Chapter 37
“An anonymous donorbought the seat next to yours,” Mom said over the phone.
I held in a smile. “Oh yeah? That’s fascinating.”
“I hope he’s a handsome billionaire who sweeps you off your feet.”
“He’s not a billionaire, but he is handsome,” I replied.
Bones sat next to me on the couch, his hand settled on my thigh while I spoke to my mother. He grinned and shook his head.
“You know who it is, don’t you?” she asked.
“Of course I know who it is,” I said. “I’m the one who bought the seat.”
She paused. “Oh my God, you’re bringing a date.”
“Yes, Mom. I’m bringing a date.”
“Well, tell me everything about him! Who is he? What’s his?—”
“You’ll meet him tomorrow night—like everyone else.”
“You mean you don’t want to give me his name so I won’t have time to find out all I can about him.”
If my mother knew Bones’ real name, she’d take it to my stepfather, who would then do a background check. It was going to be enough of a shock for me to show up to a charity gala on Bones’ arm. What would my mother do when she found out he was a biker?
“Tell you what,” I said. “You’ll meet him tomorrow night at the gala and then we’ll have Sunday dinner with you. You can quiz him to your heart’s content, in person.”
“I won’t quiz.”
“Hmm. Right.”
“No wonder you said no to Walker. You were dating someone all this time, weren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“A few weeks.”
Only a few weeks…
How had it been such a short period of time?
“Does Charlie know about him?” Mom inquired.
“She knows about him. She’s met him. And she already knows not to tell you anything about him,” I added.
“You’re choosing the night of my charity gala for me to meet your boyfriend for the first time? You sure he’s up to the scrutiny?”
“I have complete faith in him.” I reached out and stroked Bones’ freshly shaven jaw. By tomorrow night, it would look like he already had three days’ worth of scruff. The picture I had in my mind of Bones in his expertly tailored tux sporting scruff had me momentarily distracted.
“Hayden?”
“Sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked if he’s someone special?”
I looked at Bones when I replied. “Very special.”
“Well, I think that’s wonderful,” Mom said. “I look forward to seeing you both tomorrow night.”
We hung up with each other and I set my phone aside.
I ran my fingers along his cheek and then slipped my hand into his newly styled hair. “I like the haircut.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“It was the most expensive cut and shave of my life,” he joked. “I’d better look good.”
“Devastatingly handsome,” I quipped.
“So, when I introduce myself to your mother, I’m guessing you’d rather I not say anything about the Tarnished Angels…”
“She’ll find out the moment you give her your real name because my stepfather will do some digging. He’ll corner you at Sunday dinner with the information and there’s a chance it won’t be pretty. But tomorrow night, you’re Royce Dalton, and you’re involved in the security business for a private client with an NDA.”
“That’s not really the truth.”
“It’s not really a lie,” I pointed out. “PR 101. It’s all about how you spin it.”
“Sunday dinner,” he stated.
“What about it?”
“You didn’t ask me if I had plans Sunday, or if I wanted to be scrutinized up close by your butler and your mom and stepdad.”
“You have plans Sunday.” I smiled. “You’re having dinner at my childhood home. Besides, my mom and stepdad will scrutinize you tomorrow night anyway. It’s just that by Sunday they’ll actually know who you are.”
“Hmm, and what will you give me for having to suffer through Sunday dinner?”
“What do you want?”
“Depends how painful it is.”
“If you can survive the night of the gala, you can survive Sunday dinner.”
“Is this what our life is going to look like together?” he drawled. “You dragging me to black tie events and then dinners with your mom?”
My heart lurched in my chest at the thought of a life with him. “I guess so. Yeah. Probably.”
“You guess so, probably?” he parroted. “You haven’t thought of what life is gonna look like for us, have you?”
“There hasn’t been a lot of time to think about it.”
“Okay.”
“Bones, don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t do that. Don’t think this means anything. We said I love you. Can’t that be enough?”
“No, it can’t be enough, because I’m already thinking about our future together.”
“You haven’t even unpacked the bag of clothes you brought over yet.”
“Because you mauled me the moment we got home.”
I gasped. “I didn’t maul you.”
“Not only did you maul me, Duchess, but you were feral.”
“Feral!” I screeched.
“Your greedy pussy clamped down on my dick and refused to let go. And I’ve got nail marks on my back to boot.”
I playfully smacked his shoulder and then buried my flushing face against his chest.
“Don’t get shy on me now,” he quipped.
I lifted my head and met his gaze.
“Good girl.” He brushed hair away from my face.
“I’m still prudish, I think. Yeah…prudish for sure,” I said.
“You want to remedy that?”
“How do we remedy that?”
He flashed a grin. “I’ll show you tomorrow night at the gala.”
My dark hair was twirled up to show off the diamonds and sapphires winking in the light at my throat and ears. They had been part of my inheritance from my grandmother and screamed old money through and through.
They complimented the black gown I’d chosen for the event. It was floor length, strapless, and cinched at the waist. It was classic and elegant, but for the evening, I’d decided on a heavier eye and red lip than I’d normally choose to wear.
I was showing off Bones, and I wanted both of us not to shy away from the limelight. It wouldn’t be possible anyway—he was an outsider. He deserved to have someone on his arm that wasn’t afraid to be seen. It was the only way we would look like a couple instead of like I’d brought someone by accident that didn’t fit.
I was done hiding in the shadows.
A knock resounded on the door, momentarily causing my heart to cartwheel in my chest in excitement.
It took all of my willpower not to run to answer the door, but somehow, I managed to walk calmly to greet the man I’d fallen desperately in love with.
I opened the door and exhilaration flitted around in my belly.
“Oh,” I breathed.
Bones’ slow smile dawned across his face—his face that was once again sporting stubble. His dark hair was expertly mussed, making him look roguish and youthful.
His electric blue gaze slowly drifted down my body. “Wow.”
I couldn’t stop my answering grin. “Wow yourself.”
I yearned to slide my hands across the broad expanse of his shoulders, which filled out the custom tuxedo jacket perfectly.
He held up a single white peony.
I took it from him. “Thank you.”
After I grabbed my clutch, I locked up the house and then took Bones’ offered arm. We walked down the steps to the driveway where a limousine was waiting with a driver standing outside to open the door for us.
I grasped my skirt and climbed in the back of the limo. Bones followed, sliding in next to me and then the driver closed the door.
Without a word, Bones pressed a button and slid up the divider between us and the driver to give us privacy.
I’d suggested Bones bring over his tuxedo and get ready with me at my house, but he’d surprised me by saying he would get ready alone and pick me up. He’d been secretive though, and I couldn’t figure out why.
“Now will you tell me where you got ready?” I asked. I reached out and touched his expertly donned tie.
“I got ready at Smoke and Logan’s,” he explained.
I frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“Smoke knows how to tie a tie,” he admitted with a dapper grin. “He grew up in the same world you did. I asked him to help me out for the evening, so I wouldn’t look like a rube.”
“You definitely don’t look like a rube,” I murmured.
“Logan styled my hair.” He grimaced. “It’s got some weird hair gum crap in it. I have no idea what it does.”
“Well, you look perfect,” I admitted. “Effortlessly perfect.”
“So do you.” His eyes drifted down my body and his finger touched the necklace around my neck and then drifted lower to graze the swell of my breast.
My nipples hardened immediately.
“Thank you for the peony,” I said, my voice breathless.
“I thought you’d like it.” His voice was husky. “I brought you another gift too.”
“You did?” I asked with a raise of my brows. “What is it?”
He dropped his finger from my skin and then leaned over to grab a small black gift bag with gold tissue paper.
Bones handed it to me and I took it. I dug into the gift bag and pulled out a black velvet bag cinched at the top.
With a frown of confusion, I opened it. My mouth gaped. “This isn’t what I think it is…”
“It’s exactly what you think it is,” Bones said easily. “And you’re going to wear it tonight.”
“I’m not wearing this tonight!” I hissed as I held up the small steel butt plug. “We’re going to a charity event! Are you out of your mind?”
“Probably.”
“I’m going to be talking to people. I can’t?—”
“We have forty-five minutes until we get to our destination,” he said. “You want to spend it arguing, or are you going to lay across my lap like a good girl and let me put it in you?”
“Bones, no, this is?—”
“You asked what I wanted in exchange for a dinner with your mom and stepfather. Well, I want this. I want to look at you from across the room and know it’s inside you. Know that every time you walk, you feel it stretch and tease you, knowing I was the one who put it in you.”
He gently grasped the back of my neck with his muscular hand. “I want you to be thinking about me fucking you with this still inside you. I want you to think about it the whole night until it’s actually happening.”
I swallowed. “This is insane.”
“Time’s a tickin’, Duchess. Hike up your dress and lay across my lap.”
“The driver?—”
“He can’t see or hear us unless you get really loud, so you’d better be quiet.”
“How do you know I’ll even like this?” I asked.
“I don’t. Guess we’ll just have to see, won’t we.”
“I’m wearing panties,” I muttered.
“So, pull them down,” he commanded.
Dear lord. What am I getting myself into? And why am I so turned on?
I handed him the butt plug so I could hitch up my dress. I pulled my black lace thong down my legs and then leaned across Bones’ lap.
He slid the metal butt plug into his mouth, his eyes watching me.
My skin crackled with need and I flushed from his heated gaze.
“I’ll go slow,” he whispered.
One hand caressed the curves of my ass. I sank into his touch and immediately began to relax.
The head of the butt plug was cool against my back entrance. I flinched at the foreign feel of it.
“Easy.” He continued to tease me with the device, slowly gliding the head of it in before pulling it back out.
My muscles unclenched as pleasure bloomed between my legs. Excitement swept through me.
“Such a good girl,” he murmured. “Taking this plug like you’re going to take my cock in your ass.”
I shivered at his filthy words. I closed my eyes as he put the plug into my back entrance again and slipped it in. There was a slight pinch as the toy breached my tight muscles and then it went all the way in.
“Beautiful,” he whispered.
He lifted his hands from my body and helped me sit up.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
“Full,” I admitted, trying to adjust to the feeling of something inside my body that hadn’t ever been there before.
I put my panties back on and lowered my dress, thanking God I hadn’t stained the fabric of it with my desire.
Bones took my hand in his and we were silent the rest of the ride to The Rex Hotel.