Stud_Motorcycle Club Romance

by ML Nystrom

  Stud was waiting for me outside my tiny house. I saw Connor watching us as he waited for my other brothers to get themselves sorted. He had a frown on his face, but I didn’t bother to wait around and ask him what was up his ass. I was too excited about getting to ride on a motorcycle.

  “Okay, Stud, how do I do this?” I asked, bouncing a little. I slung the backpack over my shoulder and he handed me a helmet, which I crammed on my still wet head.

  “Is this your only one? What are you gonna wear?” I asked while buckling the straps under my chin.

  He smiled. “I don’t have another one with me, but this isn’t a real ride. Barely a couple miles up the hill. I’ll take you for a real ride sometime on the Tail.”

  I’d heard about the famed stretch of road called the Tail of the Dragon. Full of tight twists and turns, it was supposed to be a biker’s wet dream. I grinned at him.

  “You’re on, pal! Let’s blow this joint! I gotta date with a pool and you’re holding me up!” Did I mention I loved swimming?

  He laughed at me and pointed out the pegs where I would put my feet. I managed to mount behind him and not groan at feeling his body so close to mine. My knees were spread around his hips and I lightly grasped his waist. He grabbed my wrists and pulled me closer, placing my hands on his hard stomach. It took all my super control powers not to feel him up a bit. I didn’t have to resist long, as with a roar we were off and shooting out of the lot.

  He was right. Even though the ride was a short one, just up to the much-talked-about Lair, I loved it!

  I squealed and clutched him harder when he revved the engine and opened up the throttle. Shit, I was being such a girl, but I didn’t really care. The big red and chrome machine rumbled under me as if it were alive. I leaned when Stud leaned, feeling the movement and power of the bike as it pulled around the turns. I could feel him smoothly changing gears.

  All too soon the ride was over and we arrived at the Lair. It looked more like a camping lodge resort than an MC clubhouse, but I wasn’t going to complain. I got off the bike first, swinging my leg high enough to make sure I didn’t get tangled and end up on my ass. Stud backed into a spot along a row of fancy bikes. I didn’t know enough about them to tell one kind from another, but I decided I would be doing some serious googling very soon.

  “That was amazing! I want a bike!” I crowed after Stud shut down his bike and joined me.

  He laughed again, totally amused.

  “I’m serious! I’ll have to get a trailer or something to hook up behind my house, but I’m definitely getting one! How hard is it to learn how to ride? Do you have to have a special license?” I peppered him with questions as he led us around the lodge to the back area where the sounds of music and happy screaming children could be heard.

  He kept laughing and shook his head. “Too much, Cactus! Grab a spot close to Betsey and the other old ladies.” He pointed to a trio of women lying in lounge chairs close to the pool’s edge. “The one on the right is Molly, Cutter’s woman, and the other one is Tambre, Taz’s woman. You’ll meet the other members later, after church. Speaking of which, I need to get going. You gonna be okay?”

  I looked in his eyes. I couldn’t say I wasn’t intimidated a bit by being left by myself in the midst of a bunch of strangers, especially women, but I was a MacAteer and could brazen out anything. Hell, I’d been in bars far more dangerous than this.

  “Go pray, confess, or whatever else you do in church. I’m gonna get wet!” I declared.

  Stud snickered, and I gave him the best evil eye I had. “Don’t say it!” I threatened, balling up my fist and shaking it at him.

  He threw back his head and let out a roar of laughter. I loved it when he did this with me. Friend zone or not, I loved making him laugh, seeing his eyes glow and the sounds of his pure mirth. He wrapped a hand around my neck and pulled me in closer. I wasn’t expecting what happened next, and I had no idea how to handle it.

  He kissed me.

  Not just kissed me, but kissed me!

  His lips covered mine and he drew me in. I lost my breath somewhere. His tongue traced my mouth and I felt a zing straight through my breasts to between my legs. I opened up, mostly in shock, and he dove right in. It was powerful. It was wet. It was wonderful. It was—Holy shit! I panicked.

  I’d snuck a few kisses once or twice with a boy I liked in my Myrtle Beach high school year. He told me he liked me as well, but when you’re a girl with five older brothers and a tough as nails father, it does not make for easy romantic relationships. Fergus nixed that budding romance quickly and thoroughly—when the boy showed up for the one single date I had, all six of my male family members stood around the poor teen in a circle and grilled him on where we were going, when we’d be back, and “don’t you dare think we won’t find you if you do something we don’t like.”

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I gasped, pulling away, grabbing at my inner Irish bitch and bringing her out. She was my automatic defense anytime I got panicked or scared. On the outside, she could deflect nuclear missiles. Inside, I was shaking like a leaf, wondering if my breath was okay and wishing he would do it again.

  “Help me out, Eva, please play along,” he whispered low against my mouth. About that time I heard a vaguely familiar whine.

  “Stuuuuuuudly!”

  I turned to Bike Bunny Bambi. She was younger than I’d thought she would be, barely in her twenties, with short dark hair, brown eyes, and a pouting mouth. She didn’t have a lot up top but what she did have was popping out of a tiny yellow bikini top. I was guessing her short shorts covered a matching bottom.

  Ah, I get it now! He just wanted an out and I was convenient. I put away the bitch, but strangely, couldn’t decide between relief or disappointment.

  Stud spoke to the visibly upset girl. “Bambi, I’m with someone else tonight. I told you how it was earlier this week.”

  “But I thought we were gonna hook up?” She stuck out her lower lip. It was probably supposed to make her look cute and appealing, but instead it made her look like a belligerent child gearing up for a big tantrum.

  Actress Eva to the rescue.

  “Sorry, Bambi,” I found myself saying in a squeaky voice. I wrapped my arms around Stud’s neck and snuggled close. Snuggled!

  I had to admit it was nice. Especially when he put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer.

  “He’s my hookup tonight.” I put as much saccharine sweetness into a breathy voice as I could. Totally not me. Gag!

  “You can have him again next week. Tuesday is open.” I widened my eyes and squealed. “Oooooooh! I know! I just had the best idea! We can take turns! You know? Like on a rotation schedule! Ooooh! I’m sure the others will like it too!”

  His hand tightened at my waist, probably warning me I was going too far. Deal with it, buddy. You asked for this.

  “Others?” she asked, her light bulb dimly lit. “You mean he’s got more than one hookup?”

  It took everything I had not to burst out laughing. Instead I nodded sagely.

  “Uh-huh! There’s lots and lots. Like a whole harem!” I giggled and curled a lock of Stud’s hair around my finger while his eyes showed both irritation and amusement. “We all share Mr. Studly Muffin.”

  He squeezed my waist hard enough to make me jump. Apparently “Mr. Studly Muffin” was too much. I ignored him.

  I turned back to the girl. “But it would be sooooooo much better if we all like, you know, had a schedule or something? Like a calendar to, you know, like sign up for a time slot or something? We should, like, totally put one up and everyone can like, you know, sign their name for a regular night.”

  The girl was still not getting it. “You mean, like, I gotta wait my turn?”

  I smiled a big vacant smile. “Yeah! Like that! So awesome, doncha think?”

  “Eva,” Stud warned, clearly not amused anymore. His hand at my waist squeezed again, and I ignored it again.

  “I dunno.” The girl l
ooked like her brain needed some serious oiling. The gears were grinding slowly and a breakdown was imminent.

  “Well, it’s my turn tonight!” I turned back to Stud and pouted, sticking out my lower lip in a perfect impression of Bike Bunny Bambi. “You need to get to your meeting, sweetie pook. I’ll see you at the pool later.” I pecked him quickly on the lips, keeping in character, and walked off toward the sounds of splashing and screaming children. “Bye, Studly Muffin!” I called. I think he growled.

  The look he gave me as I made my grand exit promised retribution. Okay, maybe I did take it a bit too far, but damn, that was fun!

  Seven

  The in-ground pool itself wasn’t much more than a hotel size unit, but the surrounding deck was beautiful. The lip of the pool was tiled in blues, grays, and greens, and the wooden deck around it was stained in a deep redwood. There were tables off to the side covered with food, and a small picnic shelter a little further out. I could see another biker manning a huge grill. He wore a leather vest I’d seen on all the club members. They called it a cut. This one didn’t have all the patches on it—called rockers. He must still be a prospect and hadn’t quite earned a membership yet.

  I made my way over to Betsey and her friends.

  “Hey, girlfriend!” Betsey greeted me from her lounge chair and gestured to the two ladies on her right. “This is Molly, and that’s Tambre. I think you met them at the temp bar in town a few weeks ago but didn’t really get introduced.”

  She turned her head to her companions. “This here’s Eva. She’s one of the construction people working on the new bar.”

  Molly perked up. “Hey, Eva! Stud told me about you! Nice to finally meet you, girl!”

  What? Wait! Stud talked to her about me? Probably my sewing. What did he say? Grrr! I was so going to tape a Studly Muffin sign-up sheet somewhere in the clubhouse.

  “Hey, Eva. You want a drink?” Tambre said in a soft, friendly alto as she got up from her lounger. “Only sweet tea right now, I’m afraid. Too many kids are in the pool. Betsey will mix up margaritas later.”

  “Grab a lounge and sit yourself down. I can’t believe you were workin’ this mornin’! I heard that crane all the way up here,” Betsey commented, smearing some sunscreen on her skin.

  “Fergus rented the crane and messed up on the dates. The company’s coming for it tomorrow, so we had to get the roof frames lifted and in place today. Good news is we’re ahead of schedule. Bad news is there’s a big rain forecasted for Tuesday and Wednesday next week that may put us behind.” I set my small backpack down and began stripping off my clothes. I had my swimsuit on underneath, but I still felt funny dropping my shorts in front of people.

  “Damn, girl!” Molly exclaimed. “That’s some serious Amazon shit you got going on! No wonder you kicked Nikki’s ass so easily.”

  Huh? I looked at her in surprise.

  “Yeah, darlin’, we heard about the bar fight with Nikki,” Betsey added casually while stretching out with a big pair of sunglasses perched on her nose. “That girl needed her ass kicked. She’s been chasin’ Stud forever, tryin’ to be his old lady. She ain’t gotta clue yet, he’s not old man material. Not with his experience.”

  Tambre came back and handed me a tall sweating glass of amber liquid. I took a long drink. Oh yeah! Nothing like ice-cold Southern sweet tea! Champagne of the south!

  “He’s got some other chickie chasing him now,” Tambre mentioned as she pulled up a lounger for me to use.

  I nearly choked. “Sorry,” I gasped and thumped my chest. “Wrong pipe.”

  “Yeah, I heard. Some girl that waitresses over at that new Mexican place. Great food. Calls herself Bambi.” Betsey kept her eyes on the kids splashing around in the pool. “She’s here today but probably gone tomorrow. You know how Stud is.”

  I nearly sighed in relief.

  “They had a hookup a while back, and she’s been angling for another one ever since.”

  I nearly gagged.

  “He’s rode her around a few times on his bike, being the gentleman he is, but she ain’t figured it out yet. He ain’t interested and ain’t gonna be interested.”

  I coughed.

  Molly sighed and shook her head. “Pity. He’s such a good man and we all know there ain’t too many of them out there.” She turned to me. “It’s really his people back in Raleigh, you know.”

  “Amen, sister!” Betsey declared.

  I was feeling very out of my element. Girl talk was something I rarely experienced.

  “Um... he’s from Raleigh?” I stuttered.

  Betsey took a big sip of her drink and gestured before continuing. “Mmmm—yes, darlin’. He’s one of a kind. He comes from what they call ‘old money,’ and he’s got a lot of it. Family is loaded. Big name and good ol’ boy law firm his people have had for generations. Stud was on his way up that ladder with his fancy law degree and a big ol’ trust fund. Lord a’mercy, he had it all! Then something happened and he turned his back on it. Left it all behind him. He came out this way ’bout eight years ago and stopped at the bar for a drink. Talked with my husband, Brick, just about all night and got hisself invited to the Lair. This was before we had all the stuff we have now. I don’t even think all the cabins at the campground were up yet. Remember, Tambre?”

  The older woman nodded sagely and muttered, “Sure do.”

  Betsey paused for another sip of tea. I took another one as well, dying to hear more.

  “Anyway, Stud decided to stick around that summer. Helped us set up the accounting books, get the numbers straight, and things of that nature. He’s real good with that stuff. Brick prospected him and patched him in pretty quick. Been with us ever since. I tell you, there ain’t no one more loyal to the club than him, but what happened to make him turn his back on his people in Raleigh messed him up. As good as he treats his women, he ain’t never gonna be real with just one. It’s a damn shame. He’s such a good man.”

  “What happened?” I tried not to sound interested, even though I was bursting with curiosity.

  “I’m thinkin’ it’s somethin’ to do with a woman,” Molly chimed in. “He ain’t never been real specific about it but why else would he never take up with no one in particular here?”

  “Yes, it had somethin’ to do with a woman, but I ain’t gonna tell Stud’s history to all and sundry. Sorry, Eva. I know you’re a good woman, but Stud’s kinda private about his past and wants to keep it that way. I need to be respectful of that. If he knows he’s got your trust, he’ll share on his own.”

  So much to process in one short conversation. My head was spinning through thoughts like a hamster on a wheel. I should have been feeling disgusted at the casual way Stud used women, but he did treat them with respect when he was with them. I knew some of them harbored feelings for the man, but I couldn’t blame him entirely for that. The women he was with knew what they were getting into and did have the choice of saying no. While I thought Stud was an attractive man and would be thrilled to get his attention, I was not interested in joining the group of broken hearts he left in his wake, even if he was a gentleman about it. It made me wonder about what happened to make him that way.

  A young boy with navy blue swim trunks and bright green plastic arm floaties ran up to our little group. He plonked his thin body next to Betsey and shivered.

  “Water still a bit cold, punkin-head?” she asked, wrapping him in a towel.

  He nodded, and she laughed, hugging him to her and rubbing his arms and chest briskly outside the towel.

  “Let’s get you warmed up! Prospect Sleeper is at the grill over yonder. Should have some burgers and dogs ready by now. You ready to get something to eat?”

  The boy nodded vigorously, and Betsey laughed again, ruffling his wet hair into an even bigger mess that it already was.

  “Eva, this here’s my grandson, Cody. Cody? This is Eva. She’s workin’ on buildin’ back the River’s Edge Bar.”

  The boy suddenly burst out of the cotton cocoon h
is grandmother had rolled around him and ran to a tall, sandy-haired man wearing a deputy uniform who had entered the pool gate.

  “Daddy!” he yelled and jumped at the man. Cody was caught easily and then settled on a lean hip, as if this maneuver had been done many times before. A little girl of maybe six or seven came running up, dripping wet, and plastered herself to his legs.

  “Gotcha, buddy. Hey, sugar-drop.” He placed a hand over the girl’s head as she burrowed her face into his hip. He was oblivious to the water soaking into his uniform, just simply continued to hold his children close. I wasn’t much into kids, but I still felt my heart twinge a bit at the love he openly showed.

  A chorus of “Hey, Blue” went around the pool area.

  This man was clearly the offspring of the club’s matriarch and patriarch. He had inherited Betsey’s height and Brick’s solidity. I was betting Betsey’s natural hair color was sandy blonde as the short buzzed hair on the top of Blue’s head. His features were a blend of Betsey’s beauty and Brick’s roughness. Even in a plain khaki deputy’s uniform, he looked hot.

  “Hey, people,” he replied in general.

  “This is Eva. She’s helping build the new River’s Edge,” Molly chimed in.

  “Hey, Eva, nice to meet you,” he distractedly greeted me. He reached out his free hand and shook mine briefly before turning his hazel eyes to Betsey.

  “Mama, you gotta minute?”

  Mama. He had to be a pretty secure man in order to call his mother “mama” at his age.

  “No problem, baby.” Betsey got up from her lounge and slipped on a pair of mules. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! Did the woman ever wear anything below a four-inch heel? She threw a short red cover-up around her shoulders and followed Blue into the clubhouse, the mules slapping her feet.

  “Jonelle is at it again,” Molly informed Tambre and me. Since I didn’t know who Jonelle was, I listened while Tambre sighed and shook her head.