Shaking her head, Brianna said, “I can’t do it. I’m busy and I’ve got a life, too, you know. He’ll just have to work harder at home. Give him the homework and I’ll make sure he does it.”
“He has to be guided. He needs one-on-one instruction.” Addie knew she was pleading with a cold-hearted, selfish woman who was more interested in her ex gawking at Addie than she was in helping her son read better. How can she not care? She’s the boy’s fucking mother, for Christ’s sake.
“It just won’t work.” A toss of her head signaled Brianna was finished with the discussion.
“I’ll bring him, and if I can’t do it, one of my brothers will.” Chas’s gravelly voice startled both women, since he hadn’t said a word since he’d sat down. Addie figured the only reason he came was to check her out.
Turning toward him, Addie smiled. “Thank you.”
“You don’t have time for that shit, and you know it. You never have time for me when I call.” Brianna glared at Chas.
“I always have time for Jack. What days do you want to tutor him, and when do you want to start?”
“Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. The time would be the same as his group reading program. We can start next Tuesday.”
As she spoke, Chas’s fixed stare never left her. In less than a heartbeat, the two of them were suspended in time: his eyes lingering on her mouth and hers watching him, almost feeling his lips on hers.
“Do whatever the fuck you want. I’m bored with this shit. Are we done here?” Brianna’s whiny voice jerked them back to the room.
“Um… yes, we are. So, okay, good. It’s good.” Flustered, Addie pretended to be engrossed in her daily planner on the table.
Chas chuckled.
Damn, he knows he got to me. Why am I acting like this with a student’s father, and in front of his ex-wife, no less? Get a fucking grip, Addie.
Pushing her chair back, Addie stood up. “Then I’ll see Jack next Tuesday. Thank you for supporting him. I hope you both have a nice weekend.”
She wanted Chas out of there fast. She didn’t like how he was making her body feel, how her common sense betrayed her, how she wanted nothing more than to kiss his lips and rake her fingers through his hair.
At the table outside the conference room, Jack sat, his head buried in a picture book with illustrations of lizards and other things that lived in the desert. Bending down next to him, Addie gave him a quick hug. “We’ll start our private lessons next Tuesday, Jack.”
“Yippee!”
Taking a sucker out of her pocket, she handed it to him. Just when his small fingers took it, Brianna walked over and whipped it out of his hand. “No way are you spoiling your dinner,” she said, a hard look etched on her face.
Redness covered Jack’s neck as he asked in a shaky voice, “Will you give it to me after dinner?”
“We’ll see if you deserve it. Come on, let’s go. Now.”
Before she could put the sucker in her purse, Chas grabbed it out of her hands. “After we get something to eat, you can have it, okay, little buddy?” Chas ran his hand over Jack’s hair, and the boy flung his arms around his father’s legs.
“Thanks, Dad.”
Brianna stormed away, her spiky heels clicking on the shiny floor. “I’ll wait outside. Hurry it up. I don’t have all fucking night. I’ve already blown too much time with this bullshit.” In an angry swoosh, the doors opened and closed behind her.
“I think Mom’s mad at me.” Worry creased Jack’s forehead.
“Nah, she’s mad at me. Don’t sweat it. We’ll have some chow and you can come with me to the clubhouse to see some of the brothers. Would you like that?” Chas asked.
Jack’s eyes lit up. “Boy, would I.”
“Just sit tight here for a few minutes. I wanna talk to Ms. O’Leary, okay?”
As Jack nodded in agreement, Addie, not wanting to be anywhere near Chas, especially without supervision, zoomed to her office. Closing the door, she absently stared at the tall bookcase near her desk, willing her hammering heart to slow down.
And then he was there, in her office, invading her personal space. Biting her bottom lip, she avoided eye contact with him, focusing on an interesting stain on one of the linoleum tiles.
“Hey, are you scared of me because I’m a biker and wear the Insurgents patch?” His voice skimmed over her, making her nerves jump and sizzle.
“No.” The stain on the floor looked like an apple or an apricot.
“Do I make you uncomfortable?”
“No.” If she didn’t stop biting her lip, she would draw blood for sure.
“Then why are you talking to the floor instead of me?”
She detected a slight tone of amusement in his voice. The bastard was enjoying watching her squirm.
Looking him straight on, she took a deep breath and said, “Okay, you do make me feel uncomfortable when you just stare at me.” There, she’d said it.
“I always stare at a beautiful woman, and you, Ms. O’Leary, are gorgeous.” Hunger blazed in his eyes as he lowered them over her chest then the curve of her hips.
Crimson stained her cheeks as she placed her hand over her mouth in an attempt to suppress a small gasp.
“Same as me, you felt a charge when we touched that first day. Why don’t we do something about it?” Rocking back on his black boots, he crossed his arms and locked his gaze on her mouth.
“I don’t think this is an appropriate conversation, since I’m your son’s instructor.”
“I don’t see the problem.”
“Well, I do, and I have my reputation and my job to think about.” Shifting her weight from one foot to another, she cursed her body for the dull pulsing between her thighs.
He laughed and came close to her. “I sure love the way your skirt is pulled tight over your ass.” With his index finger, he brushed her silk blouse dangerously close to her creamy white cleavage, which hinted at something more to be discovered beneath her blouse.
A sensual thrill rode her spine when his finger caressed her top, his hard body almost touching her.
“I’d like to get to know you a lot better. Would you like that?” Hot breath stroked her cheeks as he ran his finger along her jaw. “Fuck, you have soft skin. I like it.”
Intoxicated by his words, his touch, his nearness, Addie saw the room spin around her. Afraid of falling, she grabbed onto his arm to steady herself. Meeting his gaze, lust glinted in his eyes. Bending his head down, he moved toward her mouth. Tilting her head up, she strained her neck to meet his lips, her eyes closed.
“What the hell is going on in here?” a shrill voice yelled.
Looking around Chas’s six-foot-one body, Addie saw Brianna’s protruding eyes glaring at her.
Scooting around Chas, Addie said, “Nothing. We’re just firming up Jack’s reading schedule.”
Throwing her a dirty look, Brianna grabbed Chas’s hand and pulled him out of the office. “Come on, Chas. School’s over.”
As Chas, Jack, and Brianna walked away, Addie overheard Chas say to Brianna, “What the fuck is your problem?”
“I don’t appreciate you ogling that chubby bitch when I’m with you. How can you even be interested in that when you have me around?”
Their voices faded away and Addie strained her ears to hear Chas’s answer, but the couple was too far away.
Stinging a bit from the “chubby” description, Addie checked herself out in the mirror in her office. Golden highlights streaked her red hair and shimmered under the unflattering florescent lights. Her emerald-green eyes were almond-shaped, and one of her nicer features. Her nose and cheeks were lightly dusted with freckles, and her full lips revealed straight, white teeth, thanks to several years of expensive braces during her middle school days.
She was curvy, but she loved her curves. She had to admit she indulged a little too much in her favorite food—chocolate, her passion being rich, moist brownies. There was no way in hell she could ever be near–starving thin,
but she didn’t want to be. She liked the way she filled out her clothes.
Thinking about Brianna made her stomach sink and nausea crept in. She was Jack’s mother and Chas’s ex-wife, so he obviously had found her pretty, since he’d married and had a child with her. Addie could never compete with Brianna’s small waist, slender hips, and model looks. In a catty vein, she bet the witch’s boobs were fake, but even if they were, it didn’t seem to have bothered Chas any.
Chas had called Addie gorgeous, though, and just thinking about that sent a shiver through her body. They had almost kissed, and would have if the witch hadn’t burst through the door. Disappointed it hadn’t happened, Addie chided herself for being so reckless and foolish. She couldn’t be kissing students’ fathers behind closed doors. She was way out of line. He was even more out of line, flirting with her and telling her all those things. She brushed her fingers over the spot he’d touched—such a sexy, tempting man.
Sighing, she sat behind her desk with pages of inventory to check through. In her desk drawer, she discovered a small bag of Dove chocolates. After removing the wrapper, she popped one in her mouth. The delicious chocolate melted on her tongue as her cheeks puckered, and a smooth, rich taste consumed her taste buds. Delving into her paperwork, she couldn’t help the tingling running through her as she thought about seeing Chas the following Tuesday. For the first time in two years, happiness seemed possible. Maybe she could make a permanent life in this off-the-radar town. Popping in another chocolate, she smiled as she tackled her work.
Chapter Four
Ian Quinn’s jaw moved up and down at a furious pace as he chewed his gum. In his late thirties, tall, lean, and angular, he narrowed his gray eyes as he clenched his cell phone in his hand.
“How hard is it to find one fucking woman? You don’t seem to have any problems finding my targets. Something’s fucked here.” Perturbed, he ran his fingers through his short, dark blond hair.
Jumping out of a modern-styled chrome and leather chair, he walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window of his condo, molded his body against the white wall, and stared out. From the twenty-second floor, the cars, street lights, and people looked like miniatures found in a child’s dollhouse.
“Fuck, I know she’s still in the country.” He paused as he listened to the person on the other end of the phone. “I know because she’s my wife. I don’t need to hear a bunch of excuses as to why you can’t find her. I just need some fucking results. Put all feelers out. These fucking scumbags owe me. Make sure you hit up the Deadly Demons. She may be in New Mexico—their territory. She’s somewhere.”
Ian continued to stare, his jaw working overtime. “Cut with the goddamn excuses and fucking find out where she is. Distribute her photo again to everyone I ever did business with.” He growled. “I already gave you the list, and I’ve been adding to it for the past two years. I don’t care what it takes or how much it takes. I want to find Lizzie. Call me when you have something.”
The phone flew through the air, landing on the plush carpet. Massaging his jaw, Ian walked over to the chrome trash bin and spit out his flavorless gum.
Where the fuck is she? Damn, it’s been two years and no sight of her. She shouldn’t have cut out on me like that. When I find her, I’ll bring her back and make sure she never leaves me again.
* * *
The wrap-around bar in the great room of the Insurgents’ clubhouse was the way many of the members passed their days and nights—a few shots, some weed, and a whole lot of talk about motorcycles and women’s tits. Chas sat down at the bar and motioned the prospect, Blade, to pour him a shot of Jack. After working all day in the repair shop owned by the Insurgents, sitting his ass on the cushy bar stool, and coating his throat with the dark, smoky liquor was damn good.
The Insurgents operated a motorcycle repair shop, which served the members and a few other motorcycle clubs in the area. Citizens were not allowed, as well as the majority of MCs, but the shop kept busy with the charter members and affiliate clubs, like the Night Rebels. The shop was located outside of the city limits of Pinewood Springs, about ten miles from the clubhouse.
Chas threw back another shot and looked around the club to see if he could spot any slut who piqued his interest. Several women wandered around in short skirts and deep-plunging tops, but no one grabbed him. He hadn’t fucked anyone in over a week, and his dick was aching for release, especially since his encounter with the luscious librarian the previous Thursday. He could’ve killed Brianna for her bad timing. Having spent time unnerving and making his son’s tutor ready, they’d almost kissed when Brianna burst in, sticking her fucking nose where it didn’t belong.
He’d been eager to taste his son’s instructor’s quivering lips. Chas loved that he brought those tremors to her tempting mouth. Since the encounter, he hadn’t been able to rid his mind of her. It’d been a long time since a woman messed with his head and his dick the way the curvy, sexy redhead did. The following Tuesday seemed so far away, and he was anxious to see her again, breathe in her light jasmine scent, and touch her soft skin. He had it bad for her, and all he could think about was grabbing her hips and digging his fingers into her flesh, then riding her rougher than hell while she screamed out his name. Just imagining how it could be with her made his cock snugger against his jeans.
What was it with Ms. O’Leary? Her silky blouses were always well buttoned-up and she wore high-heeled, sensible pumps, but he couldn’t get those pearl buttons out of his mind. What he wouldn’t give to undo a few of them to see what she was hiding. From the outline of her tits against her blouse, he knew she had a rack on her, and he was sure they’d fit perfectly in his large hands while he squeezed and pinched them.
He never figured a librarian would stir his blood as much as she did, and he had no business being with a refined woman like her. Chas was a working man, rough around the edges. He worked hard, drank harder, and played the hardest, and he had no intention of having a woman tell him otherwise. The whole wanting-his-dick-in-her-pussy attraction surprised him. Truth be told, he loved trashy women who wore Daisy Dukes, showed their ass, and had their big tits spilling out over too-tight tops. That package was what had attracted him to Brianna when he was nineteen years old. She was a classic biker chick, and he fell for her in a big way. On the weekends, he loved the hoodrats who hung around the clubhouse, eager for biker cock. No, he had no business even thinking about fucking prim-and-proper Ms. O’Leary.
But Chas wanted to fuck her more than he ever wanted to fuck any bitch. Thinking about her right then, he couldn’t believe how turned on he was when he saw her in her silk blouse and tight skirt. With only a tiny hint of cleavage, the way her blouse draped around her big tits made him more excited than he’d been for the previous two weeks looking at all the half-naked women who roamed the club on party nights.
“How’s your bike coming along?” Axe asked as he slid onto the stool next to Chas.
“Pretty sweet. I’m hoping to finish it in time for the rally.”
“The one at Cooper Peak?”
Chas nodded, taking a pull on the beer the prospect placed in front of him.
“Fuck, that’s coming up soon.”
“No shit. Guess I’ll be busy for a while,” Chas said.
Throttle and Jax came over to the bar, beer bottles in hand.
“How’s it going?” Jax asked as he grabbed a hand full of peanuts from the bowl the prospect set on the bar. “Haven’t seen you around. You sniffing ’round a bitch, or somethin’?”
“Fuck, no. I’ve been busy with Jack. He’s getting some extra help after school, and I gotta take him and pick him up because Brianna’s being a fuckin’ bitch about it.”
“She was in here the other day, and I know you aren’t good with her anymore, but fuck, did she look hot in her skinny jeans and tight-as-hell top,” Throttle said while gazing at Lola and Rosie, two club whores who had just entered the great room.
“You can have her, gladly. What a fuckin’
mistake the whole marriage thing was. The only good thing to come out of those six years of hell was Jack. Brianna is a grade-A bitch and slut.” Chas took another long draw from his beer bottle.
“That’s why you don’t get married. It’s all kinds of complicated when you do shit like that. Have a bitch around, and when you’re tired of her pussy, you get another one. Easy, no drama, no promises, no fuckin’ bullshit,” Throttle responded as he continued to stare at Lola and Rosie, who were talking at one of the tables near the bar.
“An easy life until you meet someone and she grabs your cock and heart before you even fuckin’ know what hit you. That’s how it was with Cherri. Once I laid eyes on her, I knew no other woman would do,” Jax said.
“And you had to go through a shitload of drama and grief,” Throttle countered as he watched Axe walking toward the women.
“Totally worth it, brother. Totally,” Jax told him between chomping on another handful of peanuts.
“I’m with Throttle on this. The shit I put up with Brianna makes me never want to get married again. There’s a lot to be said for trashy, easy women.” Chas motioned the prospect to bring him another beer.
“Brianna wasn’t the right one. You only married her ’cause you knocked her up. It’s all kinds of different when you want to be with someone,” Jax explained.
“Just not the life for me. I like a variety of pussy,” Throttle said as he moved away from the bar. “I’m liking where this is going.” Throttle waved his hand toward Lola and Rosie.
Chas and Jax turned around just as Axe approached the women’s table.
“Hi, Axe,” Rosie greeted as she stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Squeezing her ass, Axe told her in a loud voice, “I need some fucking.”
Chas's Fervor: Insurgents Motorcycle Club (Insurgents MC Romance Book 3) Page 4
