Chapter 22
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
LINDY
Wes slid a hand down the back of my jeans, past my panty, and cupped my ass cheek. I let out a moan at the illicit contact, his skin cool against mine as he roughly palmed my flesh. His lips found my throat, and sparks went off all over my body. Shifting me on his lap, he held me closer. More friction, more intensity.
More everything .
My muscles melted. I was molten, on fire, and alive in a whole new way. I tensed for a moment at the sound of boots tromping by, at laughter in the distance, the rip of a bag of potato chips. Wes groaned, and the raw sound blocked out the world and I dove back into the fire.
Fooling around with Wes in the club lounge with people there was exciting. Wes and I were doing what our parents and all the other members had done a zillion times in the past. What little we’d witnessed, but what we always knew went on.
Now we were doing it. Well, kind of. Was kissing and groping in the club lounge “wild”? Not really, in the scheme of MC life, but who cared? Hell, we had a room here all to ourselves tonight.
Tonight. Would tonight be THE night? Was this a good idea?
Wes’s grip on me was like steel. A little firmer, tighter, rougher than it had been other times. As if he wasn’t relaxed. Was it my imagination or had he gotten annoyed when I’d proposed my strategy? Now he was roaring off like a motorcycle in full throttle, leaving smoke in its wake, its explosive thundering demanding attention.
I pulled back from him. “Why don’t we slow down a little?”
“Shouldn’t we keep going?” His hands rubbed my ass, grinding my body over his erection. “Fuck, you feel good.”
My clit throbbed in response, as my nails dug into his shoulders. “I don’t plan on getting naked out here in front of everyone if that’s what you mean.”
“Not that. But you want to make it look real, don’t you?” His hands spanned my waist and squeezed, stroking upwards, landing on my breasts, his thumbs grazing my nipples. “So they’re convinced that we fuck?”
My lips tightened at his remark. There was something cold and clipped about his tone of voice. But what did I expect? That was exactly what I’d asked of him, let’s put on a sex show , wasn’t it? My pulse drummed in my neck. Was I excited or in a panic?
His fingers wiped the hair back from my face and my insides fluttered. A tender move. Possessive. Cupping the back of my head, he pulled me in and took my mouth once more. Demanding and rough, he stormed. Controlled. Laid siege.
My plan made perfect sense. While the Flames went to Kansas City to confront the Smoking Guns, why not go to the Dip and see for myself if there was any trace of Dad having been there? And if we found evidence of Raptor using the place, that would be a huge win for everybody.
Even though it was likely Dad had been taken by the Smoking Guns in a revenge move, something inside me felt that maybe Minty was right, maybe Dad was with Raptor. And even though I hoped it wasn’t true, I wasn’t sure. Most importantly, I needed to find out in a way that protected my father.
Wes pulled down the edge of my shirt and nipped on the top of my breast, sending flames straight between my legs. However, with this plan, I was pushing me and Wes into fifth gear. He certainly was going for the gusto. But did I want to move forward with him, with us, on a pretense and not…
I wanted authentic, genuine feeling this time, didn’t I? That’s what I’d always wanted, and it was happening, but now—dammit, why did this have to be complicated?
Because circumstances. Because Wes.
“Hey, kids, go get a room somewhere!” Bear’s voice boomed, and I stiffened. Loud laughter rolled through the lounge. Bear had Shannon on his lap, who winked at me, sticking out her tongue.
Play your part! I shot her a tight grin right back.
“Why didn’t I think of that?” Wes replied loudly as he rose from the sofa, his hands on my ass.
“Whoa!” I yelped loudly on purpose and gripped his shoulders tighter. Wes smacked my ass, and my nipples hardened painfully against his chest. This strategy of mine was going to kill me, wasn’t it?
“Nighty-night, you guys,” Shannon giggled.
“Don’t be too loud, kiddies!” Bear roared with laughter.
“Yeah, we need our beauty sleep.” Dawes glanced at us as he chewed on potato chips.
“Aw, leave them alone.” Lucy settled on the floor between Dready’s legs.
Wes took us down the dark hallway, me bouncing in his grip with his long, quick strides, the sound of his heavy breathing echoing in my ears. He was excited. My heart galloped as if it had been injected with two dozen energy drinks. I was excited too.
He put me down in front of the door, and I opened it. He locked it behind him and grabbed me again and kissed me.
My hands went to his chest and pressed, and somehow I managed to pull back from his fantastic mouth. I gulped in air. “Mission accomplished.”
“Why stop? Feels good, doesn’t it? Been a long day, let’s keep on feeling good…”
My brain blanked at his words, at the seductive quality of his voice in the darkness that wrapped around me like the finest silk, melting me as it furled around me. He took my lips again.
I couldn’t stop, didn’t want to stop, I wanted…“Wes?—”
Lifting me, he laid me back on the bed, which creaked and squeaked underneath us. He ripped off his T-shirt, and a helpless moan escaped my throat at the sight of his gorgeous chest in the dim light filling the room from the outside lights. Contoured muscles, defined pecs, necklaces, tattoos. He brought my hands to his middle. “Touch me.”
Gladly!
He let out a groan as my hands raced over his chest, exploring every inch of his gorgeous flesh, his scars, every smooth, hard plain and curve of the most beautiful man I’d ever known. My hands slid down his sleek back into his jeans, past his boxer briefs, to his incredible sculpted ass. On a guttural moan, he bent over me, his lips making a fiery trail down my throat.
He would be the death of me.
Once upon a time, he had been.
But now? Now, Wes was killing me in a whole new way. He deepened the kiss, a moan rumbling in his chest.
This was happening. This was real. Was this a good thing like this? I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. I was on a twisty slide, plummeting downwards into a dark, velvet abyss.
“Back in the day we never had a bed, huh?” I murmured.
“Never.”
“We were always fooling around in a car or a truck, in my backyard, always waiting for someone to catch us.”
“Your mom caught us once.”
“She did.”
“We’re not kids anymore,” he gritted out as he nuzzled my breasts over my T-shirt.
“Not anymore, no.” My fingers shifted through the beautiful thick hair that remained from his haircut.
“In fact, they just applauded for us out there.”
My legs twisted, the swelling in my clit unbearable. The bedroom door was locked, the outside world having bestowed its approval for us to have wild, loud sex all night long.
Having sex with Wes, taking our time, being entangled with his naked body, touching, stroking, exploring, kissing, and being kissed EVERYWHERE by him—wasn’t that the dream? No limits. Yes, it fucking was…
His fingers slid under my T-shirt and cupped my breasts. “Beautiful…”
I gasped. “Wes, slow down…”
“Slow is good…” He kissed my cheek gently, his fingers going to the hem of my tee and lifting it. My breath constricted, I wanted nothing more than our bodies touching skin to skin. To taste his warmth, to taste him again. But ? —
He cupped my breasts over the satin bra. “Gorgeous.” My nipples ached for his mouth. My entire body ached, need blooming deep inside me. Pushing up my shirt, he tugged down the sleek fabric of my bra and nipped at my flesh. His teeth grazed a nipple, his tongue lavished me with wet strokes and I let out a whimper. His fingers drifted to the strap at my back.
“Wes, wait.”
He stopped, his gaze snagging on mine. “You okay?”
“Yeah…it’s…um…”
“Strategy for the audience is over so you’re done?” His index finger traced a lazy circle around a nipple and my body quivered. “You teasing me?”
My lips pressed together. How many times had I been accused of being a tease?
Hundreds. Because it had been the truth.
And each time it had made me laugh as I’d thrown my clothes back on and walked out the door. But not now. Not with Wes.
“I’m not teasing you, I just…”
His tongue licked at his swollen bottom lip, his chest heaving, his thick hair mussed. Lust incarnate. His fingers tightened around my nipple, tugging, delivering a fiery ache that blew up deep in my core. A sword against flesh. I cried out, my back arching, and he let out a hiss as his tongue padded over my sore nipple. “Mmm…did I get too amped up for you, Lindy? Guess I got into my role.”
“You were terrific.”
“But?”
I sat up, adjusting my bra. “But what?”
“Are you scared?”
“Scared of what? Your dick?”
He laughed softly. “You want my dick bad. Maybe you’re scared of what’s happening between us. It’s easy to put on a show like we just proved.” His lips tipped up. “I think you feel safe faking it, being in control of a situation.”
My body stilled. He’d figured me out, and hearing that truth from his lips stung. A truth I’d never dared articulate to myself. My strategy with men the last few years had been get what you want and walk away.
Having a real relationship with Wes? Finally being intimate with him? Scared the living daylights out of me.
He leaned in closer, his breath a warm, rough whisper on my sensitive skin. “I haven’t been faking tonight. Have you? I need to know.”
No words came.
He took my hand and laid my palm over his damp, warm chest where his heart beat hard. “You feel that, Lindy? I’m all in. I’m not faking. And I know what I don’t want.”
“What’s that?” I whispered.
“I don’t want a strategy fuck, and I don’t want to get laid for the fuck of it. Not for our first time together. If I wanted to get laid for the fuck of it, I could leave here right now, go to Pete’s, and make it happen within fifteen minutes tops.”
“Bravo you.” I moved to get off the bed.
He grabbed my arm, stopping me, and held on tight. “But I don’t want to. What we have means something to me. Something big.” His eyes narrowed, and suddenly it was as if I were under a lone spotlight on a dark stage. “What are you not telling me, Lindy?”
I pulled up my fallen bra strap. “What are you talking about?”
“We all lie in little ways and big ways, especially to ourselves. Which kind of lie you telling right now? And is it me you’re lying to or yourself?” A noise rumbled in his throat as his warm hand stole around my neck. “Why, baby?” His forehead sliding against mine, his voice a sigh. “Why you fighting this?”