by Abigail Lee
“So, you like me?” I was still confused. “Because sometimes you act like you hate the sight of me.”
“Yes, baby. I like you.” He let out a small laugh. “I’m kind of hoping you’ll give me a chance to convince you to like me back.”
“Well, you’ll have to stop the mood swings if you want that to happen.” I laughed and ran my hands down his biceps. “No more tough guy act.”
“My tough guy act was lost the first time you walked into my bar.” He leaned his forehead against mine.
“Good.” I traced the tribal tattoo art that was painted around his forearm.
He sucked in his breath when I ran my fingertips across his wrist. I looked up to see his pupils were dilated, and he was watching my mouth. Without warning, his lips came crashing into mine, and his hand wrapped around the back of my neck.
I parted my lips, and his tongue claimed my mouth instantly. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I parted my legs and pulled him forward. He stood slightly, lifting me from the bed and laying me on my back a few feet back from where I had been sitting. He climbed over me and parted my legs further with his knees. He was still only wearing a pair of boxers, and I ran my hands down his rock hard stomach. He pushed his erection into my center causing a moan to escape the back of my throat.
He lifted me a few inches from the mattress and ripped his large t-shirt over my head. I fell back and lay heaving in breaths as he took in the sight of my breasts. I could see the lust and burning desire in his eyes and knew that I wouldn’t be able to stop this from happening even if I wanted to. A low rumble came from his chest seconds before he tore the panties from my body. I was lying completely naked and exposed on his bed, and I had never felt sexier. I reached for his boxers, but he pulled them down himself.
We looked into each other’s eyes, and without a word, I knew I was about to cross a line with this man and I would never be able to look back.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked before moving an inch.
“Yes,” I answered.
“Are you on any type of birth control?”
“Yes.” I squeezed my legs tighter around him and pulled him even closer. “The pill.”
“Thank God.” He let out a deep breath as his lips melted back into mine and he pressed into me.
We spent the next few hours in bed, exploring each other’s bodies. I found more tattoos that I hadn’t seen before, and he kissed every word that was written on my side.
“Do you need to work tonight?” I asked as we sat cuddled up on his couch.
We had ordered Chinese food and were both sitting under a blanket on his black leather couch. The walls in his entire apartment were exposed brick. His living room was simple like his bedroom; black leather furniture, black coffee table, and a TV mounted on the wall.
“We’re closed on Sundays and Mondays,” he answered as he pulled me into his side. “Do you need to get back to your apartment?”
“No, not really.” I thought about it. “But you can take me back whenever you’re ready.”
“What does that mean?” He pulled back and stared down at me.
“Nothing.” I shrugged. “I don’t have work or class until Tuesday so Monday is also my day off. But if you’re ready for me to leave, I can go.”
“What makes you think I ever want you to leave?”
I sat and stared back at this man who just a week ago I considered a complete jackass. Now he was sitting here acting all sweet and caring. It was kind of giving me emotional whiplash. And I kind of liked it.
“If you want me to take me back to your apartment, just let me know.” He ran his hand down the side of my cheek and lifted my chin. “But no, I don’t think I’m ever going to want you to leave.”
He leaned forward and captured me in a long, slow kiss. When we broke contact, I was gasping for air, and he had a small smirk across his face.
“I think I’ll stay.” I smiled back at him as I tried to catch my breath.
The next few hours were spent on the same spot on the couch—watching movies, stealing kisses, and eating egg rolls.
“What are you going to school for?” he asked when I walked back in from the kitchen.
“Advertising with a minor in marketing,” I answered.
“So you’re going to go around asking people for money once you’re done with school, too?” he laughed.
“Basically.” I lifted the blanket, sat back down, and smiled. “I’m actually hoping to get more into marketing and web design once I get a real job but now all of my classes are focusing on other things.”
He smiled down at me, taking in everything I was saying.
“How long have you owned The Green Room?” I asked.
“Too long.” He leaned his head back against the couch. “It was our dad’s bar. He was killed in a car accident almost eight years ago, and that’s when I took over.”
“When you were eighteen?” That shocked me.
“Yeah.” He continued to stare at the ceiling. “He had left it to me in his will. I had just graduated high school and was about to start college. Since I was eighteen, Mel had to run things for a few years, but once I turned twenty-one, I took control of the place and have been running it ever since.”
“Do you like it?” I could feel the wrinkles on my forehead my eyebrows were so high.
“Most days.” He turned to look at me. “Why?”
“You just sound.” I didn’t know the right word to say. “I don’t know, tired?”
He let out a small laugh and continued to stare at me. “Yeah, it wasn’t my first choice of a career but I’m glad I can carry on my dad’s name. Green is our last name.”
I let that sink in as I started tracing the tattoos on his arms again.
“Let’s go to bed, baby.” He pushed a piece of loose hair behind my shoulder and leaned over to kiss me behind the ear.
“Can I take a shower first?” I blushed. “You know, since you’ve held me hostage all day and ripped my underwear to shreds earlier.”
“You do kind of stink,” he teased as he kissed down my neck.
“Shut up.” I pushed him back. “Really?”
“No.” He laughed and pushed himself off the couch. “Come on, let’s go get you a shower.”
I closed the bathroom door and stripped Luke’s t-shirt and boxer shorts from my body. The hot water was steaming up the mirror as I stepped under the stream. The last twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind. Three weeks ago, I was stuck in a mindless relationship, and now I was shacking up with this hot bad boy who owned a bar and rode a motorcycle. I wasn’t even sure if this was a one-time thing or if he liked me enough to see where this could go.
The bathroom door opened, and he cleared his throat. “I brought you a clean shirt and some sweat pants.”
“Do you have other girlfriends?” I blurted out and immediately covered my face with my hands. Why couldn’t I ever keep my mouth shut!
“You ask me this while you’re in my shower?” He laughed.
When I didn’t answer, a blast of cool air blew over my arms and a hard body pressed against mine.
“Hey.” He pulled my hands from my face and forced me to look at him. “What are you worried about?”
“Nothing,” I sighed. “Everything. It’s just… Everything is kind of happening fast here, and I don’t even know how you feel about all of this.”
“There’s no one else but you.” He leaned his forehead against mine.
I nodded my head and processed what he had said.
“Are you dating anyone else?” he asked.
“No,” I shook my head, “I’m not.”
“Okay, then stop overthinking everything.” He ran his hands down my back, causing a trail of goosebumps to follow.
“I just…”
“I’m only with you,” he interrupted. “I only want to be with you.”
All doubts melted away when I looked up and saw the sincerity in his eyes. I moved my hands up his arms and
wrapped them around the back of his neck. Running my fingertips through his short hair, I could feel him harden against my belly. I watched as his eyes turned dark before his mouth came crashing down onto mine.
He easily lifted me around his hips and pressed my back against the tile wall. The water poured over us as he kissed down my neck to my breasts. I threw my head back and let out a loud moan as he slid into me and began to slowly set his pace.
“I’m never going to get enough of you,” he growled into my ear.
As I moved closer and closer to the edge, I was beginning to think I would never get enough of him either.
“Can I drive?” I stood and stared at the black motorcycle parked in front of me.
“Yeah, right.” He laughed.
“You don’t trust me?”
“From what I’ve gathered, you’ve only ridden on a bike once.” He walked over and pushed my chin up, causing my gaping mouth to close. “And that was the other day. So, no, I don’t trust you to drive my bike.”
He lightly kissed my lips before climbing on the bike and handing me the helmet.
“You’ll let me drive eventually.” I pushed the helmet over my ponytail. “So just prepare yourself for that day.”
I climbed on behind him just as the engine came to life. I wasn’t ready to go home yet, but it was late afternoon on Monday, and I needed to finish some schoolwork before the next day. Plus, I knew I was keeping him away from work, because he normally spent Mondays catching up with the office work.
We had spent most of the night naked in his bed and most of the morning sleeping. I knew with school, my work, and his work, we wouldn’t see each other much during the week. I looked down at the clean pair of oversized sweatpants and t-shirt I was wearing of his and squirmed because I hadn’t worn underwear in over a day since he ripped them off yesterday. My phone had died yesterday afternoon, but I had let Hannah know where I was and that I was safe. Other than a few texts to her, my life had been all about Luke for the past thirty-six hours. I liked that.
He pulled up to my apartment and turned off the bike. We walked hand in hand up the steps, and I unlocked the door and he pushed it open.
“You’re home.” Hannah rushed out of her bedroom and grabbed my arm. “I’ve tried to call you, but your phone was dead.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked since her face looked panicked.
“He showed up here this morning.” She nodded to my bedroom. “I’ve done everything to get him to leave, but he won’t. I just got back from the library, and he’s just sitting in there.”
Before I could ask who, Chris opened my bedroom door and walked out in front of us. I tightened my grip on Luke’s hand and watched the scene unfold in front of me.
“You’re home, baby.” He put his hands on his hips and completely ignored the man standing next to him. “It’s about time.”
“Riley, who is this?” Luke asked as he stared at Chris.
“I’m her boyfriend,” Chris answered. He stood a little taller and flexed the strong arms that rested on his hips. Chris was well over six-foot-tall with looks that could get him any girl he wanted. If it weren’t for his distant personality and inability to excite me in bed, he would have been the perfect boyfriend.
“Ex-boyfriend,” I corrected him. “Why are you here?”
“I’m here for you,” he stated as if it were obvious.
“We broke up, remember that conversation?” I was getting mad. “You need to leave.”
“I thought you were kidding.” He took a step forward causing me to step further into Luke. “And who the hell is this loser?”
“I’m Luke.” He took a step forward leaving only inches between him and Chris. “I’m the one who’s going to kick your ass if you don’t get the hell out of my girlfriend’s apartment.”
I saw Hannah’s jaw drop at the word girlfriend, and Chris’s jaw tense up.
“Get your shit and leave.”
Chris glared at him and then at me. He grabbed a bag that I hadn’t noticed was by the front door and took two steps toward it. He turned back before grabbing the knob.
“You’ll come crawling back, you bitch. You always do.”
Before he could turn around, Luke’s fist connected with his jaw, slamming him back into the wall. He reached and opened the door, grabbed a fistful of Chris’s shirt and thrust him outside. He stood in the frame, watching as Chris stumbled to gain his footing.
“Don’t fucking come back,” he growled before slamming the door. “She’s mine now.”
He took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair before turning around to find me and Hannah watching him with our mouths gaping open.
“What?” He shrugged. “You asked him to leave. He didn’t. So I gave him a little nudge.”
He walked toward me and lifted my chin with his finger. Running the tip of his thumb over my bottom lip, he leaned down leaving less than an inch between us.
“And you are mine now. I thought he should know.”
“Well, hot damn!” Hannah was fanning herself as she watched us. “Trey needs to hurry and get over here before I jump on both of you.”
“Hannah!” I shrieked.
“What? Do you not hear what he’s saying to you and how he’s looking at you?” She turned and made her way back to her bedroom. “Damn.”
I laughed at my best friend but kept my eyes on my tattooed prince. “I’m sorry about all of that. Are you mad?”
“I hadn’t planned on punching anyone today, but no I’m not mad.” He brushed some loose hair behind my shoulders and quickly kissed my lips. I leaned into him and let his arms hold me into his chest.
“He is an ex, right?”
“Yes, definitely an ex.” I jumped back when the front door opened again.
“What’s up guys?” Trey walked in and slapped Luke on the back.
“Hannah’s in her room.” I laughed. “I think she’s waiting on you.”
“Grab your stuff.” He turned me in his arms and began walking us toward my room. “Let’s go back to my office so I can work and you can study.”
“Are you sure?” I questioned. “You don’t have to babysit me. I can handle it if he comes back.”
“I want you with me,” he stated. “That jackass better hope he never comes back. I’ll do more than tap his jaw.”
I shook my head and laughed as I processed what just happened. Hopefully, Chris never showed back up. He was pretty harmless, more annoying than anything. I closed the door to my bedroom before I realized how messy it was. I never made my bed, so my dark gray comforter was pulled back exposing the wrinkled white sheets. Clothes were thrown everywhere and papers were scattered over my small black desk.
“I would tell you my room is usually clean, but…” I grabbed a few books and my laptop and stuffed them into my backpack. “It’s not.”
He laughed as he looked around and focused in on some of the pictures framed on the white walls.
“I was planning on taking a shower.” I looked down at the baggy clothes. “Do you have time to wait?”
“Why?” He pulled me into his arms. “I like you in my clothes.”
“Smelly isn’t sexy.” I laughed. “I’ll hurry, I promise.”
He smiled when I quickly kissed him and ran into the small bathroom that was connected to my room. I showered, shaved the necessary places, dried my hair, and applied a light layer of makeup in record time. I peeked back into the room to see that he was gone and took the chance to jump over to my closet and get dressed. I decided on a blue sweater, dark skinny jeans, and tall brown boots. When I walked out of the closet, he was leaning on the edge of my bed looking at his phone.
“Hey.” I grabbed my phone charger off the desk and added it to my backpack.
“Hey.” He looked up and sucked in a breath.
I was starting to wrap a thin scarf around my neck when he took a few steps and grabbed the material.
“I like to see your neck.” He leaned down and kissed
the skin below my ear as he threw the scarf back into my closet.
My face burned a new shade of red as he made a trail of kisses toward my collarbone.
“I like when you blush, too.”
I leaned back and laughed. “You can’t even see my face.”
“I can feel the heat from your cheeks.” He kissed me one more time before standing back and grabbing my bag from the ground. “You ready to go?”
“Yeah, thanks for waiting.” I smiled and felt my cheeks return to their normal color.
“Well, we couldn’t have you smelly, could we?” He laughed as we walked out of the apartment and down to his bike.
We spent the rest of the afternoon in his office down at the bar with him at his desk on the computer and me sitting on an old brown leather couch with my laptop. I noticed that his phone vibrated a few times and each time he looked at the screen but never replied to whoever was sending him messages. I could feel my brain expanding to the sides of my skull and was about to stop for the day when he stood up from his desk and plopped down on the couch next to me. He looked through his phone while I powered down my computer and packed everything back in my bag.
“Are you done?” he asked.
“Yep,” I answered. “I can’t read anymore today.”
“Good.” He had a sweet smile on his face as he stood up and pulled me to my feet. “I was hoping I could take you on an actual date tonight.”
“Weren’t you supposed to do that before you saw me naked?” I laughed as his mouth dropped open. I reached up and kissed him on his bottom lip. “We’re a little past the first date phase.”
“Touché.” He regained his composure and put his hand on the back of my neck. “I guess I better up my game a little bit. Will you go on a date with me?”
“Yes.” I smiled. “I would love to.”
He parked in front of a steakhouse that I had only heard about through some co-workers at my internship. We walked in holding hands and once the hostess saw Luke, she led us back to a private area where a table for two was set up. I knew he was watching me as I took my seat, and I suddenly felt self-conscious.
