Crow laughed. “Fuck you, Booker.”
“Got me a woman I like better, Crow.” I grinned. “But thanks for the offer.”
Crow sipped his drink. “Anything else?”
Booker shook his head. “Nope. Don’t know if you want to bring this up at church, but figured you could use the next few days to make that call.”
“Thanks,” he said. “Things good with Hawk?”
“I’m not gonna kill him, if that’s what you’re askin’.”
“Need you two to work this out, Booker. Can’t have two of my top men at each other’s throats.”
“How ’bout you stay the fuck out of it?”
Crow leaned forward, arms on the desk. “Right now it’s not fuckin’ with the club, but if it starts to, I’ll be gettin’ in the fuckin’ middle and neither of you’ll like it. Get me?”
Booker nodded, stamping down his irritation.
“Ace had a computer question. After you help him, you take care of your woman.”
Booker stood and forced himself not to slam the door behind him. Hawk was a pain in the ass, and not the good kind like Dani. The ‘needed to be taken out back and beat to death’ kind.
Booker found Ace in the alcove behind the pool table. Sometimes the older kids worked on homework after school or in the rare case of a club lockdown. Ace was sitting at the one facing the side window and looked about ready to blow a gasket.
“What’s up?” Booker asked.
“Fuckin’ virus,” Ace answered.
Booker shoved the older man aside and went about diagnosing the issue. “Who was last on this?”
“Doc’s kid.”
Matthew was fifteen and already a hell-raiser. Booker shook his head. “Well, Matt’s been havin’ a little fun. He’s download some sketchy porn.”
“I thought you did somethin’ so the kids couldn’t get to it.”
“I did, but I didn’t go all out. Most kids will get up against the security and not know how to get around it. Matt’s figured it out.”
“Little shit.”
Booker chuckled. “I’m gonna have to wipe everything and reinstall, but it’ll take me a while.” He unhooked the computer from the monitor and pulled it from under the table. “Have one of the recruits bring this to my place. I’ll upgrade the other computers now and fix this before church.”
Ace nodded and went off to find someone to courier the computer to Booker’s place. After he put protection software on the rest of the kids computers, Booker took off for home, hoping to get some time with Dani before they had to leave for her parents’ place.
He walked into his condo to find Payton and Macey sitting at his kitchen island laughing at something Dani had just said. Dani handed Macey a glass of water and smiled over at him. He tried to keep his disappointment of finding Dani up and clothed off his face. She’d pulled her hair back into a ponytail and wore her sex glasses, and she looked adorable.
“Hi, honey,” she said.
“Hey, babe.” He closed the door. “Mase, Payton. Good to see you again.”
He made his way to Dani and leaned down to kiss her.
She stroked his cheek. “Get everything sorted?”
Booker grinned. “Kind of. You call your mom?”
Dani nodded. “Yep. All set.”
“This is our cue to leave you two,” Macey said.
“Uh, yeah,” Payton added.
“You don’t need to rush off,” Dani countered.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong.” Macey giggled. “Booker has the same look on his face that Dallas gets when he wants to be alone with me.”
“And, not that I’m an expert because I have no one who gives a damn, but I see it too,” Payton retorted.
“You are ridiculous,” Macey said.
“But I’m right,” Payton added.
Macey shook her head and then focused on Dani again. “Well, we’re gonna let you kids be alone.”
Booker chuckled. “Smart women.”
“Austin,” Dani admonished.
“What? It’s true. I do want alone time with you.”
Dani shook her head and pushed away from Booker. “I’ll walk you out.”
Booker grabbed a beer and flopped onto the sofa. He heard Payton and Macey still arguing as they left and he thought they’d be perfect for some television sitcom. They were hilarious.
He dropped his head back when Dani stood behind him and leaned down to kiss him, their faces upside down. “How was your meeting?”
“Everyone’s on the same page for the moment.” He took her hand and tugged her around in front of him, pulling her onto his lap. He set his beer aside so he could wrap his arms around her. “What did you think of Macey and Payton?”
“They’re really sweet.” Dani smiled. “They’re also gorgeous.”
“Are they?”
“Nice save, honey.” Dani ran her fingers through his hair. “What’s the look Macey was talking about?”
“I don’t think I gave a look,” he said. “But I had hoped you’d still be naked and in bed.”
“At three o’clock in the afternoon?”
“Yes.”
Dani laughed. “Are you suggesting that I just spend my days naked and in bed, awaiting you to service me whenever you require sex.”
He couldn’t stop a wide grin. “Is that an option?”
She leaned down and kissed him. “I’m open to negotiations.”
Austin drew in a quick breath. “What time do we need to be at your parents’ place?”
“Six.”
He kept her in his arms as he rose to his feet. “Let’s start negotiating.”
Dani giggled as he carried her to the bedroom.
* * *
I arched my back trying to get closer, but Austin gripped my waist and held me still. I let out a frustrated groan and his chuckle irked me further. I was on my hands and knees, Austin kneeling behind me and he was taking his sweet time making me come.
“Greedy,” he whispered as he slid into me again… slowly.
“Honey,” I rasped. “Harder.”
He reached between my legs with one hand and fingered my clit, while rolling a nipple with the other, then he slid his hand to my waist and anchored me. “Up, baby.”
I sat up and he adjusted me so that I was straddling him backwards, his chest to my back. This position drove him deeper into me and I dropped my head back onto his shoulder. “Austin,” I whispered.
“You okay?”
“I can’t get close enough.”
He laid his hand on mine at my stomach and linked our fingers together. Guiding our hands between my legs, he kissed my neck. “Touch yourself, baby.”
“Um… ”
“Want me to show you?”
I nodded and he laid his hand over mine again. As he helped me raise and lower my body onto him, the combination of him inside of me and both our hands working my clit, I nearly collapsed when my orgasm hit. Austin rolled me onto my back and slid back inside of me, surging in faster and faster until I felt the pulse of his climax and found myself coming again despite the fact I was so wiped out.
I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and started to giggle.
He leaned up on his arms to smile down at me. “I’m glad my love-making is comical.”
“I just came six times in less than an hour and was pretty much expecting you to do your thing while I lay there. But then I freakin’ came again, and I have no idea how I could possibly find the strength to not have it completely kill me, so yeah, I’m a little punchy.”
He chuckled. “My job is done.”
I smiled and stroked his neck. “If my parents ask why I’m walking funny, I need a cover story.”
Austin rolled off me and laughed. “Running injury?”
I snorted. “You need to know something about me. I don’t run. Even when being chased. They can just have me.”
“We’ll figure something out.” He slid off the bed and headed to the bathroom whil
e I try to maneuver my body of jelly under the covers. I was suddenly freezing.
Austin returned and climbed in beside me. “Doctor this week, yeah?”
“If I can get in, yes.”
He pulled me up against him. “We can always go to a clinic together. I’ll get tested so you don’t have to worry and you can get on the pill.”
I rolled to face him. “Would there be any reason for me to worry?”
“I’m not a monk, babe.”
“I know,” I said. “But how long has it been since you’ve been with anyone?”
“I plead the fifth.”
“Why?” I asked slowly.
“Because it hasn’t been as long as you would probably like.”
“Just tell me.”
“About two weeks,” he said.
“What? Seriously?” I sat up. “Just a few days before you met me you were in a relationship?”
He shook his head and tugged me onto his chest.
“Hook up?” I asked.
“Yeah, babe. Had a few of those.”
“How many is a few?”
“You probably don’t want to know,” he admitted.
I bit my lip. “Who was the last one?”
“You probably don’t want to know that either.”
I pushed off of him and sat up on my knees. “Why don’t I want to know that?”
He dragged his hands down his face.
“Austin?” I pressed.
“Fuck,” he whispered. “Tiff.”
I let out a shocked squeal. “Tiff? As in the biker slut who was giving me the stink eye? That Tiff?”
“Yeah.”
“Ohmigod.” I scrambled off the bed and made a run for the bathroom, my stomach suddenly roiling. I couldn’t believe how sick I felt and my stomach continued to rebel even after I’d emptied everything in it.
“Babe?” Austin called from behind the locked door.
“Go away.”
“Let me in.”
“No,” I grumbled. “I’m dying. You shouldn’t have to watch it.”
“You’re actually sick?”
I reached up and unlocked the door. “As opposed to?”
He peeked in. “I thought you were just upset.”
“Well, I’m that too.”
“I’m so sorry, baby.” He hunkered down beside me and pulled my hair away from my face. “You’re burning up.”
“Bonus.”
“I’m gonna run the bath.” He rose to his feet. “Let’s get that fever down.”
I stayed plastered against the toilet, buck naked, as my man filled the tub, grabbed towels, and then helped me off the floor and into the bath… also buck naked. I would have laughed had I not been so pathetically ill.
I dropped my head back against the rim of the tub and sighed. The warm water covered me all the way to my neck and it was divine.
“Babe?”
“Hmm,” I mumbled.
“I’m gonna call your brother, yeah?”
“Why?” I opened my eyes and frowned. He’d pulled on pajama bottoms and that kind of made me sad.
“Because you’re way too sick to go tonight, but I still need to talk to him.”
“Oh, right.” I closed my eyes again. “’K.”
I vaguely registered his voice as he called my brother, but my body felt like lead and I didn’t even have the energy to listen.
“Babe?”
“Mmm?” Austin’s cool hand fluttered across my forehead.
“Wake up, baby. Gonna get you dried off and back into bed.”
“Can’t move.”
I groaned when I heard the clunk of the drain being opened and the water whooshing down the drain.
“Okay, baby, let’s get you up.”
I swallowed, my throat dry and rough. “No.”
“You’re gonna freeze if we don’t get you into bed.”
I forced my eyes open and frowned. “I don’t care.”
Austin chuckled as his hands went under my armpits and he lifted me onto shaky legs, wrapping a huge towel around my body and scooping me from the tub. He sat me on a chair in front of the mirror and gently brushed out my hair. Since I could barely keep my eyes open, he secured the mass with a scrunchy and then helped me back to bed.
I crawled under the sheets and sighed as the coolness of the pillow case connected with my cheek.
“I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.”
“’K,” I whispered, and passed out.
ELLIOT HARRIS ARRIVED at five o’clock, his countenance guarded, but not rude, and Austin ushered him into the great room. “Can I get you a beer?”
“I’d actually like to see my sister,” he said.
“Let me see if she’s awake.”
“I want to see her even if she isn’t.”
Austin nodded. “Follow me.”
He led Elliot down the hall to the master bedroom and slid the door open partially. Dani was lying on her back, her hair had come loose from the tie and fanned out over her face, and she was naked from the waist up.
“Give me a sec,” Austin said, and stepped into the room, pulling the covers back up her body.
She groaned and tried to push them down again.
“Dani, your brother’s here. He wants to see you.”
“Go away,” she grumbled.
Austin slid her hair from her face. “Baby, Elliot’s here.”
She sat up so quickly, she nearly collided with him. “Ell?”
“I’m here, Dani,” Elliot called through the door.
“Don’t come in. I’m naked.”
Austin shook his head.
“Why the hell are you naked?” Elliot called.
“Why the hell do you think I’m naked?” she retorted.
“Babe,” Austin whispered.
“What? I’ve been puking my guts out and miserable, and my brother starts getting all brotherly. It’s frickin’ annoying.” Dani frowned. “Elliot, I’m fine. I have not been kidnapped, I’m not being held against my will, and Austin’s only partially a mad-man.”
“I’ll wait in the other room,” Elliot said.
“Good choice, brother of mine,” she called.
“You’re feeling better,” Austin observed.
Dani nodded, pulling the sheet around her. “Why’s my brother here?”
“He came to talk.”
“I’ll get dressed, then.”
Austin shook his head. “You need to rest.”
“I feel great,” she said, and promptly began coughing.
“Babe.”
“I’m telling you, I feel great. It’s all good, honey.”
“Probably a burst of energy before the crash.”
“Then let me use this burst of energy to see my brother.”
Austin smiled. “You’re making it really hard for me to take care of you.”
Dani giggled. “Word of warning, I’m the worst patient on earth. Best to learn that now.”
“I’ll find you something warm and you can get dressed.” Austin rose to his feet. “One of the recruits dropped off a few things—”
“What kinds of things?”
He smiled. “Meds and soup.”
Dani looked disappointed. “Oh.”
“Expecting something else?”
“I was just dreaming about cheesecake. No big deal.”
Austin laughed. “You were dreaming of cheesecake?”
She licked her lips. “I was eating it off of you.”
“Fuck, baby,” he whispered, sitting on the bed again. “You can’t say shit like that.”
Dani giggled. “Why not?”
“One, you’re sick as a dog, and two, your brother’s here.” He grinned. “Wait until you’re well and I can do something about it.”
“But watching you squirm’s kind of fun for me. Especially right now.”
“Why especially?”
“Oh, I don’t know… maybe because of Tiff.”
He sighed. “We’ll talk about
that later.”
“Yes, we definitely will.”
“I’ll grab you something warm to put on.”
“Just grab my bag for me, honey, I can take care of the rest.”
“You sure?”
Dani nodded. “I’ve been sick before and had to deal with it alone, so yes, I’m sure. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“If your fever doesn’t go down, back to bed.”
“Yes, mom,” she retorted.
He chuckled, kissed her forehead, and retrieved her bag for her before leaving her and joining Elliot in the great room.
* * *
I watched Austin leave the room and then stared at my suitcase on the bed. I was spinning emotionally, but I also felt like I was going to die a slow painful death, so I chose to pick my battles, and getting the information about Tiff and her relationship with Austin had to be low on the priority list right now.
I climbed off the mattress, my movements stilted and slow as every part of my body ached, and yet, I still had copious amounts of energy. I found clean underwear, sweats, a T-shirt, and a pair of thick socks. I tried to put the socks on, but bending made my head spin, so I took a minute to brush out my hair, pile it on the top of my head again, and brush my teeth.
I padded out of the bedroom and heard the low cadence of male voices as I neared the great room. I exited the mouth of the hallway and the voices stopped. Both my brother and Austin rose to their feet, but it was Austin to walked to me and frowned. “Why don’t you have socks on?”
I held the ball up. “Bending over kind of makes me dizzy.”
Austin smiled and whispered, “If you’re doing it right, it does.”
I giggled.
“Come sit down. I’ll help,” he said, and pulled me to the sofa. Once he’d slid my socks on for me, he headed into the kitchen. “Tea, babe?”
I nodded. “Yes, please.”
While Austin made my tea, my brother studied me.
“What, Ell?”
“You really like this guy.”
I smiled. “He’s amazing.”
“Do you know what’s going on?”
I nodded. “He told me everything. Are you worried?”
Elliot frowned. “Honestly? Yeah. I knew Steven was an asshole, I just didn’t realize he was an evil one as well.”
“Austin found my money.”
Road to Desire Page 13