by Jayce Carter
As the ride continued and the initial shock wore off, Tabby found she could almost enjoy it. Or, at least, she could see why Gray did.
The wind didn’t blow in her face because of the helmet, but the breeze across her legs and through the area of her neck exposed over the top of the jacket sent a chill through her.
Not a bad chill, not one that froze a person, but rather one that made her feel a sense of freedom, like standing at the top of a mountain and overlooking everything.
She tightened her grip around him, the firmness of his body reassuring, something steady in the middle of everything else shooting past them.
Gray pulled the bike off the main road and into a parking lot.
And Tabby recognized the place as Gray parked beside a row of other motorcycles. She yanked at the chin strap of her helmet after sliding off the bike.
Gray set a hand on her shoulder, his helmet already off and resting on the seat of his bike. He unhooked the strap and tugged her helmet off.
She pulled in a breath of fresh air, her legs weak and uneasy after the ride. No doubt the helmet had messed with her hair, but a quick pat told her the bobby pins were all still in place. “I thought we were meeting at your friend’s place?”
Gray hiked a thumb behind him. “We are. My friends own this bar.” He stilled, then his smile widened. “Are you afraid?”
Tabby narrowed her eyes. “This isn’t the sort of place normal people go.”
“Oh yeah? What kind of place is it?”
“The sort you go if you want to get stabbed.”
Gray leaned against his bike. “I’ve spent a lot of nights here, and I’ve never been stabbed.” He rubbed his fingers through his beard as if thinking. “Well, I mean, there was that one time, but it only took a few stitches. Didn’t even have to stay in the ER overnight.”
Tabby stilled, and it took far too long for Gray to crack a smile and let her know he was kidding.
He is kidding, right?
Gray tossed his arm around her and pulled her against his side. Without his leather jacket, he looked wilder, which seemed odd. Perhaps it was because it made his tattoos stick out more. His hair was messy from the helmet, and she reached up to check her own.
“Stop fidgeting,” Gray chastised before he pulled open the front door and escorted Tabby in the scary biker bar she’d only ever driven by before. His jacket was heavy on her, but the scent of it felt familiar.
The only good thing was that with Gray so close to her, she didn’t have to worry about falling in her stupid heels.
She never wore heels. The very notion had made no sense to her. However, Becky had brought her a pair and strapped them onto her feet, saying men liked tall girls. With the heels she wasn’t eye-level with Gray, but she was closer.
And a lot closer to falling right on her face, which probably hadn’t been the impression Becky had wanted her to make.
Her eyes burned. Whether it was the eyeliner Becky had used like a torture instrument or the contacts Tabby had inflicted on herself, she wasn’t sure, but it all sucked.
And what had been the point?
To try and impress Gray?
As soon as Tabby laid eyes on the people inside the bar, she wondered why she’d even bothered. She felt like an imposter, like someone they could all see didn’t belong, no matter how hard she tried.
The women in there were like Haylee. Sexy, confident, fun.
Tabby was none of those things, and a new dress and some makeup weren’t going to change it. Even so, she couldn’t back out now, so Tabby leaned more against Gray. In response, he tightened his arm as if she mattered.
Which was odd, but she wouldn’t argue it.
“Gray!” The booming male voice came from the back of the bar, and as her eyes adjusted to the dim lights of the interior, she caught sight of who spoke.
A man sat in a large booth back there, looking every bit the delinquent as Gray. Tattoos, a shaggy beard, even long hair tied at the nape of his neck. Beside him sat a woman in a tank top, bleach-blonde hair curled around her face and heavy makeup over her features.
They were the kind of people Tabby would never dare make eye contact with in public, yet there Gray went, pulling her toward the table.
“You’re late,” the man said.
Gray pushed Tabby into the seat—on the inside, which was probably smart because she might have bolted if in an end spot with an easy escape route. “I had to pick this one up, then drive extra slow.”
“That was slow?” Tabby gaped at the statement and the way she’d been sure he was pulling a hundred down each street.
Gray slid in beside her. “Yeah, it was. I stayed off the main highways and never did over thirty-five. If I ever tried to speed up, I was afraid you’d break a few of my ribs with how tight you were clinging.” Gray cast her one of those winning smiles before nodding toward the couple. “This is Tom and his wife, Mia.”
Tabby wanted to argue more with Gray, but good manners drew her attention to the two other people. She tried to smile, but somehow her normal grin didn’t seem to fit there. She felt like anything she did would make her stick out worse. Even so, she tried. “Happy anniversary.”
Tom wrapped an arm around Mia and pulled her tighter against his side. “Thanks for coming. Seems like Gray had quite the time wrangling you.”
“He didn’t wrangle me.”
“She didn’t make it easy,” Gray said at the same time.
Tabby cast him a glare but let it drop. Don’t embarrass him in front of his friends.
“They never do,” Tom said before they fell into conversation Tabby didn’t fully understand.
They talked about work, it seemed. Electrical jobs, construction sites, nothing that interesting. Honestly, Tabby had expected in a place like this, with people like these, that they’d be talking about drugs or sex or setting up hits on other motorcycle clubs.
Wait, is this even considered a club? What makes a motorcycle club?
Her lack of knowledge annoyed her, but she figured asking them would only paint her as even more of an outsider, so she let the questions go.
Another woman walked up to the table and slid in beside Gray, but Tabby knew this one.
It was the blonde from in front of his place—Haylee.
And she was stunning. Where Tabby felt roughly like a hairless cat someone had shoved into a nice dress, Haylee looked every bit the vixen. She wore leather pants that while being tight didn’t have any of the unfortunate muffin top at the waist. On top she wore a black shirt with spaghetti straps and a front that dipped low. The silk texture of it glimmered in the lights of the bar. Her lips were red—which was funny because before seeing that red, Tabby had thought she’d done the whole red thing. It turned out Tabby had gotten little-girl pink at best.
Haylee leaned over and pressed those bright lips of hers to Gray’s in so familiar a kiss, Tabby turned her face away. A lancing pain went through her chest at how out of her element she was.
Why had she agreed? Why had he asked her?
“It’s been a while,” Haylee purred out so fast, Tabby was amazed the kiss had already broken apart.
Maybe Gray was decent enough not to make out with another girl when he’d brought Tabby.
Guess chivalry isn’t quite dead.
“You haven’t called me back.” Haylee pouted.
“Been busy.” Gray’s voice was careful. Afraid of outing himself as the man-whore he was? There wasn’t a point since Tabby already knew about it.
“It’s lonely without you,” Haylee pressed.
Tabby kept her gaze down on her hands as if the little lines and creases that ran through them were suddenly the most interesting thing in the entire world.
Before Gray had time to answer, Mia spoke up. “So, Tabby, what do you do for a living?”
Tabby nearly groaned, both in relief at not having to listen to the pillow talk between Haylee and Gray and in frustration at having to actually contribute to the conversation.
“I do website design.”
Tom set his beer down, gaze locking on Tabby. “Oh yeah? Competitive business, ain’t it?”
“A little,” Tabby admitted. “But I’ve been at it a while. I’ve built up my clients.”
“You work for yourself? You’re pretty young for that.”
Tabby didn’t feel especially young. In fact, she had caught herself looking at people a few years her elder and thinking ‘kids these days.’ “I had to make money. Did odd jobs and taught myself web design. I got my first client at seventeen and started Oak Tree Design at eighteen.”
Gray twisted, the weight of his gaze enough to make her look at him. “Wait, you own Oak Tree Design?”
Tabby nodded, the look intense enough she didn’t answer with words.
He whistled low. “Impressive. Explains why you don’t leave the house a lot, given how busy you must be. I know quite a few people who said you did their sites. Was looking at updating mine and kept hearing your company mentioned.”
Tabby went to respond, but Haylee’s voice cut in, almost sickly-sweet. “So, you’re like a computer nerd? Isn’t that adorable?” She cut a look toward Mia. “I didn’t think her type normally wandered into places like this.”
Mia’s gaze narrowed, the sort of steel in her expression that Tabby envied, that she’d always wanted to have. “Haylee…”
The warning didn’t stop the blonde, though. “I saw her walk in with you, Gray. Is she, like, a bet or something?”
Tabby swallowed hard and fidgeted. Why couldn’t she be sitting at the end of the table? She could have ducked out and called a cab to get her home. Hell, the tone of Haylee’s voice made her want to crawl under the table just to escape it.
“I should get going,” Tabby muttered, trying to find an escape.
“Don’t you move,” Gray said, an undercurrent of anger in his tone. He was probably mad that Tabby was causing problems in front of his friends.
If it weren’t for her dress, she’d have climbed over the back of the booth, but she didn’t need to add to her disgrace by flashing the entire table her panties.
Which probably weren’t nearly as nice and sexy as Haylee’s, and Tabby felt quite sure Gray would have compared them.
Before Tabby started to hyperventilate—and that seemed like a real option—Tom and Mia slid out of the other side of the circular booth, making room.
Gray’s voice stilled her. “Don’t you dare think about leaving.”
Why not? Probably because he wanted to make sure she got home safe. Of course, that would ruin his night, wouldn’t it? No doubt Haylee was ready for anything he wanted.
So instead of arguing, because she just didn’t have it in her, Tabby shook her head but kept her eyes down, studying the floor. “Just heading to the bathroom.”
He made a sound that didn’t seem as if he believed her, but Mia pointed behind them. “Right that way, honey. Use the one behind the bar. It’s cleaner.”
Tabby muttered a soft thank you before rushing off.
Gray could have killed Haylee right about then. What exactly had he liked about her so much that he’d slept with her as many times as he had?
How had he missed this ugly side to her? Or maybe he’d seen it but never had a reason to care. She wasn’t long term, so who the fuck cared if she was petty?
After seeing Tabby’s face, he damn well cared.
He opened his mouth to give her a piece of his mind, but Tom spoke up first. “The hell do you think you’re doing? Talking to a guest of mine like that?”
Haylee blanched for a moment before she quirked her bright red lips into a smile that said she was used to getting out of trouble. “Come on, Tom. I was just playing around. And, I mean, if she can’t handle a little bit of that, we both know she won’t make it here long. Besides, Gray, you can’t tell me that’s your type.”
“I don’t need you telling me my type,” Gray grated out.
Her pout was almost comical. “We’ve had fun, haven’t we? Toss that one back.” She set her hand on his chest, and it reminded him of the kiss she’d given him. It hadn’t been full of lust. Nah, it had felt like a claim, one he didn’t particularly enjoy having on him.
Walking into the bar with his arm around Tabby, that had been something he’d enjoyed. Having her wrapped up in his jacket, he’d reacted to that in a surprisingly primal way. When she’d given it back to him inside, he’d missed having her in his clothing.
Haylee, though? Her kiss had chilled him. Whereas the other times he hadn’t been blown away by Haylee’s touches, he’d still always risen to the occasion. So why the hell was it that his dick all but shriveled when Haylee had kissed him just now? When she’d leaned over and set her hand on his chest like the most blatant come-on, his cock hadn’t wanted a thing to do with it.
He turned, ready to tell Haylee yet again that he wasn’t interested, but this time Mia got involved.
Mia was maybe five-foot tall and four-nine of that was all attitude. She’d gotten it from living her life around bikers who outweighed her by a good hundred pounds, yet she’d never hesitated before facing down anyone who got out of line. She showed that same backbone right then as she nailed Haylee with a look Gray was glad wasn’t directed at him.
“I’m gonna suggest you get on up out of that seat.”
Haylee’s eyes widened. She usually got her way by batting those long lashes, but she couldn’t try that with Mia. “What? I was just sitting with Gray—”
“You mean you came and sat your ass down without anyone inviting you, then insulted the person who was invited?” Mia stared down Haylee, daring the other girl to argue.
Haylee showed some smarts for a split second and didn’t fight with Mia, but instead turned her pleading gaze on Tom.
Which was a fool idea, because Mia was Tom’s entire world, and he wouldn’t pick anyone above her.
Tom shook his head and nodded back at Mia, his best ‘there ain’t a chance I’m overriding her’ look.
Haylee didn’t bother to look at Mia again, slinking out of the booth, which was an amazing feat in those high heels and tight leather pants. Funny anyone could look put in their place when wearing that.
“I don’t know what you see in her,” Mia said.
Tom chuckled, pulling his wife in close beside her. “You saw her ass in those pants, Mia. You know exactly what he saw in her.”
Mia glared in a way that said she wouldn’t mind gelding Tom if he kept it up.
Gray shook his head and peered back toward the door Tabby had gone through. “Haylee was fun. She’s always known what the deal is.”
“Didn’t seem like much fun there.”
No, it hadn’t, and honestly? “Haylee hasn’t been fun in a while,” he admitted.
Mia focused on Gray like the older sister she always acted like with him. “When was the last time you really had any fun?”
Gray’s gaze went back to the door where Tabby was. And that answers it, doesn’t it?
Tom chuckled, saying he’d seen the look. “Go on, go check on your little rabbit. If you don’t, I bet she’ll hide in there until all the big bad wolves are gone.”
Gray gave Tabby another two minutes before his patience ran out. He offered a nod to the bartender as he headed toward the private bathroom.
With Haylee gone, Tabby had no good reason to sit in there instead of coming out. Hell, for a moment there before Haylee had caused problems, he’d almost thought Tabby might have been enjoying herself.
No answer came back when he knocked.
Wait, that wasn’t quite right. He heard a voice, low and angry.
All those protective instincts reared up. Sure, he knew most of the people in that bar, but it didn’t change there could be assholes anywhere. Had someone followed her in? The bathroom was a single person one, so she should be alone.
He grasped the handle and twisted, relieved to find it unlocked.
When he pushed it open, ready to take apart whatever was bothering her,
he found a scene he hadn’t expected.
Tabby was the one cursing, low and angry, her hand rubbing against her eye, smearing most of her makeup. “Stupid contacts,” she muttered to herself as she stared in the mirror with her good eye, too distracted to even notice him.
Gray leaned against the doorframe to watch, more amused than he probably should have been. He’d wondered what had happened to the glasses, and he supposed that told him.
Her theatrics as she rubbed at her eye continued, even as she wobbled a bit on the heels. The girl was a disaster. Why was it that the less she fit in, the less she was the type of person he’d always gone after, the more he wanted to go after her?
Chapter Five
“Need some help?” Gray’s voice from behind Tabby drew a yelp that sounded about as pathetic as she probably looked.
“This restroom is occupied. I don’t think you’re allowed in here.”
“I heard you muttering and thought you might be in trouble.”
“Well, clearly I’m not.”
He chuckled, then came fully into the bathroom, letting the door close behind him. “Clearly.” His deadpan tone made her feel about two inches tall, which didn’t help when she already felt like that.
Haylee’s words bit at her in the same way everyone in the bar had looked at her. Why had she thought a dress and some contacts would make things different?
Gray pulled her hand away, her eye still shut tight. “You ain’t used to contacts, are you?”
She shook her head when the words wouldn’t come.
“So why’d you put them in?”
Tabby pressed her lips together tight, unwilling to answer. She didn’t need to answer, did she? It should be obvious, even to Gray.
He exhaled once, a sharp noise that held censure. “My sister once tried contacts for a month. They weren’t prescription—she just thought she’d look better with green eyes. Every day they irritated her eyes and she could never get them out right. Come on, I’ll help.”
Just great. This is the nail in my coffin, isn’t it? She’d worked so hard to at least appear like she was a part of his world, and it had all come down to him having to help her with her contacts in a bar bathroom. Just wonderful.