by V. Theia
“I think a turkey on rye? Maybe a toasted bagel? The potato and cheese soup smells delicious. I should be good and get a salad.” She chewed on her lip.
Driving Hawk mad.
The waitress looked between them. Pad and pen ready. Gia was still reading.
“I’ll take an unopened bottled water. And bring her a loaded toasted turkey with a cheese soup. And a coffee with cream.”
She gave him her little smile and for a second, he got a contact high from pleasing her.
Somehow over the low din of people talking and cutlery hitting plates and the radio in the background Hawk heard Gia’s belly rumbling. His brow puckered, anxious to get her fed. He pushed the plate and bowl closer to her when the waitress dropped them off. “Eat.”
“Aren’t you having anything? I can split it.”
He shook his head. “Eat, Gia.”
“Just as bossy as Rider.” She told him with a smile. “I’m excited to get back to Colorado for my cuddles with Harper. Have you seen her? I’m in love. She’s so cute. Probably the cutest baby in the world. I’m not even exaggerating.”
Hawk snorted, uncapping his water he drank deeply to put out the fire in his chest. “Rider’s turned into one of those doting assholes who thinks everyone wants to see fifty pictures of the same baby.”
Gia burst out laughing. “Isn’t he adorable? He sends me more pictures than Zara does. And he adds captions like ‘doodle-bug burped and scared herself.’ ‘She’s small but she took a big dump.’ He’s so gone over her.”
Yeah. Hawk got that impression, too. He was happy for his buddy.
“So, we’re in a public place. I take it you brought me here for some big speech how it was a mistake we kissed and now we can’t hang out. Am I right?” Hawk was busy watching even white teeth sink into bread that he didn’t hear her for a second.
He inhaled.
Rubbed his beard.
Fingers drummed on the counter.
“That’s about it.”
“I debunk this theory. Next.” She voiced. Carrying on eating.
Hawk shut his eyes, hypnotized from her licking her lips. The hell? “This isn’t a debate, Gia. I shouldn’t have touched you.”
“I kissed you. Get over it. Next.” She smiled closed lipped around a mouthful of food and fuck him in the face if she didn’t look gorgeous doing it.
She invaded his chest just with her presence. Reaching in and grasping his fucking heart until he couldn’t breathe.
“Not interested in games, Gia.” I want everything.
“IF I were playing games, wouldn’t you be intrigued enough to know the rules? I mean, a VP needs to always be on his top A-game, isn’t that right? What’s the harm in spending time together?” She teased with a little smile touching her pink lips, lips he wanted to suck and bite on for days.
Her plate empty, she pushed it away to cradle the cup of coffee.
He was in her face a second later, snarling with his teeth bared, fingers gripped her chin, tipping it up making damn sure she was looking at him. Not trying to hurt her, in fact he held her like she was pure crystal.
She went on smiling like she’d won some contest already in just getting him to touch her.
“You’re playing a dangerous game if that’s the case, little bit. Being Rider’s sister won’t save you if I decide to play.”
He heard a purr coming out of her throat. “Play with me, Hawk.”
She didn’t even have the grace to fear him when he looped fingers around her throat. If anything, her pulse slowed to a lazy roll. Hypnotic, he concentrated on that motion, the rhythmic thump to regulate his breathing.
“Never. I don’t play with little girls. And not ones who are too stupid to realize the danger they’re in.”
“Liar,” she shrugged, pushing his hand away, stepping aside. “Your loss. I’ll see you around, Hawk. Or maybe not, since that’s what you want. Thanks for the lunch.”
He sighed hard enough to feel it expand his chest. Instantly hating himself for putting that disappointed expression on her face.
Didn’t she know if circumstances were different he’d play any game she wanted. He’d start at her feet and work his way up and worship every inch of her body until she was floating.
But Hawk was who he was and what he wasn’t was good enough for her.
“Why do you keep taking every fucking angry word I say? Are you that dense?”
Though she flinched she masked a second later. “I grew up with Ajax Marinos, I’m used to prickly men who lash out first rather than discuss what they’re actually feeling.”
Jesus fuck. Now he felt ten levels lower than a bag of shit for that.
He wanted to bring her in and hold her tightly and say he was sorry over and over. Sorry for not being the kind of man who would chase her to the end of the earth, to plead just to be allowed to love her.
“Goddamn it, Gia,” he sighed, rubbing both hands on his face before he threw money on the counter and took the steps to leave. She was behind him. He paused at the door. He turned, caught her eye. “I don’t mean the shit I say,” he spoke low for her ears only, shoulders hunched beneath his leather coat. “You should stay away from me. We can’t be whatever it is you want from me. Not friends, not more. I’m not capable of it.”
“As you said, I’m stupid. I’ll see you later, Hawk.” She slipped by him. Just like that the little bit of a thing left him standing there with his dick aching and his mouth gaped open.
He was used to self-loathing, he wore that shit like a meat sack strapped to his back.
But putting hurt in her voice. Now he really fucking hated himself.
He still didn’t know if he could fix it without fucking with his own mind at the same time. A constantly battle between wanting to drag her near and push her away. The rest of the day was spent much the same way. He worked out. He followed one of Rex’s boys, bored out of his mind. Thinking about Gia.
When the call came into the club. Krusher sidled up to him. Hawk side-eyed the old man. Not in the mood for his gossiping tonight. He wanted to get drunk until he was in a coma.
“Put the glass down, son.” He whispered. “You got somewhere to be.”
“No, I don’t, old man.”
“Okay. Well then if you don’t mind me sending one of the prospects out to TEASERS to pick up your girl.”
Hawk’s hear reared up. Eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Kid over at the bar called, said Gia was there making a scene and she gave the club’s number as a contact.”
Jesus. Christ.
Drink abandoned, Hawk pushed back the stool and grabbed his coat and keys.
Behind him he heard a cackle and “That’s what I thought.”
CHAPTER SIX
“The best way to get over a man is …drunk dance for him.” - Gia
This was getting to be a habit.
A rapid pumping of energy went through Hawk as he stepped out of the borrowed SUV outside the loud bar. He’d been a few times, couldn’t claim to like the place any better than anywhere else. It sold beer and was always fucking noisy.
For a hermit who liked his own company he was among the fucking public way too much this past week because of her. The racket hit him as he entered what was Austin’s equivalent to Hooters. TEASERS claimed to have the best wings in Texas. He could give a fuck about their poultry, making his way inside.
All the servers wore skin tight clothing and tried to earn tips by overtly flirting. The Austin boys liked the bar, for obvious reasons. Nodding to Eric the barman who’d called the club as he caught Hawk’s eye, the dark-haired man nodded in the direction, he saw her at the other end of the bar, balancing on her stool, skirt up to there, tits pouring over her teeny, tiny sleeveless shirt and heels so tall they accentuated her tanned legs.
Hawk’s gut tightened to vicious rocks.
She was asking to fall and break her stupid neck, was his first thought. Quickly followed by how amazing she looked and wonder
ed what the patch of inner thigh she was flashing would taste like.
His body jolted.
Roused.
Hardened.
Hard as a bat.
But if he was thinking perverted thoughts, then so was every other man who circled around her.
God fucking dammit. He couldn’t even claim to be there because of Rider and some sense of brotherhood looking out for his sister. It was simple really, he was where Gia was. Beginning and end. Pushing one fool out of the way after another. No fucker messed with him when he turned a dark snarl.
She was swaying to the music, really letting her hips go from side to side, arms in the air, a smile a mile wide on her face she was so into the music and the adoration of the three dickheads surrounded her cheering her on that she didn't see Hawk until he'd shoved one more punk out of the way.
She looked incredible.
So good it stopped his heart. He had visions of her doing her little dirty hip dancing just for him. Naked. And sweating after he’d turned her out.
Fuck. He ached. And he was mad. And, Jesus. She looked incredible. It just made his teeth snarl more to think every man in there was seeing what he was seeing.
And that was too. Fucking. Much. Of. Gia.
Even when she saw him she didn’t halt.
If anything, there was a little more oomph and sass to her rhythmic hips and a lot of cold coming from her gaze. Goddamn, the shimmering silver skirt/belt she was wearing looked painted on to her upper thighs. The expression in her heavily made-up eyes was frosty.
He missed her smile.
He’d done that. He’d stolen her fucking smile.
His wallet chain and heavy boots seemed extra loud up against the roaring blood through his skull. He pushed behind one of the cocksuckers eyeballing Gia and yanked him back by the scruff of the neck, putting himself directly in front of her.
The guy protested. “Hey, asshole!” Hawk ignored the hell out of him or he’d murder right here in public.
“Get down from there before you break your damn neck,” his command was a thunderclap boil of pissed off and horny. Desire squeezed his voice box just as it did the same to his balls. “You’re giving every fucking pervert in here free rights to peek up that little skirt. I’m not having it.” He hissed.
Gia glanced only once, a look cold as snow and went right back to dancing to whatever tween-song was playing.
The stool tipping as she did.
He caught her fast, grasping her around the waist, getting his hands full of warm, lush woman, she was over his shoulder in a second.
“Heyyyyyyyyyyy! Put me down, Hawk! I was having fun! You can’t do this, we’re not friends.” She garbled her words crossly, her hands going to his ass to steady herself before she began waving to her audience like she was Cher on her goodbye tour.
The crowd cheered.
One punk tried to reach for her outstretched hands.
Hawk snarled and landed her on her feet, glaring at the three men who had advanced forward with each a death wish.
He was just dying to bury some stupid moron, especially the short little dipshit who eyed her tits like they were mashed potatoes and gravy. Hawk towered over the man, rumbled a warning in his throat. “Fuck off while you can still walk.”
“Hey now, man, we don't want no trouble today, okay? Just take your girl on home.” Instructed Eric standing on his side of the bar, a worry etched on his face that his place was about to become kindling.
Understandable, Hawk did tend to cause riots from time to time. Not his fault, but he never backed down from a fight. Usually because he was itching to fight.
The shorter man took his cue and scurried off, so did another, but one dumb-fuck didn't back down. “We were having fun, weren't we honey?”
“Yesssss.” Gia giggled half hidden by Hawk's size, he had his hand pinned to her waist. “You're being a buzzkill, Hawk! Me and my friend—whatsyournameagain?”
“Robert, but you can call me baby, sweetheart.”
“How about I call the undertaker for you.” Hawk broadcast in the quietest voice as the guy smiled at Gia in that lustful way any man would recognize.
Maybe his head snapped.
Maybe his logic took a fucking trip because the next second Hawk had the royal prick pinned against the bar and the man was screaming for no good reason at all.
Oh, and Hawk's pocket knife was embedded in the man's hand, harpooning him to the wood countertop.
Maybe that explained all the caterwauling.
After much howling and uproar from the crowd and servers, Hawk pulled back his knife, he pinned the guy with a stare and pointed the end of the knife dripping blood at his face. “Leave by the door you came in or next time you’ll be in a pine box.”
Who cared where the guy went. Maybe he died on the floor. Hawk had already turned back around to face the drunken brat.
She was propping the bar up with an elbow. Booty poking out. Not fazed at all. If anything, she was flapping her painted lashes at him.
She was the good doctor and he was the head case. How then in this fucking equation was he the rational one?
Behind him Eric buzzed for Hawk to leave. Hawk waved the fucker off. Striding forward he slid an arm around Gia’s waist. “Grab your purse, little bit. Your drunk ass is going home.”
“Not your lil bit. Did—” hic. “Did you just stab my bestest friend?”
Hawk grumbled. “He was no friend to you.”
“You—you don’t know, mister. He could—could have been my bestest best friend in the world and you stabbed him. You don’t wanna be my friend. Had to find new ones.”
“He’s lucky he’s still walking. Don’t push me.” All his heat and temper miraculously dissipated the moment her two hands came to his chest, sliding under the unzipped jacket and up to his neck, she tangled fingers in his beard and tugged.
Hawk grunted.
He liked it.
His dick loved it.
“You need a haircut.” She teetered, walking her fingers over his lower face.
The girl who was always ahead of her peers in school, not just in years but in academic achievements, was drunk off her ass in the tightest mini skirt and her tits out to there. Of all the years he’d creeped around the fringes he’d never witnessed her wild and free like this.
He liked her tits pressing into his chest and the way her fragrance seduced.
And that was his fucking cue to get her out of there, not just because some asshole might have called the law, but his dick was aching something fierce and if she continued to purr and rub all over his front, this crowd were gonna get another kind of show when he lifted her onto the bar, split her legs and buried his head underneath silver.
“You ruined my night!” She hiccupped once he managed to get her outside. Which wasn't as easy as he’d first thought it would be moving a small woman. She was all arms and legs and giggle-fits, and she really was a weak drunk, he thought, keeping his arm tight around her. “You ruined my whole fucking day, Colton. My entire life!”
“I know. Come on, little bit, keep walking, that’s it.”
Before she could lean up against someone’s Buick parked out front he pulled her against his chest.
His heart went nuts knocking up against his ribs.
For someone who thought he didn’t have one, there it was, thumping out of control.
Gia curled into him and further killed Hawk. His two hands had fucking ideas of their own, sweeping gently up and down her back.
Just a minute. Just a fucking minute. Let me soothe her.
“Hawk?” Glassy eyes looked up at him. She was so damn beautiful, and she didn’t even know it. Guys like the ones inside knew it, and that punk who carried a briefcase he knew it. “Kiss me,” she said making him recoil. “Please? Please kiss me, Hawk. you can pretend it didn’t happen tomorrow. I won’t—I won’t mention it. Please. Kiss me here.”
Silence filled his head and longing, sweet, fucking longing pooled into
his gut. A furnace full of need came at him fifty strong, there was no way he could ignore her, pretend he didn’t hear. Just get her into the truck, get her home and forget this night ever happened.
Forget she was plastered to his front, hip to hip, tits pressing his chest, hands sliding into his belt loops. “I shouldn’t have to beg—dammit, Hawk, if you—”
He’d heard enough.
Taking her under the chin, his palm cupped kinder than he’d ever held anyone by the throat and directed her head back, his growl was a needy sound.
“No talking.”
Drunk and smiling, she was already clutching his shirt. Already on her toes.
He met her half way and when Hawk kissed Gia for only the third time the back of his brain was about to detonate.
Perfect.
She’s perfect.
She tasted perfect. Sweet, liquor perfection.
Oh, shit. He was sunk.
He was about to become her—whatever she needed.
Lips moved this way and that way, his tongue touching hers, he swallowed her moan. Moved his hand into the back of her hair, his lips a little more savage, more desperate.
He didn’t even know if he was kissing her the way she liked until she started clawing at his cut and shirt, trying to climb his leg, her lips pressing deeper.
Jealousy messed with his wiring, watching those men mentally undress a dancing Gia had him wanting to be aggressive with her, rougher than he’d been, it fired through his bloodstream until that’s all he tasted, the overpowering need to claim her in rough ways until the little bit of a thing learned her damn lesson not to flaunt her gorgeous self in front of him.
Stopping it before he railed her on the ground, and then he’d really have to kill every living soul in the area for seeing Gia that way, he tossed her into the front seat of the SUV and climbed in on a sigh.
Keeping his eyes averted, he drove in silence and listened to her none-stop rambling.
He might have smiled once or twice.
Or maybe it was a stroke.
Either way all the tightness in his chest lessened.
******
Being half sozzled with the room spinning meant Gia didn’t really feel the graze on her knee even as blood trickled down her leg drying in long lines, she sat on the edge of the bed, swaying a little.