Gambler held his hands up, knowing he was treading on delicate ground. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Yeah, well, my playing with my hair pays the bills and keeps the lights on.”
Gambler walked towards me, the tip of his boots touching the tips of my flats. He reached up, grabbing a strand of orange hair and twirled it around his finger. “Orange?”
Gah, why did he have to get so close? I could smell his cologne float around me, distracting me from the fact I was mad at him five seconds ago. “Yes, orange.”
“You know you picked my favorite color, doll?”
I did? Oh shit. I had seen the tank on his bike a week ago and noticed how it was a burnt orange that I loved, but I didn’t know it was his favorite color. “It’s just a color I picked out.” Lie, lie, lie, Gwen. I felt my face heat, hoping Gambler wouldn’t see through my lie.
“Hmm, I guess I’ll give you that one for right now.” He leaned down as I looked up and our eyes locked. “My favorite color or not, doll, you look like a smokin’ hot fifties pin-up model.”
“Rockabilly,” I whispered.
“What, doll?”
“The way I dress, it’s called Rockabilly.” Not a lot of people knew what that was, especially people in Rockton. When I had moved here to live by my aunt, I had shocked the town. I loved the era of the fifties and the way I dressed reflected that. I wasn’t a true rockabilly because I just couldn’t get into the music from the forties and fifties. I liked it, but I tended to lean more toward more modern music.
“Well, whatever the fuck it’s called, I like it. Especially on you.”
“Thank you,” I whimpered as his arms snaked around me. This was not good. Not good at all. Being wrapped up in Gambler’s arms made me forget my own name, let alone the fact this man drove me crazy with every word that came out of his mouth.
He stroked my back, and I relaxed into his arms and held onto his biceps. “You hungry, doll?”
Hungry? Was I hungry? I had no freakin’ clue. All I knew was I wanted to feel Gambler’s lips on mine again. “Um, I don’t know.”
“You don’t know if you’re hungry?” Gambler smirked.
Sweet Jesus, I needed to pull it together. I had been in the arms of men before and able to keep it together. What the hell was it about Gambler that made me lose it? “Yes, I’m hungry,” I said, clearing my throat and tried to step back from Gambler.
His arms tightened around me, and he pulled me closer. “Not so fast, doll.” He leaned down, his lips a breath away.
“What are we doing, Gambler?”
“Right now?”
I nodded my head yes, unable to form another sentence.
His eyes searched my face, and I saw something change. “Nothing, we’re doing nothing.” Gambler pulled away and turned his back to me. He hung his head down and ran his fingers through his hair.
I stumbled backward, not expecting the change in him. I brushed my fingertips against my lips, wishing he would have let go and kissed me.
This was for the best. Getting tangled up with Gambler was a dead end street that was only going to end up in heartache.
“I’ll just grab my purse and then we can go get something to eat,” I mumbled, walking into the small back room, not waiting for Gambler to answer.
I grabbed my purse and leaned against the small counter, tilting my head back. What the hell was I doing? Was I really wishing for Gambler to kiss me?
The last time I had given in to what my body had wanted, it had started out fantastic, but then crashed and burned. I couldn’t go through what I had gone through before. I had told myself after Matt that I would never fall for another man who would just break my heart.
I couldn’t let Gambler in. I was still broken from the last time.
*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*
Chapter 8
Gambler
Son of a bitch.
God dammit that woman got under my skin in a second and made me forget everything I had been telling myself.
As soon as I had seen her, all I wanted to do was pin her to the wall and take everything she had to offer. Her soft, warm body in my arms almost tipped me over the edge.
She mumbled something about grabbing her purse, but I couldn’t even turn around to look at her. I needed to get control. I didn’t want to need Gwen the way I did. I didn’t want the attraction that made me search her out in a crowded room. I just wanted my life to go back to the way it was before Gwen had barged in and started throwing her sass all over and making my body beg for her.
I’d take her to get something to eat and then head back to the clubhouse where there was always someone around, and it would keep me from putting my hands on her.
“I’m ready,” she chirped from behind me, apparently not as affected as I was.
I rubbed my hands down my face and tried to pull my head out of my ass and get it together. “Where do you feel like eating?” I asked, turning around to look at her. She really did look like a fifties pin-up goddess.
“Why don’t we get pizza and take it back to the clubhouse. I’m sure everyone else is hungry.”
“Sounds like a plan, doll, but we’re going to have to get it delivered. I don’t think we can carry ten pizzas on my bike,” I laughed.
“Oh, that’s right. Well, then we might as well head back to the clubhouse, and then we can see what everyone wants.” She walked towards the front door, making sure everything was turned off and stood by the door waiting for me. “You coming?” she asked, cocking her head to the side, smiling at me.
I shook my head, trying to get the image of her swinging hips as she walked out of my head and grabbed my keys out of my pocket as I walked by her. I slipped out the door, waiting for her to shut and lock it and then walked over to my bike.
“Ever been on a motorcycle?” I grabbed the helmet I had in the saddlebag and handed it to her.
“This is going to give me helmet hair,” she complained, handing it back to me.
“I don’t give a shit about the fact it’s going to wreck your hair. All I care about is that it’s going to protect your head in case we crash.” I grabbed it from her and set it on her head, snapping the strap shut.
“You don’t have to be such a dick,” she sassed at me as she adjusted the helmet, trying to fix her hair.
“I’m keeping you safe. If that means I'm a dick, I'm okay with that.” I swung my leg over the motorcycle and waited for her to climb on.
“Um,” she said, tapping me on the shoulder, “I haven’t been on a motorcycle in a long time.”
“Swing your leg over and hold on,” I smirked, looking over my shoulder at her.
“I’m sure there’s more to it than that. If we crash, it’s your fault, not mine. I told you it’s been awhile.” She swung her leg over, kicking me in the side and finally sat down behind me.
“Next time try it without kicking me,” I laughed, cranking up the bike.
“You know what, I can totally call Marley to come and pick me up.” Gwen sat back from me. I looked over my shoulder and saw her with her arms crossed over her chest glaring at me.
“You’re my responsibility, doll. Not Troy’s. Where I go, you go. End of story.” I yelled over the roar of the engine. I reached back, grabbing her arms and wrapped them around my waist. “Hold on!” I grabbed the handlebars and pulled onto the street. Gwen’s arms tightened around me, and I knew she wasn’t going to let go until the bike stopped, no matter how pissed off at me she was.
“You’re still a dick,” she yelled in my ear. I gunned the throttle making Gwen yelp in surprise and wrap her arms around me even tighter.
Good, maybe if she thought I was a dick she would swing those hips at someone else, and I could go back to the way things were before I walked into her salon and she tipped my world on its side.
*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*’*
Gwen
Hold on. Jesus Christ. I was holding on alright. I had the strang
est feeling that I was seconds away from death and having the best time of my life. I glanced down, the pavement speeding past underneath us, the white line a blur.
I had never been on a motorcycle before, but not for a lack of trying. I begged my aunt for two years to get a motorcycle when I was sixteen, but she had solidly refused. She told me when I was eighteen I could get a motorcycle with my own money. Well, eighteen hit and as much as I wanted a bike, the money was never there to get one. Plus, living in Illinois meant I would still have to buy a car for the winter months, so it just made sense to only have a car since I couldn’t afford both. Holding on for my life was either curing the need for a motorcycle or feeding the urge. The jury was still out.
Gambler drove like the bike was an extension of his body. He maneuvered the curves with ease, rolling to stops and then rocketing off. We were only five minutes away from the clubhouse, but Gambler took the long way, basically driving to the other side of town and then to the clubhouse.
“Um, I think there might be a quicker way to get to the clubhouse than the one you just took,” I said, clambering off the bike and unsnapping the helmet. I took it off, shoving it into Gambler’s hands.
“Eh, felt like going for a ride, doll.” He shrugged, hanging the helmet from the handlebars.
“No, you wanted to see how many times you could make me shriek.”
Gambler leaned in, his lips inches away from mine. “I admit nothing, doll. Just felt like going for a ride.”
“You’re a dick,” I spat back.
“So you keep saying, but I doubt you have anything to back that up.”
“Dick.”
“Doll.”
“I hate you.” Ugh, this man was turning me into a pissed off five-year-old.
“No, you don’t. You just hate the fact that I was right, and I was only trying to keep you safe. You’re on the back of my bike, you wear a helmet. King, Rigid, and Gravel have the same rule for when their ol’ ladies are on the back of their bikes.”
“I’m not you’re ol’ lady. Ever.”
“I never said you were.”
“Ahh, I fucking hate you!” I stomped off, pissed that Gambler could evoke such a strong response out of me. I could barely remember the reason I was so pissed at him. I ripped open the door to the clubhouse and walked over to the couch where Cyn and Meg were sitting.
“Love the hair!” Meg gushed, pulling me out of my pissed off mood.
“Thanks, I needed a change.” I fluffed my hair, running my fingers through it.
“Told you it was killer,” Marley said, walking out of the kitchen.
“Thanks for leaving me with dickhead, Marley.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Hey,” Marley held her hands up, “I tried to stay, but Troy told me we had to go. Plus, it’s Gambler. Not like I left you with the some stranger.”
“No, not a stranger, but definitely a dick.”
“Look, I’m sorry. I figured things were cool with you two since I found you in his bed this morning.” Marley plopped down in the recliner and popped open the footrest.
“What? What the hell did I miss?” Cyn asked, looking between Marley and me.
“Shit, I totally forgot to tell you guys. I caught Gwen and Gambler in bed this morning.”
“Damn girl, you work fast. Not as fast as Marley though,” Meg laughed.
“Bitch,” Marley yelled, throwing a pillow at Meg.
“First and last one-night stand, night, sunshine?” Troy bragged, walking out of the kitchen, his mouth full.
“Damn straight,” Marley laughed. Troy fell into the recliner next to Marley, tossing his arm around her.
“Look, I need help. Meg, do you think that you could talk to King and try to see if there is someone else who can watch me until this, this … whatever the hell is going on is over.” I waved my arms around, not knowing what the hell to call what all this going on was. I knew the bare facts; that the Assassins were after the Knights for some bullshit reason, and now everyone was in danger until they figured out what the hell to do.
“I can ask, but I don’t think it’s going to help. Lo likes to keep club business away from me. Although the club business tried to blow up my house last night, so maybe he might listen to me.”
“Please, Meg. You can make that man do anything you want. Flash him some boob and he’ll be putty in your hands. I’m begging you. If I have to spend any more time with Gambler, I will not be held responsible for my actions.”
“All right. I’ll see what I can do tonight. You’ll have to deal with him till I talk to Lo.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Gambler, who had just walked in the front door. God dammit, why the hell did the man have to look so good? His jeans were molded to his legs, and his t-shirt was just tight enough to remind me what he looked like shirtless, it made me want to walk over and rip it off. This man was fucking with my head, and it was driving me crazy.
One more day. I could totally handle being around him for one more day without throwing myself at him.
He crooked his finger for me to come over and I rolled my eyes. What the hell did the man want now?
“What?” I asked, walking over to him.
He reached into his back pocket and grabbed his wallet. “Find out what everyone wants and order pizza.” I glanced down as he opened his wallet and my eyes bugged out at the wad of cash he thumbed through. He handed me five twenties and shoved his wallet back in his pocket.
“I need one hundred dollars for pizza?” I asked, shocked, grabbing the money.
“You need more, come find me before the guy gets here and let me know.”
“Um, I don’t think I’ll need any more money.” I folded the money up and put it in my pocket. “Can’t I just order a bunch of different pizzas and let them go at it?”
“Whatever you want, doll. Just make sure you get one with everything on it and make sure I get a piece.” Gambler winked at me and headed down the hall to the bedrooms.
“Did I hear pizza?” Marley asked, walking up to me.
“Um, yeah,” I mumbled watching Gambler’s retreating back.
“Yes!” Marley pumped her fist in the air. “You want me to order? I’m tight with the owner.” Marley pulled her phone out of her pocket and started pushing buttons.
“How the hell are you tight with the pizza guy?”
“I order like three times a week.” Marley held her finger up, silencing me. “Mike! It’s Marley! How are you?” Marley walked away talking to whoever the hell Mike was like they were best friends.
I looked around seeing people milling around, most of them I knew, but there were a couple that I had never seen before. I glanced at the clock on the wall seeing it was almost five and wondered where the day went. There was a guy behind the bar handing out drinks, and I decided a drink was just exactly what I needed.
Gambler had told me to make myself at home, and if I were at home, I would definitely be getting the bottle of vodka out of the cabinet tonight.
“What’ll it be, darlin’?” the guy behind the bar asked.
“Gin and tonic. Make it a double.” He moved behind the bar grabbing the bottles he needed and started making my drink. “So, what’s your name?”
“Demon. I’m the V.P.”
I was taken back by the fact that the vice president of the club was making me a drink. I really didn’t know a lot about MC’s, but I kind of figured the vice president making you a drink was not the norm. “You often sling drinks for the club?”
“Ha. No, not really. It’s Turtle’s night to be behind the bar, but he’s over in the shop finishing up an El Camino, and I told him I would cover for him until he finishes up.” He set my drink down in front of me, and I took a sip. Pure heaven.
“Well, if it’s any consolation, the next time I see you behind the bar I’m going to have you make me five drinks because that is the best gin and tonic I have ever had.”
“Gotcha. If all else fails, I can be a bartender.” Demon win
ked at me, his eyes sparkling with humor.
Demon walked away, taking drink orders from other club members, each of them ribbing him about being behind the bar.
I turned around, leaning against the bar, propping my elbows up. Marley and Troy were toe to toe, wrapped in each other’s arms. They both had their heads thrown back laughing. I was happy for Marley. She deserved to find her happy ending. Lord knew she had gone through enough to finally find Troy.
My phone buzzed, letting me know I had a text message and pulled it out of my pocket. I turned back to the bar, setting my drink down and opened the message.
I put my two-week notice in today.
Yes! It was about time Paige got up here. Paige was my older sister who still lived in Rhyton. I had been pestering her for the past year that she needed to move to Rockton.
Hell yes! When will you be here? You’re moving in with me, right?
LOL. We’ll see. I’m not sure I can live with your neat freakiness. We barely made it through childhood without killing each other.
I hated to admit it, but Paige was right. It really was a miracle we had lived to see adulthood. While I was a neat freak and wanted everything in its place, Paige was the complete opposite and seemed to thrive in messy chaos.
OK. If anything, I’ll help you find a place to live.
“What put that smile on your face, doll?”
I whirled around, scared by Gambler sneaking up on me. “Jesus, you scared the bejeebus out of me.”
Gambler smirked at me and signaled to Demon. Demon grabbed a bottle of whiskey and poured it into a glass full of ice and set it in front of Gambler.
“Sorry, doll. Didn’t mean to scare you.” He took a sip of his drink and set it down next to mine. “What’s got you smiling at your phone like a loon?”
“Oh, um, just my sister. I think she might actually be moving up here in a couple of weeks.”
“No shit?” I nodded my head yes and grabbed my drink. “She gonna live with you?”
“Um, I’m trying to convince her to move in with me, but she says we’d clash. She does have a point. Growing up, it’s amazing we didn’t kill each other.” I took a sip of my drink and swirled the liquid in the glass around.
Devil’s Knights MC Box Set 2 Page 4