Chapter 5
XANTHE
I take one of my hands off Ghost’s rock-hard abs to pinch myself.
Yes, this is real.
I’m on the back of his bike, wearing his leather jacket, and holding on for dear life.
We’ve been riding for what feels like half an hour when we pull up at the beach.
Rest Falls might not be for everyone, but we do have beautiful beaches, and I’m glad he brought me here because I don’t get out exploring as much as I should.
I get off his bike and remove the helmet, smiling when the sunlight hits my face. “I love this beach.”
“It’s my favorite,” he rasps, leaning down and unzipping my jacket for me. He slides it off my shoulders. “You want to walk on the beach?”
“Sure,” I reply, a shiver going down my spine at the possessive look in his eyes. On impulse, I reach out and take his hand, and he glances down at me with an unreadable expression. “I’m going to take my shoes off so I can feel the sand. Do you want to take your boots off?”
He stares down at his biker boots and hesitantly nods. We walk down to the beach and leave our shoes at the bottom of the staircase.
“Thanks for taking me out, Ghost,” I say, staring out at the water. “I need a reminder that there’s a whole world out there sometimes.”
“Thank you for coming with me,” he replies, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “I wasn’t sure if you would say yes.” He hesitates, his throat working as he swallows. “I know you have plenty of better options than me, but I’ll never hurt you.”
“Promise?”
He nods. “Promise. I’d kill anyone who hurt you, sunshine.”
Smiling at the nickname, I look at him to see his gray eyes already on me.
“You’re not what I expected,” I admit, stopping to pick up a pretty shell from the sand. “Why did you act like that at the clubhouse?”
“I saw you, and it terrified me,” he confesses after a moment of silence.
“Why?”
“Because I felt something.” He suddenly grips my waist and picks me up. My legs automatically go around him. “You almost stepped on that,” he says, pointing to the piece of glass in the sand.
That would have fucking hurt.
“Let’s pick it up so no one else steps on it,” I say, and Ghost puts me down a few steps away, and then goes back for it.
Studying him, I try to figure him out.
He has the whole tortured-hero thing going for him, and he says seeing me scared him because it made him feel something.
What happened to him to make him so closed off?
I know the clubhouse is full of men with their own pasts and issues, but people avoid Ghost more than the others.
At least I know Ora and Lu do. They aren’t close to him.
In fact, I don’t think anyone is, which must be very lonely for him.
“Come on, let’s get you fed,” he rasps, and my cheeks heat because I just wrote a scene where the man fed his woman his cock.
“Sounds good,” I say, grinning to myself.
I am hungry.
He’s been watching me eat like a hawk, but I find that I don’t mind it.
I like his eyes on me. It feels protective, not judgmental.
I haven’t heard him laugh yet, but I’m going to make that my goal.
Maybe I’ll start with a proper smile, because aside from a few lip twitches or amusement in his eyes, I’m yet to experience that, either, but I know it’s going to be incredible.
He ordered a steak and potatoes, while I went for creamy chicken and vegetables. He finished his in a few bites, but is patiently waiting for me to catch up. He’s in no rush, and I love that.
“Why are you single?” he suddenly asks me. “You’re beautiful, smart, sweet.”
“Why are you single?” I ask in return, and he laughs without humor.
“I’m used to being alone, even when I’m in a room full of people.”
“You don’t have to be,” I say softly, reaching out and touching his scarred knuckles. “And I don’t know, I guess I’m a romantic at heart. I’ve been waiting for the right man to come along.”
His brow furrows like he doesn’t like that answer, and it could never be him.
He’s wrong.
“You know, when I saw you in the clubhouse, out of all the men, you caught my attention,” I confess, placing my fork on my plate.
Something flickers in his eyes, an emotion I can’t pinpoint. “I’m different.”
“You’re beautiful,” I whisper, and his eyes widen incredulously.
“I am anything but beautiful, little one.” He leans forward, teasing my jawline with his thumb. “I’m a monster. A ghost. I only live to cause pain, to destroy.”
My breath hitches. “Yet here you are taking me on the best date I’ve ever been on. You opened the door. You pulled out my chair. You’ve made me feel safe.” I turn my face into his palm, wanting more of his touch. “You aren’t a monster in my story, Ghost. At least, not yet.”
A muscle in his jaw works. “I don’t know how to do this.”
“This?”
“Us. I tried to stay away from you. I tried to push you away.”
I press a soft kiss onto his fingers, and his nostrils flare. “Well, we are both here now.”
“Yeah, I suppose we are,” he murmurs, his gaze dropping to my lips.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, Xanthe. You’re sunshine. I feel like suddenly the seasons are finally changing.”
Am I dreaming right now?
“You’re saying all the right things, Ghost, especially for someone who thinks they can only cause pain.”
He throws some money on the table and stands, offering me his hand. “Come on, let me get you home.”
And I smile the whole ride.