“Sure.”
As he walked into the place with her, Chance felt happy, satisfied. He’d done that which he thought wasn’t possible. Now, Riley would stay by his side, and nothing bad would ever happen to her again.
Chapter Five
Time sped by on fast wings. It was already two weeks past the time when she was kidnapped by Mathew and his gang. All of them were behind bars, and she’d finalized her plans with Chance. Their bar had a name: Future. Maybe it was a little corny for a bar, but they liked it. It also reflected their feelings on the matter.
It was their new beginning, and Riley was going to make damn sure that everything went fine. Sure, they didn’t have a location. They were still in talks with a bank, and there was a ton of other stuff to do, but they were on the right path, and that was all that mattered.
She held up a picture on her phone for Chance to see. “So what do you think about it?”
He was massaging her feet. Leaning forward, he took a quick look and then wrinkled his brow. “Too red.”
“Last one was too yellow; the one before that was too stripy. We’re never going to finalize the color of the tablecloths by this rate,” she grumbled.
“That is the key, you know. With the tablecloths, we match the whole décor, so it’s the lynch pin.”
“So let’s just go with white and decide on other things.”
“No, I see a bright place, and that means the tables have to be highlighted in some manner.”
She sighed. This was crazy, stupid. They had been at it for two days. Riley swiped off her phone and set it on the table. “I am tried. This isn’t ever going to happen.”
“You’re giving up too soon, love. This is merely the start. There will be a hundred decisions that we will have to make. If you get exhausted at this speed, this work will never get done.”
She pinched him lightly on the arm. “If you didn’t keep vetoing my ideas, things would progress at a much faster pace.”
“Hey, it’s my right to veto.”
“Let’s decide something; we each get five vetoes.”
“Too few.” He pressed down on her heel, and she felt a slither of pure pleasure skip through her veins. “Ten each.”
“Way too many.”
He pressed down on the other heel, and she actually felt her toes curl. He had magic hands. She could already feel desire slide through her nerves, as his hands slipped over her skin. “Let’s compromise,” he suggested. “Eight vetoes.”
“Seven.”
“You’re a hard taskmaster.” He rubbed her foot, and she nearly moaned in ecstasy. Riley settled back to enjoy the massage, as his fingers slid and skipped over each inch of her foot. “Fine have it your way. Seven is ok.”
“So the tablecloth?”
He growled deep in his throat. “Oh no, you don’t. I rejected that before we made this deal. So you have to select a new one and show it to me.”
“Maybe you should give me ideas so that I can veto them. Let’s see how you feel,” she made her argument, but Riley could already feel that her heart wasn’t in it. Already, her skin hummed with need. As his fingers pressed and kneaded her muscles, her blood boiled, and she felt as if she was on fire.
Her gaze met his, and she knew that he knew what she was going through. A slow grin spread over his lips. The man was a demon. He sure knew which buttons to push to get her hormones racing.
“You don’t play fair,” she muttered, as she leaned back.
“Everything’s fair in love and war,” he said.
“Spare me your clichés.”
She issued a moan, as his hands moved up her ankles and on towards her calves. The sensations that careened through her system were powerful and strong. Red hot flames of need licked her skin and made her ache. His fingers ran in circles over her calves and the need turned into a volcanic fountain that exploded in her gut. She felt the heat and the burn of it. Gently, he moved his fingers up her legs, and with each inch that he covered, molten desire careened through her veins. Arousal was instantaneous. Her pussy contracted, and she felt the moisture leak out. Up and up his hands moved, and with each slight shift in the pressure and the movements of his fingers, she was sucked into the deep vortex of desire that overwhelmed her.
He lifted her skirt and his fingers skipped over her skin. When he pulled down her panties, she made no move to stop him. Instead, she lifted her hips to assist him. His hand brushed over her pussy and desire coiled around her. She couldn’t fight it, didn’t want to. Her hands clenched the couch, as she breathed in deeply. The fragrance of her arousal was musky and strong, and she inhaled it. His finger slipped into her pussy, and she felt the slow burn of it. In and out, he moved. Her sheath expanded and contracted, and her breasts heaved, as she fought the need that spread through her veins.
The orgasm was quick but brutal. It ripped through her muscles and her legs jerked. He pulled out his finger and licked off her juices. The gesture was enough to make her head swim. She should’ve felt satisfied, but instead she wanted more. Riley didn’t know which one of them made the first move. It must have been her, because moments after she recovered, she was sitting on his lap with her lips planted on his.
The kiss was hot and fiery. Her tongue dove in to taste his mouth, and it was as sweet and warm as she remembered. She ran her tongue over his gums and the crevices of his mouth. Then, she nibbled her way down to his throat, and he leaned back and allowed her to open the buttons of his shirt. Her teeth sank into the soft flesh of his throat as she bit him. His hands roamed over her back and dug into her flesh. Putting her hands on his chest, she felt his heart beat faster. Her fingers skimmed over his nipples, and she rubbed them. He moaned under her. Slipping her hands down, she fiddled with his jeans. Finally, she managed to open them. He lifted his hips and helped her take them off. His cock sprang free, and she gripped the blood-engorged organ.
As she pumped it up and down, he shivered. She leaned back to gaze at his face. Sweat lined his forehead, and she flicked it off with her tongue. She glanced at his penis that was vibrating in her hand. Her finger rubbed the tip and moisture leaked out. Her own arousal was instantaneous. She was ready for round two.
There was something about this man that made her crazy. Lifting her hips, she positioned them over his cock. His hands settled on her butt under the skirt and he guided her as she took in his penis deep inside her. Her sheath stretched to accommodate him. His hands were rough on her hips, but she didn’t mind. Actually, she relished the way he made her feel—a little out of control, quite on the edge. She moved and his organ slipped out. It was covered in her juices. She settled back down again and took it all the way inside. In and out, up and down, the movements were almost hypnotic. She was mesmerized by the sensations that gripped her. While he gasped and moaned, she felt his hands guide her. Riley increased the pace and was rewarded when he shivered and trembled.
“I also don’t play fair,” she whispered in his ear.
The ride was hard and good. Now, she couldn’t think beyond the feelings that coursed through her veins. She was a victim of this desire that gripped her in its talons. All thoughts fled her mind as she concentrated on reaching that elusive release. It was the purpose of her existence, the need for her survival. His fingers kneaded into the flesh of her butt as he held her. It was a stormy journey, and one she relished and enjoyed. When the orgasm rippled through her muscles, a scream came out of her lips. She threw back her head and jerked. He exploded inside her, and she felt his sticky semen mingle with her juices. Riley collapsed on top of him and shuddered. His hands slithered up her back, and he held her close to his chest.
“I like the way you play,” he said.
She laughed and lifted her head to look at him, kissing him gently on the mouth. “Same here.” Rolling off him, she sat on the couch. “I can’t believe we got from tablecloths to this.”
“Neither can I, but with you, I am not surprised. We seem to a have a stormy relationship.”
&nbs
p; “That we do.” Later, she took a shower. When she came out, he was talking on the phone to someone. Riley walked into the kitchen to make dinner. A few minutes later, he joined her. “That art gallery guy called. He wants to come over tomorrow.”
Her heart skipped a beat. She’d agreed to it readily, but now that she thought about it, she was scared. What if he liked the first sketch on a fluke but didn’t see the potential in others? It was quite possible that he might take a look at her other work and reject it. She didn’t know how she would feel if something like that happened. She put her heart and soul in these drawings. She was quite sure that they were good, but she never stopped to ask herself if she wanted more from her artwork. Now that Chance had shown her a way, it became more important than ever to get outside validation.
“Ok.” She took out the dish for the casserole and put the chicken that she’d marinated inside it. She added the vegetables while Chance took out the salad ingredients. It was their daily routine to cook together. She quite liked it. “I guess that would be fine.”
“You don’t sound so sure about it.”
“No, I am.” She gazed at him and then sighed when she detected the way he looked at her. “You’re right. I am just scared.”
“You’re brilliant. He will love those sketches.”
“What if he doesn’t?” The question slipped out before she knew that she meant to ask it. “I mean…”
He clasped her shoulder. “I know what you mean, love. And don’t worry about it. You’re better than brilliant. I can see that you are going to be a big success at it. He is going to come here and be bowled over by your skill and talent, and then you’re going to get rich on all the money you earn from selling that stuff.”
She appreciated that he wanted to make her feel better. Chance always knew the right thing to say. “And what will I do with all that money?”
“Move to Hawaii with me and keep me in style.”
“So you will be my gigolo.”
“I wouldn’t mind, love. If that’s what you want.”
She laughed, as she opened the oven and put the dish inside. “In that case, I hope that we make tons of money.”
After they had dinner, they settled in to watch TV, and it felt good. Once upon a time, she might have thought that such a routine would bore her, but now she couldn’t do without it. As long as she was with Chance, she enjoyed every aspect of her life. “I’ve seen this movie before,” he said.
“Really?” She wrinkled her nose. “What happens next?”
He looked baffled as if she had asked a difficult question. “I don’t quite remember.”
“You don’t remember? But then how are you sure that you have seen the movie?”
“I can recall some scenes. Don’t worry. It’s a good story.”
She shook her head. “I am amazed that you can watch the same movie over and over again without getting bored. For me the whole point is the originality of the story, and if that is not there, I don’t see the point.”
He shrugged. “Since I don’t recall the story, I can watch it again.”
She rolled her eyes. It was just one of those cute quirks that made him so endearing. Despite the hardships that he suffered and the tough life that he endured, Chance had an innocence. He was a good man, a decent one. She could rely on him. He was dependable. She never had a man in her life whom she could count on for support. Her father was a loser and an abuser, and her brother was a killer. Chance was the only man who didn’t ask for much but gave a lot. She was lucky to have him in her life.
Leaning against him, she watched the movie. It was such a simple, domestic scene and yet she felt a tug in her heart. It felt amazing. After the movie finished, they went to sleep. As she lay down next to Chance, Riley felt as if her life was complete. There wasn’t anything else she wanted. As far as she was concerned, she was in heaven.
The next morning, they left to see a new location for the bar. Currently, they wavered between two sites, but Riley wanted to make sure that they explored all options before a final decision was reached.
“I like this place,” she announced after they saw the warehouse. “It can be easily converted into a bar.”
“But we would need to make a lot of capital outlay.”
“But the location is superb,” she argued. Riley did some fast mental calculation. “You’re right though. It will wipe us out, and we would have to take a loan just to get through. I think in terms of expenditure, the first building was better. The building was complete, and they had a working kitchen.”
“But this location would draw a lot more traffic, and we would be able to pay off the loan quicker.”
She shook her head. Riley put her hand on his arm as they inspected the place. Even though she was tempted to insist that they get this place, it didn’t make sense. They had to be practical. Together, they had enough money to get the place going if they were sensible, and she intended to be. This was their first business venture, and she wanted to make a success of it. “We should rethink the other two locations. They are far more promising.”
After they got out of the place, Chance thanked the agent, and they strolled away. “One day we’re going to take a place and start from scratch.”
“You’re awfully ambitious for a guy who didn’t want anything more in life than to relax for half a day.”
“I suppose you’ve given me the motivation to do better.”
“Glad to help then.” They walked on the pavement. A light breeze blew and ruffled her hair. She felt free, alive, and filled with purpose. More than anything, she wanted to make a success of their new plan. It meant the world to her to build a life with him. It would take away all the pain that she experienced ever since she was a little girl.
“Should we have lunch?”
“Aren’t we supposed to meet the art dealer?” she asked.
Chance checked his watch. He glanced at her as if he totally understood her impatience. “We’ve got a couple of hours. Come. Let’s just grab a quick bite to eat.”
They walked into a café and settled in their seats. The waiter brought over the menu. “I will have salmon,” she said.
“A burger for me, please.”
Once the waiter left, he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. “It feels surreal to start this new venture with you. I bet we’re going to be really great at it.”
The touch of his lips on her skin was soft, and yet it made her heart skip a beat. “Let’s not be overconfident. I don’t want to screw things up by thinking that we can do no wrong.”
“We can’t do any wrong,” he said. “Ok, ok. Relax. Let’s talk about something else.”
She leaned back to look at him. The gleam in his eyes told her that he was deliberately making her squirm. “Whatever happened to that plan of yours for us to go to a cabin? Now is the perfect time. We’re both without jobs and don’t have any real commitments. Once the bar takes off, we won’t be able to take time off for a long time.”
He rubbed a finger on his lips. “I’m almost scared to plan that. Every time we do so, something bad happens. That cabin is jinxed.”
“Don’t be silly.” She waved a hand. The waiter chose that moment to bring their food. Once he left, she picked up her knife and fork. “Let’s do that this weekend. It will be fun, and we will come back relaxed enough to tackle the rest of the tasks. There is a lot of work that we need to do once the location is finalized. Not to mention the décor and the purchases, but also we will need to hire staff.”
He grimaced. “It’s a good thing you’ve agreed to manage the staff. I don’t think I have the patience to train waitresses. Some of them can be quite moody.”
“Hey, watch it. Not more than a week ago, I was a waitress,” she said. “Actually, I do intend to keep doing that for at least a couple of hours a day.”
“Why?”
“It’s the best way to know how the customers are reacting to the food and service. If we want to provide them with the best possibl
e experience, we need to know their problems, and as a waitress, I will know each little detail first hand.”
He shrugged. “If that’s what you want, I certainly won’t stop you.”
As they ate, they discussed the rest of the details. There was one thing she admired about Chance; he had an open and flexible mind. Even if he didn’t agree with an idea, he was always willing to listen to someone else’s opinion, and then change his mind if he believed he was wrong. It would be fun to work with him. She was quite looking forward to their business venture; it would be a true delight.
Chapter Six
Now that they had finalized the location of their bar, Chance felt more confident about everything else. As he drove the car, Chance’s mind was still on the myriad details they needed to fix in order to get the bar going. There was a lot of work that they needed to complete, but it wasn’t possible to do it all at once. Yet, he was hopeful that things would progress at a smooth rate.
Burned Rebel (Comanche Sons Motorcycle Club Book 3) Page 4