The pair of them looked out over the desert landscape and watched the sun creep ever higher.
“I don’t know why I ever stopped,” she smiled. “I guess I just forgot how beautiful it could be.”
“I never forgot,” Ax said. “But I regret not being around to see more of them. We only have so many sunrises in us.”
Jill thought on it for a moment and realized how profound it was. And that he was right.
“Well, I’m sure you have many more,” she smiled. “And now that you’re back in town, what’s stopping you?”
He nodded slowly and took another drag on his smoke.
“Nothing’s ever stopped me from doing or getting what I want,” he said.
Jill felt a little dance in her stomach. She turned to look at him and he was smirking.
“I guess it all depends on what you want,” she said.
“I think you know what I want…” Ax looked down at her with seriousness.
Jill’s heartrate was rising and she didn’t know what to say. Her mouth was agape slightly, and she was completely stuck for words. She wanted to say that she wasn’t ready for anyone to come bursting back into her life, but at the same time, she had been so lonely she wasn’t even sure she meant it anymore. She was trying to protect herself and yet, she couldn’t keep away from him. They had clicked, there was no denying it. And now, just like he did, she wanted to know more.
“I want to take you out,” he said as he reached down and took hold of her by the wrist. “Properly.”
Jill’s eyes flickered from one of his to the other. She tried to stay focused but her mind was swirling.
“I just don’t know…” she said timidly.
“Tonight,” he said. “You’re not down to be in work, and I can do whatever the fuck I want. So how about it.”
He wasn’t asking her, he was telling her.
Jill looked back out at the sunrise. He had been right when he had said everyone only had so many in them. It was one of the most important things anyone had ever said to her because it made her realize how no day was a given. For all she knew, this was it. She may never get an opportunity like this again.
He squeezed her wrist a little tighter and she couldn’t help but smile.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said as he threw his smoking butt on the ground and stomped on it with his big steel capped boots.
He let go of her and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before he tilted her chin up so she was looking directly into his eyes.
“9 p.m.,” he said. “I’ll be waiting outside your house.”
He turned to walk back toward the doorway and Jill took a step to follow him.
“But how do you know where I…” she began.
“Just be ready, I’ll be there,” he said sternly before he stepped back inside and disappeared.
Jill reached up and covered her mouth. The grin she was hiding was so wide, she was sure he would be able to sense it, even from inside the building. She turned back and looked out to the sun once more, it was now fully over the horizon and the pinkish hue was long gone. The only thing left was the gold shine that was making her feel even more alive and it was falling on her face and warming her skin.
She stretched her arms up high above her head and breathed in deeply. She could still smell him next to her, the mixture of gasoline, smoke and his cologne was so unique it was driving her wild and her pussy throbbed in her panties.
I better get home, she thought as she turned and headed back to the door of the club. And she moved quickly inside to the changing rooms where she gathered up her belongings and headed back out to her car.
Back at home, she couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned, thinking of what was about to come, and her nerves began to spiral.
Ax had singled her out and now he wanted to make her his, she could feel it. He hadn’t asked her out, he had told her. And even though it felt a little bit strange not having a decision in the matter, it was also an incredible turn on. He was taking charge. He was taking what he wanted. And even though Jill had long been telling herself she didn’t want to be the object of anyone’s affections, she couldn’t help but want to be claimed by him.
She rolled over and buried her head in the pillow. If she was going to enjoy this date to the fullest, she was going to have to make sure she slept and recouped after her long night of work. Her head hurt with thoughts and she desperately tried to switch them off as she turned to lay on her back and tried to regulate her breathing. Working night shifts had always left her wired when it came to trying to go to sleep after a long night of being wide awake, so she had researched the best techniques for relaxation. She started the breathing exercise and it wasn’t long before she felt her body lose tension and her thoughts became lighter.
One, two, three, four…
She counted over and over as she inhaled, held her breath and then exhaled. Over and over again.
Before she had any idea what was happening, she finally fell fast asleep.
The shrill tone of her alarm woke her at 5 p.m., and she rubbed her eyes and yawned as she leaned up on her elbows, amidst a wave of confusion. She reached over and grabbed her cell phone. She had to blink several times to focus, but when she did, she could see she had several texts from Star.
She opened them and read them all and began to laugh…
S: Erm, I stopped by the club earlier and Jenny said you kicked ass in there last night. Go girl! – 12:36pm
S: She also said that Ax was paying you rather a lot of attention! :D – 12:38pm
S: I know I was crushing on him, but if you like him, go for it!!! – 12:42pm
S: Seriously though, the suspense is killing me. You better reply when you wake up. I want to know everything! :D Love ya xxx – 1:25pm
Jill smiled and rested the phone down. At least that was one thing she didn’t have to worry about when it came to her impending date. Star wouldn’t be mad at her.
She had wondered when Star had made such a big deal about Ax coming into town whether she did in fact like him, or whether she was doing it for Jill’s benefit, but it was one of those situation where it was better not to try and guess. She had seen Star become completely besotted with guys before, and when it hadn’t worked out, she had been in such a state it had been heartbreaking to watch. The last thing Jill wanted to do was be a part of something that could potentially hurt her friend. Especially when she was so determined to stay away from men in the first place.
She yawned and stretched and climbed out of bed with her phone in her hand.
J: Sorry, as you probably guessed, I’ve been fast asleep. Last night was crazy! And was so weird without you there!
Yes, he’s been pretty attentive :s He’s asked me out tonight and I didn’t really get a say in the matter. Apparently, he’s picking me up at eight! HELP! Xxx - 5:14pm
She pressed send and put the cell phone down on the table next to her bed. She just hoped that Star had really meant what she had said, but she was pretty certain she wouldn’t lie.
She walked slowly down the stairs and went into her kitchen. The light from outside was still bright and shone around the room, making the countertops gleam. She filled up the kettle, put it on and whilst she waited for it to boil she got out everything she would need for a super strong coffee.
She opened the back door and headed out into her yard. The sun was still strong and the heat was just as intense as she sat down on her sun lounger, sipped her drink and thought about the night ahead. It had been so long since she had been on any kind of date that she had no idea what she should even wear.
She thought back to how things had begun when it came to Jack. Nothing had been as sudden or as exciting as it was with Ax, but then, when she actually thought back to the beginning of their relationship, she wasn’t even sure whether Jack had really ever taken her on a proper date. Sure, they had gone to the diner and stuff after Jill had finished in the club, and they had spent the odd day around Main Street, b
ut when it came to Jack wooing her, he had never come and collected her from home and taken her out for a drink or a meal. It was always just relaxed and laid back and to sort of fit in with whatever they were doing at any given moment, there was no prior planning or thought involved.
She rested the mug of coffee down and suddenly, felt even more nervous. Ax hadn’t given her any indication on where he was planning on taking her, and she hadn’t given any thought as to what she may wear so that it could transition across several different possibilities.
“Shit,” she said aloud as she jumped up and ran back toward the house. “I better get planning.”
She raced up the stairs two at a time and threw open her bedroom door as she marched toward her closet. She pulled it open and scanned all of the clothes in front of her as a million scenarios flashed through her mind…
He may not be taking her anywhere at all, he may just want to come in and have a drink whilst they chat and watch a movie. But no, she thought, he said be ready and I’ll pick you up. Maybe he would take her back to Tanner’s so it wasn’t like he was absent, then he could keep his hand in and keep an eye on the place whilst also marking his territory with Jill in front of the rest of the club. But surely, he wouldn’t want to be so public, so fast. Maybe he would take her into Main Street to a little bar or a restaurant on one of the corners. Or maybe he was thinking they would venture out of town.
Or… she swallowed hard and her heart began to race again. Maybe he would take her to The Bleeding Bullet.
Jill smiled.
Even after being involved on the periphery of the bikers’ world since she had begun working at Tanner’s, she had still never had the nerve to head over to the wildest rock and biker bar in town. She regularly thought about it. She knew that the lawless land of Slate Springs was all over that side of town, and that cops rarely ventured there or caused any trouble. But still, even after her interest being piqued several times, she had never done it.
Maybe, in part, it was down to Jack. As a trucker, he had always warned her about how dangerous bars like that were. He told her that once she was outside the confines of Tanner’s and the safety of the bikers she actually knew, she would be prime meat and a target. At the time, she had lapped up every word, truly believing he was trying to keep her safe and out of harm’s way, but now she could see it all for what it truly was. It was simply just Jack being an asshole. He was controlling and manipulative, and he was trying to stop Jill from spreading her wings and living her own life. The more she thought about it, the more she knew he was probably terrified that the second she set foot in The Bleeding Bullet she would catch the eye of some of the outlaws, and they were much more masculine, powerful and sexy than a man like Jack could ever be. None of the bikers had to try and manipulate any of their women. Hell, they had girls queuing up around the block to try and get into Tanner’s and The Bleeding Bullet. Every woman in Slate Springs had fantasies of bagging a biker, but rarely any of them ever managed it. It took a special type of girl to catch a Forsaken Rider’s eye. And by the looks of it, Jill was about to be one of them.
She sat down on the edge of her bed and smiled. There was something about Ax that just felt so right. It was almost as if she couldn’t believe she had never considered the possibility of dating one of the bikers before. But she had never met one that had stood out to her like he had. Much like he had said to her.
“You caught my eye the second I got back here…”
She got back up and looked in the closet. She was going to have to be sexy and practical, because she was pretty sure that wherever she was going to end up that night, it was pretty much a given she would be climbing on the back of a bike for the first time in her life.
“Skinny jeans, stilettos, a tight crop top and a leather jacket it is,” she grinned as she started to pull the items out of the closet and lay them down on the bed. She looked up at the clock on the wall. It was just past six, and she only had three hours to work miracles.
She hit ON on the stereo and music blared to life. She was no longer determined to resist her fate. Ax had come looking for her, and he had found her. Now he had made his move and it was going to be up to her to see where things took them next. Even after all of her hurt, if she kept her head screwed on, then surely, she would only have fun times ahead. She would take it slow, she would savor the moments, and she would just roll with it.
After all, she had no clue how many sunrises she had left, she just wanted to make sure she made the most of them.
10.
As the big hand hit nine, she was still racing around her bedroom, grabbing the last few bits of make-up to shove into her purse and sipping on a glass of white wine to calm her small, but very prominent, nerves.
She looked in the mirror and felt every inch the sex bomb. She was confident, she was gorgeous, and she looked as if she could take on anything. She had worn her make-up dark and backcombed her hair slightly at the roots to give it some volume. She looked in charge, and she was sure that Ax would take one glance at her and know she was a force to be reckoned with.
She knocked off the lights and headed down the stairs. Her heels were high and they tottered loudly across the tiled floor as she peered through the front room window to try and see if she could see any lights heading her way. The street was dark, but she did a double take as she realized that was because he had already arrived.
At the end of the street, she could see him waiting for her. He had dismounted his huge, gleaming Harley, and was leaning against it, facing her way and smoking a cigarette. The moon was full and bright, and the light shone down on him, making him look almost other worldly.
Jill gulped.
Even from that distance, she could see he looked damned good. Good enough to eat.
Her heart fluttered.
She picked up her keys and headed for the door, and as she opened it and stepped out into the night air his eyes flicked up to meet her. When he saw her walking toward him, he straightened up slightly and a wry smile spread across his lips. Jill tried not to let her nerves get the better of her. Even though she was confident, she suddenly felt as if one wrong step could lead her to tumble into the bushes at the side of the curb.
He was wearing low slung jeans and a tight black shirt that was undone down to his heaving abs. What she could see of his torso was tanned and hard, muscular and inviting. He had rolled up the sleeves on the shirt and his forearms matched them, but they were covered in tattoos and his knuckles were dusted with big, chunky silver rings. He ran a hand though his hair and exhaled, smoke billowing out of both of his nostrils.
“Hey, babe,” he said gruffly as she took a step closer. “Now aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”
Jill couldn’t help but smile. If there was one thing that Ax knew how to do incredibly well, it was how to talk to a woman and make her feel as if she was it.
“Not looking too bad yourself,” she admitted as she brushed a rogue hair behind her ear and looked up at him with doe eyes. “Not too bad at all.”
He held out his hand and pulled her close to him. He was so strong as he held her there and helped her onto the back of the bike, she could tell everything she had suspected about him would certainly be true. If he wanted to tear her apart, she was going to have to let him.
There was a rush of excitement in her panties and she felt herself getting wet. He squeezed her thigh as he climbed on in front of her and threw the smoking cigarette onto the ground.
“Where are we going?” she asked him, trying to keep her voice down so they didn’t attract the attention of any of the neighbors.
“I thought I’d keep it a surprise,” he said as he started the engine.
A loud roar filled the street and Jill found herself reaching up and taking hold of the waistband of his jeans.
“That’s right, babe,” he smiled over his shoulder. “Hold on tight.”
He grabbed her hands and wrapped them fully around his waist. She clung to him and breathed him in.
The mix of it all was so heady and intoxicating it was making her even wetter by the second. She bit her bottom lip and tried to control herself. If she wasn’t careful, he was going to be able to feel her heat and how turned on she was right down his back as she pressed herself against him.
“Let’s ride,” he said as he revved the engine once more and a roar rang out around them.
He accelerated and Jill’s heart dipped. She gripped him tighter as he raced down the road, swinging the bike around the corner and heading toward the main part of town at what felt as if it would be the speed of light.
They flew past a cop car waiting idly at the side of the road and Jill cringed as she expected to hear the wail of sirens as they powered on by. But when they didn’t come, she turned and looked over her shoulder to see the car still sat there stationary, as if nothing had even happened. Her mind wandered. The cops weren’t going to come after them? They must have been doing at least eighty in a forty zone…
She squeezed onto Ax again and shouted into his ear, “The cops… Didn’t you see them?”
Ax turned his head slightly to the side and the bristles of his beard tickled against her cheek.
“They won’t be bothering us, babe,” he smiled as he accelerated harder and sped toward Main Street.
Jill’s heart was pounding as they got closer and she found herself gripping him even harder, willing him to slow down. She knew how built up and busy things could get around there and she was terrified they were going to mow someone down.
As if he could read her mind, Ax instantly began to slow, and as they travelled through Main Street they seemed to do it at an absolute crawl.
“That was wild,” she said to him.
“It only gets better from here,” he said with a grin.
As they travelled through the busiest part of Slate Springs, Jill could see all of the eyes that were turning to look in their direction. People who worked at the stores that lined Main Street, and families walking by, men and women holding hands, people just out for an evening stroll or leaving the bars and stores they had been in all were turning to look at them ride past on Ax’s Harley. Jill felt herself blush a moment and tried to dip her head so she wasn’t the center of attention. She hadn’t bargained for so many people looking their way and being interested as to who one of The Forsaken Riders had on the back of his bike.
AX (Forsaken Riders MC Romance Book 10) Page 7
