by Joanna Wylde
We passed through the same greatroom I’d seen before, and then back through the courtyard. The fire was dead and the tents were gone. The lights were off in the bunkhouse, too. Dopey peeled off into one of the first rooms, clearly off duty for the night, and then we were there.
Shade’s room.
Just me, him and the same bed I’d slept in before.
“So you don’t really live here?” I asked. I already knew the answer, but now that we were actually about to do this thing, I felt weird and awkward. I needed to fill the silence.
“Nope,” he answered, carefully taking off his leather vest and hanging it on a hook on the wall. “Got a place up north, remember?”
“So how long are you in Cranston, anyway?”
Shade turned to me, his mouth quirking. “Get over here.”
“What?” I asked, suddenly nervous.
“Get your ass over here,” he repeated, taking a step forward and sliding his hands down and around my waist. He tugged me gently into his body, the thick length of his cock digging into my stomach. That awesome chemistry between us kicked in again and the weirdness disappeared. I felt a tightening between my legs—a physical anticipation of the satisfaction I knew he’d give me. Reaching down, I slipped my hands under his shirt and then tugged it upward because I still hadn’t seen his bare chest.
Shade held my gaze as my fingers slid along his skin. I found his nipples, grazing them lightly as his eyes darkened with desire. He had a Marine Corps tattoo over his pec and I traced it, wondering what his story was.
Does it matter? The two of you are just having sex. You aren’t going to share stories, remember?
“Got that in Iraq,” he said, as if reading my mind. “One tour. Didn’t see any action for the first nine months, so I guess I had something to prove. Got the tattoo on leave and felt pretty badass about it. Then things fell to shit when I went back, and I learned that tattoos aren’t what makes you a badass. Not even a little bit. Lot better men than me didn’t make it.”
“You surprise me,” I said.
“How’s that?”
“Usually guys want to brag about how tough they are.”
“Usually girls want relationships,” he countered. I blinked up at him and then smiled. Shade’s eyes darkened and he leaned down, lips tracing the side of my neck.
“Guess I don’t fit the stereotype,” I whispered.
“Startin’ to pick up on that.” His hands slid into the waistband of my skirt, pushing it down along with my panties. I kicked them off. Shade reached around my hip and down between my legs from behind, finding my wet warmth waiting for him as he slowly backed me to the bed.
I fell onto it suddenly, bouncing as the big biker grinned, ripping his shirt over his head and then reaching for his fly. His cock sprang free and I saw it for the first time—really saw it. Long and hard and unusually thick around the middle. Damn, no wonder it felt like he’d fucked me deeper than Rebel ever did. The guy was hung.
“We’re using a condom this time,” I reminded him firmly. “Just in case you had any doubts.”
“Hell, yes,” Shade replied, kneeling down on the floor between my legs. He caught my hips, scooting me toward the edge of the bed, then draped my legs over his shoulders. Wooohooo! “Sorry I didn’t earlier. Don’t know what the fuck I was thinking.”
“Both our faults,” I acknowledged, sighing as his fingers spread me open, the heat of his breath hitting my clit like a tangible touch.
Then his tongue grazed my center and the whole world narrowed. His touch was sure, his tongue clever and quick. You know, like he was into it, not just trying to get me off or convince me to do the same for him. Nope. Shade traced my clit and then sucked it like he had all night, which I supposed he did. I don’t know how long he kept it up, but it was long enough that I came once and nearly came again before he raised his head.
Moving up my body, he lifted my shirt and bra, pulling them off completely before taking my mouth. I tasted myself on his lips as he kissed me hard. Grabbing his ass, I dug my fingers into the tight muscles as he rubbed his cock against my center. The oral thing had been great but I wanted more. Now. Turning my head, I broke free from his kiss.
“Condom,” I gasped, wondering where the hell I’d dropped my purse.
“Fuck, I almost forgot again,” Shade muttered, shaking his head. “You got a magic pussy or something.”
I laughed as he leaned over me, reaching across the bed toward the dresser, awkwardly pulling out one of the drawers. He grabbed a string of condoms, ripping open one of the packages. The slick rubber fell out and hit my face and I burst out laughing.
Shade started laughing too, and then I helped him roll the condom over his cock, giving it a couple pumps for good measure. Seconds later, he’d lined it up with my opening.
Then he thrust deep and I forgot everything else.
Chapter Thirteen
For the second time that week I woke up in the Reapers MC clubhouse. I wasn’t sure what time we’d finally gone to sleep, but it was well after the sun came up. Holy shit, but Shade knew what he was doing in bed… Not only that, he gave pretty good post-sex snuggle for a one-night stand. Rolling over, I felt a hint of soreness between my legs, a glorious ache that reminded me just how many different ways he’d found to make me come.
Now he was gone.
I sat up slowly and looked around the room. It was every bit as faded and anonymous as I remembered it, like a hotel that rented by the hour. I’d had a really good time, but looking at the light outside, I knew it was over.
I should find my clothes and catch a ride home before I did something stupid to fuck it up. Something like telling him I didn’t want it to end, because it’d been good. Too good. The last thing I needed was to fall for the guy—didn’t matter how nice our snuggling felt.
Yours Truly was officially off the market.
I found my bra and tank top hanging on the edge of the dresser, where he’d tossed them. The skirt and panties were harder to locate, but I eventually discovered them under the bed, in a dried puddle of something very questionable.
I managed to brush the dust bunnies off the skirt, but no matter how much I shook the panties, I couldn’t bring myself to put them on. I didn’t know what that brown stuff on the floor was, but I was pretty sure I didn’t want it touching my coochie.
Of course, that would leave me doing the walk of shame in a micro skirt and nothing else.
You should really keep extra panties in your purse, Wonder Woman suggested helpfully. A girl never knows when she’s going to need a fresh pair of star-spangled briefs.
Well, I guess she would know.
I found my purse and dug out a brush, attacking my hair. I knew my makeup had to look like shit, but I could clean that up in the bathroom, wherever the hell it was. Then maybe I could borrow something to cover my ass and head home.
The door opened and Shade stepped in, holding a ceramic mug. He was fully dressed in jeans, shirt and leather Reapers’ colors, and had clearly been awake for a while.
“Thought I’d let you sleep,” he said, holding out the mug. Coffee, God love him.
“Thanks,” I replied, feeling that same awkwardness from last night falling between us. He looked past me, his eyes catching on something. My bright pink panties, which I’d dropped on the bed. Shade raised a brow, questioning.
“They were down on the floor and it’s icky,” I admitted. “I didn’t want to put them back on. I don’t suppose you have anything I can borrow to wear home…?”
He took a step closer, into my space.
“Yeah, this isn’t gonna work.”
“What?”
“Give me the coffee.”
“But I want the coffee.”
“Give me the fuckin’ coffee,” he said, his voice a low growl. I handed it over. Shade lifted the mug and drank deep, throat moving as he emptied the cup. Holding my eyes, he dropped it. Then he reached out and caught me by the sides of my skirt, pulling me in
to his body. I had just a second to realize what he was doing before his hands were under my skirt, cupping my bare ass. Our mouths connected and he pushed me back onto the bed with a bounce. My hands reached for his jeans as he grabbed a fresh condom.
Then he was inside me again.
Half an hour later, I rolled over and stretched in satisfaction because who needed coffee with a dick like Shade’s to wake you up? Leaning up on one elbow, I studied his body, rubbing my hand over his bare stomach. His skin was slightly darker than mine, with just enough tan to tell me he worked outside sometimes without a shirt, and his muscles were all lean and rippled. He could’ve been a model.
Maybe I should give the friends with benefits thing a try…
No! Bad Mandy! shouted Wonder Woman.
Shade caught me with his arm and tucked me into his side, oblivious to my mental battle for self-control.
“What’s your plan for the day?” he asked.
“Heading home,” I told him, because Wonder Woman was right. I was being a bad Mandy and I needed to behave myself. “I have to work tonight. What time is it, anyway?”
“Just after one,” he said. “They’re setting up for the barbecue outside. You should stick around for a while. You already know some of the club from the bar. Might as well get to know them a little better.”
His eyes held mine steadily, his face unreadable.
“Um, wouldn’t that be weird?” I asked, hating the fact that a small part of me was all excited because he wasn’t ready for me to leave yet. “I thought we weren’t doing anything like dating or whatever.”
“It’s not a date,” he said, his voice relaxed. “It’s hamburgers with a bunch of bikers. Beer. Maybe even some kids. It’s a family event, at least until later tonight.”
“Will Rebel’s club be here?”
“Maybe. We invited the support clubs. Although it’s not a mandatory event, so they aren’t required to show up.”
“About Rebel…”
Shade rolled me up onto his body, sliding his hands down to my butt and squeezing.
“Really like this ass of yours,” he said. “Usually I go for the boobs, but with you it’s a tough call. Let’s not talk about your ex-boyfriend. I don’t like thinkin’ about him fuckin’ this ass.”
I stilled. What the hell was that supposed to mean?
“Just a second—” I said, pushing against his chest. Shade ignored my puny efforts, gripping me tighter. His cock twitched and I realized he was staring at my breasts. “No—stop! We aren’t doing this anymore. First, this is a one-night stand and it’s light outside. That means it’s over. And not that it’s any of your business, but Rebel didn’t fuck my ass. We had a lot of fun together, but I’ve never actually done that and I don’t like the idea of him going around talking about our sex life.”
“How many one-night stands have you had?” Shade asked, his voice curious. I was too busy trying to wrap my head around the fact that Rebel had told Shade—of all people—that I was into butt sex to answer the question. Jesus. What a fucking douche.
“Mandy.”
“What?”
“How many one-night stands?”
“Um, counting this one?” I asked, trying to focus. His hands were starting to wander, which made thinking even harder.
“Yeah.”
“One,” I admitted, wondering if he’d laugh at me.
Shade nodded, his face serious.
“I’ve had a lot more than one,” he said. “Which means of the two of us, I’m the expert on random fucking. I know all the best practices and shit. And I’m tellin’ you, buying a girl breakfast before taking her home is just the decent thing to do.”
“Taking them out to breakfast probably makes it easier to get rid of them, too,” I blurted out. Shade laughed.
“I’ll plead the Fifth on that,” he said, shifting me slightly to the side, casually raising a knee between my legs. One hand started up my back, his strong fingers finding my muscles and massaging them. It felt good. Really good. “Where I’m going with this is that we missed breakfast, but as a good one-night stand, I still owe you some food. Stick around for a burger before work. You can go to the barbecue, eat and have a good time without fucking up the one-night thing. Then I’ll take you home in time for work.”
I shifted against him, considering. Biker barbecues were fun, at least the ones I’d gone to with Rebel. And if I was going to keep working at the Pit, I’d have to get over seeing members of his club. Speaking of…
“Okay, I know this is crazy, but you didn’t kill Rebel, did you?”
Shade burst out laughing this time, his entire body shaking. My face burned and I groaned, feeling stupid. Of course he hadn’t killed him. Not over something as stupid as a girl.
Technically it would’ve been the $500 and not you, Wonder Woman reminded me.
Bitch.
“No, I didn’t kill him,” Shade said, still laughing. “I may have swung by his place with some of the brothers and shared my feelings about what he tried to pull, but that’s it. His own people were smart enough to kick him out before the Reapers had to take action. You’re the one who destroyed his truck, not me. Last I heard, he was catching a bus to Boise.”
I buried my face against his neck, wondering if I could just make myself disappear.
“What, you can’t tell me you regret doing it?” he asked. I shook my head.
“No, but the guys in his club—you’re sure they aren’t pissed at me? Amelia said it was okay, but what if someone gets me alone and wants revenge?”
“One, you’ve been watching too much Sons of Anarchy,” Shade said, and while he wasn’t laughing out loud anymore, I could tell he was still amused. “This isn’t a violent, bloody revenge barbecue. It’s the peaceful kind, where you eat burgers, drink some beer and hang out. But even if it was, it wouldn’t be about you. It was never about you, babe. This was a thing between Rebel and the Reapers. His club knows that, which is why he’s out bad. Dishonorable discharge.”
Pushing back up, I stared at him, embarrassment fading back into outrage. “Of course it’s about me. He tried to trade me for part of a motorcycle. A hunk of metal. He had no right to do that, and that’s very much about me. You’re just the guy he tried to trade me to.”
“No.”
“Yes!”
“Nope. That’s not how it works,” Shade said, sliding his hand up into my hair. “It was about a member of a support club lying to the national president of the Reapers. He tried to cheat me out of five hundred bucks by promising something he didn’t own. We can’t let guys like Rebel get away with that shit. Wouldn’t matter what it was about, the principle’s the same.”
“There are so many things wrong with that statement that I don’t even know where to start. I…I literally can’t figure out what I want to argue with you about because it’s all wrong. All of it.”
“It’s how our world works,” he said, rubbing up and down my lower back. He might’ve been trying to soothe me but my thoughts were spinning too fast. “There’s good and bad. Part of the good is that when you belong to someone in a club, it’s not just his job to protect you, it’s the whole club’s. I’d die for Dopey’s old lady and I don’t even like the bitch. He’s my brother, though, and she’s his property. It is what it is.”
I laid my head down on his shoulder, fuming. Fucking stupid men, ruining everything again. Except Shade hadn’t actually ruined anything for me. Yeah, he’d taken a night with me in trade, but I guess technically it was acceptable within the rules of the club. He’d definitely thought I was on board with it. More importantly, he’d stopped when he learned that I’d been set up.
I raised my head again.
“Is that really true? What you said about Dopey’s old lady?”
“Naw,” Shade said, smiling. “I like her okay.”
“Seriously,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You’d die for some woman you hardly know, just ’cause she’s with this guy who’s part of your club?”
Shade’s smile faded and his face turned serious. “Yeah, it’s really true. I’d die for her because Dopey’s my brother and that’s what it means to be a Reaper.”
“Rebel and his club aren’t like that, are they?” I asked, the magnitude of his words finally sinking in.
“No, they aren’t. They’re great people and they’d do a hell of a lot for each other, but at the end of the day they aren’t an MC. And that’s perfectly fine—this life isn’t for everyone.”
“But it’s for you.”
Shade nodded. “Yeah, it’s for me.”
“Okay, then,” I told him.
“So, you wanna go eat burgers with some guys I’d die for and their women?” Shade asked. “I’m not trying to influence you either way, but I hear there’s gonna be cake.”
“Well, if they’re serving cake, I guess it’s only polite,” I replied. “I wouldn’t want to fuck up my very first one-night stand by being rude.”
“Fantastic. I’ll go see if I can find you something to wear. Let’s go.”
With that he gave my bare ass a smack. I shoved at him and he rolled me over, kissing me deep.
After that we needed another condom.
Shade
The barbecue was a mixture of fun and sheer torture because Mandy’s almost-naked ass was hanging out the whole damned time, taunting me.
I liked having her around, but I wasn’t a big fan of the looks she was getting. I hadn’t been specific enough when I asked McClane’s old lady, Pepper, to find her something to wear. It wasn’t Pepper’s fault that she was a couple sizes smaller than Mandy, but I’d never seen a pair of cut-offs cover less skin. The fact that I knew she wasn’t wearing anything under them wasn’t helping. Throw in the push-up bra, and my new girl might as well be in a bikini.
Not that she realized I’d claimed her, although everyone else at the fucking picnic sure as shit did. Wasn’t sure how long we’d last, but while she was sleepin’ with me, she wouldn’t be sleepin’ with anyone else. No fuckin’ way.
One-night stand?