Chapter 22
Minty fresh and entirely uncertain,I followed Bones back to his room.
He first removed his leather cut and hung it on the hook by the door. His pistol was next and he set it on the nightstand. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and took off his heavy motorcycle boots.
Nerves skated through me as I watched him undress. He wore a pair of army green boxer briefs and his legs looked like massive tree trunks. His skin was decked out in tattoos.
He was a gorgeous vision.
“You’re next, Duchess,” he drawled. “I can’t get into bed until you do. I sleep on the outside.”
“Afraid I’ll sneak out in the morning before you wake up?” I joked.
“And go where?” He smiled.
“Maybe I’ll swipe the keys to your motorcycle and drive myself home.”
We both knew I was full of bravado.
“I sleep on the outside because if I have to get up, I won’t wake you. So, you sleep here.”
He patted the spot next to the wall.
“Okay.” I took a deep breath and bent over to unzip my boots. I used the dresser to help me balance. Next came my green sweater.
I wore a flimsy white camisole that did nothing to hide my jutting nipples.
My shaking fingers went for the button of my jeans. I slid them down my legs and took them off. I folded them and put them on top of my sweater.
I looked at Bones.
He was staring at me with darkening eyes. His jaw was clenched.
It didn’t take a genius to know what he was thinking about.
“Come here, Duchess,” he growled.
I padded barefoot toward him.
Bones reached out and grasped my hip. He gently lifted my camisole to expose my belly.
His warm lips grazed my skin and I shivered.
“Get into bed.” He released me and I scrambled into the spot by the wall.
He got up and turned off the overhead light. The lamp was still aglow, but after Bones crawled in next to me, he cut that too.
The room was bathed in darkness.
I swore he could hear my heart trying to leap out of my chest.
“Roll over, Duchess. I’m going to spoon you.”
“Won’t that just torture you?” I teased.
“The best kind of torture. Now roll.”
I did as he commanded and then I was suddenly pressed against his firm, warm chest.
One of his hands wormed its way underneath my tank and settled on my lower belly.
“Good night, Duchess.”
“Good night.”
I closed my eyes.
Adrenaline was rushing through my veins. Desire punctured every thought of sleep. A low throb pulsed between my legs and I knew all I had to do was roll over and meet his waiting mouth with mine.
But then I was reminded of our standoff.
Who’s going to beg first…
And suddenly, the idea of slowly torturing him until he had no choice but to cave had me smiling to myself.
I glided my fingertips across the back of his hand that was resting on my belly.
“Duchess, what are you doing?”
“Hmm. Nothing.” I shifted so that my ass grazed his erection.
He sucked in a breath. “Go to sleep.”
“This game between us,” I began. “We never did establish any rules.”
“The rules are, there ain’t no rules.” His hand was suddenly sliding into my thong. “For example, I can touch you. I can push my fingers into you. I can get you so hot and bothered and leave you on the verge of coming and then I can stop while you’re writhing against me, begging me to make you come.”
“Or I can let you get me to that point. That point where I know exactly where I need to be touched and I can do it myself. I can come without you. How would you feel about that?”
“I’m gonna make you scream. Do you want our first time to be in my room at the clubhouse with thin walls, or do you want the privacy of your own home? Be sure of your answer.”
I sighed. “Stand down, Bones.”
He ground his erection against me.
“I meant get your hand out of my panties.”
“Hmm, I thought that’s what you meant.” He slid his hand out of my thong and settled it back on my stomach. “Truce?”
“Truce.”
I woke up in a compromising position.
My cheek was pressed against Bones’ muscular stomach, and my hand was down his briefs.
With a startled squeak, I gently released him.
“Don’t stop,” he rasped.
I shoved away from him but couldn’t go far because I hit a wall.
Literally.
The wall was behind me.
Bones looked at me with heavy eyelids and his cheeks were flushed.
“I was groping you in my sleep,” I said aghast.
“You hear me complaining?”
“Why didn’t you stop me?”
“Well, you were sleeping soundly. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s considerate of you.”
“How about you be a little more considerate and finish the job you started.”
“As much fun as that sounds…” I surveyed the room.
“What are you looking for?”
“A clock.”
“Don’t have one.”
“I’m not surprised,” I drawled. “But I really need to know the time and I forgot my cell phone at my house.”
With a sigh, he reached for his phone. “It’s seven forty-five.”
“Crap. I’m late.” I rolled over him with the intention of hitting the floor, but he grabbed my hips and stopped me. “What are you doing?”
“Tollway,” he said with a smirk.
I pecked his lips.
“Just for that, the toll has doubled.” His hand cradled the back of my head, and he urged me closer.
As our lips met, I settled on top of him. With his hands in my hair and the hard feel of him beneath me, it was tempting to stay right where I was.
One of his hands left my hair and skimmed down to grasp my ass.
He squeezed it and then he gently patted me.
I pulled back, dazed.
“Sufficient,” he said. “Get dressed. I’ll drive you home.”
I climbed off him just as his phone chimed. He grabbed it and read the message. “Damn.”
“What?”
“Something came up. I can’t take you home right now.”
“But I have to?—”
“I’ll find you a ride, I promise.” He launched himself out of bed. Despite his earlier desire to lounge and pick up where we’d left off, he was suddenly full of energy.
I got dressed as quickly as I could and took some extra time to go to the bathroom and brush my teeth. Bones was waiting for me in the hallway when I opened the door.
He sidled past me. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
Kelp and Raze were already awake and they were sitting on the couch with cups of coffee.
“Morning,” Kelp said.
“Hi,” I greeted.
“You’re not walking funny,” Raze stated. “You shut my boy down?”
“Huh. How old are you?”
“Thirty-eight,” Raze said. “Why?”
“When’s the last time you read an etiquette book?” I quipped.
Raze let out a good-natured laugh. “Coffee?”
“No, thanks, I’ve got to get home. Bones can’t take me, though. He’s got to do something.” I hated the vague statement, and it only reminded me of what we’d fought about the night before.
It was still tangled in my head, but my body was clearly leading the way in my decision-making process.
“I’d offer to take you,” Kelp said, “but I’m going where Bones is going.”
“Where are you and Bones going?” a slim brunette asked as she came into the room. She looked to be about my age.
“Where your fiancé is going,” Kelp said. “Nice of you to make an appearance, Sutton.”
Sutton grinned, clearly not bashful. “My private party with Viper was more fun than a party with all of you. No offense.”
“None taken,” Kelp said.
Sutton’s eyes slid to me. “Hey, we haven’t met yet.”
“Hayden Spencer,” I said with a wave.
“Ah, Bones’ Old Lady. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m not his Old Lady,” I protested.
She raised her brows. “Sure. Whatever. You’re coming tonight, right? To my bachelorette party?”
“Oh. Yeah. How’d you know I was invited?”
“Logan texted last night. I saw the message this morning.”
“Ah. Is that okay? That they invited me and informed you after the fact?”
“Absolutely.” She grinned. “It’s gonna be a hoot and a half.”
“How about just a quarter hoot?” A huge man with a fierce expression across his face stalked into the room and threw his arms over her shoulders.
“I’m not telling you how to have fun at your party, don’t tell me how to fun at mine,” she stated. “Besides, it might be a full-on hootenanny.”
“Viper doesn’t know how to have fun,” Smoke said as he sidled around Sutton and Viper. He went immediately to the coffee maker and poured himself a mug.
“Which is why we’re forcing him to have fun,” Raze said.
“I just need a few hours of girl time before he crashes my night. He can’t stand to be away from me.” She looked up at her hulk of a man and smiled. “Isn’t that right?”
He grunted, but I swore his eyes softened with affection when he looked at her.
“Where’s Bones?” Smoke asked. “We’ve got to get going.”
“He’ll be down in a minute,” I said. “Where’s Logan?”
“She left already,” Smoke said. “She had an early meeting.”
The tramp of heavy boots on the stairs preceded Bones’ appearance. “Hayden has to get home, but I can’t take her.”
“Neither can we,” Raze said. “We’re going with you.”
“I’ll take you home,” Sutton offered. “I drove my car last night.”
“You don’t mind?” I asked her.
“Not at all. It’ll give me a good time to pester you with questions.”
I laughed. “I hate to be that person, but I kinda need to go. Like now.”
“Sure. Let me run upstairs and grab my keys real fast. Be back in a jiff.” She lifted Viper’s arms from her shoulders and ducked out of his hold.
“I need to suck down some coffee,” Bones said. He passed by me. “You good? You need anything?”
I shook my head.
Sutton returned and looked at me. “Ready?”
“Ready,” I said.
“Hey.” Bones marched over to me with a cup of coffee in his hand. “I’ll call you later.”
“Okay,” I whispered, mindful of all the eyes on us.
Screw it.
I stood up on my toes and kissed the hell out of him.
Hoots and hollers erupted around us.
When I pulled back, I shot him a smug look.
“See ya, boys,” I called as I headed for the front door.
Sutton dogged my heels.
“That was awesome,” she said.
“What was?” I asked.
“The look you put on Bones’ face. You’re running circles around him, aren’t you?”
“Trying.”