Bently “Polk” Walker 8.
Fuckin’ hell, I’m nervous. This could go very badly…but it’s a risk I’m willing to take. She’s worth the risk. Stacy’s words ring in my head as I approach her table.
“How much more of this are you gonna take before you sac up and claim her? Betty’s got a long list of potential fuck boys to send her way.” I growl at the thought of the first lady setting Quinn up with someone else.
“It’s not that simple, she’s in love—”
“Bullshit. She ain’t in love with Ford, and even if that had been true, he’s certainly ruined any chance he might have had with her. She isn’t going to settle for scraps from an immature, self-centered whore with mommy issues. She needs a man, a real man, and she’s smart enough to know one when she sees him.”
“It’s been over a year, Stace, she’s never looked at me—”
“Boy.” Stacy sighs frustratedly and it pulls my lips into a lopsided grin. I love riling her and Betty up. “She’s smart, but also pragmatic and a woman in her thirties with kids. She’s been around the club for more than a year, and no one here is dating or married to someone like her.”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“Settle down, I’m not speaking ill of her. She’s beautiful.”
“Fucking gorgeous,” I correct and Stacy gives me a fond smile.
“She is.” Stacy pats my cheek then cups it. “Quinn is a lot of things, strong, confident, intelligent…and a woman who’s been treated like shit most of her life. It probably hasn’t occurred to her that any of the eligible bachelors of the Congressionals MC could be attracted to her.”
“Ford is a fucking idiot.”
“He is,” she agrees readily. “And unfortunately, he’s probably the yard stick she uses to measure the rest of you.”
“So, how do I get her to use a different…stick?”
“Show up. Every time. Be there for her. For her boys. Be a rock-solid, steady presence. And love the fuck out of her like she deserves.”
So, here I am.
God, don’t let me fuck this up.
She’s spinning her wine glass, obviously deep in thought. I don’t like the slump of her shoulders, or the furrow of her brow, or the way she’s worrying her bottom lip. With a deep breath, I step up to her table and wait with a grin.
“Hi, you mus—Polk?”
“Hey, darlin’.” I slide into the booth, sitting across from her, cursing the table between us. But I can’t push too far too fast, or she’ll bolt.
She gives me a genuine smile, her eyes lighting up. “Polk, you got a date, too?” She leans in conspiratorially, giving me a mouthwatering view of her cleavage.
“I do.” Sitting back, she frowns momentarily but smooths it out and smiles again. That little blip gives me hope.
“That’s great. I’m waiting for mine, he’s a few minutes late, though.” She swallows hard, looking at her phone for the time, then glances back up at me. “Who’s the lucky lady? Where’d you meet her?”
“She’s a friend of the club.” She nods, tilting her head as she thinks it over. “She’s close with Audrey.”
“Hmm. I didn’t think Audrey had many friends.” Her eyes widen and she laughs. “That came out catty as fuck, didn’t it? I just mean, Audrey’s never mentioned anyone else that she’s friends with who would be close with the club.” Waving it off, she says, “Anyway, I hope you have a great time tonight. You should probably get to your table; you wouldn’t want to give her the wrong first impression.”
“And what would be wrong about it?” I push.
“Uh, well, you’re sitting at a table with another woman. And Ralph will be here—”
“He’s not coming.”
“I know he’s late—”
“Quinn. Ralph the electrician isn’t coming.”
“How do you know he’s an electrician?”
“Because he showed up to your date in his work van. I sent that fucker on his way.”
“Thank you? Polk, that wasn’t your decision to make.”
I lean across the table, noticing the hitch in her breath, the way her perfect tits heave with nerves. “Is my decision. Tired of you going on these ridiculous dates. Tired of waiting.”
Her cheeks flush, her voice croaks, “What?”
“You’re mine.” Dammit. Too strong! Pull back…no, I can’t. She needs to know how I feel.
“That’s absurd! Polk, you’re…you. And I’m me.” She splutters, “I’m older than you.”
“Three years, Quinn, nice try.”
“I have three kids. Three active, obstinate, messy, toilet-breaking boys.”
“They are those things, but they are also smart and funny with big hearts. They get it from their mama.”
Tears fill her eyes, and it breaks my heart. She shakes her head, no doubt willing the evidence of her emotions away. “I don’t even have a belly button!” She blurts out, loudly, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Good,” I manage to get out. “Never liked belly buttons. They smell and collect lint.”
“Polk, be serious,” she hisses and I’m happy to see anger instead of tears.
“Dead fucking serious, darlin.” I reach for her hand that’s on the table and turn it over to lace our fingers together. “More than a year, Quinn. I’ve watched you pine for Ford, follow him around like a puppy begging for scraps. Then he smashed your heart into little pieces, and you decided to start dating.”
Her eyes promise fiery retribution as she spits out, “My heart was not smashed. It is intact, thank you very much. I don’t need Ford; I don’t need anyone!”
“I know you don’t. But I need you!” Her mouth falls open as she slumps into the booth, her hand still in mine. I squeeze it once. “Do you have any idea how aggravating, how fucking painful it is to listen to you recount date after date?”
“You never said—”
“You’ve never looked at me.”
“Oh, Polk, I’ve looked. A lot, actually. But…but…I never had a chance—”
“You are all I’ve thought about. Since I met you. But you weren’t available.”
“Available? Polk, I just started dating a couple months ago.”
“Yes, but before that you were stuck on Ford. And honestly, I expected him to pull his head out of his ass and snatch you up.”
Her free hand flaps about as she chuckles humorlessly, “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen. And I don’t want it to.” Sighing, she meets my gaze, “I didn’t love him. Polk, I mistook friendly affection from the first man to pay me any attention since my divorce, and maternal gratitude for romance. I’ve read too many romance books. We were never destined for happily ever after. And deep down, I knew that. He turned me down…and it hurt, mostly because of the way he did it, but he wasn’t wrong. We aren’t right for each other. I just…God, it’s silly, but I just wanted someone. Someone to share my day with, someone to care for, maybe have someone take care of me for once.”
“I’m that someone, Quinn. Let me be that someone.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say more about how you thought of me a lot.” I grin salaciously and wink at her. She’s fucking breathtaking when she laughs. Her entire body is involved, and the sound is throaty and sexy.
“You’re hot and you know it.”
I sniff, “It doesn’t hurt to be reminded. My ego is fragile—”
She shakes her head. “Fucking men.”
“You don’t need to declare your unconditional devotion. This is our first date. We start here and see where it goes?”
“I can’t lose the club, Polk. My boys—”
“No matter what happens between us, you are a part of the Congressionals MC. And your boys are too. I’m a grown ass adult, Quinn, I can handle rejection. If you and I aren’t suited for each other, I will bow out…but I don’t see that happening.”
“You don’t?” The hope in her voice is hard to miss.
I tighten my grip on her hand and use my other to caress her cheek. The way she melts into my touch does funny things to my heart. “This might be our first date, but you know me, Quinn. And I know you. There isn’t a part of you that doesn’t draw me in.”
“I, uh, you’re right. You are a good man, Polk. One of the best. And I’m attracted to you, not just physically. It’s just…I haven’t been with anyone but my ex-husband. And it scares me a little. Not necessarily baring my body to someone, I am what I am and it’s easy to tell despite clothing what I’m working with.”
“Phenomenal tits.” She laughs hard.
“Everyone is fixated on my tits.”
“They’re amazing.”
“Thanks. I don’t know if I’ll be any good.”
“Did Joe—”
“No. No, we had a healthy sex life.” Those words in that order in regard to someone else…I do not like them. Just saying. She ignores my growl, “But he’s all I’ve ever known.”
“You and I will be explosive, Quinn, I have no doubt about that.”
“I’m sure you have more experience, the lobbyists—”
“I’m gonna stop you right there. Clean slate. We begin knowing we have pasts that bear no relevance on our present and our future. We’ve never dated each other; we’ve never been intimate before. We learn, we experiment, we grow together.”
“This is crazy,” she mutters, her expression one of awe and disbelief. “I was expecting a mediocre date with a man I probably wouldn’t see again and heading home early to drink a box of wine and watch reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ”
“That’s still on the table. I’m team Spike.” I’ve surprised her and it makes me chuckle. “Or we can stay here, eat a fine meal, engage in meaningful conversation, and I can walk you to your car and kiss you goodnight.”
“Alright.” She lets go of my hand and pulls back. Standing next to the table, she clears her throat and thrusts her hand between us. I take it, shaking it gently. “Hello. My name is Quinn Palomeni. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Standing, still holding her hand, I urge her to her side of the booth. “Bently Walker, but everyone calls me Polk. The pleasure is all mine.” I kiss her hand, reluctantly releasing it and taking my seat across from her.
We smile at one another for several long seconds, before I smirk, “I hate belly buttons. Please tell me you don’t have one or I’m afraid I must end this date right now.”