by LeAnn Ashers
Inside the store, I grab a cart. I spot the girly-shit section, and the first thing I see is tampons. Fuck. After grabbing a few boxes, I throw them into the cart. I grab shampoo, conditioner, razors, lotion, shaving cream, and a toothbrush and throw them all in the cart. I see a curling iron and a straightener and grab those because my sister loves shit like that. I walk past the condoms but keep on walking. When we have sex, I am not using condoms. I am knocking her up. She’s mine and it’s going to happen anyway, so why not make it happen sooner rather than later?
I check out, and they tell me that they will have everything delivered in a couple of hours. I walk over to the Apple store next door and grab her a laptop.
Next, I go to my phone carrier and get her an iPhone 7. Remembering that Torch’s woman is an author and that Alisha mentioned she loves to read, I decide I’ll go to Best Buy to get her an ereader. I get her the newest Kindle and decide I’ll load it up later for her. I just want her to have shit. She’s never had anything that was truly hers her whole fucking life, and I want to make things right for her.
After loading the laptop, the ereader, and the cell phone into my saddlebag, I head for home, excited to see her face. Fuck. I sound like a teenager, but I don’t give two shits.
I finally make it down the stairs after fifteen grueling minutes. Every movement on every step was torture. I sit on the couch and sink into the cushions, closing my eyes and waiting for the pain to ebb.
Five minutes later, I hear Jordan pulling up outside. Excitement bubbles up in me because he is home. I missed him more than I thought I would. A minute later, he comes into the house all smiles, and I give him the biggest smile ever. He stumbles and winks at me.
“You okay?” I ask.
He smiles that cocky smile. “I was just struck by your beauty.” He walks over to me and sets his bags on the coffee table.
Not able to resist telling him, I say, “I missed you.”
His head shoots over and he looks at me. “I missed you too, sweetheart.” He kisses me on the cheek, really close to my mouth.
I close my eyes. Placing my hand on his cheek, I grow a pair and kiss him on the cheek. I feel him jolt. He is just as affected by me as I am by him. I smile secretly to myself.
He pulls back. “I got you some stuff. I have a lady coming here this evening to fit you for size, and she’s going to pick out a wardrobe for you. I also bought you a bunch of personal items, and they will be delivered in a few hours.”
My jaw hits the floor. “Jordan,” I whisper. “You shouldn’t have done this. It’s too much. I can’t.” I shake my head. “It’s too much. I can’t accept all of this.”
Jordan gets down in front of me on his knees. “Angel, you deserve this and more. Let me spoil you.” He kisses me on the forehead.
I continue shaking my head. I can’t accept it. “Jordan—” I stop once his fingers touch my lips.
“You will,” he tells me point-blank, leaving no room for arguments.
“Thank you so much. But you didn’t need to do this for me.” Tears well up in my eyes at the kindness this man has shown me.
He scoots closer and clasps my face between his large hands. “Sweetheart, let me spoil you. I wanted to do this.”
I smile, wrap my arms around his neck, and hug him because I don’t know what else to say. Then I pull back and throw the blanket off my lap, which leaves me in his long shirt and his boxers. Jordan hands me the bags he walked in with and sets them in my lap.
I run my hand over the bag. “I love it.”
He chuckles, his eyes shining. “Angel, you haven’t seen what I got you yet.”
I shake my head, grinning. “It doesn’t matter. I love it anyway.”
I reach inside and pull out the biggest box first. I gasp at the sight: a MacBook Pro. I look at Jordan in shock. This is way too much. It had to be fifteen hundred dollars at least. I can’t accept this.
“Jordan—” I start.
But he covers my mouth. I roll my eyes and shift on the couch. I’m turning the box over and inspecting it when he says, “There’s more.”
I reach back inside the bag and pull an iPhone 7 out. Oh my God. “Jordan!” I yell.
“Don’t say a word. There’s more.”
I reach inside the other bag and pull out a Kindle Oasis. I gasp. I absolutely love to read. “Thank you, Jordan, so, so, so much!” I hug him tight, ignoring the pain.
There’s a knock at the door, so I peer around the side of the couch. I see a woman standing there, a folder in her hand. She starts waving at me. I look at Jordan, wondering who she is.
“That’s the woman who is going to do your wardrobe.” He stands up. “While she’s measuring you for everything, I will get all your devices set up.” He walks over to the door and lets her inside.
She walks in and walks directly to me. She grins, but her smile stops when she sees my face. She looks at Jordan and then back at me.
“How about we go into a different room?” she suggests.
I place my hand on the armrest and push myself, groaning in pain.
“Angel, let me help you get upstairs,” Jordan says as he picks me up bridal-style.
I hold on to his shirt as he carries me up the stairs and into his bedroom, and the woman follows behind us. He gently sets me onto the floor and then walks out. The lady turns to look at me, and I nervously fidget at the bottom of my shirt.
“Sweetheart, did he hurt you? I can get you help,” she rushes out and steps closer to me.
“What?? No!” I say loudly. I understand why she asked that, because from the outside, it may look that way. “No,” I start again but much more softly. “He saved me.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry, honey.” Her eyes soften, relief in them. “Now, let’s get you fitted for a wardrobe!” She smacks her hands together.
I grin at her bubbly attitude, and she produces a tape measure from her pocket.
We spend the next ten minutes getting everything measured, including for a new bra and undies. I have to admit I am really excited at the idea of having new clothes, things that haven’t been used by multiple people and aren’t threadbare.
“I will see you tomorrow to put your outfits together and show you everything.” She waves as she walks out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
Jordan will be up here once she leaves, so I decide to climb up onto the bed.
The front door shuts, and when I hear him coming up the stairs a second later, butterflies swarm in my belly. He comes around the corner, holding all of my new stuff, including a couple other bags of stuff.
He sets my devices beside me on the nightstand and then hands the bags to me. When I look inside, I see body wash, bubble bath, deodorant, a tooth brush, and tampons. I blush at the sight of the tampons; I can imagine how he felt buying them.
“Jordan, I don’t know what to say to all of this. I love it so much. Thank you. It was so thoughtful of you.”
He winks and sets the laptop on my lap. “Get used to being spoiled, my girl.”
My heart skips a beat at him calling me his girl.
His girl.
I haven’t ever heard anything better than that in my entire life. I blush, and you couldn’t stop the smile on my face if you wanted to. Jordan rubs my cheekbone at the sight of me blushing.
“Now, play with your new things.” He moves everything closer to me and takes the bag from me. He walks into the bathroom and sets everything on the counter.
My life has changed so much in such a short amount of time, but I have never been happier. I feel like I am floating on cloud nine and I don’t know what to make of my emotions because I’ve never experienced anything like this before.
I sit back against the headboard and pick my phone up. After pushing the home button, I click the message icon, hit new message, and see Jordan’s number. Not able to help myself, I click his name and type a message.
Me: Thank you.
I gnaw on my bottom lip and wait for him to receive the mes
sage. He pulls his phone out and looks at the screen. He starts typing, and my phone buzzes a second later.
Jordan: Anything for you, angel.
I can’t keep the grin off my face as I read his message. I set the phone down and look at the laptop box. I rip the tape off and slide the laptop out of the box. Setting the laptop in my lap, I smooth my hands on the top of it, feeling the coolness.
I open it and look at the screen. I blink rapidly to stop the tears. It seems like I’m always crying these days. I click the Safari thing to get on the Internet and go straight to Amazon to look at the available books.
I type in free ebooks and see so many books. When I see a cover with a man with a motorcycle, curiosity gets the best of me and I click on the book. I read the description and decide to get it. My Kindle is already set up thanks to Jordan, so I go on there and one click. I start shaking with excitement, and I close the laptop. I set it beside me on the bed and settle in to read the book.
I hug the pillow to me and look around the room to check if Jordan is in the living room. I’ve been reading this book for the past three hours and just came to a sex scene. I blush and start reading it again.
His tongue moves up and down my—
“Why are you blushing, angel?”
I jump and immediately turn the Kindle off. I could die from embarrassment. I clutch the ereader to my chest and slowly turn around to face Jordan.
He is grinning at me from ear to ear. Shoot me now. Please.
“Hmm. You have a thing for bikers?” he teases.
I hide my face with my hands. I can’t believe I was caught reading a scene where they are having sex on the back of a bike.
“Aww, angel, don’t be embarrassed.” He laughs and tugs my hands away from my face.
My face is burning, and I don’t look up from my lap. Oh my God, how am I going to face him?
“How am I supposed to not be embarrassed when I haven’t even kissed a guy before?” I mumble under my breath.
“Never?” Jordan says in shock.
Oh my goodness. He heard me mumbling to myself. What am I going to do? Deciding to throw caution to the wind, I look up at him, my face red. “Never,” I confirm and my face gets hotter.
“Good.” He smiles cockily at me and winks.
What the what? My eyes widen. “What?”
He just smiles and then moves around the couch. He sits down beside me and pulls me into his arms, pressing my head to his chest and resting his hand on my hip. I rest my hand on his large chest.
“Once you’re not in any pain anymore, I am going to take you out on a date.”
Butterflies swarm in my belly. “Okay.” I grin against his chest.
His lips touch the back of my head. He inhales, and then his lips pucker. I close my eyes and wrap my fist around his shirt.
I’m getting ready for my date. It’s been a week since Jordan told me that he was going to take me out, and I’m wearing something from my new wardrobe. It’s like being at a mall. I have never seen so many clothes in my whole entire life.
He’s taking me out for steak and to a bar, which I begged him to do because I want to experience everything I can. I just turned twenty-one two days ago. Jordan is twenty-seven and I really don’t care that he is six years older than I am.
I have spent the past week getting to know everything I possibly can about him. I have never felt so comfortable with someone in my whole entire life. I don’t know what it is about him, but I feel so safe with him.
I finish the last bit of my hair. I’ve been watching YouTube videos about makeup and hair, and I have to admit I’ve done a pretty good job. I study myself in the mirror. I’ve gained weight, my face is starting to fill out, and so is my body. I’m starting to look and feel healthier. My hair hangs down my back, straight and long, and my makeup is just basic eyeshadow and liner, but it made a huge difference in how I look.
After slipping my shoes on, I walk out of our bedroom. We sleep in the same bed, and being in his arms at night keeps the bad dreams that want to haunt me away. The worst ones are of my mother. I want to see her. Actually, I want to see my old mother. She used to be such a good mother. She fed me and took care of me. She and my dad were fighting like usual, and then, one day, the fighting stopped.
The mother I had once known was gone. Drugs were her life. She was always high. I can’t remember a time in those years when she wasn’t. It’s like she never came down from her high. I want to see her but if I see her, it may set me back. I want her to be well, but I want to be rid of that life.
“You ready, angel?”
I turn around and see Jordan standing at the entrance of the bedroom. His gaze slowly glides over my body and then connects with mine, hot and smoldering
“Fuck me,” he murmurs and moves closer to me.
I separate the distance between us and grin at him.
“I am going to have to kill some motherfuckers tonight,” he confesses and pulls me into his arms, the top of his head resting on mine.
Here are those darn butterflies again.
He pulls away and slips his hand into mine, intertwining our fingers. He leads me down the stairs and I see a box sitting on the island in the kitchen. If he got me another gift…
He stops in front of the island and hands me the box.
“Jordan—” I start.
But he stops me with the shake of his head. I glare at him, and he smiles that smile I love. I pull the lid off the box, pull back the paper, and find a leather vest. I gasp when I see the patch. Property of Techy.
I look at Techy, and his face has softened. I grab the cut out of the box, my hands shaking. According to Jordan, getting a patch like this doesn’t happen easily. This is his way of telling the world that I belong to him.
He takes the cut from me and motions for me to turn around. I do so and raise my arms so he can slip it on me. I pull my hair out of the cut, and at his sharp intake of breath, I know he is affected. I turn around and face him.
Jordan is clenching and unclenching his hand. “Angel, I am one fucking second away from kissing you. I won’t do it until you want me to.”
My heart stops.
Do I want him to kiss me?
Hell yeah.
I take a step closer to him, and his eyes darken. He growls from deep inside his chest and slips his hand into my hair, and then pulls me all the way to him. The hand in my hair fists it, and then his mouth is on mine.
I rest my hand on his cheek. His lips move against mine, and I follow him, throwing caution to the wind. His lips move against mine like they are dancing. I hold on for dear life because this kiss has robbed me of all of my oxygen.
Minutes, hours, seconds later—I don’t know—he pulls away. His lips go to my forehead, where he presses a tender kiss, and goose bumps break out across my bare arms. He growls, and his hands tighten on my hips. “Mine,” he says.
One simple word and I grin.
“Come on, angel.” He takes my hand again and walks me out of the kitchen, into the living room, and out the front door. He locks the door and then leads me off the porch and down the steps.
I see his motorcycle sitting there and get excited again. “We riding on your bike?” I ask, the excitement in my voice plain as day.
Jordan has a smile tugging on his lips, “Sure are.”
He lets my hand go and climbs onto his bike. I walk over and brace my hand on his back so I can swing my leg over. He reaches a hand back and sets it on my back. I swing my leg over and settle on behind him.
“Put your feet here.” His hand goes to my calf, and he sets my foot on the footrest.
I place my other foot on the other one. Jordan then reaches around my back and pushes me so I am flush against him. My arms are around his waist, and my head is resting on his shoulder.
Jordan cranes his neck to the side. “Ready, biker babe?”
I return his grin and nod. He starts the bike, and there’s a loud rumble, and the bike vibrates. He backs up wit
h his feet, and then we are off.
My stomach sinks at the feel of flying. I grip him tighter, feeling like I could fall at any second as we drive up his large driveway. The large gate opens, and we pull out onto the main highway. I look behind me as the gate slams closed.
My heart soars the farther we drive. I haven’t felt so free in my entire life. Jordan lets the handlebars go with one hand, and that hand goes to my knee. He squeezes, and I place my hand on top of his.
There’s no better fucking feeling than having your woman on the back of your bike, wearing your cut with your name on it, claiming her for the whole world to see.
I speed up to pass the car in front of us. I hear her laughter, and I grin. Then both of her hands let me go and I look into the mirror at her. She is grinning from ear to ear, her hands above her head, her eyes closed.
I know how she’s feeling. There is nothing but the open road in front of us. Freedom. I have never seen her so carefree. I reach behind me and grab her hip to make sure she doesn’t fall.
I speed up more and pass another car. Her smile gets impossibly wider. I shake my head and see a town looming in front of us. She scoots closer and holds me tight again, her chin resting on my shoulder.
I pull up in front of the steakhouse because I don’t do that fancy shit and Alisha is the same. I raise my hand and Alisha sets her hand in mine. She climbs off and her knees give out. I hold her hand tighter to pull her back up.
“Oh my goodness, that was so much fun! We need to go on a road trip!” she shouts loudly.
Fuck me, can she get more perfect?
“We have a charity run next week. It’s an all-day ride? You in?” I turn my bike off and climb off.
She gasps in fake dramatic shock. “Am I in? Hell yeah, I am!”
I shake my head at this girl. Every day, more and more spunk comes out of her, and fuck if it doesn’t turn me on.
I put my hand on the small of her back, right under my name on her back. We step onto the walkway, and when we reach the entrance of the restaurant, I open the door for her. Inside, we are met by a worker.
