“He should be home with Elizabeth. Axel asked me to take over for him, and I was happy to help.”
Oh, I bet you were.
He reached into his saddlebags and pulled out three Chinese food containers. “I stopped by T’an-Mo’s in town and picked up some chicken with broccoli for you and Kung Pow chicken for me, along with some vegetable fried rice.”
She was familiar with the restaurant. They had excellent Chinese food and the name literally meant devil.
Captain had picked her favorite without being told. She supposed that was a fringe benefit of going on a date with someone who’d been your friend for years. He knew her so well it was unnerving. They’d had countless lunches and dinners together and all of them had been filled with an undercurrent of sexual tension. Actually, if you thought about it, they’d been dating for years. Only now, all their proverbial cards were on the table. This was an actual date…and he was staying the night, too.
Anything could happen.
Don’t think about that right now! “Uh, thanks,” she said.
Captain ascended the stairs and stood staring down at her. She stared right back at him, not knowing what to say. Oh…awkward.
He wore a pair of tight jeans, along with a black-t-shirt, which was snug in all the right places. He had damp hair, too, like he’d stepped out of the shower minutes ago.
“You’re wrong,” he said softly.
Eddie frowned. “About what?”
“What you said earlier. I need to get involved, when it comes to you. Hell, I want to be involved,” he said. “Beauregard isn’t going to lay so much as a finger on you on my watch. So you might as well get used to me being here.” He grinned as he held up the food. “Now that we got that settled, are you ungry? Because I’m starvin’ to death.”
She should put up more of a protest, but honestly, she didn’t want to be alone tonight. And she didn’t want to burden the boys either. Not to mention the sense of anticipation she had.
“Yes,” she said, with a nod. God, she was rusty. Get it together! “Want a beer?” Alcohol might make things easier.
“Sounds good, but just one. In case, I gotta shoot somebody.” He followed her inside.
He sat down on her couch and she grabbed plates, silverware, and two longneck beers from the kitchen. When she returned, Captain selected a seventies rock music channel on the television, and lit the three wick caramel apple candle she kept on the coffee table. Yup. Very date-ish.
She sat beside him and they both filled their plates. She didn’t feel like eating, but took a few bites to be polite. Captain said he was hungry, but he didn’t seem to have much of an appetite either. If she didn’t know better, she’d suspect he was nervous, too. When they finished their meal, she put the leftovers in the fridge for later.
“This wasn’t what I planned for our first date,” he informed her as she sat down again.
“No?”
“Naw, I was gonna do it up right, take you down to Corpus Christi for the day, maybe overnight if I could persuade you.”
“You’re crazy,” she said, shaking her head. That’s like…what? A six or seven hour drive?” Corpus Christi was along the Gulf of Mexico.
“Yeah, it’s a hike, but worth the trip. We could have stayed a couple nights, or even the weekend.”
She played along. “And what would we do on this road trip?”
“I’d take you out sailin’. I don’t own a ship anymore, but they have some rental places. We could throw some Coronas in a cooler, along with some seafood, and we’d spend the day on the water together.” He smiled. “We’d stop by Padre Island and I’d cook your dinner on a campfire. Then show you the shipwrecks off the coast.”
“We’d go diving?”
“If you were feelin’ brave, yeah,” he said, with a cocky grin. “The San Estaban wreckage is off Padre. It was a Spanish ship that went down in 1554. “
That actually sounded amazing, though she didn’t see herself getting in a wet suit and diving. She came from the hills of Kentucky and she preferred dry land, thank you very much. But she’d love to see artifacts from it, preferably in a museum with some plaques next to them, explaining everything. “I’ll give you points for originality, but I love the land.”
“But I’ve got the sea in my blood. Maybe I could persuade you to love the water, too.” Captain wasn’t just talking about the water. Then he cocked his head to the side. “And I’m bein’ rated, huh?”
“Always,” she said, unable to stop smiling. “I’m keeping a running tally.” God, he made her feel younger, almost giddy.
“I’ll keep it in mind, Killer Queen.” He winked at her. “I want to make sure I get a good grade. And mark my words, we’ll go to the Gulf one day. It’s a promise.”
She sucked in a breath. Yeah, this sure didn’t sound like a one-time thing to her. “Hmm, maybe you’ll go diving and I’ll watch. Is there much of the shipwreck left?”
“All the silver and most of the artifacts are gone. They’re in the local museum, but some of the ship is still there. It’s kinda beautiful, really, in a ghostly way,” he said, his features softening. “Lots of things live in it, and on it. The sea repossesses its territory.” He looked her in the eye. “The ocean’s like that, you know, relentless. It never, ever gives up.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I consider myself warned.”
He stared at her mouth. “Damn, I want to kiss you right now.”
Time stopped for a moment and neither one of them moved.
Then, he studied her face. “But I don’t think I will. You aren’t ready yet.”
She blinked, surprised by a flash of disappointment. “I’m not?”
“No, but you will be soon.”
She cleared her throat. “I’ll make up Axel’s room for you down the hall,” she told him as she stood up.
“No, I’ll be staying in your room.”
“You’ll be what?” she asked, placing a hand on her hip. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I’m stayin’ in your room,” Captain drawled, chin raised, daring her to contradict him.
“The hell you are.”
“I can’t be clear down the hall. I’m an older guy, and my response time is a bit slower than your boys.”
Yeah, that was some bullshit. “Now who’s bringin’ up the age thing?”
He raised a brow. “The Dixie Mafia doesn’t fuck around. They’d send a guy in the house to drag you off, even with a bodyguard, if they wanted to. They kidnap folks for ransom money all the time.”
She shivered at the mental image. “But—”
“But nothin’, Eddie. No arguments. Not when it comes to your safety. I would go and handle the bastard now, but being seen with a known mafia hitman ain’t a good idea at the moment. But I want to be ready tonight in case Beauregard shows his ugly face again.”
“It’s actually a very handsome face.” The statement popped out of her mouth, before she could stop herself. Shit.
He gaped at her. “I see? And was he makin’ a social call here? Maybe you didn’t mind so much.”
Good Lord, the man was jealous. “No, it isn’t like that at all.” She found Beauregard unsettling. “But I happened to notice he’s handsome. It’s a stray observation.”
He got closer, inching into her personal space. “And here I thought you didn’t like younger men.”
Suddenly, she’d gone silent again, unable to come up with a coherent reply.
Literally, nothing came to mind to refute his claim. She’d spent a lot of time in the company of men. She loved to flirt, didn’t mind a bit of banter. But with Captain, it was different. For one thing, it meant something. This wasn’t an idle flirtation.
He stepped closer and she stepped back, until her back hit the wall. He placed one palm on the wall behind her head, then the other. It was a deliberate move, boxing her in. “You’re a bit of a cougar, huh?”
She scowled. “No!”
His lips twitched. “That w
as a joke.”
Oh Jesus. He deliberately provoked her, for sport or pleasure. Probably both. And her response had been way too vehement. She narrowed her eyes. “Really? Because I don’t find it funny.”
He smirked. “I hit close to home, huh?”
She ducked under his arm and made her way upstairs. “I’m going to bed…to sleep,” she added. Actually, with him in the room, she’d probably lay in bed and toss and turn for hours until she finally fell into an exhausted slumber.
Fantastic. Another sleepless night.
He followed her, swaggering to the stairs, his initial nervousness had subsided and now he was completely at ease with himself, the bastard.
Eddie ignored him as she walked in the bedroom.
“Act like I’m not here.” He laid down on her bed, tucked his arms behind his head. “And get ready for bed, do anything you need to do.”
Like she could ignore the big man on her bed. Right.
With a sigh, she gathered up pajamas and then locked herself in the master bathroom for a solid hour and a half, hoping he’d be asleep by the time she got out, so maybe she could sneak down the hallway to Axel’s bedroom. She took a shower, painstakingly applied lotion and her newest face cream. It supposedly got rid of wrinkles, but she hadn’t seen any improvement. It just made her face sort of shiny.
Eddie painted her nails, and even flossed her teeth. Then, plucked her eyebrows. She’d chosen a pair of blue flannel pajamas, which covered everything nicely. Flannel was sexless material. Not like satin or silk, which almost begged to be touched. Thank God it was the fall, or she’d be in a thin cotton nightie.
When she strolled out of the bathroom, Captain was still awake.
Dammit. So much for her plan.
His eyes roamed over her body. “There you are. I was beginning to think you intended to sleep in the tub.”
She wrapped her arms around herself. “No, I was taking my time.”
“I think you mean stalling.”
She refused to comment and eyed the bed instead. “You aren’t staying there are you?” Sharing a room with him was one thing, but sharing a bed? That was way too intimate.
“Of course I am. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of room. I’ll even sleep on top of the covers if you’re feelin’ bashful.”
Eddie stared at him.
He patted the mattress. “You have a comfortable bed. Come on over here.”
Oh hell no. Absolutely not. “I know it’s comfortable, but I’m not sleeping with you.”
He grinned. “Why?”
To her horror, she found herself blushing. She wasn’t some hellion, grateful to get the attention of a man. As ranking old lady of the club, the Queen Bee, people feared her. She raised her chin a notch. “Because I said so. My house. My rules.”
He whistled. “Damn, you’re beautiful when you’re pissed. Such a spitfire.”
“Was that supposed to be a compliment?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.
“Yes, it was. And relax, I’ll respect your wishes. I only wanted to get a rise out of you.” He stood up and then folded his long legs into the rocking chair in the corner of the room. The chair was upholstered with blue fabric and had a matching footstool, so it wouldn’t be that uncomfortable. Just not as comfy as the bed. “I can sleep right here, instead, Killer Queen.”
Yeah, she wasn’t sure having him a few feet away was any better.
He was still too close, like he used all the space in the room. She hadn’t been in a bedroom with a man in years and it felt so…strange. And this was the bed she’d shared with Joker.
It felt wrong to have him in here, like she was about to commit adultery. Or maybe because she’d been entertaining the notion all day. Yeah, he made her want to do some sinnin’ alright.
She slid into bed and noticed the mattress and covers were still warm. She was lying in his borrowed body heat. Intimate and strangely gratifying.
He watched all of this with intense eyes. “Damn, I pictured you curled up in bed thousands of times over the years.”
She had to clear her throat to speak. “Well, sorry it was a letdown,” she said dryly.
He laughed, a rough chuckle. “Hardly. Reality with you is always better than any of my fevered fantasies. Besides, I’ve gotten further today than I have in years. And this is only the beginning.”
Suddenly, the sexual tension was thick between them again and her mouth went dry. She should stop this, shoot him down before he made a move, but she somehow couldn’t.
“Speaking of…”
The next thing she knew, he crossed the room and leaned over her, his mouth hovered over hers. “I didn’t give you a kiss, yet.”
She licked her lips and he moaned.
Then, he brushed his lips against hers. It started off slow at first. Tentative. An exploration. Then he pressed deeper, his tongue slipping into her mouth. Before she could stop herself, she’d curled her hands in his hair, held him as they kissed.
Damn, he was good at this.
Eddie kissed him back, relishing the intimate contact. Wanting more. And it had been years since she’d been touched like this. Her whole body came back to life. Nipples throbbing, a hint of moisture between her thighs.
When he finally pulled back, his voice was rough, raw. “Fuck! That was worth waiting years for.”
She sighed, thinking exactly the same thing.
“But, I’m not going to push for more, not tonight.”
“You aren’t?” she asked, slightly dazed. Maybe a bit disappointed.
He groaned, a low, rough sound that made her stomach flip. “Not yet.”
Captain slowly strolled back to the chair and sat down with a grunt, hands placed strategically over his lap, as if he were hiding something. Had she gotten him hard?
And why did she want to know so badly?
“Tonight, I’m here to watch over you, guard you. Not come on to you like a horny prospect. Goodnight, Killer Queen.”
“Night, Captain.” She switched off the lamp on the nightstand and snuggled beneath the covers. Funny. She felt safe with him. If Beauregard came for her tonight, Captain would protect her at all costs. She hadn’t experienced that kind of chivalry from a man not related to her in a long time. And it felt good, reassuring.
They lay there in the dark together. Not speaking. She scarcely dared to breathe.
“One last thing. Did you have a good time tonight?” he asked.
How should she answer that?
Beauregard was gunning for her, the feds wanted to rip her life apart again, but she’d enjoyed Captain’s company. Sure, it had been nerve-wracking at times, but ultimately exciting. She hadn’t felt this eager, this alive in years.
“Yes,” she admitted.
“See, that wasn’t so hard to admit, was it?”
“Oh, shut up,” she grouched.
He chuckled. And she could almost feel him relax in the chair, a release of tension in the air. “Then, I met the terms of our deal. And we’ll do this again.”
Eddie couldn’t bring herself to protest. Maybe the girls had been right and she should give this a go, see where it went.
“So, what’s my score?” he asked.
No sense in bein’ coy. “Ten out of ten. And that was on the kiss alone.”
He gave a whoop. “Ah, Killer Queen, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” Then, his voice deepened, roughened slightly. “And you can bet your luscious ass, we’re going to do a hell of a lot more than kiss next time.”
Dear Lord, what have I gotten myself into?
Chapter Eight
The next afternoon, Captain stood in Perdition’s parking lot with Coyote and Shepherd. They were headed to a meet with the Raptors.
He’d rather be taking Eddie out to lunch or hanging out with Lex, but he had a job to do. Goat had stepped back from the club as he got older, resigning from an officer position, and Cap had to admit he was jealous because he had more time for his family and to do the things he wanted to do.
>
He hardly saw Lex these days, due to both their busy schedules. They’d resorted to scheduling time together. Speaking of, he needed to book a date for them at the shooting range. Lex said she wanted to learn to shoot, for some odd reason, and he intended to teach her on their next outing.
“Are you sure you want me along?” Coyote asked for like the hundredth time.
Captain stared the kid down. “Yes, you’re coming. Stop trying to get out of it.”
“Yeah, but Duke would be better back up then me. Or Cowboy. He’s good with a gun.” Coyote placed his motorcycle helmet on his head. It was red and striped, with webbing like Spiderman’s costume. Probably a custom job. Knowing Yo, he had a matching Spiderman suit stashed somewhere, too.
“I’m just sayin’, Cap, as the club’s techno-expert, I have a very specific skill set. And it doesn’t involve fighting. You knew this when I prospected. The closest I’ve ever come to a fight is doing West Side Story in high school.”
Captain stared at him. Honestly, he needed a nerd-to-biker decoder ring or some such. He turned to his VP in askance, who just shook his head.
“The When You’re a Jet scene,” Yo explained, snapping his fingers and high stepping forward.
As a rule, Captain didn’t do musicals. He’d never seen West Side Story, though he’d heard of it. “What the fuck kinda dance are you doing? You look like a drunk pirate.”
Coyote switched tactics. “Duke says I don’t defend my flank, whatever the fuck a flank is. Seriously, I’m not Jet material.”
Captain climbed on his Harley. “Good thing you ain’t a Jet, then. You’re a Horsemen and it’s time to give those Raptor boys hell.”
Shep finished his smoke and climbed on his bike. Then, reassured Coyote. “There won’t be any violence today, brother, just some intimidation. You’ve seen all the tapes from the whorehouse, so you should have the ammunition we need. Think about somethin’ juicy we can use on the drive over.”
The kid blew out a breath and his death grip on his handlebars relaxed. “Okay, cool. Gotcha. I can totally threaten people.” He lowered his voice and adopted an English accent. “Like…the Lannisters send their regards?”
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