by Chiah Wilder
He leaned his mouth close to her ear. “Your touch, your body, your scent, it’s all fuckin’ messing with my mind.”
A barely suppressed shiver ran through her body as his finger inched closer to her dampened panties, an unspoken need simmering just below the surface of her skin. She raised his head then flicked her tongue across his lips while she ran her hands over his broad shoulders.
“You’re so sexy. You don’t even know how much you turn me on,” she murmured between feathery kisses along his jaw.
“Fuck, baby,” he rasped.
Baylee threw her head back as he stroked her wet clit through her panties. Axe licked the tender flesh of her throat as he slipped his finger between her pulsing folds. She squeezed her eyes shut as his tongue and lips burned her skin, and his steady caress on her pussy made her explode into a million pieces in the middle of a parking lot in broad daylight. Waves of electrified shivers crisscrossed through her body, making her so weak in the knees she had to steady herself against Axe’s bike.
“Wow,” she panted.
A smile curled around his lips. “Love to watch you come. So fuckin’ hot.”
She caught his belt hoop with her finger and drew him to her. “What about you?” Her lips brushed against his.
“You can take care of me later. This was all for you.” He kissed her, heavy and hard, before he pulled away. “Gotta get to church.”
Baylee tugged her dress down, smoothed her hair, and supported herself against him as they walked to her car. She slid into the driver’s seat and turned the ignition. Axe bent down and kissed her hard on the mouth.
“Drive carefully.”
She nodded. She wanted to ask him if they were going to see each other that night, but what they had was casual sex—no emotions, no accountability, just sex. And was the sex ever awesome. A big grin stayed plastered on her face for the rest of the day.
As five o’clock neared, a twinge of disappointment pricked at her. She hadn’t heard from Axe since morning—no phone call, no text, nothing. Remember, Baylee, this is a casual fling. It’s a sexual affair. Nothing is expected from you or him except pleasure, and he’s definitely giving you that. Keeping things casual meant no complications. As long as they were both giving and receiving pleasure, it was working; she could do as she wanted, and he could to. It was a mature, liberating “relationship,” and it suited her just fine. She glanced at her Inbox for messages again. Nothing. She sighed.
As she approached her hotel, apprehension seized her as it had been doing ever since Axe’s uncle followed her into the elevator. She still couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that her creepy pervert happened to be Axe’s uncle. Too strange. Did Axe know what was going on? He didn’t act like it, but he was probably good at concealing things. It didn’t make sense. Why would Axe be involved in this? Maybe he was just helping his uncle out, trying to keep an eye on her. Maybe the one-night stand in Denver wasn’t as random as she thought. Chills danced up and down her spine at the idea.
Get a grip. I don’t even know if his uncle scoping me out has anything to do with my mom. There may not be anything to be involved in. His uncle is probably just some perv who stalks young women. Axe was genuinely surprised to see him, after all.
She entered the lobby tentatively, surveying the area. Nothing out of the ordinary, and the sense that someone was watching her wasn’t there.
“You just get back?” Logan’s smiling eyes greeted her.
“Yeah. Where were you today? Played hooky?”
He jerked his head back. “No way. I’d never do that. I went out to the construction site with one of the engineers. All the trucks and machines are waiting to get started. I heard you were handling the permit issue.”
“Yeah, I am.”
“How’s it going?”
“Okay.” Baylee knew Logan was fishing for information to see who her contacts were and when they were meeting so he could pretend to bump into her. There wasn’t a chance in Hell that she’d tell him anything until after she had the permit in hand.
“Any idea when it’ll be done?”
“No, I’m working on it. I’m going to my room now. I’ll see you around.” She brushed past him and marched to the elevators.
The coolness of her room was a welcome after the stuffiness of the office. The building was having cooling problems, and most days Baylee came home feeling sticky and damp.
She peeled off her clothes then padded to the bathroom to take a shower.
The envelope icon on her phone blinked, indicating she had a message. A surge of joy ran from the pit of her stomach right to her head. She opened the text.
Logan: Want to have some barbecue?
A heavy sigh passed through her lips, and she sank onto the bed. The text wasn’t from Axe. Damn. Her shoulders slumped. It’s casual. No expectations. Remember?
Looking around the room, she realized that she didn’t want to spend another night watching TV, ordering room service, and thinking about Axe.
Baylee: Sounds good.
Logan: Great! I’ll come by in about an hour…?
Baylee: I’ll be ready.
* * *
“The setting is beautiful,” she gushed as she stepped from Logan’s Mercedes convertible.
“And the barbecue is the best I’ve had. I discovered it when I was exploring around the backroads a few days ago.”
Big Rocky’s Barbecue was nestled among the evergreens on Aspen Lake, their reflection embedded on the diamond clear water. Bursts of pink, yellow, indigo, and red carpeted the lush valley. As summer dusk approached, the blue sky transformed into mulberry-purple, accented by the silhouette of ducks flying in “V” formation.
“It smells wonderful. I didn’t realize I was so hungry,” Baylee admitted as she glanced at the menu.
After ordering pork ribs, coleslaw, and buttered corn on the cob, she wiggled back in her chair and sipped her glass of Chardonnay as she enjoyed the view.
“Do you hike?” Logan’s voice broke in on her moment of serenity.
“I used to when I was in college. I’d love to get back to it. Walking trails is a lot more scenic than watching other sweaty bodies on a treadmill.”
He laughed. “I haven’t done much of it, but I’d like to. Maybe this weekend we could go on a simple one. I’d be a beginner.”
“Sounds like something that could work.”
Their dinner arrived, and Baylee thought she died and went to Heaven when she took a bite of the juicy, succulent meat coated in a smoky barbecue sauce with a kick.
During the middle of dinner, Logan waved at someone behind her. “Hi.”
She turned around in time to see Axe approaching their table, and he didn’t look too happy.
Ignoring Logan, Axe fixed his flashing eyes on Baylee and growled, “What the hell are you doing here?”
She pointed at her plate. “Guess.”
Crossing his arms, he said sharply, “You know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t.” Dismissing him, she diverted her attention to the outside scenery.
“Hey. You. Is this business, or a date?”
Baylee heard Logan clear his throat then answer in a shaky voice. “No, not a date. Absolutely not. We’re just having dinner as colleagues. Is there a problem with that?”
She glanced at Logan, and for a split second, she felt sorry for him. His neck and face were blotchy, and his hand trembled while he sipped his water.
“No problem… yet.” Axe’s piercing eyes bored into Logan.
He squirmed then leapt out of his chair when his phone rang, as though he were happy for an excuse to get away from Axe. “Will you excuse me? I gotta get this.” He pointed to his phone while he sprinted away from the table.
Axe filled Logan’s chair, staring at Baylee.
With narrowed eyes, she asked, “What?”
“I can’t believe you’d go out with that ass-kisser.”
“We’re colleagues having dinner. What the hell is your pro
blem?”
“I don’t want you seeing other men.”
“Whoa. Who do you think you are, telling me what to do? You’re acting like some possessive jerk. You have nothing on me, like I don’t on you. Remember, ‘no strings attached.’ God, you can be a real asshole.”
“Watch the way you speak to me, woman. I don’t let bitches talk like that to me.”
“Did you just call me a bitch? Are you fucking joking? What cave did you crawl out of?”
Leaning forward, he grasped her upper arm, anger emanating from him. “You like bossing men around, don’t you? Well, I don’t go in for that shit. I’m not pussy-whipped.”
“No, you’re a bully who likes to beat on his chest and knock things around. ‘Oh, look at me. I’m a man ‘cause I have a Harley and a bad attitude.’ Ha!” She yanked her arm away then shoved her face a few inches from his. “I say ‘ha’ to all of your posturing.”
The vein in his neck twitched. “You finished?” His voice cut like a shard of ice.
A single shiver of apprehension coursed through her body—she knew she’d gone too far. Pursing her lips, she nodded.
With his index finger, he traced around her eyebrows, nose, jaw, and mouth. “Don’t ever mock me again, woman.” He grabbed a fist of hair at the nape of her neck then tugged her face closer, gently kissing her. “Not. Ever.”
White teeth bit her lip and she tried to push back, but his hand held her like a vise. His tongue licked the pain away, then he sucked her bottom lip. She parted her mouth, allowing his tongue in.
“Now you’re being a good girl,” he muttered, driving his tongue in again, harder and more persistently.
His kisses were like molten fire, burning and scorching, and she welcomed them. She loved the dark danger that was Axe, and not knowing what he would do was a strong aphrodisiac for a woman who lived an organized, well-planned life. When he bit her lip, her whole body went on high alert, and she craved more of the pain and the pleasure. Boy, am I fucked-up.
Then she remembered Logan. Panic replaced pleasure, and she pushed Axe away.
“Why the fuck are you shoving me away?” His dark brown eyes flashed.
“Logan,” she whispered.
“So?”
“I already told you about the situation with him.”
“And I already told you I don’t give a fuck. Now, give me your lips.”
“This may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me, and that alone should make you give a fuck.”
Taking her hand, Axe kissed it and held it in his. “You’re right.”
When she heard his words, she did a double-take.
“But I want you to know that if he pulls any shit that hurts you, or even stresses you out, I’ll take care of him. It’ll be my pleasure. I haven’t liked the ass-wipe since I first laid eyes on him. A snitch always needs to be taught a lesson. Just sayin’…”
Axe had again mentioned “taking care of Logan.” His veiled threats made her shiver as reality sank in. Axe may be sexy, funny, and nice to me, but the truth is he’s an outlaw. She didn’t doubt for a moment that he’d slit anyone’s throat who threatened him or his club.
Logan’s return to the table interrupted her thoughts. He glanced quickly at Axe sitting in his chair; Axe didn’t move a muscle. Swallowing hard, Logan pulled a chair from the next table and sat down. He hesitantly slid his plate of food from Axe over to him, and finished eating his dinner.
The waitress came over to their table. “Hiya, Axe. You want your usual?”
“You know me, Maddie.” Axe winked at the thirty-something woman, which made her smile.
“You finished?” she asked Baylee.
“Yes.” She pushed her plate away.
When the waitress left, Baylee asked, “You come here a lot?”
“Yeah. Insurgents own the place.”
Logan’s eyes bulged, which made Baylee laugh.
“So this is the club’s restaurant. When I did my research on the club, the name of the place wasn’t mentioned.”
“Your research?” Axe inquired.
“Baylee read everything she could get her hands on just to know who she was dealing with.” Logan laughed, shaking his head as if it was the dumbest thing a person could do.
Axe raised his eyebrows. “Yeah?”
Heat rose up to her cheeks; she knew Logan was getting back at her for laughing at him a few minutes before.
“What did your research tell you about me?” His voice was thick.
“That you’re persistent, loyal, and good at a lot of things other people aren’t.” Her cheeks had officially turned a new shade of red. How could she be flirting with him so blatantly in front of Logan? Axe made her lose all sense whenever he was near her.
Raw hunger brimmed in his gaze. In a low voice only she could hear, he said, “I wanna fuck you in the worst way.”
The waitress placing Axe’s beer in front of him diffused the sexual tension between them.
“You want anything more?” she asked Logan.
“No. I’ll take the check.”
From the strained look on his face, Baylee knew Logan couldn’t wait to leave the restaurant and be far away from Axe.
After paying the bill, Logan stood up and looked at Baylee. “Are you coming?”
“Of course.” Glancing at Axe, she smiled. “I’ll see you at the office. Goodnight.”
He just glared.
She and Logan walked out of the restaurant, but before Logan pulled out of the parking lot, her phone beeped.
Axe: Don’t fuck him.
Baylee: Logan? Would never do that. And don’t tell me what to do.
Axe: The only one who gets near you in PWS is me.
For unknown reasons, his one sentence made her stomach lurch, and a tingle of pleasure skated down her spine.
Baylor: Yes, boss. *eyeroll*
Axe: Cute.
“Are you texting with that outlaw biker?” Logan asked. “What the fuck’s his problem?”
“No. I’m texting with my friend. Axe is rough, and loves being a badass. He is a biker, after all. I wouldn’t take it personally.”
“I think for him, it is personal. He looks like he wants to beat the shit out of me.” He sighed. “It’d be so much nicer if we had normal clients for this project.”
“He’s not that bad, really. I think he’s just used to getting his way.”
Logan looked hard at her. “You got the hots for this guy?”
She blushed. “No. He’s hardly my type.”
“I don’t know, but you seem taken with him.”
“I’m not taken with him. I do find him attractive, but I’d think most women would.”
“Really? Interesting. I didn’t peg you as the tattoo and leather type.”
“I’m not. He’s good-looking, that’s all. Let’s just drop it, okay?”
She stared out the window, wishing she were back in her room. The short car ride had never felt so long.
After thanking Logan for dinner, she sought refuge in her room. The whole day had been a roller coaster of emotions. Her casual fling with Axe was becoming more complicated as she felt herself being pulled into his world, and him into her heart.
Chapter Twelve
Hard rock beats filtered out from behind the clubhouse’s closed windows as Axe approached. He needed a shot of Jack and a good game of pool in the worst way. Seeing Baylee with the ass-kisser enraged him, and he was ready to beat Logan to a bloody pulp. What the fuck was going on with him? Yeah, Baylee was a hot-as-hell woman, but he’d banged hot women before and moved on easily. He was the king of “no strings attached” liaisons, so why wasn’t he screwing Rosie or Lola or any other chick? The simple answer was he didn’t want to. He wanted to be with Baylee. It was like he couldn’t get enough of her, and the more he tasted the more he wanted. He was like a goddamned junkie desperate for his next fix.
Fuck! The one thing that blew him away was he wanted to know everything about her—her backstory
, her lovers, her fears. In all his twenty-eight years, he’d never felt like he did about Baylee. How was that for touchy-feely bullshit? Fuck!
It took a few seconds to become used to the low lighting in the great room. The Thursday night party was in full swing, and several brothers and a couple of club whores were already passed out, dead drunk. Axe wasn’t in the mood to party. He only wanted some booze and a good game of pool, since the woman he wanted to fuck wasn’t at the clubhouse—she was tucked away at the hotel. He had to fight his legs from jumping on his Harley and hauling ass over there. She wanted to keep it casual and so did he. It suited him just fine, but he wanted to beat the shit out of the ass-kisser for being with her.
That doesn’t seem too casual. I can’t get her outta my mind. Damn!
Before playing pool, he downed a few shots of Jack. The scorching smoothness hit the spot every time. Axe ambled to the pool table and saw Rock scratching his head.
“What’s up, dude?” Axe asked.
“We’re right in the middle of a goddamned game, and Throttle spots some prime ass and walks off. The horny bastard.”
Axe chuckled.
“You wanna take his place? He was kicking my ass, pretty much.”
“I’ll play, but let’s rack up a new game.”
“You’re not gonna quit on me, are you? I know you’re a horny bastard, too.”
“No chance of that tonight.”
A busty hoodrat attached herself to Axe’s side. “You want some company?”
He glanced at her. She was hot, with big tits, nice round hips, long legs—just his type. He should’ve been taking her back to his room, plowing into her pussy and ass for the next couple of hours. “Not tonight.”
“You don’t want nothing?”
“Yeah, I do. Be good and bring me a double shot of Jack. Tell the prospect it’s for Axe.”
Eager to please, she bounced away.
An hour later, Axe played the winning shot. Rock clasped his hand on Axe’s shoulder. “Fuckin’ good game. Can’t say I’m happy, but it was a good one. You’re a lucky sonofabitch.” Rock placed his pool stick in the cue rack hanging on the wall. “Damn, I was psyched up to win and have some fun.” He picked up his beer from one of the bar tables nearby, finishing it in one long pull.