Chapter 8 Colter
COLTER
For dinner I make Danni homemade pizza with extra cheese. I love having someone to cook for and we take our time, preparing the meal together and talking late into the night. The more time I spend with Danni, the more I question my insistence on it just being a weekend thing.
Danni is easy to talk to and quick to laugh, and she drives my body wild with her curves.
We fool around in bed and in the morning too. I can’t get enough of pleasuring her, and the way her inexperienced hands fumble over my cock has me coming hard into her palm.
We spend a lazy morning in bed before taking one of the vintage bikes out for a spin. This time it’s the 1940s Chopper, with a low seat and high handlebars. I strap Daisy’s seat to the back. She was annoyed we didn’t take her yesterday, giving me her sad puppy dog face, so today she rides with us.
Danni’s car is being repaired at the mechanic’s shop owned by the club. We have a compound on the main mountain road that we’ve filled with club-owned business.
There’s a repair shop and the Wild Taste Brewery which makes craft beer with fresh mountain water. Out front is Wild Taste Bar and Restaurant where you can sample the beer from the brewery and enjoy a good hearty meal.
This is where I take Danni for lunch. I want her to see my world, my club, and the places I hang out.
“This is your clubhouse?”
Danni takes in the bike paraphernalia adorning the walls with wide eyes and a grin on her face. I like making her smile, and so far, all the parts of me I’ve shown her have made her light up like a Christmas tree.
“Yup.”
It’s not a conventional clubhouse, but then we’re not a conventional motorcycle club. We hang out at the bar, and there are club rooms out back for business. The courtyard behind the building has the brewery and the mechanic’s shop.
“This isn’t what I was expecting.”
She crosses to the Harley on a pedestal in the corner. It’s an ancient 1900s model from the original production line. It’s my pride and joy but too old to ride, so I insisted we put it on display in the bar.
“You guys really love your bikes.”
“We sure do.”
Our conversation is interrupted by a booming voice.
“Vintage.”
I look up at the sound of my road name.
A huge, bearded man is striding toward us. His eyes run over Danni, and jealousy flares up inside me. I put an arm around her waist, letting him know she’s mine. Even though Lone Star is like a brother to me, the last thing I want is him thinking Danni is fair game.
“Lone Star.” I introduce him to Danni, keeping my arm firmly around her waist.
“That your Caddy out back?”
Danni nods. “My pride and joy.”
“It’s a beauty.”
Lone Star looks at her appreciatively. “The boys have replaced the valves, but the engine needs some TLC if you want to keep driving her around.”
Danni squirms uncomfortably, and I wonder if it’s the cost that’s making her hesitate.
“Thanks. I’ll just get the repair for now and do anything else when I get back.”
The words bring the harsh reality of our situation into sharp focus. Tomorrow, Danni will drive out of here and back to her life. I thought I could handle this as a weekend thing, but the more time I’ve spent with her, the surer I am that I want more.
As I watch her talk to Lone Star about her Caddy and the bikes on display, I realize how she fits in here. It’s like Danni belongs in my life, like there was a place waiting here for her all along.
Lone Star leaves us alone, and I guide Danni across the road to the VIP seating area for the restaurant. It’s on a platform that juts out over the valley and is the reason we get tourists from Hope making the drive over here to dine.
I choose a table by the window, smiling at Danni’s reaction to the stunning view. The valley stretches below us, and from up here, it’s like we’re on the edge of the world.
The waitress comes over with two menus, and I order our drinks.
Danni leans over the menu. “Why did Lone Star call you Vintage?”
I smile, wondering if she was going to pick that up.
“It’s my road name. We each have a road name, a nickname that the guys give you when you join.”
“Lone Star is called Lone Star because he’s a loner. Prefers his own company in the mountains when he’s not working on a car. But his real name to anyone outside the club is Joseph.”
“How did you get Vintage.”
“Because I love vintage bikes.”
She gives a short laugh. “The way I love vintage cars.”
It’s not lost on me how well suited we are. The thought makes me uncomfortable. I swore I’d never let a woman get close to me again. But I didn’t know there was a woman like Danni out there.
The waitress comes over, and I’m happy for the distraction. We order the ribs to share and a plate of fries.
As we’re waiting for our food to arrive, another one of my MC brothers strides into the bar.
Word must have gotten around that I’m in here with a woman, and now they’ve all come for a gander.
I don’t mind. I want to show Danni off. I want to show everyone that she’s mine. Even if it’s only for a weekend.
Travis, other wise known as Hops, runs the Restaurant and Bar side of the business. He leans on the table. His gaze runs over Danni.
“Lone Star told me you had a woman in here. I had to see it for myself.”
His gaze lingers on Danni too long, and an appreciative smile crosses his lip.
“Don’t you have drinks to serve?” It comes out as a growl, and Hops gives me a startled look. It morphs into a knowing smirk when he sees my expression.
Quentin strides over to the table, breaking the tension.
“I’ve never seen Vintage bring a woman in here before. I had to check she wasn’t a hallucination.”
Quentin’s road name is Barrels on account of his stocky shape and the fact he runs the brewery. Him and Travis are old friends and when they both left the military, they started the motorcycle club with Raiden, the club president.
I glower at the both of them.
“Sorry Danni. I didn’t realize my MC brothers were going to be so immature.”
Barrels ruffles my hair, and I swipe his arm out of the way.
“Then you don’t know us at all, bro.”
Thankfully, they don’t stick around. We chat for a bit and then they head out back to get back to work.
Danni watches them go with a smile on her face. “They seem like a nice bunch of guys.”
I guffaw. “Nice isn’t a word I’d use to describe them.”
But I’m smiling as I say it. I’ll get the third degree at our next club meeting about Danni, but no matter how much we rib each other, I’d do anything for those guys. They’re my brothers. I fought alongside some of them and ride beside all of them. I’d follow those men anywhere.
The food arrives, and Danni gives an excited squeak when she sees the enormous plate of ribs glistening with barbecue sauce. She tears a rib off and pulls the flesh apart with her teeth.
I love watching Danni eat. She eats with as much passion as she comes. Her inhibitions fall away around food as much as they do in the bedroom.
“So how does it feel?”
She swallows her mouthful, leaving a sticky glob of sauce at the side of her mouth. “How does what feel?”
“Doing what you want for the weekend.”
She takes a sip of her soda and moans at the sugary hit.
“That’s good. I haven’t had a full fat Coke in ages.” She ordered the full sugar version with a look of such delight that it made me laugh.
“It’s feels wonderful, doing what I want for a change. This has been the best weekend I’ve ever had.”
She looks down quickly, embarrassed by the admission. But her words make my heart skip a beat.
I reach across the table and take her hand.
“It’s the best weekend I’ve ever had too.”
She looks up at me shyly, and my heart melts. How am I going to give this woman up tomorrow? But it’s selfish to think about me. Danni’s had too much control in her life. She needs to make her own choices.
“But what happens after? What will Danni do when you go back home?”
“Good question.” She sighs like the weight of the world’s on her shoulders and looks out the window.
“I’ve got no job to go back to.”
The frown lines are back on her face, and I hate myself for bringing it up. But maybe I can help Danni figure out what she wants to do with her life.
“I hated it. But at least it was a paycheck.” She pushes a fry around her plate, smearing sauce everywhere. “Mom’s already organized for my sister to get me an interview at her firm.”
She says it as brightly as she can, but I can tell she’s not happy about it.
“Is that what you want to do?”
“Mel works for the biggest finance company in the city. It would be a step up.”
“But is it what you want to do?”
Danni sighs again and shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know. It’s good money, good prospects. Mom’s only looking out for me. She wants me to be successful.”
She keeps looking down at her plate, and I get the pressure she’s under. But I can’t imagine a girl like Danni fitting in at a finance company.
“If your weekend of yes continued when you got back home, if you could ask for any job, any career, and it would be yours, what would you do?”
“I’d start my own business.”
There’s no hesitation in her answer. Danni’s thought about this before.
“Doing what?”
She drops her gaze again. “It’s a stupid idea.”
“Try me.”
“I mean, it’s a great idea, but I went to business school, it’s not the kind of life-changing idea that will make me a millionaire.”
“Danni, would you rather be a millionaire, or would you rather be happy?”
She tilts her head, looking at me. She’s smart, and I’m sure that whatever she turns her hand to will be successful.
“When you put it like that…”
“So, tell me about this idea.”
“Well, I love vintage fifties stuff. There are a lot of collectors out there, and there are a lot of artists doing things that have a fifties vibe. I had this idea to bring them together.”
“A studio?”
“Exactly.” Her eyes light up, and she gets animated as she talks. “An exhibition space as well as an online shop. I also do some artwork myself.”
She says the last bit shyly.
My admiration for her grows. This woman is full of surprises.
“What kind of art?”
“I draw. Sketches mostly. I love the fifties aesthetic.”
She pulls out her phone and flips to a photo. It’s a drawing of a woman’s face. Her hair is up in a fifties do, and her eyes are sad. She looks wistfully to the left of the frame. It’s sexy and smart and it’s bold.
“You drew this?”
She nods, biting her lower lip. “I’ve never shown anyone before.”
“Princess, this is amazing.”
Her frown turns into a smile. “You really think so?”
“Absolutely. You could sell these for sure. If you want to. Hell, I’ll buy this first one for the cabin.”
She laughs as if I’m joking. But I’m not. The woman’s got talent and an idea that would fit in around here. My brain goes into overdrive at the possibilities.
“You could find a studio…” I’m about to add here, in the mountains. But I’m interrupted by Danni’s phone ringing. Her face falls when she looks at the number.
“Everything all right?”
“It’s Mom.” She sighs heavily. “I could never get my studio idea going. Mom wouldn’t approve.”
She looks at her phone but doesn’t answer it. I don’t know what hold her mom has on her, but it’s time to let it go.
My hand closes over hers. It’s time someone gave her permission to be herself.
“Your mom’s holding you back, Danni. You’re a talented, smart woman with a business degree. If you want to start a vintage art studio, you can do it. I believe in you.”
She looks at the phone ringing in her hand.
Then, suddenly, she lifts it up and flings it out the window. The phone sails over the cliff’s edge and falls into the canopy of trees below.
Her stunned expression matches my own. We stare at each other. Then Danni bursts out laughing. It’s a wonderful sound, the sound of someone who’s truly free.
“You’re right, Colter. I’m done with trying to please my mom. It’s time I pleased myself.”
My heart lifts with pride. She’s going after what she wants. I just hope I’m included on that list.