by Romi Hart
“Great, more bullshit.”
Eli held back the reaction to her disbelief and simply continued, “The women you saw in my bunk were there to discuss business, crucial and imperative business concerning their safety. I have been conducting business with them for quite a while. Since long before your pretty little ass walked into the clubhouse. I told you already, being a club member isn’t just fun and games. It’s not all pool and drinking and sex. Above all else, it’s a brotherhood, and second to that, it’s a job. Part of that job sometimes includes dealing with seedy people and locations. Your reaction tonight, that instantaneous judgment, is part of the reason why I didn’t want to get involved with anyone.”
Rory rolled her eyes. “I’m going to make some coffee for this story. I’m going to need it, I can already tell. You want some?” she asked as she began to ready her coffee pot.
“Sure,” he agreed, waiting until she’d set it to brew before continuing to talk. He needed her attention, fully, or this would turn out just as bad as the encounter at the clubhouse. “It’s not bullshit, Rory. I’m being honest here. I haven’t slept with anyone for over a year. And I’ve never slept with either of the women you saw in my bunkroom tonight. I never would. I’m not into strippers or whores.”
He paused again as she poured the steaming brew into two cups and slammed the sugar and creamer on the table. He didn’t touch any of it, forcing her to meet his gaze as he stared her down. “There are good and bad things about the MC life, and not everyone who gets involved in some way with the club sees everything that happens. I bet that those two women could tell you plenty of stories about all of the bad and probably not a single one about the good. The Devil’s Flames are trying to change that, for them and for a lot of other people.”
Rory’s eyes narrowed as she sipped from her cup. “Are you protecting those women?” she asked, sounding incredulous, her face registering that she realized she may have judged too soon.
“That’s our business, Rory. You know that. We don’t advertise who our clients are, but we have a lot of them. And the girls at the strip club have been facing some very dangerous people lately. The manager hired us, but he doesn’t like us around and says we’re bad for business. At the same time, the girls don’t feel safe with anyone else, so I’ve been trying to find a way to better the situation for everyone. And we got some news the other day concerning a threat to their safety, so I needed to let them know about it.”
He rubbed his temples, squeezing his eyes shut as he fought against a headache. “I’m really sorry you walked in on something that looked very shady. I know how bad it looked. But you need to understand that, regardless of my telling you I want to keep things casual, I’ve got standards. If you sleep with the dogs you pick up fleas. And even when it comes to sex, I’m a one woman man. I don’t have multiple women in my bed.”
Rory didn’t say anything, just stared at him for a moment and then got up to refill her mug. She sat back down and seemed to assess him carefully, looking for signs of deception, he supposed. “I don’t really know what to say.” She ducked her head sheepishly. “I might have gone a little overboard. Besides, you’re right. We’re not exclusive. I guess I just wasn’t expecting to see two sex kittens crawling around your bunk,” she admitted.
“They were loose strays, I promise,” Eli joked, lifting his coffee cup and sipping at it gently, hoping to lighten the mood.
“Yeah, I’m an asshole,” Rory remarked, “Probably caught it from you. Have you been tested lately?”
“For asshole disease? Please, I was born with it.”
She laughed. “I’m sorry. I know better than to believe what I see. Appearances are deceiving, and I shouldn’t have gone shoving my nose into your business. I hadn’t heard from you, and I was beginning to get a little concerned.”
Eli nodded and leaned back against his seat, relieved that she seemed to be coming around. He sipped on the coffee as he gazed around the apartment. “I’ve got to ask because it’s kind of weird to me.” He motioned with a twirl of his finger at the surroundings. “What’s the deal with Pilates meets Harley Davidson? They kind of live at the opposite end of the spectrum from each other.”
“You’re not the first person to have mentioned it. Leigh used to really get a kick out of it, even when she was anti-biker. But these are my obsessions, and I don’t think they’re strange at all. I love the idea of riding through the wind with no reservations. It’s got to be the ultimate way to reconnect with Mother Nature. But I grew up a little less wild and a little more yuppy. I found yoga and meditation to get me by. Once I feel free of burden, I’m just a rocker chick thrashing to metal. I’m just a walking contradiction that meshes well together.”
“Well, what do you know, we actually have something in common. Classic rock or new metal?” Eli asked. This was a safe subject, he thought, a way to bring her out of the funk he had caused.
“I’m all over the place. I love some of the newer bands, but you can never go wrong with the classics. I mean Metallica, AC/DC, you name it and I’m down,” Rory stated.
“You like Lamb of God or Slayer?” he asked.
Rory sat up straight, a broad grin on her face. “Are you kidding me? Slayer with Disturbed was my first concert experience. And I’ve been to OzzFest six years in a row,” told him proudly.
“Damn. Have you ever thought about going to any bike rallies?” Now he was curious just how far her knowledge of the MC life went, and how truly dedicated to the idea of being part of it she really was.
“I sadly have almost zero experience there. Up until Leigh and Zeke started seeing one another, I mostly fantasized about being involved with the MC life. We used to joke about it. I remember insisting they should create an MC singles dating site. You know kind of like that whole Farmer’s Only thing. She wrinkled her nose and told me she would be sick just looking at it.”
“And yet she ended up with a biker. That’s fucking hilarious.” Eli chuckled with a nod.
“Right! Then the discussion turned serious, and she told me that it would never work out because a bunch of posers would pop up all over trying to hook up with the pretty mamas in search of a bad boy.”
Eli found himself enjoying the conversation, the banter, and the way Rory glowed when she got to talking about something that interested her. Why hadn’t he engaged her like this sooner? “You’re probably right. Besides, most MCs aren’t too big on social media.”
“That’s just because no one understands you. Bikers get a lot of bad publicity, like they sit around on their asses and do nothing between drug runs.” She joked, “I knew better, and I begged Leigh to drag me along to the clubhouse. I wanted a real experience.”
“I remember the first day you tagged along. You couldn’t keep your eyes off me. It made me feel like I had something stuck on my face, or worse, snot hanging out of my nose,” he told her, laughing. Then again, he hadn’t realized till this moment just how much notice he’d taken of her that first night. If he wanted to, he could run down a list of everything she’d been wearing.
Rory shook her head, blushing. “No, it wasn’t anything like that.” She hesitated and added, “Actually, I was intrigued. You were quiet and brooding. And you had this thick five o’clock shadow that interested me for several reasons.”
“I bet. Women peel their panties off over scruff. But it’s a little overwhelming, and that’s not why I have it. I wear it to keep my face warm when I’m riding.”
“Oh, really?” she challenged. “Here I was thinking it was all about someone else’s pleasure.” She winked playfully at Eli, her lips widening into a teasing grin, one so intoxicating he felt his groin tighten.
“How did you get some a brilliant smile?” he asked. Wait, what did he just say? Was he flirting with her now?
“I guess I was born with it.” She shrugged and pointed to the empty cup in front of him. “Want some more coffee?” she asked, rising from her seat and reaching for his cup. Eli smiled and shook his head
.
“No. Maybe in a bit,” he answered as Rory went for round three.
“Suit yourself.”
Eli grinned, realizing he’d underestimated this girl. There was a lot more to Aurora than met the eye, and though he didn’t want to admit it, he was finding he wanted to learn everything there was to know about the gorgeous creature who had occupied his mind for days and, now, demanded his time and attention without even trying. It was disturbing, but he had to accept it. He was more than a little infatuated.
9
Rory chuckled yet again, glancing at the clock on her coffee pot as she realized she and Eli had been talking for hours, “You know it’s almost dawn, right?” she asked. Eli shrugged.
“Time flies when you’re having fun, right?” he asked. “I didn’t intend to keep you up. I hope it’s okay.”
“I get to sleep in, thankfully, but I am getting a little tired,” she admitted. She didn’t want tonight to end. This was another side of Eli, an open and entertaining side that didn’t exist at the clubhouse, in his realm. Then again, if they were going to keep things casual, she needed to cut it off right here, or she’d end up falling for him.
She swallowed hard at the thought and shook it off. She didn’t need to think like that.
“I can head out and let you get some sleep if you want,” he offered.
Rory hesitated only a split second before she shook her head, knowing that was the last thing she wanted. After everything that had transpired tonight, from the disappointment to the clarification of things, and now to a budding friendship, she wanted Eli to stay.
“You don’t have to leave. In fact, I would prefer if you didn’t,” she confessed, her eyes meeting with his as she recalled their one magical night together and pled with him silently to stay. This time, neither she nor Eli had been drinking. Both were completely sober, and her heart beat quickened as she considered what he would say. This was the moment of truth.
Eli tensed, but Rory didn’t move, didn’t blink. She wasn’t going to give him the opportunity to look away and come up with an excuse. “I thought you were convinced I wanted to spread my seed all over the state of Texas,” Eli quipped, his tone husky and deeper with each word he spoke. Irises dancing slightly and pupils dilating as he steadied his gaze with hers, he leaned in. If chemistry could be bottled, Rory thought they would have filled at least three kegs in that moment. His gaze was pure seductive energy, and it was potently magnetic.
She shook her head, rising from her chair as she crossed over to him, her arms slipping down to trace along the edge of his chin as she gazed down at him, her heart in her throat as she feared for an instant the sting of rejection.
Eli leaned back against the chair, arms sliding around Rory’s waist as she sat on his lap. Eli groaned, and she could feel his dick stirring within the tight space of his pants, the fabric being the only barrier between the two of them. Rory leaned upward, her fingers crawling around his neck until they found his hair. Threading her fingertips into it, she used the leverage to hold him still and pressed her mouth to his, tongue sliding easily through the barrier of his lips to meet with the warmth and eagerness of his.
She deepened the kiss, her hands caressing his neck and head as she arched her breasts into his chest. Eli’s hands slid up the back of her shirt, his fingers finding the edge of her sports bra quickly and pushing the fabric free of her breasts. One hand slid up to cup her left breast, his index finger and thumb teasingly tugging at her nipple. A gasp escaped Rory as she broke free of the kiss and shuddered from the sensation. The pert nub stood ready as Eli used his mouth to take it between his lips. His teeth glided over her tender flesh, nibbled on it as she groaned. Flicking his tongue out over the tip, he rolled his eyes up to her, and she arched her back in response, finding his attention intoxicating.
A satisfied moan slid free of his lips. Rory sighed with pleasure, pulling her shirt and bra off at the same time. Eli gazed at her with her nipple nestled between his lips, and he gulped, releasing his hold with a strangled noise. He glanced at the neglected breast and cupped it, gripping and molding it in his hand. Rory yelped in delight.
“Mmm, I like that response,” he growled, releasing his grip and lowering his lips to gently kiss across the top of her breast. With each soft pressing of his lips, Rory felt her skin growing more sensitive, as if every nerve ending were coming alive from just the simplest of touches and the silky softness of his lips.
Eli finally raised his head and looked right into her eyes. “Let’s take this to your room.” As far as she was concerned, he could have brushed everything off the table and taken her right here. But the command in his voice was sexy as hell, and if that’s what he wanted, that’s what he would get. She just wanted to feel him inside her again and didn’t want to do anything to break the spell between them.
He bent and slid an arm behind her knees, lifting her as he stood, her eyes darting down to the apex of his thighs and the tent his erection was making. Stifling the urge to reach out and caress him, Rory reveled in this as Eli carried her down the hall.
The minute they were in the bedroom, Eli set her on her feet, not even bothering with the light switch as he tore at his tee shirt, pulling the hem over his head. Rory felt all the air rush out of her lungs as she gazed at his perfect physique, “You’re so fucking sexy,” she whispered.
She slid her yoga pants from her legs, walking backward toward her mattress and stepping out of them as Eli moved in, stalking her like prey. His muscled arms lifting her with ease, and he picked up her legs to wrap around his waist. Her fingers deftly moved to his fly, and as she undid the snaps she shoved her hand down and wrapped her fingers around the thickness of his cock.
“I think you just found the gear shift,” he whispered with a dark chuckle. “How fast are you gonna drive?”
She laughed salaciously and nodded eagerly, her eyes never breaking contact with his as he lowered her to the bed. Trailing fingers down her leg, he gently grasped her ankle and pulled it up to rest on his shoulder, spreading her wide for his entrance, turning his face in to inhale the scent of her skin so close to his face. His eyes closed as he stroked her soft flesh and nuzzled it with his scruff, making Rory shudder at the attention and the incredible sensation. Surprised by his tenderness and intimate approach, Rory realized no man had ever given her this sort of attention before, and it nearly brought tears to her eyes with the sentimentality and the sheer erotica of it.
Eli lowered her foot, and Rory parted her legs as he loomed over her. “Is the sword ready for its sheath?” She meant to tease, but the words came out desperate on a breath of air.
Eli growled, his eyes flickering across her body as he pulled his cock free of his pants. Stroking himself, he rubbed the head of his cock up and down her slickening folds, teasing her as he lubricated himself with her moisture.
“I thought you were driving, not putting him to bed.” He chuckled, leaning forward to find her lips with his own as he thrust his pelvis forward, pushing deep into her core.
Rory’s mouth opened immediately, her tongue sliding over Eli’s as he once more slipped back, using all his force to grind his pelvis into hers. Already she could feel her inner walls stretching to fit him, reaching their max capacity, and still, he worked, perspiration breaking out in drops on his forehead as he settled into a quick and deep rhythm. It was delicious, and she started tearing his skin from his back as she dug her nails into his spine and shoulders. Raising her hips meet his thrusts, she arched her back, anchoring herself in place with her hands on Eli’s back, using the leverage to increase her pleasure.
The feel of his skin meeting with hers, the friction eased by sweat and sex, sent a jolt of renewed energy through her body, and she squeezed her muscles as she worked at milking his cock, her hips rising to meet his and grinding hard against him with each thrust. Her body radiated with a heat that she could only describe as combustible, and she thought for a moment they might explode like a stick of dynamite and raz
e the whole building to the ground. That’s how thick and hot their chemistry was. Eli’s mouth continued to explore hers as he slowed his pace, nearly to an agonizing stop that she couldn’t stand.
She scored his back and broke free of his kiss just long enough to cry, “Please, don’t stop!”
Eli groaned, thrusting forward and returning to the same quick, deep, slow rhythm, his eyes glued to hers. He drove her to the edge of climax and backed off again, making her ache with a need for release.
She wanted it to last forever at the same time that she longed for the sweet torment to end. He had her riding shallow waves of euphoria, not yet releasing her to full tide, and she thought she might actually shatter under the pressure building when it finally released. Her muscles tightened and clenched around Eli’s cock as he drew her closer to orgasm.
She felt her body closing in on the point of no return, “Oh god! Eli, don’t stop!” And with her plea, her body convulsed, her inner walls pulsing around his thick shaft, her juices rushing over him as she came hard and fast.
He made a strangled noise, her reaction sending him spiraling out of control as his orgasm took over, his body rocked with spasms as he spilled into her. It pushed her over the top, a second wave overwhelming the first, until finally, he collapsed atop her, groaning lowly as he went limp.
He shifted his weight and rolled to the side, pulling her against him as he sank into the mattress. Rory exhaled deeply, curling into his shoulder and closing her eyes as she relished having his warm body nestled against her in her bed, in her home. For the first time in longer than she could remember, she didn’t lie there staring at the ceiling. She didn’t need a nightcap or a long meditative session to help lull her to sleep. Whispering softly she said, “Spend the night?” It came out more of a plea, a question, than a request.