“Yeah, a daughter. When Will and Jillian divorced, Jillian moved back east and took River with her. I guess she was about five or so then. The girl looks just like her mo—”
“Sonofabitch!” I cut Roscoe off and stood so fast I knocked my chair over. I didn’t even bend to pick it up as I headed for the door. The others’ voices could be heard, but I couldn’t focus on what was said. I had to get to River.
When I hit the parking lot, I searched for her car, spotting it just as it started. I took off at a run, and as the car started to move backward, I had the passenger door open. River startled and slammed the brakes on, the abrupt stop had me grabbing ahold of the frame along with the door to keep me from being knocked to the pavement.
“Have you lost your damn mind!?”
I plopped down into the seat, which was a chore because the car wasn’t made for a man my size, and immediately reached to rub my knees after smacking them on the glovebox.
“Damn, they don’t give you much room in here,” I said as I reached for the lever to adjust the seat. Even sliding it all the way back, I wasn’t able to stretch out my legs.
“No one asked you to get in, so why don’t you get out.”
“No.”
“No?”
“At least not until we talk. And then you can come back in and eat your lunch.”
River stared at me, and I noticed for the first time a faint splatter of freckles across her nose along with how the green of her eyes darkened when she was irritated. And she was irritated with me. Which she had every right to be.
“Are you on medication?” The tone she asked in was flat, and it had my lips twitching. “There is nothing funny about this. You are arrogant, mean, and I refuse to let you continue to humiliate me! And if you think I would go back inside with you to eat after what you did to me in there already, then I suggest you tell your doctor you need an adjustment in your meds because they aren’t working.”
“There’s that snotty tone. It gets to me every time and leaves me irritated because I’m not sure which bothers me most—that you get under my skin or that it makes me hard and all I want to do is strip you down, spread you wide, and see if you taste as tart as your voice. Or is between your thighs and your mouth in contrast with each other: one bold and sharp while the other is sweet with just enough salty flavor to keep me wanting to come back for more,” I said in a low voice and watched River’s eyes deepen into the darkest green while her breathing picked up enough I could physically see her pulse beating on the side of her neck.
“What do you want from me, Dom?” River asked, her voice barely above a whisper. At least I knew I affected her as much as she affected me.
“I’m not sure, but let’s start with this.” Lost in her eyes, I moved and did what I had wanted from the first time I saw her.
I cupped her head with my hands, and my fingers weaved through her hair until the thing that held the mass unclipped and released the strands and cascaded down her shoulders. I was right, it was thick and soft to the touch. I pulled her forward as I leaned in and paused to give her the chance to pull away. When she didn’t move, I closed the remaining distance and touched my lips to hers.
The kiss was gentle until I ran my tongue over her lips and received the first small taste of her. Nipping her bottom lip, she opened, then I plunged. Nothing I dreamt, nothing I had ever experienced came close to actually having River. Every crevice brought more of her flavor, and when she moaned as her own tongue explored then melted into me as close as the console between us would allow, I knew nothing would keep me away from her. Whether she was meant to be mine or not, I wanted to explore whatever seemed to be between us to see if she was everything I ever wanted. The only obstacle I might face would be getting her to admit she felt the same way. Especially after how we’d started out.
Breaking the kiss, I leaned my forehead against hers and worked on leveling my own breath. When was the last time a woman had turned me inside out?
“So, the sheriff is your dad, huh?” River released the edges of my cut that she’d latched on to while we were kissing and pushed at my chest. I gave her the space she seemed to need and sat back in the car’s seat.
“Figured that out, did you?”
“Roscoe brought it to my attention. How long were you going to let me think you two were romantically involved?”
“Don’t blame me because you made assumptions.” I grinned, and she glared. “And stop grinning!”
“You’re going to keep me on my toes, aren’t you?” My grin grew when her eyes narrowed.
“I won’t keep you on anything. This...” River waved between us, “shouldn’t have happened, and I plan for it not to happen again.”
“Bullshit. If you ask me, everything between us led up to that kiss, and you enjoyed it just as much as I did.”
River huffed. “Who doesn’t enjoy a nice kiss?”
“Now you’re trying to piss me off. Nice my ass. Five more seconds and I could’ve had you across this console and riding me if I hadn’t broken the kiss.”
“Please, in your dreams.”
“Oh, you have been, but I think I’m going to enjoying reality a whole lot more. And so will you.” I unfolded myself out of the car and leaned down so I could see River’s face. “You need to go home and think about what you want. You’ve pushed buttons I didn’t know I had. Now I’m over it. We are going to explore what the hell this is between us.”
“I don’t have to think. There is nothing between us. Besides, I don’t want any of this. A relationship wasn’t in my plans!”
“Yeah, well tough shit. Plans change. Drive safe.” I slammed the car door shut before she could say anything else. Before I could walk around the car, the window rolled down.
“You really are an asshole, Dom.”
I paused. She really was working toward pissing me off. But instead of letting it show, I turned my head in her direction and grinned. “Yeah, but, sweetheart, I’m going to be your asshole,” I said and bent enough to wink at her before I walked around the car toward the bar.
“Seriously, get your meds adjusted!” River yelled out of the driver’s side window.
“Sure thing,” I said over my shoulder, then stopped and looked back at her. “And, sweetheart, would you let me get inside before you pull out—I’d like to see where this is going between us and I’m not sure how many more times I can avoid your attempts to run over me.” I continued to the door as Coast stepped out in time to hear River yell jerk out the window before she peeled out of the lot.
With the look on Coast’s face, I threw my head back and laughed.
“You okay? I came to check if everything was alright out here.”
“Couldn’t be better, brother. Let’s go inside, I’m suddenly hungry.” I slapped Coast on the back and pulled the door open, feeling more like myself than I had in a long time.
Chapter Six
River
“Ugh, that man! Go home and think about it. Whatever. Like one hot as hell kiss was a reason to dive into a relationship,” I said as I finally was able to move my car up to the fast food restaurant’s speaker and place my order. I’d only been in line for twenty minutes, which was another thing to blame on the jerk.
Leaving the drive-thru lane, I reached in the bag and snatched a fry, shoving it in my mouth before I pulled out onto main street. As I drove down the road, I shoveled more fries in my mouth to curb my growling stomach, but the food did nothing for my temper. I wasn’t sure there was anything that could.
I scrunched the top of the bag together and push down a little more on the gas pedal. I planned to stop at the bakery, pick up dessert for dinner with my dad, then go home and eat. Putting Dom and his kiss behind me.
Reaching the block where the bakery was located, I missed the open spot to park in the front. So I circled the block with the hope it would remain available. When I saw it was still empty, I pulled my car up beside the car in front of the free spot and placed my car in reverse. I
hated parallel parking, but I could admit that a small car was an advantage. It made it easier to pull into the small spaces.
I turned the wheel and hit the gas to back into the spot. No sooner than I had the car halfway into the spot, I heard the thump as something hit my car and I slammed on the brakes.
I looked over my shoulder when I heard several voices yell, “What the fucking hell,” as a few men dove for the sidewalk. I finished parking my car, took a deep breath, and opened my door and eased out.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I walked around the car to the sidewalk and looked the men over to see if I had hit either of them. That’s when I noticed the vest they wore. I didn’t have to see the patch on the back to know that were Black Hawk MC members. That was the kind of luck I had. Could this day get any worse?
“Holy hell, thank God my reflexes are good, or I’d be answering your question with a big ole negative.” The one who spoke had dark brown hair and matching eyes that were currently narrowed at me.
“If I didn’t hit you, then what was the thud I heard?” I glanced to my car and didn’t notice any damage or anything laying on the ground that I could have hit.
“Probably my hand when I smacked the side of the car before I jumped back. Damn, where’d you learn to drive?” Was asked by the man who spoke before.
“Sorry, I was watching to make sure I didn’t hit the other car as I was backing in and I didn’t see you.”
“That’s why cars have mirrors,” said another of the men.
“Cut her some slack, Cruz. If it was our time to be taken out, at least it would have been by a beautiful woman.”
“If it had been your ass she damn near took out, you wouldn’t be flirting with the girl, Romeo.”
“Like that is even possible for him, Flyboy. Even if she’s young enough to be his daughter.”
“Yeah, Stroker, as if that makes a difference.”
The men chuckled while I stood there and stared.
“Quit harassing River you old fools.” I turned my head at the feminine voice, and Claire stood in the doorway of her shop. I hadn’t even noticed she had opened the door with my attention focused on the older men and their banter. It surprised me a little that she remembered my name, not as if I was in her shop every single day.
“Now, darlin’, we’re not bothering the pretty woman, she almost ran over Flyboy,” one man said and walked toward Claire.
Finally, as I stood there while the man and Claire spoke, my brain kicked back in gear.
“Why would you just step off the sidewalk? You should’ve made sure no car was moving into the spot,” I pointed at my car, “before you stepped into the street. Bad enough you’re crossing in the middle of the block, which I presume was to get to the bikes parked across the street,” I said and looked between the men.
“Excuse me, sweetheart, but why didn’t you use your mirrors. They’re there for a purpose other than to see to put on make-up,” the one they called Flyboy, who I almost hit, snapped back.
“Why didn’t you go to the corner to cross? You know since that is where the crosswalk is...sweetheart,” I said snottily because I had had my fill of bikers for the day. Before Flyboy could respond, one of the other men who hadn’t spoken stepped between us.
I took a few steps back and looked up at the man now in front. The smile on his face caught me off guard.
“Do you find this funny?” I lifted a brow and asked the man, which only caused his smile to widen.
“No, ma’am. You’re Will’s daughter, aren’t you?” he asked while I stared at him.
“Excuse me?” I asked, confused about the sudden change in the conversation. If you could call what was taking place a conversation to begin with.
“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I missed it before. You look just like Jillian,” Claire said, and I look toward her.
“You know my mother?”
“Yes, we went to school together. I remember when she married your dad. Even as a child you were as beautiful as you are now.” Claire smiled.
“Thank you,” I replied. I wanted to know more about my time here as a child but couldn’t bring myself to ask. I was five when my mother and dad divorced and didn’t remember much about the time I lived in Shades Valley or my parents together in general.
“Knew Will’s daughter had moved back. Even seen you around town, just never put the two together until now,” the man who stood in front of me said, then stepped to the side.
The other men nodded in agreement with the man who they called Preacher. After they introduced themselves, they even went on to tell me how they knew my mother and dad. As the conversation went on, the near accident confrontation was forgotten. At least I’d thought.
“Well, seems you have it out for the Amara men, River,” Romeo said. He stood by Claire and from the way he touched her gave the impression they were familiar with each other.
“Huh?” I frowned at Romeo, and he chuckled. “What are you talking about?” I asked, then felt the blush when what he said registered and my eyes flew to Flyboy. When he introduced himself before, I hadn’t really paid that close of attention to their last names. He’d said to call him Flyboy, but his name was Tony Amara. And I thought the day couldn’t have gotten any worse. Yeah, it seemed it could.
“Hmm...explains a lot of my son’s moods lately,” Flyboy said and grinned. “And getting a good look at you, I can see why.”
“Really? After meeting you, I can see where he gets his... personality,” I said, then looked at the other men when they chuckled.
“Oh yeah, I definitely understand. Going to enjoy watching this play out.” Flyboy chuckled as the others agreed with him.
“Leave the poor girl alone,” Claire said, then looked at me. “Were you coming to the bakery, River?” I looked at Claire, thankful for the abrupt change.
“Yes, I am. I can’t seem to stay away from your shop. I’m going to have to join a few more of Willa’s classes,” I said and started to walk toward the entrance to the bakery.
“Sweetheart, the way you and Willa look, that yoga crap works.”
I glanced over my shoulder to see which man had spoken, then at Preacher once I noticed the other men looking at him with various expressions on their faces.
“Well, well, that is interesting,” Claire mumbled so low I was the only one who heard.
“If we are going to get in a few hours of riding, let’s go. And when we stop, Preacher can explain the last part of his statement,” Stroker said, then turned to Claire and me. “Nice meeting you, River. Claire, see you later.”
“That’s my cue, darlin’,” Romeo said, then bent and kissed Claire on the forehead before he followed the others as they moved off the sidewalk and stood behind my car.
“Hey, you were almost run over, don’t you think you should use the crosswalk?” Claire yelled as the men stepped out on main street.
My mouth dropped open when Flyboy yelled over his shoulder, “Nah, we’re good. River’s with you and not behind the wheel!”
Claire chuckled. “Come on, honey, let’s get you taken care of.” I turned and followed Claire into her bakery.
Twenty minutes later, I was walking in my house with my now cold burger and fries and the freshly baked apple pie that was my dad’s favorite. I placed everything on the counter, then heated the hamburger in the microwave while I tossed the remaining fries in the trash. As I sat on the stool to eat, I looked at the clock on the wall. I had enough time when I finished to pick up the house and the mess I left in my bedroom before I needed to start on dinner. Or more importantly, enough stuff to do to keep my mind from wandering to Dom and the kiss that made me want more.
I just finished hanging the clothes I’d thrown on my bed when the doorbell rang. I walked down the stairs and looked through the peephole on the front door to see Sami standing on the other side.
“Hi, River. Hope I’m not bothering you,” Sami said and smiled when I opened the door.
I smiled back. “No,
not at all. Would you like to come in?” I asked and started to step back.
“I can’t. I need to pick Ally and Neely up at Sue’s, but I wanted to come over and apologize for lunch.”
“Not a problem, Sami. You couldn’t have known Dom would be a jerk. I should’ve just ignored him and been the adult, instead of acting as childish as he was acting.” Sami’s snort was unexpected.
“Please, you acted better than most women would have. And I’m not saying this to make you upset, but I know you and Jag have had a few run-ins.” Sami put her hand up, stopping my reply. “Not the details. I just know that he hasn’t been himself since the day he met you in town for me. River, the encounters you’ve had with him, I don’t know anything to say other than his behavior is so out of character for him. Dom is one of the most laid-back men I know. Well, until he’s around you.”
“Sami, where are you going with this? Are you asking me to stay away from him? Warning me off? I’m not following, which doesn’t matter really. The man is...”
“Irritating? A pain in the ass? Arrogant? Bossy? A smartass? A jerk?”
I couldn’t help it, I laughed, and Sami did, too.
“Ah, so you know him well?” I asked jokingly.
“I’m sorry, River. I’m handling this all wrong. What I should have said was we—me, Bailey, Luna, and Carly really like you and hope you won’t hold today against us. I came over to ask if you’d like to join us, the day after tomorrow, on a shopping excursion?”
I thought of the women I had met, and regardless of whatever was going on, or not going on between Dom and me, I liked them. They were nice and seemed fun to be around.
“A girls’ only shopping trip?”
“Yes,” Sami said and smiled. “And please don’t hold what I said before against me?”
“Hey, Dom is all those things.”
“True, but I wasn’t referring to that. Lately, Dom has just been... I’m not sure if troubled is the right word or not.”
“Assholish?” I suggested.
“That will work.” Sami chuckled. “I wasn’t trying to warn you off or take up for him. I just wanted you to know that isn’t his normal behavior.”
Jag (Black Hawk MC Book 5) Page 6
