Chapter 4
Mari
When he says, “Come again,” it’s a dangerous rumble that shakes my insides.
Goodness, that sound. It’s so comforting and hot. But I wish I’d have kept my mouth closed.
“Clark knows where you live?” he asks directly, those broad shoulders seeming to get bigger.
For some reason, my mouth opens and spills the truth. “I’ve seen him driving by.”
Fletch stares down at me, jaw muscles tense, eyes razor sharp. “Mari, what I’m about to say is probably going to scare you.”
He pauses and I grip the edge of the desk.
“We’re moving you and your sister in here. We have several cabins, two of them are ready for guests. I’ll put you and your sister up in one as part of your job.”
A shocked sound comes out of my lips.
“Now hear me out,” he warns when he sees my distress.
I’m in a cold sweat, my throat is stinging. It feels like the air is thin. “I can’t just move in here. It’s a motorcycle gang. I mean… club.”
He nods solemnly. “It is, but the Mountain Men MC have always helped women in danger. Our other chapters have dorms for women that need temporary housing. I can show you photos.”
I’m trying to calm my pulse. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t believe this.”
He’s already got his phone out. The thick, callused pad of his thumb moves over the screen, swiping through photo after photo. “This is the Wyoming chapter. And this one is Colorado. And this is Northern California.”
There are pictures of dorms, women, even children, and lots of men in motorcycle vests.
One photo makes his eyes soften. “Last Christmas in Denver. Had a big fundraiser. We fed and clothed twenty families.”
There’s so much pride in his words it causes a warm flood of emotion to spread behind my breasts.
He lowers the phone and steps closer. When he rests his hand on my shoulder, his thumb brushes my neck.
“You’re safe here, Mari. You have my word.
The job is yours. The pay is yours. I’ll take my truck to get your belongings and move you and your sister in tonight. ”
Tears sting the back of my eyes. I have to look away. “I’ll have to drive my sister to school in town every morning.”
“One of us will go with you,” he says firmly. “I won’t take a chance you’ll run into Clark or his boys.”
Gulp. That chills me. I hadn’t thought about Clark intercepting me. I want Cassie safe, that means we can’t stay where we are.
I tell him, “I don’t have much. Our apartment isn’t very…”
“The cabin is furnished. I’ll take you to show you now.”
He extends a hand and I take it. It’s shocking again that his hand is so big. The palm is twice the size of mine. It’s warm, strong, and full of calluses like I’ve always admired in a man.
Fletch leads me along a path, around the big construction site for the main building, and a short distance to a cabin.
“This one is the nicest,” he says.
Oh my god. My heart is up in my throat. “Did you fix this up?”
He nods, making a gruff sound.
“It’s beautiful,” I murmur as he leads me to the bright red door. The rocking chairs even have a fresh coat of matching paint.
He opens the heavy door and lets me walk in first. The floorboards creak softly. It’s the most cozy living room I’ve ever seen. “Did you decorate this?”
The corners of his eyes crinkle in an almost smile. “I’m a lot better at building things, but me and the guys managed.”
It’s got art. Motorcycles of course. But they are framed nicely. There’s a thick rug and two big comfortable chairs. There’s a nice solid-wood dining table and four chairs. The thought of Cassie doing homework there makes me choke up even more.
“There are two bedrooms plus a large bathroom,” he says. “There’s a loft that could be a study.”
“It’s perfect,” I whisper, trying to get my racing heart under control. “This is such a huge step up from where we are living.”
He’s very still by the door, watching. His breathing is steady when mine is choppy and shallow. When I turn and face him, I do the most natural thing I’ve ever felt. I rush toward him with both arms lifted to hug him.
Fletch opens his arms and surrounds me. Literally wraps me up in all of his strength.
God. He’s warm and strong. I naturally melt into him. Soft curves fitting against his hard chest and abs. We fit like puzzle pieces in a strange way.
“Sweetheart,” he rasps against my hair. “You okay?”
“Overwhelmed. No one has ever done anything so nice as this for me. We’ve… had it really hard. This seems too good to be real.”
He strokes my hair with his oversized hand and he’s silent for a long moment.
I don’t know when it happens, but something shifts between us. His fingers thread into my hair, knocking the band loose and he tilts my face up.
“You feel so fucking good in my arms.” His voice is husky as darkness takes over his eyes. But I’m not scared. I’m a moth to a flame.
My tongue skates across my lips. “You feel really good too,” I whisper, my own words husky. “I feel so alive, like I’m waking up after I’ve been asleep my whole life.”
His nostrils flare and his hand tightens in my hair. For a few seconds, the tension builds. Then I let my fingers thread into the hair at his nape. It’s soft and clean. The intimacy makes my whole body feel warm and fizzy.
Fletch dips down so our lips are almost touching. In a rasp, he asks, “Yes or no, sweetheart?”
“Yes, please,” I whisper back.
Fletch drops his mouth over mine. Exactly like I knew he would. Decisive. In charge.
His other hand moves to my back, the broad palm firm against me as he lifts me higher and holds me tight to his body.
With a growl in his throat, the gigantic biker deepens the kiss. His lips move against me with a rough, hungry pressure. When his tongue slides inside, he strokes against mine, retreats, then curls around it to draw me into following his lead.
When I’m breathless, Fletch pulls my bottom lip between his, sucking gently before covering my mouth again.
I lose all sense of time, and my breath.
“Fuck, little thing, you got me running hot,” Fletch growls against my lips.
We’re breathing heavily. Between us his cock is a tree-limb running down the left leg of his jeans.
All the little nicknames he uses unravels a cold part of my mind and lets sunshine in.
“Me too. I’m on fire,” I say breathless, as I launch myself at him for the second time today. It’s not delicate, or pretty. I’m breathing like I’m running. Our teeth bump, our tongues glide and twist until heat is racing all over my body.
Fletch hooks a hand around my thigh and lifts me off the ground. “Legs around me.”
When the part of me that’s aching and hot lands against him, we both groan.
“I didn’t bring you here to fuck you.” His husky, filthy words are against my ear. “But that’s all I can think about. I’ve never wanted something as much as I want you.”