’s room. Sleeping in his bed would be the next best thing if I couldn’t have him here with me.

  I grabbed one of his t-shirts out of his dresser, thankful he hadn’t moved everything to the new house yet, and pulled it on. Snuggling up with his pillow that smelled like him relaxed me instantly and I was finally able to fall asleep.

  27

  Colt

  It was two in the morning when I finally made it home and saw Jenna’s car in my driveway. My first thought was something was wrong with my kids, but my rational side figured she would call me if there were a problem. That meant whatever reason Jenna was here would be more of a nuisance than anything important. I was dragging ass and had no desire to deal with her shit. I’d been on my feet for the last ten hours, and all I wanted to do was spend a little time with Ember before I crashed.

  I walked into the house, tossing my keys into the bowl Ember bought for the table in my entryway. She spent the last week adding little touches to this house that I didn’t even know I needed but now couldn’t imagine living without.

  When I entered the living room, I saw Jenna sprawled out, sleeping on the couch. “What are you doing here, and where are Jasmine and Jett?” I asked loudly to wake her up. I scanned the room looking for Ember, but there was no sign of her.

  Jenna stretched her arms over her head, her mouth opened for a loud yawn to escape. It took a minute for her to get her bearings, but then a huge smile broke out across her face. That wasn’t reassuring. “The kids are with my mom. I came over to share some good news.” When I didn’t respond right away, she let out a huff but contin
ued anyway. “I asked my lawyer to draw up a new custody agreement. I think you’ll be very happy. It’s joint custody.”

  My eyebrows lifted in question, curious what the catch was. She lifted a folder and pulled out a stack of papers. I grabbed the paperwork out of Jenna's hands and read it over. Sure enough, it stated joint legal and physical custody.

  Things were never this simple when they involved my ex, and I was left waiting for the other shoe to drop. “What made you change your mind?”

  She looked away from me before answering. “Jason thought it would be better if the kids spent more time with you.”

  And that explained it. There was no way Jason suggested joint custody for my benefit seeing as he wasn’t my biggest fan. The more likely explanation was that he was tired of having another man’s kids around all the time. The couple of times I’d been around him, he didn’t interact with them at all.

  “So you agreed to joint custody because your boyfriend doesn’t want to deal with your kids?”

  Ignoring my accusation, she stood up and ripped the papers out of my hands. “I thought you would be happy. Besides, now you don’t have to pretend to be with Ember anymore. I know how much you enjoyed the bachelor life.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “One of the girls overheard Ember telling Kate that your relationship was fake. Besides, you said so yourself, you were using her knowing a judge would look favorably on you having some stability in your life.”

  “That’s not what I fucking said, and you know it.” Jenna was so far off base with this, but that wasn’t my biggest fear. “What else did your friend, whoever she is, overhear?” We couldn’t risk this information getting out before we dealt with Torch.