by V. Theia
He grinned and touched her mouth again. “Yeah, baby.”
“Okay good. and I promise I’ll do better with everything. The bacon and I’m getting a new job asap.”
“Listen up, you could lie on the couch all fucking day with the bleating goat for all I care, you don’t have to do a thing that you don’t want to.”
He was constantly flooring her and she didn’t know how to handle that kind of sweetness at all.
“But I owe you a lot of money, Tait. Like the most money of all. I have my trust fund now.”
“No fucking touching your trust fund, don’t even start me with that. Having that money gives you choices.”
“But…”
“Didn’t you tell a whole lot of people I own you?”
Her eyes rounded. “Well, yes, I did.”
“So I own you. Work or don’t work. But you don’t owe me a cent. I’m keeping this ripe little body to use as I want.”
She bloomed and launched at his mouth, swallowing his chuckle and she didn’t stop kissing him for a long minute.
“What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking I like having you here.”
This made her smile and feel emotions sting the back of her eyelids.
It’s funny how she was willing to make do all of her life, to fall in line with others just to keep the peace, to accept relationships she didn’t feel on fire about, to try and grasp onto the love she really wanted to feel.
Emotions must have passed through her eyes because Tait stroked her nose with his again. “Tell me you love me, Poppy.”
“Maybe I’ll make you work for it,” she teased and saw his eyes flare.
“Tell me you love me, Poppy.”
“I love you,” she whispered.
“Fuck, we need to get you on the pill so I can take you whenever I want you. Like right here. Just lift you onto my lap and drop you down onto my cock.”
“Here?” Round eyes. Slack lips. Really?
“Yeah, baby. No one would see us. Would you let me?”
He looked so devastatingly hot, that the answer flew out of her mouth. “Yes,” she breathed. “You own me, don’t you? You can do anything you want.”
He growled and rushed a kiss out of her mouth until her lips felt sore and delicious.
She tried to go in again and he stopped her with a finger on her lips.
He was breathing hard.
“Don’t touch me or try to kiss me, Poppy, or I swear you’ll be on your back with your legs open so I can feast on candy again. Save it for when we get home.”
“Okay,” she grinned, happy as could be. “But you should know, I really, really want to kiss you.”
He grunted as if to say he wanted that too.
“One more thing,” he said after taking a long pull of his beer she loved tasting on his tongue. His gentle eyes cut to hers. “If you feel it, share it. Whatever it is, baby. I’ve had too long where I hid behind lies. I need the truth, Poppy.”
He didn’t touch on how his brother’s marriage was probably steeped in lies and the same for his parents, but she got his meaning. He wanted a fully transparent relationship and that just made her happier.
“Even if what I say pisses you off?”
“Yeah. I’ll be pissed off, but it won’t stop me flipping up your skirt and eating your pussy. That would calm you down.”
She huffed even as she turned a hundred different shades of red, all the while picturing that exact scene until her body shuddered.
“Damn, are you imagining it right now?”
“Maybe.”
“I love you,” she shared just because she was feeling it.
“Good,” he smirked and it didn’t matter that he hadn’t given her the words, the look on his face said he felt it too.
Their talk was over.
She was in an official relationship with Tait Hunt, former hot biker, current hot man who rode a sweet as hell motorcycle. They owned a goat and a cat and he’d opened up a whole erotic world for her and she was more than happy.
“Tait Hunt, my boyfriend,” she murmured and heard him laugh as his lips touched her hairline, “such a goof.”
It was then the atmosphere got sort of thick and important.
People around them started to murmur and look to the entryway.
“The boys are here,” Tait supplied. Then added at her confusion. “People have heard what happened to Rider. This is a biker bar, baby, it means they’re about to get a welcome.”
And a loud welcome it was. The moment the gang of bikers piled through the double doorway everyone started whooping and hollering, whistling and cheering. Standing on chairs, clapping for the men in black leather and blue denim.
She noticed Tait’s mouth was half curled with a grin watching it happen. “You okay?”
“Yeah, Pop, I’m good.”
She believed he was this time.
Rolling her hand around the front of his throat, her mouth was against his stubble when she told him, “You are my hero.”
His lips touched her forehead and moved down her cheek slowly. “That’s what matters.”
Rider came in next. As did a lot of women she assumed belonged to the MC.
She recognized the one she had a fight with.
Of course there was Paige tucked under the arm of her husband, she slid onto his lap once the man was seated.
Rider had a brace on his denim leg and wasn’t walking as straight as usual but his personality and powerful aura meant he was still imposing to look at.
He clocked eyes with Tait almost immediately and jutted his chin as if to get Tait to go over to him as he took his seat with the rest of the boys.
Oh, dear. She hoped it wasn’t trouble.
“Come on, Poppy.”
What? Her too? She blinked and looked up at him with his hand out for her. He pulled her out of the booth. “I can wait here,” she said chicken-like with her feathers on show.
She didn’t think she’d ever feel comfortable around the bikers.
“You’re my girl, not leaving you here for assholes to slobber over you.”
She beamed and squeezed his hand.
“Hey, Rider.” He greeted and met the hand held out to him with his free one. “How’s the leg?”
“Still attached, thanks to you.”
All biker eyes were on them and Poppy wanted to shrink back into Tait’s ribs but she held firm. These were his friends, or once were, he liked them, respected them. She couldn’t be afraid of men who hadn’t done anything wrong to her just because they all looked like they ate live rattlesnakes for dinner. Especially the bald one with all the dark tattoos around his throat. Yikes. Talk about meeting death in a dark alleyway. She took her gaze away from him really quickly and avoided looking at Zara.
“Nah, that was the Butcher’s doing, who knew he had other uses for his belt.”
The boys laughed and the man in question stood up and slapped hands with Tait.
Aww, she really loved seeing this. She didn’t know their relationships before, but he’d missed these men and it was nice to see them being civil.
A lot of back slapping and praise went around them all.
“Let me get you a drink,” Rider offered and switched his blue-blue gaze to her, Poppy almost shrank back. Not just because he was handsome as handsome comes, not as handsome as Tait, but intimidation was his second skin.
“Thanks, Ri.” Tait said then brought Poppy out from where she was slinking behind him, his arm slid around her waist. “This is Poppy. Poppy, meet the Renegade Souls.” He did a quick rundown of names she was sure to forget.
“Oh, we’ve met,” Arson smirked and winked at her.
Tait growled loud enough the other man laughed hard and held his hands up.
The one who’d had harsh words with Tait a while ago, the good looking Hispanic man, suddenly rose to an imposing height and she wondered if this was going to be round three.
The way Tait stiffened he must be wonder
ing too.
“I’ll get those drinks, Presidente,” he said then walked right up to Tait.
She squeezed his fingers.
They had a goat and a cat to get home to shortly, they did not have time for a bar brawl. Plus she was wearing her Ferragamo flats.
There was no brawl.
Capone reached out and clapped Tait’s shoulder and husked, “Gracias, hermano.”
Aww.
“De nada.”
Double aww.
And that was their moment over. Whatever beef they had, was suddenly gone.
They shared a drink with the Renegade Souls for about twenty minutes then Tait announced they had to go.
At the door, they heard a whistle. It was Rider. “We’re having a club only bash this weekend. You and your old lady should come.” This was seconded by many voices.
Poppy met Zara’s eyes. There was no anger there, the other woman smiled and nodded so Poppy smiled and returned the nod.
“Thanks, Rider. We just might do that.”
THIRTY-FIVE
“Mistakes and manipulation.” - Addison
They left the bar with his arm slung casually over his woman’s shoulders, she was tucked into his ribs slightly smashed and giggling.
Which meant Texas felt good as hell.
They were living in the moment.
He’d made it as right as he could for the MC, what would be would be, he wasn’t expecting his cut back, but he’d work on fixing friendships.
Those bastards meant something to him. For now he was good with it.
He didn’t know what tomorrow was going to be and he didn’t really care anymore.
He was right there with her in the moment.
This woman with her excitable eyes and adventurous spirit had made him re-evaluate his life, to look at the importance of now and not tomorrow.
She’d taken a huge leap with her life not knowing the outcome and look at her now, giggling and groping him.
“Little girl, you really can’t handle your booze,” he grinned, with his mouth against her temple.
“Tait,” she whacked him softly in the gut. He needed to teach her how to throw a real punch but he’d leave that for a day when she wasn’t sauced. “That’s not fair, the wine here is so much stronger than it is in New York. I’m pretty sure about that.”
His girl was a lightweight and adorable with it and she found everything hilarious and he fucking loved her laugh.
Sober Poppy liked to touch him all the time.
Texas didn’t mind a bit, what with how hard he was pressed against the inside of his zipper.
Drunk Poppy was all hands for groping him.
Sober Poppy straddled his lap when he was only half awake and rubbed one out for him to watch. He was dying to see what drunk Poppy did on his body. His cock couldn’t wait.
It was why he was rushing them home so he could get her out of those painted on jeans he’d drooled over when he’d watched her shimmy herself into them earlier.
Then eat her for a while until he was satisfied and then he wanted to fuck her hard before she fell asleep.
But the way she kept pushing her hand under his shirt to get at his stomach and chest, he’d be lucky to get her home at all before he had to press the good girl against the nearest wall and fuck himself stupid.
They stopped five times to make out.
Her taste saturated his mouth until he felt drunk.
She whined. That noise she did when she wanted his fuck and she wanted his fuck immediately.
Walking became hard and imperative he got her to his front door right now or his steel bat dick was gonna cut off if he didn’t open his fly.
He needed her mouth sucking him down deep the way she did. Tentative at first, then going all out.
“Swear to Christ, Pop.” He cursed and the little tease laughed her ass off.
She didn’t stop touching him.
To be fair, he didn’t ask her to.
He made sure to stop right in front of his door, plaster her against the wall, got his knee between her leg to grind on and he ate her mouth from the inside out.
Sloppy, ravenous kisses she fell into and dragged both of her hands through his hair. He drove his hips into hers and heard her moan.
“Tait.”
It was funny how she had different tones for saying his name and he recognized all of them.
When she was exasperated. Furious and like now, turned on.
Her nails were in his neck, clawing him closer and he was just trying to tell himself their bed was right inside and it was a good idea to go in and not give her a taste of his desperate fuck out here on the steps.
“Tell me you love me, Penelope.”
She sighed and got that dreamy look in her eyes. “Love you all around the world, Tait.”
“Tait.”
That second voice did not belong to his woman and when Texas heard it come from behind, it was a cold clutch in his spine before he turned his head.
“Fucking hell,” he muttered.
Not tonight with this bullshit.
Not after having a good night with his boys and his woman. Not this tonight.
Did he need to rub a genie’s lamp, buy an incantation from a shaman to get rid of this bitch for good? There was no circumstances, ever, that he’d need to see his brother’s wife.
Poppy hadn’t caught on to the disturbance yet, she was too into kissing his neck and though they had an unwelcome audience, she was driving him nuts.
He turned back to her and lowered his head. “Go inside, baby.”
“Wha…”
“Addison is here, I need to get rid of her.”
“I can hear you, Tait.” The viper in question spoke with a click of her tongue like they were inconveniencing her and not the other way around.
He could remind her that she’d interrupted him and his fucking woman.
It was all he said and Poppy shoved him out of the way to face Addison.
Suddenly she was sober as Pastor Danny on a Sunday.
“Oh, wow, you really are here. I cannot believe this bull crap.”
“Penelope,” Addison said with no warmth behind it. She was dressed for a ski lodge, he thought. This late at night and she wore tight fawn pants, dark knee boots and a sleeveless fur lined hoodie over a long-sleeved shirt. She then added, “I need to talk to Tait, can you leave us alone.”
Oh, fuck no, she did not get to boss his woman.
Poppy had the same idea and got in before he could let Addison know how wrong that was. He practically felt her hackles rising at the side of him and he bit the inside of his cheek.
“Are you out of your tiny mind? You must be, seriously. It must be the red dye just sucked the intelligence out of you if you think for one second you get any time alone with Tait, when we all know you want to slurp him up like dessert, but he’s not your dessert, he’s mine, so shove off.”
“I just need…”
Poppy’s arms flung in the air. “Do you see anyone here who gives a flying racoon’s ass about what you need.”
“Baby, it’s rats ass.”
She turned to him and wrinkled her nose. Making Tait grin down at her. “Say what?”
“It’s don’t give a rats ass.”
“I said that.”
“You said racoon.”
“Hello, will you stop ignoring me, I’m standing right here, it’s late and cold. Tait, please.”
Then it was Poppy to round on Addison again and she pointed her finger this time. “Don’t interrupt me when I’m having an important talk with my man, you attention seeking cobra. We don’t care if you’re standing in the middle of the Andes freezing your bottom off and being peed on by snowmen.” She was not done and Texas couldn’t stop his chuckle.
He was fucking tickled pink, swear to God, he couldn’t love her more. And just when he didn’t think her drunk ass could get more adorable, she turned into a cute, possessive rottweiler. “Has something happened to Tait’s twi
n?”
“Well.. no.” Addison looked both uncomfortable and put out that she wasn’t getting her own way. Now that he let his eyes look at her and beyond, he saw the big silver Rover parked across the street, it must only belong to her.
“So then you have no reason to be here at our home where our babies are waiting inside for us, in the place where we make maple bacon pancakes every Sunday morning because my man loves them, I bet you didn’t know that.”
“I need to talk to Tait a minute.”
“At 11 at night?” Laughed his woman and he slid a hand to the back of her neck. A move Addison witnessed with a sour tightening of her lips.
This time she turned her eyes on him and ignored Poppy, which he didn’t care for.
“It’s important, Tait.”
If he cared even an inch, he’d ask why.
He’d want to know why a woman important to his brother was out this late, and was here so far from home, he’d ask those important questions, he’d take her inside and make sure she was fine.
For anyone else, he’d do that.
Not this woman.
He didn’t care about her reasons because her reasons were always self-serving, always had been and from the looks of her, she wasn’t having a personality makeover any time soon.
“Baby,” he lowered his head for Poppy to meet his eyes, her lower lip was shaking but it wasn’t because she was upset. “You’re freezing, go climb into our bed, I won’t be a minute.”
She didn’t argue, but she did look him deep in the eyes like she was checking for lies or doubts.
He hoped she saw none, because he didn’t have any.
He was 100% in this with her, she should know that by now.
No amount of his past mistakes turning up out of the blue would change that.
He quirked a half smile just for her and watched her eyes soften.
She put both her hands on his belly then turned to Addison who’d watched their exchange.
“I’m going inside to our kids, to our home where it’s warm and where me and my man will curl up in our bed, so you savor this minute I’m giving you with him alone, you vapid banshee,” this he grinned at and wanted to bust out laughing and then call the boys to tell them about Poppy’s tirade.
She could give Luxe a run for her tempers.