“Shut up,” Rachel pouted as she collected the beers from the barman and slid one down the countertop to Lizzie.
“Well, I can’t wait to meet him, anyway,” she said as she looked around. It was basically what she had expected, but not as frightening. And she was pleasantly surprised that Rachel was right about the men. The ones that were young enough to be of interest certainly had something raw and sexy about them.
Her eyes wandered around the room and almost instantly she found herself looking up at a guy across the bar. He was tan, had shaggy blonde hair and was clad in a heavy leather jacket which was open and bared the top of his rock-solid chest. He looked up and his eyes met hers. Lizzie felt her heart jump in shock as he locked her gaze. There was something about his eyes and the way they were drawing her in. They were a deep hazel and completely consuming. She almost forgot to breathe.
“Are you okay?” Rachel asked.
Lizzie jumped again and looked at Rachel. “Yes,” she panted, “I’m fine.”
She quickly looked back up, but he was gone. She looked behind her and tried to crane her neck to the other side of the bar, but he was nowhere in sight.
Her heart sank.
She swigged her beer. Maybe it wasn’t going to be such a bad night after all.
4.
“Here he is,” Rachel whispered to her excitedly as another hot guy walked slowly over to them.
He wasn’t as sexy as the one that Lizzie had seen across the bar, but he was certainly Rachel’s type. He had long dark hair and a goatee to match. He had big skull rings on his fingers and he gripped the neck of his beer bottle with big hands.
“Lizzie,” Rachel said proudly, “This is Blaze.”
Lizzie looked up at him and held out her hand, unsure of what to say. What she really wanted to ask was whether it was his real name… but knew Rachel would kick her under the bar.
“Hi,” she managed finally, “Nice to meet you.”
Blaze gave her a short smile and wrapped his arm around Rachel’s neck, then he whispered in her ear and began to kiss down her throat. Lizzie looked away uncomfortably and sipped her drink. She suddenly wanted to get the hell out of there.
“Umm,” Rachel said as she got to her feet, “We’re just going to dance, I’ll be right back.” Blaze hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her into the crowd before turning and heading towards a door at the back of the bar.
Dance? Lizzie thought. Great… ditched within five minutes.
She pulled out her cell phone and flicked through her contacts, trying to find a cab company that she could call and come to get her the hell out of there as fast as possible. She knew she shouldn’t have listened to Rachel. She should have climbed into bed with the rest of her reading list and crammed as much as she could before the beginning of the new week. Lizzie had never allowed herself to be led astray, and she was angry at herself for letting it happen at such an important time in her life. Even if she did need the break, she should have had more sense.
She cursed herself and was about to get up and push her way through the crowd when she felt the presence of someone powerful next to her. He slid onto the empty stool that Rachel had left and the leather of his jacket brushed up against her arm. Lizzie didn’t need to look up to know that it was him. There was no mistaking it…
His big, rough hands were wrapped around a glass of whiskey and she could smell it on his breath as he leaned forward and whispered “Hi,” into her ear.
Her whole body shook as she slowly looked up into his eyes, and he smiled at her slowly, seductively, as if they were the only two people in the room.
“Hi,” she stammered back.
He reached down and grabbed hold of her stool and pulled it closer to him so their knees were between one another.
“I’ve never seen you here before,” he said. His voice was deep and gruff and he never once took his eyes off hers.
“That’s because I haven’t been here before,” she whispered.
There was an intense energy coming off him, and she felt intimidated and turned on at the same time.
“Why now?” he asked as he lifted his drink and took a large gulp before slamming it down on the counter top. One of the bartenders instantly began to pour him another.
“My friend…” she began, “She asked me to come with her.”
“Is that the one with Blaze?” he said condescendingly.
“Yes,” Lizzie said quietly.
“New kid,” the guy said as he tapped the counter top again and then pointed to the bottle she was drinking, “Another?”
“Umm, thanks,” Lizzie smiled in agreement.
The bartender instantly put another one down for her, and she realized her hands were shaking as she reached out to grab it.
“He’s alright I suppose,” he said. “Eager to please.”
Lizzie let her eyes wander down his amazing torso that was just showing underneath the leather and black vest he was wearing with his jeans. He also wore a big pair of leather boots, and he clamped a cigarette between his teeth before he lit it with a fast click of a silver lighter.
“And what’s your name?” he asked as he exhaled smoke over her shoulder.
“I’m Lizzie,” she whispered.
“Sounds like a little doll,” he sneered.
She had never heard that before.
“I’m Jake,” he said.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she stammered. Her heart was beating so fast she could hear it in her ears.
“Come outside with me,” he said as he got to his feet.
Lizzie knew from his tone that he wasn’t asking her, he was telling her. So she stood up to and let him push her in front of him and direct her through the crowd to the main door. She looked back over her shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rachel but she was nowhere to be seen.
Jake led her away from the clubhouse and to his bike, which was parked further out around the back. He lit another cigarette and climbed onto it. It was a huge machine, and Lizzie couldn’t believe how shiny it was and how it glinted in the moonlight.
“You getting on or what?” he said as he kicked his foot and the engine roared. Lizzie looked back towards the clubhouse again and bit her lip.
“I… I should really…” she began, knowing that what she should be doing was running in the opposite direction. But to where? Rachel had left her and she didn’t have a cab number in her phone…
He leaned out towards her and held out his hand. Lizzie looked into his eyes. There was something there that seemed safe amongst all this danger. She let her fingers slide into his, and he pulled her towards him. She cocked her leg over behind him and held onto his waist. The machine vibrated powerfully and strong between her thighs, and she gripped it with her bare flesh.
“Hold on,” he said as he turned his head to the side. Lizzie wrapped her arms right around his and clutched for dear life. She was terrified, but she wanted to experience it. She wanted to let this stranger take her away, even if it was just for an hour. He pulled out onto the highway and floored it. The wind lashed through her hair and she laughed. It was incredible. She gripped him again and could feel the flex of his muscles beneath his vest.
“Wow,” she screamed, “This is amazing!”
He shouted something back to her as they took a bend, but it was so loud with the wind whipping around them and the sound of the engine, she couldn’t hear. She dug her heels into the side of the bike and surrendered to him. She felt alive and free. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.
5.
Jake ran his hand through his hair and lit another cigarette. He was hot under the leathers, Lizzie could tell.
“What’s with the jacket?” she asked.
He smiled and exhaled a plume of smoke into the air.
“The jacket is a part of me,” was all he said.
Lizzie looked down at the floor and kicked at the sand dune with her stiletto heel.
He’d driven them out to the coast.
On the bike it had only taken them around ten minutes, zipping in and out of trucks and cars and making sharp bends as if they were in a video game. Lizzie could hardly believe it had all been real. At one point she had even dared to let go of his waist and raise her arms out into the air.
“You’re not like those other girls,” he said finally. “Girls like you don’t walk into places like that…” He clicked his teeth before he sucked on the cigarette again. “I want to know you better.”
Lizzie could tell she was blushing, and she shrugged before she moved closer to him and rested her hands on the side of the bike.
“There’s honestly not that much to know,” she admitted. “I’m not that interesting.”
“Come on,” he laughed before he took the last drag of the cigarette and threw it onto the ground, crushing it with his boot. “Tell me, what do you do?”
“I’m an English major,” she said flatly.
He exhaled with a whistle and looked down at the ground. “Way too smart for me then,” he laughed. “I didn’t even finish high school.”
“How old are you?” she asked.
“Thirty,” he lit up again and blew the smoke over her shoulder. “You?”
“Nineteen,” she dug her heel into the sand. She was starting to feel drunk, as if all of the drinks had hit her at once. And there was something intoxicating about Jake, as if he had cast a spell on her and reeled her in. She had never met anyone as sexy and exciting as him before. It had only been an hour…but she knew there was something between them that was going to be big.
In spite of all of her insecurities, Lizzie let her hand move up to the side of his face to cup his cheek. He moved back slightly and took hold of her wrist before staring deep into her eyes. He pinned her arm behind her back and pulled her close to him. She could smell the tobacco and whiskey on his breath, and even though she would have normally hated that, this time she wanted more… She wanted to taste it. He leaned closer to her and his lips skimmed hers. She felt weak at the knees and groaned as he pulled her against him. He kissed her hard, parting her lips with his tongue and thrusting it into her mouth. It was a powerful kiss. She had never been kissed like that before. It was almost like losing her virginity all over again. He held her tightly and she felt tiny in his arms. She didn’t want it to end, her head swirling and dizzy. It was almost as if time had stopped. He suddenly pulled back and looked down. Lizzie shook her head and went to speak, but he stopped her.
“I better get you back,” he said.
“But, why?” she asked.
“Come on,” he said as he ran a hand through her hair, “I’m no good for you…”
Disappointment flooded through her, and she felt like she had been slapped in the face. Stunned and subdued, she climbed onto the back of the bike and held lightly onto his waist as he pulled back onto the highway. As they rode back to the clubhouse in silence, confusion raged through her. He had come for her, he had asked her to go with him… and she had… and now he was dismissing her…
Her confusion built to anger and she concluded quickly that he was right. He was not good for her, and she was obviously drunk and stupid for even getting on the bike and talking with him in the first place.
Instead of taking her back to the clubhouse he pulled over into a rest area and called back to her. “What’s your address? I’ll take you home.”
“Are you sure?” she asked.
He nodded.
She directed him along the winding roads back to her campus. The gates were open and he zipped through them and took her right up to her dorm building steps.
“Thank you,” she said as she climbed off the bike and leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek. “It was really nice to meet you.” Even after being rejected, she still meant it.
“It was,” he smiled. “I…” he began to say something but stopped himself before revving the bike and giving her a nod of his head. “I’ll let Blaze know you’re home safe.”
Lizzie watched as he pulled away and rode slowly but loudly out of sight. Lights and windows flashed on and opened above her as people stared out, wondering who the hell was on a motorcycle outside their bedrooms at that time of night. Lizzie felt a little smile creep over her face. What a crazy night. It was definitely one she would remember…
6.
Her dreams were a mix of ferocious speed and that powerful man. He was pinning her down by the wrists against the sand and pushing himself against her. Her heart raced and when she woke up, she was breathing quickly and her whole body tingled red hot. She rolled over and looked up at the clock. It read7:00, and the light was parting through a tiny slit in the curtains. She ran her hands through her hair and smiled.
Jake.
After everything she had been through, she knew it was wrong to even consider someone like him… an outlaw… a bad boy… He was clearly trouble… but it had just taken one moment for them to lock eyes, and she had fallen into the trap. He was all she could think about. She wanted more.
“What the hell am I going to do?” she said aloud as she got out of bed and stretched. She opened the curtains and looked out across the quad. The sun was shining bright and it was a gorgeous day.
Before she had chance to even pull herself together, there was a loud pounding on her door. She spun around and moved quickly to it, then unlocked the door and opened it. Rachel, still in last night’s clothes, came bursting in.
“Oh… my… god!” she declared as she threw herself down on to the bed. “Tell me everything, NOW!”
“What?” Lizzie laughed. She lay down next to Rachel and looked across at her.
“Jake?” Rachel said, “Did you hook up with him? You do know who he is, right?”
“Slow down!” Lizzie said, covering her face, half in embarrassment and half trying to disguise the huge smile that was plastered there. “What did he say?”
Rachel’s face cracked into a grin. “He came back to the clubhouse and said he’d made sure that you got home safely…” She glared at her, her eyes demanding to know the whole story.
“Okay…” Lizzie began, “You better get comfy…”
***
She told her everything. About how he had made a beeline for her the second Rachel had disappeared with Blaze. About how he had taken her for a ride out to the coast. About the red-hot kiss that had left her weak at the knees. Rachel’s eyes grew wide and she squealed with delight as Lizzie described the feeling of exhilaration as she let go of his waist to let her arms fly free like a bird in the night air.
“This is so amazing,” Rachel clapped her hands, “I knew the second he came back and mentioned you something had happened. He’s major, Lizzie,” she took hold of her hand, “He’s a real bad boy… He’s right at the top at the club. His father was a founding member.”
Lizzie bit her lip and breathed out slowly.
“I just know he’s going to be bad news, Rachel,” she shook her head. “I should stay away.”
“He wants you,” she said, “I just know it… he’ll come looking for you if you don’t go back.”
Lizzie lay back against the cool mattress and stared up at the ceiling. She hated to admit it… but she really hoped that Rachel was once again right.
7.
The week passed slowly. The only thing Lizzie had on her mind was Jake and the way she had felt so protected when she was in his arms. She found herself completely unable to concentrate on anything and knew that the one night she had let her hair and her guard down was going to be her undoing. There was no way she was going to be prepared for finals.
She walked back towards her dorm on the following Friday afternoon and kicked at the ground as she daydreamed again about her badass biker. Her daydreams had become so vivid, and for a second she was sure she could smell him.
She rounded the corner and the scent of smoke became even stronger. She didn’t dare look up, but the rev of the motorcycle confirmed what she’d been hoping. She finally let her eyes wander ahead and they locked with
his.
Jake was right there. Outside her dorm. Waiting for her.
He clamped the cigarette between his teeth and motioned for her to come to him with a sharp flick of his head. Her heart began to race, and she swallowed hard.
“Hi,” she smiled as she walked coyly forward.
Jake didn’t respond, but he smiled and threw his cigarette on the ground before getting to his feet and stamping it out.
“You going to invite me in?” he said.
Lizzie looked around nervously. She could see that people were looking, wondering who this gorgeous man was waiting for her on her doorstep. She couldn’t help but smile. She was so happy to see him and she wanted to lunge at him, wrap her arms around him and have him kiss her just like the night they met.
“Would you like to come in, Sir?” she said with a giggle.
He took the stack of books from her and walked past her.
“Thank you,” she smiled, her heart pounding in her chest.
She unlocked the door to the building and he stepped inside.
“I thought I better come and see what all the fuss was about,” he joked. “Never thought I’d see myself inside somewhere like this… Not really my scene.”
“I bet,” Lizzie smiled as she began to climb the stairs.
He followed her, his big, heavy boots stomping up the stairs behind her. He glared at the boys who looked at him as they wandered through the halls and Lizzie hurried towards her dorm room. She shook as she got the keys in the lock and quickly opened it and stepped inside. So many people were staring and she knew exactly what was on their minds.
Who the hell is this guy… What is she doing… She is clearly about to get fucked…
A laugh escaped her as she thought of what they would all be saying about her, but she didn’t care.
He closed the door and turned the lock before he dropped the books down on her desk and moved closer to her. She could smell the stale smoke, old booze and heavy cologne. Her sex pulsed.
CHAINS (Forsaken Riders MC Romance Book 18) Page 121
