by Zoey Parker
Then, suddenly, one of the girls caught my eye. She looked different than the rest of them, like she was standing beneath a different light or something. I blinked my eyes and refocused. Either I was way drunker than I realized or something weird as hell was happening, because I could swear she had a crazy glow to her skin.
“I’ll be right back,” I muttered.
“Where ya goin’?” Slick asked, but I ignored him as I set my drink down and slowly began to wind my way over towards the girl. I felt cold and sharp. The warm, hazy drunk had disappeared instantly, and now I was like a shark zeroing in on my target. One hundred percent focus. Eyes for nothing but the goal.
The goal in question had her back to me. She was wearing a sparkling black backless top that plunged down to expose her spine and shoulder blades, what little I could see of them between the strands of the blonde hair swooping down her back. She was fit and tanned. Her body looked ripe for the taking. I wanted to grip and squeeze it, to run my tongue up along every vertebra and then flip her over and work my way back down between her legs.
Her friends were standing on either side of her, a brunette girl I didn’t know and a tall, skinny, mohawked kid I recognized as Hawkeye, one of the guys who worked at the local tattoo parlor. I dismissed them both silently. They would have to stand aside and let me dive in there. I wasn’t going to be denied.
I slid around the edge of the room until I was facing her from a few dozen feet away. She hadn’t noticed me yet, but I didn’t want to sneak up on her from behind. When I bore down on a girl, I wanted her to see me from a distance. Let the tension build until I arrived—half fear, half wondering what was coming next. Just the way I liked it.
I squared my shoulders and started a slow, smooth glide in her direction. Her mouth was painted with a dark, neat streak of lipstick. I couldn’t help but wonder what it would taste like. Above a slim nose, a pair of gray eyes sparkled. I did a double take. I’d never seen eyes like that before. They were almost unnatural. The pale shade of her irises and her blonde skin gave her an angelic sheen. There wasn’t another girl like her in the building, or even the whole damn state. This one was special.
And I wasn’t going to stop until I made her mine.
“I don’t know you,” I said bluntly as I strode into their small cluster. “Why’s that?”
Her friend whirled to her side to look up at me. I felt her eyes boring into the side of my face, but I kept my gaze locked on the blonde girl. Hawkeye looked at me, then away again. He knew the score. He knew who was in charge around here. I liked the guy, but if he was going to try to be protective of this innocent little peach, he had another thing coming indeed.
“I’m not sure,” the girl said after a long moment.
I didn’t want to take my eyes off her for a second, not even to blink; she was that beautiful. Christ, where did girls like this come from? It was a strange attraction, too. On any other day, I probably would have focused on her brunette friend to my left. That one had more of the wild vixen vibe to her, the kind I usually went for. One glance, and I knew she’d be down for anything.
But tonight was a special night. Another feather in the cap for my presidency. I was going to celebrate in style. This angel would be my treat.
She started to drop her eyes, but then she caught herself and looked back up. I liked that. She didn’t want to be afraid of me. Of course, no one could ever resist that feeling for long, but half the fun was in finding the breaking point in a girl like this. Seeing how far I could take her before she moaned for release.
The room was pounding with the noise of music and conversation, but I didn’t notice a thing. Her friends, the room around us, it all faded away to nothing as I took a step closer and asked, “What’s your name?” One hand drifted from my side to hers and came to rest lightly on her hip. She flinched, but softened immediately afterwards.
“Carmen,” she whispered. I was close enough to hear her hushed voice despite the chaos raging on all sides.
“I’m Ben,” I told her.
“Ben,” she repeated.
I winked. “You got it, babe.”
“Do you work here?” Her voice was shy, hesitant.
I laughed at the question. “I guess you could say that.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m the president.”
She reached a hand to her mouth and started to chew on a fingernail. Fuck, girls just had the most adorable habits sometimes. They’d look like ice queens one moment, damn near untouchable, and then with just a little bit of pressure they’d go and reveal that inner quirk, the one little behavior that made you want to dive in and crack them wide open, see the whole world the way they did. It baffled me how something so simple could make my whole body twinge so damn hard.
Slick staggered past behind us, one arm around the girl he was with. He gave me a wild nod and wink, but his foot caught on a loose floorboard. I saw it all happen in slow motion. His drunk smile turned into a look of surprised horror as he lost his balance and tipped forward. He was on track to barrel into Carmen, and the sloppy bastard was big enough to do some damage to this girl if he hit her.
Just as he was about to knock into her, my palm slid around to splay widely on the small of her back. I pulled her slightly into me to avoid the collision. She was close enough for me to feel her warmth. Her skin beneath my hand was damp with the beginnings of sweat, but soft and smooth to the touch. I growled low in my throat. Slick tumbled down and hit the ground right behind her with a heavy thud.
I looked down at Carmen. She was so tiny in my arms and so wide-eyed as she looked down at the accident we’d narrowly avoided and then back at me.
“Thanks,” she said.
“Never know what’s gonna happen next around here.”
“It’s a little intimidating,” she admitted.
“Ain’t so bad once you get used to it. Just watch out for that son of a bitch.” I nodded towards Slick, clambering to his feet behind her.
She giggled. “Is he okay?”
“Oh, Slick? He’ll be fine. This is all in a day’s work for the guy. He’s a fixture around here.”
She was giggling, but I could still sense some fear in her. I was sure this was a lot to handle all at once. I needed to dial it back for a second, let the conversation breathe. The last thing I wanted was to scare this girl off just yet.
I took a sudden step back and held her by her shoulders at arms’ length, then looked to her friends who were still standing on either side of us, looking nervous. “Speaking of ‘here,’ have you all been given the official clubhouse tour?”
Carmen and her friend shook their heads no in unison.
“Slick,” I called over her shoulder, “you rude bastard, you didn’t even treat our guests to a tour?” I turned back to them. “I apologize. My colleagues have no manners. Let me show you around.”
I grabbed Carmen’s hand and tugged her through the crowd until we found a hollow of space at the corner of the bar. I reached below the countertop and plucked out a dusty bottle of old whiskey and four shot glasses. Setting them on the surface, I poured out a hefty shot for Hawkeye and me and little ones for the two girls. I handed theirs over and raised the rim of all of our glasses to touch.
“The tour begins with a complimentary beverage,” I said in an overly formal tone, a wry smile cracking my face in two, “to be drank along with the official toast.”
“What’s the toast?” Carmen asked.
“In honor of your hosts, of course.” I raised my glass. “To the Knights.”
She and her friend looked at each other with wide eyes. Then, they cleared their throats and repeated what I had said.
“To the Knights.”
Carmen coughed and her eyes watered as the liquor slid down the back of her throat. I almost laughed out loud. She was so cute, clearly unused to the burning drink, but trying her damnest not to let me see it. Flat out adorable.
As I watched her compose herself, I felt a lurch.
Goddamn, there it was again, that wild little twinge in my gut. It was like a cousin to the feeling of horniness. The desire to reach out and grab was there, but it had mutated into something just a bit different, a bit unfamiliar. Softer, maybe. Hell, I didn’t know. But this girl was doing strange things to me. Real fuckin’ strange.
Chapter Five
Carmen
I could barely see straight after taking that God-awful shot with nothing afterwards to wash the taste away. Matter of fact, there wasn’t a chaser in sight. I had no choice but to suffer and cough while the whiskey burned a hole in the back of my throat and the pit of my stomach.
I tried not to make a big scene, but I could see Ben laughing at me as I hacked into the crook of my elbow. His eyes were dancing, lit up like the Fourth of July between the reflections from the lights strung around the room and something deeper, something that came from inside him.
I didn’t know what to make of him. He had swept in like a force of nature, and even though he hadn’t said much, I felt like he had this crazy aura that just extended out from the middle of him and snatched me up like a wave at the beach.
Part of it was due to the fact he was so comfortable, whereas I was still reeling from all the craziness unfolding everywhere I looked. From the second Lori and I had walked in the door with Hawkeye, it had been one jaw-dropping scene after another. Bikers studded with metal piercings and covered in tattoos from head to toe, more variations of leather jackets and heavy, steel-toed boots than I knew were possible—the room just went on and on, each square foot filled with another grizzly man or badass biker chick who looked like she could chew me up and spit me out without a second thought.
As soon as we’d entered, I’d looked down at myself and felt out of place. Still, I had to admit that Lori had done a magical job at making me look like I belonged here. I was wearing skintight leather pants she’d fished out of the nether regions of my closet, along with sharp stiletto heels. That was all well and good, if a little ridiculous, but what really set the whole thing off was the top she’d chosen. When she first held it up, I immediately told her, “Not a chance.”
“C’mon,” she’d pleaded, giving me the puppy dog eyes that worked so well on every single member of the opposite gender. “You’re gonna make chins hit the floor as soon as you step into that place, I’m telling you.”
“I don’t care; there’s no way you’re convincing me to wear that. For God’s sake, it doesn’t even have a back!”
“I know!” she squealed. “It’s so hot!”
I’d been adamant, as firm and stubborn as I knew how to be. And, as luck would have it, I’d ended up wearing the damn thing anyway.
No back on the shirt meant no bra, so all I had to cover me up was this thin, sparkling material. One errant swipe might’ve whisked the whole thing off of me in a single go. Looking around, there were plenty of men here capable of doing something like that. A few women, too.
But if I felt naked in my clothes before, then I didn’t even know how to describe the way I felt as soon as Ben had strolled up. Strolled might not have been the best word for it. He was casual, as calm and collected as anyone had ever been, but it was in a controlled kind of way, like he was a panther on the prowl. Ready to pounce at any moment. On me.
I wiped a tear away from my eye. “I’m sorry,” I said, setting the glass back on the bar top. “I’m not much of a drinker.”
Ben’s smile broadened another little bit. “Not to worry. There are enough drunk assholes at this party already. No need to throw yourself into that category.”
“Are you one of those drunk assholes?” Lori asked pointedly.
I wanted to smack her. My whole face turned a burning red immediately and I had to squeeze a fist to stop myself from lashing out at her right away. Instead, I snuck my hand behind her so Ben couldn’t see. “Shut up,” I hissed out of the corner of my mouth as I gave her a vicious pinch on the ass.
She yelped and gave me an innocent look. “What?” she protested. “It’s a fair question!”
Ben laughed. “It’s fine,” he told me. “She’s right; it is a fair question.”
Lori crossed her arms and looked at me triumphantly. “See? Told you.”
I swallowed the embarrassed lump in my throat and tried to smile. It felt forced and awkward. I didn’t know what was happening in me. Well, I did and I didn’t at the same time. The cause was obvious. He was standing in front of me, all six and a half feet of him, chiseled out of bronze marble and with a wickedly handsome smile. But as far as the effect he was having on my stomach and between my legs, that was very new, indeed.
“I never got your name, by the way,” he said coolly.
“I’m Lori,” she answered. She still had her sass on full blast. I knew she was just trying to be protective, especially given how uncomfortable I’d been since the second we’d arrived. But this was different. Without any proof whatsoever, I felt like we could trust Ben. Like I’d be safe with him. It was a silly thought, maybe even just the alcohol talking, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was capable of devouring me without hurting me at all. Yep, definitely the alcohol.
“Well, Lori,” he rumbled, “to answer your question, there are, like I said, many drunk assholes in here. I’m certainly an asshole. But, the numerous shots I’ve had notwithstanding, I’m far from drunk. Sober enough to drive. To race, even. As a matter of fact, why don’t you let me take your friend here for a spin on my bike? Carmen, what do you think?”
His attention swung to me before I was even close to ready. I panicked. Where was my voice? Why couldn’t I talk? Words, Carmen, words! Use them! I screamed internally. “Um…well, uh, if you’re sure,” I mumbled. I didn’t understand why my tongue felt so thick and useless. It was like the disaster at the park with Dan all over again. My life was apparently becoming some sick rendition of Groundhog Day. Maybe I had died without knowing it and now I was stuck in some hellish purgatory where I had to stumble through awkward, embarrassing encounters with beautiful men over and over again. I couldn’t find any evidence to dispute it.
“I’m always sure,” he said.
And, damn, I really believed him. Being unsure didn’t seem like it was even a remote possibility for Ben. I nodded hesitantly.
“Perfect. Come on, I’ll show you my ride.”
“Wait,” Lori said.
Ben paused with one eyebrow raised. He looked startled for a moment at how forward she was, but then he relaxed and shook his head, like he didn’t even believe that he’d listened to her command.
Lori grabbed me by the shoulder and leaned over to whisper in my ear. “Are you okay?” she asked.
To be fair, I had no clue what was going on with me. But it seemed like the only thing to do was say yes and let myself be pushed and pulled in whatever direction the universe happened to have in store for me this evening. Right now, that seemed to be with Ben. I swallowed and nodded hesitantly.
“We can get out of here if you’re uncomfortable,” she said. She leaned back and looked me in the face, examining me for signs of uncertainty.
“I don’t know,” I said, biting my lip. “What do you think?” I snuck a glance at Ben and noticed that he was leaning back against the bar, intently watching us whisper back and forth.
“Well, for starters, he’s hot as hell.”
I giggled nervously.
“And what’s the harm in a bike ride? It’ll be fun. He seems trustworthy and sober. I think you should do it.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. I was putting all my trust in her to be the voice of reason. Knowing Lori and how reckless she could be at times, that might have been a mistake, but all my senses seemed to have abandoned me completely.
“Look, Carmen,” she said. She squeezed my hand in hers. “You never take risks like this. Your dad isn’t here to tell you no. I say you should go for it. Live on the wild side.” She jerked her head at Ben. “And what’s wilder than a ride with a sexy biker? Besides,” she added in a sarc
astic drawl, “it’s not like you have to sleep with him.”
I nodded again. “Just the ride.”
“Just the ride,” she confirmed. There was a tone to her voice that made me think she had no intentions of letting me stop at just the ride, but before I could ask her what exactly she had in mind for me, Ben leaned back towards us.
“Everything all right, ladies?” he asked.
“Just peachy,” Lori shot back right away. “Carmen is excited. Which way’s your bike?”
He straightened upright and cracked his knuckles. “This way,” he said.