She swore he winked before putting his helmet back on. Then he took off, driving slowly through town. She expected a sense of relief to wash over her since she was now free of the taciturn man. Instead, she was more disoriented than when she’d started this insane trek across the country. She’d finally made it to safety, but now she’d have to find a job and start a new life.
Bill would never in a million years find her here. Of course, she might die of exposure before that happened.
Inside, an elderly woman sat on a stool behind a cluttered desk. Her face lit up when Bella entered.
“Well, hello, young lady.”
The woman insisted Bella take a seat and tell her about her travels. This wasn’t the usual hotel reception, but right now all she wanted to do was relax. The woman’s friendly and safe banter was a nice change from the last few days.
“You’re a might far from Miami. What brings you here?”
Bella expected the question. “I got tired of the big-city life. I thought I’d give Pleasure a try.”
Her eyes widened. “You into the ménage lifestyle, then?”
Her body froze. “Ménage lifestyle?”
“You don’t know what that means?”
“Yes. I do. Kind of.” She pictured two women with one man. Bill had asked her if she’d be willing to partake, but she’d said no.
“Most of the women around here have two or three husbands because women are real scarce. Plus, the lovin’ is three times as good.” She winked.
One woman with two men? Now that was a new twist. It made sense if the men outnumbered the women, but she’d been brought up differently. She didn’t want to appear closed-minded, so she went with the safe response. “Well, that’s not my thing.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing.”
Uncomfortable with the conversation, she studied the surroundings. While the wallpaper was yellowing, the place looked clean and had charm. Wait a minute. Was this elderly woman in a ménage relationship? Yikes. “I’ll be needing a room if you have any space.”
Her cheeks dropped. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry, there’s a MUFON convention in town this week. I’ve been booked up for months.”
“MUFON?”
“Mutual UFO Network.”
Oh, God, what had she gotten herself into? “Are there any other hotels in town?”
“Not in Pleasure, but I saw you rode in with Hawk.”
She knew him? “Yes.”
“That boy will be the death of me yet.” She waved a hand. “What was he thinking dropping you off like that without stopping in to see you were taken care of?”
He wanted to get rid of me.
“I hitched a ride with him. That’s all. He doesn’t owe me anything. If anything, I owe him.” For saving my life.
“Pooh. He never would have given you a ride if he didn’t fancy you.”
That was so not true. “You don’t understand.”
She almost blurted out about the bodyguard wanting to return her home when the proprietor held up her hand. “I’m calling him.”
“No, please.”
The woman picked up the phone and pressed one number. Was he on her speed dial?
“Henry Aaron. What were you thinking dropping off that sweet young thing and disappearing like that? What’s that? No, I’m full. Now you get your butt back here. She’s your responsibility now.”
Bella was stunned on several levels. One, that Hawk’s real name was Henry Aaron, and secondly, that this woman had power over him. Did she really think a man like Hawk would do what she said?
The woman must have caught her gawking. “Have a seat. He’ll be here soon.” She came from behind the counter, shaking her head. “Let me get you something to eat. You poor thing.”
“You don’t have to feed me. If you could point the way to a decent restaurant, I’ll be on my way.”
“The only place to eat around here is the Mountain View, which is right down the street, but don’t even think about leaving. I like helping folks out. It’s what we do here in Pleasure.”
“Well, thank you, but don’t hold your breath. Hawk won’t be coming back. He couldn’t wait to get rid of me.”
“He will if he knows what’s good for him.”
“How well do you know him?”
“Henry Aaron? Why, he’s my son.”
Chapter Three
Hawk disconnected, cursed, and flipped the bike around. How dare his mom claim he’d shirked his responsibility? He truly believed Bella would be better off in his mother’s care than staying with him at the ranch.
He knew his mom stated the room rates according to perceived need. If Bella couldn’t pay much, then his mom wouldn’t charge a lot. However, if his mother took one look at her engagement ring, Bella would get the going rate.
Besides, Bella would get at least one great meal a day if she stayed at his mom’s place. With his brother out of town, the meals he or Raven would prepare wouldn’t be classy enough for her.
Shit.
Maybe his mom was right. The moment he’d saved Bella from that bodyguard, she was his responsibility. His biggest issue was that she’d never go for being shared by Clete and Raven. Years ago, they’d decided that they wanted one woman, and he’d bet his Harley that Bella wasn’t the ménage type.
Convince her.
Don’t go there. Remember what happened last time.
Rebecca had been the one woman they’d all agreed on last year. She was perfect in every way. Beautiful, sophisticated, funny, and phenomenal in bed. Clete had run into her at an alumni party in Boston. Because she fell hard for his playboy brother, she’d agreed to come out west. Too bad when she got to the ranch, she realized she hated the outdoors and was gone the moment the first flake of snow fell. Unfortunately, Hawk had fallen hard for her. His heart had splintered as soon as she left, and right now, he didn’t need a repeat.
By the time he pulled up in front of the B and B, his frustration had almost reached a boiling point. Thoughts of Rebecca had a way of ruining any good mood.
His mom’s place was booked, so he had no choice but to take Bella to the ranch. Once she saw he lived with two others, she’d be begging to be taken to the bus station for the first ride out. Worked for him. He didn’t need to have the sexy siren around. She’d constantly remind him of what he wanted but could never have. If she left on her own accord, his mom would be satisfied he’d done what he could.
A bit calmer, he parked in front when he noticed a large contingent of visitors walking toward the B and B laughing and chatting up a storm. Maybe they were the UFO seekers who were staying at the B and B. They’d had a convention here about four years ago. He’d stopped in to listen to a few of the military people talk. All he could say was there were a lot of people who seemed to have firsthand knowledge of aliens. He’d yet to decide on his stand, but he wanted to keep an open mind.
When he stepped inside the B and B, he followed his nose to the dining room. Bella was hunched over her plate eating his mom’s famous meatloaf. His stomach grumbled.
Even though Bella wore cheap clothes compared to when he first saw her, she still looked elegant. Besides her silky hair and beautiful face, the first things he’d noticed had been her manicured nails, perfect skin, and rings that had to cost close to fifty thousand dollars. What was she thinking advertising she had money? If her relatives put out a nationwide search for her, she’d be easy to spot. She’d recently dyed her hair light brown, if her blonde eyebrows represented her true color, but that disguise wouldn’t fool many. She was tall, thin, and way too shapely to blend in.
Hell, maybe she did need protecting, especially from herself. He guessed it wouldn’t hurt to do a little charity work and take her under his wing. An image of her under him naked flashed before him. He shook his head to erase the image. She’d be moving on soon. Hell, she’d already stated she hated the cold.
“There you are, Henry.” He never could get his mom to call him Hawk, even though his dad ha
d given him that nickname when he was ten. “Come sit down. Since you didn’t feed your lady friend, I’m guessing you didn’t eat either.”
She always did have a sixth sense about him. “That’s true.” He would have shared a meal with his mom, but he hadn’t wanted to impose. His mom’s finances weren’t in the best of shape despite Clete offering to help her out. Too bad Hawk hadn’t inherited the financial gene. Clete was the entrepreneur of the family.
His mom disappeared into the kitchen.
Bella looked up. Her eyes widened and he swore her breath caught in her throat.
Her reaction cut him to the core. “You didn’t think I’d come back?”
“No. You couldn’t wait to ditch me.”
“Ouch.” Unfortunately, that was the truth, though not for the reason she believed.
His mom came out of the kitchen with another plate. “Eat all of this.”
Like he ever left anything on his plate? “That’s Clete you’re thinking of. You getting senile, old lady?” He winked.
Bella’s hand stopped in mid-lift. “You talk to your mother like that?”
He laughed while his mom’s eyes sparkled. “She knows I’m kidding.”
Bella’s smile shot straight to his gut. His damn cock thickened. He’d protect Bella. Nothing more.
* * * *
Maybe the aliens had abducted the man with the steel heart and had replaced him with someone gentler. Over dinner, his mom regaled them with stories about some of the antics from the MUFON visitors. Hawk couldn’t stop laughing, and he even shared a few of his own. She never dreamed he’d be capable of even chuckling.
Hawk’s mom disappeared again and returned a moment later with a Styrofoam box. “Here’s some leftover breakfast rolls for you, sweetie. No telling what kind of accommodations you’ll get where you’re going. With Clete out of town, you’ll be lucky to get bad coffee in the morning.”
Oh, my. She faced Hawk. “You live with another man?”
“Actually, there are three of us. Clete’s my brother, and Raven is our best friend. Will that be a problem to be surrounded by three guys?”
He was challenging her, but she wouldn’t rise to the bait. For a night or two, she could handle anything. She prayed they weren’t horny.
Dear God, he was thinking about that ménage stuff, she bet. The light in his eyes confirmed it. “I won’t be staying long, so no. I appreciate you putting me up for tonight. I can find other accommodations tomorrow.”
He placed a warm hand on her arm. “You should stay put for a while.” He glanced at his mother. She was thankful he didn’t tell her that Bella was a runaway. No telling how fast the news would spread. “It’ll be safer.”
From Aldo maybe, but perhaps not from them. “I’ll consider it.”
Hawk grabbed the container then kissed his mother good-bye. The bond between them appeared so genuine it made her heart ache. She’d have given anything to be that close to someone, but her parents had spent their life entertaining the wealthy, and not with her. The child-rearing duty was left to the nannies. At least her father had gotten elected to the Florida Senate for all his hard work.
“Ready?”
She looked around for her bag containing her good clothes when she remembered it was still in his saddlebags. Good thing he had come back. She thanked his mother for all her hospitality and left.
The outside air had cooled by at least ten degrees. She shivered and Hawk stepped next to her and rubbed down her arms. “We’ll have to take you shopping tomorrow. We’ve got a great ski shop with good gear.”
She looked up at him. He’d definitely been abducted.
Because the air had such a chill to it, she snuggled behind Hawk’s back on the drive to his house. He’s just a shield and nothing else. The man did have some good traits. He loved his mother and believed in honor. If he said she needed protecting for a while, she just might take him up on his offer. That is unless he insisted she sleep in his bed.
In less than ten minutes, Hawk turned off the main road. Since it was now dark, she could only spot one light far away. As they drew near, she could make out a house. While she couldn’t tell the size, from the bit that was illuminated, it was quite large. It seemed like a good five minutes before they arrived at the door.
Hawk lowered the kickstand and waited for her to dismount. By now, she was improving with getting on and off the bike. They both took off their helmets.
“Can I get my clothes out of your saddlebags?”
He lifted the bag out and tossed it to her. Uh-oh, the bear had returned.
He strode to the front door and pulled open the door. Surprised they didn’t lock the place, she followed him in. Given the porch wood was worn, she never expected the interior to be so upscale. And she knew upscale. The furniture looked like something she’d find in a New England estate. The sofa was contemporary and reminded her of a seaside resort. The walls were a rich taupe, and instead of paintings of lighthouses by the sea, the elegant paintings were of bison and the western plains. Most were oils, but a few were photos.
Hawk sidled next to her. “Not what you expected, is it?”
“No, but I like it.” A lot. “It’s refined yet comfortable.”
“Clete’s last girlfriend picked most of it out, but I like what she did with the place.”
That said something about Clete. He had good taste in women, but it also said he might not be the best at relationships if the woman was no longer in the picture. Or was she? Had this girlfriend slept with all three men? Maybe that’s why the woman left. “Is your brother older?”
“He’s thirty five.”
That didn’t answer her question. “So you’re, what? Thirty-two?”
“Older than you.”
Secretive type. It offered one more piece to the puzzle. She was twenty-nine, so that gave her a good range to work with.
“Let me show you to our room.”
Our room? She held back his arm. “If you think I’m going to sleep with you, you’re mistaken. I can sleep here on the couch.”
He stepped closer and looked down at her. “Oh, you’re going to be sleeping with me. In fact, you’re going to be begging me to pack you with my cock. It’s just a matter of when.”
Her mouth dropped open at his gall. He was just trying to scare her, she hoped. “How dare you talk like that to me.”
He huffed out a breath as if he’d reached the end of his patience. “First of all, I’ve got the king-size bed. Trust me when I say I have no intention of touching you unless you ask me. And when you do, it better be polite and convincing. Secondly, there are only three bedrooms here and three men. In the morning, we get up early, and I don’t want my brother or my best friend to have to worry about waking your sorry ass. So follow me.” He inhaled. “Please.”
He turned around and strode off.
Having been raised by a politician, Bella knew not to fall apart right away when someone dropped a bombshell, but rather go over the facts. The man had never lied to her. That put him one step above Bill. Hawk had saved her from being dragged home when he didn’t have to. That made his shade of hat a lot closer to white than black. Lastly, she’d been in a narrow bed with him and he hadn’t touched her.
Trust him.
It wasn’t like she had a lot of options. She couldn’t leave, so she might as well see what he had in store. When she hurried down the hallway to find him, she peeked into two of the adjoining bedrooms. One was done in beautiful pastels, while the second one had motorcycle posters on the wall next to pictures of spacecraft. The bed was unmade, but no clothes were on the floor. She passed a half bath and a small den filled with two chairs, a coffee table, and a television.
Hawk stood at the end of the hallway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed.
“I’m coming. Sorry if I’m curious.”
He pushed off and went in. The room was sparse. Sterile was probably closer to the truth. While he had enough space to put a small sofa and a table,
his bed and one pine dresser were the only things in the room. No pictures hung on the plain white walls. Was he not home enough to decorate, or didn’t he care?
At least it was clean. “Nice.”
“Bathroom’s in there.” He nodded to a door next to the bed.
She hadn’t expected the room to have an adjoining bath.
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Look, if this makes you too uncomfortable, I can move my stuff into the hall bath.”
“No, let me.”
“It’s only a half bath.”
Did he think she planned on staying a long while? Her brain was too fried to think straight. She glanced at the neatly made bed. “I’m not ready to go to sleep, so do you mind if I sit in the living room and read?”
“Sure, but I need to get up early.”
“I won’t disturb you when I come in.” Her smile came out naturally. “You don’t happen to have Wi-Fi, do you?”
He stared at her for a bit. “We aren’t uncivilized.” She swore she caught a hint of a smile.
“Good.”
He waved a hand. “Bed can wait. Let’s have a drink. It might take the edge off these issues you have.”
Don’t even go there. He’s trying to bait you. For what reason, she had no idea.
“Fine.” Feeling a little like his slave girl, she followed behind him as he went back into the living room. Her mind raced about how soon she could regain her freedom. Her engagement ring cost forty grand. If she got thirty-five for it, she could buy a secondhand car and have plenty leftover to live a few months in an apartment in town. With her marketing skills, she should be able to find a job. If, and that was a big if, she survived winter, maybe she’d head to Mexico. Perhaps she should download a book on how to speak Spanish and spend her free time learning a second language.
With additional pep in her step, she found Hawk at the living room bar. He turned around.
“Red, white, or beer?”
His voice had gentled, and for a moment, she almost felt like she was in Miami at a posh party and the bartender had asked what she wanted. “White’s good.”
He poured a glass for her but took a bottle of beer himself. He motioned she take the sofa, while he sat across from her on a tweed high-backed chair. The way he stretched out his legs and crossed them at his ankles, he gave off an aura of a man comfortable in his skin.
Monroe, Melody Snow - Bella's Bad Bikers [Pleasure, Montana 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 3
