Chapter 16 Presley
PRESLEY
I’d been on my fair share of dates, and some of them had actually been really good. The men had been polite and sweet, and I’d enjoyed spending time with them. I’d even gone as far as to marry one of them, but none of them, and I do mean none, had ever made me feel alive the way he did.
It wasn’t just the restaurant he chose or the way he held the door open for me.
It wasn’t the way he talked to me or the way he made me laugh.
It wasn’t how incredibly hot he was or how his full, beautiful lips taunted me.
And it wasn’t just the way my entire body hummed with anticipation any time he was close.
It was all of those things.
They had me in a full-on swoon, and I wasn’t ready for the night to end.
We were at my door, and my keys were in my hand. I was considering asking him in for a drink. As much as I wanted to, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. Maybe it was too soon. Maybe he wasn’t interested.
But then, I remembered the haircut and brushing up against him, only to feel what I knew all too well was interest. And if I had any doubt, that kiss at the truck confirmed it. I was just about to open my mouth when he beat me to it. “What do you have planned for tomorrow?”
The question caught me off guard, and suddenly, my heart was racing even faster than it had been. “I don’t have any plans. Why?”
“We’re going to have a warm spell tomorrow. Some of the guys are gonna ride out to the lake.” His mouth curved into a sexy smile. “You should come.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. It’ll be a good time.”
“Okay. I’d like that.”
“Good. Then, it’s a date.”
He stepped closer, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him, and said, “I had a good time tonight.”
“So did I.”
His gaze intensified, and my breath caught when he slipped his hand behind the base of my neck, gently pulling me closer.
Just before his lips touched mine, he paused.
His dark eyes fell on me, like he was searching for some kind of confirmation.
He didn’t want to push. He wanted to do this right.
I understood that, but I was done waiting.
I wanted this.
I wanted him.
So, I lifted on my tiptoes and pressed my mouth against his, kissing him with fervor. My body melted into his as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed me close to his chest. I couldn’t remember ever wanting anything so much.
The tips of his fingers trailed along my spine, and I arched towards him, seeking the heat of his touch.
As we continued to kiss, a warmth spread through my body, and just when I was losing all sense of control, he pulled back.
He held my gaze for a moment too long, just long enough to make me wish he wasn’t leaving, and he whispered, “Goodnight, Presley.”
Then, Luke turned and started down the steps, leaving me standing there with my lips tingling, my chest warm, and my heart filled with anticipation.
Once he was in his truck, I went inside and locked the door behind me, leaning my back against the door for a moment.
I inhaled a deep breath and let everything sink in for a moment.
My lips were still tingling when I started for the bathroom. I washed my face, changed into my favorite pajamas, and slipped into bed. I knew Lila Kate was waiting to hear from me, so I grabbed my phone from my purse and sent her a text.
Me:
I’m home.
We had a really good time.
Lila Kate:
I’m going to need you to define really good.
Me:
It was just the usual date stuff.
Dinner. Talking. I gave him a haircut.
And there might’ve been a goodnight kiss or two.
Lila Kate:
So, it was that kind of good.
Me:
Yes.
Lila Kate:
You going out with him again?
Me:
He’s taking me out riding tomorrow.
Lila Kate:
On his motorcycle?
Me:
Yep
Lila Kate:
Well, look at you! Little Ms. Wild Child!
Me:
It’s a ride. Nothing more.
Lila Kate:
We’ll see about that.
Me:
Goodnight, Lila.
Lila Kate:
Nite! Sweet dreams!
Keep it clean, sis!
I didn’t bother responding. I knew she would’ve just kept at it half the night, and I was ready to call it a night. I set my phone on the nightstand and curled into my pillow. It wasn’t long before my mind drifted to Luke—not that he’d ever left.
Just thinking about our night together had me feeling almost giddy, and that wasn’t a feeling I was used to. It actually scared me a little, but it excited me even more.
I closed my eyes, and it wasn’t long before I drifted off to sleep.
I had a dream or two, and before I knew it, I was at the clubhouse the next day with Luke, surrounded by his brothers and their rumbling motorcycles.
He stood next to me with his hand on the small of my back, helping me settle on the back of his bike, and it couldn’t have felt more natural.
Once he helped me with my helmet, he smiled and asked, “You good?”
“I think so.”
“You’ll do great.” He got on in front of me, and when I wrapped my arms around his waist, he chuckled, “Don’t worry, babe. I’ve got you.”
There was something about the sound of his voice that sent a chill down my spine.
I was still trying to ground myself when Luke’s brothers started lining up beside us.
Their engines were growling, their ol’ ladies were laughing and adjusting their helmets like they’d done this a million times before, and I was busy trying not to look like a complete idiot.
Luke followed them through the gate, and the second we hit pavement, he hit the gas. The wind was the first thing that hit me, and it hit hard. It took me a second to manage facing forward while managing to take a breath. It didn’t help matters that there was a bite to the air.
Luke was right. It was a warm spell, but sixty-two degrees at sixty miles an hour was colder than I’d expected. I leaned in closer, pressing my cheek to his shoulder, and it wasn’t long before I felt the warmth of the sun on my back.
Trees blurred, and the sky stretched wide and blue. It was beautiful. After I settled in, I started to relax, and I actually managed a giggle when the bike leaned into the first long curve. It made me feel alive in ways I couldn’t begin to describe.
I could see why Luke loved riding so much.
There was a feeling of freedom on that bike, and being out in the open gave you a sense of clarity like nothing else could.
It was just the stretch of road ahead and the man sitting in front me, solid and sure, and for the first time in a very long while, I didn’t feel like I was holding on to something.
I felt like I was flying.
We’d been riding for over an hour when we pulled into the lot next to the lake. Engines died, one by one, and the sudden quiet rang in my ears. I eased off the bike, removed my helmet, and immediately ran my hands down my thighs, hoping it would ease the tremors.
When Luke noticed what I was doing, he chuckled, “Riding takes some getting used to.”
“Yes, it does, but it’s worth it.” I glanced over at the water that stretched in front of us and smiled. “It’s beautiful.”
“You sure are.” He leaned in and kissed me on the forehead. “Glad you came.”
“Me, too.”
The guys started pulling off helmets and walking about, stretching their legs while they teased one another.
The ol’ ladies clustered together like it was second nature, and I wasn’t sure what to do with myself.
I just kind of stood there until Luke took me by the hand and said, “C’mon. I want you to meet a couple of people.”
He led me over to an attractive brunette with a warm smile and a figure to die for. Her smile grew even wider when Luke stepped in front of her and said, “This is Antonia. She’s Memphis’s ol’ lady… You met him the other night.”
“Yes, I remember.” I smiled. “It’s really nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too.” She studied me for a moment, then asked, “You were at the clubhouse a week or so ago, right?”
“Yes. I was there with Davis.” I grimaced as I told her, “And that was the mistake of all mistakes. Still not sure what I was thinking with all that.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry. It happens to the best of us.”
“I’m Jenna. I’m Grim’s ol’ lady,” the woman next to her announced. She pointed to one of the older brothers with long, salt and pepper hair and a thick beard who was currently scowling as he talked to one of the brothers. “Mr. Sunshine over there.”
“I see.” I giggled when Grim’s eyes skirted over to us. “I think he knows we’re talking about him.”
“Don’t worry. He’s used to it,” she scoffed. “They all are. We’re always talking about them, but that’s only because they give us so much ammunition.”
“You aren’t kidding!” Antonia laughed. “I forgot to tell you about the whole laundry incident.”
“Oh, do tell.”
“Well, my dear sweet husband took it upon himself to start helping out with the laundry, and Lord knows I could use the help.” She turned her attention to me as she said, “We just had a baby a couple of months ago, and I’m still trying to figure out all the day-to-day stuff while keeping another human alive. ”
“Wait,” I interrupted. “You just had a baby?”
“We had a little boy.” Love filled her eyes as she added, “John Robert. He’s nine pounds three ounces of lungs and appetite. There are times when I don’t think he’ll ever get full.”
“He gets that from me,” Memphis interjected proudly. “But what can I say? I’m a breast man.”
“Eww,” Antonia groaned, slapping his arm playfully. “Don’t say that. She’ll think you’re a perv.”
“He is a perv,” Luke teased.
“Shut it, Goose,” Memphis piped back. “You’re the biggest perv of us all.”
“Any-way,” Antonia groaned. “My dear sweet husband decided to wash a couple of loads of laundry and ended up turning everything blue. And I mean everything. The socks, the towels, and all the baby’s clothes.”
“At least, I didn’t turn everything pink.”
Luke didn’t say a word. He just stood there, smirking like the Cheshire cat. When Memphis noticed, he nudged him and said, “Shut it, Goose.”
“I didn’t say a word.”
“Yeah, but it was coming.”
I leaned into Luke and smiled as I told him, “You know, you still haven’t told me why they call you Goose. Did the guys get it from Top Gun or something?”
“Nah, nothing like that. It’s just a name. Nothing really to it.”
“Oh, come on, brother,” Memphis snickered. “Don’t go holding back on your girl like that. She deserves to know.”
“There’s nothing to it.”
“Ah, but there is,” Memphis pushed. “And if I remember correctly, this is the very park where you earned your name.”
“Earned it?” I asked. “Here?”
Luke glared at Memphis. “We’re not doing this.”
“Oh, but we are.” Memphis chuckled. “Now, tell her or I’ll do the honors.”
“It was just a misunderstanding.”
“A pretty intense misunderstanding,” Memphis added.
“And who did you have this misunderstanding with?”
“A big, ferocious, feral and probably rabid, Canadian Goose.”
“Wait? You’re telling me that you got your name from an actual bird?”
“This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill Goose, Pres.
He was a psychopath, and he was out for blood,” Luke answered defensively.
“I’ll lay it out. I was prospecting. I was trying to be Mr. Cool and impress the guys.
I was talking to Grim and Prez about some bike shit or something when this fucking goose comes out of nowhere. And this damn thing was pissed.”
“Yeah, he had his sights set on Goose.” Memphis added, and several of the other brothers stepped over to listen as he continued, “Hell, he looked at Goose like he owed him money or shot his ol’ lady. I don’t know what it was, but he had it out for him.”
“I tried to step away from him, but he just hissed and charged at me. Full wings out. Snapping. Biting. I swear, it was trying to take me out.”
“And then the chase ensued.” Memphis chuckled as he turned to Grim and asked, “You remember that? Remember how that damn bird kept biting him, and Goose screamed like he was on fucking fire.”
“You ran from a goose?”
“I strategically retreated.”
“There was nothing strategic about it. The man was freaking out and running wild. He even tripped a couple times, but he never fell. Now, that shit would’ve been funny.”
“Hell, it was the most traumatic experience of my life, and not a one of these motherfuckers came to my rescue. Not a damn one of them.”
“Not our fault. We were too busy laughing to do anything to help.”
“So, that’s it. That’s how you got your road name?”
Memphis nodded. “Name stuck by sundown.”
“And here I thought you got the name because of something cool.”
“Nothing cool about it,” Luke grumbled. “I wasn’t at all happy about it back then. Hell, to this day, I don’t trust a damn bird, but there are far worse names they could’ve given me.”
“This is officially the best story yet.”
“Oh, give it time,” Grim scoffed. “There are plenty of stories about Goose to go around.”
“Hey, now. Let’s not get carried away,” Goose fussed. “Don’t want to run her off just yet.”
The guys laughed, and it wasn’t long before the topic changed to the next gathering.
Antonia and Jenna told me a little about some of the other ol’ ladies and assured me that I would love them all.
I took it as a good sign when Antonia nudged my arm and said, “You should come back by the clubhouse sometime. We’ll make sure you meet everyone. ”
“And they can fill you in on even more stories about Goose,” Jenna teased.
“I’d like that.”
I was surprised by how much I’d actually meant it.
I’d enjoyed today. I’d enjoyed it even more than I thought possible, and it was just our second date. I couldn’t help but wonder what Luke had in store for me next.