CHAPTER FIVE
HONEY
“Wanna go to a party?”
The question catches me completely off guard. I blink up at Dread, suddenly hyper-aware that I’m pressed against his side.
“Uhh... sorry,” I mumble, feeling heat rush to my cheeks as I try to step back.
His arm tightens around me. “I’m not.”
We stare at each other, the air crackling between us. The tension between us coils like a rattlesnake ready to strike.
“I—” My breathing turns shallow, and my heart hammers against my ribs.
What is happening right now?
“Fuck it,” he growls, and then his lips are on mine.
I freeze, shocked that my sexy neighbor is kissing me.
Oh God. What am I doing?
Before I can overthink what’s happening, my brain short-circuits, and I melt against him.
He hums his approval, and my arms go around his neck.
Lashing his tongue against my lips, I open my mouth.
His lips are surprisingly soft compared to the rough stubble scratching my chin, and he tastes like something sweet and cigarettes.
One hand comes up, tangling in my hair as he shifts his hips. I feel the hard length of him pressed against my belly.
Oh my God. Oh my God.
A whimper escapes me before I can stop it, and he swallows the sound, deepening the kiss.
With a rumble from his chest, he angles my head exactly how he wants it. I should be furious at the way he’s possessing my body. I should tell him this is wrong. But I don’t. I can’t. It’s been too damn long since a man has touched me.
Giving as good as I’m getting, I kiss him back like the world is burning down around us and this is it.
Dread growls again, and I feel a rush of wet between my legs. My body responds on its own, pressing closer to him, needing more.
When he finally pulls back, I slowly peel my eyes open. Green eyes dark with desire drill into mine.
“Wow,” I breathe.
He licks his lips, and my eyes track the movement. “Been thinking about doing that all day.”
All the air escapes my lungs. He has? “You have?”
“Mmhmm.” His voice is rough and sexy.
Then his mouth is back on mine, and this time I open for him immediately. His tongue dances with mine, and it’s possibly the most erotic thing I’ve ever experienced—which isn’t saying much. I’ve only had sex twice in my life.
Dread’s large hands slide down to squeeze my bottom, and all thoughts of Eddie disappear.
His lips trail a path of fire down my neck to the tops of my breasts exposed by my V-neck shirt.
He kisses his way up the other side of my neck and growls against my ear, the vibration sending shivers down my spine.
“Why’d you stop?” I pant, embarrassingly eager to have his lips back on my body. I feel him smiling against my neck.
“Didn’t think you wanted to put on a show for everyone on the block.”
My body stiffens. “Oh my God.” Slowly, I look up one side of the street and then the other. Thankfully, nobody was watching our impromptu make-out session. My face burns at the thought.
Crap. What the heck am I doing?
Dread chuckles and lifts his head. He’s smiling, and I realize he’s even more handsome when his face lights up like that.
“You’re handsome,” I blurt out.
He winks at me, and I feel myself blush harder. “So, about that party...”
My brow furrows. “A Christmas party?”
“Yeah. At the clubhouse.” He runs a hand through his hair. “You’d be doing me a big favor.”
I bite my lip and look down at what I’m wearing—faded jeans and an old t-shirt that’s seen better days. “I don’t know. I don’t have a dress or anything for a Christmas party.”
Dread laughs, his eyes dropping to my lips. I wonder if he’s thinking about kissing me again. “It’s not that kind of party, baby. Jeans and a T-shirt will work just fine.”
“Oh.” I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. “I still need to change. I’m a mess.”
“You look beautiful,” he says with such conviction that my breath catches. “But if you want to change, that’s cool. I need to run home and grab a shower anyway.”
“Okay.”
“Half hour enough time?”
I nod. “Yes.”
He leans down and pecks a quick kiss on my lips. “See ya in thirty.”
I watch him walk away, his confident stride making my pulse race all over again. When he finally disappears around the side of the house, I press my hands to my burning cheeks.
“What the hell just happened?”
***
A knock on my door sends my heart into my throat. I smooth my hands down the sides of my jeans, suddenly feeling nervous.
Ready or not, here he is.
I open the door, and there stands Dread on my porch. He’s wearing a black Harley Davidson t-shirt that looks vintage, a dark pair of jeans that mold to his thick thighs like a second skin, his black biker boots, and his leather vest with the patches on it.
I look down at myself and wonder if I’m overdressed.
While Dread went home to shower, I made a mad dash around the house—shaving my legs and underarms, curling my hair, putting on makeup, and changing into my jeans with the rhinestones on the pockets.
I added my red Jessica Simpson boots that I found at the Goodwill on Kernan Boulevard and my red sparkly off-the-shoulder blouse.
“Fuck.”
My eyes jump to Dread. “What’s wrong?”
He motions to my outfit.
Damn. I knew I overdid it.
“Baby, you look good enough to eat.”
Oh. That wasn’t what I expected.
My cheeks warm under his appreciative gaze. “Th-thank you.” I bite my lip. “You look nice too.”
He grins at me, showing off his perfect straight teeth.
Holy crap on a cracker, the man has a lethal smile. I’m pretty sure my panties just went up in smoke.
“Ready?”
I turn and lock the door, then look back at him with a smile. “Ready.”
Dread drapes an arm around my shoulders and leads me down the driveway. I notice his motorcycle is parked behind my van.
“Ever ridden before?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Nothing to it,” he explains. “Just hold onto me, and I’ll do all the work.”
He hands me a helmet, and I put it on. His fingers brush against my neck as he fastens the chin strap, sending tingles down my spine. Then he hands me a pair of sunglasses. “Keep the wind outta your eyes.”
I slide them on my face and watch as he throws a long leg over the seat of his motorcycle, the muscles in his thighs flexing beneath his jeans.
“Where’s your helmet?” I ask, suddenly worried.
He puts on a pair of Oakley sunglasses and grins. “I’ll be fine.”
He points to a metal peg on the side of the bike. “Put your left foot there, then throw your right leg over.”
That doesn’t sound so hard.
He offers me his hand, and I take it, doing as he instructed. The bike shifts slightly under my weight, but Dread holds it steady.
He pats the side of my leg. “Scoot closer.”
I inch forward a tiny bit.
“More.”
I scootch up another smidgen.
“That’s not—never mind.” His big hands grip behind my knees and yank me flush against his back.
“Ack!”
“There. That’s better.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “Now wrap your arms around me and hold on tight, baby. Don’t let go.”
With my arms secured around his solid waist, he starts the bike, and it roars to life beneath us. The vibration travels up through my body, settling between my legs in a way that makes my breath catch.
Sweet baby, Jesus. This thing is like a giant vibrator.
Dread’s body shakes with laughter. He clearly knows exactly what the bike is doing to me. I swat his hard abs in retaliation, which only makes him laugh harder.
“Jerk.”
He pats my hands and starts walking the bike backward into the street.
“Hold on, babygirl,” he shouts over the rumble of the motor.
I squeeze him tighter, and we’re off.
The wind whips around us as the world passes by us in streaks of color. Each twist of the road sends a thrill through me, like I’m flying. It’s exciting and freeing.
Before I’m ready, Dread slows the bike, and I peek over his shoulder.
Ahead is The Heritage House. The new fancy steakhouse that opened two weeks ago. I’ve heard from everyone who’s been that the food is out of this world. I’ve also heard that it’s a little pricey, which is why the boys and I haven’t tried it yet. On a teacher’s salary, I have to budget my money.
Dread rolls into the packed lot. He’s out of his mind if he thinks we’ll be able to get a table.
He parks next to a shiny black Escalade, cuts the motor, and climbs off. “Hungry?”
I unfasten the helmet and shake out my hair. “Starving, but this place is packed. There’s no telling how long the wait is.”
He winks at me. “Trust me, mama.”
Mama? My insides turn to mush.
Feeling like they’re on fire, I look away.
Dread chuckles before declaring, “You’re too fucking cute.”
Cute? The warm fuzzies I was feeling vanish, and my lips turn down. Puppies are cute. Kittens are cute. I want him to think—
“Hey?” Dread’s rough hand cups my chin and turns my face toward his. “Where’d you go?”
I force a smile, shoving my emotions into a box. “Nowhere.” God. I’m being an idiot.
“Babe. You can’t lie for shit.”
“It’s nothing. Really.” I slip off his bike, avoiding his eyes. “Let’s see if we can get a table.”
I try to move past him toward the door, but he catches my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. My head goes up. “It’s fine that you don’t want to tell me, babe.”
My shoulders relax and I nod. “Okay.”
“Okay.” He touches his mouth to mine and moves us towards the door.
The simple gesture sends my heart racing again.
There’s a line of people, two deep, out the door.
“This way.” Dread bypasses everyone waiting and walks straight up to the hostess stand.
“I’m sorry, sir,” the hostess says, her smile polite but firm. “There’s currently a ninety-minute wait for a table.”
“Caleb Reeves,” he says. “Should be on the list.”
Caleb Reeves?
I file his name away so I can look him up on the Google machine later.
The hostess’s eyes widen slightly, and she quickly scrolls through her tablet. Her expression changes like a switch being flipped. “Oh, yes, of course, Mr. Reeves. I’m terribly sorry about the confusion. Right this way, sir.”