Chapter 10 Frost
FROST
“Here, darlin’, breakfast is on me.” I hand my credit card to Hope and kiss her forehead.
I sit down at the dining room table and gesture for Amy to sit.
She takes the chair across from me and plants her elbows on the surface like she’s conducting an interrogation for a true crime drama.
Hope hovers near the counter, pretending to read the breakfast delivery menu on her phone, but I catch the subtle shake of her head toward Amy.
This ought to be good.
Amy doesn’t take the hint and narrows her eyes. “So… Frost.” She says my name like it’s a curse. “Let’s discuss this morning’s… visual.”
Hope groans into her hands. “Amy, please—”
“No, Hope. I need answers.” Amy leans forward. “Frost, did you or did you not know you were completely naked when I walked in?”
I rub the back of my neck. “Of course, I knew I was naked. Didn’t have a lot of time to correct the situation when you came in swinging the bat around like you were auditioning for a slasher movie.”
Amy points at me. “See? He admits he was naked.”
“I mean… so was Hope.” I shrug.
“Please stop talking,” Hope squeaks.
Amy ignores her. “And what exactly were you two doing when I interrupted?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Sleeping.”
Amy holds up a finger. “That’s not what it looked like.”
“I was asleep. I was barely conscious…” I let my voice trail off. “What Hope was doing is technically her business.”
Hope emits a noise I can only describe as sounding like a wounded cat.
Amy studies me like she’s searching my soul for lies. “You’re very calm for a man who got caught in the nude by a woman with a baseball bat.”
I lift a shoulder. “I’ve had worse mornings.”
“I believe that,” she mutters. “Alright, what are your intentions with Hope?”
Hope drops her phone. “Amy!”
“What?” she shouts back. “I’m legally obligated as the best friend!”
I meet her stare without flinching. “I intend to treat her right, protect her, and not screw this up.”
Hope bends to pick up her phone and freezes, and Amy blinks rapidly as if my answer doesn’t compute.
“Well,” Amy says slowly. “I gotta admit, that wasn’t what I was expecting. A very respectable answer.”
I smirk. “Thanks.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“It kind of sounded like one.”
“The jury is still out on you.” She huffs out a breath. “I’m watching you, bucko, and so is my bat.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Knock. Knock.
Hope sprints to the front door and grabs the pastries and coffee she ordered for breakfast, and sets them down in front of us. Amy snatches a raspberry pastry and one of the coffees before leaning back in her chair.
Amy glances over at Hope. “How are Scarlett and Lachlan coming along?”
“Oh, you know how they are.” Hope sighs. “Lachlan is being extra douchey, and even I want to kick him in the balls.”
I straighten. “Need me to handle that?” I lift my coffee and take a sip while I wait for an answer.
If this asshole is causing Hope distress, I’m more than happy to dish out some punishment.
Amy snickers. “Sure, macho man, go ahead and tell Lachlan to dial it down a bit, and when you’re done with that, make sure Scarlett finally gets the attitude fucked out of her.”
I spit out my coffee. “What the he—”
“They’re characters in my newest novel, Frost,” Hope explains as she hands me a napkin.
Amy is full-on belly laughing at my expense. “I-I-I can’t even…” she gasps.
I wipe up the mess on the table in front of me. “How was I supposed to know that?”
“You could’ve asked,” Amy points out.
Hope gives me a small smile but addresses Amy. “It’s not his fault. You know how I get when people ask me what I do for a living.”
Amy taps her chin. “True, okay, he gets a pass on that one.” Amy pushes away from the table.
“Thanks for the breakfast and entertainment this morning.” She points at her eyes, then at me, and back to her.
“Remember, buster, I’m watching you. You hurt her, and I don’t care how many biker brothers you have, you’ll never see me coming. ”
I dip my chin. “Noted.”
Amy walks around the table and pulls Hope into a hug, and then spins on her heel and rushes out the door, waving over her shoulder. “Love you. Keep me updated.”
“I will!” Hope calls.
After the front door slams, I let out a breath. “She’s intense.”
Hope hands me a glazed croissant, cheeks bright red. “She’s… Amy.”
I lean closer and tilt her chin so she looks at me. “You, okay?”
“No,” she whispers. “I will never emotionally recover.”
I kiss her forehead. “Could’ve been worse.”
“How?” she demands.
“She could’ve walked in while you were giving me the blowjob.”
The color drains from Hope’s face, but then her shoulders start shaking, and laughter erupts from her mouth. “Y-y-you’re right. That would’ve been worse.”
“You want to go for a ride?”
She blinks. “Like… in a car?”
“Do you trust me?”
Hope nods without hesitation.
I grin. “On my bike.”
Her eyes widen. “I’ve never been on one.”
“I’ll take it slow.”
After a beat, she nods. “Okay. Yeah. Let’s do it.”
We rush to get cleaned up, and I tell Hope to put on a pair of jeans and boots if she has them. She steps out of the bedroom in form-fitting jeans that hug her curves in all the right spots. Her hair is pulled back into a braid. I want to wrap it around my hand and bring her to submission.
Ride first.
Shaking my head of the dirty thoughts it's conjuring, I take her hand and lead her out the door. Outside, the mid-morning sun glints off the chrome. I hand her a helmet and help her fasten it.
“Put your arms around my waist after you get on,” I tell her once I swing a leg over the seat. “Hold on tight and lean when I lean.” I point to the tailpipe. “Whatever you do, do not touch that. Keep your feet on the pegs.”
Hope nods and climbs on behind me, tentative at first, then her arms slide around my waist. Her cheek presses against my back.
“You ready?” I ask.
“No,” she says. “But go anyway.”
I laugh and ease the bike onto the street. Hope’s stiff for the first few minutes, but the moment we hit an open stretch of road, she relaxes and melts into me. We ride for about an hour before I turn around to head back to town.
By the time we return to her place, she’s smiling so wide it almost knocks the air out of me.
“That was amazing,” she breathes as she climbs off, helmet hair and all. “I’d definitely do that again.”
“Good.” I take the helmet from her hands. “I loved having you behind me.”
She bites her lip, suddenly shy. “Do you… want to stay? For a while?”
I step closer, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “Yeah, baby, I do. You’re mine, remember?”
Hope closes the small gap between us and wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me toward her. “I remember,” she says breathlessly.
I slam my mouth down on hers. She tugs me closer, parting her lips enough to let my tongue taste her. My hands roam down her back and grip her ass firmly.
When we finally break apart, she chuckles. “Guess we'd better head inside. Don’t want to give the neighbors a show like we gave Amy earlier.”
I growl. “No one gets to see you like that except me.”
“And Amy,” she teases.
I rub my hand over my face. “Remind me to change your locks,” I say without any heat behind my words.