MC Romance: Ride of Their Lives (BBW, Military Romance, Alpha Male) (Bad Boy Motorcycle Club Romance Book 1)

by Raina Wilde

  It was a low blow and one he knew she couldn’t resist.

  Brushing past him, without so much as a glance at the hand hanging in midair as it skimmed the sleeve of her blouse, Jenna plodded quickly into the water. The sensation of the warm water lapping around her ankles was that of pure, uninhibited ecstasy. She closed her eyes and plunged a little deeper, aware enough to keep the hem of her skirt safely above the water.

  She heard a deep sigh beside her and realized that Alex had followed her movements and was standing only inches away as they shared in this extremely pleasurable moment.

  “What has gotten into you?” She whispered incredulously. For the first time Jenna felt the risk of working with Alex. She had prepared herself for the Alex she thought she knew. This was an entirely different person.

  “Do you really want to talk about it?” He asked softly.

  This time when she looked at him, her hazel eyes searching his of deep blue, she understood his meaning immediately. If she wanted to discuss the change in Alex’s personality she would also have to discuss their past. She could not fathom how the two could be linked after so many years, but a flutter in her gut told her that this was territory she was not willing to enter.

  Jenna shook her head. Alex continued to look intensely at her, his eyes searching her face for any sign that belied her resolution to keep him at arm's length. Finally he broke eye contact and gestured back toward the waiting company car.

  “I suppose that’s enough fun for the day.” Alex stated the words nonchalantly but Jenna thought she sensed a level of tension in his shoulders that had not been there before. She ducked her head and led the way away from the beach.

  The rest of the day passed in a haze of formality that Jenna would have revelled in with any other client. It turned out that Alex was outstanding with the children. He allowed them to climb all over his massive frame, hang from his arms and wrap themselves around his legs. He taught some of the teens basic sparring moves and finished up with an excellent speech on the importance of the martial arts for fitness, mental control, and self-defence, though never violence for the sake of violence.

  Jenna could not have asked for a better example of the type of fighter she wanted to sell to sponsors. Her surprise was even more profound considering that she had not yet had the dreaded discussion about the need for a change in his reputation. She knew, from his profile, that this was Alex’s first ever youth engagement and, though necessary, she had been unsure of his reaction to her plan. Never before had the athlete agreed to a public event that was anything less than a major showcase function, but for the first time Jenna felt that he might have actually enjoyed himself while promoting his position as a MMA fighter.

  As the weeks continued to pass Jenna found it unnecessary to initiate the discussion about a change in image. Alex appeared to have made that determination independently. His behavior was remarkable, she noted, making her search for sponsors much easier than she had initially expected. There would always remain those who wanted nothing to do with Alexander Rockwell, based on his previous antics. Yet, Jenna found that if she could convince the financer to hold a private meeting with her client he invariably won them over.

  Jenna had no idea what Alex said, or did, in those meetings. He had made it clear that they were conversations that were better left in private. More than once he implied that his method involved explaining why his attitude had changed and how he intended to maintain it.

  “That is something you have been clear about not being interested in.” He stated bluntly when she had asked for an explanation as to his reason for requiring Jenna to wait patiently outside of the meetings.

  The truth was, by the time November rolled around, Jenna was more than interested.

  Jenna was frustrated that she was finding it more difficult than Alex to maintain a professional demeanor. After the intense moment on the beach of Lakeshore Drive, Alex had decreased his attempts to initiate a personal conversation with his agent. He seemed to have resigned himself to small reminders and intense looks but avoided any overt mention of their past relationship.

  Rather than relieve her this tactic drove Jenna crazy. She could rarely find herself in the same room as Alex without wanting to demand an answer for the dramatic change in his behavior. When they were alone in the back of the limo that one of his sponsors had provided Jenna found herself unable to breath and acutely aware of his nearness.

  He was winning her over with his kindness, she realized.

  Forcing her to have the conversation would have provoked her defenses in a way that Alex knew would negate any chance of Jenna actually listening to what he had to say. Instead, he was providing concrete proof of the transformation in such a profound and subtle way that Jenna found herself wanting to force the words from his mouth.

  She almost made it through November by convincing herself that it was best for their professional relationship if she simply let the issue pass.

  That plan worked well until the evening of the Thanksgiving holiday.

  This would be the first weekend that Jenna was not off at some publicity event or MMA tournament with Alex and his extensive team of trainers, kinesiologist, nutritionist, and promotional items distributors. These events made it easy for Jenna to find time away from the fighter who was kept perpetually occupied.

  For the first time in months Jenna found herself facing an extended weekend alone in her apartment. Her parents were fulfilling their lifelong dream of a European tour, and her brother, a Navy Seal, was off the grid until further notice. Lena had extended an invitation for Jenna to join her in North Carolina with her family, but Jenna had declined, thinking that she could use a few days to catch up on some much needed rest. The truth was that Jenna needed some time to fortify her reserve against Alex.

  Jenna spent the morning typing out emails to her parents and brother, who would each reply in their own time. She then watched the distant parade from her balcony before deciding that it would be best not to venture out into the chaos of the city on the holiday. Instead, she resolved to occupy her time with all of the special activities that she rarely had the opportunity to enjoy on a regular basis.

  Jenna lounged on her barely used, designer couch with a short novel that she was able to finish reading in only a handful of hours. She couldn’t remember the last time she had allowed herself the luxury of reading something that did not apply directly to her career. As the streets emptied and families settled down for their meal Jenna found a moment to pull her elliptical out of the closet and push through a brisk cardio workout. Feeling invigorated, but sweaty, she decided that a shower was in order.

  Forty minutes later Jenna, who had been dozing on the couch in her plush terry cloth robe, awoke sharply from a loud noise. For a moment she was disoriented. Her eyes took in the untouched mug of coffee on her end table, her robed body, and the twisted towel that encased her hair and was pulling at her scalp.

  The noise sounded again and she realized that it was the door buzzer to her condo.

  She padded over to the intercom and activated the security camera.

  Alex stood outside her building with a large cardboard box and a guilty grin.

  She had almost decided to pretend that she wasn’t home when Alex shifted the apparently heavy box and rang the bell again.

  “What are you doing here?” she spoke into the microphone.

  “You going to let me in?” Alex responded, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

  “You didn’t answer my question.” Though she couldn’t imagine what he was doing outside her condo, Jenna could not suppress the small twinge of excitement that raced through her body at the sight of him.

  “I came for Thanksgiving.” He spoke as if stating the obvious.

  “What?” Was he crazy? “Alex, I’m not cooking a turkey in here, I didn’t invite anyone over.”

  “I know. That’s why I brought dinner to you.” He lifted the box and shook it in front of the camera as if the sight of cardboard
was enough to entice her. For all she knew, the box was empty and, even if it wasn’t, she was positive she did not want to be alone with Alex Rockwell in her home.

  “Are you going to let me in already or are you going to make me stand out here while all of this delicious food gets cold?”

  She was about to buzz him in when Jenna realized what she was wearing. No makeup, wet hair, and absolutely indecent attire. She pulled the robe tighter to cover her breasts but it did little to hide the impressive amount of cleavage displayed through the plunging neckline.

  “Oh crap.” She swore. She hadn’t realized that her statement had gone over the speaker until she heard Alex’s chuckle return from the other end.

  “You’re not naked, are you?” He peered into the camera lens, pretending that he might be able to see her reflection inside. Jenna knew very well that there was no video feed at the entrance to the building but the act still made a blush rise up her neck and cheeks.

  “No, I’m not naked!” Jenna slapped her forehead when he laughed again. Too late she had realized that her overzealous denial had confirmed his suspicions to be dangerously close to the truth.

  “Come on, Jen. I’m not going to bite.” The innocent comment wreaked havoc on Jenna’s emotions. She knew he had meant absolutely nothing sexual by the comment, and it was true that he would never actually bite, but a sudden flash of Alex’s mouth being close enough to her skin… well, she felt the flush begin to rise again.

  Jenna gave herself a mental shake. Get a hold of yourself, girl.

  “Tenth floor.” She pressed the lock release and instantly regretted her decision.

  With sheer panic Jenna cast a glance around her quaint condo, silently praising her mother’s training that had instilled an appropriate level of neat freak in her children. She sprinted to her bedroom, estimating the amount of time it would take him to cross the lobby, hopefully wait for an occupied elevator, and ride the lift to the tenth floor.

  For one idiotic moment Jenna considered pulling on a flattering day-dress, but she knew Alex would recognize that immediately as an attempt to impress.

  Instead, she decided to belie his assumption about her nudity and settle for the casual lounging outfit she would have chosen for a night alone. Jenna pulled on a pair of black stretch pants that were comfortable with the added benefit of slimming and elongating her muscular legs. She then chose a long sleeved, sheer, printed top over a black tank. Jenna did not bother with socks or shoes but rather moved on to a quick application of makeup. She realized that there was no time for a full array of product, instead she settled for a hint of blush, mascara and a pale pink lip-gloss.

  She had just finished brushing her damp auburn hair when she heard a quiet knock on the door. She braided it casually as she walked down the hallway and adhered it with a dark tie.

  One glance in the hall mirror told her that she had successfully pulled off a look that was both fresh and effortless. Jenna smiled to herself and took a deep, calming breath before opening the door.

  As he brushed past her toward the kitchen Jenna gave him a mildly reproving look. Try as she might to hide it, she was amused by his unexpected appearance.

  “I like your place.” He was taking in the details of her elegant, but comfortable, home while pulling a series of clear storage containers from the box. From her vantage point she could see sliced turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, stuffing, green beans, and even two slices of crème-topped pumpkin pie.

  “Did you cook all of this?” She asked incredulously. Those were not restaurant takeout containers.

  “Nah,” Alex laughed. “I got my nutritionist to tell the chef that I could take a weekend off from chicken and rice.” Jenna had forgotten that Alex had now gained enough sponsorship to employ a personal chef. She shook her head in amazement. This account was turning out better than she could have ever anticipated, as long as neither of them screwed this up, her promotion was in the bag.

  This thought raised concerns in Jenna’s mind about Alex’s arrival at her residence. Bramble and Bowman had a fairly liberal approach to client/agent relationships as long as they did not affect the contract. Mr. Bramble, himself, had met his wife when she was a young Olympic swimmer under his guidance. But Jenna was uncertain if this situation might end poorly in terms of her working relationship with Alex. Not, she reminded herself, that there was any sort of relationship going on. She simply needed to ensure that her professional conduct remained consistent, even in this private setting.

  A little voice in Jenna’s head told her that this would be nearly impossible to maintain.

  Abruptly, a strange thought occurred to Jenna.

  “How did you find out where I live?” She asked suspiciously.

  “Well…” he shuffled the containers distractedly, “I found out that you were spending the holiday alone so I figured, since neither of us had anywhere to go, that we could have dinner together.” Alex had always been a terrible liar and currently he was unable to meet her eyes.

  Jenna sat on a stool across the countertop from where he stood.

  She tilted her head to the side.

  “That doesn’t really answer my question.”

  He raised his guilty eyes and shrugged his shoulders in silence, clearly unwilling to betray his source.

  The response told her everything she needed to know.

  “I’m going to kill Lena.” She laughed.

  Alex seemed relieved that she wasn’t upset with her friend. Jenna recognized the test for what it was, Lena had been becoming suspicious of Jenna’s resurgence of feelings toward the fighter and was giving Jenna a private opportunity to decide if she was willing to satiate her curiosity.

  “Don’t be too harsh with her,” Alex’s smile was disarming. “I can be pretty persuasive when I want information.” When Jenna gave him a questioning look he said, “I figured if she was your best friend then you two might be similar…” he paused dramatically. “Chocolate and coffee go a long way for establishing good graces.”

  Jenna laughed heartily. Another change she hand not expected from Alex was his sudden attention to detail. If he had plied Lena with chocolate and coffee then Jenna doubted there was much her best friend wouldn’t reveal, especially if she had any inclination that Jenna would be receptive to Alex’s visit.

  No, Jenna thought, Lena had simply read the situation with unerring accuracy. Jenna wished she had not been so obvious with her curiosity, she only hoped that Alex was not privy to her interest.

  Alex asked where she kept her serving ware, and ordered her to remain seated while he prepared their plates. He pulled a bottle of wine from the depths of the box and removed two glasses that hung on a rack beneath the cabinets.

  He set the glasses on the counter and instructed her to pour.

  It was a surreal feeling to watch him moving so freely in her kitchen as he served them both a meal. Jenna was surprised at how natural it felt to have him here in her home, almost as if he completed the space. Alex placed the spare food in her refrigerator amongst the leftovers and a sporadic sampling of health food.

  The time they spent eating dinner was technically uneventful, but significant at the same time. They grazed the buffet that Alex had provided while alternating between lighthearted conversations and cheering for the football game that played across the large flat screen television.

  It was well past nightfall before Jenna took note of how comfortably they had interacted for a major portion of the day. She quickly appraised the situation, taking note of the wine glasses on the low coffee table, the nearly empty food containers, and the fact that Jenna was lounging with her legs stretched out on the couch and her feet coming to a rest against Alex’s thigh as he sat on the furthest cushion.

  Her heart jumped as an old memory of the two of them sitting in a similar way, all those years ago, flashed across her mind. Quickly, and not at all casually, Jenna pulled her knees to her chest leaving the expanse of a vast cushion now between them. In that instant Ale
x suddenly seemed very far away and Jenna couldn’t decide if what she felt was relief or disappointment.

  She could tell that Alex had felt her sudden withdrawal because his profile became suddenly rigid. He continued to stare blankly toward the television, which was now playing one of Jenna’s favorite old movies.

  Jenna heard a shaky exhale come from the far end of the couch, drawing her gaze to the man she had once loved so ardently. She was beginning to worry that there was the potential to love this new man even more than the last time, the potential for him to hurt her in a way from which she wouldn’t recover so easily this time around.

  “You just realized that you’d actually been enjoying yourself around me, for once.” He stated in a voice so quiet that Jenna thought she might have imagined it.

  One hand flew to her mouth as if to stifle any admission to the truth of his statement. He turned his piercing blue eyes on her and Jenna felt her entire body tremble. She knew, in that instant, that somehow the situation was beyond her control.

  Alex swore and placed his face in his hands, elbows resting above his knees.

  She sat frozen. Her mind seemed completely empty of any coherent thought, only the deep rhythmic pounding of her heart.

  Finally, with a surprising burst of energy Alex shifted himself on the couch, pulling one leg onto the cushion so that he could face her directly. His long arm extended across the raised back of the sofa and hovered briefly over her elbow as if to touch her, before pulling itself away to join with his other hand. He rubbed his hands together as Jenna watched him prepare for whatever speech he was about to make. His rough fighter’s hands cracked as he massaged his own palms in trepidation.

  “OK. Here’s the deal,” he began, speaking with a speed that emphasized his nervous state, “I’m going to go crazy if you don’t let me get this off my chest and, I know that you made it clear that you don’t want to hear this, but if you could just listen, then at least if you walk away at the end of our contract I won’t spend the rest of my life wondering what might have happened if I told you.” In the span of one breath Jenna’s curiosity in the subject dissipated. She quickly realized that she was not, in any way, as prepared for this conversation as she had once thought.