So what if I was staying here with just a suitcase full of clothes and nothing else to my name? I was giving myself something far more important as far as I was concerned. I was giving myself a chance to do something I’d wanted to do for so long now – I was about to start living.
10
Trailing my fingers in the warm water, I gently kicked my feet underneath the surface of the clean, clear splash-pool out in Eddie’s back yard, the sun burning down on the back of my neck. I’d been here all of two days and I was still waiting for the regret to kick in; the realisation that I really had made that huge mistake Finn still assumed I’d made. But nothing was making its presence felt just yet. Maybe it was because, in some weird kind of way, it still felt as though I was only on an extended holiday. All I knew was I hadn’t felt like this in a long time. Correction – I hadn’t ever felt like this. I felt re-born, even if that did sound a little far-fetched.
‘Hey.’
I looked up at the sound of that now-familiar voice. Yeah, just four days of knowing him and I could use that word – familiar. It didn’t get any easier to understand, I just knew that’s how I was feeling. And after years of repressing the way I’d really felt, I wasn’t going to let that happen again. I just wasn’t. It was all going to come out now. Everything. And I wasn’t ever going to care.
‘Hey back.’ I smiled as he reached down to take my hand, pulling me to my feet. ‘You going out now?’
‘Aye. I’m gonna head off downtown in a bit.Check out what’s going on at the shop.’
I smiled, cupping his cheek in my hand, stroking his skin with my thumb as we kissed. We’d spent a lot of time kissing over the past couple of days, in between me trying to get used to my new surroundings, because Vegas was more than a little different to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It was warmer, for starters. But Eddie’s neighbourhood was also one of the most welcoming places I’d ever encountered. In the short space of time I’d been hereI’d already spoken to three of his neighbours, all of them so friendly and willing to do anything they could to help me settle in. It just all added to the rather surreal feeling that still washed over me every now and again. The realisation of what I’d actually done. But waking up next to Eddie, it didn’t feel wrong. It still, in some strange way I didn’t think I’d ever be able to explain, felt right. As though I’d waited my whole life for this. For him.
‘You gonna come with me?’
His voice shook me back to reality and I looked at him, smiling. Yeah, he still made me want to smile. Every single, wonderful, day.
‘I’ll show you the bikes.We can hang out with some of the guys from the club, maybe go for a ride later on. What do you say? You up for that?’
‘You really have to ask?’ Riding was something I’d quickly become addicted to. I couldn’t get enough of that feeling of freedom, the sound of the Harley’s engine, the breeze cooling my skin.
He laughed, a deep, low, throaty laugh that was so unbelievably sexy. ‘I haven’t even scratched the surface with you, kid. Have I?’
I smiled again, running a hand through his hair, watching as it fell forward over his eyes. That’s what I loved about him. Everything was so out of place, nothing was ordered. So unlike everything I’d lived with for so long. ‘There’s really not that much to know,’ I whispered, pulling off my bikini top and tossing it aside. I knew he was never going to turn me down, just as I couldn’t say no to him. I couldn’t even think of a time when that was going to happen, but I also wasn’t naïve enough to think these initial feelings of lust and urgency were going to last forever, so I was enjoying every heart-stopping, breathtaking minute while they were still here. Because I’d almost forgotten how magical they could feel, those early days of just being with someone.
‘Well, you see, I think there is,’ he murmured, his mouth almost touching mine, his fingers running lightly over my naked breasts. ‘Do you ride yourself, Lana?’
‘Never had the chance to learn. But it’s something I’d love to do.’ How I was getting the words out I didn’t actually know, because my breath was, quite literally, catching in my throat. It always did when he was this close.
‘Maybe I can teach you, huh?’ His voice was so quiet now, and way too sexy to even be legal, in my opinion.
‘I think you’re teaching me enough, Mr Fletcher,’ I gasped, throwing my head back as he started to kiss my neck, his fingers slowly untying my bikini bottoms until they fell away from my body, into his hands.
‘The lessons are only just beginning, darlin’.’
I shivered inside as his lips rested gently against mine, his body so close now, the inevitable endgame on its way, as had been the norm these past couple of days. We got up, we had sex, sometimes we ate, sometimes we just had sex again. We’d gone out a couple of times, to get some food, to ride; to let him show me around the area. But we’d never stayed out all that long. We’d just gone home again, and had more sex. All night long. I’d only been here two days but it already felt as though I’d been here forever, he was so familiar to me now. I knew every inch of his body, recognised the way he talked, the mood he was in just by looking in his eyes. He didn’t ask questions and he didn’t judge me. He just wanted to be with me. And I wanted to be with him. Oh, God. Did I want to be with him!
He sat down on the edge of a large wooden sun lounger next to the splash-pool, pulling me down onto his lap, our mouths locked together in a deep, deep kiss, the sun continuing to burn down on my naked body. ‘Have we got time for this?’ I whispered, reaching down to free him.
‘All the time in the fucking world, sweetheart. One of my MC brothers is helping Kyle in the shop, keeping an eye on things for me until I get there. I’m sure he won’t mind hanging around for another hour.’
‘That’s so selfish,’ I breathed, lifting my hips up slightly to guide him inside of me.
He laughed quietly, pulling me back down. ‘You have no idea how good for me you are, Lana.’
I buried my fingers in his hair, closing my eyes as I moved against him, wanting to feel him, to know this was really happening, because despite everything we’d done, all the time we’d already spent together, sometimes it still felt like one long dream that I was going to wake up from any second now. And I just wasn’t ready to let it go.Not yet.
‘Jesus, Eddie… You are making me crazy!’ I groaned, arching my back, pushing myself right down onto him, groaning again as I felt his mouth cover one of my breasts, his tongue working a magic I could barely understand. I only knew it was the most intense feeling; the most incredible sensation. All those years of being with Adam and we’d never made love anywhere other than the bedroom, apart from the one or two times we’d only just made it to the couch. But those times had usually been the rare occasions we’d been fuelled by alcohol, after a friend’s wedding or a works’ Christmas party. It had never been something we’d made a habit of, spontaneous sex. And I’d just had no idea what I’d been missing. It was like someone had opened the gate to a prison I’d been locked up in for years and now I was finally running free.
‘You have no idea how crazy I can make you, darlin’.’ He almost growled the words, and I swear to God that’s what caused a wave of pleasure so intense to shoot through me I had to bury my face in his hair to stop me from crying out loud. His back yard may have seemed private enough, but I still didn’t want to attract any unwanted attention. And as that wave swept rapidly over my entire body, I shook in his arms, feeling the force of his own climax as he came just seconds after me, kissing me this time to soften the sound of our moans. But, oh, God, I had never felt anything like it; an all-consuming, powerful feeling of something I couldn’t explain. And I didn’t really want to. I quite liked the mystery. It was a pretty big turn-on, if truth be told.
‘That was crazy enough,’ I breathed, resting my forehead against his as we tried to catch our breath.
I felt his hand slide into the small of my back, his thumb gently stroking it, the sound of his breathing still heavy and uneven.
‘You regretting staying yet?’ He smiled, and I found myself smiling back, my hands either side of his face as I looked into his eyes. Dark, deep, soulful eyes.
‘No. Not yet.’ My eyelids flickered shut as he kissed me again, long and slow, and I let myself fall into him; lose myself in a moment I wanted to live over and over again. I still had so much to learn about this man I’d let into my life. This man I’d given my life up for. And I couldn’t wait to get started.
The late-afternoon sun bounced off the sparkling chrome and I squinted slightly, wishing I’d put my sunglasses on before coming outside.
The huge, imposing Harley Davidson was one of a handful of bikes on display in the small yard that surrounded Eddie’s motorcycle shop. There were many more inside, and I’d spent most of the day checking them all out, listening as Eddie had explained the differences between them. His passion was infectious, and I’d found myself eager to learn as much as I could about this world I was only just beginning to immerse myself in; these machines and the men who rode them. But my heart belonged to the Harleys. There was something about the chrome and the leather, the colours that ranged from my favourite – black – to deep, metallic reds, blues and burnt oranges; from the low-slung Sportsers to the wide-shouldered 1200 Custom cruiser. The whole history of those bikes, it fascinated me. And now that I’d finally had the chance to ride one – albeit pillion on Eddie’s Road-King Classic – that had only strengthened my new-found love. And I was in deep now.
‘You okay?’
I turned to see Eddie standing behind me. Dressed in battered old jeans, just as battered heavy boots, and a black t-shirt, his hair pushed back off his face, dark glasses covering his eyes – unkempt and untidy… Yeah! So fucking sexy!
‘I’m absolutely fine.’ I leant back against the bike, placing my hands behind me on the Harley’s leather seat, the feel of it soft beneath my fingers.
‘I thought we’d head off for that ride now. Maybe stop for something to eat while we’re out. And later, if you feel like it, why don’t you come with me to the clubhouse?’
I frowned slightly, my fingers refusing to leave the Harley.
‘There’s a party, over at my MC tonight,’ Eddie explained. ‘We’re welcoming a couple of new members into the club, and it’s a bit of a tradition, these welcome parties. But if you think it might…’
I shut him up with a kiss, finally pulling my hand away from the bike to rest it on his hip instead. It had much the same effect as the Harley; making my skin tingle and my stomach flip with a new-found excitement. ‘I didn’t think you’d want me there just yet, I mean…’
‘Why wouldn’t I?’ he asked, running his thumb lightly over my bottom lip, his eyes following its every move.
I smiled, feeling a slight hint of nerves at the prospect of meeting his MC brothers. I’d heard a lot about motorcycle clubs, never sure how much to believe and how much was just hear-say. Finn and I had friends back home who were members of such clubs, but I’d never set foot inside of one. Never been that close to the reality. Never really asked them what went on within the confines of one. I guess I was about to find out now.
His mouth closed in on mine again. Was there ever going to be a time when we didn’t skate close to sex every time we were near each other? ‘I want to be with you, darlin’. So much, it’s like an ache in my gut that won’t go away, this need I have to…’ He broke off, kissing me gently, slowly. So slowly it messed with my head, big time. A kiss so hot, so sensual. ‘I just want to be with you, Lana.’
No. I still wasn’t getting tired of him saying my name. ‘I want to be with you, too,’ I whispered, staring up at him. Jesus! Did I want to be with him? He had no idea…
He smiled, and I couldn’t help smiling back. ‘We got that sorted, then.’
I laughed, something he made me do quite often. Real laughs. Laughs that I felt from deep within, because I was genuinely happy in his company.
‘I’ll be two minutes, okay? Just want to have a quick word with Kyle. Got a couple of guys coming to collect bikes around six,so I just need to bring him up to speed and make sure he’s okay to close up for me, then we’ll get going.’
I nodded, watching as he walked back inside, that swagger he had still so unbelievably sexy I could have watched him walk all day, as well as listen to him talk. And I was starting to sound like some infatuated teenager again, which I definitely wasn’t.
Leaning back against the bike I pulled my phone out of my back pocket, finding Finn’s number there at the top of my speed-dial list. It took a few rings before he answered, and when he did he sounded more than a little groggy.
‘Jesus, Lana, do you know what fucking time it is?’
I looked at my watch. ‘Yeah, it’s almost…’ I slapped a hand over my mouth, trying not to laugh. ‘Oh. Sorry. I forgot about the time difference.’
‘Again. You forgot about the time difference again.’
‘Before you left Vegas you told me you didn’t give a shit about the time difference. You said I could call you any time.’
‘Yeah, I know, and I’m kind of regretting that now.’
‘What time is it over there?’ I asked, biting down on my lip to stop myself from laughing.
‘Almost midnight!’
‘Since when did you start having early nights?’
‘Yeah. You’re hilarious. I take it everything’s okay with you and Scotty?’
‘Will you stop calling him that?’
‘I’ve called him worse, believe me.’
‘Everything’s fine.’ I ignored his previous comment. I knew Finn still felt I should just get this out of my system and come straight back home, and I wasn’t doing anything to stop him. It was easier that way. ‘We’re just about to head off out on the bike.’
‘It’s alright for some. The honeymoon period not over yet?’
I smiled, bowing my head, pushing a hand through my hair. ‘Thanks, Finn.’
‘For what?’
‘For not going on at me. For not asking me to come home…’
‘Oh, I still think you should come home. Don’t for one minute think I’m okay with what you’re doing because I’m not, Lana. I still miss you so fucking much, still wish I was walking into Black Ink every day and seeing your face, but right now – right now it just feels like you’re on holiday.’ He felt that too, then. ‘It just feels like I only have to miss you for a couple more weeks and then you’ll be back in Newcastle, back where you belong…’
‘I’m not coming home, Finn. Not yet, anyway. And I didn’t call you to start all this again.’
‘I know. I know that. But I can’t help the way I feel. I’m worried about you, for Christ’s sake. You’re over there with a complete stranger…’
‘He isn’t a stranger, Finn.’
‘You don’t know him, Lana.’
I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply, because I didn’t want to argue with him. It was naïve of me to think he’d suddenly just be fine with this, with what I’d done. ‘Don’t do this, Finn. Please.’
‘Lana, listen to me.’
I opened my eyes, exhaling slowly, watching Eddie inside the shop as he leant over the counter, talking to Kyle. ‘What?’ I wasn’t in the mood for this conversation anymore. I just wanted to get on the back of Eddie’s bike and get as far away from reality as I could, for as long as I could. Yeah. Because I wasn’t far enough away from it already.
‘There’s something you should probably know.’
That got my attention. ‘Like what?’
There was a sudden silence on the other end of the phone.
‘Finn?’
‘Nothing. It doesn’t matter.’
‘No, come on. You wouldn’t have said something like that if it wasn’t important. What is it I should know?’
‘It’s nothing, Lana, really. I just… It’s nothing. Just me being stupid.’
‘For a change, huh?’
‘I’ll give you that one, seeing as you’re thousands of miles a
way.’
‘Finn, are you…?’
‘You just stay safe. Okay? Forget about me.’
‘That’s not really possible.’
‘Yeah, that’s what most women say. Once encountered, never forgotten.’
‘Not always for the right reasons, huh?’
‘I’m banking all these insults up, I hope you realise that. Because when you come back home…’ He stopped talking, aware that starting this up again wasn’t a good idea. And he’d be right. ‘You take care, beautiful. You hear me?’
‘I hear you,’ I said quietly, my fingers fiddling with the leather bands tied around my wrist. ‘I’ll call you tomorrow.’
‘Time difference, Lana. Remember? Later, sis.’
I slid my phone back into my pocket and folded my arms, looking around me. The sun was still beating down, its intensity almost overwhelming, the sky a colour blue I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen back in the UK. All around me was the noise of a busy, vibrant town going about its business, and I felt another jolt of nervous excitement shoot through me. This was where I belonged now – here. With an incredible, heartbreakingly hot biker and the kind of life I hadn’t even known could exist. There was no way I was going back home. Ironically, that would be the crazy idea now.
I looked over towards the shop as Eddie walked out, all sexy swagger, a smile on his face that promised so much and I was lost again in this world I’d thrown myself into without really thinking about it. Properly. And I still didn’t care. I wasn’t giving myself time to.
‘Hey, gorgeous.’ Eddie smiled, taking off his dark glasses and slipping them into the neck of his t-shirt.
‘Hey, handsome.’ I slipped my arms around his neck, pressing myself against him, and he wasn’t resisting, his hands on my hips pulling me closer still.
‘About that road trip of ours,’ he murmured, his mouth ever-so-lightly brushing the base of my throat. Jesus! How could he do this to me? Seconds, that was all it took, to turn me into a weak-kneed mess.
Shirley Valentine Goes to Vegas Page 9