Heart of Steel

by Cathleen Cole

  Amy set a refill down on the table for me before I could tell her I didn’t need another. She came over to me and shot the guys, who were now talking, a look before smiling at me. “How long have you and Steel been seeing each other?”

  “This is our first date,” I said nonchalantly. She just gave me a wide grin. “What?” I asked in confusion.

  “Trip,” She jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the guy behind the bar, “mentioned you were at one of the parties a few weeks ago.” I looked over at the blonde who was pouring shots and tried to remember if I’d seen him there. For the life of me, I couldn’t remember. It had been a bit of a hectic night. But he obviously knew me.

  “Yeah, a friend and I went. Are they always so…” I tried to find a polite description.

  “Wild? Absolutely.” She laughed.

  “Hey, Remi.” We both glanced over and found both guys watching us. Amy murmured something and took off back toward the bar. Bringing my drink, I walked back over to the men and tried not to fidget under their intense gazes. “Remi, this is Cade. Cade…” Steel motioned at me. We shook hands, and I remembered back to the first day when I’d seen Steel and a bunch of the guys sitting on their bikes in front of the school. I’d been right then; all of these guys were huge. Cade was as tall as Steel, although he was a little less bulky but still muscular. I wonder what they put in their water?

  “Nice to meet you.” I smiled, and he returned it. Then just did the nod thing that Steel usually did. Cade clapped Steel on the shoulder again and said something about heading back.

  As he strode toward the door, he hesitated then looked at me over his shoulder. “Hope we’ll see you at the barbeque next weekend, Remi.” He shot Steel an amused look, then left before I could respond. I looked over at Steel but couldn’t read the expression on his face.

  Chapter 27

  Steel

  We both watched as Cade left. He thought he was making me uncomfortable by inviting Remi to next weekend’s family event. It didn’t bother me as much as I would have thought.

  Cade had been in his back office finishing up the paperwork for the night when he’d spotted us. Like a dick, he’d broken us up, right as I was about to kiss Remi. I liked that she was being more receptive to me now. I hadn’t missed how she’d leaned into me or the way she’d been looking at me.

  “Want to finish?” She asked as she went back to the pool table and I went back to watching her. She clearly hadn’t played much pool before, but I liked the fact that she accepted a challenge even when it wasn’t something she was good at. When she missed the next shot, I stepped up to the table. I was on a mission now. I wanted to win this game and finish what we’d just about started before we got interrupted.

  I went back and looked down at the table. “So how about you?” My gaze left the shot I was considering and found hers at her question.

  “What about me?” I asked.

  “What’s your story?” She took a slow sip from her drink, her lips wrapped around the straw. I watched her throat as she swallowed and had to adjust my stance as my pants got too tight in the front. I met her eyes again and silently watched her, considering how to answer her question. She shifted, but I couldn’t tell if she was uncomfortable or turned on.

  Remi wiped one of her hands on her dress. “Uh, how did you and Riggs end up in the MC?” She rephrased the question.

  I went back to the pool table. If we were going to talk about me, I needed to do something with my hands. “Our dad left us when we were young. Mom worked all the time. Riggs and I pretty much grew up with Cade and Gunnar. My brother and Cade decided they were going to join the Marines once they graduated,” I saw her shift a little and interest flared in her eyes, “but that didn’t work out. They got into some trouble and one of the guys in the club helped them out. They showed up the next day to prospect. Gunnar and I had to wait two more years, but then we did the same as soon as we could.”

  I missed my shot and watched as she settled in to take hers. Her dress rose as she stretched, revealing more of those gorgeous, toned legs. Watching her flatten over the table was fucking with me. I reached down and adjusted my dick, so it wasn’t tenting my jeans out.

  I looked back at the bar and Trip held up a beer and pointed to both of us. I subtly shook my head, then went back to the game. I needed to be able to drive and wanted her to be able to ride after this. She sank three more balls. This was a tighter game than I was expecting it to be. I only had one more shot then the eight ball, she had three then the eight. She hissed in frustration when she missed the next shot.

  She hadn’t been kidding about being competitive. I chuckled, and she shot me a glare. The smile slipped off my lips though when that look turned calculating and she walked closer to me. She was back to trying to cheat by distracting me. I certainly didn’t mind that. I looked down at her as she stopped directly in front of me. Remi dragged her finger down my chest and wet her lips as she watched me.

  Two can play this game, wildcat.

  I gave her a wicked smile, enjoying it when hers slipped slightly. I grabbed her wrist and watched those delicious lips part. Bringing her hand up, I brought it to my lips and nipped the tip of her finger before I pulled it fully into my mouth and sucked firmly. Her gasp had my cock jumping in my pants.

  I released her suddenly and watched as she tried to compose herself. Now that she was suitably distracted, I returned to the table and finished out the game. It wasn’t easy to tamp down my raging hard-on, but I wasn’t going to lose. I hadn’t been kidding about being competitive either.

  “Well, you won,” she said it in a grumpy voice, but her eyes were teasing. “Would you show me how to play better?”

  “Sure.” I racked the balls up and we spent the next hour or so practicing shots and learning more about each other. Technically, she practiced shots, while I ran my hands all over her. She didn’t seem to mind. But now I was at the point where I needed a little more. I had wanted it earlier but wasn’t about to deny her request.

  Taking her hand, I led her into the back hallway, bypassing the bathrooms. When we got to the back, I punched in the code to the lock on Cade’s office door. As we stepped through, I saw her look between me and the lock with a questioning glance. “Cade owns the bar.”

  With a non-committal sound, Remi pulled her hand from mine and went to look at some of the stuff Cade had hanging on the walls. She ignored the desk, which I appreciated since he had piles of paperwork scattered on it. Who knew what she might see if she were to look through those? But she was just waiting for me to shut the door. As soon as I did, she turned and watched me quietly.

  Striding forward, I wasted no time. I slipped my left hand into her hair and cupped the back of her head, and my right went to her hip. She sucked in her breath and looked up at me. Her eyes dropped to my mouth. “Well…” My lips quirked when she looked up at me.

  “What?” Her voice was husky.

  “I won. You owe me a kiss.”

  She frowned, then understanding dawned that I wanted her to initiate. Her cheeks pinkened, but she stood up on her toes slightly to close the gap. Her lips brushed mine, and I had to fight myself to keep from taking over. I wanted her to control this, for now. Her fingers came up slowly and brushed over my throat, grazing my tattoo as her lips moved softly on mine.

  I squeezed her hip, fighting for control. That encouraged her because that sexy little tongue licked along my bottom lip. She broke hers from mine and trailed them down to where her fingers had been. Her tongue licked my throat, lips whispering over my skin. That snapped my control.

  With a groan, I pulled her up against me and kissed her again, thrusting my tongue into her mouth. Her answering moan had me backing her up until the back of her thighs hit Cade’s desk. I dropped my hand from her hair to her other hip. Picking her up, I set her on top of the paperwork on the desk. She let out a startled squeak, but it was muffled as I stroked my tongue against hers.

  I bumped her legs apart and stepped i
n between them. With my hands still on her hips, I slid her forward, so that we were pressed together. The motion hiked her dress up so that nothing except her panties were in my way. Her arms had wrapped around my neck when I’d picked her up, and now her hands slid down my chest. I ran my fingers down the tops of her thighs and then felt her shudder when I ran them back up the insides of them, stopping short of the one area where she wanted to be touched.

  She squirmed a little on the desk, trying to get me to move my hands further, but I just pushed down on her thighs, stilling her. I dropped my lips to the side of her neck and licked and sucked my way down toward her shoulder. Her head fell to the side, and she made little encouraging sounds. Now that she was sitting still, focused on my lips which had moved onto the spot where her neck and shoulder met, I let my hands creep up her body to her waist. As they kept rising, she tried to pull my hand up higher, so I nipped that sensitive spot on her neck. She gave a sharp hiss, then moaned on the exhale.

  Remi was going to figure out quickly that she wasn’t in control of this anymore, despite her giving that first kiss. I sucked on the spot, swiping my tongue over it to ease the sting from my teeth. She’d end up with a hickey, but I didn’t care. I loved marking her, seeing the proof on her skin that I’d been there. I switched to the right side of her neck and trailed my lips up until I sucked her earlobe into my mouth. Scraping it lightly with my teeth I gave her one of the things she’d been asking for, I palmed her tit. Fuck, she felt good. Touching her body forced me to shift slightly so I could relieve the pressure of my jeans against my hard-on.

  Remi groaned and arched against me, thrusting into my hand. I easily slid my hand beneath the top of her dress and had to grit my teeth as I felt pre-cum bead at the tip of my dick as she rubbed her body against mine. She wasn’t wearing a bra. I ran my thumb over her nipple and felt it pucker. Remi wrapped her arms around my waist, trying to tug me closer as she started lightly rocking against me.

  My breath caught, and it felt like my heart was going to beat its way out of my chest. The little sounds she was making were setting my blood on fire, and I was close to fucking her here on the desk. I ground back into her and plucked her nipple, swallowing her gasp with my mouth, when suddenly the door swung open behind us.

  We froze, and she looked up at me with wide eyes, her cheeks turning red. I glared over my shoulder and saw my asshole brother leaning against the doorframe with a shit-eating grin on his face.

  “Get the fuck out.” I moved my hand and made sure Remi’s dress was covering her, even though my body blocked Riggs’s view of her.

  “Sorry, little brother.” His tone and the laugh told me he was anything but sorry. He was enjoying this. “Cade needed me to pick up something he forgot.” Staring at Riggs at least had the benefit of making my dick go soft. It was obvious that I wasn’t going to be able to continue this with her here. Not that I had planned to fuck her for the first time in Cade’s office, although if we hadn’t been interrupted it could have happened with how quickly she made me lose control.

  “Fine, get it, and get the fuck out.”

  Riggs cleared his throat and motioned toward where Remi was sitting on the desk.

  “For fuck’s sake,” I growled and picked Remi up off the desk and gently set her on her feet. I moved her away, and we started toward the door as Riggs moved into the office and began sorting through papers on the desk.

  Once in the hall, I took Remi’s hand and walked directly through the bar, grabbed our coats, and strode out to my bike. I hadn’t bothered introducing her to my brother since I figured she’d been embarrassed enough. They’d meet at some other time. I handed her the helmet.

  “Uh, Steel?”

  I looked over at her as I was shrugging my jacket on.

  “Was that your brother?” The pink had faded from her cheeks and she looked less embarrassed now. I felt the tension seep from my body, my annoyance, and aggravation at my brother falling off as I looked down at her. My mood started shifting back as I focused on her once again.

  “Yeah, unfortunately.” I straddled the bike and waited for her to get on. “I’ll introduce you to him some other time.” Remi nodded and straddled the bike behind me.

  “What’s it going to be?” I gave her a heated look over my shoulder.

  Confusion flitted over her features. “Am I taking you home? Or am I taking you… home?” I emphasized the last word. Between that and the look in my eyes, she caught my meaning pretty quickly. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, and I wanted to drag her into my lap and claim her mouth.

  Chapter 28

  Remi

  “Am I taking you home? Or am I taking you… home?” There was no mistaking his meaning. I shifted slightly on the seat as my pussy throbbed. I probably should have him drop me off at my house and call it a night, but I didn’t want to. I especially didn’t want to after kissing him inside.

  Fuck it. I wanted him and I was going to throw caution to the wind and have fun tonight. “Take me... home.” I put the same emphasis on the word that he had. His eyes widened slightly then narrowed, almost as if he’d been expecting me to ask to be taken to my house. I’d surprised him. Good, he’d been keeping me off balance since the day I met him. It was only fair that I do the same every once in a while. Steel turned around and pulled away from the parking lot.

  I laid my head to the side on Steel’s back. I couldn’t believe his brother had just walked in on us. I was so embarrassed. Now that I had decided to give him a chance, I was surprised at how well we got along.

  Even when we weren’t making out. Although, that was a lot of fun too. He’d been teasing me, and we’d joked and laughed during the time he taught me to play pool. I’d gotten a chance to see that intense nature of his melt away for a little bit. It hadn’t left for long, but it was nice to see he had a sense of humor too.

  It didn’t feel like it was very long before we pulled into the parking lot of the clubhouse and I felt a little sense of trepidation. Considering what had happened the first time, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever feel comfortable here or not. I studied the building as Steel put the helmet away. It certainly looked different on a Sunday night. There were hardly any bikes parked in the lot, no music was playing and only a few people were scattered around outside.

  Everyone ignored us as Steel once again took my hand and led me inside. It made me smile; I loved the way he always either held my hand or put his on the small of my back to help lead me. We went through the building and directly upstairs. I had only paused slightly when we’d gotten to the landing of those stairs, but when he’d looked back at me, I’d given him a small smile and followed him.

  Upstairs, we walked down a long hallway that had rows of doors along both walls. It’s like a dorm, I thought, looking around. We walked to the end and Steel opened the door that was on the back wall before tugging me inside.

  I glanced around curiously, standing just inside the door as he moved away and shrugged off his jacket, dropping it onto the back of a couch in a small living room area. It was bigger than I thought it would be. The space between all the doors in the hallway told me that those rooms were a lot smaller than his.

  “Does everyone in your club live here?”

  He looked up at me. “Cade and Riggs have their own houses on the property.” He walked over to the fridge in the kitchen. Nothing was separating it from the living room and pulled out two beers. He opened them, then handed me one. “I have this apartment and Axel has the matching one on the other side of the building. We’re remodeling and a third larger apartment is being built. That will be Gunnar’s once it’s finished.”

  He jerked a thumb at the living room wall where a big flat screen TV sat. “The rest of the guys have the rooms you saw in the hall. The set up is the same across the way. Some live here full time. Others only use their rooms when the parties run too late or they’re too drunk to drive home.”

  I nodded absently, even though I didn’t know who Axel was, and took a drin
k of the beer. I figured if I hung around long enough, I’d learn who everyone was. I discreetly looked around. Other than the furniture, TV, and gaming consoles, there wasn’t a lot in here. I glanced at the closed door, adjacent to the door that led to the hall, assuming that went to the bedroom. His gaze followed mine. Steel walked up and took my beer from me and set both down on the island in the kitchen. I swallowed at the look in his eyes as he stalked back towards me. Nerves and excitement fluttered in my stomach.

  Steel’s hands slid under my jacket and stroked over my arms before sliding it down them. I wiggled and helped get out of it. Tossing it aside, he threw it onto the back of the couch. He stepped toward me and I moved a step back automatically. His eyes narrowed. Steel tightened his grip on my upper arms and moved toward me again, preventing me from moving away. Not that I did this time. I hadn’t meant to the first time; it’d just been a reflex.

  Using his hands on me and pushing his body into mine, Steel nudged me backward until I felt the bedroom door against my back. As soon as I felt the press of the wood, Steel’s lips were on mine. My hands lifted to his biceps. To steady myself? Just to touch? I didn’t really know, but he moved closer to my touch and flattened our bodies together. My moan was muffled as our lips moved together.

  Steel didn’t waste time. His hand slid down and pushed the sleeve of my dress down. First on one side, then the other, until it pooled at my waist and my breasts were bare. When he tore his lips from mine and wrapped them around my nipple, I tossed my head back, hitting the door a little harder than I’d meant to. I wasn’t sure if the lights behind my now closed eyes were from the scrape of his teeth or because I’d bashed my skull into the wood. Either way, it didn’t matter. My breath hitched when he switched to the other side and bit down, almost harder than was comfortable, before he soothed it with his tongue. My knees trembled and now my hands on him were there to help hold me up.