“Well, I hadn’t planned you’d take it anywhere at all, so I guess that makes us kind of even.”
“We’re gonna make this work, babe. You’ll see.”
“You don’t even know me,” I argued. “You seem awfully sure.”
“When I see something I want, I don’t hesitate to make it mine, Dani.” He ran his finger across my collar bone. “It’s good you get that now. It’ll cut down on any confusion later.”
“So you’ve seen me, you want me, and I’m to be another conquest?” I challenged, pushing at his shoulders.
“I don’t do conquests, babe.” Austin smiled, holding me tighter and leaning down to kiss my nose. “But I will do you.”
“Charming,” I ground out.
“Don’t typically do flowers, babe, but tell me your favorites and I’ll buy ’em for you.”
“Don’t bother.” I pushed at his shoulders again, but he didn’t move.
My doorbell rang and it was the perfect opportunity to put distance between us, but apparently, Austin wasn’t done and he kissed me again.
“The pizza’s here,” I said as the doorbell pealed again.
He nodded. “We’re gonna eat, then we’re gonna talk some more.”
“I think you’ve said enough.”
“Babe,” he said with a sigh.
“Let me up so I can pay for the pizza.”
“You’re not payin’ for the pizza, Dani.”
I let out a frustrated groan. “You are not the boss of me.”
He climbed off me. “For the sake of our current argument, baby, let’s say I am.”
I couldn’t stop my jaw from dropping open as he sauntered away from me toward my front door. I knifed off the sofa and made my way to the kitchen muttering to myself. How could a man who drove me so frickin’ crazy manage to also make me mad with desire? It didn’t make sense to me.
Austin joined me, setting the food on the counter as I opened the fridge, but before I could grab him another beer, he wrapped an arm around me and turned me to face him. His hand went to my neck again, his thumb to my pulse, and he studied me for several seconds. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
I sighed. “Same.”
“Will you be patient with me, Dani?”
I shook my head. “We can’t do this.”
“Yes, we can.”
“We can’t.” I pulled away from him. “My family’s all about the law, Austin. Your club’s not. It’s a total conflict of interest.”
He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “My club’s clean, babe.”
“Clean, clean, or just untouchable?”
He frowned.
“Club business?” I snapped.
“What the hell do you want me to say, Dani?”
“I just want you to be realistic. It’s obvious we’re attracted to each other, but you can’t base a relationship on just lust.”
“We’re in a relationship now?” he challenged.
“Absolutely not.” I took a deep, steadying breath. “How about you take your pizza and go? I’ll find a way to pay you back for the car. I really appreciate all your help.” I started for the front door. “I hope you have a nice life.”
I’d made it just past my dining table when he grabbed my arm and tugged me into his arms. His mouth slammed onto mine and he kissed me with an intensity I’d never experienced before. I hated that I loved it. Hated that I couldn’t resist him. Hated that heat pooled between my legs as he slid his hand under my shirt.
Austin broke the kiss with a scowl. “You’re a fuckin’ pain in my ass, baby.”
“Then leave.”
He shook his head. “Not gonna happen.”
“I don’t understand what you want from me,” I snapped.
“I’m gonna show you.”
I shook my head. “Not tonight you’re not.”
“Dani,” he said, his tone pitched low in warning.
“What, Austin?” I bellowed. “I don’t know you. I’m not jumping into bed with you just because I’m attracted to you. For all I know, I could be one in a long line of women you like to “do” on a regular basis. I’ve heard about your types of gangs and how you pass women around and that is not me. You may be used to biker whores who like that… hell, they probably live for the chance to provide you with fellatio… or other kinds of sexual favors, but I’m not one of them.”
“Fuck me.” He raised an eyebrow. “Fellatio?”
“Yes. Oral sex.”
“You think I’m standing here expecting you to suck me off?” he asked.
“Don’t be crude,” I said, my face on fire.
“You can’t say it, can you, Dani?”
“I just did,” I countered.
His hand went to my neck again, the familiarity of his thumb sweeping over my pulse, and he smiled. “Baby, one day… soon… you and I are gonna take this further. Maybe you’ll suck my cock, maybe you won’t, but I will definitely eat your pussy, and you’ll love it. You will scream for more and I will oblige. I will take my time and make you come… more than once. I’m thorough and I’m very good at what I do, so you’ll beg for more and when you do, I’ll give you more.” He stroked my pulse again. “What I will not do is share. Neither will you. Get me?”
I swallowed, squeezing my legs shut in an effort to stop my body’s traitorous reaction.
“Dani?”
“What?” I rasped.
“Do. You. Get. Me?” he repeated.
I licked my lips and nodded.
“Good.” He smiled again. “Let’s eat.”
I swallowed, but continued to stand where I was.
“Babe?” he said. “Food.”
I nodded and followed him back into the kitchen, wholly unclear on what had just happened. Austin seemed perfectly at ease, while I felt like I needed a cold shower.
We sat at my small dining room table and ate in virtual silence, Austin leaving me to my thoughts which really wasn’t a good idea on his part, because I spiraled. Big time.
I made it through one piece of pizza before I realized if I ate another, I’d throw up. I took my plate back to the kitchen. Rinsed it, put it in the dishwasher, and turned to get his, but he was already right behind me.
His arms came around me and he gave me a squeeze. “You’re gonna be fine, baby. We’re gonna make this work and you’ll learn to trust me.”
I did a face plant into his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist and breathing him in. He smelled delicious. Leather and cologne… not too heavy… but just enough to make me want to lick every part of his of body, starting with his mouth. I shook off my thoughts and let him hold me. “You freak me out.”
He chuckled. “I’m pickin’ up on that, babe.”
I leaned back so I could see his face. “I feel like I’ve known you forever and that scares me. I just can’t trust you this fast. It’s unwise.”
“I’m gonna give you time, babe. You’ll see.”
“What do we do about my family?”
He shrugged. “Whatever you want to do. But if this works out the way I want it to work out, I’m gonna have to meet them.”
I pulled away from him and poured a glass of wine. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms while I sipped and contemplated. He let me think for about six minutes before he took the glass from my hand and put it on the counter. “I’m still working on that,” I complained.
He pinned me in, his hands on either side of my hips, leaning against the counter. “You can have your wine in a minute. Right now, you need to listen to me.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Not the boss of me.”
He chuckled. “If you want me to be patient and wait, baby, you need to stop being cute.”
“I’m not trying to be cute, I’m being serious.”
Austin leaned closer. “That’s why it’s cute.”
He kissed me, and damn it if I didn’t melt right then and there. I had to figure out a way to get myself together and quit doing this. Of course, I
thought of this while I slid my hands into his hair and deepened the kiss. Austin lifted me onto the counter and I wrapped my legs around him as he moved into me. His lips moved to my neck, while a hand went under my shirt and pulled one bra cup down, scraping a nail across my nipple. I gasped as he rolled it between his fingers and I couldn’t help myself from pushing into his touch.
“Austin?”
“Mmm?”
“We need to stop,” I said, my breath coming in short bursts.
“Fuck.” He dropped his hand, lowered my shirt, and nodded.
I cupped his face and grimaced. “Sorry.”
“I get it, babe. It’s just gonna take me a minute.”
Austin got himself together and then lifted me off the counter. I couldn’t seem to stop yawning, but didn’t want the night to end, so covered it as best I could.
“I should go,” he said. “You’re exhausted.”
“I was hoping I could hide that better.”
He stroked my cheek. “I’ll take you to dinner tomorrow night.”
I grinned. “Okay.”
“Plan on Saturday nights to be our thing, yeah?”
“That all sounds amazing, but next week’s out.”
“Why?”
“Girls’ night with Kim.”
Austin frowned. “Blow her off.”
“Um, no way. I only get one Saturday every other month when she blows off working at her very lucrative bartending gig to spend more than an hour here and there with me.”
He shook his head. “Babe, I can’t see you over the next few Sundays. I might be able to break away for a bit on Wednesday, but if I can’t, I’m not waitin’ an entire week to see you.”
I grimaced.
“What?”
“I can’t do Sundays either.”
“Why the hell not?”
“It’s dinner at my parents’ place.” I bit my lip. “It’s a standing date for all of us every week.”
“Shit!” He dragged his hands over his face. “Work with me here, Dani.”
I giggled. “Austin.”
He cocked his head. “You think this is funny?”
I bit my lip and shook my head, but couldn’t hold back a snort at his expression of incredulity. “Okay, it’s a little bit funny.”
He smiled slowly and I realized I’d possibly pushed him a little further than I was prepared for. I backed out of the kitchen, him stalking me. I turned and made a run for my bedroom, attempting to close the door before he reached me, but failing miserably.
He bent at the waist and gently shoved his shoulder into my middle, tackling me onto the bed, and tickling me until I was sure I would pee. “Stop,” I squealed.
“You gonna make it up to me?” he asked.
“How exactly am I supposed to do that?”
He kissed my neck. “I can think of a few ways,” he whispered.
I had no idea what the hell was wrong with me, but this struck me as funny and I chortled, trying to squirm away from him as he gripped my hips and held me to the bed.
“That’s funny to you?” he asked.
I pressed my lips into a thin line and shook my head, but it was useless, I couldn’t stop giggling. Chalk it up to my lack of sleep, but I totally lost it. What I wasn’t entirely expecting was him to laugh as well. He didn’t stop tickling me, but he did laugh while he was doing it.
“Stop, stop,” I said, breathless. “I’m going to pee.”
He kept going.
“Stop, honey. Please.”
He did. Immediately. “What did you say?”
“Stop, I’m going to pee?”
Austin shook his head. “No after that.”
“Please?”
He squeezed my sides again and I squeaked in surprised, giggling again. I bit my lip and reached up to stroke his cheek. “Honey,” I whispered.
“Fuck,” he rasped, leaning down to kiss me. “I love that.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, baby. I do.” He rolled onto his back and groaned. “I need to go. If I don’t, I won’t.”
I slid off the bed. “I’m free on Monday.”
“Can’t do Monday, baby.”
“Okay. Well, I’m sure we’ll find another night that works.”
He nodded. “I’m gonna go now.”
“Okay.”
He rose to his feet and kissed me again before heading back out to the living room and grabbing his leather jacket. I felt somewhat dejected that he was leaving, but I knew that if he stayed we’d go further than I was ready to, and lucky for me, he seemed to understand that. I don’t know what it was about him, but I was falling fast, and that was new to me. I couldn’t quite decide if I liked the feeling or not, but when he smiled his sexy smile and leaned down to kiss me again, I decided I didn’t really care. He was delicious.
“Talk to you tomorrow,” he said.
I nodded and pulled open the door again, but when he made to walk out, I grabbed his hand. “One more kiss?”
He grinned and left me with a kiss that made me want more as I closed the door and leaned against it. There was no way in hell I was going to manage sleeping when all I wanted was him to keep me occupied for the night. I forced myself not to call him back inside and headed to bed, my overwhelming exhaustion replaced with a kind of desire that no one but one Austin “Booker” Carver would be able to satisfy.
I was in big, big trouble.
SATURDAY NIGHT, AUSTIN arrived just before six and settled himself on my sofa. Although my makeup was applied, my hair was still in a towel, I was in a robe, and I had no idea what I was going to wear. We’d talked for less than five minutes during the day and he hadn’t given me any details of the date.
“You haven’t told me what we’re doing.”
“Get together at the club,” he said.
“I thought we were going to dinner.”
He smiled up at me from his position on the couch. “We are. Club’s grillin’.”
“So, we’re not actually going out? Like on a real date.”
“It’s a real date, baby. And we’re leaving your apartment, so it’s ‘out.’”
“What am I supposed to wear?” I asked.
Austin gave me a lascivious grin. “Jeans, tighter the better, low-cut top… somethin’ like that.”
“I don’t own anything biker slut, Austin.”
He frowned and studied me. “Babe, it’s family. Wear whatever the fuck you wanna wear.”
“Well, that’s so freaking helpful, honey. Thanks.”
I stomped back to my room and into my closet. In the last thirty seconds or so, Austin had informed me that I would be meeting his “family.” He’d also not denied my need to wear something slutty. I didn’t own anything slutty. I could maybe wear something a little low cut, or wear one of the two little black dresses I owned, but he was in his “uniform” of jeans, tee, and cut, so I’d be way overdressed if I did.
I should probably bow out. If it was at the club, then it was probably going to be filled with criminals, and that would look really bad for my family. I sat on the floor of my closet and dropped my face in my hands. God, I was such an idiot. Why the hell did I even entertain the thought that this could work out?
“Babe,” Austin said with a sigh.
I glanced up at him standing in the doorway. “What?”
“You’re way over thinking this.”
“I can’t go with you tonight, Austin. I think it would be best for you to go alone.”
He hunkered down beside me and smiled. “No.”
“I think it’s too soon.”
“For what?”
“For me to meet your club.” I frowned. “I hardly know you.”
“Babe, it’s a casual get together. No pressure.”
“And just how many women have you taken to meet your club?” I asked.
“You’re jealous?”
“No,” I snapped. “I’m just wondering if we should wait to see if this goes anywhere before we start draggi
ng our friends and family into it.”
“Stop fuckin’ around, Dani, and get dressed.”
“No.” I rose to my feet. “I’m not going.”
“Yeah, you are.”
“No, I’m not. It’s a bad idea and you know it.”
“How’s it a bad idea?” he demanded.
“You’re going to bring a kindergarten teacher who happens to be the daughter of a cop to a place that is filled with criminals! They’re going to see me coming from a mile away and they will hate me just because I’m not like you.”
His eyes widened. “Well, fuck me, baby. Thanks for puttin’ words in their mouths and judging them before they can judge you.”
“You’re welcome,” I retorted, and moved past him, but he caught my arm.
“Dani, the club’s clean and no one’ll hate you.”
“You can’t know that.”
He smiled. “Babe, I can know that. We’re not one percenters.”
“I don’t even know what that means.”
“I’ll explain it to you one day. I promise.”
“I’m not good with crowds,” I confessed.
Austin gave me a sexy grin. “We can go to my room anytime you want to. Just say the word.”
“You live there?”
“No. But I have a room there should I need it.”
“See? I don’t even know where you live,” I said.
“I’ll take you home sometime, baby. We’re gettin’ to know each other. It’ll happen.” He cupped my neck and thumbed my pulse. “What’s really goin’ on inside your head, Dani?”
“It’s just that I know nothing about you and you’re taking me to a place with people who know everything about you and with whom I have nothing in common with. What will I talk about?”
“Whatever the fuck you wanna talk about.”
“Well, that’s helpful. Thank you.”
“Babe. Get dressed. It’s gonna be fine.”
I drew my eyebrows together. “What if I follow you?”
“What?”
I bit my lip. “I’ll follow you to the party. That way, you can stay if you want to, but I can leave if it’s too much.”
“Hell no.”
“Why not?”
“My woman is not driving herself to a fuckin’ family get together, Dani. That’s why.”
“I’m not your woman!”
Road to Desire Page 5