Chapter 2
Summer
My heart pounds as my eyes race between Anchor’s, or that is what Theresa Wobble and Maggie Love, the campus mean girls called him as they watch on.
They are probably hoping I’m about to walk away so they can try and convince him for a three-way, something they are well known for with some of the professors which I know for a fact isn’t just rumors like they try to claim them do be.
The sight of Professor Martin fisting Theresa’s mousy brown hair as she sucks him off while Maggie licks her from underneath her will forever haunt me.
“Come on, sunshine, get on the bike,” Anchor rasps, and I blink before eyeing his bike, the silver tank glaring in the sun, before I lock eyes with him again, and he tilts his head, raising a brow.
My lips still tingle from his stolen kiss, my whole body humming, my mind still fuzzy as he keeps eye contact with me, daring me not to get on his bike.
“I don’t think that is a good idea,” I finally say, and his eyes darken.
“Is that so?” he asks, and I nod cautiously.
Something tells me he’s never had a girl say no to him before.
Anchor slowly licks his bottom lip as he assesses me, then confirms, “Because of the boyfriend?”
I shake my head but don’t say anything, partly because I don’t want this handsome, rugged man to get a bigger ego than he seems to already have if he knows I did indeed dump Gabriel.
It wasn’t because of him. It was because Gabriel was a prick and I was only with him because Amber insisted.
“Then what is stopping you?” Anchor asks, ignoring our spectators watching, still clearly hoping I’ll walk away, “Because if I’m being honest, I’m about ready to pick you up and place you on my bike.”
And this is why I’m not walking away after I declined. The man looks dead ass serious.
My eyes widen at his balls, and I choke, “Pretty sure that is classed as kidnapping!”
He shrugs and murmurs, “Pretty sure I don’t give a fuck, get on the back of my bike, Summer.”
His command sends butterflies in the pit of my stomach, a feeling I never got with anyone, especially not Gabriel. Which explains why Amber is blowing up my phone.
My theory that she was hoping he’d get my inheritance is becoming more real the more she demands I answer the phone, to go grovel to the slime ball to take me back.
It wouldn’t surprise me if she was screwing him to be honest.
I gently chew my bottom lip, Anchor’s eyes showing me he means it, but I just can’t.
He brings out feelings in me I’ve never felt before, which is weird considering I don’t even know him, and growing up, I watched my father devote his entire time to raising me, to ensuring I came first. He never settled down, never brought a woman home.
Heck, after Amber left two days after she gave birth to me, mostly pissed because my dad wouldn’t marry her, she showed him women can’t be trusted.
Whether he intended it or not, he instilled those feelings into me growing up.
I’m attracted to men, I just don’t trust them just like I don’t trust Amber, and even though Anchor is coming on strong, saying all the right things that Maggie and Theresa would fall for, I haven’t.
I was raised better than that, and besides for four years I watched Amber have a revolving door of men.
“I still don’t think it is a good idea,” I finally say, and I swear his whole body tenses. Giving him a slight smile, I nod to the two women watching and say, “I’m sure Maggie or Theresa will take up your offer.”
His jaw ticks as I feel the two women in question step closer, and I turn, unlocking my car before opening the back door and throwing my bag inside then shutting the door again.
I go to open my driver’s door when I feel a large presence behind me, before a tatted hand presses on the door to stop me from opening it.
My heart pulses as my stomach tightens and instead of recoiling, instead of fear running through me, my whole body lights up like fireworks.
“Get your ass on the back of my bike,” Anchor rasps against my ear, sending shivers down my back. He threatens, “Five seconds, Summer, or I’ll throw you over my shoulder in front of everyone, move it now!”
I don’t move for a moment, trying to get my bearings.
Growing up in Wincher, everyone knew who the MC was, what they did for our town, how they brought in more revenue. I’ve also heard the rumors going around college about how crazy they can be, especially where women are concerned. I just don’t understand why he wants me.
Swallowing, I turn in his hold hoping he’ll back up, but he doesn’t, so our noses are basically touching with how he is leaning over me.
“You know I could scream, right?” I threaten back, trying to keep the backbone I was brought up with, but this man, being this close, is blinding me a little.
“You could,” he smirks, cockiness radiating from him, “but before a sound comes out of your mouth, mine will be on yours.”
The urge to climb into my car pulls me; this kind of situation is not something I’m used to, and, as if he can read me —something that honestly scares me —his eyes soften.
“It’s just a ride, Summer, that is all I’m asking for,” he whispers, “I promise I won’t hurt you.”
“I don’t even know you,” I remind him, his promise not to hurt me completely bullshit.
I may sound extremely cynical despite only being twenty-one, but when someone claims they won’t hurt you, they are usually the one who will end up hurting you.
“Well, then, why not bite the bullet and come with me so you can get to know me and see you’ll be able to trust me and my word that I won’t hurt you,” he says lowly, and I swallow hard as our eyes lock.
“Okay, tell me one truth and I’ll get on the back of your bike,” I say, testing him, and he groans, dropping his head before he sighs as he looks at me.
“Or I could just throw you on my bike,” he retorts, and I just raise a brow.
He can try, but it’ll be a fight and he knows it.
He tilts his head when I don’t change my facial expression, keeping a stoic look that my dad taught me, and he sighs, “Every weekend during high school and days during the holidays, I worked out at sea on a massive boat”
“That isn’t a very good truth, Anchor,” I express, and he smirks.
“How I got my road name, not a lot of people are aware it’s because I sunk the anchor on said boat, costing the owners thousands of dollars.” He admits, and my mouth parts in shock.
“And my name is Eric, I want you to call me Eric,” he finishes, and I swallow hard as he gently grabs my hip and demands softly, “Get on the bike, Summer, and take a risk.”
My body tingles, his touch soaring through me despite not being skin on skin, and my eyes race between his, actually considering this.
I must be the stupidest girl in the world.
***
“Tell me about yourself, sunshine,” Anchor murmurs as we sit on the grass, our backs leaning up against the tree as we look out over the lake half an hour later.
After I decided to say screw it, I locked up my car and I reluctantly climbed on the back of his bike and had my first ride, which honestly wasn’t as scary as I thought it was going to be. I was quite exciting, really, though the angry faces of Maggie and Theresa may have added to my pleasure.
I lean my head back and watch as the water shines, memory after memory of my childhood before losing my dad consuming me.
It’s so goddamn pretty here, and every year on my birthday, my dad used to bring me here for a picnic and a cake, just him and me, and when I lost him, I’d come here to mourn instead.
“Sunshine?” I question, instead of answering his question, needing to know why he calls me that, especially since it was the same nickname my dad called me.
“You have that aura around you,” he admits, and I look at him, and as our eyes lock, he whispers, “Your eyes sparkle like the sun while your name gives it the meaning of sunshine.”
Damn….
“You don’t even know me, I could be a miserable person for all you know,” I whisper, not meaning for my voice to come out that way.
I wanted to sound strong so he wouldn’t think he gets to me, but that was, yeah, it got to me.
“Maybe not, but I have this feeling about you, Summer, and I know that I intrigue you, that you gravitate towards me just like I gravitate towards you. I know it’s scary but I just want to get to know you and for you to get to know me because this feeling between us, the one I know you feel, it isn’t something men in my position look the other way over, we grab hold of it and don’t ever fucking let it go. ”
I look back out at the water, breaking our connection as my heart pounds, his sincerity too much for me to handle.
I’m not programmed for this kind of seriousness, and that may be because of the lack of a mother figure in my life. I know I have this weird feeling towards him, I can feel it deep down. I just…
Can I let someone in?
I’ve been alone for so long, and my relationship with Gabriel was purely because of Amber so what is saying Eric won’t hurt me?
“What is the worst that can happen, sunshine?” he asks, and I take a deep breath.
You could break my heart, I think but instead I look at him and admit, “My dad used to call me sunshine because I lit up his whole world and this lake, every year without fail, for as long as I can remember, he would bring me here with a picnic and a cake, even if it was raining and we had to eat in his car, without fail he’d celebrate with me. ”
“What happened to your dad?” he asks softly, and I swallow hard.
“He had a heart attack while at work and died at the scene. I was fourteen,” I whisper.
“I’m sorry, sunshine, but I won’t stop calling you that,” Eric rasps, and I give him a small smile.
“It's fine,” I say as I look back at the water.
“Did you live with your mama then, after your dad died?” he asks carefully.
“Unfortunately,” I admit, “She walked away when I was two days old and not once did I hear from her until after my dad died and she came to the school to basically claim me hoping to get whatever my dad left for me. Sucks for her I guess, because Dad was smart,” I look at him and ask, “Wat about you?”
He smiles, “I was conceived accidentally. My dad got his road name, Taser, after my grandpa tasered his ass, finding him butt naked in my mother’s bed when she was only seventeen.”
I choke out a laugh, and he chuckles.
“My mama is great, she followed in her dad's footsteps becoming a cop, and I see her every Sunday without fail for dinner, and my dad, well, he married Hannah, my step-mama, who is a doll. I have a little sister who is twenty,” he admits, and I smile, hearing the fondness in his voice.
“He didn’t want to stay with your mama?” I ask, and he shakes his head.
“They were friends with benefits, never in love, and while Dad wanted to claim her, it wasn’t because he was in love with her.
It was because she had me, but Mama wouldn’t allow him to derail her life.
Growing up, I only spent weekends at the club.
My mama was my primary parent, and I know Dad was salty over that.
When given the choice as I got older, I stayed with my mama,” he admits, “I went through a phase where Dad wouldn’t speak to me, wouldn’t pay Mama.
That's how salty he became, which is why I started working weekends. It wasn’t until I became a prospect, something my mama encouraged, that he began to soften again. ”
“Did you not resent him?” I ask with curiosity, and he smiles softly.
“For a little while, yeah, I did, but I grew up with a strong ass mama,” he replies with a smile that completely blows me away that I can’t help but smile softly back, and sparks fire off between us.
“I know this is scary,” he whispers as he leans forward, our lips inches apart, “but I know how amazing we could be if you just give me a chance.”
He gently presses his lips against mine, sending tingles to rush through me, and I suck in a breath.
Can I do this?
I’ve dated, but I’ve never wanted to be around them, and with Eric, I feel the need to allow him to consume me, which is absolutely terrifying.
“Please, sunshine,” he whispers, and I slowly close my eyes, knowing I’m going to give in, knowing I’m going to go against everything my father ever taught me… It’s just dating, right?
What harm could he do?