by Joanna Blake
Finally the trucker got up and left, putting a few bucks on the counter. Kaylie put the money into the register, pocketed the tip (45 cents) and ran a rag over the spot where the coffee cup had been. Charlie had already put the cup and saucer in the dishwasher so they were out of there in two minutes flat.
She waved goodbye to Charlie and stepped onto the sidewalk, pulling her old wooly cardigan in the front to keep warm. It might be June, but it still got cold at night sometimes.
It was eerily quiet too, making her look around for her usual motorcycle escort. They were nowhere to be seen at the moment.
She sighed and stepped out onto the sidewalk, turning the corner off the main road.
"Need a ride?"
Kaylie stopped dead in her tracks. Leaning against his bike was a very handsome, very clean shaven, very wrapped in leather and tight jeans Devlin McRae.
Had he been waiting for her since he left a half hour ago?
"Hi."
He grinned and looked up at her from under that lock of blond hair that always seemed to be falling just so over one eye. Her stomach dropped nervously at the come hither look in his green eyes.
Bedroom eyes. So that's what that meant. Uh yeah. The guy looked like he’d invented the phrase.
He had definitely been waiting for her.
"Hi."
She swallowed nervously, wishing she had drank that cup of coffee after all. Maybe she'd be quick witted instead of standing there like a dullard when the most beautiful, and by far the most dangerous man she'd ever laid eyes on was - what?
Asking her out? Not that exactly. But he was offering her a ride on the back of his bike. She realized she hadn’t ever seen him ride double before.
With anyone.
He didn't seem put off by her silence though. He just held out his hand. There was a helmet in his other hand. For her.
"Don't worry, I'll go slow."
She could have sworn there was something in his smirk as she saw herself putting her hand into his. He wasn't just talking about the bike. He was talking about… other things.
She stared up at him as he slid the helmet over her head, locking the chin strap into place. He ran his thumb over her cheek as she blinked up at him, completely under his spell.
Snap out of it, girl!
Before she knew it she was behind him, her legs straddling the bike, her arms wrapped around his taut midriff. Even through the worn leather jacket she could feel his muscles.
Goodness, he had a lot of muscles.
"Hold on."
She tightened her grip as he revved the motor and took off. Her cheek was pressed against his shoulder, and suddenly she could smell him. He smelled like oil, leather and something else indefinable. But masculine.
Very, very masculine.
The rumbling of the bike underneath her felt odd, making her feel all tingly inside. This was really happening.
She was letting Devlin ride her home.
Had she been cold before? Because suddenly she was burning up.
Chapter 3
Devlin
He rode slower than usual, keeping a tight reign on his instincts. He wanted to go fast. To ride Kaylie all the way to his house and tear her clothes off.
But she was a good girl. Too good for him to hump like a dog. Even if that’s exactly what he wanted to do.
Kaylie was too precious for that.
He was going to take what he wanted of course, but he was going to do it the right way. Nice and slow. Even if it made his dick ache and his balls turn blue.
She was worth it.
He grinned as he took a sharp corner. He felt her hands on his waist. He had planned on taking her straight home, starting his courtship tomorrow.
And this was a courtship, there was no doubt about it.
But now that she was on the back of my bike, he couldn’t resist taking the scenic route. Hell, any place Kaylie went was scenic. The girl was just that beautiful.
Her sweet thighs were wrapped around his hips. Her gorgeous face inches behind him. He could feel her luscious curves pressed into his back.
Curves no one had touched.
He decided he had to have a little taste. Not enough to scare her. Just enough to keep him sane until he saw her again.
And he knew just the spot to take her to.
Chapter 4
Kaylie
They rode around the outskirts of town before he headed back toward her house. He was clearly taking the long way. She was glad. It gave her time to calm her heart and try and think of something clever to say.
He pulled over a few blocks from home and turned his head, lifting his voice over the roar of the engine.
"Do you need to go right in?”
She shook her head 'no.' Even though she knew her mother would worry if she took too long. Even though she had no idea what Devlin wanted, or anything about him really.
That wasn't exactly true though was it?
She did know about him. She knew he wanted her and she knew he was protective. And tough. But he was always sweet to her.
That's all that mattered, right?
Besides, nothing on God's green earth would keep her from going with him tonight.
He picked up speed as he turned up the mountain road. He was taking her to the overlook. He must be. That was the only thing up there.
Lovers lane.
Her heart was thudding in her chest as they climbed the sharp curves that led to the infamous make out spot. He took the steep road with ease and confidence. She felt completely safe on the back of his bike.
What she was worried about was what would happen when they stopped…
Would he kiss her? Would he want more? It was obvious he liked her. At this point there was no point in lying to herself about that. She liked him too.
No, she wanted him. She had for a long time. And she barely even knew what that meant. Calling her inexperienced was an understatement.
Now that she had him, she had no idea what to do with him.
They pulled into the clearing. He was helping her off the bike before she knew it. She tried to slow her heart but it beat wildly in her chest.
There was a knowing look in his eyes when he took off her helmet. He could probably see her blushing! But no- it was dark here. The thought gave her a small measure of comfort. He took her hand and led her over to the rocks overlooking the valley.
Kaylie watched nervously as he put his jacket onto a flat rock and guided her onto it. He sat beside her and stared out at the view. She decided to do the same thing and caught her breath in wonder.
She blinked, surprised by the view. It was incredible. You could see two counties from up here.
"It's beautiful…"
He looked at her with a hint of surprise.
"You haven't been up here before?"
She shook her head shyly.
"No. I mean, not at night."
That made him grin for some reason, which only made her cheeks even warmer.
Oh. Of course. He could probably tell how ignorant she was about… well, everything. She felt ridiculous sitting beside the sexiest man in town. The biker… and the nun.
She realized she was sitting on her hands and yanked them up and into her lap.
He put his arm around her and pulled her against his side. And then… nothing. He just sat there. He was wearing fingerless gloves that scratched her skin when he started to stroke her arm.
Her sweater had slid off her shoulder and he was petting her bare skin like a cat. Oh! Tingles shot through her body from the place where his fingertips brushed her, making lazy circles.
With a shock she realized her nipples were getting hard and a warm feeling was growing between her legs.
The feeling was unfamiliar but she knew instinctively what it was. It was desire. She wanted him, and not in an abstract way.
In a real, woman and man kind of way.
He pulled her in for a kiss, somehow sensing the exact moment that the tides had t
ipped in his favor. The urge to be close to him was finally overwhelming her nerves.
Her lips parted slightly under the pressure of his. He had surprisingly soft lips for a man. Not that she'd ever kissed a man before. A boy, yes. But this was a different matter entirely.
She was kissing Devlin McRae.
And the devil knew how to kiss.
Chapter 5
Devlin
Devlin inhaled the scent of the innocent young beauty in his arms. She tasted so sweet, fresh and clean and… chocolatey.
He smiled lazily against her lips. Though he felt anything but lazy. He felt like he could win a marathon. Or face a bull in the ring.
He felt like he could win a war with his bare hands.
"Hmmmm… you are delicious."
He lifted his head to look at her. Her eyes were still closed and a dreamy expression was on her face. He liked it even better than the blush she'd worn when they first arrived. She didn't know it, but he had excellent night vision.
He lowered his head quickly before she could come to her senses. He didn’t want to give her time to think. Or wonder why a nice girl like her was kissing the head of the most notorious Motorcycle Club in the county.
Hell, the SOS were feared statewide.
He grinned and slid his tongue along the soft pink lips, urging her to open her mouth. When she finally did, he eased his tongue inside, twirling it against hers. She let out a startled gasp before settling down again and letting him work his magic on her.
It was clear she hadn't been kissed much. He smiled even wider into her mouth. Instead of turning him off it inflamed him more than he could have imagined. He liked her innocence. He liked it a lot.
Of course, he was the one who made it clear to all the young men in town that she was off limits. The older ones too. That was nearly two years ago, and clearly whatever experience she'd had at that point was halted in it's tracks.
Once he'd put his claim on her, no one had dared to approach her. He suspected they had barely looked at her in all that time. Safer that way than looking, and wanting… he was the one who'd had to watch her grow up and blossom.
He was the one who had to wait.
He pulled her closer, resting his hands firmly on her hips. He resisted the urge to squeeze her round bottom or slide his hand up to her breasts. If she was any of the other women he'd bedded over the years, they'd be naked already.
But he'd waited this long for Kaylie, and he could wait a bit longer. He wanted to ease her into this. Make her want him as much as he wanted her, if that was even possible.
Not too much longer though.
The bulge in his pants was already becoming uncomfortable. Better to stop for now. They had time. If he had his way about it, she'd be available to him every night from here on out.
Forever.
He gritted his teeth and lifted his head. He'd stopped sleeping with the girls who hung around the club a couple of month ago, knowing that it was almost time to make his move with her.
Kaylie was the sort of woman that you didn't mind giving up cheap thrills for. Besides, he had a feeling there were plenty of thrills ahead. For both of them.
"I better take you home now. Don't want to worry mama."
Chapter 6
Kaylie
He brushed his knuckles over her cheek, his eyes oddly dark and somber. His gaze was somehow hot and tender, all at the same time.
“Come on, sweetheart.” He smiled ruefully. “Before I change my mind.”
She nodded, ashamed to admit to herself that she didn't want to leave. Didn't want him to stop kissing her, touching her, maybe even more. She'd forgotten completely about the time.
She glanced at her watch and gasped. He was right. Her mama was going to be worried. Normally she'd be home by now.
No, an hour ago. Dang.
He helped her onto the bike, fixing the helmet into place again. Then he swung on gracefully and kicked the throttle. She wondered how many times he'd done that.
Thousands probably.
He made it look so easy, like a panther leaping into a tree. She rested her cheek against the leather covering his shoulder, inhaling deeply. He hadn't pushed her to stay out or go further than she wanted to.
In fact, if anything, he'd left her wanting more.
They pulled up to her house, making her realize that he knew where she lived. Of course he did. He'd been having her followed, hadn't he? She bit her lip as he lifted her off the bike and undid the strap of her helmet for her. He ran his thumb over her lip this time, his eyes hooded with desire.
She closed her eyes, hoping he would kiss her again.
"Hi Devlin."
Kaylie jumped at her mother’s voice but Devlin didn't move. She peeked up at her mother and was surprised to see a placid look on her face as she smiled benignly at the man who'd driven her home on his motorcycle.
His big, mean looking motorcycle.
"Good evening Mrs. Thomas."
He grinned and winked at Kaylie's shocked expression.
"You didn't think I was going to take you riding without asking permission did you?"
He pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
“Sleep well, sweetheart. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Her mouth was open as he climbed back on his bike and rode away. She noticed he hadn’t asked for a date. He just told her he’d be back and assumed she’d be waiting.
But somehow she didn’t seem to mind.
Her mother gestured her inside with a knowing grin.
"What did he-"
"What did he ask me?"
"Yes, and more importantly when?"
Her mother grinned and locked the door behind her.
"That's between him and I. Now off to bed. You have a long day tomorrow."
"I do?"
Her mother just smiled and kissed her goodnight.
Chapter 7
Kaylie
Her mother shook her awake at 8 AM. Every fiber of her being longed to stay in bed. High school was finally over and she didn’t have to work at Mae’s or babysit today. There was plenty of time to do her house chores later.
She hadn't slept late in so long...
"What is it? Is everything okay?"
"Yes, sweetheart. Devlin is picking you up soon."
That got her attention. She sat up.
"He is? What for? How soon?"
Her mother shrugged and said "About an hour. I'll let him tell you about it. But he said to wear something comfortable and bring a sweater. You'll be out all day."
She stood up abruptly. Her mother turned back from the hallway.
"And a bikini."
"WHAT?"
She ran after her laughing mother, swatting her bottom. Why did her mother know more about what her - she didn't know what to call Devlin, not yet anyway - but why did her mother get to know more than she did?
She grinned suddenly, realizing he must have arranged all of this yesterday or even earlier. Asking her mother for permission was sweet.
She felt warm inside at the thought.
It had been just the two of them for so long, ever since her father had passed away. Having someone else looking out for her was nice. She was afraid to think about anything past that, or put too much importance on his actions.
Who knew what his intentions were really? But he was making her wonder if he was after more than just a summer fling.
She ran into the bathroom and took a shower, giddy with excitement. She took extra time shaving and then blew out her hair. Then she slipped into her bikini and pulled on a pair of cut off jean shorts and a pretty top.
She debated about what to do with her hair and decided to leave it down but to bring a clip so she could pull it back later. It would just get flattened by the helmet anyway. She stuffed a sweater, sunblock and lipgloss into a bag and was chugging a glass of orange juice when she heard the bike outside.
Butterflies erupted in her tummy, making her feel like they were doing summersaults insi
de her.
He was here.
Chapter 8
Devlin
Devlin rode through the warm June morning toward Kaylie's house. There was a grin on his face, and nothing could make it budge.
Today, he was picking up his woman.
He was pleased, despite everything that had gone down last night. A real shit show, and one that had him questioning who managed what.
He took his responsibilities seriously. The MC was his family, and he was the patriarch.
But last night, he’d had to be hard on them. He didn’t enjoy it but it had to be done. Big bad daddy was in full effect.
The club was considering taking on new members and had hazed a few new prospects from the group last night. Things had gotten a little out of hand with one of the young guys and now they had a prospect in the hospital with third degree burns.
Dave Fahey had been drinking heavily and dared the foolish kid to shoot flaming liquor out of his mouth. The kid would be alright- he'd even earned the club's respect by not screaming like a woman. He would be forever be known as whisky beard.
Dev hated stuff like that though. It wasn't what the club was about. Sure, getting hammered was a right of passage for the guys. But not every night. And hurting each other was wasteful- they had enough enemies in the state who were willing to do it for them- on both sides of the law.
Dave had been fined and had lost club privileges for a month. Whiskey Beard would be alright. And hopefully they had all learned a lesson about being reckless or hazing prospects too hard.
Plus, they didn’t need any more attention from the police.
He pushed aside the thought of the local law enforcement. Sheriff Dooley in particular, had a hard on for Devlin. His second in command Officer Grant was just as bad. Dev got facetious parking tickets on a weekly basis. He often found himself with a tail when he was out on his bike.