by Debra Kayn
She held the fork in front of her mouth. "Oh, shit. I should've signed up for kitchen duty."
"On your own time, lady, and only if you want to," he said. "The Silver Girls enjoy cooking, and once in a while even Risa skips her own kitchen up at prez's house and joins us in the clubhouse and will help out. But, nothing's set in concrete, and the members know how to fill a cereal bowl."
"I know how to cook." She took a bite of egg and swallowed. "I don't mind, and I'd feel better helping out."
Remmy's grin grew wider. She used her napkin to wipe her mouth. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You cook."
"And?"
"You can cook for me."
"Hm." She rubbed her lips together. "I could."
The vision of cooking a steak and potatoes was not what came to mind. She imagined feeding Remmy a spoonful of chocolate and dribbling it on his chest for her to lick, lower and lower, until she lapped up all the spills.
He growled. "Don't go there, or you won't be able to finish your breakfast and I won't be able to get out to the warehouse and work."
"Oh?" She raised her brows and feigned a clueless state.
"Damn." He stood, leaned across the table, hooked her neck, and kissed her hard. "Fuck, you taste like berries."
Her stomach warmed and she squirmed in the chair. "You know, I've ate enough. We could go upstairs and..."
His intent stare left her vibrating. "Hold that thought. I need to go crate up the supplies for the militia, and then I'll come inside. Don't leave the clubhouse, and finish your breakfast. You'll need your strength."
She sighed in disappointment. "Yes, sir."
He raised his brow, shook his head in amusement, and walked out of the kitchen. She went back to eating every single bite of food, and had one more cup of coffee. Then she snooped through the refrigerator and found what she was looking for.
One jar of chocolate syrup, and it was all hers for the afternoon. She carried the container upstairs. The next time she went to town, she'd replace the chocolate, and in the meantime, hope that nobody noticed it missing, because she had plans to use it.
Chapter Twenty Six
Mike shut the van doors after Bantorus MC members loaded the crates of weapons. Remmy glanced at Kurt, caught the nod, and stepped forward. The militia proved worthy when it came to knowing what news floated around Federal. Not much happened without them noticing.
"We'll have an extra shipment in next month. Let us know at next pickup if you'd like to jump in on part or all," Remmy said.
Mike raised his brows. "Same AR-15's?"
"Better. Stubbies." Remmy turned his back to his men. "We worked out a deal for doubles. You'll have your pick of shorts with thirty round mags."
Mike whistled. "Any markups?"
"Not for your group."
Mike looked at his men and turned his attention back to Remmy. "We'll take them."
"Then they're yours." Remmy shook his hand. "Have the militia groups had any pressure lately?"
"What kind?" Mike stepped back and crossed his arms. "We've had our meeting with the county sheriff's office, and had no trouble."
Remmy sniffed and let Mike think harder for a few seconds. "There were rumors that the miners were having problems with how Meghoni was handling the running of the mine...maybe it was false."
"Understandably, if it's true. I heard the Oman's had another brother and the sick bastard who went crazy had a wife that now owns the shares to Meghoni." Mike's gaze intensified. "I also heard the widow was getting friendly with one of the Bantorus members."
The militia, though they were surrounding the club the night Los Li blew up the warehouse, were kept in the dark about how the Oman brothers fit into the clubs problems. Remmy schooled his reaction. Obviously, news had gotten around about Natalie moving in with him, which meant anyone could let that information leak to Los Li.
"She's Bantorus property." Remmy lowered his voice.
He wanted no misunderstandings. Whatever rumors flew around the area, anyone who spoke against Natalie would answer to him and the club.
"Not our business." Mike lifted his chin. "If we hear anything you'd be interested in, we'll let you know. Right now, I don't think there's anything that would need to be brought to the club."
"Appreciate it." He nodded.
Mike looked to Kurt. "Two weeks?"
Kurt stepped forward. "You're on the schedule, Mike."
The three militiamen took leave. Remmy remained standing there, watching the van pull away. Sawyer, Cutter, Muff and Crain gave the loaded van an escort out of the Bitterroot Mountains. The fact that the militia knew Natalie was staying at the club meant others did too.
"We'll assume everyone knows her location," Kurt said.
Remmy gritted his teeth. The bad news only added to his concern. "I'm going inside for the rest of the day to do my damnedest to distract Nat from wanting to go anywhere."
"If you need any pointers..." Ink jumped back at the look Remmy shot him. "Just sayin'. You're getting old. I know a few tricks I could give you to keep the lady happy."
"Fuck you." Remmy shook his head, indulging Ink's bragging. "I know more in the first fifteen minutes with a woman than you'd be able to do in a night."
Ink barked out his amusement. "Rebound power, brother. Age trumps every time."
Remmy held out his arms and walked away. "Proof, right here."
Laughter came from Ink, Kurt, and Germ. Remmy winked in cocky assurance, turned around, and jogged the rest of the way to the club. At the door, he sucked in wind. Damn, the kid was right. He was getting too fucking old to show off, but he wasn't ready to let Ink believe he was retiring his spot of being the man of the club yet. Natalie had him thinking all his years of fucking around were for nothing. A real man kept a woman, pleased a woman, and never let the excitement die.
The clubhouse sat quiet, the men outside, the Silver Girls in their cabin, and Natalie upstairs. He walked straight to the bedroom and opened the door.
***
Remmy walked into the bedroom. Natalie sat naked on the bed, holding a jar of chocolate syrup and a spoon to her lips. The cool, smooth surface of the bottom of a spoon touched her bottom lip and slipped into her mouth. She closed her lips. The licentious richness of milk chocolate exploded on her taste buds. Without swallowing, she sucked on the spoon, savoring the flavor.
She lowered her arm, swallowed, and licked the surface of her lips before opening her mouth. "Since you ordered me inside today, I thought..."
"What did you think, lady?" he said, his voice husky and aroused.
She lifted one shoulder and smiled. "Maybe you'd entertain me."
The spoon tinged against the side of the jar.
Remmy strode to the bed, picked up the discarded spoon. Her gaze met Remmy's heated gaze.
"Keep looking at me," he whispered, raising the spoon to her lips.
The strength in her spine fled and she slouched forward, the spoon still in her mouth. He reached over and pulled the treat out of her mouth, but not before she sucked a glob of chocolate off to enjoy.
Remmy dipped his finger into the chocolate syrup, held his hand up, and reached over to draw circles around each of her areolas. Her nipples puckered, and she gasped. She'd brought the chocolate syrup up for her to enjoy on him, never thinking he'd turn the tables on her.
Yet, her reaction made it impossible for her to correct him. The sight and thought of what would come excited her too much to protest. She wanted to see how far he'd go.
He dipped his finger into the jar again and drew a line from between her breasts down to the top of her mound, his gaze never leaving her face. She swallowed a bit of the chocolate sitting on her tongue. A tingle crawled up her spine as she thought about him licking the mess he'd put on her.
Remmy lowered his head. She ran her fingers through his hair, sweeping the strands off his forehead, so she could see his face, his full lips, the intense longing in his eyes. His tongue lapped at
the chocolate, his lips gathering a mouthful of her breast and suckling it. Instant lascivious pleasure swirled inside her belly and flooded her sex with wetness.
She moved his mouth to her other breast, taking him with her as she laid back on the mattress, spreading herself out for his enjoyment. Her body quivered as she succumbed to his tongue, his mouth, his heat.
Licking her nipple clean, he straddled her legs and began an upward stroke with his tongue, going down her body. From her mound, over her stomach, and up to her breast, he cleaned the line of chocolate from her body. She raised her hands and pushed her breasts together. He probed his tongue into the crevice she created and groaned. He stimulated every nerve and her legs—trapped within his— strained to move, stretch, and wrap around him. The craving to connect their bodies in a way that pleased them both shook her to the core.
He lifted his head, pressed his knee between her thighs, and situated his body between her legs.
She felt him part her, and she widened her legs to encourage him to touch her more. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the sounds.
The clink of his belt buckle.
The rasp of his zipper.
The hiss of his breath.
Her racing heart soon muffled the sounds, until she had to open her eyes and see what he was doing. Then her sight faded when his mouth landed on her sex and her eyelids closed automatically at the pleasure.
Her breath came out in hard puffs. As the shock wore off, a new wonderful sensation grew. She thrust her hips up and down to spread the warmth that continued to grow deep inside.
In a smooth, strong tug, Remmy palmed her ass, pulling her farther down on the bed. She clutched the edge of the mattress. Her ass hung off the surface, and he hooked her ankles around his neck to keep her in position.
With his arms locked around her legs, he entered her in one swift plunge. The heat from his hardness further warmed her insides. His thumb made a circular motion on her clit.
She raised her arms, fisting the bedspread. "Don't stop."
"Never." He pulled back and thrust again. "I'm right where I fucking want to be, lady."
She convulsed in an orgasm that lifted her head off the mattress. Grasping for him, she rode out the intoxicating waves of her climax holding on to him, sharing what he'd done for her.
He grunted, burying his cock to the hilt and stilled.
Her body trembled. Blessed relief turned her muscles week and shaky. She lay on the bed, running her hand through Remmy's hair.
Remmy shuddered, and that simple weakness when she too knew that she was in his head and his heart filled her with everything she needed. She murmured, "I love you."
"I love—"
Banging on the door interrupted him. His body left hers, and Remmy went solid again as he hitched up his jeans and fastened them, showing no sign that he'd spent all his energy in bed with her. She rolled, taking the blanket with her and wrapping the material around her. Remmy glanced at her. She nodded for him to open the door.
On the other side of the door, Kurt stood. She moved and stood beside Remmy, clutching the blanket to her with one hand, and putting a supporting hand on Remmy's back.
"Los Li showed up in Pitnam about twenty minutes ago. They're in lockdown and everyone is safe. At least for now," Kurt said.
Remmy's body hardened. She closed her mouth and leaned against Remmy shocked at the dead-tone to Kurt's voice.
"Why the hell would they be putting pressure on them instead of working their way into Federal?" Remmy's arm came around Natalie's shoulder, holding her close.
"Rain's digging deep. He's got a few of the members from Lagsturns MC riding up from California. Lee arrived a couple hours before the sedans were spotted." Kurt gazed down the hall, his jaw tightening. "We're on call if anything goes down. We'll send a team on the road. With the Federal Charter on high alert, that leaves you here to run the MC."
"Right." Remmy paused. "How's Risa taking the news?"
Kurt shook his head. "I'm on the way to the house to tell her."
"She's strong, brother," Remmy said. "She has you."
"Yeah." Kurt glanced at Natalie. "Stay inside until we know more."
She nodded and watched Kurt walk down the hallway. Natalie held on to Remmy, sick to her stomach. Knowing Los Li killed Robert and Chad; she had empathy for the members in Pitnam and worried about their safety. The thought of someone else hurt or killed made her physically sick.
Chapter Twenty Seven
Three days later, Natalie finally won a game of pool against Remmy. She laid the cue stick on the felted tabletop and held up her hands.
"I'm done." She walked around the side, reached up on tiptoes, and kissed him. "I don't care what you promise me, I'm never playing pool again."
"Mm." He wrapped his arm around her waist and kept her against him. "Not even for more cheesecake?"
She groaned, sagging against him. "You'll have to roll me out of here if I can't go out and walk all this food off soon."
He kissed her quickly and set her away from him. "Let's go exercise."
"Outside?" She smiled, feeling more energetic than she had all day.
He wiggled his brows. "Upstairs."
"I love you, baby, but I need outside." She crossed her arms. "We could have sex behind the clubhouse..."
His eyes warmed and he chuckled. "You tempt me."
She stepped up in front of him, put her hands on his chest, and leaned closer. "Then let me tempt you some more."
He remained silent, and she took that as a challenge. She sprawled her fingers and trailed her hands up his chest, squeezing the muscles through his T-shirt. Her right leg came up and rubbed against his outer thigh.
He moved fast, cupping her ass to pick her up. She squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from falling. He walked her backward, and she sunk her fingers into his hair. She loved the thickness, the length, the darkness sprinkled with thin lines of gray she barely noticed except when they were close.
A solid surface stopped Remmy's progress. With her back pressed against the wall, she gazed down into his face. God, she loved him.
She traced the lines at the corner of his eyes, smoothing them out and watching them crinkle again as he smiled. His goatee more a beard lately, because he hadn't shaved since they went on high alert, darkened his face. She lowered her head, smiling against his lips as his whiskers tickled her face.
"Hey," Kurt bellowed. "Whose phone is going off?"
She lifted her head, listened to the tune, and slapped at Remmy's shoulders. "Oh God, that's mine."
He set her down as Rain's cell also went off. She hurried to the table in the corner and snatched up her phone, swyping the screen. "Hello?"
"Hello, Natalie. It's Steven Kraum. I hope I'm not interrupting you."
She pressed her hand to her chest, willing her heart to slow down. "No, it's fine. Is there any news about Will?"
"That's what I'm calling about. Mr. Fausel called, and there's still no word from Mr. Oman. Because of his disappearance, we need to meet and go over our options. As you know, dear, in his absence, you hold total control of the mine. We need to make sure the managers and the union understand that you're the only active share holder at this time."
She didn't know that. There were many times in the last year when she ignored any information regarding Meghoni Mine and blindly signed her name on the paperwork. She closed her eyes for a few extra beats. Now she felt inadequate. She had no idea what to do.
"When do I have to meet you at the office?" she said, feeling Remmy behind her.
"Because of the time-sensitive matter and having to deliver the papers to the union, I'll take a charter plane and fly into Smelterville, and then rent a car and drive to Federal. Is there a location where we could meet?"
"I...uh, can you hold for a moment?" she asked.
"Absolutely."
She touched the mute button and turned around to Remmy. "Will's still missing. Mr. Kraum needs to meet with me
to sign papers, because control of the mine moves to me if Will's absent. I don't know what to tell him. Can he come here?"
Remmy shook his head. "Is there any way you can hold him off a few days?"
"No." She moistened her lips. "For the union and managers at the mine to continue, the paperwork must be filed. I could meet him at the Inn in town."
"No." Remmy glanced over at Rain who continued talking on his phone. "Set up a time to meet him at the sheriff's department. I'll have Sheriff Colby open one of the rooms for you to use."
"Okay." She tapped the screen of her phone again. "Mr. Kraum?"
"I'm here."
"Name a time, and we can meet at the Sheriff's office on Cedar Street in Federal. You'll be within fifteen minutes of Meghoni, so travel wise, you'll be close," she said.
"I can fly in tomorrow morning, say...ten o'clock?"
"That's fine. I'll see you then," she said.
"Thank you, Natalie. It should only take an hour of your time. If you have any questions, I can discuss your options with you then," Mr. Kraum said. "See you tomorrow."
"Bye." She disconnected the call.
Remmy took her phone from her and set it on the nearest table, then gathered her in his embrace. "Breathe, lady."
She inhaled a shuddering breath. "I can't. Will's been gone over a week, and I'm worried sick that something has happened to him. I don't know how to run Meghoni Mine and have no desire to learn. I never paid attention to what Robert did pertaining to his work or what was expected of me if he died, because that wasn't supposed to happen. Even afterward, I was fine with Will taking control of management and letting me stay in the background."
"We'll deal with everything, but nothing has to be done this minute." He framed her face with his hands. "Look at me, lady. You're not alone. I know it seems like you hold the responsibility of the mine company in your hands right now, but you've got a lawyer, managers, and a lot of experienced people willing to help. They know you'll need help, and they know the circumstances on why you're now in control of everything. Just take one day at a time."
She puffed out her cheeks and blew the air out. "Okay, but if I mess everything up and the mine goes under, I'll never forgive myself."