“To never let me date another guy like him,” I grumbled.
“Exactly.”
“Thomas is sweet, though. He’s not a douche like Adam.”
“I’ve said my piece, and warned you like you asked, so go fly free, baby bird. I don’t really care who you date. I love you and will welcome whomever catches your heart. But if you go down this road with Thomas Ellis and it’s looking bad, Willow and I will both tie you to a chair and make you listen to reason.”
“I’m aware,” I said.
“Okay, lecture over. Are you going to Dash’s thing tomorrow night?”
“Probably not.”
“Honey, don’t let the actions of one man keep you away from your friend’s celebration, okay?”
“It’s not that.”
“I know you have the swim lesson and stuff tomorrow, I get it. You’ll be wiped, but the get-together’s going to be super fun and you know you hate missing fun.”
I sighed. “You’re right. I do hate missing fun.”
“Pick you up at seven? I’ll be the designated driver, so you can drink.”
This was Parker. She was quiet and appeared shy. She seriously said “boo” to no one, but she could bend you to her will and you wouldn’t even see it coming.
“Fine,” I breathed out with an exaggerated sigh.
“I’m hanging up now before you change your mind.”
“Okay, Attila. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
All I heard was her laugh as she hung up. Scruffy had apparently finished eating and his subsequent cleaning ritual, because I found the leg of my jeans being used as a scratching post. I leaned forward to glare at him. “Seriously? I spent three-hundred dollars on a kitty gym, but you insist on using me? What the hell, Scruff?”
“Meow.” He disengaged his claws and jumped onto my lap, rubbing his head under my chin.
I pulled him close and scratched his neck. “God damn, you’re lucky you’re cute.”
His purr shook me (literally... he had the loudest and most violent purr), but I had to get a few things done, cleaning-wise, so I set him aside and set about mopping. The joys of living alone.
Alamo
I watched Jasmine as she walked into the great room with Parker. Fuck me, she was gorgeous. Dark jeans, tall boots, low-cut T-shirt that showcased her amazing tits, and her hair pulled back into a ponytail that begged to be wrapped around my hand as I fucked her.
It looked like that was far from happening anytime soon. I’d fucked up. I should have texted or called her after our lunch.
She was worth that.
I didn’t have an excuse, other than dealing with shit at Dalton’s shop and not wantin’ to pull her into said shit, but the second she walked out of her salon and gave me the look of death, I knew that had been the wrong choice.
My gut clenched as Mouse made a beeline for her and I forced myself not to walk up to him and blind him. Wouldn’t do my cause any good, but I fully intended on having a conversation about how one Jasmine Buckley was off-limits to him, and anyone else who thought she might be available.
She caught my eye and I smiled. She gave me a quick one in return, but then focused on Mouse, and I fisted my hands at my sides at whatever the fuck he was sayin’ to her to make her laugh. God damn piece of shit. I was supposed to make her laugh, not some wet behind the ears recruit with a permanent hard-on.
“Wipe that scowl off your face, buddy, or she’ll turn around and walk out the door,” Parker warned, standing directly in front of me and blocking my view of Jasmine. I forced myself to smile and she hugged me in greeting. “You screwed the pooch, huh?”
“Indeed,” I agreed.
“I know you don’t want me to act as your Cyrano, so I won’t tell you what to do, but I’m on your side, Alamo, so I’ll help however I can.”
I chuckled. “’Preciate that, babe.”
She nodded. “Now, I’m going to try and pull her away from Mouse. Damn, that kid is relentless.”
I scowled in that general direction. “Yeah, I’m aware.”
As Parker stalked off to drag Jasmine away from Mouse, I waited until they had some distance before making my way to him.
“Oh, hey, Alamo!” he said like a puppy greeting his favorite master. “How are ya, man?”
“I’m good, Mouse. You’re gonna stay away from Jasmine, though.”
His face fell. “Fuck, seriously?”
I nodded.
“Damn. Okay.” He raised his hands in surrender. “Didn’t know she was yours.”
I gave him a chin lift and walked away. He was a good kid. Barely out of high-school, workin’ at some fast-food joint on the edge of town. He wanted into the Club, and was a hard worker, but he was gonna need to learn not to fish in waters that were too deep for him.
As I approached one of the pool tables, I was intercepted by AnnMarie.
“Hi, Alamo,” she said, channeling Marilyn Monroe, or more accurately a cheap, Hollywood Boulevard tourist trap Marilyn.
AnnMarie was petite, blonde, and had a rack that rivaled most, but it was all fake. I didn’t do fake. She, however, was extremely proud of her six-hour a day workout regimen, and her miracle-working plastic surgeon.
“Hey.”
“You want some company tonight?”
* * *
Jasmine
“You want some company tonight?” AnnMarie squealed out, rubbing herself against Alamo.
Whore.
“Smile,” Parker hissed, and I glared at her. “If you want to keep looking like a crazy, jealous chick, keep making that face.”
“She’s such a pig,” I whispered. “She’s rubbing her udders all over him.”
“Pigs don’t have udders,” Parker retorted.
“Teats,” I hissed. “Whatever. She’s rubbing her silicone teats all over him. It’s disgusting.”
“But you’re done with him, right?”
I rolled my eyes. “Suck it.”
Parker grinned. “Can’t have it both ways, honey.”
“Whose side are you on?” I asked.
“The side that makes you blissfully happy.”
Well, she had me there. I couldn’t get irritated at her when all she wanted was for me to be blissfully happy.
“Hey, Firefly.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and let his voice drift over me for a second before putting my game face on and turning toward him. “Hi, Alamo. How are you?”
“I’m good. Gotta minute?”
“I’m kind of in the middle of a game.”
“I’ll shoot your turn,” Parker offered.
I raised an eyebrow. “But you suck at pool.”
“I do. You’re right—” she tugged the pool cue from my hand (hard, because I resisted)—“but I’m still gonna shoot your turn while you go talk to Alamo.”
I wanted to argue, but didn’t want to make a scene (and she knew it), so I reluctantly followed Alamo away from my friend and down the hallway toward the private bedrooms.
Oh, God! I couldn’t be in his room alone with him. I’d do something ridiculous, like kneel before him like he was a god, and worship at the temple of his magic rod.
I stalled.
Alamo was several paces in front of me before he realized I wasn’t right behind him. “Firefly?” he asked, facing me with a frown. “You okay?”
I licked my lips and nodded, not trusting my voice.
“You afraid of me?” He closed the distance between us, his face contorted in concern.
“No,” I rushed to say.
“Not even a little bit?” He studied me, waiting for me to say or do something, and again, he was looking into my fucking soul. God, I could not deal.
“Hey,” he said, raising a hand to stroke my cheek. “You okay?”
I shook my head. “You topple me off my axis, Mo. It’s unusual for me.”
He grinned. “The feeling’s mutual, baby.”
I licked my lips. “I don’t like it.”
“I get tha
t.” Sliding his hand down my arm, he linked his fingers with mine and tugged me forward, guiding me up two sets of stairs and down a hallway at the back of the building. Releasing me to unlock the door, he stepped aside for me to precede him, and I walked into the room. It was clean. I hadn’t expected that, and said as much as he closed and locked the door behind him.
“Got my own place, so I only stay here when I’m drinkin’... or other shit.”
I was pretty sure I knew exactly what that ‘other shit’ was, and she had fake boobs and duck lips, to boot.
“You jealous, Firefly?”
“Stupidly, yes. A little bit.”
He smiled gently and took my hand again. “You gonna talk to me?”
“About what?”
“Whatever you want.”
“Not sure I’m quite there yet,” I admitted. “I’m still trying to figure out why I can’t act cool and lie to you about how I’m feeling. This is not me, and I don’t like it.”
“I like that you’re honest with me. I know where I stand. It’s helpful.”
“Helpful how?”
“’Cause I can adjust. I shoulda texted after our lunch. Don’t have a good excuse... just shit happenin’ at work, but I coulda put some time aside to tell you that it was good and that I like you.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “I like you, too, but you kind of freak me out.”
“That’s good.”
“Why is that good?”
“Gives me an advantage.”
“I don’t want you to have an advantage. Dating isn’t a game to me.”
“I’m aware.” His thumb stroked my knuckles and I shivered at his touch. “You wanna know a secret?”
“Probably not.”
He chuckled. “I don’t date, Firefly. I don’t pursue, and I don’t give a shit what people think of me. You, on the other hand, bring me to my knees.”
My heart raced, and I felt a little lightheaded. “I do?”
“Yeah, baby, you do.” He leaned in slightly. “I’m gonna kiss you now.”
And he did.
Holy shit on a cracker, he did.
He released my hand, sliding his to my neck, stroking my pulse as I gripped his cut and slipped my tongue into his mouth.
“Seven months and two days,” I whispered when he broke the kiss.
“Come again?”
I shook my head. “Nothing. Just reminding myself of something.”
“Tell me.”
“You’ll think it’s dumb.”
“Swear to Christ, Firefly, I won’t think it’s dumb.”
“I won’t sleep with a guy until we’ve been dating for seven months and two days.” The second it was out of my mouth, I dropped my face in my hands. Ohmigod, I couldn’t believe I’d just told him that.
“How come?”
He didn’t sound like he was mocking me, but I kept my eyes on his boots as I answered, “I think it started with my first boyfriend.”
He lifted my chin, then cupped my cheek. “Wanna see those eyes when you tell me important shit, Firefly.”
I swallowed, feeling heat creep up my neck. “I had a couple of boyfriends in high school, but my first one put a lot of pressure on me to sleep with him and I kind of threw it out there, you know? If we’re still together after seven months and two days, I’ll sleep with you. It helped me put a finite amount of time on the whole sex bit, because I have never felt particularly comfortable getting naked in front of anyone.” I groaned, trying to drop my head again, but Alamo kept me where I was. I met his eyes again and they were soft and smiling, but sweet, like he found what I was saying adorable.
“Were you?”
“Still together?”
He nodded.
“No. He was a dick... as were the next four. But two have made it—ohmigod, I can’t believe I’m telling you this.”
He kissed me again and I melted into him. God, he was delicious.
“Wait,” I panted out as I broke the kiss. “I need a minute.”
“You okay?”
I shook my head.
“What’s wrong?”
I pulled away and fanned my face with my hands. “I just keep thinking about the fact I have this stupid date tomorrow, so I should not be kissing you and wishing you—ohmigod, what the hell is wrong with me?” I squeaked. “I can’t stop telling you everything that’s in my head.” I headed for the door. “I need to go.”
“Wait, baby,” he said, wrapping an arm around my waist and stopping me. “Why are you running?”
“Because you freak me out.”
He chuckled. “I’m pickin’ up on that, but it’s not really a good enough reason.”
“I had it figured out, damn it.”
“Had what figured out?”
“This thing... whatever it is! I was going to focus on my date and not let you get under my—” I cut myself off and shook my head. “This is so stupid.”
Alamo dropped his head back and laughed. “Jesus Christ, woman, you’re gorgeous.”
“Stop!” I ordered, jabbing a finger at him. “Stop all that sexiness right now.”
He stopped. But then he studied me.
Shit.
“You think I’m sexy?” he asked.
“Ohmigod, cease,” I ground out, but he smiled. A take-your-panties-off-with-my-teeth smile, and I stepped back... into the wall.
He followed, boxing me in. “How sexy?”
“Alamo,” I warned, pressing myself harder against the wall.
“Yeah, Firefly?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “I can’t deal with this.”
“Sure, you can,” he promised, his lips covering mine again.
I slid my arms up his chest and looped them around his neck as he deepened the kiss, pressing his rock hard everything against my body as he lifted me so I could wrap my legs around his waist.
Carrying me to the bed, he settled me gently on the mattress and hovered above me as he continued to kiss me. I could not get enough of him, practically ripping at his T-shirt as I dragged his cut off of him. He stood straight to reach behind his back and pull his shirt over his head, but it was then I came to my senses.
“Wait,” I begged, spider crawling backwards to get some space. This didn’t help because then I got a full view of his perfect... and I mean perfect chest. “Oh, god,” I groaned. He had no ink. Not one single tattoo (on his chest, anyway), and it was sexy as hell.
“Babe?”
I dropped my head back, so I could stare at the ceiling instead of his body and took a few deep breaths. “I can’t do this.”
“Do what, Firefly?”
“Be in here alone with you when you’re shirtless and perfect, and all I want to do is lick you.” I blinked, forcing myself not to look at him. “I just can’t.”
The bed dipped and then I found myself tugged down and I lost my precarious balance on my arms, flopping onto the covers, but keeping my eyes closed.
“Look at me, baby.”
I shook my head. “Not happening.”
He chuckled, and I was startled when his lips covered mine again. I stroked his beard for a few seconds as I continued to kiss him, then gently pushed his face from mine.
All while my eyes were still closed.
“You need me to do somethin’ else to get you to look at me?” he challenged.
I frowned, but opened my eyes.
“There she is.” He grinned. “I think we should explore the licking thing.”
“No, I don’t think we should.”
He grinned. “You’re gonna be fun, baby. I can tell already.”
“I’m not going to be anything, because this is ending now.”
I tried to get up from the bed, but his hand on my belly prevented that. “This is just beginnin’, Firefly, so you might wanna lean in.”
“Why do you call me Firefly?”
He smiled, running a lock of my hair through his fingers. “Because y
ou light up my night like they did at home.”
Seriously, dude? You’re pretty and you’re sweet?
I closed my eyes and his mouth covered mine again. I sighed and broke the kiss. “You can’t keep doing that.”
He ran a thumb along my bottom lip. “Sure, I can.”
“Not if I ask you not to.”
“Are you asking me not to?” he challenged.
“Yes.”
He nodded and sat up. “You wanna head back downstairs?”
“Not right now.” He craned his head to look at me as I sat up and whispered, “I don’t know what you want from me.”
“I want everything, Jasmine.”
“Why?”
“Why not?” he challenged as he dragged his T-shirt back over his head.
“Maybe because we met, like less than three months ago, and I thought you wanted my best friend.”
“It was longer than three months ago.”
“Not by much,” I countered.
“So I can’t know I want everything because we met not much more than three months ago? And, by the way, no disrespect to Parker, but that girl needs to eat a fuckin’ sandwich. I have never been interested in your best friend.”
I let out a frustrated growl and slid off the bed. “Why do you have to make everything so complicated?”
“Because I like you. I think this could be somethin’ fuckin’ amazin’, and I’m old enough not to let somethin’ amazin’ walk outta my life.”
“Stop being so nice!” I snapped.
He stood and closed the distance between us, sliding his hand to my neck and tugging me forward. “I’ll wait for you, Firefly. Not seven months and two days... but I’ll give you time to lean in and figure out this is what you want, too. What I won’t do is share. You wanna go out with some douchebag tomorrow, I’ll walk away now. You wanna cancel that date with said douchebag, I’ll make it worth your while. Up to you.”
“I can’t cancel this close to the date, Alamo, it would be rude.”
He dropped his hand with a shrug. “Got it.”
I let out another frustrated growl. Mostly because I lost his touch and I was pissed that it affected me so deeply.
“What was that?” Alamo pointed to his ear. “Sorry, baby, couldn’t quite make out what you said.”
I fisted my hands at my side and glared at him.
Alamo grinned, but didn’t say anything as I committed biker-a-cide in my head.
Stealing the Biker's Heart (Dogs of Fire: Savannah Chapter, #2) Page 4