by Brook Greene
“Sorry babe, pretty much.” Roman stands gathering his trash and taking it to the kitchen tossing it into the waste basket.
“What the hell is going on here?” Leo demands as he steps around the corner into the kitchen.
“Oh hey man,’ Roman sounds casual, I on the other hand start to piss my pants, by the look on Leo’s face lunch with Roman has just come to an end now and forever.
“Uh hey Leo, Roman just came by to check on Piper, unfortunately she never made it home.” I hurriedly come to both of our rescues, ‘what are you doing here?”
“We have a dinner date,’ never taking his glance away from me, ‘Piper didn’t come home?”
“No and Dalton called into the shop today just so you know, I on the other hand was a model employee showing up early.” Roman shoves his fists down into his pants pockets smiling from ear to ear. I am worried how long Leo has been in my house and curious as to how much of our conversation he had heard.
“I am going to have a talk with him when they come up for air.” Roman strides over to me kissing me on the hair, garnering an angry grunt from Leo. Completely ignoring his President’s displeasure he wraps and arm around my waist, ‘later babe.” And with a pat on the rear he walks to the front door.
Walking by Leo, Roman slaps him on the back and walks out of my house to his bike. My heart clinches a little at the sight because as I said before I have a sick feeling, because of Leo’s hang-ups, Roman will not be allowed in my house again, ever.
“What was he really doing here Avery?” He drags out a chair and rests his large frame in it. He proceeds to drag me by the waist between his legs resting his hands on my hips. He kisses my belly lightly through my cotton tee and then looks up waiting for my answer.
This is the defining moment of our relationship, do I tell him I called Roman to pick his brain for details and insight on him or do I continue with the lie I had offered earlier.
“Avery, I am waiting and I am not a patient man.”
I chew on lower my lip glancing at him through my lashes, ‘how long have you been here?” Go directly to the point I see no need in lying and never have.
The grip he had on my hips tightens, ‘long enough to know Piper was not the reason for his visit,’ he stands making me feel small under his six five height, ‘if you want to fuckin’ know about me just fuckin’ ask me, don’t go recruiting my friend because his dick is hard for you, got it?”
His palpable anger is rolling off of him in waves and the black stare he has placed on me is scaring me into entertaining the thought of dropping to my knees and begging for my life.
Backing up from him, ‘Roman’s dick is not hard for me. He doesn’t see me that way,” trying to act completely taken back by his statement, although I had made the same assessment of Roman myself.
“Wake up Avery, every man sees you that way, I just got here first.” He has successfully backed me against the wall separating the kitchen from the dining area, ‘are we going for dinner or did your little errand boy bring you something?” He has me pinned with his body and his eyes. The heat his body is exuding is scorching me and my rational thinking process.
“He did but I didn’t eat it, so I will go get ready.” Turning for my room I glance back and see what Leo is wearing. Much to my pleasure it is not his typical biker wear. He is hot in a dark blue button up shirt leaving the top two buttons loose letting some of his tattoos peek out of the collar. The sleeves are rolled up exposing his arms and the black slacks have a neatly pressed crease in them and are hugging his muscular legs. His hair is fixed messy like someone had just run their hands through it giving it a good tousle.
“Casual dressy?” Is all I can manage to mutter at the sight of the dark god.
“Yes.” Is all he replies as he replaces his mirrored aviators back on his face. HOT.
I turn as I walk off, ‘there is no need for you to be jealous of Roman, Leo.”
“We will talk about it later, now go get ready I have us some reservations,” reservation, such a great word to sum up the day or better yet the whole weekend.
****
Leo
I stand for several minutes holding my phone wondering how thick the walls in this place are, because I don’t want Avery to hear the cussing I am about to give Roman. We need to get this boundary thing cleared up before we end up beating the shit out of each other. Pressing send, it only takes him a few seconds to answer.
“Hey man,’ the faint sound of the blues plays in the back ground of his truck, ‘what can I do for ya now?” His tone is arrogant and I get it, I really do, he is pissed at me. If I would have lost my chance with Avery, I would be pissed too.
“You need to get over whatever it is you have for Avery because she is with me now, so you need to quit using her as jerk off material.” I know the statement is a little crude but I needed to get my point across.
“What makes you think she has made her choice?” He is blind to the fact she has, he is just unable to accept it.
Puffing up my chest even though he is unable to see it, ‘fucker I know cause she is in her room right now getting ready for a date with me, did you hear that, me.” I victoriously point my finger into my chest.
Silence hits us both, and then the reality does too, ‘are we seriously fighting over a woman, man?” He sounds dejected at the realization, ‘let's just say round one goes to you.”
Smugness abounds, ‘if we are counting this would be round two brother.” I hear a rustle down the hall and know Avery is coming from her room, ‘oh you need to call Cowboy, some shit went down after you bailed this morning. He will fill you in on the details.” I finish the call not having resolved anything but goading him into a small game of healthy competition over Avery. Turning to watch as she walks from the hall and into the living room she takes my breath, she is gorgeous.
****
Avery
Thirty minutes later I stroll out of my room wearing a little black dress and strappy heels. I have thrown my hair up in an elegant ponytail and join Leo in the living room where he has just finished talking on the phone.
He flips his phone closed and closes the distance between us leaning in to give me a gentle kiss on the lips, ‘nice babe.”
“What this old thing?” I act coy at his compliment, knowing good and well I had belly ached over my wardrobe choice for twenty five of the thirty minutes I had been gone.
“Yeah, that old thing.” His laugh makes me smile and I make a mental note to make him do it more, ‘I drove but we can take yours if you feel more comfortable.” He is actually being a gentleman to my utter shock my mouth falls open.
“What, didn’t think I could actually be nice?” He takes my hand and leads me to the door. Locking it behind us I turn and am shocked again to see a black Camero sitting in my driveway.
“Is that yours?” I ask and point like and ill mannered child and immediately want to rub my bare legs over the interior and no I don’t want to drive my SUV.
“Yes, you ready?” He opens the door for me and I appreciate the leather interior as I slip into the luscious seat.
He rounds the car and enters on the driver’s side, the car purrs to life. The hum of the engine is deep and dark like the driver’s voice. He backs out and heads us into town. A slow blues songs plays on the radio and the smell of his cologne is filling the car and my nose making my skin tingle.
“Okay the thing with Roman, tell me about it.” He has his long left arm propped up on the steering wheel and the other resting on the console between the seats. His seat is as far back as it can go to accommodate his long legs.
“What do you want to know?” I prompt him to ask the questions to avoid the possibility of over sharing.
“Why don’t you start from the beginning.” He never takes his eyes off the road as he swerves the car in and out of traffic.
“He is Piper, my roommate’s, older brother so he is around a lot.” I fidget in my seat and wring my hands together why does he ma
ke me so nervous? Not sure if my answer will placate him enough to let the topic go but I try anyway.
“And the thing he has for you sprung up from him being Piper’s brother?” His face expressionless and his tone flat, indicating he isn’t buying my explanation for our friendship.
I inhale deeply, ‘he would come over and stay with me when I first moved in with Piper, while she would be out on one of her boy projects. I was new to town and he didn’t want me to be alone.”
“I bet he didn’t.” Leo’s retort is laced with cynicism and doubt, ‘did he ever try anything on you?” I jerk my head around to face him and shake my head at the sound of his thickly laced tone, being just a bit to jealous for my taste.
‘What? No! And why would it matter if he did, it was way before I knew you.” I am disgusted and completely confused why this would mean anything to him.
“It matters now, so answer the question.” His stern tone demands I reassure him of the platonic feelings I have for Roman regardless of how he feels for me. There was maybe a brief moment I might have considered pushing Roman for more. But when I took a beat and weighed the options and consequences of dating my roommates/best friend’s brother and the possibility of it ending badly had swayed me to the friend side of the fence.
Still needing to prove to Leo what or who I had done before him was none of his concern I argue my point, ‘No it doesn’t matter.” I cross my arms over my chest and lock my ankles.
“You are the one who brought the whole thing up by having him at your house when you knew I was going to show up.” His gruff tone is accentuated by his clipped words, ‘and if you haven’t already guessed,’ he takes his eyes off the road briefly to look at me, ‘I don’t share.”
“It wasn’t planned, I just lost track of time and you aren’t sharing anything with anybody.” Looking down at my black dress I smooth it out over my thighs. Why did I agree to dinner with this man he is nothing but infuriating, ‘turn around and take me home Leo, this just isn’t working out.” I pinch the bridge of my nose and press my eyes together tight and will the car to stop and turn back towards my house.
“No, as soon as we get this resolved it will not be up for discussion again,’ he tilts his head in my direction, ‘and then we can move on.”
Turning to him, ‘okay listen to me, I don’t have anything going with Roman, if he feels something for me it is regrettably misdirected. I am here, going to dinner with you, which by the way I am seriously questioning my decision. Since Piper drove into the lot of your fuckin’ mechanic shop my life has been turned upside down.” I turn and fling my back into the seat and sigh heavily.
“Mouth Avery,’ he chastises me for cursing, ‘a woman should act like a lady in public, meaning no cussing. Okay all I wanted to know we are done now.” And he is back to his, if you can call it this, jolly self.
My mind is spinning along with my body and I feel like I am barreling down a road out of control, and the only thing offering to stop me is to slam head first into Leo Tucker. Not wanting to go any further with this man but knowing he will not turn around or leave me alone I decide to play along because in some twisted way I want to be with him, it's exciting and I can use some excitement in my life.
“Avery I am really not that bad of a guy.” His smile is warm and reaches his eyes making my heart flutter once more.
“Huh, you know who says stuff like that, really bad guys.” My arms are still crossed over my chest in a sign of slight resistance, I know, I am not buying it either.
His laugh is rich and deep, the slight lines showing at the corners of his eyes gives him a little more character than his bossy persona, ‘is that so?”
“Yep.” I nod in his direction, ‘matter fact I think you are trying to dazzle me with your shinny bobbles.” Oh god there it is again, his laugh and it is doing some serious work on my libido.
“My shinny bobbles?” He inquires, ‘exactly what are those?” Tilting his head slightly in my direction to judge my demeanor, and then continues, ‘I am just wondering so if they work I can use them on you later for sure.” His self confidence at what he expects to happen later is maddening, but I find I kind of like being thought of in a sexual way by Leo. My whole life I have settled for the safe and descent, now sitting beside of me is the wild and I am actually considering diving head first into this pool of crazy.
I snort loudly only making him laugh harder, ‘oh let me see,‘ I raise my hand and begin to tick off the list I had been compiling in my head from the first time I saw him, ‘Your handsome face, gorgeous eyes, deep ravishing voice for starters but I would hate to inflate your ego any more than it already is, so I will stop there.”
“My inflated ego, is that a shiny bobble?” He chances a sideways glance at me flashing his signature gorgeous smile.
“God no,’ I wrinkle my face up like I have lemon on my tongue, ‘but you better be lucky you have so many others which are nice, they kinda of knock the tarnish off of certain other ones.” I smile pleased with myself immensely for giving his ego a reality gut check.
He reaches and takes my hand and brings it to his lips, which by the way I think is my favorite shiny bobble I will have to point this fact out later, but right now I think I will just enjoy them silently.
“So Ms. Delany, which one is your favorite shiny bobble?” He kisses each of my fingers as he speaks blowing a hot breath on my skin as he speaks as if he knows already which one is my most favorite.
My eyes flutter closed as he trails his lips up my wrist, ‘oh um, I will have to study on it and get back to you later.” I feel breathless and stutter over my words as he continues his assault on my senses. I don’t feel the car moving under me anymore and realize we have come to a complete stop in a parking space outside the restaurant. We must have arrived while he was using my favorite bobble to distract me.
“Sounds like a plan, I can help you with.” He has taken my arm and wrapped it around his neck pulling me into him. His lips lightly brush mine, as his one hand is traveling up my exposed thigh while the other is caressing the skin at the nape of my neck. His lips make another pass over mine; the taste of his tongue on my lips is ravishing.
“We have dinner plans Avery and if I keep this up we will not make them.” He mumbles into my mouth I have let fall open hoping this was going to go farther. Nodding reluctant acceptance I move away and take the door handle, ‘wait I will help you out.” He is out of his door and around taking my hand and helping me stand on my wobbly legs. My head is awash with the taste of him, I lick my lips one more time hoping some of him is left on them.
He holds out his elbow for me, ‘shall we, Ms. Delany?”
“My, my all chivalry tonight aren’t we Mr. Tucker?” I point out as I slide my arm in his and begin to walk together to the door which he even opens for me to walk through first.
He shrugs his shoulders, ‘what can I say,’ he turns he dark eyes to me and raises his eyebrows, ‘I am kind of a good guy.” I laugh escapes my mouth and I cover it with my free hand, ‘what?”
“Nothing, nothing at all Leo, you are just full of surprises.” Had I known what this statement had meant I would have rethought letting it leave my lips.
****
We are lead to a small round table that has a small candle flickering in the middle. The red and white table cloth reflects the glimmer of the orange light. It is nestled in the corner with no visible chairs, meaning that we will have to sit side by side in the booth seat. Leo holds his hand out for me to enter the seat ahead of him, the difference in this man is making my head turn.
Is it bad to admit I am kinda missing the badass biker boy, but I am sure the minute he steps one foot back into the clubhouse he will regress, I am sure of it.
The waitress hurries over and gives Leo the expected once over making me giggle, he elbows me and glances out of the corner of his eye at me, ‘Shhh.”
Looking away, ‘sorry.” Trying to stifle another giggle, boy if she only knew what a bear this man coul
d be she would rethink her eager flirtiness. He would tear through that school girl charm and send her home crying to her Daddy with one fell swoop of his attitude.
He dutifully orders us drinks, which I had already planned on letting him do because it was also expected. He clears his throat and does the manly thing by watching her walk away under his lashes, I in turn elbow him for this.
Clearing his throat he straightens his shirt, ‘now will you tell me why you felt the need to laugh at the poor girl?”
“Because that,’ I point in her direction, ‘poor girl has no clue.” I shift the napkin lying under my silverware.
Never taking his eyes off of me, ‘she has no clue about what?” His finger is tracing the hem of my dress pushing it up slightly to reveal more skin to him.
Becoming slightly breathless, I swallow deep and try to regain my composure, but it is hard with him touching me and breathing into my ear, ‘she has no clue about you.”
His lips graze my ear lobe, ‘about me how?” His continuous attention to the skin on my thigh has me pressing my knees together to control the sudden throbbing taken place in another area.
Leaning my forehead against his shoulder to steady myself and to keep from melting into the floor, a slow groan leaves his throat as his eyes watch his hand trailing my leg. Pushing my dress further up my thigh.
“Avery, about me how?” He prompts me to answer his question from before.
“Oh um,’ I am finding coherent thought difficult, ‘how you would chew her up and send her running home to her daddy crying about how mean you can be.”
“Me, mean?’ He suddenly leans back from me withdrawing his hand and lips from my body with a slightly shocked expression covering his face.
His sudden absence jolts me from the erotic euphoria I had been publically experiencing. I take a deep breath to calm myself and reluctantly open my eyes to see Leo looking at me with an inquiring look on his face, ‘me, mean?’ Shaking his head as he turns to take up his drink, sliding his fingers through the condensation trickling down the sides making a pool of water on the coaster it had been sitting on.
