Chapter 45
45
RONAN
I’ve never worked so hard through a practice in the eighteen years that I’ve been a player.
There’s only one person who could make me work my ass off to get out of the arena at a decent time, and that’s Briar.
I’m still bitter as fuck about missing out on the day with her, but it is what it is.
I’ve got plans for her tonight, and that’s what matters.
I focused on that the entire time I was skating drills.
Nudging my kickstand down, I pull my helmet off and hang it on the handlebar.
The garage door shuts behind me on its own, and the lights flick on, illuminating Jasper’s car and Briar’s death trap with bright LEDs.
Landon’s SUV is still on the driveway beside Dash’s, which means everyone’s home.
I move quicker than I should after being at practice all day and exit the garage through the connecting door.
It smells amazing when I step into the hallway, like a real home-cooked meal.
“It’s an extra step, but I promise homemade sauce makes all the difference,” Briar says.
I don’t remember the last time Landon cooked, but I know his voice too well to mistake him for anyone else.
And yeah, that’s him in the kitchen.
“What happens when the sauce is done?”
Everyone is in the kitchen when I get there.
Dash and Jasper notice me right away.
The other two are too busy staring at the silver pot on the stove.
I knit my brows and tilt my head as I inspect the apron strings tied around Landon’s back.
Dash coughs to cover a laugh and nods, pointing at the pack’s lead alpha.
“We still have to add the seasonings. Then once that’s done, we let it simmer for a bit,” Briar explains, using a giant silver spoon to stir the contents of the pot.
“Can you pass me the sugar?”
“How much do you need?”
“Mmm, just hand me the container, and I’ll add some bit by bit. I’m more of a season-with-your-heart kind of woman.”
“That’s my favourite,” Dash says slyly.
Briar looks over her shoulder at him and sticks her tongue out before noticing me and pulling it back in.
Then, she’s abandoning the sauce and running toward me.
I catch her swiftly and hold her tight, waiting for her incoming kiss.
It’s warm and soft, just like her.
“You’re home, Ro.”
And just like that, I’m at peace.
“Yeah, baby girl. I’m home.”
She’s got an apron on too.
A pale pink one with white ruffles around the top and bottom.
It’s fucking adorable.
“Are you hungry? We’re making lasagne tonight. I know it’s taking a bit longer than usual, and you’re probably starving after practice, but I figured I could teach you so you could make it sometimes too.”
“You’ve got a tough student there. I’d have been much better,” I drawl, not bothering to shed my jacket before going to her.
Landon finally lifts his attention from the bubbling red sauce and greets me with a tip of his chin.
Lemon peaks over the scent of their cooking, and my mouth waters.
Briar’s lips curl into a smile while she palms my chest and drops to her feet.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make a chef out of all of you one at a time. Jasper volunteered Landon tonight.”
“He’s pack alpha. Seems only fair he picks up more slack than the rest of us,” Jasper says in defense of himself.
Landon reaches around his front to point at him.
“You just like seeing me in an apron.”
“Guilty.”
“It is very becoming of you, Lan. The blue really brings out your eyes,” Dash says, digging further and testing boundaries that we haven’t been over in years.
Landon drops his gaze to his front and turns to face us.
When he looks up, he’s smirking.
“I think you need a matching one.”
“What about pack aprons?” Dash asks before nodding.
“Yeah, we’re doing it.”
Landon watches me curiously.
“You good with that, Grouchy Gus?”
I blink.
“Did you just call me Grouchy Gus?”
“Oh, Landon, he isn’t grouchy anymore. He’s Sunshine Sally now that Briar’s in our lives,” Dash sings.
With a lifted brow, I warn, “Careful, Dash. I’m taking Briar with me somewhere after dinner, and if you piss me off, I might not bring her back.”
“Oh? And where exactly are you taking me?” she asks, turning back around to resume stirring the sauce.
“That’s a secret.”
“In that case, how about you shrug that jacket off and come help us with this so we can leave sooner?”
Landon pushes me out from between them and palms her back.
“We’ve got it. Ronan’s as bad of a chef as I am.”
“Last I checked, I was better than you,” I counter.
His scowl is familiar, but also not.
I slip into the fold and peer into the pot.
The red sauce bubbles slightly, and the smell makes my stomach growl.
“What do you think about monogrammed aprons?” Dash asks.
Not even one of us says no.
“Okay, I can only assume you’re responsible for this new addition to my wardrobe,” Briar says.
Releasing the seat of my bike, I turn to find her skipping out of the garage.
At first, it’s hard to look away from the clunky black boots on her feet because fuck me.
She’s worn them before, but tonight feels different.
Like this time, she wore them just for me.
Despite the pink laces, they’re as black as the night around us and go hand in hand with the new jacket hanging off her shoulders.
I’ve never seen anyone pull off a leather jacket the way she does, let alone one cropped just below the belly button with pink flower petals stitched over the right breast.
The boots and jacket are enough to have me spiralling on their own, let alone in addition to the skater skirt and lace tights she’s still wearing from earlier.
I think I’m in the middle of a wet dream.
“Why do you say that?” I manage to ask.
She stops on the cement and does a twirl for me.
“Because it matches yours. Without the flowers, of course.”
“I could add some.”
With my bike at my back, I lean against the seat with my feet planted wide, legs parted with enough room between them for her to step in close.
She doesn’t hesitate to take her place, two hands gripping the collar of my jacket.
“I like yours the way it is. It suits you.”
“Are you saying I have dark energy?”
Her mouth twists as she thinks.
“No. More like a light grey.”
“I’ll take it.”
“Will you tell me where we’re going now?”
“Ever wanted to ride on the back of a bike?”
Excitement glimmers in her eyes.
“Only yours.”
“It’s your lucky day, then.”
And mine.
I reach behind me to the furthest handlebar and tug free her helmet.
It’s slick from the sprinkle of rain we got earlier, and I think that makes the shimmer I added to it more obvious.
“Is that for me?” she whispers, lips staying parted.
“Yeah. Got it custom-made weeks ago. My guy finally finished it yesterday.”
With a cautious touch, she takes the sparkling black helmet from me and strokes a finger along the flower petals painted on the side.
They’re identical to the ones on her jacket.
“I know it’s not anything you’ve always wanted or might even use that often, but it’s—” I uncurl my fingers and press them into her back instead.
“We could make memories in them. You and me. On this bike.”
She shakes her head twice, a hard-to-read expression appearing on her features.
I bite my tongue, growing flustered.
Did I make a bad call?
“You’re softer than you let people think, Ronan.”
“Is that a good or bad thing?”
Her chin falls forward as she bends over me to kiss my cheek.
“The best thing. You’re thoughtful and kind and gentle. Everything I’ve known I needed in a life partner.”
“Don’t forget tough. Real fucking tough.”
She smiles and uses her grip on my jacket to tug me up until our mouths hover.
“The toughest.”
“I can’t tell if you really believe that or not.”
“How about I tell you once you finally take me for a ride on this bike of yours? I think I need to see how you drive to decide just how tough you are.”
My pulse thrashes as I hold her by the hips.
“You have to let go of me first.”
“Fine.”
Releasing me, she takes a tiny step back.
I smirk, keeping my eyes on her face as she stares at the helmet I move between us.
“Are you going to crown me?” she teases, bending slightly at the waist.
I pull the helmet over her head and flick up the visor, revealing the soft blue of her eyes.
“Done.”
“Think the others will call me Biker Queen if I asked?”
“I wouldn’t get your hopes up. It took me an hour alone to convince Landon that you’d be okay on my bike for a short ride.”
Overprotective ass.
She watches with a sharp desire to learn as I swing my leg over the bike and sit on the leather seat, my feet planted firmly on the pavement.
I free my helmet from the other handlebar and palm it.
“Does he not trust you? Are you that bad of a driver?” she asks, coming closer.
I pat the space behind me and huff a low laugh when she hesitates to hop on.
“Not sure if you’ve picked up on it yet, but Landon’s protective. The only time he’ll completely trust anyone with you is when he’s got you alone.”
“Well, he doesn’t have anything to worry about that right now.”
“That’s right,” I say smugly.
One hand falls to my shoulder as she follows my earlier movements and straddles the seat.
I grip my handlebars and steady my breathing.
The firm press of her front to my back is a distraction already, and I need to shake that shit off right now.
With a few quick movements, the bike roars to life, and the scent of exhaust fills the air.
Briar wraps her arms around my torso and squeezes.
I cover her hands and bring them up to my mouth before letting them go to shift the bike into gear.
“Don’t be nervous. Hold on to me and lean into the turns. I’ve got you, Petal. You’re safe with me.”
She leans further against me, her helmet pressing into my back.
“I know.”
“I think you’ll like it.”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
With a swift kick of my foot, I put up the stand and ease us into a crawl.
Briar rests her head against my shoulder and keeps her arms tight around my front, trusting me.
And when we get down the driveway and onto the road, I know the moment she realizes how freeing it can be on the back of a bike.
Her gasp is loud enough to be heard over the whoosh of wind.
I plan on keeping that sound with me forever.