by Freya Barker
“Sure.”
I’ll admit, my response is not as much about the beer as it is about the opportunity to watch Tse turn and walk his tight ass back inside.
A full belly and the beer with dinner have done a lot to relax me, but I could use another to fortify me. So far I’ve avoided telling him about the earlier encounter I had today. There’s no doubt in my mind the guy intended his message to Tse to be a taunt, but I didn’t want to get him riled up when we’d just arrived.
He still needs to know, though. There is a lot left for me to learn about this, but one thing I know for a fact, he won’t like what I have to tell him. I just hope I don’t set something off.
I hear him close the sliding door and walk up, handing me a bottle. Then he tosses another log on the fire, sits down beside me, and taps my beer with his.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
I turn my torso toward him.
“I mean for everything,” I persist, needing him to understand what this trip meant to me before I piss him off. “For pushing me to come, for forcing me out of my comfort zone, for the amazing experience of stunning views and feeling free. Hands down the best day I’ve had in a long time.”
A faintly sardonic smile forms on his lips.
“You’re still welcome.”
“I had a really good time.”
Now the smile stretches wide.
“I’m getting that. Glad you enjoyed.”
He takes a sip of his beer and I do the same, straightening to face the fire and wondering how to broach the subject.
Turns out I don’t have to.
“Now are you ready to tell me what you’ve been mulling on all afternoon?”
I look at him, surprised. Guess I wasn’t as good at hiding it as I thought.
“I was waiting for Lisa at the portable toilets. This guy approached me and told me to give you his regards.”
I can feel the air go static, even though he doesn’t show any reaction.
“What did he say? Exactly,” he adds with deadly calm.
“Don’t know who—”
“I know who it is. What did he say?”
“He called you his brother, said you always had the same taste in…” I hesitate a moment, wondering how much detail I want to give him, and finally deciding on, “…a certain type of woman.”
That draws a reaction, one of narrowed eyes and flaring nostrils.
“I need the exact words, Sophia.”
The fact he uses my full name is a little disconcerting and I’m not so sure I want to repeat those words. They made me feel dirty and cheap at the time and I’m sure they won’t feel any better coming from my own mouth. Still, I brought it up, now I need to see it through.
“Tits, ass, legs…” I look away from him as I recite the words verbatim. They’ve been bouncing around my head all afternoon. “…a sweet pussy, and attitude.”
It’s silent for a beat and I sneak a glance at him, noting a muscle working in his jaw. Then he suddenly gets to his feet, his chair scraping the patio tiles, and stalks to the door.
I catch up with him just as he’s shrugging into his vest, and put a restraining hand on his arm, which he shakes off like a pesky fly.
“Please, Tse. Don’t do this. Don’t make me regret I was honest with you,” I plead with him, as he reaches for the front door.
I hold my breath when I see him pause, leaning his forehead against the doorpost.
“What else?” I finally hear him say softly.
“He said you hit the jackpot with me, but that I could do better.”
He snorts derisively as he turns around and moves toward me.
“I just bet he did.”
“Well, I may have disavowed him of that thought.”
He stops in front of me, his head low. Then he slowly lifts it and I’m surprised to see a glimmer of humor in his eyes. He reaches out a hand and cups my chin.
“Did you now?”
The annoying blush, which has been a torment my entire life is back.
“Told him I already broke the bank with you,” I confess.
Tse
Damn if that doesn’t make me feel good.
When I look down in her flushed face, my anger at Manny disappears as fast as it surfaced.
I’d been ready to track him down and let him know exactly what I thought of him approaching a woman he knows damn well is mine, but that would’ve played right into his hands. It had been a taunt, which is nothing new, needling me is something Manny likes to do every chance he gets. Making sure I know he’s still around to remind me of a past I’ve tried to leave behind.
The only difference this time is the woman standing in front of me. The way she instinctively knew what to say to break through my rage. In the past I would’ve gladly duked it out with Manny, getting my punches in where I could before brothers would pull us apart until the next time he got under my skin.
This time Sophia makes me want to be the better man. The kicker of it is, I realize not reacting will likely drive him crazy. He thinks he knows me so well, but as it turns out, Sophia knows me better.
“Thank you.”
I brush my thumb over her bottom lip before following it with my mouth. I keep the kiss light, despite the immediate need coursing through me.
Regardless of my intent to keep this weekend casual, Manny’s stunt puts me in a position where I either shut her out or let her in. It’s against my nature to share, but I owe her more than what I gave her this morning at breakfast.
She grabs the front of my shirt as I try to pull away.
“Hold that thought,” I mumble against her lips. “Let’s sit down a bit.”
I shrug out of my cut, and drop it on the couch, before grabbing her hand and pulling her back outside where the fire is still going.
“My legal name is Ben De León, probably not my birth name if I had one to begin with, but that’s the one I was given.”
I glance away from the flames and notice I have her full attention. Good, because I sure as fuck don’t want to repeat anything.
“I already told you I grew up in the system. I spent most of the time in and out of foster homes. Some were okay, some sucked, but none of them were in for the long haul. I wasn’t exactly an easy kid, but when I was about twelve, I was taken in by a couple who liked the regular checks and found ways to keep me in line.”
I glance over when I hear her shift in her chair. She’s pulled up her knees, wrapped her arms around them, and is observing me closely.
“They weren’t nice people,” she concludes.
“No. They took Manny in a few years later.” I can tell that surprises her. “He was a bit younger, but we looked out for each other the best we could. Even after we ran and were picked up by the club, we stuck together. The club going legit changed that. Manny was drawn to the darker side—drugs, money, violence, power—while I was ready to shed that life. He wasn’t happy when I chose the club over him and tries to get under my skin at every opportunity.”
“I see,” she mumbles.
“Yeah.” I reach for one of her hands and tug her to her feet before pulling her onto my lap, locking my arms around her, despite the tension in her body. “He saw you on the back of my bike, guessed you mean something to me, and decided to poke the bear.”
She turns her head, her face inches from mine.
“Just because I was on the back of your bike?”
I grin. “Fee, it may have escaped your notice, but bikers tend to be particular about who they invite on the back of their bikes. It means something.”
“Oh.”
I smile when I see that blush is back.
“Yeah, oh.” I slide a hand to the back of her head and pull her closer. “Now…where were we?”
All it takes is a brush of my lips for her to relax in my arms. Her hand comes up, fingers tangling in the longish hair brushing my collar, and her mouth opens in invitation.
Fuck.
Clea
r night, smell of wood fire, beautiful woman on my lap, her taste in my mouth—it doesn’t get better than that.
I slide a hand from her hip to the back of her knee and groan when she shifts her weight on my lap. My cock is painfully hard, but fuck if it isn’t a beautiful pain. Running my hand up the back of her leg, I rub the tips of my fingers along the seam of her jeans until I can feel the damp heat of her through the material.
She makes a small sound in the back of her throat I can feel down to my bones, and my resolve shatters. Suddenly this chair is not big enough for everything I want to do to her.
“Hang on to me,” I growl, hooking an arm under her knees while keeping the other firmly wrapped around her waist.
She lets out a little squeal, grabbing on to my shoulders when I get to my feet and lift her in my arms. She giggles softly when I try to open the sliding door, cursing under my breath. Letting go with one arm she reaches down and takes care of the door.
Her mouth is back on mine as I try to balance her in my arms and head for the bedroom. The moment we step inside, I let go of her legs. With my free hand I cup the back of her head, while I slide the other into the waistband of her jeans, palming the smooth skin of her ass.
I’m lost to her, giving in to the restless hunger of her mouth and wandering hands. She tugs the back of my shirt free and scrapes her nails over the skin she exposed. I tilt her head, slanting mine so I can taste her deeper. I want to devour her, claim every part of her body while imprinting myself on her skin.
She drives me mad when her small hands start pulling at the buttons of my fly. In one last flash of sanity as she frees me from my jeans and sinks down in front of me; I pull a condom from my pocket. The next moment my brain empties of everything but the feel of her hot mouth closing over my engorged cock, and my back hits the door.
Bracing with one hand on my thigh, she cups my balls in the other, stroking the tight skin behind them with a finger. I almost blow on the spot, which is not how I saw this night going.
With Herculean effort I pull my hips back, reach down, and hook her under the arms, lifting her off the ground.
“But I—”
“Too many clothes,” I cut her off brusquely, ripping my own shirt over my head.
She looks gorgeous, eyes shining with heat, lips swollen and slick, and that blush deepening all the way from her chest to her cheeks. Without hesitation she strips off her shirt and while she tugs down her jeans, I roll on the condom. There’s much I want to explore, but I’m afraid even the slightest touch or taste will set me off.
I don’t even have time to really look at her before her arms are around my neck, her tits pressed against my chest, and her mouth is on mine. Running my hand down over her ass and down the back of her leg, I hook her behind the knee as she hops up, wrapping her long legs around my hips.
Instead of dropping her on the bed, I turn and press her back against the door, spread my stance, and position myself at her warm, wet entrance.
“Fee, baby…look at me.”
Her honey-brown eyes focus on mine, and as I slide inside, her mouth falls open.
Fucking incredible.
Sophia
I listen to his breathing deepen as he gives in to sleep.
Tse’s body is curved around me, his knee cocked between my legs, his face in my neck, and his hand cups my breast possessively. The same hand explored and exposed every inch of my body in the past however many hours.
All I know is my body feels like a limp noodle, devoid of any tension. Tse took care of that. With his fingers, his talented mouth, and his highly satisfying cock.
I feel a smile spread on my lips. It took me six years to get back on that horse after my last relationship crashed and burned, and now I wonder what the hell I’d been waiting for.
Maybe it was the beer, the sense of freedom, or the fact Tse shared of himself, but for once I let go, took what I wanted, and it was spectacular.
Sure, tomorrow’s ride back to Durango will probably cause a bit of discomfort, but I already know it was well worth it.
I guess one shouldn’t compare, but my best experience so far was pleasant, polite, and enjoyable. What Tse gave me was an out-of-body experience. There was nothing pleasant or polite about it, and enjoyable doesn’t even begin to describe the bone-deep satisfaction I feel.
I sure as hell better not have been a one-off for him; he’s already spoiled me for anyone else.
Covering his hand on my breast with my own, I close my eyes and drift off.
CHAPTER 10
Sophia
“WHERE ARE WE?”
I take off my helmet and look around.
Tse mentioned he wanted to make a stop before taking me home. To my surprise he took the road up to my new place, but pulled off on a driveway about halfway up the road.
I’m looking at a nice plot of land that isn’t visible from the road and at some point had a building on it. Nothing but the foundation is visible now, as well as a massive pile of dirt about a hundred feet out. It smells a little funky.
I must’ve made a face.
“Sorry, forgot about the smell,” Tse apologizes. “We dug up the old septic tank before the weekend. A new one should go in this week.”
“This is yours?”
What a crazy coincidence that would be.
“No, it’s Paco’s. He’s building a house and I’m helping out where I can.” He suddenly seems a little uncomfortable, rubbing his hand through his hair. “I…uh…shit. I don’t even know why I dragged you up here. I guess I wanted show you where I’ll be working for the foreseeable future.”
I take a step closer and nudge him with my shoulder.
“Thank you. I like the idea of knowing where you’re hanging out.”
“Yeah?”
His eyes smile down on me, fine lines framing them.
“Only seems fair. You’ve already seen where I work.” A light breeze carries another whiff of what I now know is eau-de-septic and I pull my shirt up to cover my nose. “Although my workplace smells a hell of a lot better.”
“You’re not lyin’,” he says, putting on his helmet again. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Actually, I have something to show you as well. Mind if we go up the road a little?”
“Where are we going?” he asks, swinging a leg over his bike.
I climb on behind him.
“I’ll show you when we get there.”
I fit my arms around his middle as he turns the bike up the mountain.
It’s only a minute to what will soon be my driveway and I tap Tse on the shoulder.
“Slow down into the bend, there’s a driveway just on the other side on the right. Pull in there.”
I’m guessing Meredith will be at work, but either way, I’m sure she won’t mind me stopping by to show my new place.
Tse stops the bike in the driveway and stays when I climb off.
“What is this place?”
“My new house as of this coming weekend. I get the key on Friday and the moving truck will be here on Saturday afternoon.”
He looks at me with eyebrows raised.
“No shit? This is yours?”
“Well,” I rush to correct him. “I’m renting. It belongs to Meredith Carter; she’s the county coroner. She’s moving in with her man.”
“Jay VanDyken,” Tse surprises me by saying. “I heard they were an item.”
I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the fact everyone seems to know everyone here.
“Yes. She’s not ready to sell yet, and I was looking for a slightly more permanent place than Sandra’s garage apartment.”
He swings one leg over the handlebars but keeps his butt on the seat. Then he reaches for me and pulls me closer, his hands on my hips.
“This is going to be convenient,” he says, smirking.
I grin back. “Oh yeah?”
“You’ll have to get a dog, though.” He nudges his head to the A-frame. “Great place, but it’s a
little remote for a girl by herself, and I can’t be here all the time.”
My smile disappears and I try to take a step back, but his hands hold tight. I manage to twist free anyway.
“I don’t even know where to start, there are so many flags going off at the same time right now.”
“I don’t get it.”
He looks genuinely perplexed. He doesn’t even recognize the misogynistic crap he just spouted, but I don’t mind enlightening him.
“I’ve made this mistake once before, let myself get swept off my feet only to turn around and find every aspect of my life controlled. Took me six months to be rid of him. Took me six years to work up the guts to try once more. I’m not going down that rabbit hole again.”
He pushes off his bike, removes his helmet, and closes the distance between us. He doesn’t touch me though, just stands really close but I hold my ground.
“I’m glad you told me about the asshole or I’d be seriously pissed right now. We’ll get to the asshole and the six years later, but for now let me clear something up.”
Last thing I want is to discuss Dave, but I let that genie out of the bottle myself. Still, I lift my chin in a touch in defiance.
“What?”
It doesn’t deter Tse.
“What I said comes from a place of concern. Some of it ingrained reflex, I’ll admit, but let me remind you about the attack on your employee, the drug deals taking place behind your restaurant, the fact the cops are still actively investigating both, and you are smack in the middle of all of that.”
Shit.
It says a lot about the weekend, and the company I kept, it was so easy to let those facts slip my mind.
“And, Fee? This is who I am. I’ll always be protective, but don’t mistake that for control, and if you can’t deal with that maybe I’m the wrong guy for you.”
Wow. Talk about putting it out there. Yesterday at this time we were still dancing around each other and had separate bedrooms we fully intended to use. This morning I woke up to this man worshiping my body, washing my hair in the shower we shared, and already I may have brought this budding relationship to a screeching halt.
A dog is not that far-fetched, and neither is the assumption he’ll spend time here for whatever his reasons may be. Although, I guess that entirely depends on the response he gets from me. Judging from the scowl on his face, I’d better not make him wait too long.