by Wilder, L.
“I have no idea. There’s too many to choose from.”
I reached in my pocket and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill. As I offered it to her, I said, “Why don’t you start with one of the slots?”
“Are you sure?”
“That’s why I brought you here.”
She hesitated, but she eventually took the twenty from my hand and carried it over to one of the machines. Once she inserted the money, she looked over to me and asked, “Okay. What do I do now?”
“This is a penny slot, so just choose the amount you want to bet and push the button. If the lines match up, then you win.”
“That seems easy enough.” She chose her wager, then pressed the button. The music started playing and different colored fish started jumping around on the screen. When the fish all lined up and the machine fell silent, Riley looked up at me and asked, “What happened?”
I chuckled as I told her, “You lost.”
“I did?”
“You did, but it happens.” I motioned my hand towards the machine. “Give her another go.”
“Okay.” She tried again and again, hoping for a different result. Unfortunately, she wasn’t having any luck. After losing fifteen out of the twenty dollars, she looked up at me and said, “I’m losing all your money.”
“It’s not mine anymore. As soon as it touched your hand it became yours.” I reached in my pocket for another twenty. “I’m about to give it a go myself, so don’t stop on my account.”
She watched as I sat down at the machine next to her and inserted my money. Once I started playing, she turned her attention back to her game and started playing once again. She nearly leapt out of her seat when all the fish finally lined up. “Look! I won six dollars!”
Before I could respond, she was back at it, and after a few more hits, she was up forty bucks. Just as I’d hoped, she was having a great time, but something told me, she wasn’t hard to please. Riley was one of those women who appreciated the small pleasures in life, and it was a characteristic that I was growing fond of very quickly. After several more rounds, I looked over to her and asked, “Do you want to try a different game?”
“Sure!”
Once we’d cashed out, Riley followed me over to the high-stakes slots and watched as I entered my credit voucher into one of the ten-dollar machines. I was up a couple hundred bucks, so I decided to go for it. I placed my bet and immediately lost. I tried again, only to lose once more. I was about to hit it again, when she asked, “Wait … are these ten dollars a bet?”
“Yeah.”
“But you’re betting five lines at a time. Doesn’t that mean you just lost fifty dollars?”
“No. I lost a hundred.”
“Murphy! That’s crazy,” she fussed.
“You gotta play big to win big.” I hit it again, and this time I won. “See. I’m up three hundred.”
“Holy cow!” She went over to one of the five-dollar machines beside me and inserted her voucher. After her first try, she squealed, “Look at that! I won a hundred dollars!”
As we continued to play several more rounds, we won some, then lost some more. I played a few more bets, then walked over to see how Riley was doing. “How’s it going?”
“I was up a hundred and twenty, and now I’m back to eighty.” As she hit the cash-out button, she said, “I think I’m gonna stop while I’m ahead.”
“You sure? We could go over and hit the blackjack table or roulette?”
“You can play whatever you want and I’ll watch with bated breath, but I’m good.” She held up her paper voucher as she announced, “I’m tickled with my eighty-dollar win.”
“All right, then. How about something to eat? There are several restaurants to choose from if you’re hungry.”
“Yeah, I could go for a bite to eat.”
“We’ll need to redeem our winnings first.”
She followed me over to the cash kiosk and got in line behind me. I had gotten my cash, and when I turned around, I quickly noticed that Riley was no longer behind me. Apparently, she’d decided she needed to give it one more go and hit one of the machines close by. Just as I was heading over to her, the machine she was using lit up and music started blaring, announcing that she’d gotten a big win. I had no idea how much she’d won, but from the look on her face, I thought she’d won a million or more. With an animated gasp, she asked, “Are you seeing this?”
“I am. How much did you just win?”
“I have no idea!” she shrieked.
With all the noise and flashing lights, it was hard to tell. I took a step closer and noticed that she was playing one of the penny machines. For a moment, I was worried that she might be disappointed by her winnings, but she wasn’t. Not even close. When everything finally stilled and her final total flashed on the screen, she jumped out of her seat and cheered, “I won three hundred dollars!”
“How about that.” I couldn’t get over it. By the expression on her face, you would’ve thought she’d hit the jackpot. I couldn’t believe that a girl who’d grown up the way she had would be so tickled over so little. There was a lot more to Riley than I ever imagined, and I looked forward to finding out everything about her. I smiled as I told her, “You’ve got beginner’s luck working in your favor.”
“I can’t believe it! I’ve never won anything like this before.”
Seeing that smile got me right to the core, and I knew right then, I would do everything in my power to see it again and again. “Do you want to give it one more go?”
“Not a chance!” She pressed the cash-out button, and as soon as she had her voucher, she headed straight for the cash kiosk. Once she was done, she looked down at the money and studied it for a moment before offering the whole wad to me. “It wouldn’t be right for me to take this.”
“You won that money fair and square, Riley. There’s no way in hell I’m gonna take it from you.” I placed my hands on her hips and pulled her closer. “I would’ve paid that and a hundred times over to see that smile on your face.”
“Thank you for all this. I can’t remember when I’ve had so much fun.”
“Right back at ya.” I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. I’d intended on the kiss being brief, but the moment our mouths met, I ached for more. Feeling that same deep longing, she wound her arms around my neck, inching closer as we both got lost in the moment. Just as I was about lose all self-control, I heard someone behind me clear their throat. I quickly pulled back, breaking free from our embrace. When I looked over my shoulder, I found an elderly lady who was five feet tall at best. She was wearing a pale-pink sweater with a strand of pearls, and she was scowling at me like I’d just kicked her poodle. Apparently, we were blocking her path to one of the games she wanted to play, so I eased Riley out of the way. I took out a five-dollar bill from my winnings, and as I offered it to the lady, I said, “Sorry about that. Have a round on us.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” She took the money from my hand, and Riley’s mouth dropped open in surprise when the lady shuffled past us, grumbling, “You kids need to get a room.”
I figured we’d caused enough of a scene, so I reached for Riley’s hand and, hoping they’d have something quick and easy we could eat, led her into one of the smaller restaurants. It wasn’t much, just your typical café, but Riley didn’t seem to mind as we made our way over to one of the tables in the back. We hadn’t been sitting long when a waitress came over to us. Once she’d taken our order and left, I looked over to Riley and asked, “How did your test go this morning?”
“I think I did okay. I won’t know for sure until my professor posts the grades.”
“I don’t think you ever mentioned what you were getting your degree in.”
She grimaced as she replied, “Finance. I was thinking that I could use it to help my dad out at the farm, but with this degree, I’ll have options. I could be a financial planner, a financial analyst, or an investor relations associate.”
“Not sure I know wha
t any of those are, but they sound pretty impressive.”
“I don’t know about that,” she scoffed. “It can be a little boring, but I thought if I could find a new company … one that really speaks to me, then it would be kind of cool to help them get off the ground.”
“I think that would be very cool.”
Before I had a chance to respond, the waitress brought our food and drinks over and placed them on the table. As we ate, Riley explained how torn she felt. Even though a lot of things had changed over the past few months, she still felt obligated to help her father at the farm. “I’m not sure what I’ll do. I won’t graduate until this summer, so I still have some time to figure it out.”
“You’ve gotta do what makes you happy, Riley. I’m sure that your father would agree.”
“I know. I just need some time to figure things out.” After she took a bite of her sandwich, she asked, “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“What do you do for work? You do have an actual job, right?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I got a job. Several, in fact. The club has a garage where we do small renovations and engine repair. I work there mainly.”
“Is working on engines something you learned from your brothers, or did you pick it up somewhere else?”
“A little of both, I guess. I’ve always had a thing for engines.” I shrugged. “It’s just one of those things that came easy to me.”
“I’m impressed. I wouldn’t know the first thing about fixing an engine.”
“And I wouldn’t know the first thing about finance, so we’re even.”
When we finished eating, we got back on the bike and rode back to Memphis. The sun was just starting to set as we pulled into the parking lot at her college campus. When I parked, Riley got off and quickly removed her helmet. She wore a somber look as she said, “I had a great time.”
I pulled off my helmet, then tugged her close. “I did too.”
“Well,” she shrugged, “I guess I better get going.”
There was something about the hesitation in her voice that made me think she wasn’t ready for our time to end any more than I was. Hoping she might be up for staying out a little longer, I told her, “It’s still early.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Stay.”
Her brows furrowed as she asked, “I guess I could … if you’re okay with that.”
“I’m very good with that.”
“Okay … then what do you want to do?”
“Follow me over to my place. That way, you’ll have your car and can leave whenever you’re ready.”
As soon as I saw the spark in her eyes, I knew her answer long before she said the words. “Okay, but I can’t stay too long. I’ve got another big test tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
Riley gave me a quick peck on the lips, then rushed over to her car. She followed me back to my place, and as soon as we stepped through the front door, I pulled her in for a kiss. I’d tried my damnedest to be on my best behavior during our little excursion, but having her on the back of my bike and feeling her body so close to mine without being able to do damn thing about it had taken its toll. I reached for the nape of her neck and took a hold of her hair, gently tugging it as I deepened the kiss. A needful moan vibrated through her chest as she inched closer, pressing her hips against mine, and I was happy to see that I wasn’t the only one who was feeling eager for more.
I knew we didn’t have much time, so I lifted her up. As I tossed her over my shoulder, she shrieked, “Whoa! What is it with you and the caveman act?”
“It’s all you, baby.” I gave her ass a light smack as I told her, “You bring it out in me.”
“Oh, really? Well, I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.”
“Oh, it’s definitely a good thing. You’ll see.”
I carried her up to my bedroom and tossed her onto the bed. A flash of desire crossed her face I eased down on top of her, hovering above her for a brief moment before I lowered my mouth to hers. Riley’s mouth was warm and soft, and each swirl of her tongue made the blood rush straight to my cock. The feel of her body against mine sent me over the edge, and my hands suddenly became rough and impatient. I had to have her—all of her.
I lowered my mouth to her neck and whispered, “I never could’ve imagined”—I ran my lips leisurely from the curve of her jaw down to her shoulder—“that I’d find someone who can get to me like you do.”
“I feel the same way about you,” she rasped as she pulled her sweater over her head and tossed it to the floor. As she unfastened her bra, she whispered, “You’re all I can think about.”
I continued trailing kisses past her collarbone, and her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me towards her when my mouth reached her breast. Heavy breaths and low moans filled the room as I flicked my tongue against her nipple. Her head fell back, and goosebumps prickled across her skin as my fingers worked their way across her abdomen, through the waistband of her jeans, and further down between her legs. A small whimper escaped her throat as my fingers grazed across her center, circling her, teasing her. Unable to contain herself, she rocked her hips forward, begging for my touch. Fuck. I could barely contain myself. Seeing her so wound up made my cock grow thick with need. I eased my fingers deep inside her, and I’d just begun to stroke her when she moaned, “Oh God, Lincoln … Please, don’t stop.”
The moment I brushed my thumb against her clit, I felt her begin to tremble. Knowing she was close, I increased the pressure as I grazed my fingers over her g-spot. Her breath quickened, and her head dropped forward as her entire body tensed with her release. When I saw her body jolt and writhe beneath me, I was done. I couldn’t wait a moment longer to have her; I withdrew my fingers and moved my hands to the waistband of her jeans. Once I had them unfastened, I gave them a tug, removing them in a blink and tossing them to the floor. Equally as eager, Riley reached for the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head then started to work on my jeans. In a matter of seconds, we were both completely undressed, and we spent the next two hours tangled in each other’s arms. I didn’t want her to leave. I wanted her to stay there with me, safe and warm in my arms, but I didn’t listen to that voice in my head and let her walk out that door. It was a mistake I would soon come to regret. Once again, I’d forgotten my rules. I let myself push them to the back of my mind, thinking they didn’t apply to her, but I was wrong—very, very wrong.
CHAPTER 14
Riley
There was no denying that I was attracted to Murphy. From the moment I laid eyes on him, I’d had to fight to keep my hormones in check. Obviously, there was good reason for my lustful reaction—the man was gorgeous from head to toe with a confident, no-excuses attitude that was impossible to ignore. I was intrigued by him, both mentally and physically, but over the past few days, I’d gotten the chance to see that there was more to him than just his sexy exterior. Murphy was fierce, demanding, and strong. He liked to be in control in all aspects of his life, and he had a short fuse. It didn’t take much to get him riled, but he also had a kind, compassionate side to him. Murphy put others first, even if that meant compromising himself and what he wanted. He was sweet and funny, and I felt good whenever I was around him. He made me happy, really happy, and because of that my feelings for him were quickly growing into something more.
After an amazing day in Tunica and a night wrapped in his arms, I went back home and found my father sitting at the kitchen table with a troubled look on his face. I wasn’t sure if he was thinking about me, Devon, or my brother, so I asked, “Are you okay?”
Without looking up, he answered, “I’m fine.”
“Have you eaten dinner? I could fix you …”
“I’m not hungry.” He sounded utterly defeated as he stood up and said, “I’ve got some things I need to tend to. I’ll be in my office if you need me.”
I wasn’t used to seeing him like this, so I asked, “Are you sure you’re okay, because you don’t
seem like you are?”
“I told you I was fine. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
“Is it that Devon guy? Are you worried—”
“I’m handling it, Riley,” he bit out. “I don’t need you making things harder by asking questions.”
“I’m sorry. I was just trying to help.”
“If you want to do something to help, then stop seeing Murphy. That’ll give me one less thing to worry about. Can you do that for me?” When he saw the expression on my face, he grumbled, “That’s what I was afraid of. You’ve fallen for this guy. Dammit! A no-good-rotten-piece-of-trash has won the heart of my precious daughter, and I’ve got no one to blame but myself. I’ve made a mess of everything!”
“It’s sad how you can’t see that you’re wrong about Murphy, Dad.” I sighed as I started for the stairs. “I really hope you figure that out before it’s too late.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” When I didn’t answer, he stormed into his office and slammed the door. “Dammit!”
With a heavy heart, I went up to my room and crawled into bed. After I sent Murphy a text, letting him know that I made it home okay, I pulled out my books and tried my best to prepare for my test. I had no idea how long I’d been studying when I fell sound asleep. When I woke up the next morning, the house was completely empty with no sign of my dad or Hunter. Feeling relieved that I wouldn’t have to face another confrontation, I made myself some coffee and headed to class. As soon as I finished my test, I went out into the hall and took out my phone. I was about to call Murphy when I remembered that he’d told me that he was going on a run with his brothers. I had no idea what a run was or how long something like that would take, but I could tell by the way he spoke that it was important to him. When I’d asked him about it, he told me that club business was never discussed outside of the club. At first, I took offense to it, thinking our newfound relationship gave me privy to such information, but then he explained their reasons behind their secrecy. It was then that I realized there was still a lot about the club and about him that I didn’t know or understand, but Murphy assured me that when the time was right he would explain everything to me. I just had to be patient, which wasn’t exactly one of my strong suits, but Murphy had left me with no other choice.