CHAPTER TWELVE
Luisa—
Blue’s motorcycle is parked in the drive when I pull in.
It’s late, and the only reason I was able to get away was because I was already at Carmen’s when he texted. Excitement to see him floods me as I climb from my car and head inside.
He’s on the phone and holds up a finger, then walks to the back of the house to finish his business.
I drop my bag on the small table and go to the bathroom to check my hair.
Looking in the mirror, I’m reminded of the last time I was here, and Blue was pressed behind me, fucking me, his eyes filled with heat. It’s a sweet memory, and I smile.
Reaching for the faucet, I freeze. What I see in the sink stops me cold. There’s blood. Not a lot, but enough drips of it to know something is wrong.
Blue’s hurt. Did he cut himself?
The back door opens and closes, and I step out of the bathroom and walk to him. When I get close, I see the cut above his eye, the swollen cheekbone and the split lip. He dabs at it with a towel, and I see his knuckles.
“Oh, my God, baby. What happened?”
“Got in a fight with a couple of guys. It’s not a big deal.”
“A fight? With who?”
He shakes his head.
“Tell me.”
“It’s fine, Luisa.”
“It’s not fine. Did this happen on that trip out of town you made?”
He won’t reply, and I know there are things he can’t or won’t talk to me about. I get that. I’m not totally na?ve, but seeing the blood… that’s bringing home to me just how dangerous his life really is, and the realization is hitting me hard.
I take a deep breath. If I’m in this, I have to accept this is part of it. I don’t like it, but here we are.
“Come on.” I take his arm and steer him toward the bathroom. “Let me bandage that before you bleed all over the house.”
He follows, allowing me to take control in a way he doesn’t usually do.
I’m well aware of the limits he’s put on our relationship and the reality of the situation; still, it hasn’t stopped me from secretly wanting more.
Now I’m realizing that perhaps I need to rethink things. Perhaps I shouldn’t want it to be more. Perhaps I should just enjoy this time we have together for the summer fling that it is.
He sits on the toilet seat lid, and I dab at his cuts and find some ointment and bandages in a plastic bag. Apparently, he’d stopped at a drugstore on his way here.
“You walked into a store looking like this?” I tease.
“I had my shades on. The clerk barely looked at me.”
“I find that hard to believe… unless it was a guy.”
He chuckles. “You sayin’ I turn women’s heads?”
“I think you know you do.”
His hand hooks the back of my neck, and he hauls me down to press his mouth gently to mine. When he pulls back, he doesn’t release his hold on me. “I’m likin’ this side of you. If I got you one of those sexy nurse outfits, would you wear it for me?”
I roll my eyes. “Stop.”
“I’m not kidding.”
“You better be.”
“Fine. Maybe for Halloween. I did get you something, though.”
I finish wrapping his hand, and he leads me into the living room. There’s a wooden box on the coffee table.
My brow creases. “What’s that?”
“Look inside.”
I take a seat, and he sits next to me.
The box is hinged, and I flip the latch. When I see the contents, my mouth drops open. It’s filled with paints and brushes, all lined up in neat rows. There’s even a tray that rises on brackets.
“Oh, Blue. It’s lovely.” It’s the perfect gift for me, and the fact that he realized exactly what would please me, touches me deeply. My eyes fill. “Thank you.”
“Luisa, what’s wrong? You don’t like it? That woman from the gallery said it was a good set.”
“It’s a beautiful set. I can’t believe you asked her what to get me.”
“You like art. She knows art.” He shrugs.
“It’s a sweet gesture. Thank you. No one’s ever gifted me something like this.”
“No one?”
I shake my head. I’ve been really emotional lately, and don’t know why this gesture is touching me so deeply.
“Babe, don’t make it out to be more than it is. It’s just a box of paints. I thought you could sit on the terrace out back and paint.”
I nod and dash the wetness from my cheeks. “Can I ask you something, Blue?”
“Sure.”
“These trips out of town that you’ve been making…”
“Yeah?”
“Is that just business as usual? I just wondered.”
“Look, I can’t really talk about the club’s business, but no, this is some extra stuff I’ve been doing.”
“Why? It seems like it’s always you who has to go. I’ve seen the rest of the club around town when you leave. And there are always guys down at the Saints Garage.”
“I have been making all the trips.”
“Why?”
“It earns me extra money.”
“Why do you need extra money?”
“This house costs money, babe.”
“So, I’m the reason?”
“Partly.”
“What does that mean?”
His phone goes off, and he glances at it, then stands. “I’ve got to go.”
“Already? I just got here.”
“I shouldn’t be long. Wait for me, okay?”
“All alone?”
“Paint something. I should be back in a couple of hours.”
“Hours?” I come to my feet.
He takes my upper arms in his hands and pulls me in for a kiss. “I’ll be back. I promise. When I come through that door, you better be naked in that bed waiting for me.”
“We’ll see.” I’m pissed he’s leaving, and he realizes it.
He grabs my face in his hands and bends me backward with a passionate kiss. “I’ll make it up to you, baby.” He waggles his brows, smacks my ass, and turns and leaves out the door.
A moment later, I hear his bike fire up and roar down the street, the sound fading in the distance until quiet envelopes me.
I look at the box, then notice a stack of canvases leaning against the wall.
I may be alone, but I’m so excited to paint something.
****
Blue—
It’s 4am when I roll up the driveway at the Mesilla house. I’m pissed I was taken away for so long, and the entire time all I could think of was Luisa here waiting for me.
When I come through the door, the house is quiet. I flick on a lamp and spot a trail of clothing leading toward the bedroom. Following, I see her curvy shape under the sheet in the blue hazy moonlight streaming in the window.
Pulling my cut off, I hang it on the bedpost, then strip down and slip in the bed. She’s faced away and I spoon her, my arm locking around her tiny waist.
I nuzzle her neck, pressing a trail of kisses along her soft skin, then glide my hand down between her thighs.
She moans, coming awake. “What time is it?”
“Almost sunrise.”
“Sunrise? Blue, you were gone all night.”
I cup her cheek and turn her head for my kiss, silencing her, then slide down the bed to keep my promise of making it up to her.
If I’m being honest, eating pussy has never been my thing, but with Luisa, I can’t get enough. I could spend all day with my face buried between her thighs.
I bring her to orgasm, then stay there and lick up every drop of her release, giving her clit extra attention until she pulls me up and begs me to fuck her.
She doesn’t have to ask me twice, and I reach toward the nightstand and grab a condom.
I slip it on, then bury myself deep, and she gasps. I fuck her slowly and gently for a long time, keeping my desire on a tight leash because I want to make this last.
When I know I can’t hold out much longer, I withdraw and flip her over, grab her hips, and haul her to her knees.
Taking my dick in hand, I guide it to her opening and circle it in her release until she moans, thrusting back, and that’s when I give her every inch of me.
We rock together, and soon, I take a tight hold of her while I slam into her fast and hard. When I come, the orgasm shoots through my body like white-hot lightning.
Floating down to reality, my energy drains from my body, and it’s all I can do to stay on my knees. I stroke a palm over Luisa’s back from the sexy dimples at the base of her spine all the way to her neck. Then I thread my fingers in her hair and lower my body, pressing her to the mattress.
She takes my weight, but I keep most of it off her and on my elbows. My mouth trails over his skin.
“I’m sorry I was gone so long.” I press another kiss to her shoulder and think about the fact that I’ve never in my life apologized to a woman for my time away with the club.
With Luisa, everything is different. As hard as I try to play it off that this is just fun we’re having with no strings, if I’m honest, I have to admit I’m falling hard for her.
I nuzzle her ear. “All I could think about was you waiting for me in this bed, naked.”
“Is that the truth?”
“God’s honest truth.” I move off her and cuddle her to my side.
“Blue?”
“Yeah, baby?” I stroke her hair.
“I don’t like you going on these risky trips.”
“Luisa, you know who I am. I’m a Saint’s Outlaw. Danger is part of the deal.”
“But you’re taking on extra. For what? I know you said it's to pay for this house, and I hate that, but there’s something more, isn’t there? What else do you need the extra money for?”
“Maybe I want something more than this place someday.”
“You’re not doing this for me.”
“Maybe you deserve more. I see where you live. I know your father has money. Maybe I have to step up my game to provide you the kind of life you deserve.”
“I don’t want you in danger. I don’t need all that.”
“You say that, babe, but what happens when this isn’t enough anymore?”
“I don’t understand. You told me this was just us having fun and to not get serious.”
I stay silent because she’s calling my bluff.
“Blue, what’s the money really for?”
I have to remind myself just how smart she is. I take a deep breath and blow it out. Normally, I’d never reveal the truth, but somehow, I can’t lie to her. “I want my own chapter, and that’s gonna take money.”
“Your own chapter? What does that mean?”
“Rio runs the Las Cruces chapter. I want to run my own.”
“You mean somewhere else?” I feel her body tense.
“Yeah. Somewhere else.”
“Where? Are you leaving the state?”
I sense the panic in her voice. “I was thinking up north. Maybe Santa Fe or maybe Taos.”
“Taos? That’s six hours from here.”
“Yeah. I guess so.”
“So, you’d never be here anymore? I’d never see you again?”
Before I can respond, she throws the covers back and climbs out of the bed, then shimmies into her clothes.
I curl my abs, sitting up. “Babe, what are you doing?”
“I’m getting dressed.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m leaving.”
“What the fuck for?” I’ve never had a woman walk out on me. I’m always the one getting up after sex and hitting the road. “Luisa, what’s wrong?”
“You’re a smart man. You’ll figure it out.” She tosses the words over her shoulder and storms out of the bedroom.
I’m up and hopping on one leg, jamming the other into my jeans. “Luisa, wait.”
Yanking them up, I go after her, not even bothering to zip them.
Streaks of purple and blue light the horizon as dawn approaches. “Luisa, stop.”
She’s already climbing into her car and firing it up.
I yank on the handle, but she’s locked it. My palm hits the window. “Luisa. Come on. Talk to me.”
Her response is to throw her car in reverse and swerve around my bike parked along the wall. She backs onto the street and roars off.
“Goddamn it.” I watch her taillights fade into the distance and stand there, dumbfounded. Dragging my hands over my face, I think about calling her, but maybe I need to let her cool off.
Returning inside, I slam the door and rattle the windows.
I’m three steps across the floor when I spot the painting on the table.
She completed an entire painting in the hours I was gone.
I move closer to study it. It’s a close-up of some wildflowers in a field that extends into the distance.
Big, colorful poppies in the foreground.
It’s good. Really good. I had no idea just how talented she was.
I drop into the chair and stare at it, the loss of her hitting me in the gut.
I hurt her tonight. All this time I’ve been stringing her along, telling her this isn’t serious, that what we’re doing is just having fun, but her reaction to the thought of me leaving town tells me she’s in way deeper than I thought.
I drag a hand down my face. I need to stop lying to myself. I’m in this just as deep, and there’s no use denying it or pretending things are different.
So, what the fuck am I going to do about it?
I glance toward the refrigerator and see the application for The Trail of Painted Ponies.
On a whim, pull up the web address at the bottom of the page and fill out the online application, then snap a photo of her painting and attach it as the example of her work.
It might not win her back, but she deserves a shot, and I know without prodding, she’ll never enter this contest.
If she isn’t chosen, I’ll never mention it. But if she is, maybe it will show her that her talent matters.
I’ve got one more thing to do, then I’m hitting the sack and getting a couple of hours' sleep. Removing the lame painting over the fireplace mantel, I replace it with hers.
Stepping back, I grin. It looks perfect there.
Then I shuffle to the bedroom and fall face down on the mattress.
Tomorrow I’ll figure out a way to win Luisa back.