by Levine, Nina
I had no idea what that meant but the mood felt heavy, and I felt the need to lighten it. “I’m all country, baby,” I joked, throwing a wink at him, “Now, where’s your bathroom?”
He smiled and his eyes crinkled again. Shaking his head at me, he said, “You’re something fucking else, you know that?” Pointing at a door down the hall, he directed, “Toilet and shower in there, towels in the cupboard if you want to take a shower.”
“Thanks, I think I will.”
I felt his eyes burning into me as I walked away from him. When I reached the bathroom, I turned to see if he was still standing there. He was, and the look of desire written across his face sent heat through my body until all my nerve endings were alive with that same desire. It couldn’t be denied any longer; I wanted Scott Cole. Simple as that.
***
I found Scott on his back verandah after I’d finished my shower. He was leaning against the railing, drinking coffee.
“You want a coffee?” he asked, pushing off the railing.
Smiling, I answered, “You have no idea how much I want a coffee. Yes, please.”
He nodded, and went inside. I watched him go; he was dressed in the familiar jeans, black t-shirt and his cut. I’d had no idea that’s what they called their vest; my mother had enlightened me. I was so clueless about bikers.
“How long have you been a member of Storm?”
“Grew up in it. My Dad’s the President.” He held up the sugar with a questioning look, to which I shook my head, no. Putting it back down, he asked, “Milk?”
“Yes please, but not too much. And I like my coffee strong.”
A couple of minutes later we were back outside, enjoying our morning coffee and the gorgeous spring morning. It was my favourite time of the year, warm without the brutal heat that a Queensland summer can bring.
“Time for you to spill, babe. What was wrong with Lisa last night?” Scott swiveled to face me.
“Girl stuff.” I really didn’t want to get into it with him; one, because I was fairly sure once he knew what it was he would rather not know, and two, I didn’t want to break Lisa’s confidence.
He cocked his head with a confused look. “What girl stuff?”
I sighed. “Okay, just remember you asked for this and you can’t let on to Lisa that you know. She got her period for the first time last night. That kind of girl stuff.”
“Thank fuck you came then. She wouldn’t have told me and her mother could care less.”
“So, they live next door to you? Are you close?” This relationship had me stumped.
“We’re not close but her mother, Michelle, worked at Indigo for awhile. She’s a junkie and caused problems there so we had to fire her. Lisa needed a roof over her head so I rented my house next door to Michelle and I keep an eye on Lisa. She knows to ask for help when she needs it but she rarely asks for anything.”
“She strikes me as a tough little cookie; a real fighter.”
“She is, but she has no fucking confidence. Michelle ignores her and spends her money on drugs before she ever gives Lisa a dime.”
“So that’s why you brought her cat in and paid for it.” I was connecting the dots here and I was surprised where they were leading; not at all what I would have thought. Maybe Scott was more right than I gave him credit for earlier; things and people aren’t always what they seem.
“Yeah, babe, that’s why I got the damn cat fixed. Lisa loves that cat.”
“I get the impression that underneath that badass biker image there’s a gentle giant.”
“No, there’s just me, Harlow. There’s no image; I am what I am. Don’t fuck with me because I’ll fuck back,” he said, roughly, eyes piercing mine.
I leant forward, towards him. “I get that, but from where I’m standing, what I see is that for the people who don’t fuck with you, you’d give your life for them. And just for the record, I don’t fuck with people. Ever.”
He stiffened and his jaw muscles tightened. His breathing that had been deep and even was now ragged, and his eyes reached into my soul. I struggled to keep my own breathing even as the intensity of his gaze sent sparks of electricity through me. When he reached his hand up and ran his thumb over my lips, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest and goosebumps flooded my skin.
Our faces were so close now, and when he spoke, his warm breath touched my lips. “The more I get to know you, the more I want to know you,” he rasped.
Pleasure shivered through me; from my neck down to my toes. I bit my lip as I took another step closer to him; our bodies now touching. The outside world was blocked out; all I could see, hear and smell now was Scott.
“Fuck,” he muttered, and wrapped a hand around the back of my head so he could pull me to him. His lips smashed down on mine and we kissed. I entwined my arms around his bulky frame, letting my hands run over his hard muscles. Scott moved one hand down to cup my ass, and pulled me closer. I’d never be close enough; his body against mine was sheer heaven.
His kiss was rough, yet tender; his tongue tangled with mine in a gentle caress and then it became wild and dominating. I moved my fingers to run through his hair and he grunted in response, and roughly pulled me even closer. My heart was beating so fast now, and my thoughts were scrambled. This kiss was pulling me under; exposing me and laying me vulnerable to a man from a world completely different to my own. And yet, after refusing to give my heart to anyone for so long, here was a man I wanted to open myself up to.
He broke the kiss, and murmured slowly, “Fuck.”
“Why do you keep saying that?”
“Because you’re making me feel things I never wanted to feel.”
“Is that a bad thing?” I asked softly.
“Not sure yet but what I do know is that I’ve no right to drag you into my world.”
“How long do you think it’ll take you to work it out? Because I’ve gotta tell you, I want you; even if just for that one night.” His desire for me was causing me to be bold; to be confident in ways I’d never been before. Throwing myself at a man like this was not my signature move.
“Fuck,” he growled, again, and leant down to brush his lips roughly over mine.
Of course, I took the opportunity to turn this into another full blown kiss and quickly wrapped my hands around his neck while my tongue played with his and my teeth softly bit his lips. Eventually he pulled away and shook his head at me. “Again, the more I get to know, the more I fucking want.”
I was just about to say something when we were interrupted by Lisa. “Scott, is it okay if I go home now to get ready for school?”
Oh, my heart broke for this child. She was twelve but she lacked the confidence that a young girl needed to start her journey through the minefield that was the teenage years. She was average height but so very skinny, her hair was a dirty blonde that hung limply just below her shoulders and she walked with a slight hunch. I wanted to take her home, feed her and pamper her; really, I just wanted to love her because it was obvious she needed it.
“Sure,” he replied, and then looked at me, “Harlow will take you.”
Lisa gave Scott a look that said ‘I don’t need help getting home’, but I knew where he was coming from so I said, “Come on, let’s get you home.” I put my arm around her shoulder and walked with her.
Once we were outside and on our own, I said to her, “How are you feeling today, honey? Do you have any period pain?”
Her cheeks flamed red. “No, I don’t have any pain. Will I get pain?” Worry etched her face. Bloody hell, her mother hadn’t prepared her for any of this.
“Not necessarily but a lot of girls do get pain. I want you to call me if you get some because I will bring you something to help with it. Do you have a mobile phone?” I added that last bit on because it occurred to me that she might not have one.
“Yes, Scott gave me one.”
Of course he did. “Pass it here and I’ll put my number in it.”
We swapped numbers, and then
I said, “Lisa, the changes you’re going through are going to suck. Well, for a little while anyway, while you get used to them. If you need someone to talk to, I really want you to call me. Okay?”
She agreed before scurrying off to her house to get ready for her day. I waited until she was safely inside her house and then I turned and walked back to Scott’s. As I entered his gate, I noticed a motorcycle pull up across the road. I expected the guy to come across but he just sat on his bike and watched me. Strange. But then, what did I know about bikers and how they operated. Maybe he was waiting for Scott and didn’t want to go inside. I obviously had a lot to learn.
Chapter 17
Scott
Harlow waltzed back into my house, her short dress teasing me. Kissing her had unleashed something in me; something I wasn’t sure would be better leashed. I fucking wanted her, more than I’d wanted any woman. Actually, I’d never wanted anyone in this way. Hell, I’d now had two kisses and the need for more was overpowering. I could only fucking imagine what a night with her in my bed would be like.
“I’ve given Lisa my phone number so she can call me if she needs to talk girl stuff. I hope that’s okay with you,” she said.
“Thank you.” Jesus, this woman was something else.
“What for?” Confusion littered her face; she really had no fucking idea what that meant to me.
“Babe, you met the kid last night, you don’t know her at all, and yet you’ve shown her more fucking kindness than her own mother. She’s not used to people like you but I bet you’ve touched her in ways you’ll never fucking know. You want to give her your phone number? Go right fucking ahead and if anyone’s got something to say about it, they’ll be answering to me.”
“Okay,” she whispered, nodding.
“Good. Now, I’ve got a meeting to get to. And, I want you to get your mother to give me a call later because I want to organise cakes for my restaurants.”
“Why do you want cakes for your restaurants?”
“So people can eat them for dessert.”
“Smartass,” she muttered, and I grinned at her. “Why suddenly do you want them from my mother?”
“Let’s just say that someone we both know showed me the error of my ways by not buying my cakes from your mother.” Madison had rung me yesterday and nagged me until I agreed.
“Madison,” she stated when the penny dropped.
“Yeah. Madison. Now, will you get your mum to call me?”
“Will do,” she promised and gathered up her things so we could leave.
As we walked down the front steps, I saw a Black Deeds member parked across the street. What the fuck was he doing here? I ushered Harlow to her car and saw her off before crossing the road to find out.
“Morning,” he greeted me with a lazy grin.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Bullet sent me over for a little recon.”
“And why the hell are you doing recon on me?”
“For when this shit with Blade goes south. Bullet’s gathering info now so he’s ready if the time comes. And can I just say, that’s some sweet ass you’ve got there in that blonde.”
Motherfucker.
My fist connected with his jaw before I even fully realised what was happening. The crunch of his bones was the most satisfying fucking sound I’d heard in a long time. “You so much as touch her and you’ll regret it,” I snarled.
I expected him to take a shot at me but he didn’t. Holding his jaw he said, “Smart move, asshole. She obviously means something to you.”
Fuck.
“Get the fuck out of here, and don’t come back.”
“See, that depends on whether you convince Blade to pull out of coke.”
I’d heard enough. Turning my back on him, I made my way to my bike. We had a meeting with Bullet tomorrow night, and it was not going to go well.
***
“I was just about to call you,” she answered her phone.
I smiled to myself; one, her voice was so goddamn sexy, and two, she sounded breathless and excited to hear from me. Those two things turned me the fuck on.
“Need to speak to your Mum, babe.”
“Do you call all women babe?”
Where the fuck had that come from? “No. Why?”
“I’m not used to men I’ve just met calling me babe straight away. You know, usually we have to be dating for a man to call me babe.”
“You want me to take you on a date?” Shit, now where the fuck had that come from?
“Not necessarily, I just wanted to know if the babe thing was something special.”
“It is.”
“Okay,” she said softly.
“And babe?”
“Yeah?”
“Lunch, today. I’m taking you on a date. Be ready at twelve thirty.”
“Scott, you don’t have to take me on a date. That was just an example.”
“I don’t make a habit out of doing things I don’t want to do; especially not with women. So, when I say I’m taking you on a date, it’s because I want to take you on a date.”
“Okay.” Soft again. Christ, that hit the spot.
“Now, put your Mum on.”
Cheryl came on the phone and I placed my cake order and then hung up and sat back in my chair. My dick was so fucking hard right now and my ability to concentrate was shot. I had a shitload of work to do but I needed a break, to clear my head. Leaving the office, I walked out into the bar area of the clubhouse, adjusting myself as I went.
Griff came through the door just after me. “I think I’ve figured out who’s been hanging around Indigo lately and who might have tried to break the back lock,” he said.
I gave him my full attention. “Who?”
“A couple of Bullet’s boys.”
“Shit. What the fuck are they playing at?”
He shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
“I’ve got a bad feeling about Bullet at the moment. He sent one of his boys around to my place this morning with subtle threats. I think he’s betting on Blade continuing his expansion so he’s putting a plan into place to come after us as well as Blade.”
Griff considered what I’d said. “Sounds about right. Might pay for us to up security at Indigo, plus I’ll check our other businesses to see if they’ve had any problems.”
“Good idea. Let Dad know too.”
“Will do,” he replied, and went to leave, “I’m out for the rest of the afternoon, but I’ll be at Indigo tonight to work on that security upgrade.”
“Thanks,” I said, still contemplating what we’d just discussed about Bullet. After what had happened with Nix, I thought that Bullet had been committed to fixing the relationship between our two clubs. Seems I was wrong.
Chapter 18
Harlow
Excitement was bubbling through me. It was nearly time for Scott to arrive for our lunch date. I’d been so surprised that he wanted to go on a date, and had to go home to get changed and do my makeup and hair. I couldn’t go on a date without making sure I looked my best. It was a warm day so I’d chosen a pair of denim shorts and a white sleeveless, scoop neck top that I’d paired with some turquoise cowgirl boots and a bunch of silver and turquoise necklaces. I’d blow dried my hair and left my natural waves rather than straightening it like I usually did. My makeup was simple and fairly natural; I wasn’t a fan of over the top makeup.
He arrived just before twelve thirty; I liked a man who ran on time so that put him in my good books. Heck, who was I kidding? Scott was so far into those good books now it wasn’t funny.
His eyes sought mine the minute he entered the café, and he hit me with a dazzling smile. My legs almost turned to jelly and my heart rate picked up. “You ready to go or have you got things still to do here?”
“I’m ready. I’ll just grab my bag,” I replied and quickly went and got my bag from the back office. I figured we were on a time schedule here and I didn’t want to miss a minute of it.
My mother was chatting with him by the time I made it back out to the front. I watched their interaction; I’d learnt that my mother’s intuition when it came to men was pretty spot on. I’d be hanging out to hear what she thought when I returned from the date.
Scott turned to me when he realised I was back. I caught his gaze dropping to my chest and then back up to my face. The sensations this caused in me were something I could get used to; Scott made me feel all woman.
“I was just thanking Scott for his cake order. It’s our largest standing order for businesses,” my mother said, giving him one of her smiles that she only reserved for people she liked. Holy shit, this was good news. I couldn’t recall a boyfriend of mine that she’d ever really liked. “Enjoy your lunch and don’t rush back,” she said.
Scott directed me to his car. It was the black Charger he’d driven me home in twice now; I’d decided it was probably a 1970’s model. I knew this because my father had a Charger when I was younger and I used to help him when he worked on it. Dad’s was a 70’s model and very similar to this one. Scott’s was in amazing condition.
As he opened my door for me, he leant close to my ear and said, “You look gorgeous, babe. It’s a good thing I brought my car; couldn’t put you on the back of my bike wearing that.”
His words, combined with his breath on my neck and his musky smell shot heat through me and I wobbled a little on my heels as I got in his car. I took a deep breath and tried to get myself under control while he walked around to his side. It had been many years since I’d been on a first date and I’d never felt this level of anticipation and excitement before. There was also a small amount of apprehension; I might have wanted to have sex with Scott but I knew deep down that this probably wasn’t going to go anywhere and I needed to guard my heart from breaking when it all ended. He’d already told me that he didn’t take women home and I knew from Madison that he didn’t get close to them so I wasn’t going to fool myself into thinking that I would be any different.
“Do you like fish and chips?” he asked as he started the car.