Chapter 3
COLT
Enigma. One of my favorite words. Interesting that she’d use it. I spun the ring on my forefinger and smirked. “Is that what we’re calling it?”
She lifted one shoulder in a sharp shrug, her gaze never wavering. “I said what I said.”
I’d spent three weeks watching her from the other side of the yard. Not in a creepy kind of way, but because she didn’t take any bullshit.
Okay, so looking at it from her perspective, it might’ve been a little creepy. She moved without any wasted motion.
I appreciated that. And tonight, she’d checked the room.
I knew that look.
Hell, we all knew that look of marking exits.
“Enigma implies mystery.” I stretched my arm along the bar, making sure I didn’t touch her but close enough to matter. If she wanted to leave, she had a wide open spot to my right. “Wouldn’t really call you mysterious.”
“No?” She finished her second beer, crossed her legs, and leaned forward. “What would you call me, since you think you know so much.”
“Direct. Sharp.” I angled my head to the side and gave her a measured look. “Mysterious people make you guess. You don’t bother.”
“Wow.” She snorted and tossed her head, sending her braid over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist. “Maybe you’re just not worth the effort.”
“Ouch.” I palmed my chest and grinned. “Let’s add spicy to the list.”
“If you’re keeping a list, you can add not interested.”
She said it, but her eyes lingered on me, her gaze traveling down my body and back up in a slow perusal.
“Liar.” I tapped the end of her nose.
“Oh, you’re definitely that one. And you can stop fishing. I’m not about to get hooked.”
The laugh came out bold and rich enough to turn Diesel’s head from across the room. I ignored him, and the way Hawk kept shooting glances my way, and concentrated on the only thing that mattered.
Callie’s head tipped a tiny bit to the side, and her lips twitched.
Not interested, huh? I’d bet my bike she knew how to have a good time, and I planned on showing her I could too.
It usually didn’t take me this long to get a read on someone. Forty-five seconds or less on most days.
But not Callie. Maybe she’d been right from the beginning and she really was an enigma. I liked that thought more than I wanted to.
She reached past me, grabbing another beer.
Her arm crossed mine, putting us skin to skin as her forearm slid forward and back until the bite of the cold bottle dripped onto my arm and she retreated.
Once she cracked the cap and took a drink, she gave me one of those close-lipped smiles that made her cheeks pinch. “What do you actually do around here besides sit at bars?”
“I’m the road lieutenant.”
“I know your title.” She rolled her eyes. “What does that mean?”
“It means I ride first. I scout the route, read the ground, and get the crew out before a situation turns deadly.” I leaned forward just enough to box her in, testing her statement about not being interested.
Her pupils dilated, and she licked her lower lip.
Busted.
I smiled slowly, letting it spread wide enough to show my teeth. “Hawk decides where we’re going. I figure out how to get there and back in one piece.”
She nodded, her gaze shooting to the corner where Hawk stood. “What happens when you can’t get out?”
“Never had it happen.” My shrug wasn’t nearly as careless as hers. “Had some close calls, but there hasn’t been a situation yet that I haven’t seen and moved us around.” I held up a finger as her lips parted. “It’s not luck.”
She bit her bottom lip and kept quiet.
Hawk glanced our way again, this time with an intent behind the look that warned me to back off.
Nah. I liked where I was sitting, and I’d seen Callie in action. She could get me to move or leave at any time.
Ricky cut across the room, his macho grin in place and his chest puffed out. He swaggered over and dropped a hand onto the bar behind Callie. “So you’re the new wrench, huh?”
“That’s what Hawk says.” She kept her back to him, which surprised me. I expected her to fling and run, or look at me to intercede.
I would if I needed to, but a quick look at the way her eyes transformed into cold pits stopped me.
“Pretty small for a mechanic.” Ricky’s fingertips trailed over her shoulder and across to the back of her neck.
She stood and turned so fast it damn near gave me whiplash just watching her.
“You know what else is small?” She spat the words at Ricky, her tone glacier. “Men who touch women without asking. Do it again and you’ll lose something.” Her gaze flicked to his crotch. “I’m guessing you’d miss it quite a bit but all of humanity might celebrate.”
Ricky spluttered, his face going red.
“Beat it.” I hooked my thumb toward the pool tables. “You heard her. She’s not interested.” I waited until he did as ordered before I sat back and whistled. “Now that I know what ‘not interested’ really looks like, I think I’ll take my chances.”
Arms crossed, she stood several seconds, her body trembling.
“You hungry?” I motioned toward the kitchen behind the bar. “Prospects have been cooking all day.”
She shook her head. “I’m good.”
“How about a walk?” I stood and held out a hand. Several others eyed us, Callie in particular, and considered taking a shot.
“Where?” Her arms remained crossed, but the tension released, dropping her shoulders and loosening her grip on her elbows.
“You might not be hungry, but I’m starving.” I wiggled my fingers. “There’s a new guy who makes the most incredible onion rings.”
She shook her head. “I’m not hungry, but I could use a break. I’ll follow you.”
Not what I wanted, but good enough. I plowed through the crowd.
They didn’t part for me like they did Hawk, but I didn’t mind.
A couple guys tried to intercept, but I turned and put a group between us, making sure Callie stayed on my heels and didn’t get pulled into any of the tight pockets of people.
Several danced along to a bawdy tune screeching about love. A few more played pool in the back corner, smoke hanging thick overhead.
Callie stepped on my heel and didn’t apologize.
Diesel kept a clear line of sight as we crossed the room.
He’d taken up a position in the corner, his attention locked in.
Diesel was the kind of guy who found few things interesting, but when he did, getting him to let go was like trying to pry apart a bulldozer with a toothbrush.
We were going to have a conversation about that in relation to Callie. Later. He’d had his chance and he walked off.
“Is it always like this?” Callie shouted to be heard over the rising conversations.
Someone turned up the stereo, causing the bass to boom through the floor and up my legs.
“It’s Saturday.” I looked back long enough to take in her amused expression. “It’ll be quieter Monday.” Two steps later, I pushed open the kitchen door and stopped to appreciate the aroma of onion and cheese that never went away.
A prospect sat at a folding table cutting onions. He jerked to his feet.
“Sit down.” I waved him off, grabbed two plates, and waved them side to side. “Take whatever you want.”
“Really not into onion rings.” She scanned the kitchen, paused at the door leading to the back, then the second one that led deeper into the house.
I grabbed a couple drinks, two bags of chips, and headed straight across the kitchen to the hallway on the other side.
It wasn’t the best setup, but we’d had to make several modifications since taking over the old building.
We stopped on the other side, and I faced her, dropping everything onto a table sitting beneath an old mirror. “I’d like to touch you, Callie.”
I understood what she’d told Ricky, and even though she showed all the signs of being into me, no way in hell I’d lay hands on her without permission.
Her chin notched up. “Was that whole expedition through the kitchen a ruse to get me alone?” She looked left and right, then over my shoulder. “Where are we?”
“Main compound.” I pointed left. “My room’s that way. Hawk’s and Diesel’s are down the right, and behind me is the rear exit. Really hoping you don’t want that one.”
“And what do you think I want?” Her hands lowered to her sides, her eyes shifting to a warm brown that almost welcomed me.
I took a step toward her and braced my hands on the wall on either side of her head.
She could still leave by ducking under my arm, but she stayed.
“I’d love to find out exactly what you want.
What you like.” I lowered my head so we were eye to eye.
“I’d love to know what makes you moan and what makes you come apart. ”
Her breathing hitched, and she licked her lower lip again.
The sight tightened my stomach and swelled my cock.
I leaned in another inch, close enough to smell the oil on her hands and the lilac shampoo in her hair. I slid my hands down the wall, skimming the outline of her body and settling them on her hips.
Her eyes fluttered shut, and she whispered, “Prove it.”
I kissed her, hard and fast, then soft and slow. She met me every step of the way, her body curling into mine, fitting us together.
Both hands grasped my shirt and pulled, which was all the rest of the permission I needed to deepen the kiss and nudge her back against the wall.
I slid a knee between her legs, my fingers digging into her hips.
She released a sigh when I swept my tongue into her mouth, followed by a light growl when I notched my knee higher.
I knew that sound.
She wanted more.
Well, so did I, and I wasn’t about to fuck her right here in the hallway.
Not that I couldn’t. I had every right, and I’d done it before, but if someone walked in on us, I was pretty sure I’d tear them apart.
No one else got to see her like this.
No one but me.
I pulled back just enough to see her face.
Her eyes opened, her eyes darkened to a near black. Every breath came out a short pant, and her grip on my shirt tightened. “You stopped.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not done.” I slid one hand up her ribs, moving beneath the thin shirt to the skin underneath. “Making sure you didn’t change your mind.”
“Trust me, if I did, you’d know.” Her head fell back when I cupped her breast in one hand.
I couldn’t resist the exposed hollow of her throat, and she arched into me when I kissed her there.
“More.” She moved her hands from my shirt to my hair, running her fingers through it and scraping her nails down the back of my neck. “Colt.” It came out breathy and impatient.
I grinned and kissed her shoulder, flicking my thumb across her nipple at the same time. “This way.” I took her hand and led her to my room, pushing open the door to let her enter ahead of me.
She stuck her head inside and blinked a couple times. “Nice.”
“About to be a whole lot nicer.” I kicked the door shut and pulled her into my arms. “Anything I need to know before we get started? Any phobias or any specific no touching zones?”
“Nope.” She draped her arms around my neck and pulled my head down.
I could work with that.” I tugged her shirt up and over her head, then kissed her while toeing off my boots.
She chuckled against my mouth when I nearly tripped and broke the kiss. “Maybe just take your boots off like a normal guy.”
“I will if you will.” I eyed her black boots and the slim-fit jeans.
“But I get the jeans. Don’t you dare touch those.
” I had a thing for it. No idea why but the thought of pulling those jeans off her, of exposing her skin bit by bit and kissing every inch, turned me on more than should be possible.