by Brook Wilder
Brad Walker had taken all of that away from me.
Drawing in a breath, I forced myself to calm the sudden panic threatening to cut off my breathing. Even after two years I still felt the effects of those harrowing few months. The physical pain had long ago faded, but the emotional pain, I feared, had permanently scarred me. It had taken me months to leave the house and not have to watch over my shoulder for the evilness that I knew existed.
It had taken over a year and a half to trust a man again, to even want to be in the same room with one.
And the nightmares, well, they still existed. Brad Walker was long dead. I had watched his head explode from the bullet, had been sprayed with his blood, but he came to me at night sometimes, his fists raised from some unknown anger and rage. I knew what those fists felt like. Brad had always been so careful not to hit me in my face, not wanting the girlfriend of the chief of police to be pegged as a battered woman.
So, he had hit me other places, places that I could cover up with clothes and away from prying eyes. He had cracked numerous ribs, broken my kneecap, and beaten me with a belt so badly one time that I had walked funny for days afterward.
But I had survived and the day that he had died, I had made myself a vow that I would be a stronger person, living my life to the fullest.
Hence this opportunity. Brad had made me feel like I could never achieve a master’s degree or even be good enough to try out for this job. I had wasted five years of my life on him and nearly got myself killed because of it. He had tried to ship me to Mexico, to become a slave to the cartel, and if it hadn’t been for a local bike club stopping my truck, I would have died within months.
Kristina Harper, aka Widow Maker, had saved my life and provided me with a second chance. I had taken full advantage of it.
No longer was I the girl in the background, the one who was only seen when she was asked to be seen. I had really changed my whole outlook on what I wanted out of life and now that my career was likely to start taking off, there was another part of my life that I kind of hoped would change as well.
The bell rang and I hurried into the school toward my classroom, knowing that I could beat the substitute back. There were days that teaching was hard, no matter what level. I had stayed late more times than I cared to admit, sacrificing my personal life for the sake of the children I had been entrusted in. There was an endless loop of lesson plans, snotty noses, crying children, and money spent on my classroom.
Only fellow teachers could understand the sacrifices that were made.
If I got this position, those sacrifices would triple. High school history had more testing, more at stake to ready the kids for their graduation. Not only that, but a kindergartener usually responded to time-out. A high school teenager wouldn’t.
The pace would definitely change.
For now, though, I would keep doing what I was doing.
***
After the last child left the classroom for the day, I fell into my chair, exhausted. Keeping up with lively five-year-olds was enough to wipe a person out regularly.
I swept my hair into a ponytail and took a sip of my tea before I opened my laptop, intending to get my lesson plans done for the rest of the week before I left tonight.
Which meant I had three hours to do so because I was going to have plans tonight.
Looking at my cell, my thumb hovered over the text message button, wanting to text Jonathan to ask if he wanted to meet for dinner. Jonathan Kilmore was my next-door neighbor and the complete opposite of the person I had always pictured being with.
He was every bit a biker, with heavy tattoos on his arms and more leather in his closet than Cat Woman.
We hadn’t met because of my connection with Widow Maker, but more so because we had become neighbors, and now I couldn’t imagine my life without the dark-haired, green-eyed devil that stole my breath every time he grinned at me. He knew about my past with Brad and how I had suffered, yet he had taken it all slow with me, probably slower than I would have anticipated him doing.
Now, after sleeping together for more than five months, I was starting to wonder if this was more than just friends with benefits. I looked forward to spending time with him, hating the fact when I couldn’t. I was starting to also detest the nights that he didn’t stay over and vice versa, wanting to not just leave after the act was over.
I wanted more. I just didn’t want to scare Jonathan away by voicing it.
“Hey you.”
I looked up at the familiar voice, giving the intruder a faint smile. Nathan Andrews was the first-grade teacher with his classroom right next to mine. While he was an awesome teacher, I really was starting to not care for his presence outside of teaching-related activities. He had been unfailingly nice to me when I had come back from my ordeal, helping out in the classroom and bringing me my favorite coffee every Monday morning, along with some quote that he had looked up to give me a boost. At first, I thought it was just because he was being nice, but about three months into my return, he had asked me out. I had politely turned him down, not ready to date anyone, and Nathan had taken it well.
But that hadn’t stopped him from giving me extra attention and I knew he was still looking for that chance even though he hadn’t said it aloud again. It was clear to other teachers as well, who teased me about Nathan’s attentiveness. He was handsome in a boyish way and every single teacher eyed him whenever he was around.
Well, everyone but me. His attention unnerved me. “Hey, Nathan,” I finally said, turning my attention back to my laptop and hoping that he would get the hint.
“How did your interview go?” he asked, leaning against the doorway.
“It went good,” I answered. “Better than good. I think I really have a shot.”
“Well, that sucks,” he said, his voice laced with disappointment. “Not that I don’t think you can do the job, but I don’t want to lose you as a hallway partner. Why would you want to teach that age anyway? They don’t respect the teachers.”
I let his comments roll off my back. It wasn’t the first time he tried to express his dislike for high school teaching. “I didn’t get my masters to stay here. You know that.”
Nathan sighed. “I still don’t like it. You are a great kindergarten teacher and if we lose you, it will suck big-time.”
I forced myself to shut my laptop, all hopes of getting any work done before I left now going out the window. Nathan was hard to get rid of once you struck up a conversation with him. “Well, I will miss everyone here as well.”
He watched me pack up my things, not speaking until I had thrown my workbag over my shoulder. “You want to grab something to eat? We can celebrate your successful interview.”
I eyed him. “But you were just telling me what a mistake it was to take the job.”
He grinned. “Aw come on, Leigh. You know I didn’t mean any of it. Come on, let me buy you dinner.”
I picked up my cell phone from the desk, gripping it in my hand. “Sorry, I already have plans, but I will see you tomorrow, all right?”
“You aren’t saying that just because of what I said, are you?”
I shook my head. “No, I really do have plans.” Thank God I had plans.
His grin faded and for a moment, he seemed to be angry at me. The first sliver of fear snaked down my spine and I forced myself to remain neutral in my expression, instantly thinking about the mace I carried in my bag. I also had a gun, but that wasn’t allowed on school grounds, so it stayed home most of the time. I had learned how to shoot and every once and a while, Jonathan took me to the shooting range to practice so that I kept up my skills.
“Too bad,” he said in a low voice. “Have a good night, Leigh.”
I maintained my expression until he walked out of the room, releasing a small sigh of relief as I locked up my classroom and hurried out of the school. I didn’t think that Nathan would ever hurt me, but I also didn’t like the fact that he thought of me as more than a friend.
It wasn’t until I was safely in my car that I allowed my guard down. Maybe there was more than one motivation for interviewing for that position. If I moved, I wouldn’t have to worry about Nathan any longer and he could move on to someone who saw him in that capacity.
My phone buzzed and I looked at the screen, a smile playing on my lips. It was from Jonathan, asking me how the interview had gone. There was a warmth that spread over my chest as I read his words, a simple question that meant so much. Unlike Nathan, I didn’t feel uncomfortable in his presence.
I felt, well, safe and secure, maybe even a little bit of deeper affection than I had thought when we had started down this path. Jonathan was literally the only friend I had, and not once did I feel like he judged me for what happened or the weakness that I had exhibited in allowing Brad to do those things to me for so long. I liked Jonathan.
More than liked him.
So, I fired off a response, and was rewarded with an invitation to come to his house tonight as if we hadn’t discussed it previously. Besides his hotness, Jonathan was also a great cook and my stomach was very appreciative of his talent.
Yes, I so was looking forward to seeing my big bad biker tonight.
Chapter 3
Two Tone
“This is like really good. How did you even find this recipe?”
I leaned back in my chair, a grin on my face as she literally licked the plate. “I told you. I recorded it off one of those cooking shows. You said you liked salmon.”
She wiped her mouth with her napkin, flashing me a smile. “Yeah, but I’ve never had it taste like that before. If this biker thing doesn’t work out for you, maybe you should open a restaurant.”
I tried not to bristle at her nonchalance about what I did for a living, knowing she didn’t have the complete story. Leigh’s involvement with both the Jesters and the Bitches had been short-lived after her asshole chief of police boyfriend tried to sell her to the cartel.
Not only that, but he had kidnapped her again when both clubs tightened the noose around his neck and she had suffered all over again, witnessing his death. She had been traumatized and when she had moved next door, I had recognized her from her appearance at some of the meetings.
Now the woman that sat across from me was far different from the shell of a woman I had seen two years ago. She was strong and independent.
And all mine.
“What?”
Realizing I was staring at her, I grinned. “Sorry. I’m soaking in this moment of a woman enjoying my cooking.”
She smiled prettily and it was like a vise-like grip around my heart. “There are other things you do rather well, Jonathan.”
Oh hell yeah. I loved it when she talked like that. “Like what?”
A faint blush stole across her cheeks. “You know.”
I pushed the chair back, standing. “Would you like for me to show you?” I had wanted her from the moment she had crossed my threshold tonight, adjusting my crotch more than once throughout our dinner.
And Leigh knew it. I could see it in her gaze, the way her eyes drifted over my body possessively.
Hell, I liked it when she looked at me that way.
“What about the dishes?” she asked in a low voice.
“I’ll do them later,” I growled, holding out my hand. “Come on. I want dessert.”
Her hand rested in mine and I pulled Leigh to her feet, pressing her against my body to feel her soft curves fit into my hard planes. Her hands landed on my chest as I wrapped my arms around her waist, leaning down to brush my lips over hers.
Which led to me ravaging her mouth, sweeping my tongue in to give myself the familiar taste of Leigh. She moaned low in her throat and I felt my cock harden painfully at the sound, wanting to come out and play.
Leigh was the one to break the kiss, her breathing uneven. “Are we going to have sex in here?”
I laughed, releasing her. “No fucking way. Come on.” I wanted her in my bed, writhing in the sheets like she often did.
She followed me to the bedroom, and I gave her a split second to kick off her shoes before I had her in my arms again, inching her T-shirt over her head. “Jonathan,” she laughed as I threw it on the floor.
“What?” I asked innocently as I divested her of her bra, her large breasts spilling out into my waiting hands. I wasn’t a boob guy normally, but Leigh had made me into one. I loved her breasts and I knew she loved my lips on them as well.
When I dropped to one knee, her breath caught and for a moment, we stared at each other. I saw the heated intensity in her eyes, knowing that it was reflected in mine.
This woman was going to be the death of me. “Give them to me,” I said roughly, not moving my hand any further on her breast.
Her entire body trembled, but she stepped forward, allowing her erect nipple to collide with my lips. I tugged on it gently and her fingers threaded through my hair, pulling me closer insistently.
Oh, I knew what she liked.
So, I feasted from one side to the other, giving them equal attention before my lips traveled down her stomach, my hands already pushing at the waistband of her yoga pants. I kissed each patch of skin I revealed until her lacy panties were level with my mouth. Hooking my finger on one side, I slid the material away, her arousal infiltrating my senses.
Leigh’s hand tightened in my hair and I inwardly grinned as she pushed me closer until my lips were touching her mound. “Oh God,” she whispered as I licked the already wet slit. When I found her hardened clit, her knees buckled, causing me to wrap my arm around the back of her thighs to keep her upright. This was how it was all the time between us, like we were coming together for the first time.
And when she came, I didn’t stop, enjoying her cries of passion.
Damn, she unmanned me.
In a quick minute, I had her on the bed, still recovering from her orgasm while I threw off my clothes and found a condom in the nightstand drawer, sliding it on as I gazed upon her lovely body. Leigh had been hesitant to show me her body at first, the light scars a testament to her time with Brad.
I thought it made her even more beautiful and, in our six months together, had traced each one of them with my tongue, trying to erase the evil that had been behind them. All that shit wasn’t her fault; she had just chosen the wrong man.
I was glad that fucker was dead, or I would have killed him all over again.
“Jonathan?” she asked hesitantly.
“You’re gorgeous,” I blurted out. “I’m just taking in my fill.”
Leigh’s entire body flushed but she didn’t cover up, beckoning me to come to the bed. “Don’t keep me waiting.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I covered her body with mine, entering her with one swift motion that had us both groaning. Leigh arched her back as another orgasm took over her body and I gripped her hips tightly, driving into her like a madman. After today, I needed this.
I needed to feel her goodness.
She met me thrust for thrust until I started to push against the strain, wanting nothing more than to be buried in her for the rest of the night.
Hell, I couldn’t last that long. With a roar, I poured into the condom, my heart pounding in my ears.
What a great fucking way to end the day.
I collapsed on top of her, feeling her hands stroke my hair lightly as I tried to pull my shit together. She was soft and warm, and I could fall asleep just like this. “Damn.”
Her body rumbled with a laugh. “You know, you are like a heater.”
“You’ve told me that a time or two,” I answered, pressing a kiss to her stomach. There was a scar there, one that had been the product of a belt whip that had dug deep into her soft skin, and every time I saw it, I felt the anger build inside me at what she had endured.
She pushed at my shoulder. “Well get off and come here. I don’t have much longer.”
I sighed, raising my head to look at her. I wanted to ask her to stay the night, to sleep in my bed fo
r the first time and not escape to her own house. It was something we hadn’t broached yet, choosing to retreat to our own houses at the end of the night, but this thing between us, it was more than just a friends-with-benefits type relationship.
Well, at least for me it was quickly becoming something real. I hated when she left, hated when I lay in this bed alone, wanting her to be by my side. For years I had picked on others that had fallen for women stronger than them, choosing to keep myself unattached and my damn heart whole.
That was until Leigh showed up and gave me what I had always shied away from.
Now I had to figure out if she was ready for the next step.