Chapter 6
CLARA
The next afternoon, I was wrestling a bale onto the wagon we used for the hay rides when the low rumble of a motorcycle rolled up the gravel drive.
I didn’t even have to look up to know who it was.
My stomach did the same silly flip as it had the day before yesterday when Ronan showed up at the farm.
I straightened, brushing straw off my jeans, and watched him park beside the barn. When he pulled his helmet off, I grinned at how mussed his hair was. He popped down the kickstand, swung a leg over the bike, and headed straight for me.
“You’re back.” I tried to sound casual, but the catch in my voice gave me away. He’d told me as much last night on the phone, but sometimes it was still hard to believe someone like him was interested in me.
“Told you I would be.” He stopped a few feet away, his steely gaze sweeping over the wagon, the bales, and me. “Need a hand?”
I gestured at the mess. “If you’re offering to organize hay again, who am I to say no?”
He grabbed the nearest bale and hefted it like fifty-plus pounds was nothing, setting it along the wagon’s side wall where people would sit for the hay rides.
I watched for a moment, appreciating the bunching of the muscles, before I jumped in beside him.
We worked in an easy rhythm, with me directing placement and him lifting and stacking.
Ronan didn’t complain or act like manual labor was beneath him. If anything, he seemed to enjoy it.
By the time the wagon was situated how I wanted it, sweat had darkened his shirt across his shoulders, and I was fighting the urge to stare at the way his arms flexed every time he moved.
Dusting the hay off his hands, he glanced over at the pumpkin patch. “Looks good.”
“Thanks.” I pointed toward a stack of wood cutouts leaning against the side of the barn. “I’m going to set up the pumpkin one over there next.”
“What are they?” he asked, heading toward the barn.
“Fall-themed photo ops. They’re always popular during our fall festival days and get posted on social media a lot,” I explained. “Kids love sticking their faces through the holes.”
“Bet Cadell would love ’em.”
Thinking about the toddler son of the Hounds president and his wife, I nodded. “Only if he stood still long enough to actually have his photo taken.”
He shook his head with a deep chuckle. “True.”
“Maybe King and Stella will bring him, and then I’ll get to see how it goes.”
He lifted the top cut-out off the stack and turned the front toward me so I could see the picture of turkeys painted on the wood. “Where do you want this one?”
I pointed at the grassy spot near the parking lot. “Over there.”
Ronan carried it over for me, and after I got it set up, he did the same for a corn-themed one by the maze, pumpkins next to the you-pick patch, and a scarecrow near the ticket booth.
“Pose.”
Shaking my head, I laughed. “No way.”
“Come on.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “One picture. For me.”
I rolled my eyes but stepped behind the board, poking my face through the scarecrow hole. Then I stuck my tongue out.
He snapped the photo and lowered the phone with a rare smile. “Cute.”
“I look ridiculous.”
“You look fucking beautiful, like always.”
My breath caught at the compliment.
Before I could come up with a sassy reply, he stepped closer. “Dinner.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Bossy.”
“Damn right.” His eyes dropped to my mouth. “Say yes, Clara.”
I pretended to consider it, tapping my chin. “I don’t know…you didn’t really ask. So is there even anything to say yes to?”
He closed the distance in one step, cupped my face with a calloused palm, and kissed me. When he pulled back, I was breathing hard, and my sass had evaporated.
“Fine,” I whispered. “Dinner.”
“Good girl.” He kissed me again and stepped back. “Hope you’re hungry ’cause we’re going now. Not giving you time to change your mind.”
“Now?” I yelped. “I’m covered in hay and sweat.”
“You look perfect.” He jerked his chin toward the store. “But I’ll wait for you to clean up. Just don’t take too long, or I’ll be tempted to come looking for you. Not sure we’ll get any food tonight if I have you alone.”
Holy heck. The sensual promise in his deep voice sent a shiver down my spine that made me want to do anything but rush.
I hesitated, then mumbled, “I’ll try to be fast.”
Maybe.
Heading to the back stairs that led directly to my apartment over the store, I bolted up and inside my home.
Then I stripped out of my dirty clothes, quickly rinsed off in the shower, and yanked on a new outfit.
I only swiped on mascara and lip gloss. Leaving my hair down, I ran my brush through it a few times.
Barely seven minutes later, I went down to the store, where I found Harper leaning against the counter, grilling Ronan like it was her job.
“…and if you hurt her, I’ve got three siblings who’ll help me hide the body,” she was muttering. “Four if you piss Clara off enough to grab a shovel, too. We have a lot of acreage. Or we’ll feed you to the pigs. Either way, nobody’ll ever find you.”
Ronan looked amused. “Noted.”
I cleared my throat. “Harper. Behave.”
She grinned. “Just doing my sisterly duty.”
Heat flared in Ronan’s gaze as it swept over me. “Ready?”
“Yeah.”
We walked out to his bike, and he handed me his helmet after pulling it off the handlebars. “Wear this.”
I was stunned that he wanted me to ride on his motorcycle with him.
Hounds didn’t put a woman on the back of their bike unless they were serious about them, and we hadn’t even known each other for a week yet.
But Ace moved quickly to make Poppy his, so I couldn’t help but wonder—and hope—that was happening with Ronan and me.
“What about you?” I finally asked. “It’s not safe to ride without one.”
“I’ll be fine.”
I appreciated that he wanted to protect me, even at his own expense. But I wasn’t going to allow it when there was an easy solution. “Give me two minutes.”
Shoving the helmet back into his hands, I raced over to the barn and snagged my dad’s. When I came back out, Ronan nodded. “That’ll work.”
After putting on our helmets, he climbed onto his motorcycle, and I got on behind him. My arms went around his waist automatically, and I flattened my palms against the hard ridges of his abs through his shirt, the inside of his leather vest brushing against my knuckles.
He started the engine, and the vibration rolled through me. Looking over his shoulder, he asked, “In the mood for steaks or burgers? We could hit up The Fuel & Flame Diner or Brimstone.”
“Burgers sound great.” There was no way in heck I was going to pick the steakhouse while dressed in jeans. Even though we would get a table no matter what we wore since the Hounds owned it, I preferred not to feel out of place on my first date with Ronan.
Riding on the back of his bike was incredible, and the ten-minute trip to downtown Riverstone went by way too quickly.
The diner was also owned by the club, so we were able to snag a corner booth. I ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate milkshake. Ronan got his burger as a double, with fries and black coffee.
When our food arrived, I took one bite and let out a small, involuntary moan. The burger was the perfect combination of juicy, cheesy, and salty.
Ronan watched me, his eyes darkening. “The sounds you make when you eat are fucking sexy.”
I paused mid-bite, my cheeks heating. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“Like this?” I took another bite, letting my eyes flutter shut on purpose.
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Careful, baby. We’re in public.”
“You started it,” I teased.
While we ate, he asked about the orchard, the festival, and my siblings. When I brought up his family, he didn’t go into too much detail, except to say they moved around a lot when he was growing up.
When we finished, he paid and drove me back to the orchard. I was mentally debating whether I should invite him inside as he walked me up the stairs to my apartment.
He looked at the door and frowned. “No security lights. No cameras. One lock on the door?”
I shrugged. “Nothing ever happens here.”
His frown deepened as he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text. “I’m gonna add some extra security measures. Tomorrow.”
I blinked. “You’re serious.”
“Dead serious.” He pocketed the phone and stepped closer, backing me gently against the door. “Like I said last night, I’m not taking any chances with you. I protect what’s mine.”
His protectiveness had me melting against him. “Okay.”
He brushed his lips against mine, but the kiss quickly heated, as though he’d been holding back all night. One of his big hands tangled in my hair, and the other gripped my hip, pulling me against his broad chest.
I arched into him, my fingers digging into his shoulders. His beard scraped my chin as his tongue stroked mine, and I made a needy sound I couldn’t hold back.
He groaned into my mouth and pressed me harder against the door. His thigh slipped between mine, giving me just enough pressure to make me gasp. Heat pooled in my core, but then he gentled the kiss before pulling back.
“Not like this,” he rasped. “When I take you, you’re gonna understand what it means.”
Feeling dazed, I nodded, even though every part of me ached for more.
He gave me one more soft kiss, then he stepped back. “Lock up, baby.”
“I will.”
I unlocked the door and slipped inside. Turning the deadbolt, I leaned against the hard surface, my heart hammering.
My phone buzzed less than a minute later.
Ronan
Good girl. Sleep tight. See you tomorrow.
Smiling at the screen, my body still hummed from his touch.
I was already in deep with Ronan, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.