Maniac was the one who had saved me and then kept me safe. But now, he was the one I wanted to kiss and find out what his hands would feel like all over my body.
Whoa, Jesus.
Shit was changing, and I had no control over it.
My body wanted him, and my brain had finally gotten behind the same idea.
“You’re gonna have to take the clothes, unless you want me to put them on for you.”
I lightly shook my head, realizing I was just staring at him. “Uh, no. At least, not yet.” Oh Lord. Now my brain was more into it than my body.
He handed me the clothes and leaned in close. His lips brushed against my ear, and a shiver ran across my skin. “I’d much rather be the one to take them off later.”
“Yes.” Oh, my Lord! Someone put some damn duct tape on my mouth!
He chuckled low and pressed a kiss to my neck. “Jesus, Wren,” he whispered.
Jesus was right. I grabbed the clothes from him, stepped back in the bathroom, and slammed the door in his face.
I needed Jesus right then because I was five seconds away from saying fuck dinner and opening the door again to Maniac, but this time, with no towel on.
“That all you need from me?”
“For now.” I cringed and hoped he hadn’t heard me.
“I’ll get you later.”
A chill went up my spine at his words. Damn that man.
I looked down at the clothes he had grabbed and silently groaned. He would, of course, dig to the bottom of my bras and panties and find the only somewhat sexy matching set I had packed. A black satin with lime green trimmed bra and a matching pair of black panties with a green, tiny bow on them. The clothes he had chosen weren’t much better.
The towel pooled at my feet, and I pulled on the panties and bra. It wasn’t that they were overly sexy, it was just they were much sexier than the plain cotton ones I normally wore.
The jeans he had picked were fine since they were just jeans after all, but it was the shirt I was not wanting to wear.
Before everything happened, I would have worn it without a thought, but now seeing that it was sleeveless, I knew there was no way to hide the scars on my wrist. My pink sweatshirt laid on the floor of the bathroom, and I yearned to pull it on. It was my security blanket.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want Maniac to see the scars, because he had seen them tons of times. Especially after I had gotten out of the hospital. He had been the one to help change the bandages and keep them clean. It was what the scars represented. They were a reminder of a time I wasn’t proud of.
I pulled the tank top over my head and grabbed the sweatshirt off the floor. I had agreed to wear whatever he gave me, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t add to it.
Maniac was leaning against the small kitchen island with his head bowed and eyes on the screen of his phone when I walked out of the bathroom. “Take off the damn sweatshirt.”
I stopped in my tracks. His head was still bent. “How did you know? You didn’t even look at me.”
He shoved his phone in his pocket and finally looked up. “Because I know you, darlin’. I know that shirt terrifies the shit out of you.”
“Then why the heck did you pick it for me to wear?” I demanded.
He twisted around and grabbed a leather jacket. “Because you can wear this over it.”
“Your jacket is too big for me, Maniac.” Not that I wouldn’t wear it because I’m sure it smelled like him and having his scent wrapped around me sounded heavenly.
He shook it out and held it up. “It’s not mine. I had Karmen pick one up for you.”
My jaw dropped. “Mine?” The jacket was absolutely beautiful. I mean, it was just black leather, but it was mine.
“Yeah. I figured you need one if you were going to be on the back of my bike.”
I dropped my dirty clothes next to the bed, pulled the pink sweatshirt over my head, and tossed it on the bed. “So I can keep the jacket on all night?” If he expected me to take it off when we got to the restaurant, he was going to be sorely disappointed.
“I know you don’t like your scars showing, so yeah, wear it all night. If I can go one night without seeing you in that damn sweatshirt, I’ll be a happy man.”
I walked across the cabin and grabbed the coat from him. “That sweatshirt isn’t bad,” I mumbled as I pulled on the coat. The leather was soft and buttery, and it fit me perfectly. “Oh, my God,” I moaned as I pulled it tight around me.
“Looks good on you.”
And it felt good on me too. “Thank you, Maniac.”
“Dalton.”
I looked up at him.
“I know I told you I prefer Maniac, but it feels fitting for you to call me Dalton.”
A slow smile spread across my lips. “Thank you, Dalton,” I whispered. He was right. It did seem right to call him by his real name when he had done something so special for me.
It may just be a leather jacket to some, but to me, it was so much more.
So much more.
I was falling in love with Maniac, and while it was terrifying, it felt right.
*
Chapter 16
Maniac
“Oh, my God. I shouldn’t have ordered the cheesecake. I could barely close the zipper on my jacket.”
I chuckled and dropped my keys on the kitchen counter.
Wren stripped off her jacket and carefully draped it over the back of the couch. “Not like that would have stopped me from wearing it.” She flipped off her shoes and ran her finger through her hair.
After we had taken a drive around town, Wren and I had ended up at the small Italian place on the edge of town that had only been open for a couple of years. The food was okay, but being there with Wren had made it better.
Now it was half past nine and Wren was a bit tipsy from the wine at dinner. “You said you needed to have it so it would help soak up all of the wine.”
She waved her hand at me and toed off her boots. “The reasoning of a tipsy woman is always iffy. I just wanted the damn cheesecake.” She reached for the remote to the TV.
“Wait,” I called.
She looked up at me expectantly.
This is where my plan needed to get into motion.
I moved to the Bluetooth speaker Wren had brought with her and quickly connected my phone to it. My hands shook as I chose a song and set my phone down. I quickly toed off my boots and turned to look at her. “Dance with me?”
She looked around and behind her. “Me?”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, darlin’. You.”
She wrung her hands together and didn’t move.
“I can hear you thinking again, Wren.”
She sighed and took a step toward me. “I’m afraid, Maniac.” She stopped and looked at me.
“Nothing to be afraid of with me.”
She sighed and ducked her head.
She wasn’t going to hide from me. Not anymore. I knew she wanted me just as much as I wanted her. I stalked across the room and wrapped her up in my arms. “Just dance.”
Her arms wrapped around my neck, and we slowly rocked back and forth. “What song is this?” she asked.
“Something I heard on the radio the other day.”
“What’s it called?”
“‘In Case You Didn’t Know’.”
She smiled. “It’s country, but I like it.”
“It’s fitting, darlin’.”
She laid her head on my shoulder, and we swayed back and forth.
In that cabin with just the radio playing and Wren in my arms, I fell in love.
Wren was it.
She was the one I never wanted to let go of.
She was mine.
*
Wren
Maniac ran his hand up and down my back, and I couldn’t help but sigh.
A moment I had been terrified of had turned into something amazing. In true Maniac fashion, he had made it wonderful.
How a man who called him
self Maniac had become the man to calm my mind and take my heart was beyond me, but I had learned not to fight it anymore.
“You know how I bitched about hating country music?”
He chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, I remember.”
“Is it crazy to say I love it now?”
“I’ve grown pretty fond of it too, darlin’.”
I don’t know how Maniac had found all of these songs, but each and every one of them were perfect. “Did you really take the time to make this playlist.”
He sighed. “As much as I would love to tell you yes, I can’t. Although I did add that first song myself.”
I buried my face in his neck and laughed. Such a man answer. “Well, I appreciate that first song.” I leaned back and looked up at him. “You remember how you said you wanted me to kiss you when I was ready?”
He nodded his head.
“I’m ready now.”
His green eyes darkened to almost black, and he pulled me closer. “It’s about damn time.”
“I didn’t want you to think I was easy.”
“That’s the last thing I would every think about you, Wren. Besides, the good things are always worth fighting for.” He brushed my hair behind my ear and caressed my cheek.
I leaned up on my tip-toes, and he met me halfway. “I’ve been waiting a lifetime for you,” I whispered. I closed the distance between us and pressed my lips to his. One kiss was all it took, and I was putty in his hands.
I delved my fingers in his hair and leaned into his body. His lips were magic against mine. Giving and taking with each stroke of his tongue and nip of his teeth. Kissing Maniac was more than I ever could have imagined.
With each kiss, he put back together a piece of my heart and soul.
He was here, with me, even though he knew everything I had been through.
“Maniac, please,” I pleaded. I never wanted the kiss to end. If the world were to stop spinning right then and there, I know I would die in the arms of a man who saw me for who I was and still wanted me.
He stole my breath, and I didn’t want it back. This man could take my breath, heart, and soul without any complaint from me as long as he never left.
“You with me, darlin?” he asked against my lips.
“Yes,” I gasped.
“Then hold on.” His hands slid over my butt and cupped the back of my thighs. “Put your arms around my neck.”
I did as he said, and he lifted me up into his arms, my core pressed against stomach. “Couch or bed?” he asked.
As long as he didn’t stop touching me, I didn’t care where we went. “Bed,” I moaned. We would be headed there eventually so I figured we might as well bypass the couch.
He stalked toward the bed and nuzzled my neck. “This is all yours, Wren. You call the shots, okay?”
“I figured this was for both of us.”
He chuckled and turned his back to the bed. “It is for both of us, but I want you to know if you want to stop, we will. No questions asked.”
I rested my forehead against his and sighed. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you.”
And the final piece of my heart was finally put back in place. “You think we can get back to kissing and other things?” He did say I was the one calling the shots.
“Yes, ma’am.” He fell back on the bed, his arms wrapped around me, and our bodies pressed together. “I aim to please.”
“Well, you’re doing damn good right now,” I whispered.
“Kiss me again.”
Who was I not to oblige?
His hand slid up my side and cupped my breast through my shirt. “I’ve dreamed about feeling your body beneath mine.”
“How am I supposed to kiss you when you won’t stop talking?” I laughed.
He leaned in and slid his nose along mine. “I guess you’re just going to have to work harder to shut me up,” he growled.
He wanted me to take control. He needed to know this was one hundred percent what I wanted. He needed to know he was exactly what I needed.
I pressed my lips against his and slipped my tongue into his warm and inviting mouth. I moaned softly, enjoying the feel of his hands on me while I tasted him. This time, it was me giving him everything I had. The kiss was slow. I wanted to discover every inch of his mouth and remember every second.
His hard dick pressed against my core, and I slightly bucked my hips. His large hand roamed back down my body and under my ass. He lifted me, pressing me fully against him. “My Wren knows how to kiss.”
“Yes,” I whispered. At least, I knew how to kiss Maniac. I didn’t think when he touched me, I just felt.
Unhurried, I pulled the hem of his shirt up, and he leaned back. I pulled it over his head and tossed it on the floor. “Like what you see?”
I licked my lips as my eyes traveled over the wide expanse of his chest and all of the tattoos that cover his skin. “It’s not bad.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “I can always count on you to keep my ego in check, darlin’.”
“What does this one mean?” I traced my fingers over a heart that looked to be hand drawn.
He looked down and smiled. “My mom drew that on one of the notes she wrote to my dad.”
My fingers froze, and I looked into his eyes. This man with the rough voice and brash personality had a heart his mother had drawn on his chest. “Really?”
“Yeah. I found it when I was cleaning up their house. It wasn’t anything special, but you could tell how much they loved each other in those few sentences she had written.”
“I wish I could have met them.”
Maniac grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to my fingertips. “Me too. She would have loved you.” A soft smile touched his lips.
I pulled my hand from his and reached up to wrap my hands around the back of his neck. I pulled myself up and pressed my lips against his. He shifted onto his knees and wrapped his arms around me.
“If I were to die right now, I’d be the happiest man on Earth.”
“That’s sweet, but hopefully this doesn’t kill you,” I laughed.
“Such a smartass,” he whispered against my lips.
“You like it,” I mumbled.
“Damn straight.” His fingers caressed my back slowly and worked my shirt up. “Arms up.”
I slowly raised my arms and leaned back from him. He pulled it over my head and tossed it on the floor by his. “I knew this would look amazing on you.” His hands cupped my breasts and gently squeezed. His eyes connected with mine. “Just tell me to stop whenever, darlin’.”
My hand caressed his cheek. “How did I get so lucky?”
“I’m the lucky one.”
He was wrong. I was. To go from Hell to absolute Heaven was something I would never take for granted. “Should we argue about who’s more lucky, because I’m pretty sure I would win.”
He shook his head. “So damn feisty.”
I pressed a finger to his lips. “Shh.”
He nipped at my finger, and his hands slid around my back. He deftly unhooked my bra and smiled. “I told you I would help take these off later. I’m just making good on my promises.”
“How gentlemanly of you,” I purred.
He slid the straps down my arms. “We aim to please, darlin’.” He dropped it, and he sat back.
I nervously bit my lip. “Um?”
“Just admiring you. I gotta slow down before I go too fast and scare the hell out of you.”
If felt like he was taking an eternity. “A little faster would be okay.” I cupped my breasts with my hands. “I promise to tell you if it’s too much.” He was a damn saint for trying to go slow, but that was the exact opposite of what I wanted.
He didn’t need to be told twice. He brushed my hands away and pushed me back on the bed. He hands instantly squeezed my breasts, and he teased my nipples into hard buds. “Son of a bitch, Wren. What in the hell are you doing to me? Nothing is enough. I tell myself I just need to touch you,
but now that I’m touching you, I need to know what every inch of your body tastes like.”
“Then you better get started.” I was shameless. Every doubt I had about myself flew out the window when he touched me.
His hot, wet, mouth covered my nipple, and he gently sucked while his fingers pinched and flicked my other one.
My eyes drifted shut, and a low moan escaped my lips. My fingers delved into his hair, and I arched my back. His mouth was like velvet on my skin. I tugged on his hair, silently asking for more.
He growled against my breast and snagged the nipple between his teeth.
Holy fuck. The bite of pain radiated through my body, and his name was ripped from my lips. “Maniac!”
He released my nipple and sucked it back into his mouth. “Sweet baby Jesus,” I moaned. The man knew how to use his mouth.
His mouth traveled up my chest, while his hand moved south. “You doing okay?”
More than okay. My body was on fire for him, and he kept fanning the flames with his touch. “The name Pyromaniac is very fitting for you,” I whispered.
“And why is that?” His fingers unbuttoned my pants and slowly slid down the zipper.
“Because my body is on fire for you.”
*
Maniac
Her words surprised me. “Darlin’,” I choked out.
She smiled up at me. “Do I have to shut you up again?” she laughed.
“Never satisfied,” I chuckled.
She rested her hands on my shoulders. “Not when it comes to you.”
She said she was on fire for me. Well, my body was up in flames for her, too. The urge to rip her pants off, flip her over, and fuck the hell out of her was consuming me. I couldn’t do that to her, though. Wren was calling the shots, and I had to wait for her. “I’m gonna take your pants off.”
A giggled erupted from her lips. “I think you need to since that is the only way this is going to work.”
Dammit, she was happy. The huge smile on her face was there because of me. She was happy with me. The woman whose eyes were dead when I first met her were now filled with light and happiness. I had helped put there.
She lifted her ass, and I slid the pants down her legs and over her feet.
Fallen Lords MC: Books 1-3 Page 49