She crossed her legs underneath her and sat.
“So Dreamer, tell me about yourself. What do you do for fun?”
Meadow couldn’t help herself and laughed. “You’re making me like the new name.”
“I’m glad because that’s what I’m going to call you. You needed a road name for the club anyways.”
“Oh, you’re so sure that I’m going to stick around that I need a road name?” She smiled.
“I’m kinda hoping that is the case.” Freaky leaned back onto his elbows. “We need a little wandering dreamer to keep us on our toes.”
Noticing how he was getting very comfy with her Meadow relaxed as well. Flipping her legs a bit to the crisscross applesauce way she used when she substituted in the kindergartens.
“Do you just get lost in dreams all the time?” he asked reaching for her hand. “Or do you find ways to live in the moment?”
“Can’t help but to live in moments here,” she replied letting him take her hand and somehow he spun her and pulled her to his belly. Her head rested there as his arm wrapped around her midsection. “Smooth.”
“Thank you,” he replied. “Close your eyes.”
“What?” she questioned as his palm covered her eyes.
“Close.” Silence surrounded them for a moment. “Breathe.”
His simple, one word commands set off the loud need to be going, doing, seeing things. Only she couldn’t do it. The world around her was black.
“Breathe,” he repeated.
She let out the breath she’d been holding. At first, she focused on that. The sound of inhales and exhales echoing in her ears until a bird’s chirp broke through, then she noticed a gentle lapping from the lake, no longer placid. Or maybe it had always been moving and she’d missed it. Her eyes still closed she could hear little creatures rustling in the brush and the wind as it blew lightly against her cheek.
Freaky’s hand had been removed, but she hadn’t noticed when. And when she finally opened her eyes, the bright white puffs of clouds overhead were formed into shapes.
“Now, what do you see up there, day dreamer?” he asked, the rumble of his voice making his stomach move under her head. “Personally, I see Pooh Bear, though any bear could be Pooh.”
She rolled on her side to face him, his hand stroked along the side of her cheek then up and into her hair. His fingers deftly removing the binder, then combing through her tangles. Meadow moved with him as his hand cupped the back of her head and brought her even closer as she rested on his chest. Pushing up, she brought her arm across his body and rested.
“You couldn’t be Pooh,” he replied, continuing to stroke her hair that fell forward creating a veil to the lake.
“What do you see?” she questioned.
“Deep eyes that have seen too much sadness,” he replied as his thumb stroked her bottom lip. “A mouth that can’t remember what a soft kiss feels like.”
Heat flooded her veins.
“A face, circled in a glowing red halo,” he replied. “What do you see?”
Meadow inched closer to him. What did she see? Freaky had the most beautiful irises she’d ever seen. Usually, it was the lighter colored eyes that had patterns and flowers in them, but Freaky’s chestnut brown eyes had flecks of gold and deeper shades of brown smattered around them. Lashes, long and soft in contrast to the rough hands he had. One of which she noticed was on the small of her back moving lower.
The other had rested on the back of her neck. Supporting her a strange new way.
“Strength,” she finally mouthed the word unsure if her voice followed. “Control.”
“One needs control. In life, love—”
“Bed,” she challenged and warmth flooded her core to the point she worried about dampness forming.
“At times,” he replied and put a bit of pressure on the back of her neck. Enough to say he wanted her to move closer, but without the force that usually followed a demand. “Is that something you want?”
“Commands in bed?”
“Yes, or is that something you want to do?”
“You’d let me command you in bed?”
“Would those commands lead to a satisfying ending?”
“You’re crazy,” she replied and pushed her hair behind her ear.
The lake had calmed and the top was like a shimmering mirror reflecting all around it. She pushed away from him and marveled at the beauty of it all. Standing, she dug her phone from her pocket and pulled up the camera app.
Right as she was about to snap the picture, Freaky’s hand crossed in front of her face, turning her head to the side. “Did you get distracted?” he asked.
She swallowed back a hard lump of guilt.
This time, when he cupped the side of her head he held firm, tilting her head back and staring into her eyes. “Stay with me Dreamer,” he ordered as his hand slid around the side of her body and he pulled her flush to him. “Close your eyes.”
This time, she didn’t need him to cover her eyes with his hand. This time, her lids drooped of their own accord and his lips found hers. She’d braced for a hard crushing kiss only to have the lightest caress skim the plump fullness of his mouth. He trailed his way down her jaw and her head lolled back as he kept on the trail of sweet sensation down to the notch of her throat.
Her phone dropped from her hand, landing with a thump on the new spring grass as she gripped his shirt in fisted hands. Lost in the smell of leather and man as he worked his way back up to her lips. His tongue parting the slit between them and invading more than her mouth with the velvet stroke along her tongue. His hand inched lower on her ass as the other kept her neck tilted to the perfect angle for the penetrating thrust.
Releasing his shirt, she ran her fingers through his hair. Thick and catching as the world spun on its axis and her toes pushed up to reach the man coming for her. Distracting her in a way to set her head on tilt and her body aflame.
10
The bachelor party was about to start and Freaky was going to be late. He’d planned the whole damn thing. They were going to give him a hard time and he knew it. He rushed out his door after quickly showering and changing his clothes.
Mounting his motorcycle, he roared down the lone highway toward town. Having set it up at the Roadside Bar, the club ran made it convenient and controlled in its own way. The fucked up part was he knew everyone was already there and as master of ceremonies, he was slightly screwed. The biggest reason was Hack would kill him. Although the damn party was to reduce stress, he’d seen the man consuming food in stress eating than half the MC on a good day. The man was threadbare and Freaky had been tasked to give him a party that would snip the final string.
He reached the Roadside, parked his bike then turned his wrist and saw that he was on time and not late at all. All that worry for nothing, people were probably waiting, but not annoyed yet. Flinging open the door, he walked in with his arms raised. “I know you didn’t think you could start the party without me,” he bellowed loud enough to be heard by a few members over the music and conversation.
The place was booming with people from the MC. Several people from the New Mexico charter and a few from Nevada were there as well. No reason ever to miss a man’s send off from freedom, especially since Hack was a good man who’d garnered much praise and adoration.
“Where’s the hot ass I was promised,” Brick called back to him.
Freaky pointed his finger at his brother in arms to scold him. “Please bitch, you’re the damn entertainment, get up on that pole, and show us what you got.” Striding to the center of the restaurant, Freaky joined the crowd.
“Thought you promised me quality ass,” Lynch, the Prez of Nevada said with a hard slap to Freaky’s shoulder. “Brick still needs to work on his dismount.”
“What are you drinking?” Michelle the townie waitress asked.
“Give me a beer.” Freaky headed toward the back of the pack where the girls he’d hired better be ready to spin because half this
crowd was married or committed to women who could work a pole.
The dressing room was filled with a mix of seasoned pros who were impatient in wanting to get it over with and a few petrified newbies.
Clapping his hands together, the women turned their attention to them.
“Hey ladies, the man of the hour should be coming through in a few minutes.”
“Money, up front,” one of the pros said as she extended her hand.
Freaky slid eight envelopes of cash out of his pocket and the women surrounded him. “Not my first rodeo, besides you’ve got about a hundred men, some who think ones are passé. These sealed envelopes will be at the bar under strict orders to wait until your last dance is over.”
The obvious head bitch in charge glared at him, but gave him a curt nod that the plan was acceptable.
“The DJ I assume, has all your music,” he said. “And names.”
“Any chance this is part audition?” An auburn haired pro asked.
“The Roadside is always open for girls who want to moonlight. Topaz hires and books the girls, but she’s getting her own show tonight if the rumors are true.”
“Topaz, got it,” the auburn haired temptress said as she strode to him with a panther’s glide. “Now I’m gonna need you to stay sober enough to remember my name.”
“Let me guess, you’re in the jewel family of names? Or are you a spice?”
“Cinnamon,” she replied with a hard glare.
“Well, who doesn’t love a little cinnamon roll in the morning?”
She arched an eyebrow at him.
Now Freaky heard howls from the bar area as the DJ spun the old Springsteen song Dead Man Walkin’ the final clue Hack had arrived. Freaky gave the women a nod and tucked the envelopes back in his jacket.
Michelle met him with his beer as he came out to see Hack shaking his head.
“You are all assholes,” he snipped with a smile on his face.
“Speaking of assholes,” Lynch called as he kicked his feet up on the stage and leaned back in his chair. “Where are the dancers?”
“Hey,” Freaky said smacking the man’s feet off the stage. “Are you in showbiz? Get your damn feet off the stage. DJ, let’s get this shit started.”
“Coming to the stage,” the DJ said as the music went from somber to thumping. “For one night only, put your hands together and prepare your taste buds for a little bit of Sugar.”
The head bitch from the back came out dressed in tight jeans and halter as the classic Pour Some Sugar On Me added to her name.
Freaky had watched her routine a few times when picking her out. Amazing how the women had websites with teasers now. Moving his way over to Hack, he patted him on the back as the man watched Sugar move her way up the pole leaving her jeans as she slid back down. “How is it going?”
“Great, thanks for putting this together for me.” Hack smiled before he took a long pull from the beer in his hand. “Sorry, I’ve been such an asshole lately.”
“I get it. By this time tomorrow, you’ll be a married man.” Freaky chuckled. “You know, you’re gonna be pulled up on stage in a bit.”
“I’m not in show business,” he joked.
“Yeah, but the girls are all gonna give you a little send off.”
“Preacher Girl is gonna kill me,” he replied.
“You know the girls took her to Billings right?”
“What?” The man actually appeared shocked and worried.
“Guess there’s a traveling male review.”
“Motherfuckers,” he snapped then his whole body relaxed as he turned into a laughing mess of a man.
“You all right there?” Freaky asked.
Cass came over with another round. “Dear Lord the man finally cracked,” Cass said. “What the fuck did you do to him?”
“Told him about the girl’s party.”
“Well, if his dumbass didn’t notice the only women at the ranch were Maggie, Rose and Ruby, that’s on him.” Cass twisted his hands up like a dang dancer. “Oh, I’m marrying the sweet and innocent Preacher Girl!” His hands dropped. “Pauuuleeessse, you have corrupted that poor girl.”
“I’ve corrupted her, or you have?”
“I’m innocent in all ways. Besides, she knew where babies came from before she came here.”
“Yeah, but you were the one who ordered a customized swing.”
“No,” Freaky rebuffed. “That was Shark, with Cass’ credit card.”
“True,” Cass agreed. “Lil’ Mama was pissed when it arrived and she wasn’t gonna be able to keep it. I tried to explain we didn’t have the load baring area in the house, then she realized we’d be trying to keep the kids out of it.”
“Both valid reasons, to not have it,” Freaky said.
“And yet…” Hack stink eyed Cass.
“What?” Cass backed up a step. “Am I supposed to say sorry my wife and yours work twenty feet from each other and both are no longer hampered by the constraints of men limited by their lack of imagination in the bedroom.”
The group of men turned as the DJ switched the song and one of the newer girls strutted on stage.
“My sweet baby is going to be pulled up on stage by a half-naked man who’s going to dip between her legs, slide up her body then probably flip her upside down so her face is full on with his speedo.”
“Worried you won’t be able to perform the same maneuver?” Cass jibbed.
“Fuck you,” Hack replied. “Just don’t stick any ones in my waistband at the reception tomorrow.”
“Aw, I think he’s jealous,” Freaky said.
Hack’s head turned sharply toward him. “Remember what I said about my wife getting stressed?”
Freaky shrugged. “Was that the warning you gave me that would result in you twisting my head completely off and pissing down my throat? Vague recollection.”
“You worded that so elegantly,” Hack said slipping off his leather coat and hanging it on the back of a chair. “Well gentlemen, I’m about to work out a little stress and learn some moves.”
Hoots and hollers raised the noise level in the bar as Hack made his way on the stage and girls came out from the back to surround him. The man was passed a bottle of Jack and he began giving shots to the girls as they moved seductively around him. Cinnamon’s arm curled around the back of his neck as she pressed her ass to his crotch and tipped her head back to accept a pour.
As on point, when the women were through the night and the beer turned to liquor, Freaky couldn’t stop the thoughts of Hack and Preacher Girl getting married the next day. The commitment to say you’re the one I want by my side and to have a woman in his life that he loved that much. Then he became as distracted with his Dreamer, memories of the feel of her lips on his, the way her body melted against his like water surrounding a rock on the shoreline. There for a moment then slipping away, only to return at times stronger and more forceful.
The woman was flighty, but at times, he needed to be taken away to another place and where she went was always beautiful.
“Is he walking a bit sideways?” Freaky asked, closing one eye to help balance himself out.
“A SEAL does not allow alcohol to affect him,” Red said turning his head to the side a bit too. “Then again, he’s retired so he might be trying to be just drunk enough, so he can’t get it up and get himself in trouble.”
“Preacher Girl doing the whole let’s hold off until the wedding night?” Freaky asked.
Hack stumbled into him. “Hey man, having fun.” Now it was Hack who had one eye closed and the other barely a slit as he held up his index finger. “Did you know I actually like you?” His whole hand waved toward the stage. “Like even before this.”
“You got drivers?” Red asked, if the man wasn’t stone cold sober he wasn’t far from it.
“A few prospects,” Freaky replied.
“But my man,” Hack said wrapping his arm around Freaky’s shoulders and slapping his chest with hard blows that made Frea
ky wonder how the computer geek was so strong. “Where’s the fucking donkey?”
“Wifey nixed it. Said I wasn’t allowed to bring one in.”
“Oh,” Hack sobered a bit then let out a long laugh. “She’s in on it. I fucking love my wife.”
The howl from Hack had others turn and raise bottles and glasses to him.
“Gotta get you down the aisle if you want to be hitched,” Freaky pointed out.
Hack’s arm slipped from around Freaky’s shoulders. The man’s balance unsteady and he spun his extended index finger at him. “Yeah, I’ll be hitched.” Hack pounded his chest Tarzan style and extended his arms again, almost knocking over Michelle who’d become adapt to dipping and dodging distracted customers over the years. “To the best fucking woman ever. She loves me. Did you know that?”
Red whistled toward a prospect in the corner who gave him a nod, then left the bar to retrieve a pickup truck.
“Can you believe she said yes?” Hack questioned.
“Well, you’ve dragged her caveman style more than once, maybe she’s hit her head a few too many times,” Freaky replied snagging Hack’s coat and leading the man to the door.
“This was fun, but the only woman I want is my Hannah.”
“Good thing, heard she’s getting married tomorrow,” Freaky said as they hit the cool spring night air.
“No, my little Preacher Girl Hannah is getting married?” Hack fisted his palms.
Freaky opened the passenger door to the truck that had just pulled up in front of the bar.
Hack looked pissed. “Who’s she marrying? Tell me. I’ll kill him.”
“You, you dumb drunk bastard.”
“He’s not good enough for her,” Hack said.
Freaky closed the truck door and felt very sorry for the prospect having to drive the drunk groom home.
11
Meadow’s head throbbed as she woke. She’d stayed up late last night taking pictures at Preacher Girl’s Bachelorette party, then there was the drinking. She probably had too much on the bus they’d rented to drive them to Billings. Covering her eyes, she made her way to the kitchen because she had to get her act together for the big day today. The wedding was not until that afternoon, but she’d be taking pictures all day.
Dreamer: Book 7 of The Steel MC Montana Charter Page 11
