Chapter 10 - Karter
My words seem to have paralyzed her. I would be worried if it weren’t for the small blush rising up her neck.
“Come here.”
Her breath hitches at my command. Not in fear, but desire.
It’s soft, but the growl and warning that I won’t like it if she disobeys are clear.
Not that I would do anything against her if she really didn’t want to come.
I would feel like an idiot, but from everything I’ve noticed about her, I don’t think she’d bite my hand off for asserting a little dominance.
And as expected, she doesn’t disappoint.
Her feet barely lift off the ground, gliding toward me as if I’m a magnet pulling her close. Which I kind of like the idea of.
When she’s within grabbing distance, I strike.
Fast and hard, like her body is screaming at me to take her.
I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and pull forward so her lips meet mine.
Like last time, lightning strikes every part of my body at the contact.
Her body molds against mine as if it were made for me.
Her taste explodes in my mouth, and I can’t get enough of her lips against me.
She’s a craving that I don’t know if I’ll ever tire of.
Last night, it took every effort not to drag her into a bed and make love to her all night.
But hearing General’s bike had me keeping our connection PG-13 at best. But now?
I grab the back of her head with my other hand and pull her closer as I turn her face just how I want her.
Her hands cling to my arms, grasping at my jacket, pulling it tight as she hangs on for dear life.
Her moans aren’t silenced by the people passing by or the door opening and closing. She doesn’t even seem to notice anything around us. But I do. It’s my job. Not only as a Hound, but as the one who has her in my arms. I need to keep her safe, even if she’s barely an inch away.
Slowly she pulls back, and I give her space, but just enough for me to rub my fingers along her neck, tracing over the blush. I love that I put that look on her.
“Want to get out of here for a bit?”
She gives the biggest sigh I’ve ever heard and winces as she closes her eyes.
“I would love nothing more, but I can’t.” She opens her eyes and looks at me. “I’ve got another twelve-hour shift tomorrow, and I need to get home and get some sleep.”
I nod and even give a smile to show I’m okay with it.
“You’re mad.” She huffs as she looks at me.
I shake my head and move my hand to her chin, cupping it to prevent her from looking away.
“Never mad at you for doing something you love. Just wish I could spend some time with my girl.”
“Your girl?”
I smirk at the way she perks up at my words. “You really didn’t expect me to go making out with just anyone and not call them mine, did you?”
She licks her lips and shakes her head a little. Well, as much as I allow.
“Well, maybe….” Her voice trails off as she looks away, but I hold firm on her chin.
“Maybe what, Babygirl? And give me those eyes. Been without seeing them all day. Need them on me now.”
“Maybe we could go for a ride or a walk or something.”
I pull her close and nip at her lips before soothing it with a quick kiss and releasing her.
Then I reach behind me, pull out her helmet, and hand it over.
And it is hers. I bought it before our date yesterday.
I wasn’t sure what was what in the garage, and I didn’t want to feel a random bout of worry or guilt hit me when I’m not prepared for it.
I can usually expect to feel that shit in the house if I go to certain locations, but I just didn’t want to chance it.
I don’t want my past to taint the future I’m establishing with Diana.
Is there a long-term future? I don’t know.
But I’ve got to feel like there is. Otherwise, what’s the point of us doing any of this?
Maybe I am still like my old self in that matter, not looking for a fling or a cheap thrill.
I’m not sure how long-term I want this, but I know I want it for more than a few hours, or even days.
“I think I can manage that.”
I let her put it on this time, even though I sort of want to be the one to do it.
I understand it’s my need to make sure she’s safe, but I hold myself back.
She needs to know I won’t control every aspect of her life.
I know some of my brothers are into that shit with their girls.
For me, I don’t know what it is, but I like the idea of taking care of Diana.
Something about her just sparks that part of me that wants to protect, provide, encourage, and give her everything.
There’s also another part that just wants to rip off her clothes and fuck her six ways to Sunday, then demand she do it again but sluttier. I want her spit dripping from her mouth after sucking me down and my cum drying on her skin because she can’t fully swallow it all.
I’m a dirty old man with a protective side. And if I’m lucky enough, she’ll be into all of that and more.
She pulls the helmet on quickly enough and then hops on. I give it a second till she puts her hands on me, and then we’re off. Slow at first because we’re in the hospital parking lot, but the second we hit the open road, I pull the throttle back and let it rip.
And it does exactly what I needed it to do—my girl squeezes me tighter as she squeals with glee.
We ride till we get to the lookout point the city is known for. Half the club comes here, but I chanced that no one would be here right now because of how early it is. And I’m right. It might be late for her, after eight, but the club doesn’t do much till after nine or ten most nights.
When I park, we both just look out at the gorge. The sun has set, and the stars are still coming out. Not full strength, but still pretty enough to see with the mix of the very last rays of light on the horizon.
“I never tire of this view.” She squeezes me, and I put a hand over hers and squeeze back.
“Me neither.”
We just sit quietly and take it all in. Neither of us talks; we just relax together in this moment, relishing the way the earth moves around us as we sit and enjoy the nature before us without the effects of city life and the stress of everything involved in it.
“I should be getting you back,” I say once it’s fully dark.
“Yeah,” she agrees reluctantly.
“Hospital or your house?”
“Hospital, please. I left my car there, and I need it to get to work tomorrow.”
“I could always take you to work in the morning.”
She laughs at that, and I turn to look back at her. “That funny?”
“You really want to wake up that early?”
“What time does your shift start?”
“Seven.”
“Despite what you might think, bikers don’t sleep in all the time,” I grumble.
“Oh, right. I forget you might be up anyway because you need to read the newspaper or something equally old-man-like.”
“Oh, now look who’s making the jokes.”
I reach back and grab her thigh, squeezing. Like I expect, she jumps and laughs as she begs me to stop.
“I’m sorry. Stop, please.” Her laughter through her begging is music to my ears.
Turning around just a bit more till I can see her face full-on, I wait for her laughter to die down before I run my fingers through her hair.
“For you, I’d get up anytime, day or night, if it meant I got to spend even a minute longer with you.”
Her lips part on a gasp, and I smirk before I bring those lips to mine. To where they belong.
The ringing phone pulls me off the bike chain I’m working on. I answer it after seeing who’s calling, putting it on speaker instead of wiping my hands off fully on a rag. “Hey, brother.”
“Hey,” General greets me and then says nothing. Funny, since he’s the one who called.
“What’s up, man?”
“Ruby.”
The name raises an emotion, but not one I can define other than weighted. “You find her?”
“Got a team going now. We don’t know if she’s really there or if….”
If she’s alive. He won’t say it, and neither will I.
“Thought you should know,” he adds.
“Thanks, man.”
I hang up and go back to tweaking my bike.
Since I started seeing Babygirl more, almost daily even if it’s just for a few minutes, I haven’t really been back to the clubhouse.
I don’t want to hide my happiness, but it seems wrong when the club is feeling something that I’m not.
So I’ve stayed away, but I’m happy that General keeps me looped in enough to know the particulars.
I try to breathe out the heavy feeling sitting on my chest when I think of Ruby being hurt. It’s hard to describe, but it feels like a ton of bricks are sitting just above my stomach.
The feeling goes away entirely the second I see a text come in from my girl. Especially when she asks for something that I can’t deny wanting.
Up for hanging out tonight? My shift just got changed, and I’ll be off the next two days, so I can spend more than five minutes with you today.
I take the time to clean my hands before I text back.
Always. Got anything in mind?
Several thoughts come to mind, but so does Ruby. Going out on the town and living it up probably isn’t a good look. Even if it doesn’t get back to the club, I’m not sure how I’ll feel about it.
Ruby pops into my head every now and again.
Like a friend you haven’t texted for a while.
You think about them, wonder how they are, debate if you should reach out.
But then you get distracted and you forget till the next time you think about it.
There’s no way for me to actually talk to her, and joining the mission to get her is not a possibility.
I might be fine physically, but till I get a better handle on my brain, or at least my feelings on how I deal with my brain, I’m a liability.
The club knows. Well, General told me he spoke to Casper about it, and they both agree that I need time.
I’ve never gone on a mission with Operation Hell Hound, the mercenary group we set up with our sister chapters, but I’ve never shied away from events that needed some extra muscle locally before either.
However, I’m even sitting those out for now.
Not that there’s a lot going on around town. At least nothing that’s been reported back to me. Probably best that the club has a sole focus on shit right now.
Honestly? Pretty exhausted after the last few days feet-wise, so mini golf is off the list. You against just a movie or something?
That sounds oddly perfect for what I had in mind.
You want me to pick you up at the hospital or your place?
I don’t give her a choice to meet me somewhere. That would give her the option to leave when I might not be ready for it to end.
House, please. I need a shower. Had a patient throw up on my shoes again.
I send her the yuck emoji, and I get a thumbs-up in reply. My favorite response from her.
Pick you up at eight?
Make it eight thirty. Need to wash my hair.
I chuckle at the line, but I doubt she’s even old enough to know it used to be an excuse for a woman to not go out with you.
Oh, so we’re getting fancy tonight, huh? Might need to wash mine too then.
The laugh emoji has me thinking she might have actually laughed out loud after reading my text.
Didn’t you just wash it?
Stalker much?
I laugh at the very idea of her trying to be one. Sneaky isn’t in her wheelhouse.
No, it just felt soft last night.
I know she’s blushing, especially since she keeps texting.
Not that it didn’t the night before.
Or before that.
Just that you have soft hair.
Okay, I’m going now. Bye.
I chuckle at her words and can just imagine her flustered and wishing she could take it back
See you soon, Babygirl.
I clean up the work I’m doing and grab the keys for my truck. I’ve got plans for tonight, and that requires a few things from the store. If I hurry, I can get everything ready and even have time for that shower before I get my girl. Might even wash my hair.
She does like it feeling soft, after all. And I don’t want to disappoint.