by Levine, Nina
Her expression says it all: I’m screwed. “Birdie, he’s calm right now, but when he takes that shower he’s gonna start thinking, and I’m fairly certain you’re looking at a level eight at the least.”
That’s what I’m worried about, too.
Winter Morrison is a slow burn most of the time. I think I’m in for some hell later.
2
Winter
As I pull my shirt over my head to strip for the shower, King texts.
King: Need you at the clubhouse tonight. 10pm.
Fuck.
It’s been a long day on my bike travelling home from Melbourne and I just want to sort this tile shit out and then get my hands on my woman. I sure as hell don’t want to do what I know King’s gonna want me to do. He warned me he might need me over the weekend, but I at least thought I’d have tonight at home.
I shoot him a confirmation text back and then finish removing my clothes. I’m naked and about to step in the shower when Birdie comes into the en suite.
“Winter, can we talk about this now rather than later? Like, just tell me how pissed you are and let’s get this over with. I’m dying over—”
I cover her mouth with mine, cutting off her words and stealing her breath. My hands go to her waist and I pull her hard against me while my tongue tangles with hers. “Fuck,” I growl when I end the kiss. “I’ve missed you.”
She’s missed me, too, and one kiss isn’t enough for her. I’ve barely pulled my lips from hers when she reaches for my face and directs her lips back to mine.
Working away from home is hard on our relationship. For the past three months, I’ve worked a schedule of two weeks on and then four or so days off at home. Birdie and I don’t come up for air much over those four days. If she’s getting started now, while her mother is in the house, I’m going to need to put an end to it, because once I get going, there won’t be any stopping for hours.
“Baby,” I say, pulling away. “My dick is too fucking hard for you for this.”
She blasts me with a sexy smile and pulls her top over her head, giving me an eyeful of her tits. The last fucking thing I need to be looking at when I’m trying like hell not to bend her over and slam inside.
“Fuck, Birdie,” I growl. “Shut the fucking door and get in here. And don’t complain when it’s fast.”
“Mum’s gone.” She undoes her bra and blesses me with a sight I’ve spent too many hours imagining while jerking off late at night.
I grab her around the waist and guide her to the vanity. Moving behind her, I meet her eyes in the mirror. “Those are the best words you’ve said all day.”
She reaches back, wraps her hand around the nape of my neck, and pulls me close so she can kiss me again. I’m a starved man, and the second her lips lock with mine, I yank her skirt up, her panties down, and thrust inside her.
My hands go to her hips and I express my pleasure in a deep growl. Birdie responds, moaning and digging her nails into my skin. Together, we chase the release we’re both desperate for.
It’s over fast, too fucking fast, but we’re only getting warmed up here. Birdie meets my gaze in the mirror, her face flushed with satisfaction. “I’m looking forward to that all weekend.”
I pull out and flick the shower on, not wanting to break my bad news to her, but doing it anyway. “I may have to take care of some club stuff this weekend.”
Disappointment creases her face, but she doesn’t lose her shit. “Well, I mean, I’m going to be busy with tiles anyway.” Joining me in the shower, she presses her body close to mine. “Once you’re finished with club stuff, you’re mine.” Fuck I love my woman.
I run my hand down her ass to her leg, and pull it up and hook it around me. “Angel, you’re not going anywhere near those tiles.”
She slides her hands up my chest to my neck. “You’re shitty about the kitchen, aren’t you?”
Birdie has no idea how far from shitty I am about the kitchen. On her scale of one to ten, I’m at the level of “I don’t give a fuck” because this week has reminded me of how fucking precious life is and that most of the shit we fight about isn’t important in the grand scheme of things.
“Some shit went down this week in Melbourne and two of our members are in hospital,” I say, my throat filling with emotion. “They almost lost their lives. I’ve got a club full of problems to deal with when I go back on Wednesday. Our kitchen feels like a walk in the park compared to that shit.”
The mood shifts and Birdie turns serious. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You’ve got enough going on here; you don’t need extra shit to worry about.”
Her hands come to my face and her eyes flash with determination. “Winter, I’m your wife. It’s my job to be there when you need me. When you need someone at the end of the day to unload all your burdens.” Her grip on my face tightens as she adds, “I need to be in Melbourne now, not in another three months.”
Our plan has always been for Birdie to ease out of her responsibilities in her business and train her replacement over six months. It’s not fair to Cleo for Birdie to just leave without doing that. It was hard enough for Birdie to decide to move away from the business she only recently started; I won’t let her rush this.
“No, you need to be here for Cleo and the business like you told her you would. Another three months isn’t going to kill us.”
“Cleo will understand. She’s already told me to go. You’ve got so much on your shoulders down there getting the club on its feet while dealing with all the Silver Hell bullshit; I’m worried about you and your stress levels. Not to mention how exhausting it is going back and forth between Melbourne and Sydney.”
Pushing her against the wall, I cup her breast and rasp, “How about a little less talking and a whole lot more of your lips around my dick?”
I didn’t come home to talk to her about the stuff I’m dealing with in Melbourne. When I married her, I knew I was bringing her into a dangerous world, but I believed I could always protect her. That was before Melbourne. Now I’m not sure I ever want to move her down there. However, stalling my wife is a fool’s errand. Birdie is stubborn as fuck, so I know we’re going to get into this. Before we do, though, I intend to fuck the level of exhaustion into her that will give me at least half a chance of winning this fight.
3
Birdie
Winter thinks he can distract me from discussing my move to Melbourne with his body. He thinks wrong, but I’ll take everything he’s got to give because the man is talented with those hands and that cock of his. Not to mention his mouth. Soon enough, though, he’ll be using that mouth to tell me what I want to hear: that he’s good with me moving sooner rather than later. Though, at this point, with everything he’s going through, I’m ready to chance pissing him off by simply making the move without his blessing. My man needs me; he just refuses to admit it.
“Where’s Winter?” Cleo asks when I call her later that afternoon.
“He’s out buying tiles.” He fucked me in the shower, on the bed, and in the kitchen before leaving me to go get the tiles.
“Oh God, is he angry about that?”
“Surprisingly, no. But I think that’s mostly because he’s got too much else on his mind, which is actually why I’m calling. I need you to talk to him about me moving to Melbourne, and tell him you’re okay with me doing that now.”
“He won’t listen to you?”
“No. He doesn’t want to leave you in the lurch.”
“You married a good man, Birdie. I’ll talk to him.”
“I also have the best friend anyone could ask for.” This really is the truth. When I broke the news to Cleo that Winter had to move to Melbourne for work, meaning I also had to move, she was nothing but supportive. The fact our business is still a baby didn’t stop her from giving that support, even though this means she’ll have to handle all the day-to-day stuff on her own.
“Damn right,” she says. “Just remember, though, that when our chain
expands worldwide, I get to run the New York studio.”
Cleo dreams much bigger than I do. I used to dream like her, but now I just want my husband and the family we’re going to build. “Babe, you can run whichever studio you want; I just call dibs on the Melbourne one.”
“Deal. Now go get ready for your long weekend with Winter. I don’t want to hear from you until Wednesday when he’s gone. And you let me handle him with this moving business. I’ll set him straight.”
I laugh. Winter doesn’t know what he’s in for. If he thinks I can be a pain in his ass sometimes, Cleo can be far worse when she wants something. And she wants my happiness as much as I do, so I know she’s going to go in guns blazing.
As we end the call, a knock sounds at the front door and I find Carey standing outside, his arms up, hands resting on the doorjamb. “You’re still breathing, I see,” he says before dropping his arms and entering the house.
I follow him into the living room. “Yes. What are you doing here? I mean, besides making sure I’m still alive.”
He cocks a brow. “Sarcasm duly noted, little sister.” Then, glancing around, he says, “Where’s Winter?”
“Nice. I beg you to come over and help me with my tiles and you don’t want to come, but Winter comes home and you’re all over him. Best brother in the world.”
His face remains impassive. Typical laid-back Carey. “So, where is he?”
I throw my hands up. “One of these days, I’m gonna get myself two new brothers. He’s gone out to buy tiles.”
“What’s with the tiles?”
“Nothing.” I’m never going to hear the end of this from either of my brothers once they know how badly I screwed up.
He grins. Asshole. “What did you do, Birdie?” Before I can stop him, he brushes past me out of the living room and heads towards the kitchen. When he says, “Fucking hell,” I really know I’m never going to hear the end of it.
I’m half way to the kitchen when the front screen door bangs and my other brother, Lucas, comes down the hallway. I just love how my brothers act like this is their home.
“Why aren’t you at work?” I ask. “Come to think of it, why aren’t either of you at work?”
Lucas shrugs. “It’s Friday afternoon. Winter’s home for the weekend.”
Understanding crashes into me. “Oh no you don’t. He’s mine for the weekend.”
Carey steps out of the kitchen into the hall. “You’ve already had hours with him.”
“Uh-uh, no. Not happening.”
Carey ignores me and looks at Lucas. “Take a look at the kitchen.”
I move closer to Carey and smack his chest. “Shut up.”
He eyes me with humour. “Did you watch some YouTube videos again?”
I smack him harder. “Screw you, Carey. I was trying to help take the load off Winter.”
“And what, he didn’t like the tiles? Has he gone out to buy new ones?”
I groan. “I didn’t buy enough. He’s gone to buy more, but the supplier doesn’t have any more. Mum gave us the name of another supplier who might have some. Winter’s checking it out. And yes, before you say it, I fucked up and didn’t calculate properly how many we needed.”
Lucas surprises me when he says, “It’s not the end of the world.” He glances around the kitchen. “Good job ripping the cupboards out.”
I practically beam at him. “Thanks, Lucas.” I may have screwed up the tiles, but I did manage to gut the kitchen and dispose of the mess by myself, so I at least feel pride in that.
Before Carey gets another word in, the front door sounds again and a few moments later, Winter joins us.
“Hey man!” Carey says, pulling him into a hug with a slap on the back.
As I watch the three of them catch up, I think about how much I love the friendships they have. My brothers missed Winter being in their lives almost as much as I did while we were apart for those five years. They’ve come back together like they were never separated, and I love that for them, so as much as I don’t want to share him this weekend, I will.
“Okay, you guys,” I say, breaking into their reunion, “since we have no kitchen to cook in, I’m ordering pizza for dinner. And although I imagined a night with Winter to myself, I’ll let you two stay to watch the footy with us.”
Winter chuckles and Carey grins while saying, “It’s nice you think you have a say, sis.”
I arch my brows. “Oh, I have all the say, just so you know, because when it comes to getting his dick sucked, my man knows what’s good for him.”
Lucas chuckles this time and lifts his chin at Carey as he exits the kitchen. “She’s got a point, bro.”
Carey grabs some beers and follows Lucas into the lounge room, muttering something I barely hear because Winter is watching me with the kind of intensity that tells me he has something to discuss.
“What?” I ask, grasping a handful of his shirt and moving in close.
He drops his lips to mine. His kiss is intense, too, and he lingers for a beat. When he finally lets my lips go, he says, “Cleo called me.”
Still gripping his shirt, I say, “And?”
He kisses me again. “And you two are fucking tenacious.”
My mouth spreads out in a slow smile. “We really are, and you should listen to what we say.”
“Oh I’m listening, Angel. I’m not in agreement, but I know the chances of me winning this are fucking slim, so I’m listening.”
“So I should pack my bags?”
One of his hands lands on my ass. His other one smooths my hair, his fingers threading through it. His touch is gentle and his expression is sombre. “It’s a fucking shitshow in Melbourne, Birdie. I need you to be prepared for it.”
“What was that thing you said to me once about never being prepared for something until you’ve actually gone through it? I don’t think I can prepare for this, Winter, but I know I’m going to be okay because I’ll have you by my side. I can do anything with you there.” I grip his shirt harder and pull myself even closer. “You need me by your side, too. We make each other stronger.”
His eyes search mine and I see every ounce of hesitation and uncertainty he’s feeling. “Fuck,” he curses softly before saying, “This happens in two weeks. You’ll come back with me next time.”
My heart beats faster with excitement and happiness. I push up onto my toes and kiss him with everything I have in me. He gets all my emotions in this kiss and I know he feels them because when I pull away, he’s as breathless as I am.
I smile, still holding his shirt. I never want to let him go. “What are we going to do about this kitchen?”
He chuckles with a quick shake of his head. “We’re not gonna lay any more of these fucking tiles, that’s for damn sure.”
My smile turns to a frown. “You couldn’t find the same ones?”
“Yeah, I found them alright, but I didn’t buy them.” When my forehead wrinkles more, he adds, “They’re god-awful, Angel. I’m not sure what you were thinking when you bought them. I bought different ones.”
I let go of his shirt and place my hands on my hips. “What’s awful about them?”
“For one, the colour. Who the fuck puts blue tiles in their kitchen?”
“I do! I love the colour.”
“Yeah, but we have to sell this place. We’ve got a helluva lot more chance of doing that with a neutral colour.”
I pout. “Fine. But when we renovate next, I get to choose the tiles.”
He slides his hand around my waist and pulls me back to him. “Baby, you get a lot of say in a lot of shit when it comes to us, but not when it comes to tiles.” When I open my mouth to protest, he silences me with a finger to my lips. “And let’s not pretend this means you won’t suck my dick as often as I want. We both know you couldn’t keep your lips off me even if you tried.”
I pout again but it’s fake. He’s right. Ugh. “Just shut up and kiss me,” I mutter. His chuckle is the last thing I hear before his lips consume
all my attention again.
I talk a good game of running the show when it comes to my husband, but the truth is, I don’t. He owns me body and soul, and I will give him anything he wants. Sure, I’ll fight him until I’m blue in the face, but at the end of the day, Winter is my everything so I’ll give everything I have to him, and for him. Even if that means I don’t get the damn tiles I want.
Heart & Soul
Heart & Soul
A short story featuring Nitro & Tatum from Nitro’s Torment. It’s recommended to read that book before reading Heart & Soul.
This short story originally featured in the Love, Loyalty & Mayhem anthology.
To love, loyalty, and a little mayhem.
And women with grit.
“Here’s to strong women.
May we know them.
May we be them.
May we raise them.”
Dear Reader
If you’ve read my Sydney Storm MC series, you’ve met Tatum. She’s my favourite female character I’ve written in this series. Possibly my favourite out of all my books I’ve written.
This short story is focused more on her than Nitro, because I wanted to explore the love and loyalty she has for all the people who mean something to her. If you’ve read her story, you’ll know she’d given up on people before she met Nitro. I love how he and his family helped breathe life back into her, in the same way she did for them. And I love seeing how far she’s come.
I hope you enjoy this short as much as I enjoyed writing it. And if you’ve not met Tatum yet, you can read her story in my book, Nitro’s Torment.