by Kara Kelley
His brows rose. “No GPS, huh? Liar, liar, pants on fire, babe.”
“And if I wasn’t grieving, Drew?” Those lips, so close to hers she could practically taste them, quirked at the sides and her heart pounded.
“You, baby girl, would be over Daddy’s knee for a long, hard spanking.”
She swallowed hard and exhaled a heated breath.
He guided her to the exit and she followed in a stupor. He pulled open the door and the sunshine instantly took away some of the heaviness in her gut.
“Come on, you’ve gotta be starving by now.”
“I. Am. Famished. I haven’t eaten today.” Addi looked up at him when he paused.
“I asked you if you’d eaten earlier. Did you lie to me twice, baby girl?” His voice was a low rumble and his brow cocked, but he didn’t look all that annoyed—he was just giving her that playfully sexy ‘daddy’ look.
“No, you asked me if I was hungry and I said no.” She gave him a cheeky grin.
“And were you?”
“Maybe.” She shrugged and looked away before he could lecture. She was thoughtful a moment as they stepped off the walkway onto the pavement. “Why are you taking care of me, Drew?”
When she turned her eyes, his face was unreadable and he pulled away to reach in his pocket for the keys. She missed his warmth instantly. Why was it she felt so comfortable with him? Even after he’d broken her heart.
“Here,” he said in a gruff voice and held out the helmet from earlier. Her stomach quivered.
“Hey, Addi!” She looked up from her transfixed stare at the helmet to see Carter jingling her keys in his hand. The rental was parked next to his cruiser. The redhead sat petulantly in the front seat of his car.
“Thought you might want this.” He patted her car and she smiled back as he tossed her the keys, thanking the good lord she didn’t have to get on Drew’s death mobile.
Drew leaned down close to her ear.
“Baby girl, you’ll be on the back of my bike soon enough.” His words gave her shivers and she swallowed hard. It sounded way more seductive than it should have, especially with her fear of motorbikes. He straightened, quirked an irritated brow at Carter, and straddled his bike. He kicked the bike to a start, and winked at her before pulling his glasses out of his shirt and putting them on. He popped on his skullcap.
“You comin’?” he asked. Addi continued to watch, dry-mouthed as he kicked the stand back and held the huge, rumbling machine with his thick thighs.
“Hey, you wanna follow me back instead?” Carter asked, but Addi barely glanced at him. Her attention couldn’t be pulled from the bearded, tattooed man who waited for her—her!
“I’ll be fine, but thanks for having my car fixed and brought over.” Addi opened the door. “How much do I owe?” she asked, pulling her eyes from Drew’s leather-clad back.
Carter’s mouth pulled into a dimpled smile. “I don’t know anything about cars, but the tow truck guy said it was just a loose spark plug. He fixed it right there. But how about you let me take you to dinner Friday and we’ll call it even?”
Drew revved his bike impatiently and Addi felt the vibrations right through the pavement into her pelvic bone.
“Uh, I’m standing at a funeral home. My uncle just died.” She gave him a small shrug. “Not really a good time for a date.”
“Oh, right. Yeah, that was dumb.” He rubbed his forehead and gave her a flat smile. “How about I just come check on you on Friday? You can give me the funeral details then and I can have a look around the camp.”
Addi nodded, wanting to get away and go back and lie down. This day felt never-ending and her emotions and instincts were whacky. Why did the huge scary biker revving his engine, once again acting like a jealous boyfriend, make her feel safer than she had in years?
Safer and indecently aroused at a completely inappropriate time.
Biker Daddy.
Chapter Five
Addi
When she pulled into Uncle Ray’s parking spot in front of the camp office, Addi took a moment to rest her head on the wheel. She closed her eyes, but couldn’t really relax with the rumbling of Drew’s motorcycle, especially when she thought about the way it vibrated through her. It made her belly coil tight. When he cut the motor, she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
Addi didn’t know how long she sat motionless, head against the steering wheel, but it was at least a half an hour before she heard the tap on her window. When she looked up, Drew’s face was plastered with concern again.
She didn’t want his concern. In fact, she was suddenly angry that he was there again. Why had her uncle let him live here? Why had he been selling the place? And why was Drew being so protective and flirty?
Frustration burned in her so hot she threw her head back and shoved the door open, hitting Drew who was standing against it. He had been nothing but nice and she felt like a supreme bitch, but she was suddenly the teen girl who couldn’t control anything around her again. The feeling overwhelmed her and she wanted to go curl up and sleep away the world.
“Hey, what’s going on? You okay?”
“Nothing. I’m fine,” she barked, and squeezed out of the car since he wouldn’t budge. “I’m going back to the cabin.” She left him standing by her car with the door still partially open.
“Addi?” She looked back. “Your uncle asked me to take care of you. He was worried you’d crumple when he died.”
“Thanks, but I’m fine,” she answered, but he was staring expectantly. She could take care of herself.
“Addi?”
“What?” she shouted, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “Just let me go. I’m fine.”
“You seem like a boulder heading toward the gravel pit to me.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Yeah, well, you don’t know me anymore.”
“Maybe, but I have good instincts and you don’t seem to have changed all that much.” His lips quirked up. “I do miss the braids though.” He chuckled when she grimaced at him. “And, baby girl, I moved your bag to your cabin.”
She growled and covered her face with her hands. “Stop calling me that!” When her hands dropped and she started toward her uncle’s cabin, he stepped in front of her like a brick wall.
“Move, Drew. I’m going to Uncle Ray’s cabin.”
“It’s not safe.” He paused to look at her, his eyes switching back and forth between hers. “It was falling apart around him and I’m not letting it fall on you. He spent a few days in the hospital a couple of months ago and I broke in and put the fireplace in because it’s drafty as fuck in there. I did the windows, put on the new veranda, and gave it a coat of paint, but it needs so much more. He wouldn’t let me in while he was here.” He shook his head and pressed his lips. “The bloody floor is rotten. I had no idea it was that bad or I’d have fought him harder.” He swallowed and shoved his hand through his hair, looking more sorry than angry then.
“What the hell right do you have to do anything around here?” Her eyes narrowed on his clenching jaw and she stabbed his chest with her finger. He looked at it, took her hand and held it tightly, but not uncomfortably, in his.
“You’re not setting foot in there until it’s safe. And that’s the second time you’ve poked me, little girl. You’re definitely in need of some time over Daddy’s knee.” Her gut dipped.
She knew the floor was rotten from watching him inspect it earlier, but she had no idea how much he’d been taking care of her uncle.
“You’ve been taking care of him all these years.” Guilt swelled inside her. She should have been here. If only she’d known. “He seemed so… well… capable all the time. I had no idea how bad things were. My dad can’t function without me, but Uncle Ray—”
He cocked his head and his expression softened. He bit the inside of his cheek. “I loved him, Addi. He meant the world to me. And he didn’t want you to know how bad it was.” There was a vulnerability in his look he couldn’t hid
e and it went straight to her heart.
He released her hand and lowered his face. “I only wish he’d have let me do more for him, but he was damn stubborn.” Drew kicked a rock hard and it skittered toward the lake and then his eyes met hers and firmed. “Apparently, it runs in the family.”
Addi smirked. “Perhaps it’s in the water here.”
He reached out and touched her cheek. “I already fixed your cabin. It was the first one I did when I came back here to fix what I’d done.” He paused, watching her face.
She shut her eyes, remembering the way the camp had been in shambles after his club had their fun.
“I added some amenities.”
Her eyes fluttered open and his thumb smoothed down and across her lips, making her heartbeat quicken. “To make it nicer for the guests?”
“No, no one stays in your cabin.” He dropped his hands and they fisted slightly. She searched his expression and he looked away. When she wasn’t being a raving lunatic, she could easily see his grief.
“Your uncle never let anyone stay in it,” he added and started to walk away. He turned back a minute, looking broody. It didn’t seem like it was her uncle’s decision by his reaction, but then again, she was overtired and probably reading into things. Why the hell should he care? He broke up with her, told he he’d never cared, that he had only been with her to please Ray. And that’s all this was too, a promise to Ray.
“I’ll bring you dinner in a bit and breakfast in the morning. We can talk about your poking problem and the rest of your indiscretions then.”
“I can get my own…” She let her words trail off as he growled.
“The hell you will.” His pace increased and he effectively cut her off by storming away. His gait was most definitely a sexy swagger, but not the intentional kind. He was a natural.
Addi couldn’t help but feel a little breathless watching him in his tight jeans and black scarred motorcycle boots with his shoulders squared and his longish dark hair curling over the collar of his shirt.
As she turned to the little cabin across the gravel drive, fear singed her gut. It was hard enough facing her uncle’s place but the cabin held more memories. She and Uncle Ray spent weeks getting it perfected. That was a time she’d cherished her whole life. No one had cared about her room at home or what she liked or didn’t.
She entered the cabin and despite her reluctance, smiled widely. It had air conditioning and it was also her dream. The bed was not like the bunks in the boys’ cabins or the frilly nightmare she’d had as a teen. It was a cherry wood sleigh bed with a solid yellow quilt and more pillows than anyone needed and everything was spotlessly clean. Best of all there wasn’t one bit of lace anywhere. There were bookshelves lined with her favorites as a teen and a cozy chair with a throw blanket over the armrest. Across from the bed was a dressing table that had pretty antique perfume bottles, and silver brush and mirror set.
Addi pulled out the little stool and sat, staring at herself in the mirror. She looked tired. Lines of worry around her eyes and forehead made her rub her face as if that could remove them. There was a modern porcelain bowl and jug for washing up on the dresser top and she stood to reach for it. That’s when she saw the beautiful antique iron woodstove. She covered her mouth with her hand as she stared. And then her eyes landed on a door at the back of the cabin, one that was never there before, and her brow furrowed. She thought of Drew’s words.
“I added some amenities.”
Addi stood and went to the new door. Opening it, she gaped. It was a bathroom—with a claw-foot tub. None of the cabins had bathrooms. All the campers had used the communal washrooms and showers by the mess hall—she’d used the bathroom in the office and Uncle Ray’s shower when she had been there.
She looked at the room in awe. It not only had a functioning toilet, gorgeous tub, and a pedestal sink but an antique mirror, more antique-looking bottles, and finger, hand, and bath towels. Why was it so painstakingly decorated with the perfect combination of modern and antique if her uncle hadn’t rented it out?
She reached out to the sink. A little divot in the porcelain held different shaped soaps. She picked up an oval-shaped bar and sniffed it. It smelled like lavender. She turned, noticing a metal tray set across the edges of the tub.
One of the little baskets had several bath bombs and another had a gel eye mask. She reached to touch them, too.
The cabin would have been a big seller. She eyed the deep tub and bit her lip. She would love a hot soak with one of those bath bombs fizzing in it, but first she walked through the little cabin again looking at everything anew imagining what her write-up would be.
The pretty butter-yellow cabin with climbing clematis begs to be entered and once you do, you feel like royalty. Suddenly you’re swept away from a North American campground to a gorgeous cottage in the European countryside. New delights peek out from wherever your eyes settle. From the modern sleigh bed to the antique fixtures, the cabin is an absolute darling. You won’t know whether to throw yourself into the cloud of pillows on the silky quilt or to fill the tub and soak your stresses away. Either way, this is one place you’ll forget your troubles for a while.
The cabin was completely out of place in the camp—as ridiculous as glamping. The bunk cabins were rough, with natural wood interiors—plain and basic. The blankets were sleeping bags and the mattresses hard, plastic-covered, and smelled of damp and wood smoke. There were spider webs in the corners and dust and sand could always be found even though they were cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis. It was the way of the outdoors. That was camp life. At least that’s how they used to be. But maybe they’d been upgraded too.
She was fondling the expensive sheets on the bed when Drew gave a quick knock and walked in. He took up a large part of the cabin with his towering form. His arms, covered in sleeve tattoos, pulled her eyes again. They were the things of horror films—demons, howling souls being tortured in hell, snakes in skulls, and who knew what other terrors. She looked at his face instead.
“Hi,” she said quietly.
He had a faded brown tray, one of the old ones from the mess hall. He set it on the small antique bistro table in the corner of the room by the door, never removing his eyes from hers.
“It’s just a sandwich and some milk, but you need something.”
“Thank you. For the sandwich and for making my cabin so gorgeous.”
He scratched his beard, looking awkward.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so crazy. I know I’ve been rude to you,” she added.
“You’re welcome.” He placed his hands on his hips and cocked his head to the side. “Baby girl, I’m giving you some leeway here because I know you’re grieving, but one of these times you’re going to push me to the edge. I don’t put up with that shit.”
She sat on the bed, still pawing the sheets. “Okay.” She looked at him through her lashes, his handsome face and intelligent eyes making her heart patter. “I’m not sure I’d be as forgiving as you if it were me.”
“Oh, you deserve a good old-fashioned spanking, baby girl—” He smirked. “But like I said, you get some leeway—for now.”
“What if even I think I deserve that spanking?” She surprised herself with the question and swallowed hard at the throbbing heat that started in between her legs.
“Too bad, sweetheart. I’m the daddy. I decide what you need and when.”
She smiled, her heartbeat doubling its pace. “Joking aside, Drew, I thought it was hard when I was a kid, but adulting is no picnic either.”
He came and sat beside her on the bed, handing her half of the sandwich and wrapping his arm around her. He watched her with a crooked brow until she took a bite.
“Mmum,” she muffled through the sandwich.
“First, I wasn’t joking, young lady. If you need a good bottom-warming, I won’t hesitate. Second, you don’t have to adult with me. I’ll help you and if everything gets too much for you and you’ve had enough, I’ll take over.”
Addi clasped her lip between her teeth. He can’t possibly be serious about spanking me and taking over, can he? Before she could ask, though, he moved on.
“Have you decided when to have the funeral?”
Addi looked at her lap, fiddling with the quilt. “They’re putting the obituary in the paper for tomorrow. I’m going to skip the option of visitation. Uncle Ray would hate to be on display.” She smirked. “Like a trophy fish.” Drew laughed and she continued, feeling somber again. “The funeral will be on Saturday.” She looked up at Drew. “I feel like there may be a lot of people that went to the camp as boys that may want to make the trek here to pay respects. I’m going to start going through the files and see if I can’t contact some of them.”
“I can help with that,” Drew said.
She nodded, giving him a small, sad smile before looking around the cabin again. “I’m so tired. I know it’s early but I just need to rest. Does my uncle’s office pass inspection? Does it still have the old couch in it?”
Drew’s finger found Addi’s chin and he tilted it so she looked at him. “Why, baby girl? Don’t you like your cabin?”
“I don’t want to sleep in here. I don’t know.”
“What if I stayed until you fell asleep?” He let go of her chin and pointed to the floral upholstered chair by the books.
Her heart swelled at his sweet offering.
“Why are you single, Drew? Shouldn’t someone have snapped you up by now?”
“Sweetheart, that’s a story for another time. Up you get.” His big, warm palm swallowed hers, and her heart tripped in her chest. He stood and pulled her with him.
Addi looked at her suitcases and gathered a breath. She was too damn tired to unpack, but she needed something to sleep in. He followed her line of sight and looked at the bags over his shoulder. Nodding at her, he reached over his shoulder and yanked off his t-shirt. He held it out to her, but she only stared at his hard chest.
She was grieving and vulnerable and certainly not in her right mind because the sight of him half naked before her made her middle spasm with need. She licked her lips, wanting to taste the nipples that were hard beads over brown flat disks, the hollows of his neck and, God, the trail of hair that disappeared beneath his belted jeans.