COWBOY ROMANCE: Avery (Western Contemporary Alpha Male Bride Romance) (The Steele Brothers Book 3)

by Amanda Boone

  As we approached his bike, we heard yelling and the sound of glass breaking coming from our previous location. Things seemed quiet, and we were nearly on the bike when we heard a voice from the darkness.

  “That bitch has got a sweet ass, Ox.” The voice was whiskey-soaked, and smoke-ruined.

  “Watch your mouth, Blotto.” Mike’s voice was calm, but I could see veins pulsing in his neck, and I could feel him squeezing my hand, keeping me close.

  “Word is you’re cleaning up your act, Ox. Pretty sure I can say whatever I want. She wearin’ panties under that skirt?”

  “I said ‘watch your fucking mouth.’” Mike’s shoulders were tensing and his chest was puffing. He wasn’t the type to show off; he was preparing himself.

  Blotto came out of the shadows. He was smaller than Mike, but still a big man. I was surprised to see that the symbols he wore were not of a rival gang, but of an ally.

  “I saw you around the party, girly. I really enjoyed the show.” He reached his gnarled hands out before him, groping for my breasts.

  I pulled back into Mike’s body, but he let go and stood in front of me. He was standing taller than I’d ever seen him, his posture resembling that of a bear more than of an ox.

  “Back the fuck off, Blotto. You don’t want this. You’ve had too much to drink.”

  “C’mon, Ox. Where’s your party-spirit? You know what they say, man: Bros before hoes! Any bitch of yours is a bitch of mi-“Before he was able to close his teeth, they were knocked out of his mouth. With one cannonball of a punch, Mike leveled Blotto, dislocating his jaw and leaving him senseless, mumbling in the mud.

  “We’ve got to roll, Lauren. Now.” Getting on his bike, he handed me the helmet and pulled me onto the seat. He revved the engine, and we took off, my arms shaking from adrenaline and the cold night air.

  Chapter 6

  During the ride, as the initial shock of the fight wore off, I finished scolding myself for coming to the party in the first place. I was overtaken by immense gratitude, and not only for Mike’s having saved me. I was grateful for his bringing me into this world, for proving to me that I was not a simple, boring girl, destined for a plain life.

  I fit in at the party, and I was excited by the prospect of exploring this side of myself, this dormant rebelliousness that, until now, had found no release. I had found a man who I could trust, and who inspired me to trust in myself as well.

  I knew Mike couldn’t hear me over the engine, and I knew my voice would waver with emotion if I tried to speak. Instead, I kissed his neck and arms.

  I wore his leather jacket, to protect me from the cold, but I could tell from his goose-bumps that he was not too strong to feel the chill. I rubbed my hands along both of his arms to warm them as I dotted his shoulder with what was left of my lipstick.

  I could see that he was speaking, so I removed the helmet and put my ear near his mouth.

  “I have to leave town,” he said. “I know that dirt-bag will press charges, and that’ll put me away. I can’t believe, after I’ve done so much to make better choices, it takes one asshole to ruin everything.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I said into his ear, the wind whipping my hair. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have had to fight him.”

  “Don’t say that,” he said, nearly taking his eyes off the road. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t see how good my life could be without all the illegal stuff. The night I met you, I was deciding whether to make a pretty major drug deal, one that could make a lot of my friends a lot of money.

  “I was weighing the odds of getting caught and going back to prison. I met you, though, and you told me about my daughter, about Maggie, and that she couldn’t draw me. It wasn’t about the crayon. It was about me. I haven’t been there for her, and it’s because of my shitty decisions. I went home and thought hard about my priorities.

  “I want her back in my life, and I want you in my life. For both of you, I need to change myself. I need to change myself for my own sake too, and it took meeting you to help me realize that. I may have saved you tonight, but you saved me back at that bar.”

  We arrived at my apartment as he finished his sentence, and tears were in my eyes. I was moved to tears not only by his touching words, by his love for me, but by the thought that I might lose him right as I was beginning to realize how much he meant to me.

  Without speaking, he walked me to my door, and we hugged for a long while, ignoring the shivering of our bodies.

  Eventually, I found the words: “I’m going with you. I have to. I don’t know where this is going, between you and me, but I have at least the summer to figure it out. I’ve learned so much about myself over our short time together.”

  He bent down to kiss me, and in addition to the stubble on his cheeks, I could feel the warm wetness of his cheeks. He was crying too, silently, and he seemed even stronger for it.

  We moved into the warmth of my apartment without ending our kiss, the saltiness of our tears joining where our lips met. We stripped one another and lay, naked, exploring our warming bodies with cold hands.

  We took time to kiss one another on every sensitive area, paying extra time and attention to the spots that made our hair stand up or made us catch our breath. I took him into my mouth, taking pleasure in giving him pleasure. He slid his tongue into me, kissing the lips between my thighs as deeply as he had those on my face.

  I stood with my back to him, bracing my hands on the back of his neck, and ran his hands over the front of my body. His hands finally found their homes in the crevice of my pubic triangle and over my breasts, while his manhood grew appreciatively against the crack of my ass.

  I propped my foot up on the bed as he pushed his nose into my hair and kissed my neck. He slid into me. We both gasped as our bodies tensed, swelling and tightening as he pushed into me and I pushed back. The passion was such that we relied on slow, measured thrusts to prevent us from peaking too soon to fully enjoy our union.

  The build was slow but intense and, though we drew it out, it was not long before we fell to the mattress, panting in each other’s arms, a mess of sweat, tears.

  “This is right,” I thought.

  “This is right,” he said.

  Chapter 7

  In the early morning light, before the sun had truly risen, we mounted his motorcycle. We had packed two small bags, not knowing what lay ahead but knowing that we wouldn’t need much more than one another.

  I left a letter for my parents and one for my friends. He left one for his crew and for his daughter. I would have the whole summer to decide if I wanted to come back to teaching or to journey elsewhere.

  The sun began to peek over the mountains as we moved on to the freeway, and I could feel the anxieties of my old life, of my old self, thaw in the morning light. As if I had been tethered to that town, I could feel myself being loosed, strand by strand, as the houses and businesses, as everything I’d ever known, disappeared into the distance behind us.

  It was the first time in my life that I knew nothing of what lay ahead, knew nothing of the landscape or of what my future held. I couldn’t have been happier, and the smile on Mike’s face was not the smile of a tough guy, or of a dangerous felon, but of a man in love.

  And as I pressed my knees into his sides, feeling the vibration beneath me, feeling the wind on my arms, I was reminded of the concert. Again, I felt like Mike was my ox and I was his yoke. I tamed him. And he drove me wild.

  The End

  Taken by the Alpha Biker 1

  Book 1: Impressionable Artist

  Book 1: Impressionable Artist

  Chapter One

  Mindy shoved the last box into her Ford Explorer and turned back to look at the college dorm where she had lived the last four years. She used her time wisely as her father had urged and stayed away from the wild parties on campus and the boys that were only going to be a distraction from her studies. She spent all of her free time visiting museums and soaking up any knowledge sh
e could about art history. Taking a deep breath, she climbed into the driver’s seat, finally ready to start her new life.

  The four-hour drive towards home was exciting, yet still depressing. She had sent out her resume to the top art galleries in New York, but she knew the competition was fierce, even with her Arts Administration degree and valedictorian status. All she could hope for was that one of them would call her for an interview. Until then, she would live in the apartment her parents had rented for her and find a temporary job.

  She pulled into the parking lot of the Four Seasons apartment complex and parked in front of the door number 1312. This was it. This was home, at least for now. She walked up to the red door and turned the key that her mother sent her last week. As she opened the door, she closed her eyes as if she were waiting for a surprise, or possibly a disaster, behind the door.

  Inside the apartment she was actually surprised. Her mother had decorated everything in bright colors throughout. She felt an overwhelming appreciation for her mother as she looked around the apartment. The family’s old couch and recliner was placed in the living room facing a new flat screen television on a brightly painted red stand. A bright green rug covered most of the carpet and pretty pink and purple throw pillows adorned the couch. As she walked back towards the bedroom, she noticed a litter box on the floor. She turned on the light and paid little attention to the new bedding her mother bought for her first apartment and instead went directly to the pillow that had a tiny white kitten snuggled upon it.

  She scooped the kitten up with a smile and snuggled up against its soft fur. She then went into the kitchen and checked the cabinets and the fridge. Everything was fully stocked, she beamed. Her mother had always taken care of her, making sure she had everything she needed, even if it wasn’t a necessity. She knew she was the one who picked out the kitten and had probably snuck it in after her dad finished carrying the furniture inside.

  It took more trips than necessary to get her boxes and suitcases into the house because she wouldn’t set the furry kitten down while she unloaded. Once she had everything inside she sat down in the recliner and called her parents.

  “Hey, sweetie!” Her mother’s voice was so comforting to hear.

  “Hey, Mom.” Mindy’s voice started to shake.

  “Are you home?” her mother asked.

  “Yes, the apartment looks great! Thank dad for me please, and thank you for Snowball,” she answered.

  “I just didn’t want you to be alone. Snowball is a great name,” her mother added.

  Mindy listened to her mother tell her about how she snuck the kitten inside the apartment early that morning after her dad had gone to work. She loved that she was so close to them, but was still able to be on her own. Her dad started an account for her while she was in college and put money aside to help her relocate once she graduated, so at least her apartment was paid for and all she needed was a part time job for extra cash, food, and clothes.

  She assured her mother that she would be fine in her new apartment and that Snowball would protect her from intruders. Her mother laughed at the thought of the tiny kitten warding off criminals. Mindy hung up the phone and went into the kitchen to raid the fridge. She found a plastic container with a red lid and pulled it out. She knew that her mom probably made her dinner and hoped for meatloaf as she opened the lid.

  “Oh yeah!” she blurted out into the empty apartment as she got her first glimpse of her mother’s homemade meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and fried okra. She placed the container in the microwave and poured herself a glass of milk while she waited impatiently for the beep. She took her food outside and sat down on the patio chair her mother had placed outside for her. She started shoveling the food in her mouth so fast she almost choked when she heard a female’s voice beside her.

  “You just move in?” the blonde woman asked from her patio next door.

  “Yes, sorry,” Mindy said as she quickly swallowed her bite of meatloaf without chewing. “I'm Mindy,” she added, and then extended her hand to greet the woman.

  “I'm Veronica,” she offered.

  The woman was tan with long blonde hair and green eyes. She had tattoos down her arms and one on her ankle. She looked like she was at least 35, but she dressed in low riding jeans and a handkerchief-styled shirt that the girls at her college wore.

  “You want a beer?” Veronica asked.

  “That would be great, thank you!” Mindy agreed. “You want some meatloaf?”

  “No, it smells damn good though,” she said with a laugh, then disappeared into her apartment for a few minutes before emerging with two new beers in her hands.

  “So, was that your mom and dad here setting up the apartment for you?” Veronica asked.

  “Yes, and they stocked my fridge with everything, except beer.” Mindy laughed as she accepted the beer handed to her. “I will get you back for this,” she added, shooting the blonde a wink as she sat down beside her.

  “Is this your first apartment?” Veronica asked.

  “Yes, fresh out of college, now I need to find a job.” Mindy frowned as she spoke.

  The blonde took a large swig of her beer and then smiled at Mindy. “You need a job…I need a bartender,” she announced as if it were already decided.

  “I have no idea how to bartend,” Mindy admitted.

  “Oh hell, most people just want beer and an occasional shot. If you need to make a mixed drink, just look it up on your phone,” she said with a laugh.

  “They would hire me without experience?” Mindy looked confused at the woman’s confidence.

  “Oh yeah, you're young and cute. As long as you show up and at least try to learn the drinks, they would hire you on the spot.” Veronica sounded very convincing.

  “That would be amazing,” Mindy blurted out.

  “I'll give you the address. Just go in tomorrow and ask for Paul, and tell him I said to hire you.” Veronica’s tone was almost cocky in a way. She then took a swig of her beer and asked, “So, what did you study in college?”

  Mindy told her how she received her degree in Arts Administration. Veronica seemed to be bored as she spoke about art history and her passion for the arts. Mindy decided to change the subject to something Veronica may be more interested in, like herself.

  “So, how long have you been a bartender?” Mindy asked.

  “Fifteen years,” Veronica admitted, putting her age to at least 36.

  “What kind of bar is it?” Mindy asked.

  “It’s a small place. Good people, decent tips,” she replied.

  Mindy was worried about working inside of a bar, especially if it was a rough place. From the looks of Veronica, she doubted it was a very classy place. Her tattooed skin made her think it was probably a biker bar.

  “Like a biker bar?” Mindy got up enough nerve to ask.

  “Not at all, but bikers do come in,” Veronica told her, which eased her worries.

  Mindy sat outside with her new neighbor and drank four more beers before she finally came inside. She had a little buzz as she locked everything up and scooped her kitten into her arms. She climbed into bed without changing into her pajamas and fell asleep with her little white kitten snuggled under her neck.

  Chapter Two

  Mindy woke up with Snowball still snuggled under her neck. She hated to move her, but she knew she had to start her day. She carried the kitten into the kitchen and placed her next to her food bowl. She sat down at the dining room table and opened up her laptop. She always started off excited as she opened her e-mail. She was still hoping that one of the galleries she sent her resume to would answer.

  As she checked for e-mails, she felt her heart sink into her chest. She felt like maybe she had set her reach too far. Possibly the only job that her art degree could snag her was a management position at the local theater. She decided to not let it get to her, not today. She decided to spend the day with her parents and then visit the bar Veronica told her about and possibly get a job instead.


  When she pulled into her parents' drive, she felt her eyes begin to well up with tears. She had missed her parents, even if she wasn’t like admitting it. As she walked into her childhood home she heard her mother wrestling with pans in the kitchen.

  “Seriously, a turkey mom?” Mindy joked as she smiled at the woman who never knew when to sit down and relax.

  “Oh Mindy!” Her mother squealed and wrapped her arms around her neck.

  “Ok, ok, let me breathe.” Mindy pulled her mother off her neck.

  “It’s cheaper to make the whole turkey baby,” her mother answered in regards to her smart remark.

  Mindy laughed and sat down in the chair to watch her mother finish dressing the turkey. Her parents were always very thrifty, but they by no means needed to save money by cooking an entire turkey in the middle of June.

  “So, what are your plans for the day?” her mother asked.

  “I'm going to get a job, but I just stopped by to say hello first,” Mindy said.

  “Wow, you don’t waste any time do you? Just like your father.” Her mother gazed at her daughter with a smile. “Where are you thinking about applying?”

  “My neighbor said she needs help where she works,” Mindy told her.

  She knew that the idea of working in a bar would upset her mother, so she tried her best to avoid the topic.

  “That’s nice. In an office?” her mother asked.

  Mindy knew that many more questions would lead to her mother finding out the truth, so she stood up and gave her a hug. “I gotta go, but I'll let you know,” she said as she kissed her mother on the cheek and walked towards the front door.

  Mindy followed the directions that Veronica had given her and ended up in a parking lot with a small brown building. The sign said “Top Gun”, so she must be in the right spot. She felt her throat tighten as she sat in her car watching the front door. She wanted to see what type of people were inside first and hoped someone would come in or out before she had to make her way inside. After several minutes a man finally emerged from the front door. He was tall, bald and covered in tattoos. He had a broom in his hands and started sweeping the walk way. Mindy felt stupid sitting in her car and wanted to just drive off. When the man turned towards her and caught her looking at him, she figured she better step outside or step on the gas.