by Khloe Wren
First Bulldog, now Keys. What the fuck was going on with my brothers lately? Everyone was all up in my fucking personal life and I didn't like it. Especially because they all saw too fucking much.
“Marie's mine. Always has been. Now, fucking tell me where the hell she is so I can go get her back.”
He held out his hand. “Give me your phone and I'll program it in for you. That way, if she moves before you can get to her, you'll know where to go. Arrow and I will still ride up with you, just in case something is going on. But if she's just relaxing, we'll leave you to it and head back home.”
As I waited for Keys to do his thing with my phone, I began to mentally plan various options for how the weekend would go, depending on what I found when I located Marie.
CHAPTER 3
Marie
I should have done this years ago! With a wide smile, I made my way back into the hotel with my bulging shopping bags. I now had a whole new wardrobe to take back to Bridgewater with me tomorrow. I'd driven up last night, but didn't go out. Instead I'd had a long soak in the spa bath in my room before lying in bed and watching a romantic comedy. Then I fell into a nice, blissful sleep. Today my mission had been to replace my aged wardrobe. The assistants in the few shops I went to were so lovely, helping me find things that suited by body shape and activity level. Being on my feet all day meant there were some things I just couldn't wear all day long. Like high heeled shoes. My feet hurt just thinking about it!
This was my second, and last, trip back to the hotel to drop off bags. I was due at the salon in twenty minutes to have my hair and nails done. Then, tonight I was going out. I didn't care I was on my own, I was going to go have a few drinks at the bar. Hopefully I'd meet someone to dine with―if not, well, I didn't care. I was going to go eat fancy food, and drink over-priced drinks. No matter what happened this weekend, I vowed to myself that I would have fun doing it. So far, that had held true. After fifteen years of owning my own business and not ever spending much money, I had more than enough in my savings to splash out all I wanted without worry. Which I was grateful for, because this weekend away was exactly what I’d needed. In the last twenty-four hours I'd only heard a couple of Harleys, but I'd not seen them or their riders, so I didn't care. I was free!
It was a few hours later that I started to feel less than joyous. I'd chickened out at the salon and not gone with a new style. Instead, I just got a trim and blow dry. The nail technician who took care of my nails was an expert. I didn't get fake nails, but got a full manicure and pedicure before this absolute artist painted and drew all over my nails. The little swirls and dabs of glitter that caught the light had me smiling again. Even if it was only for a little while.
Now I was sitting in the bar area feeling down as I sipped my drink and scanned the room. This part of my plan wasn't going so well. The bar here at the hotel was filled with tired looking businessmen or couples. With a sigh, I lifted my drink to take yet another sip. An image of Scout filled my mind and I let my mind wander, imagining what it would be like if he were here with me. Would he have dutifully walked around with me today? Carrying my bags and telling me how pretty I looked in each new outfit? The thought of him in all his biker gear, weighed down with my shopping bags had me chuckling. Maybe I shouldn't have taken off like I had without telling anyone exactly where I was. I knew Zara was worried about me, and figured she'd tattled on me when I got the call from Scout last night. The call I'd not answered. I winced. That was gonna come back and bite me in the ass, I was sure. Scout wasn't a man who liked to be ignored.
When my drink was finished I twirled the straw for a minute as I tried to decide if I really wanted another one. And if I really wanted to sit in a restaurant with all these happy couples to eat alone. Maybe it would be best if I just went up to my room and ordered room service. Tomorrow I could go enjoy my massage then head back home and get on with life. Apparently forever alone. My eyes stung at the thought, that I'd left it too late to meet someone special.
“Hey, pretty lady.”
Oh hell, that voice. I knew that voice. How had he found me? Surely he hadn’t followed me. Taking a deep breath, I blinked back the moisture in my eyes before I looked up. All the questions I wanted to ask vanished from my mind as I took in how different he looked. Gone were all the things that identified him as the president of the Charon MC. I silently blinked up at him as he set a fresh drink in front of me. He was wearing a white button up shirt with black jeans, the large Harley Davidson belt buckle the only sign of his love of bikes. The bandana was missing from his head, and it looked like he'd had his hair and beard trimmed recently. When he leaned down to brush a kiss over my cheek, my brain started firing again. Ignoring how good his soft beard felt against my skin, I frowned at him as he sat opposite me at the high table I'd been at for the past half hour or so.
“What are you doing here, Scout?”
He smiled like he had every right to be sitting with me here. “I thought we could have dinner together, an early birthday celebration.”
I didn't say a word, but raised an eyebrow at him. He knew full well that wasn't enough of an answer.
After a few moments, he started squirming in his seat a little. He raised his hand to his head, no doubt looking to adjust his bandana like he did so often, but he wasn't wearing one, so he dropped his hand back onto the table with a small huff.
“What the fuck did you think I was gonna do when you took off without letting anyone know where you were going?”
“You do realize I'm an adult, right? I can do whatever I like, with whoever I like, whenever I like. I told Zara I was going to Houston for the weekend when I asked her to run the cafe for me while I was gone. I fail to see who else I needed to inform.”
I did my best not to chuckle when he got all flustered, but the man was adorable all dressed up and going a little red in the face.
“Marie, you need to tell me. You know? The one who promised to keep you safe? The one who worries every fucking day that someone is gonna come take you from me!”
That had me jerking back in my seat in surprise. Was that the reason why he was always hovering around me but never showing any indication he wanted to take things further? He was simply honoring his promise to a dead man? “You made that promise to a man who's now gone. And I'm no longer that vulnerable young woman. The Iron Hammers are no longer a threat to me.”
My stupid eyes started stinging again. I didn't know what to think. My heart ached and my head was starting to pound. Before he could respond, I spoke again.
“Just stop with the bullshit, Scout. I can't take it anymore. Just be straight with me for once and tell me what you want from me.”
My voice was rough with emotion and the moisture in my eyes was building up and making my sight blurry. I was about two seconds from dashing away to lock myself in my room when he reached over and wrapped his hand around my wrist. Holding my breath, I lifted my gaze until it locked with his. He tugged at my arm until I rose to stand, then he pulled me in toward him until I was standing between his muscular thighs. Still holding my gaze, he dropped my wrist and cupped my face between his palms.
“I want you. I came here tonight to claim what I should have claimed decades ago.”
Before I could do more than gasp, his lips were on mine and he was kissing me. My eyes slid shut as sparks buzzed through my blood and butterflies took flight in my stomach. His lips were soft and his beard tickled my skin as he took my mouth with his. I lifted my hands to his chest, stroking his hard pecs through the thin material of his shirt.
When he finally broke the kiss, I tried to chase his mouth for more. I could kiss this man forever and be happy. He held my face firm and rested his forehead against mine.
“No more games, sweetheart. I've been a fool, but that's over. You're mine, Marie. Always have been, always will be. Now, how about we start off our night right and go get some dinner?”
I was tempted to pinch myself to check I was awake.
“An
d will I get a goodnight kiss at the end of this night?”
“Oh, babe, I'm hoping to give you a whole lot more lovin' than just a kiss by the end of the night.”
My temperature shot through the roof as my imagination took his words and ran with them. Suddenly, my night was looking up. Guess coming to Houston to find a date wasn't such a bad idea after all, even if the date had followed me from back home.
Scout
By the time I handed over my credit card to the waiter at the end of our dinner, I was more in love with Marie than I'd been before. I'd stayed in the shadows for most of the day, watching her go from shop to shop. Seeing her so fucking happy had made me crave to be a part of her happiness. So, as I trailed behind her, I visited a few shops of my own, picking up a nice shirt and new jeans for tonight, along with getting my hair and beard trimmed. Hell, I even took off my bandana. I couldn't remember the last time I'd done that. It was pretty damn rare for me to be without my Charon cut, too. But for Marie, to give her this illusion of a biker-free weekend, I'd done it without a second thought. Then, just now as we'd eaten our fill, we'd chatted about anything and everything. But she hadn't asked about how I'd found her yet, which surprised me. I kinda figured that would have been her first question.
“Ah, so did you just ride up today or do you have a room here?”
“I rode up last night, so yeah, I have a room here.”
Not sure how she'd take the news I had a room on the same floor as her. Keys was a great hacker when he put his mind to it, so I had the information I'd needed to request a room on the same floor as her. It was probably best I didn't share with her how that happened, though.
The expression that crossed her face left me frowning. I wasn't sure if she was pissed at me, or just deep in thought. It didn't take long for her to speak up.
“Are you trying to tell me that you spent most of your day today following me around town?”
Still unsure if she was angry with me over it, I shrugged in response. “I grabbed myself a few things while I was out, but yeah. Needed to make sure you were safe.”
“How did you find where I was in the first place?”
I gave her a smirk. No way was I throwing Keys under that bus. “I have my ways.”
She glared at me a minute before the expression faded. “My phone. Like you had Keys do to save Zara.”
She was right, but I wasn't confirming it. Thankfully the waiter returning with my card and the receipt for me to sign saved me from having to come up with something. Once that was all done, I stood and held my hand out to Marie. She put her palm in mine and I pulled her in against me so I could give her another short kiss.
“What do you want to do now, love?”
A cheeky smile spread over her lips as she looked up at me through her lashes. “We could go up to my room for a night cap.”
I stared at her for a moment, trying to gauge if she was suggesting what I fucking hoped she was. I cupped her face with one palm, tilting her head up so she was looking directly into my eyes.
“No more games, Marie. We go to your room, I’m gonna take you. Understand?”
Her pupils dilated as she melted against me a little. I hoped like fuck I wasn't currently dreaming.
“No more games. Take me, make me yours.”
After giving her another fast, hard kiss, I took her hand and strode off to the elevators. I was tempted to sling her over my shoulder and run, so we could get there faster, but I didn't think she'd like that. Especially when I was trying to be civilized for her tonight. Once in the elevator, I raised my hand to hit the button for the fourth floor but stopped before I hit it. I wasn't supposed to know what floor.
“What floor, babe?”
“Four.”
After I hit the button, I wrapped my arm around her waist and hauled her in against me. I fucking loved how she felt pressed up to me. How much better would it feel when we were both naked? A shiver ran down my spine. I could hardly believe that after waiting twenty-five fucking years, I was finally going to have this woman beneath me.
When we stopped, I let her take the lead so I got to watch her sexy ass sway as she moved down the hall. She'd bought herself new clothes today and the fitted black dress she was wearing looked sexy as hell. I wondered what she was wearing underneath it. Would it be practical or lacy? I licked my lips as I imagined taking it off, no matter what it looked like. My cock was already hard, and it jerked at the thought of having Marie naked and at my mercy. While she dug into her handbag for her room key, I moved up close behind her to wrap my hands around her hips, sliding my palms over the smooth material. Leaning down I nipped her earlobe, and with a whimper she trembled against me. When she finally got the keycard to read, we stumbled into the room together. I put my foot out behind me to kick the door shut while I held her to my front, pressing kisses down her throat she tilted her head and reached a hand back to hold my hip as she shimmied her ass over my groin, making my cock throb for her and a groan rise from my throat.
After lowering the zip on the back of her dress, I pushed the straps of her dress over her shoulders and smoothed my palms down her body until the dress was on the floor at her feet. As I moved back up, I flicked open her bra. She pulled it free from her body while I slipped her panties down her lean legs. I gave her butt cheek a gentle bite as I moved to stand again. I pulled her back flush against me and looked over her shoulder, down her body, seeing her naked for the very first time. I cupped her tits in my palms and her already hard nipples tightened further.
“Fuck, babe. You are fucking gorgeous.”
I spun her around and with my body pressed against hers, had her back against the wall and a thigh between her legs. The heat coming off her pussy warmed my leg through my jeans as I took her mouth with mine. Devouring her lips with my own, I let her feel all the passion I'd always had for her.
When she started tugging at my shirt, I broke the kiss and stepped away. Not far, just enough to rip my shirt off and undo my jeans. I fished a condom out of my pocket―because when I’d gotten dressed, I’d been optimistic about how this night was gonna end―before I shoved them down my thighs. I didn't bother even trying to take them all the way off. I was too desperate for her. I'd do her slow and steady later. Right now, I just needed to pound into her. Claim her. Finally.
The second I had that condom on, I had my hands on her waist, lifting her up the wall. With a gasp she wrapped her arms and legs around me, and I attacked her mouth as I thrust up into her hard and fast. Damn, she was so fucking tight. She'd tensed against me so I held still, enjoying the hell out of finally having my cock surrounded by her heat, as I continued to kiss her until her body relaxed. The moment she started to squirm against me, I let loose, taking her hard and fast like I needed to.
“So. Fucking. Good. Babe.”
She moaned and tossed her head back against the wall. I buried my head in against her throat, nipping her skin. Shifting a palm up, I kneaded her tit, loving how the tip was hard for me and scraped against my skin. Her channel rippled around me and her nails bit into my shoulders as she grew close to coming. I couldn't fucking wait to see her come apart for me. Leaving her tit, I moved my hand down and pressed down on her clit.
“Come for me, Marie. Now.”
CHAPTER 4
Marie
Looking into Scout's blue eyes, I allowed myself to fall over the edge. I screamed out his name as I clung to him and bucked against his thick erection as he continued to thrust in and out of me. My mind spun, my thoughts whirled together until nothing made sense. I was just starting to come back down when, with a growl, he thrust in deep then held still within me. His cock twitched deep inside me, which set off another round of sparks flying through my system.
When the storm finally passed, I flopped against him. Keeping my legs wrapped around his waist, I slung my arms around his shoulders as I dropped my head against his upper chest, my face up against his beard. My other hand I moved to play with the hair at the back of his neck
. With a contented moan, I turned to kiss and nibble at his skin, loving the salty taste of him.
“Fuck, babe. I need more of you.”
That had me chuckling. “I thought men needed some recovery time between rounds.”
“Pretty sure when it comes to you, I'm not gonna ever need much time.”
He wrapped one arm around my lower back while the other cupped my ass as he moved us away from the wall. I stayed relaxed against him, enjoying the way his skin felt against mine and the ease with which he carried me, while he strode across the room. When my back hit the bed, I released my hold on him and watched through hooded lids as he shed the rest of his clothes. A grin stretched my lips as he moved toward the bathroom. He'd been so hot for me, he'd not even bothered to fully strip. Not gonna lie, that shit was good on a girl's ego.
He had me licking my lips when he came back to me with a wet cloth, a hard body and a sexy grin. I opened my legs, and he proceeded to gently wipe me down before he tossed the cloth back in the direction of the bathroom.
“Such a gentleman.”
He huffed out a breath and with a shake of his head, he slid onto the mattress on his side. I rolled over so we faced each other before I raised a hand to run my fingertips over his face. I trailed one over his eyebrow before I went down his nose, then I stroked his beard for a moment before giving it a light tug. It was so soft against my skin.
His hands weren't idle either. He stroked my body with gentle touches as he learned my curves. I wasn't a thin woman. Hell, I was turning forty-three tomorrow, and I had the padding to prove it. Not that I was obese. Working in the cafe and being on my feet all day together with a healthy diet kept me fit. But it didn't stop the extra pounds around my middle from hanging around.