by Morgan Fox
Looking up at him had her remembering the nights they’d once shared, laughing and loving together. She’d missed this, missed him. They’d always been good at this. Sex between them had been earthshattering.
She embraced the passion of their connection and let it steal away her worried thoughts, let it keep her distracted enough to enjoy the power of his possession. He felt good. Damn good. His touch was more alluring than it had ever been. Perhaps it was the time apart or their maturity. Whatever it was made her body tingle with awareness.
Then, like the sun parting through grey clouds, she screamed, her body pulsing with her release. She wrapped her feet around his hips, digging her heels into his buttocks, forcing him to fuck her harder, faster. He did, taking her past the brink along with himself.
Breathless, she let the weight of his body crush over her. Instinctively, she held him, wrapping her arms around him as they had done hundreds of times before. The moment was perfect, but ended just as quickly as it had arrived.
Inhaling deeply, she gently shoved at his arm and shimmied out from under him. He said nothing as he slipped from the bed and into his bathroom. When he returned he was wearing a towel over his hips and the water was running in the shower.
“That’s for you,” he said, opening the door to his room and leaving her alone.
Guilt ravaged her. Maybe she’d been a jerk to tell him not to speak to her, but she knew what could happen if she let him use the words that would have her twisted inside. He had more power over her than she was willing to admit. Protecting her heart had been her priority.
She moved into the bathroom and quickly showered and dressed. When she returned, Daniel was asleep on his bed. She leaned against the door frame to Daniel’s room and watched him sleeping peacefully. His eyes didn’t possess the lines of worry that she’d once seen creasing at the corners. Even after so long apart, she still knew him. Still knew when something was troubling him.
And when he’s keeping things from me.
While in the military, he’d been injured badly. Her fingers had gently grazed over the areas of his flesh now marred by bullets. Her heart sank to her stomach as she imagined how horrifying being shot must’ve been for him. Her knees wobbled as she considered the fact that he could’ve been killed and that they never would’ve shared this moment between them.
She wasn’t a fool. They were different people and she was well aware that they would never work out. Their lives were headed in opposite directions, but she was thankful for the chance to feel him in her arms again. The pain of missing him had subsided a bit as they’d had sex.
After kissing him and feeling his body merge with hers once more, there would never be another man in her life that would consume her as Daniel had done. She loved him. That would never change. But even with that warming her heart, her head couldn’t shake their impossible future. Too much time had passed between them. Too many things forced them apart. It was time she focused on the path she’d set ahead for herself.
She was managing Iron Horse and loving every second of it. Owning and running her own business had been her lifelong dream, and that was what she was doing, thanks to Jason. He shared her need and together they built one of the hottest biker bars in the region.
Recently, Jason had offered her a percentage of Iron Horse, making her his true business partner. He trusted her, she knew that. But she couldn’t shake the timing. He’d given her the opportunity just after Daniel returned.
Had he done that to keep her from leaving? Or was it a way to keep the bar running smoothly while he aided his brother? If that were the reason, he wouldn’t have had to make her a partner. She would’ve kept that bar running regardless. It was her baby and she loved it.
Gritting her teeth, she shook her head, unsure of the unsettling answers swirling around in her mind.
After a long hesitation, she moved to the bed and brushed her lips over Daniel’s, taking one last kiss before leaving. This was it for them. No future. Not now, not ever. She’d come to terms with the pain and the disappointment of losing the love that had once meant so much to her. She couldn’t be the woman Daniel needed. She wasn’t the same person.
Stepping back, she swept her eyes over him, placing as much of him to memory as she could and then turned to leave. Her chest ached as she headed toward her bike, regret assailing her. This time she was the one walking away and it hurt just as badly as it had when he’d been the one leaving. Tears streaked down her cheeks and she headed for the one place that could give her comfort. Iron Horse.
* * * *
“You tricked me, asshole,” Sam said, eyeing Jason as he sat behind his desk.
He grinned. “I did no such thing.”
“You told me to meet you at your house so we could talk business. You weren’t there, but your brother was. I should kick you in the nuts for that.” She pulled out the guest chair and plopped down in it. “Imagine my surprise when he answered the door half naked.”
Jason’s eyebrow quirked upward as he leaned back in his chair. “Did you talk to him or just hit him over the head with your shoe?”
“I—I tried,” she started, her words not coming out correctly. Leaning forward in the chair, she covered her face. “Ah, hell, I slept with your brother.”
He chuckled, pointing out, “You two always did have chemistry.”
“But it wasn’t enough,” she reminded him gruffly. “He chose to leave. I stayed. Now he’s back and he’s fucking everything up.”
“Sam, he’s hurt.”
Her throat tightened. She was hurt, too, damn it, just not in the same way. “I know,” she said with a sigh, feeling a bit selfish. “I felt the scars on his body.”
“I don’t mean that. I mean he’s hurting emotionally. He’s seen things. Done things. He’s not the same man.”
She figured as much, but the way Jason was talking, there was so much more she didn’t know about Daniel. She’d seen TV movies about war and what soldiers had to do to protect themselves, the horrible things they saw. She could only imagine how hard it was to resume a normal life after combat. She’d heard some of the biker guys talking about their time in Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan. And with the news being so in your face, she’d heard what military families endured. A pretty picture was not what she had painted in her mind.
“What happened to him?” she whispered, her voice raw and consumed with emotions.
Jason leaned forward, his elbows resting on his desk. His eyes watered as he said, “He’s been through hell.”
She wanted to ask him to tell her more, but she didn’t think she could stomach knowing. It was hard enough to walk away from Daniel without the pull of her need to comfort him. He hadn’t been the kind of guy to accept sympathy or pity and she was sure that hadn’t changed.
“I hate that he’s hurting,” she confessed, the sting of tears filling her eyes. She looked up to keep them from spilling. She didn’t want to cry. She’d done enough of that over the years.
“I know.”
She cleared her throat, shaking away the sadness that loomed over her. Wiping her face with her hands, she asked, “So what did you want to talk with me about, or was it just to get me to talk with Daniel?”
“Both,” he admitted, with a shy smile and wink.
She frowned.
“I need your thoughts about something.”
“Okay.”
He handed her a stack of papers. They were properties up for sale in the area. “I’m considering opening up another bar.”
Her brow furrowed. She hadn’t considered an expansion idea. Things were great as they were with the new renovations to the bar and the business was really hopping. She wasn’t sure what another bar would do for their current business.
“Okay,” she finally said, not sure how he wanted her to respond.
His gaze narrowed on her. “What? Do you think it’s a bad idea?”
“I didn’t say that,” she said, lowering the papers to her lap. “I’
m just not sure of the timing.”
He nodded, leaning back in his chair. “That damn fire was a blessing and a curse, you know.”
Yes it was. Almost six months had passed since the arson job on Iron Horse had closed them up. They’d lost a lot of business during the investigation and renovation process. Now business was better than ever, but they were still playing catch-up.
“Are you thinking about opening up a new kind of bar or one just like Iron Horse?”
“Not sure. I had hoped you’d have a few ideas.”
“Me?” Her head was swimming with thoughts of Daniel. Trying to concentrate on anything since his return had been difficult.
“You are my partner,” he replied, the unspoken word “duh” lingering in his tone.
A sense of pride swelled in her chest. “You want me to be your partner at this new place, too?”
“Of course I do. I couldn’t think of a better person to help me run these places.” He reached across the desk, extending his hand out to her. She took it. “I’ve always wanted to go into business with you, Sam, honey. I just had to get the financial support to make it worth something to us first. Now I think we have a chance to really branch out and I need your help to do it.”
She gave his hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. “Well, let me think about this. I’m sure I can come up with something.”
Jason’s smile widened. “I know you can. I have the utmost faith in you.”
Chapter Five
Daniel woke the next morning and felt better than he had in months. He must’ve slept for an entire day. But as he reached across the bed and realized he was alone, a sinking feeling rested in his gut. Sam wasn’t there.
Sitting up, he glanced around the room to see if maybe she had disappeared into the bathroom, but all trace of her was gone. With a heavy sigh, he fell back against the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. The spinning fan above him with its low purring hum kept him company.
For the first time since getting shot, he’d slept through the night. Nothing had woken him. Nothing had disturbed him. Not a nightmare. Not a sound. He was at ease and it had everything to do with Samantha. She brought the calm into his life, a strength he had missed and was desperate to keep alive.
She had no idea the power she held over him. He was an ass. He’d fucked up. He’d made a mistake. Rubbing a stiff hand over his face, he had only one choice. He had to buck up and beg for her forgiveness. His life was out of control without her. As difficult as it was going to be to win her back, he would do whatever needed to be done.
Crowds be damned, he had to make things right between them. Holding her in his arms again, touching her and kissing her, had reminded him of all he’d given up. He wanted it back. Desperately needed it.
Tossing the covers off his lap, he reached inside his wallet and pulled out a business card. He read the doctor’s name over and over again, studying the number. It was time he made the call. It was time he got his shit together.
* * * *
For the last week, every time the door opened at Iron Horse, Sam glanced up with hope consuming her. And each time she let a glimpse of that hope fill her heart, she kicked herself. Idiot. Daniel wasn’t coming through those doors. They had shared a night together and they clearly both accepted that it had been a one-time deal. He wrestled with too many demons and she dealt with too much fear to have it be more than that.
Still, she couldn’t help but hope. As stupid as it was, she couldn’t deny how good it had felt to be with him. She was great at telling everyone else what was wrong with their lives and even better at sharing her opinion on how to fix the shit they were in, but when it came to her own life, she was more a mess than ever.
“You’re doing that thing again,” Zerina said, waving her index finger at her like she was casting a wicked spell. “That thing where your lips curls all funky like and you breathe through you nose like a wild bull.”
Brynn tsked under her tongue. “It’s not attractive at all.”
Sam inhaled a deep breath and let her first thoughts rush past her lips. “Zerina, my purple-haired friend, mind your own business. Brynn, you should talk about what’s attractive. What the hell are you wearing today?”
Brynn laughed, glancing down at her torn jeans, black halter-top with hearts and ladybugs on it, and glossy five-inch stilettos. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
Sam shook her head. “Ladybugs. Really?”
Zerina snickered. “Should’ve seen what she wore yesterday. I think it was grasshoppers,” she said, narrowing her eyes in wonder.
“Crickets, dumb ass. Crickets,” Brynn corrected. “I’m going through an insects-are-sexy phase.”
Zerina laughed.
“Honey, it’s not sexy,” Sam pointed out. “It’s odd. You have wild red hair and catlike green eyes. Insects are not attractive when you look like you do.”
Brynn frowned.
Zerina patted Brynn on the shoulder and said, “She means you’re dressing like a confused dominatrix.”
Sam couldn’t help but laugh. “What she said.”
“Besides, if anyone is getting made fun of around here, it’s me,” Layla added, sliding up beside Sam at the bar. “I’m the one who still can’t seem to grasp style.”
“But that’s what we like about you,” Zerina told her. “That sweet Kentucky girl thing you do is so damn cute.”
Sam nudged her. “Luke seems to like it. A lot.”
Layla blushed. “I guess he does.”
“I think you should start coming in with your riding gear on. I bet your tips would rock when people got a chance to check you out with those cute little horseback riding pants and boots. Oh, and that riding crop.” She whistled, touching Layla and pulling her hand back as if she’d burned her.
“Brynn, have you lost your mind?” Layla asked with a girlish giggle.
“Chances are she has,” Sam told her.
Zerina slid a beer across the counter to Sam. “Must be what happens to a woman’s brain when she gets engaged.”
Brynn stared down at her left hand, admiring her diamond ring. “It is pretty spectacular.”
“I’m glad someone’s happy,” Sam muttered, clear enough for those around her to hear.
“What’s wrong?” Layla asked, softly nudging her back. “Why aren’t you happy? You’re the new biz partner at Iron Horse, you love what you do, and you’re surrounded by friends. What could make you not happy?”
Brynn’s expression softened as she leaned forward and squeezed Sam’s hand. “Have you seen him yet?”
“Seen who?” Zerina asked, coming up on the other side of Brynn. “Who are we talking about?”
Sam swallowed hard, a nervous knot consuming her belly. She figured she needed to talk about it and who better to share her heartfelt pain with than her closest friends? Lord knew that keeping her heartache locked away wasn’t helping her move forward with her life.
“Daniel Whitmore,” she shared.
“What about him?” Zerina asked again.
Locking on to Zerina’s wide eyes, she said, “I used to be in love with him, but he left me to join the military.”
“Shit,” Zerina muttered. “That sucks.”
“But he’s back,” Brynn added.
Sam nodded, glancing to Layla. “I did something stupid.”
“No shit,” Brynn said on a gasp. “That’s got to be a first.”
“What happened?” Layla asked, her expression serious.
Sam’s eyes watered, but she quickly blinked away the regret and disappointment that was always so close to the surface when she thought about Daniel. “I slept with him, thinking that it could give me closure.”
“Did it?” Layla and Brynn asked in unison.
A tear rolled down her face. “No.”
Layla wiped away the fallen tear and smiled. “Maybe it’s not over then. Maybe you want to see if things can work between you.”
“I haven’t heard from him since.”
Zerina frowned. “How long has it been?”
“A week.”
No one said anything and all eyes shifted to the door as it opened. The bright flash of sunlight filling the room until the door closed, revealing the customer. Sam couldn’t breathe as she stared at Daniel. All week long she’d craved a chance to see him again and now that he was here, she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. Her heart was running away, her brain frozen in thought, her feet wishing to rush to him. She was confused.
“Is that him?” Layla whispered into her ear.
Sam nodded, swallowing down the lump in her throat.
“Wow, he’s a younger, bad-ass version of Jason,” Layla told her. “No wonder you slept with him.”
Sam eyed her with a heavily etched grimace tugging at her face, the scowl so deep she felt the crease of skin between her eyes. “Don’t you have a job to do?”
Layla pursed her lips together, fighting a laugh that was visible. “I’ll just go clock in now.” She got up from the barstool and disappeared into the back storeroom.
Zerina and Brynn waited on their existing customers as Daniel made his way straight to her.
“Hi,” he said in a low tone. “I was hoping to see you here tonight.”
Sam stood. “You were. Good to know.” Stiffening her chin, she moved around the bar, trying with all her might to sound like the hard-edged woman she always was, but struggled to be when it came to Daniel. “Did you need something besides a beer?”
She popped the top off his favorite beer and placed it in front of him.
“You remembered,” he replied with a smile. “Thanks.”
“You were saying something about why you were looking for me?”
“Oh, right. I want to go out with you. A date,” Daniel told her, sipping his beer.
She frowned. Had he just asked her out? “I’m sorry. What?”
He took a big drink and returned the almost-empty bottle to the countertop. “I want to go out with you. Let me take you to dinner.”