“Hey, girl. I’m getting some Italian with a big fat glass of wine tonight. You wanna join me?”
Like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar, I froze. “Uhhh….” Ordinarily, I’d have been all over that. That night, however…. Well, I’d gotten a text. From him.
“Maybe tomorrow? I’m, uh, really worn out.”
“Girl, I feel ya. I don’t know what’s up with these kids lately. This time of year is always bad, but this year seems even worse! Okay, well, takeout it is for me, then. See you later, hon!” And she was gone.
Pulse racing, I unlocked my phone again. Knowing I shouldn’t feel all excited by a text message didn’t change how I was shaking. Because deep down, I knew exactly who it was… though I wasn’t sure how.
Until I opened my messages.
That sneaky little shit. There was a message timed right around the time I was in the coffee shop, sent from my phone to the unknown number. It simply read “gotcha.”
Contemplating my next move, I chewed on my bottom lip and tapped a finger on the side of my phone.
Did I dare?
“Like A Rose”—New Medicine
All day I’d considered texting her. In fact, I’d pulled my phone out no less than five times to do just that, to the point where Truth and Lock were giving me shit.
“What the hell is so important on your damn phone? You’ve checked it fifty times today.” Truth stopped working to stare at me.
Exaggeration.
“Nothing.”
He raised his brows and laughed at me as we worked on my bike. “Well, ‘nothing’ sure must be important for you to be looking at your phone like some teenage girl. I thought you were supposed to be helping me with these cams.” We’d already installed the header pipes, stage one intake, and programmer. The bad thing about owning a Harley was there’s always something you can do to make it faster… better.
“Snarkiness doesn’t become you, Felicia.”
He made like he was going to throw a wrench at me, then smirked and went back to work.
“Your bike is gonna be sick as fuck when it’s done.” Slice was sitting on a stool by the workbench, eating a Snickers and watching us work.
“It still won’t keep up to mine, but you’ll be able to drop two gears and it’ll be way cool.” Truth chuckled.
“That’s because not all of us need to be able to go warp speed,” I joked. Slice laughed and opened a second fucking candy bar.
“How the fuck can you eat all the shit you eat and not be five hundred pounds, bro?”
He simply shrugged and shoved the rest of the candy bar in his mouth. Shaking my head, I helped clean up and then headed for the door. “I gotta make a quick call.” Signal was shit in the metal building for calls, so that was my excuse to go outside so the guys wouldn’t see me texting like the teenage girl they’d accused me of being.
Looking at the time, I figured she was probably almost out of school. So I shot off a text. Then another.
I really was acting like a little bitch. It had only been a little over nine months since I’d given Grace the heave-ho. I’d meant it when I said I never wanted to get that wrapped up in a woman again.
Except that was before one of the most amazing nights of my life.
I’d wanted to see her again that weekend, but some shit had gone down in Galveston. We’d dealt with it, then I’d felt bad after ditching all the brothers on the Friday night, so I’d told myself I’d go over later.
Later kept getting later, though, until it seemed too late to bother her. Then it was Sunday and everyone was getting ready to leave, saying their goodbyes, and it seemed the moment had passed. What was the point of getting tied up in a long-distance thing?
I’d left, but a part of me stayed on that beach with her.
Sappy as fuck, right?
But how else did you explain shit like that?
If I’d told the guys about it, they would’ve said it was simply great pussy. I’d have called bullshit though.
There’s a difference between great pussy and pussy that feels like you own it. Like it’s so goddamn right you feel it in your soul. Seriously, the whole time we were fucking like rabbits, a voice in my head screamed mine!
But, well… distance. So I’d chalked it all up to not being meant to be and figured I’d stick with my original plan of being footloose and fancy-fucking-free. Fuck it.
Except I hadn’t been able to forget. I hadn’t stuck my dick in anything since her because I simply hadn’t wanted to. I figured I’d eventually get over it.
Then I’d run into her this morning as I’d stopped for a coffee.
Anyway, talk about the floor dropping out from under me.
I was pretty proud of how I handled it, because I was so far out of my element I was in another universe. I’d done my very best to seem chill and—well, normal.
I’d noticed things about her I hadn’t noticed in the dark that night. Like the cute as fuck sprinkle of freckles across her nose and cheeks. And how her hair was more of a shiny golden and strawberry blonde than just blonde.
And those fucking eyes. Jesus. They were light green with a dark bluish-green ring around them. Like some kind of goddamn fairy eyes or something.
Eyes you could get lost in.
And Christ, did I want her something fierce.
Every detail of that night was still seared in my brain. As I lay in bed at night, I replayed every little sound she made. And how she tasted, how she felt—how she fucking smelled, for Christ sake. I’d stroked my dick to her memory more times than I could count since that weekend in early November.
My phone vibrated in my hand, startling me from my reverie.
Gwen: God I must be a damn moron. But okay. Only if I meet you there.
My lips curled into a smile.
Me: Why? You afraid I’m going to kidnap you? Sell you to the highest bidder? Keep you locked in my closet? Wear your skin?
Gwen: Now that’s just creepy. I might need to reconsider… at the very least stop on my way to take a concealed carry class and buy a gun.
Laughter shot unexpectedly out of me. I couldn’t remember feeling this happy, even when I’d thought things were good with me and Grace.
Me: Mmm I like a girl who comes strapped.
My mind was picturing a different kind of strapped though. Like the kind involving my bed.
The visual of her tied to my bed had me adjusting my junk.
“Christ, bro, what the fuck? You need help with that? And what the hell are you lookin’ at on that phone that had your dick getting excited?” Slice chuckled from behind me.
“Where the fuck did you come from, you little spook?” His road name really should have been Merlin, Spook, or Ghost or some shit, because he was like a goddamn magician.
Grinning, he refused to answer me and just stood there. When my phone vibrated, he pushed his tongue in his cheek and crossed his arms. “Ahh, it’s someone you’re talking to… I’ll be damned.”
“Shut the fuck up.” All I could do was shake my head at him, because I couldn’t lie to him. Glancing at my phone, I couldn’t help but smile.
Gwen: Oh Lord. Moving on. Where are we meeting?
Me: Chuy’s in Cedar Park? What time are you done?
Gwen: I can be there by 5:30
Me: Roger that. See you there.
Poking my head in the door, I shouted to Truth, “Hey man, you care if I leave my truck here until tomorrow after work?”
“No problem, man. Just give me a ring when you’re close so I know it’s you taking off in it.”
“Cool. Thanks!” There was no way I wasn’t riding my bike to see how she ran now that we’d finished all her upgrades.
Cold be damned.
After pulling on a pair of chaps, a neck gaiter, and my warmer gloves, I gave the brothers hugs, put my helmet on, and straddled the beast of a bike. The grips in my hands made everything feel right in the universe.
“Hey, wait up. I’m heading out too.
Raiven is taking Bryson for a checkup, and I want to be there since I missed the last one.” Lock was gearing up for the chill in the air too. For him, this weather was nothing, but he was originally from Iowa. Crazy fuckers rode all winter long up there.
“Sure, bro.”
Revving the throttle, I gave a satisfied nod to Truth and Slice. Lock and I pulled out of the lot together. I rode with him to his place since it wasn’t far, then decided to swing by to see Check since I had time to kill. Except I’d take the scenic route to see what my scoot could do now.
By the time I pulled up to Check’s house, I was feeling the weather. Not that I was complaining. A cold day on a bike was better than no days on a bike. Fuck, I didn’t know how the brothers handled it up there in Iowa. Lock had said as long as there wasn’t packed snow on the ground, most of them rode all winter. He did admit there were times they couldn’t ride for weeks because of the snow and that it had sucked.
Not being able to ride for weeks at a time? Man, fuck that.
I parked in Check’s driveway and walked my tingling legs up to the door. Knocking once, I opened it and stepped into the warmth of his entryway. I could hear him talking at the back of the house where he kept his office, so I headed that way.
With a grin, he waved at me as he kept talking into his headset. While he was conducting business, I dropped down into the spare chair by his desk. As usual, the nerdy fucker had at least four computer screens going.
The network security business was a hot commodity, and he dealt with some high-profile companies. He was damn good at his job and in demand.
I called him nerdy, but truthfully, by looking at him you’d never know he was a computer geek. He was a pretty boy, but his neck, chest, arms, hands, and God knew where else were all inked up.
Ending his call, he set the headset on the desk. “What’s up, bro?” We both stood, hugged, and sat again. “I heard you pull up. I take it you and Truth finished with all the modifications?”
“Oh, hell yeah. Oh my God, she’s a bad bitch now.”
“Bad enough to smoke Truth?” He chuckled.
“Shit, I’d have to have fucking nitro or some shit to beat whatever the fuck he has going on with that sick beast of his.” We both laughed.
“True.”
“You said you work tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I switched shifts with Hunter because he had some family shit going on.”
“You’re still gonna be at Sunday dinner, right?”
“Hell, yeah, I’m only covering Saturday for him.” I wasn’t missing Sunday dinner with the club. It was bad enough I missed every other weekend because I worked. I was going to be there, and hopefully not alone.
We sat and shot the shit for a while before I checked my phone for the time. Realizing I needed to get a move on, I stood.
“You got a hot date?” He asked.
I knew he was only joking, but like earlier, I couldn’t keep it in. Like a kid I answered with a goofy grin, “Actually, yeah. Yeah, I do.”
His eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. Seriously. If things go the way I hope, I’ll be bringing her with me on Sunday.”
“No shit?”
My lips quirked. “We’ll see.”
“I fucking told you!” Gloating, he lightly punched my arm and chortled.
“Christ, you’re worse than one of the ol’ ladies.”
“Phbbt! What, all two of them if you still count Clay’s ol’ lady?” He was right, we didn’t have a lot of ol’ ladies in the chapter. Maybe that would change soon. It sure as shit wasn’t what I’d planned on, but fuck if I was going to pass up what being close to Gwen did to me.
Yep. Certifiable.
“Big Bad Wolf”—In This Moment
I’d gotten to the restaurant early because I couldn’t concentrate on the papers I was trying to grade. I’d finally shoved them in my tote, deciding I would work on them at home after dinner.
Which led to me arriving early and eating my body weight in chips and salsa.
I couldn’t help it. Chips and salsa were my greatest weakness. And it would appear my other weakness was now a tall, blond, sexy, smartass, sex god biker.
Evidence of which was embarrassingly present between my legs as I watched him prowl his way over to the table I’d gotten us. Chest fluttering, I gave a small shiver as my stomach began doing donuts.
Holy Hannah, he was gorgeous. As other women in the restaurant stopped and stared, some with food halfway to their mouths, I wanted to shout at them. The green-eyed monster in me was growling and snarling.
I wanted to stand up on my seat and yell, “He’s mine!” Even though I told myself that was foolish. For crying out loud, we’d just met, really. We’d been a one-night stand.
God.
Sliding onto the bench across from me, he nearly mesmerized me with his beautiful white smile. In fact, it took him tapping the hand that held a chip in the salsa bowl for me to realize he’d said something. “Huh? Sorry.”
A soft chuckle as he looked up at the waiter who came to get his drink order had my face burning. After the server walked off, he met my gaze again. “I asked you how work was.”
“Oh. Uh, you know, it was middle school kids in math class.” I smirked and shrugged a shoulder.
He gave a shudder. “I don’t know how you do it. I could never do that.”
“What?”
“Work with middle school kids. They’re assholes.” He shoved a chip laden with salsa in his mouth.
I laughed. “Well, they certainly can be.”
He took a drink as he studied me. When he set it down, the corner of his lips quirked. “So what are the odds that we both live in the same area?”
“I guess pretty good.” I laughed nervously.
We placed our order and made small talk until we were both done eating. He insisted on paying, even though I tried to at least get mine.
“No way. I asked you out to dinner. It’s my treat.”
“Well, thank you.” I was so damn full from the food and the two tons of chips and salsa I’d consumed before he arrived, I was sure I’d be rolling out. I really wanted to unbutton my skinny jeans under my long sweater.
Struggling to get my gluttonous ass up, I was thankful when he held out his hand to help me. When he let go, he placed his hand on my lower back to escort me to the door.
And let me tell you, the heat that burned from his hand through my sweater was molten. That simple nonsexual touch had me on the verge of a spontaneous orgasm. If that was even a thing.
We’d nearly made it to the door when I heard a woman call, “Maddox?” He stiffened next to me. His steps stuttered as he turned to his left.
Glancing around him, I saw a model-like woman step toward him. At the same time that I realized he’d never told me his real name was Maddox, I also felt short and frumpy.
I’d never been more aware of my freckles, my full hips, and the slightest bulge of my belly thanks to my love of chips and salsa.
“You’re looking good.” She stepped closer to him.
Though I’d earlier wanted to scratch women’s eyes out, this woman made me feel insecure and out of my league.
Clearing my throat, I tried to put some distance between myself and Styx… Maddox. “Well, thank you for dinner. I’ll head out and let you two visit. I’ll be seeing you around.”
Except when I tried to leave, his fingers clenched around my hip and he tugged me back until I was plastered next to him. “No, baby. You’re not going anywhere. I have nothing to say to her.”
Turning his back to her, he ushered me through the door.
“Wait! Maddox! Don’t do this. Please… talk to me.” I couldn’t help studying her silky brown hair and the exotic tip to her kohl-lined eyes.
The change in his demeanor was instantaneous. “Don’t you do this. We have absolutely nothing to discuss. You stay the fuck away from us.” His words were venomous, and she appeared instantly doe-eyed as her bottom lip trembled
.
However, once his back was turned and he was again leading me away from the restaurant, I took one last look at what I felt was the standard I could never live up to and was shocked at the sheer hatred in her eyes as she glared at me.
We’d turned the corner of the building when he stopped and ran both hands through his hair. Frustration laced his words as a cold wind sent shivers through me. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have had to see that.”
“Look, I understand if you don’t want to see me again. You and she obviously have history, and I am fully aware I can’t compete with someone like her. I—” My words were abruptly silenced as he pressed his lips to mine.
Fingers threaded through my windblown hair, he cupped my head, angling his face to deepen the kiss. I couldn’t help the groan that snuck out as his tongue slid between my lips.
The only accurate description for that kiss was wild and needy. Breaking away reluctantly, he bowed his head to rest his forehead on the top of my head. Where I’d been freezing before, I was suddenly on fire.
“You’re right, you can’t compete with her.”
My heart sank.
“You can’t compete with her because you are so far out of her league that she is completely eclipsed by you.”
Heart and breath pausing, I leaned back to look him in the eyes. “Wha-what?”
“You heard me.” Briefly closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply before exhaling hard. “I know this sounds crazy as fuck, but the moment you sprawled facedown in the sand next to me, I felt something. I didn’t know what it was then, but when I couldn’t get you out of my head and then I saw you again this morning? I don’t even know how to describe that except—I fucking need you.”
Panting, I mustered every bit of bravery I had, looked him dead in the eye, and said, “Follow me.”
After all, I’d learned the hard way, life was too damn short.
Opening the door to my small apartment, we were like something out of a romance novel. Groping hands, frantic kisses, clothes flying… we were like two people starving.
Once I was naked and his jeans were undone, I grasped his erection. He felt amazing. Thick, with velvety skin stretched over steel, he was warm and pulsing in the palm of my hand.
Styx and Stones: A Demented Sons MC Texas Novel Page 4
