6. Meredith
MEREDITH
The second my eyes open, I know I’ve fucked up. My head is pounding, and my mouth is dry. I didn’t even drink that much, but I’ve always been a lightweight.
Glancing next to me, Nate is fast asleep, but on top of the covers, while I’m underneath. He’s fully dressed, and so am I. I remember us having a few drinks and chatting into the early hours of the morning.
I got drunk with my kidnapper.
The documentary narrates itself.
But he didn’t hit on me.
In fact, he was the perfect gentleman and put me at ease. If last night were a date and not a kidnapping, I’d definitely be seeing him again.
I don’t think Nate is a bad man, but he definitely has some questionable morals.
He rolls over, and a blue-eyed gaze clashes with mine.
“What happened to the couch?” I ask.
He smiles slowly, his eyes closing again. “Drunk you was a lot nicer than sober you, and you said I could sleep here as long as I didn’t touch you. Something about you loving a one-bed trope, whatever that is…” He pauses, and adds, “Also, you snore. It’s cute.”
“I do not!” I gasp while he laughs under his breath. “So, you’re a biker. Drunk you let that drop last night.”
A biker who looks like Jax from that biker television show. I remember telling him that last night too.
But hotter.
“I am, yes. Does that matter?”
“No,” I reply, shrugging. In fact, it’s kind of sexy. “I met another biker recently, and he’s really nice.”
“Oh, is he?” he mutters in a dry tone, sitting up and looking over at me. “Tell me about this biker.”
“Why?” I ask, stretching my arms over my head.
“Do you want him?” he asks, frowning.
“What does it matter?” I reply, watching him get out of bed and head toward the bathroom. He pulls off his T-shirt, and my eyes widen as I take in his ripped abs, mouth-watering pecs, and smooth chest. There’s a trail of blond hair that leads down from below his belly button into his sweatpants.
“Like what you see?” He smirks, and I realize I’ve been openly staring.
“You know you look good,” I grumble. I don’t see any tattoos on him until he turns around, and I see the giant one that covers most of his back. It’s a skull with a snake going through the mouth. “Serpents of Chaos MC. That’s what Pyro’s leather vest said on it.”
“It’s called a cut,” Nate explains, turning around and studying me. “So, you know Pyro?”
“Not for long, but we’ve spent some time together at the animal shelter I volunteer at,” I explain, my gaze still roaming over his abs.
Do you know how much dedication it takes to keep a body like this? Does the man live at the gym?
“Hmm,” he hums, and when I glance back up at him, annoyance flickers in his eyes. “I’m going to take a shower, and then I’ll make us some breakfast.”
“Okay,” I say, staring at his ass as he turns around. He hasn’t made any moves on me at all. Meanwhile, I’ve been turned on since the moment I woke up and saw him.
What is wrong with me?
Why did he really bring me here?
I thought maybe he saw me and wanted me, so he took me, but maybe that’s not it at all.
I’ve been reading way too many dark romance novels.
He comes out in a fresh pair of low-slung jeans and no shirt, and I let out a soft moan. Now he’s just torturing me. Deciding to do the same, I take my shower and appear in the kitchen with nothing but a gray T-shirt, showing off my legs.
His eyes go right to them, and his throat works as he swallows. “Fuck.”
Hiding my grin, I walk around him and look in the refrigerator. Seeing some orange juice, I pull it out and pour myself a glass. “Bacon and eggs?”
“Yeah, and some hash browns,” he replies, turning back to the stove. “You want to go for a hike today?”
“Yeah, that sounds good.” Luckily, I have my sneakers, and I washed and dried my clothes last night.
A vision of him chasing me through the forest with a mask on has me clearing my throat.
I really need to get laid. It’s been a solid year since I’ve been with someone, and it’s never bothered me as much as it is right now.
“What are you thinking about?” he suddenly asks me, cupping my face and lifting it so he can look into my eyes.
“You don’t want to know,” I reply smoothly.
“I think I do,” he says in a low growl. “You were biting your bottom lip.”
“Was I?”
He nods and steps closer to me. “Tell me.”
I shake my head. “Just a scene from a book I read.”
“Oh, yeah? Why don’t you tell me about it?”
Goddammit!
“You ever heard of primal play?” I ask, and his eyes flare.
The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.
“Yes, I have.” His voice is deeper than it’s ever been.
“Well, he put on a mask and chased her through the forest, and then when he caught her…”
“He gets to have his way with her,” he finishes for me, lowering his lips to my ear. “That mind of yours is a very dangerous place, Doc. I’m trying to behave here, but you aren’t making it easy. There’s a bad girl under all of that class, isn’t there?”
“What are we doing here?” I ask him, arching my neck. “This is madness.”
“You smell like me,” he growls, breathing in deeply.
He kidnapped me and brought me to a secluded cabin. And now I’m all but panting for him. It’s official, I’ve lost my damn mind. Stepping away from him, I clear my throat and put space between us. “I’m going to get ready for the hike.”
“Doc…” he calls out to my retreating back.
“Yeah?”
“Tell me the name of that book. I’m going to read it tonight,” and then he goes back to cooking our breakfast.
Shirtless.
The inked muscles on his back ripple.
Shaking my head, I get out of there.
I’ve lost my damn mind, and when I get out of here, I’m going to run as far away from Nate as I can.