Skylar looked over Shades’ shoulder and down the road, and she couldn’t imagine where in the world he was taking her.
Finally, as they reached a curve in the shoreline, he turned off onto a dirt drive that led to a small A-frame cabin. It was set up from the shoreline on a slight rise that gave it a magnificent view of the lake and the mountain ridges in the far distance. It was a spectacular vista.
He stopped the bike and shut it off. She stared, stunned.
“Babe, climb off.” His words shook her from her daze. She scrambled off, and he dropped the kickstand and got off.
“Where are we?” she asked, glancing around. The place appeared to be quiet as if it was deserted.
“My place,” he informed her as he headed toward the entrance.
“Your place?” she asked, and she was sure her voice couldn’t have come out more stunned.
He looked back at her as he jammed a key in the door and unlocked it. “Yeah, my place.”
She followed him inside. The interior of the cabin was all beautiful honey-golden wood. The floors, the walls, the ceilings. And beyond, facing the lake was a stunning wall of windows. It really was breathtaking.
In front of the windows was the living area, a small stone fireplace off to the right. Behind the living area and next to where she was standing by the back entrance, was a small kitchen with an open bar that faced the wall of windows and the lake beyond. There were several barstools tucked under it.
Shades threw his keys on the bar, shrugged out of his cut and tossed it over the back of one of the barstools, and then stalked into the small kitchen.
Skylar took a few steps into the living room, toward the windows. The view was amazing. There was a deck out front and a dock beyond that, but no boat of any kind tied up to it. Turning, Skylar’s eyes lifted to the high vaulted ceilings, and she saw the loft above, with the kitchen area tucked in under it. There was a staircase leading up to it off to the left.
“You want something to drink?” Shades asked, and Skylar’s eyes dropped from the loft to see that he was standing in front of the refrigerator, one arm propped on the open door.
“I’ll take a cola if you have one.”
He reached inside and grabbed a couple cans and returned to her. Stopping in front of her, he held one out. She took it.
“Thanks.”
He popped the top on his and guzzled some down.
That he owned this place was just so shocking. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for clues to just who this new Shades was. There was a plaid couch, but it wasn’t old or ratty. It actually seemed like good quality. An old wooden chest served as a coffee table. Motorcycle magazines were scattered over it. She glanced to the fireplace. A few knickknacks on the mantle, a candle, a small clock, and what looked like a bike part. Her eyes lifted to the large framed photo mounted above it. It was a black and white. A line of guys on bikes sat facing the camera, some western mountain range in the background.
He came to stand behind her, and she felt his heat against her back.
“Trip to Sturgis couple years back,” he enlightened her. “Black Hills. Way in the background, that’s Mount Rushmore.”
“It’s a great shot.” She leaned closer. “Which one are you?”
“Third from the right.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“We still got some shit to talk about. You want to do it in here or out on the deck?”
She turned back to him. His expression was unreadable, but there was tension around his mouth and eyes. He wasn’t as pissed off as he’d seemed when they’d left the clubhouse. Perhaps the ride had calmed him down. She looked toward the windows. “The deck.”
He opened the door, and she followed him out. It smelled fresh and clean, like pine trees, water and flowers. She could hear frogs croaking and crickets chirping.
“Have a seat.”
She glanced around. The deck wasn’t overly large, but it was V shaped, thrusting out to a point toward the water. Instead of your standard wooden railing with spindles, the deck was enclosed with clear glass panels, so as not to obscure the view. Skylar couldn’t help but think that was worth every penny of added cost.
There was a small table and chairs. Shades sat in one, and she sat in the one next to him. She took a sip of her drink and looked out over the lake, suddenly nervous around him. No longer sure he even wanted her around. And the last thing she wanted was to be some place she wasn’t wanted. She’d had enough of that while growing up to last her a lifetime. Instead of ignoring it, she decided to face it head on. She turned to him and asked, “Do you want me here?”
He looked over at her and frowned. “Of course I want you here.”
“Doesn’t seem like it.” He let out an aggravated breath. Great. Now she was an aggravation.
“Sky, it’s just a lot to take in. You and the DKs and all the rest of it.”
“I told you I don’t want to cause you trouble, I can go—”
“Skylar, would you shut up about that. It’s not about you causing me trouble, and I don’t ever want to hear you say anymore shit about leaving.”
“Then what is it about?”
“Things just got way more complicated.”
“Complicated as in no longer worth the trouble?”
“I didn’t say that. Don’t go putting words in my mouth.”
She shut up and brought the can to her lips, taking a pissed off drink.
“Babe…” He broke off, took a second to collect his thoughts and then continued. “We already had some stuff to work through. The list just got longer is all.” He shook his head. “Still tryin’ to wrap my head around you bein’ with a DK.”
“Shades, earlier at the party, before they showed up, you went to great lengths to explain to me that we both were going to have to set our pasts aside if we were going to make this work. I think the problem is you only thought it was going to be me having to put your shit aside, not the other way around.”
He ran his hand through his hair, his eyes on the horizon. “Maybe. Maybe it’s just that if there were any guys in your past…”
“What?”
“In my head, I guess I figured it’d be a pencil-pushing geeky accountant or some piss-ant sales manager.” He lifted his can and shook his head. “Not a member of the fuckin’ Devil Kings.”
She watched him take a drink, his eyes still on the horizon. “So where do we go from here?”
“I don’t know.”
Her stomach dropped. That sounded like he wasn’t sure their relationship could go anywhere from here. “Tell me we can work through this, Shades. Please. I don’t want to lose you again.”
He turned his head then, his eyes coming to hers, and his hand reached out for hers. “You’re not going to lose me again, Sky. I’m in this. You understand? For the long-haul.”
She nodded and felt the pressure around her heart ease.
His eyes went back to the view. “Just gotta figure some shit out.”
“Can we…figure it out in bed?” she asked softly.
His head swiveled, and he studied her a long moment. He set his can down and pulled hers from her hand and set it down as well. “First smart thing you’ve said all day.”
She rolled her eyes.
He stood up and pulled her from her chair, and then he was striding through the door, across the floor and up the stairs. And she was hurrying to keep up with him.
When they got to the loft, she realized it was much bigger than it’d looked from below.
There was plenty of headroom where she’d thought the ceiling would have been closing in on them. There was room enough for the large king bed that sat front and center. How he’d gotten a bed that size up here, she couldn’t imagine. Behind it was a large window. He moved to it and pushed it open, letting in a cool breeze. When they slept, their heads would be right next to it. She liked that. She’d be able to lie and listen to the night sounds.
Shades moved toward the bed, pulling his tee shirt over
his head as he went. Her eyes drifted over his muscular back from his powerful shoulders to his narrow hips and the two dimples at the small of his back. Then he was turning to face her, and he caught her eyes checking out his ass.
He grinned.
As he tossed the shirt in his fist to the floor, she took in his chest and abs. And then his hands were unbuckling his belt. He pulled it free and dropped it. When his belt hit the floor with a bang and a clatter, their restraint seemed to fall with it, as if the sound triggered the release of their self-control. They both moved simultaneously toward each other, coming together with grasping arms and clutching hands.
Shades grabbed her head in his hands, and his mouth plundered hers, and it was almost as if he had something to prove, as if he was claiming her, as if all the talk of her with a Devil King member had driven something in him.
She was just as urgent to prove to Shades that it was him she wanted, it was him she’d always wanted.
He broke the kiss long enough to pull her shirt over her head. His hands immediately going to the waist of her jeans, but even in his hurry, his eyes took the time to travel over every inch of her exposed cleavage. He opened her jeans, and then squatted down to yank them to her feet. She stepped out of them and kicked them aside. The pretty lacy matching bra and panty had him pausing a moment to take in the sexy vision she presented to him.
He hit his knees, and his big hands closed over her waist, then slid up to the edge of her bra and back down to the top of her panty. He pressed a soft kiss to her belly, and then his hands slid around her waist and up her back to the closure of her bra. With a flick of his fingers, the hooks popped free, and then his fingers were curling around her bra straps to pull them slowly down her arms, tossing it aside.
On his knees, he was the perfect height to capture a nipple with his hot mouth. Skylar’s head fell back as her eyes closed, and she felt the pull and tug shoot through her as his mouth drew deeply on her. Her fingers threaded through his hair, and she held him to her.
His hands ran over her bottom, his fists kneading her cheeks as his mouth moved to her other nipple. She felt her knees get weak, and then his arms were locking around her thighs, holding her up as his mouth wouldn’t let up.
Then his mouth broke free as he trailed a line of soft open-mouthed kisses down her belly. His hands hooked in the lace at her hips and drew them down her hips.
Before she knew what he was about, he was on his feet and lifting her to toss her on the bed, coming down on top of her. She wrapped her arms around him, loving the feel of his weight on her as his muscular chest pressed her down, pinning her to the bed.
His hands held her head still as his mouth plundered hers.
He still had his jeans on, and the rough material stroked over her skin as he moved on top of her, his knee coming down between her thighs, spreading them apart, and then he was settling his hips in the cradle of her thighs. The course fabric rasped over her sex, and she moaned. He rocked his hips, dragging against her again as he held himself above her. Studying her reactions as they played across her face, he smiled, repeating the motion again and again until she was writhing under him.
“I want you wild and needy and hungry for it, baby.”
“I am. I am.”
He shook his head, stroking again. “More.”
Her hands slid down his back, scratching lightly and then she grabbed his ass, pulling him even harder against her. She could feel his erection, hard and long pressed against the placket of his jeans, pressing against her.
And then it wasn’t enough anymore as she was reaching her hands between them, frantically working the opening of his jeans. He lifted his weight off her to give her better access. His head dipped to watch as she yanked his jeans down and pulled him out.
“Hurry, honey,” she whispered.
As soon as his loose fitting jeans dropped to his knees, he dropped down, his weight coming between her thighs and he thrust his hips, driving into her as her legs wrapped around him, urging him on.
And then he rolled to his back until she was on top straddling him. His warm big hands clasped her hips, and he began to move her up and down.
“Ride me, Sky.”
She put her hands on his rock solid chest and leaning forward, began to undulate on him, rocking her hips slowly against him, rubbing against him over and over.
“Oh, God, that feels good,” she whispered brokenly.
He grinned, his hands squeezing tighter, and he ground her against him. “Let me see you come. I want to see you come, pretty girl.”
She threw her head back and rocked against him again and again until a sheen of sweat broke across her skin. As she got close she dipped her head down and took in his sexy half closed eyes that were locked on her jiggling breasts. And then his hands broke their tight hold on her hips to glide up her waist and close over her breasts as he thrust up into her.
She collapsed on top of him with a groan as her orgasm broke over her.
His arms wrapped around her, and a moment later he was rolling them, putting her back on bottom, and taking control back.
She could feel him still rock hard within her.
He brushed the hair back from her face.
“I want to take you hard, baby. You gonna let me?”
“Yes. I want you to.”
He went up on his knees, his hands clutching her hips as he began thrusting hard, pounding into her in a frenzy of need. His breathing ragged, his body a mass of raging need as his control broke. He hammered into her, and she’d never seen anything so erotic, except maybe a few minutes later when he crashed over the edge in a wave of ecstasy. He slammed home, and his chest heaved as he floated down. All the strength and energy drained right out of him, and he lowered down on top of her. And it was beautiful.
Her arms went around him, holding him close, her fingers threading in his hair, her lips trailing soft kisses up his neck to his ear. She felt him smile, where his cheek was pressed to hers.
“I love that,” he murmured.
“Sex?”
“No, you touching me like that.” And then he chuckled into her neck. “The sex too.”
She continued touching him softly, stroking his back and neck.
“I can’t move.” His voice was muffled against her.
“I don’t want you to.”
“Good.”
To prove her point, she wrapped her legs around him, moaning lightly when the tenderness in her thighs made itself known.
“You’re gonna be sore tomorrow.” Was that pride in his voice she heard?
“Yes.” She couldn’t help the smile on her face.
“Good.”
“Good?”
“I want you to think about me being between your legs, deep in your pussy, every time you feel that tenderness.” He arched into her to underline his words, and she moaned again.
His mouth moved to her neck, and he began sucking.
“What are you doing?” she squealed.
He released her with a pop, and then lifted up to grin down at her. “Marking you, baby.”
“Did you give me a hickey?”
He grinned, his eyes dropping to her neck. “Maybe.”
“What are we, sixteen?”
His thumb reached up and brushed over the mark. “It’s kind of turning me on.”
Since he had yet to pull out of her, she could tell.
He dipped his head, and his eyes skated down her body. “Maybe I’ll put some more in other places.”
“You’d better be teasing.”
He waggled his brows without answering.
****
Shades pulled out slowly, moved to his back and pulled Skylar to cuddle against his chest. He stroked his fingers absently through her hair. Now that they’d both gotten off, thoughts crowded his mind again. Life never seemed to give them a break or cut them any slack, it was like the fates were plotting against them. Fuck that. They’d make their own fate. He wasn’t letting anything get between
them again.
“I’m scared, Shades,” she whispered. Obviously reality was crowding her head also.
“Of the DKs?” he murmured against the top of her head into her silky hair.
She nodded against his chest.
“I’ll take care of it, honey. You don’t worry about it. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”
“I messed up big time.”
“No you didn’t.” He grinned. “Except maybe your choice in men.”
She lifted her head to look at him.
His eyes studied hers. “You try so hard to better yourself, and you are, Sky. You deserve better, you deserve that good life.
“But then, babe, gotta say, you seem to have one fatal flaw.” He shook his head. “You always seem to choose the worst men for you. Men that can do nothing but bring you down.”
“Not always. Not you.”
“Babe.”
“Maybe after you pushed me away, maybe I didn’t think I deserved good, deserved what I wanted. You get pushed away enough, you stop expecting anything good. All my life I’ve been passed from home to home. Do you know what that makes a child feel like inside? Unwanted. Unloved. Why should I expect that pattern to change? It’s been engrained in me my whole life. Don’t get attached. Don’t let yourself care, because the moment you do, whatever it is you care about will be ripped from you. That’s just life. That’s just my life.”
He took her face in his hands. “Not anymore, Skylar. Not anymore.”
Her arms tightened around his gut.
He kissed her forehead, then murmured with a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth, “You’re not off the hook for this, though.”
“I’m not?”
“I’m gonna think up some ways you can pay me back for all the trouble you’re causing, woman,” he teased.
“Payback, huh?”
“Um hmm. And you can start with this.” He slid his hands in her hair and pushed her head slowly down towards his crotch.
She lifted up and looked at him with a smile. “Oh, for starters, huh?”
“Yup. I’ll come up with some other stuff while you’re down there getting busy.”
She slid lower. And then she got busy.
SHADES: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series Book 3) Page 17