Chapter 21
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
WES
“I got you, Lind. I got you.”
I bound her with my body, squeezing her tight with everything I was. My hand dug in her hair, and the fruity scent of her shampoo filled my senses. A sweet, bright, innocent scent, so odd in the circumstances. But that was the Lindy I knew, wasn’t it? I brushed the top of her head with a kiss. I’ll never let you go, Lind. My resolve to protect her, be her refuge, fueled my veins.
Boner, arms crossed, waited for us at the entrance.
“You’re safe here, Lind. I promise,” I whispered in her ear. “Let me take you inside.”
“Can you stay?” Her eyes peeked up at me, her voice fragile. “Can you stay here with me?”
My heart jacked in my chest. She wanted me to stay with her. “Of course I will.” We followed Boner inside. My phone beeped in the back of my jeans. I read the text and slid my phone back in my pocket. “Lenore talked to my mom, and she’ll be coming over later to bring you stuff you might need,” I said to her as we entered the main lounge. “So don’t worry about any of that now.”
“That’s nice,” she murmured on a tight exhale.
“I’ll be back.” Boner headed to the office, and I steered Lindy over to the long bar in the empty central lounge, guiding her to a bar stool. Her face was pale, her lips too.
I shot behind the bar. “What can I get you? We got everything here, from coffee to bourbon.”
“No booze, not yet. Is there iced tea?”
“Coming up.” I grabbed two bottles of lemon iced tea from the refrigerator and led her to a sofa. We drank, and I put a hand on her leg and squeezed. “Better?”
“Mmm.”
Butler came out from the back offices with Boner, and the two of them stood over us. Butler’s gaze shot from Lindy to me and Lindy. I knew what he was thinking. “What the hell are you doing?” And I didn’t give a fuck. Lindy was hurting.
Butler crossed his arms. “Lindy, until we know what the Flames’ plans are and whatever that is goes down, you’ll stay here with us, so we can ensure your safety.”
“Okay,” Lindy replied.
“Sorry I can’t be more specific, but when we do find out more, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Promise?”
“I promise, yeah.” Butler lifted his chin in my direction. “And you? What are you up to?”
“I was on my way here for work, but popped by Lenore’s Lace to say hi to Lindy, and that was when she got the delivery. Brought her here with Boner.” My voice came off a little short and tight, and Butler’s brow furrowed at my tone.
A grin slashed Boner’s lips as he patted Butler on the arm. “You got this, don’t you?”
“I got it all right.”
“Welcome to the One-Eyed Jacks, Lindy,” said Boner.
“Thanks, Boner,” she said softly, and he left the lounge.
Butler cleared his throat. “So.”
“So.” I put my empty iced tea bottle on the table to my side with a clank as I met Butler’s stiff gaze. “Can I get you an iced tea?”
“No thanks.” Butler’s jaw flexed. “You two hanging out again?”
“Yep.” I slid an arm around Lindy’s shoulders, and she leaned into me.
Butler let out a breath. “Yep.”
“Is there a problem?” Lindy asked, her voice weary.
“Not at all.” Butler shifted his weight.
Oh man, we were getting the parental examination of our status and intentions.
“It’s nice to see the two of you friends again after all these years,” Butler said.
Lindy attempted a small smile as she shot me a WTF-is-going-on look.
“Lindy, we got a room for you if you want to go there and relax or…something.” Butler shot me a look, his tone colored with grim.
I sat up. “Which room?”
“Seven.”
“Got it.” I took Lindy’s hand, her warm fingers curling around mine and we rose from the sofa. “I’ll be staying here too until Lindy gets the all clear.”
“Jesus,” muttered Butler.
“I’m not leaving her on her own with you assholes.”
Butler’s eyebrows furrowed. “Respect, young one.”
“My apologies. Still staying.” I led Lindy away from Butler toward the hallway for the bedrooms.
“Hey! Did you ask Lindy if she wanted you to stay?”
Lindy squeezed my hand and tugged on my arm, stopping me in my tracks. “I want him to stay,” she said. “If that’s okay?”
“Entirely up to you,” replied Butler.
Her gaze met mine and it bore a hole through me. Steady and resolute. “I’d like him to stay.”
Butler only dipped his head in reply.
“We good now?” I asked him.
“All good.” Butler’s face looked as stony as an eagle’s. “Let Lock know what’s going on, okay? Your shift already started.” He headed outside.
“What was that about?” she whispered.
“He’s being a dad, I guess.”
“To you or me?”
I chuckled. “To both of us. Maybe I’ll get another talking to later on.”
Her attention went to our hands clasped together. “That’s kinda nice.”
I let out a breath. “It is.”
“He cares.”
“He does.” I cleared my throat. “Let’s go check out your penthouse suite, shall we?” I showed her to the room and opened the door. “Deluxe all the way, huh?”
We entered the small room. She placed her handbag on the simple wood dresser as she glanced at the queen sized bed. “Are the sheets clean, you think?” She let out a short laugh.
“The girls make sure everything is in top shape at all times.”
“There are club girls here too, huh? The Flames have five or six of them. I think there’s even a waiting list to be one.”
“Here they only got two, Shannon and Lucy. Lucy works at Eagle Wings too. We should find them and introduce you.” We both stared at the bed with its faded green bedspread and two puffy pillows, the pine headboard. My jaw tightened as my brain raced with images of me and Lindy on that bed. On that bed all night long curled up in each other, touching each other, moving together, making noise together…
My balls tightened. “I’m starving, how about you?”
She cleared her throat. “Me too.”
Before we headed to the kitchen, Lindy and I went next door to Eagle Wings. We stepped into the bay area where the men were working on bikes.
“This place is legendary,” Lindy said. “I’ve heard my dad and a lot of the Flames talk about it. They’re in awe.” Her gaze darted to all the vintage gas station signs, road signs, framed paintings of eagles, and the variety of American memorabilia that filled the walls. “How long have you been working here?”
“Since high school—cleaning up, that sort of thing, but then I started working with Lock, who’s an amazing artist, on paint detailing, which has been a hell of an experience. Helped me figure out what I wanted to study in college,”
“What did you major in?”
“Graphic design. Got to say, wouldn’t have happened without Butler and Lock on top of me from day one.”
She stopped in her tracks, her eyes lighting up. “You’re actually using what you studied at college in both your jobs? Jobs you actually like? Do you realize how lucky you are to have Lock and the guys here and Ronny and Trash Ink? Most people, I’d say 99%, never get to work in the profession they truly like and are good at. That’s the dream. Not to mention have good mentors who genuinely care about them and their development.”
I took in the two Harleys standing before us on which I’d done touch up work the past few weeks. The incredible Trans Am in the exterior bay whose detailing Lock and I had been brainstorming together. My chest swelled. “I am lucky.”
“Hey, man.”
I swiveled at the sound of Tricky’s voice. “Hey Tricky, this is Lindy.”
“Hey, Lindy. Pick’s daughter, right?”
“That’s me.”
“Good to meet you—of course not under these circumstances.” He and Lindy shook hands.
Lock, his long black hair up in a ponytail, moved through the bikes toward us. “There you are.” His gaze flicked over Lindy, and her back straightened.
I introduced them. Lindy’s hand shot out at Lock and took it on a grin. “Wes was just telling me how much he loves working here.”
“Oh yeah?” He chuckled. “It’d be nice if he’d show up on time…”
“That’s my fault. Today at least.”
“Lindy’s staying at the clubhouse until further notice. Boner and I brought her over. I’d like to help her settle in.”
“Good man.” Trick slapped my shoulder.
“Sorry to hear that, Lindy,” murmured Lock, crossing his arms.
“If it’s cool with you, I’ll be in super early tomorrow morning to finish up on the two bikes.”
“Make sure you do, because they need to be finished by noon.”
“He’ll be here,” said Lindy.
“You need anything, Lindy, we’re here. And usually my old lady Grace is in the office, but she left to pick up our son from school.”
“Thank you.”
Back in the clubhouse we headed to the kitchen, where we made ham and cheese sandwiches and ate at the long counter. I found a small bag of barbecue chips and we shared them as Shannon and Lucy came in. I introduced them to Lindy, and the girls started meal prepping for dinner as we talked.
“Baked ziti with meat sauce is on the menu tonight. You guys good with that?” asked Shannon.
“Awesome,” I said.
“Sounds terrific,” said Lindy. “Can I help you with?—”
“We got this,” said Lucy. “You get yourself settled in.”
“Let me know what I can do,” said Lindy.
“We will, thanks.” Shannon shot her a smile.
Lindy and I played a round of pool with Dawes and Bear when the familiar sound of heels clapping on concrete had me turning.
“Hey, everybody!” my mother’s voice boomed through the lounge, and everyone brightened as if the sun had broken through a cloudy sky.
“There’s my number one girl.” Bear grabbed Mom in a big hug, and she giggled, patting him on the back.
“How you doing, honey?”
“I’m good. You look fine, as evahhh.”
“Why, thank you.” Mom’s eyes gleamed as she put down two big shopping bags. She missed this, being the club First Lady. The men still treated her special, which shot warmth through my veins. I liked that for her because I knew that it meant a great deal to my mother and always would. “We going to see y’all at the party at the shop tomorrow night?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” said Bear.
They’d better not or she’d never let them forget it.
“Hey, Mom.” I gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“Hi, baby.” She launched at Lindy, hugging her. “I’m so sorry you’re going through this, Lindy. How are you holding up?”
“I’m hanging in there.”
“I have keys to Lenore’s house so after she called me I went over and got some of your stuff. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. I appreciate it.”
“I thought you’d like your own stuff rather than?—”
“You were right.” Lindy took a shopping bag, and I took the second one.
“I brought you the big cosmetics bag you had on the desk. I figured those were your daily go-to items.”
Lindy smiled, the lines of her face easing. “They are, thanks.”
“I also got you a bunch of mini water bottles and snacks for you to keep in your room. Hydration and chocolate are both very important.”
“I totally agree.”
“I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got a little bit of everything.”
“Alicia, thank you.”
“And I have a little surprise for you. I’d mentioned to Wes that I had photographs of the good ol’ days when the Jacks would hang out with the Blades, and I found them.” Mom pulled out a thick photo album from the tote bag on her arm. “This was from a weekend run where we’d camped out in the woods and there was a live concert. Lot of clubs were there, even the Flames of Hell. I thought you might enjoy seeing them.”
Lindy’s eyes popped open wide like she’d heard she’d won the lottery. “Alicia, thank you so much. This means a lot to me.” Her eyes filled with water.
Something pinched in my chest. “Way to go, Mom.”
“Keep in mind, it was over two decades ago, and things were a little wild back then. But I suppose that’s relative…” Mom let out one of her wicked throaty laughs.
I chuckled. “Oh, this should be fun.”
“I figure you’re both club kids and over eighteen so you can handle it.” She gave Lindy the album. “Are the girls making food or should I order something for you?”
“Everything’s covered, Ma. We’re cool.”
Her eyebrows jolted. “Are you staying here? Because I don’t want Lindy alone. She needs friends with her.”
“I’m staying.”
“Good.” I love this , her firm voice told me as her gaze shot from me to Lindy, her face beaming with satisfaction. “Oh, and Lindy—being a mom here—don’t forget to check in with Lenore. She’s glad you’re here, but worried about how you’re doing. Have you called her since you got here?”
Lindy let out a gasp, her eyes widening. “Dang, I forgot. I’ll do that now.” She handed me the photo album and moved away from us as she tapped on her phone. “Lenore?”
An eyebrow arching, Mom moved closer to me.
I braced. “Mother, don’t say it.”
“Be good to her.”
My back straightened. For the first time ever, Mom didn’t recite her usual refrain of You like her? I like her. She’s pretty. Is this going somewhere?
“Lindy deserves the best, Mom, not good .”
A proud smile lit up my mother’s gorgeous face and she hugged me, planting a kiss on my cheek. “Love you, baby—and I like her. Very much.”
“I knew there was no escaping. Love you too, Mom. And thanks for finding these photos. Perfect timing.”
“You’re still coming to the party tomorrow? You have to be there.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Good. You two need anything, any time, call me, call Ronny. Don’t hesitate.”
“Will do.”
She blew me a kiss, and waving goodbye at Lindy, who was still on the phone, sashayed out of the lounge toward the exit. Bear caught up with her, throwing an arm around her shoulders, their laughter echoing from the hallway.
Lindy was still on the phone with Lenore, so I took the shopping bags and the photo album to her room. As I stepped back into the lounge, Shannon called out: “Dinner’s on!”
Lindy and I went into the kitchen, along with the handful of guys who were around. Lindy already knew the men because they’d all taken turns guarding her around town, and everyone greeted her warmly. They all knew what had happened. Lindy played with her food but soon ate most of the pasta on her plate.
“Hey, Wes, that girl who works at Ronny’s, the new one with the long black hair?” Dready asked.
“Jet?”
“Yeah, Jet.” His face relaxed. “What’s her deal? She got a man?”
“Not that I know of, but she goes out almost every night of the week. Doesn’t miss a beat. Better put your running shoes on.”
“Will do.” Dready winked at me.
“Speaking of—” I crunched on the ice from my soda. “You guys are coming to the party at the shop tomorrow night, right?”
“You bet,” replied Bear.
“Course we are. We support our local businesses,” said Dready. “Ronny’s always done our tats way before he opened the shop in Meager. Plus, it’s Alicia. No-brainer.”
“Lenore had mentioned the party,” said Lindy. “We were going to go.”
“Lenore is our number one client and always comes to these shindigs of Mom’s.” I refilled Lindy’s glass with water. “Guys, if the whole club’s coming, can’t Lindy come with?”
“We could make it work.” Bear eyed Lindy. “But you up for a party, hon?”
Lindy’s gaze snagged on mine, her teeth biting her luscious lower lip. “I’d like to go.”
Bear put down his fork. “We’ll all go to the party together, and then a few of us can come back early with Lindy. Of course, you’re welcome to join us, Wes.” He winked at me, and everyone laughed.
“Gee, thanks.”
“It’s a cocktail party, huh?” Jordy opened a bottle of beer. “That mean snacks are included?”
“Snacks, not a meal. You know my mom, every party detail is thought out. She’s expecting a big crowd, so you can’t be scarfing down all the food.”
Everyone laughed, Lindy too.
We finished eating, and the girls, Jordy, Lindy, and I cleaned up. After, we headed to the lounge, where music played.
“I think I’d like that drink now.” Lindy climbed onto a bar stool.
“You got it.” I darted behind the bar and raised a whiskey bottle at her.
“Yes, please.”
I poured out two glasses. “To clubhouse-ing.”
Lindy let out a laugh and clinked my glass. “To clubhouse-ing.” She swallowed down a gulp and shot me a soft grin. Warmth filled my veins at the sight. Although today had been insanely stressful for her, she now seemed somewhat at ease. She deserved to be.
Raising my glass at her, I drank. “Speaking of clubhouse-ing….” Bringing my fingers to my lips, I let out a sharp whistle. “Yo! Who wants a drink?”
The orders came in fast. I got the drinks ready, and Lindy served them to everyone, insisting Shannon and Lucy relax with the guys.
Lindy made colorful cocktail concoctions for Shannon and Lucy, complete with umbrellas that she’d found while digging through the shelves behind the bar. She served them up on a tray like the experienced waitress she was, and Shannon and Lucy shrieked with delight.
Jordy lowered the lights in the lounge, and I wiped down the bar. With a big grin on her rosy face that made my insides light up, Lindy returned and sat on a stool opposite me. “Everyone’s good. For now at least.” She slid her glass towards me. “Hit me again, barkeep.”
I refilled both our glasses with whiskey and we drank, silence falling between us. I leaned over on the bar. “How you holding up, Lind? We haven’t had a chance to talk yet—if you want to, that is. These assholes are fucking crazy to have sent you?—”
“They’re fucking crazy assholes all right.” She leaned her head on a hand. “Feuds between clubs never die, do they?”
“Runs deep between the Flames and the Smoking Guns. From the beginning of time kind of deep.”
She took another swallow. “After their president got arrested, we’ve all been waiting for some kind of retaliation, but I never thought it would involve my dad.”
Dready entered the lounge from the offices and came over to us. “Hey, got word that the Flames are on their way to Kansas City to the Guns clubhouse.”
I put down my drink. “Fuck.”
“Yeah.”
Lindy let out a breath. “Thanks for letting us know.”
“Sure thing.” Dready joined the party again.
Lindy’s gaze darted around the lounge. Dawes had arrived, and he and Bear were focused on the television in the corner as they drank and smoked. A car race was on the big screen TV and the men no doubt had bets going. Lucy climbed onto Dready’s lap. The acrid smell of cigarettes and weed wafted around the vast room.
“Lind, you want something stronger?”
She returned her gaze to mine, her tongue skimming her bottom lip. “I have an idea…”
“What’s that?” I refilled my glass and drank.
“Now would be the perfect time for us to go to the Dip.”
The booze reversed its trajectory in my mouth, and I sputtered and coughed. “How do you figure that?” I wiped at my lips.
She leaned over the counter, handing me napkins. My gaze automatically shot to her breasts, which threatened to spill out of the low-cut V-neck of her T-shirt. I strained to unglue myself from the enticing sight. “We go there, and whatever we find, we’ll let the Flames know. Now that they’re going to Kansas City, saves time for everyone all around, don’t you think?” She chewed on her lip. More like chomping at the bit.
She was anxious, and she wanted this done. I got that, I did. The Reaper’s fucking clock was ticking loudly in her head, especially now that she’d seen a mangled piece of her father’s body. He was being tortured. He was suffering. What piece of him would be next? What piece of her soul would shrivel next?
“Think about it—” she whispered, her back straightening. “Kansas City is at least nine hours from the Flames clubhouse, and the Dip is less than a couple of hours away from Meager. By the time they get down there, do whatever they have planned…then they’ll need to eat, sleep, ride back —”
“Lindy, hang on…”
She leaned in even closer. “Raptor could still be using the Dip to hide or stash shit. It’s worth checking it out, don’t you think?”
“You’re on lockdown, young lady, remember that?”
“So?”
I let out a loud laugh. “There she is, my little fucking Flame.”
“A Flame with the heart of a Broken Blade.” She drained her glass, her eyes gleaming at me in the dark, piercing my chest like daggers.
“Here’s the thing, little Flame, you and I both have got to be at that party at the tattoo shop tomorrow night or everyone’s going to know that something’s up, especially my mother, who will sound the alarm. It would be understandable if you didn’t go to the party, but I've got to be there.”
Moans and groans rose from the lounge, and our attention shifted to the source. Lucy straddled Dready’s lap on a sofa in a corner, the two of them kissing deeply, a votive candle glimmering its dim light around their forms that moved in the shadows. Lucy pulled back from him and peeled her shirt off, and he snapped off her bra, releasing her bare tits. He kneaded them, kissing them as she moaned softly.
Lindy’s gaze fixated on the couple, and I slugged back another whisky. “Hey, Lind, you want to get out of here? Why don’t we take a walk on the grounds? I could show you the?—”
“I’m good.” She grabbed the whiskey bottle and poured herself another, her gaze darting back to Dready, who was sucking on Lucy’s tits while she ground her body against his, her hands in his long hair.
Turning back to me, Lindy grinned as she clinked her glass against mine. “To club life.”
“To club life.” I came around the bar and sat on the stool next to her.
“Being the little girl at the Broken Blades, I got shielded from all the partying, but when we got to the Flames I was older and managed to see a few things. Being a guy, I’m sure you saw a lot.”
I shrugged, my pulse throbbing in my veins at Lucy’s low moans. I rubbed the side of my neck. “Not so much. But there was this one time Zac and I were in middle school, and we hid in the woods in the back when there was this huge party going on.”
She giggled. “Oh no.”
“Oh yes.” I drank. “Was real exciting, up until I recognized my dad going at it with three women.”
Lindy let out a gasp.
“Zac thought it was a real hoot, but I didn’t.”
“Of course not.”
“It all clicked for me that night. That’s when everything started making sense. I realized my mom was getting way less than she deserved. And what I finally got was that she knew it, she knew what was going on, which was why she fought him all the time. Yet through her disappointment, she still hoped. But after that, I gave up hope. Things fell into place and started falling apart for me.”
“Is that why you haven’t joined the club?”
“Part of the reason.”
“What’s the other part? Because from what I’m seeing, they love you. Even though your dad’s gone, they still consider you and your mom part of the family. You’re so lucky you still have?—”
“My dad was club president since before I started walking. It was everything to him. He spent almost all of his time here or on the road. I understood it, respected it, but yeah, it sucked. As I got older we hung out more, argued more, and then he got killed here on club property.” I took in a deep breath. “This place reeks of him. Reeks of a whole lot of —”
She clasped my arm. “A whole lot of good, don’t you think? Commitment to the brotherhood, loyalty?”
“Oh babe, yeah…” I let out a dark chuckle. “Loyalty was at the top of Jump’s list.”
Her warm hand slid down to mine, and she gently stroked my fingers. “Wes, I get it,” she whispered roughly, her voice blasting through my insides like a molten flow of lava.
My fingers tightened over her warm ones. “I know you do,” I whispered back. “And I like that you do.”
“Me too.”
Tugging on her hand, I pulled her off the stool, and she stood in between my legs, her body pressed against mine. My mouth brushed her silky lips and they parted for me. Our tongues dove and slid. The sweet, warm dazzle of the liquor mingled with her taste and set my blood on fire. My hands cuffed her neck, bringing her in closer, holding her tight, and she let out a small cry that went straight to my balls. She cried out again, and I swallowed that moan.
Her lips nuzzled my cheek. “I have another idea,” she whispered against my ear. Taking my hand, she led me to a small sofa against a wall where we sat down.
“W-what’s that?” I adjusted my jeans around my stiff cock.
“We’re both going to the party, and Bear said I’d have to come back early, which works in our favor.”
“How?”
“Once we come back here early, we’ll need a believable reason to be left alone and not be disturbed so once they come back from partying and go to sleep, we leave.”
Lust had taken over my senses, and my brain wasn’t computing. “Where are you going with this?”
“Tonight we need to set up the reason to be left alone and undisturbed.”
“The reason being…”
“That we’re both very into each other and eager to fuck.”
My pulse jagged like a shot of high voltage adrenaline in my veins at the sound of that word from her lips. “To fuck ?”
“We have to make sure they believe what we’re up to in my room. Otherwise, you’d be in another room on your own and they’d be checking up on me.”
My heart galloped painfully in my chest as it fought the booze in my system.
Lindy wrapped an arm around mine, her breasts pressed into my side, her lips brushing my cheek, my ear, sending tingles over my skin. “It’s perfect. Whoever comes back here with us will be partying, and we’ll head straight to my room because?—”
“Fucking.” My breathing deepened.
Her hand squeezed my leg. “And later, once the others get back here, they won’t bother us because they’ll assume we’re?—”
“Fucking.” My chest squeezed together painfully. “Lindy…”
“It’ll be real late by then. And once they fall asleep, we leave for the Dip. And since it’s not too far away, we can be back here before dawn and sleep in, which would be normal because they’ll think we had a long wild night and a hot morning too. Good, huh?”
I was Adam being beguiled by Eve.
She slid an arm around my shoulders, her fruity scent shifting around us as her soft lips brushed the side of my face. “So tonight we should set the stage and play up the fact that we’re…”
“Fucking?” I grit out.
“And tomorrow morning, we can play up being hot for each other too. Then, at the party tomorrow night, they won’t think it’s unusual that we’re glued to each other and into getting back here early to?—”
“Fuck.”
“All night long.” She let out a short laugh as her other hand slid across my chest. “See? It’s perfect. It won’t be a surprise to anyone. We already made an impression on Boner, Butler, and your mom. Even Bear.”
“You noticed that, huh?”
“Mmm. And after dinner, when we were cleaning up, Shannon and Lucy were asking me about us and I was a bit cagey, but…”
“But what?”
“I let them know that we have it going on.”
“You laid the groundwork already?”
“I figured?—”
I cuffed her wrist, stopping her hands wandering down my torso. “Do we have it going on or …”
Her eyebrows peaked. “We haven’t been playing Legos, Wes, have we? You came in my mouth, didn’t you?”
My brain locked on her words, reliving all the stroking and kissing that we’d shared like a video running on loop. “I sure did.” I bit her bottom lip, and she let out a gasp.
Her fingers brushed her swollen lip. “So all we have to do is play it up good tonight so they have a clear picture of us together from now on.”
“Hold on. You want us to fake our real, here? Isn’t faking done the other way around?”
“All I’m saying is that we amp things up for our audience. Drive the point home.”
“Put on a show?”
Her hand squeezed my thigh, and my muscles jumped. “Wes, I’m being strategic and methodical here.”
Strategic and methodical?
My neck went rigid. While Lindy was an army general swiftly planning her strategy, I was sitting here with a throbbing dick and a spiraling ache in my chest that wouldn’t quit. Taking in the pleased jut of her jaw, the eagerness in her voice, a basic truth smashed over me like a wave of ice-cold water.
I wanted her, and not only her body to ease my cranked up high. I wanted Lindy.
All of Lindy.
Not to put on a show.
Not to amp up for an audience.
I wanted Lindy for me. For us .
Faking it is what I’d done with her all those years ago. Hell, that’s what I’d done on some level with all the women I’d slept with.
Now, after this short time of getting to know each other again, getting along, and being way the fuck into each other, on the cusp of starting something new and real, Lindy and I were going to fake it for an audience ?
Newsflash, Lindy: I don’t have to fake anything.
Did she?
Maybe this was a convenient way for her to toy with me and dump me? Get her revenge for the past while she worked her strategy? Quite a master plan.
I blew out a huff of air. The booze was fucking with my head. I’d never doubted the chemistry or the signals between me and a girl before, not ever. What the fuck was happening to me?
Lindy, that’s what.
I cared about Lindy’s signals. Lindy’s chemistry.
She brushed the hair back from my face, my body electrifying at the simple contact. I’d prove to her that what we had was real, that there was no denying it, no faking it. I wanted her to know that this was genuine for me. My fingers tightly clamped over hers, and her eyes widened. How would she handle my strategy?
Game on. At least for a little while.
I heaved her onto my lap, and she let out a sharp gasp, her cheeks flushing, her fingernails digging into my shoulders. “How’s this?” My tongue lashed at the seam of her lips.
“Uh…” She squirmed in my lap, eyes wide. “Great start.”
My fingers slid down her throat to her chest, and her breath audibly cut as I cupped a breast. On a tiny gasp, she took my mouth, her hands sliding around my neck as her tongue dove against mine.
The general was most certainly all in and taking charge.
Our tongues slid and tangled as her fingers raked through my hair. I let out a groan at the fiery sensations engulfing my body. Gripping her ass, I shifted her even closer.
We kissed and groped, and sparks flew around us, the heat of our bodies, the need for more friction, melding us together. Enthusiasm and desire and hunger drowned out the television, drowned out everyone’s voices, the cheering, even the bumpy feel of the shitty sofa under us.
But not the needling fear that all this to Lindy might be more fake than real.