Chapter 10 - Isla
ISLA
We talk in quiet whispers until he stops replying, and when I turn to look at him, he’s fast asleep.
Smiling to myself, I get up and gently place Natalia in her crib, and then head back to the bed to tuck Skull in.
He looks less intimidating in his sleep, almost boyish.
His hands are both nestling his cheek, and as I raise the sheet over him, I can’t help but peek at his bare chest and abs—hard muscle covered in smooth, tanned skin.
The way I’d drag my tongue all over those abs and trace the sexy V before going down farther. He’s perfect.
I thought he had no tattoos, but with him on his side, I can now see the huge Serpents of Chaos emblem that takes over most of his back.
The skull with the serpent wrapped around it stares right at me, a proclamation of his loyalty to the club.
I wonder if Bones has the same one. I’m about to leave and head home when Skull’s hand comes out and gently grips my wrist.
“Stay,” he rasps, his eyes still closed.
I climb onto the other side of the bed with him. It’s still early, around eight o’clock, but what the hell. I turn off the lamp next to the bed, and the second my back hits the mattress, strong, warm arms wrap around me, and I let out a soft sigh.
I can’t remember the last time I felt so safe.
That’s the last thought I remember.
* * *
When I wake up, my face is buried in Skull’s bare chest, and his arms are still around me, holding me tightly against his body. My thigh is firmly in between both of his, which is why I can feel his solid length pressing up against me. It feels big and very thick. Oh boy.
I blindly reach for my phone under the sheets, and when I find it, I see it’s only five in the morning.
Natalia mustn’t have woken up. That or I slept through it.
I’m usually a light sleeper, so I doubt that would be the case.
When I try to slide out of Skull’s arms, he pulls me right back against him in his sleep.
Who knew bikers would be so cuddly? I roll over, and now his hard cock is pressed up against my ass.
He doesn’t grind against me or anything, he just holds me.
And eventually, I must fall back asleep.
When I open my eyes again, Skull has Natalia in his arms and is feeding her a bottle. Sitting up, I rub my eyes and smile at him.
“Of course, you look beautiful in the morning,” he rumbles and laughs softly.
“Flattery will get you everywhere.”
He’s silent for a few moments. “You stayed.”
“You wanted me to.”
It’s that simple and that complicated.
He runs his thumb over the stubble on his jaw. “I’ve never had a woman sleep in my bed before.”
My eyes widen in surprise. He must be more of a bone-and-bail kind of guy. I don’t know why that disappoints me, but it does. Skull has so much to offer, but I guess this is his lifestyle.
Why did he want me to stay, though?
It suddenly hits me that I might have put myself in the friend zone.
“Well, for someone who doesn’t like to share his bed, you were awfully cuddly,” I tease, lightening the mood. “I tried to get up once, and you pinned me back down.”
His lip twitches, but I don’t miss the heat in his eyes. Okay, maybe not in the friend zone just yet. “I didn’t hate it.”
I laugh under my breath. “What, pinning me down?”
“You keep talking about it, and I’ll show you what it’s really like when I pin a woman down,” he growls in a tone that has my nipples hardening.
The door suddenly opens, and we both glance toward it. Bones stands there, wearing nothing but a pair of gray sweatpants, stopping in his tracks when he sees me sitting there. Fuck, even their bodies are identical, each rippling muscle a replica of the other.
Surprised hurt flickers in his eyes, although I don’t understand why. Did Skull have plans with his brother last night? I don’t want to take up all of his time.
“I must have missed my invitation.”
Yeah, it must have been that.
Damn.
“Isla, my brother Bones. Bones, Isla,” Skull introduces, glancing between the two of us.
“We’ve met.” Bones smirks, any of the emotion I thought I saw before gone so quickly I might have imagined it. Is he going to bring up the kiss? I fucking hope not. “And how’s our little princess this morning?”
He comes over and takes Natalia, kissing her head softly. It’s the sweetest moment, and I suddenly feel like I’m intruding. Slowly getting off the bed, I slide my feet into my sandals and look up at Skull, who already has his eyes on me. “I’m going to go,” I say quietly.
I really need to pee, but I don’t want to go into the bathroom with these two standing out here.
“I’ll take you,” Skull says. “Just give me five minutes to have a shower and get ready.”
“Okay,” I murmur.
“Will you be okay here?” he asks, eyes going to Bones and back to me.
“Yeah, of course.”
He has a silent conversation with his brother. It must be a twin thing because no words are spoken, but then Bones gives him a slight nod.
Skull leaves me alone with Bones and Natalia while he goes into his bathroom.
It doesn’t take him more than ten seconds to start his interrogation.
“So, you slept here last night?” Bones asks, a mix of confusion and surprise in his tone.
I nod.
“All night?” he presses.
I nod again.
“Did he know you were going to?” he asks slowly, still trying to understand.
I would have been offended by his questioning if Skull hadn’t already told me that he normally doesn’t do this.
“I was going to leave, but he asked me to stay,” I clarify, not wanting him to think I invited myself here. “Is everything okay?”
He nods, clearing his throat. “Yeah, sorry. I’m just fucking confused.”
“I can see that,” I mutter, watching him put Natalia down in her crib. I’m about to tell him I didn’t mean to intrude on anything when a pretty curly-haired brunette walks in.
“Skull, you want some morning head because I’m feeling a little…” she trails off when she sees me sitting there. She bites her lower lip and gives me a slow once-over. “Are you a new club girl? Can I join you? I promise I know how to share.”
Okaaay, then.
Just like the books I’ve read.
“Rose,” Bones growls with warning, his head snapping to me to gauge my reaction.
“I’m flattered you think I’m hot enough to be a club girl,” I say to her, not wanting to think about the fact that if I weren’t here, Skull would be waking up to her with her mouth on his cock. His hard cock that he didn’t even try to touch me with last night. “But no, I’m a friend of Skull’s.”
Her brows furrow. “A friend?” She drags out the word slowly.
She shares a look with Bones. “No, really, what’s going on here?”
Skull comes out of the shower with nothing but a towel wrapped around his narrow hips. I fight the temptation to block him from view, not liking the idea of another woman seeing him like this. Which is stupid because she’s obviously slept with him. Or is sleeping with him.
Oh my God, why did I come here last night?
Maybe he really did just want a nurse to help him.
I try not to notice the drops of water trailing down his six-pack or the Adonis belt that I’m ever so fascinated with.
Nope, I don’t notice that at all.
“What are you doing in here?” Skull asks Rose, scowling at her before snapping those blue eyes toward me. I make sure to keep my face blank, not giving anything away.
Because yes, I’m jealous, and no, it’s not reasonable that I am.
But I can’t help how I feel, even if I don’t have the right to feel that way.
“Your little nurse here was just telling Rose how flattered she was that she’d been mistaken for a club girl, she’s not. She’s just a friend of yours.” Bones smirks, absently rubbing his bare chest.
If anyone says friend like that one more time, I’m going to scream.
“You know what, Rose, head to my room. I have something for you,” Bones says with a straight face, but he can’t hide the humor in his tone.
“Nice to meet you,” Rose calls out, and I smile back, but it’s tight.
I watch them walk out together and then stand. “Well, I’ll go wait outside for you to get changed,” I blurt out, wanting, no, needing, to get out of this room as soon as possible.
“Stay,” he orders in a rough voice. I sit back down, and he heads back into the bathroom with his fresh clothes.
When he comes back out in worn jeans and a white T-shirt that shows off his biceps, I can only sit and watch. His boots come on next, and last, his leather cut.
I learned that in the book I read. Not a vest, a cut.
“Isla…”
“Come on, I better get home,” I murmur, cutting him off and walking to the door.
There’s silence behind me, then a deep sigh. “Okay, let me tell Bones to watch Natalia.”
“But he…” Is likely getting sucked or fucked right now. I don’t want to interrupt that.
“Well, he’d better be fast then,” Skull growls, his hand coming out in front of me to open the door.
Thick tension builds.
“We can wait a few minutes,” I blurt out, shifting on my feet. “You know, for him to… finish.”
“Fucking hell,” Skull mutters under his breath as we step out into the hallway.
Fucking hell indeed.