“Five minutes?” She glared.
“Four, since you keep stalling.”
“That’s not fair.” She glanced around at the others and seemed to gain strength from those she’d gotten to know. “You can’t boss me around all the time. I like you much better when you’re the nice guy, instead of mean.”
He tapped down his anger and stalked toward her. When he stood in front of her, not giving her an inch, he lowered his face. “Mean? Babe, you have no idea what you did to me by ripping away everything we’ve built together and walking out of my life. You were running.”
“You let me go.”
“I had you covered from the parking lot at Shift’s to the bar with my men.” He lowered his voice. “I didn’t let you run alone. I promised I wouldn’t.”
“Oh.” Her mouth formed the word, but no sound came out.
“I won’t have my woman doubt me. Ever. I don’t care what you hear from others, or what you imagine going on in your head. If you have doubts, you come to me. I’m first in your life. Just as I put you first in mine. You don’t see me hanging around here, neglecting you, do you?”
“No.”
“No.” He nodded. “I take you to work, bring you back from work, and I watch you for hours after you fall asleep at night. I do that because I want to protect you … even from your dreams, because you mean something to me. I don’t threaten to leave when you piss me off and babe, you’re pissing me off right now. Do you see me going anywhere?”
“No.”
That’s right.” He inhaled quickly. “I understand you assumed I dealt drugs. I get that. But, babe, you cut me off every time I opened my mouth to explain. I don’t condone illegal drug use. At. All. What I do condone is family, and everyone in the Bantorus club is my family. That means I will go balls to the wall to keep this area clean and safe for each one of them. If that means ridding Pitnam of Lagsturns or throwing you over my shoulder and taking you home, I will. Do you understand now?”
“Rain — ”
“I asked, do you get what I’m saying?”
“Yes.” She spoke quietly, stepped around him, and snatched her purse off the counter. Then she whirled around. “And if you would’ve given me a chance to speak instead of lecturing me about your rules and the biker lifestyle, you would’ve found out while I was driving back to the bar, I discovered I was falling in love with you. Yeah, I thought about running, but I couldn’t because you’re here. I might be stupid and jump to conclusions, but you’ve given me a chance to figure out what is happening to us. But since you’re too stubborn to listen to me, you can forget about everything I’ve said, because now I don’t feel like talking to you.”
She hitched her purse over her shoulder and marched to the door, her ass swishing with each hurried step. He blinked.
She’s fallen in love with me?
“Hey!” He grinned, holding his arms out to the sides.
She stopped at the door, gazing at him over her shoulder. His balls ached with pleasure. Damn, she was something. “Everything is good, right?”
“Yeah.” She shook her head, laughing.
He raised his hands and smiled. “Thank fuck for that.”
“Then get out here, because I’m getting on the back of your bike.” She arched her brow. “You’ve got two minutes.”
Then she pushed through the door. He stood, absorbing how much the small grin he’d seen before she’d turned around completely undid him. Deciding he liked this new turn of events, he wanted to capture all that pent-up fire she was spitting out at him when they got home. He strode to the door, ignoring all the stares and witnesses. If his woman wanted to go home, he’d damn well take her home.
Torque caught him at the door. “Boss? Tonight’s still on, right?”
He shrugged. “Tonight?”
“Yeah.” Torque cleared his throat. “The meeting with Sanchez.”
“Shit. I gotta get my head straight.” He sighed, thumping his fist against the door. Rattled and centered around his personal life, he’d forgotten all about the bigger problem hanging over all of them. Especially Tori. “Yeah, I’ll be back.”
The ride home was the longest half hour ride of his life. Five minutes from his house, Tori’s hands started exploring his body. In the same time it took to stomp the kickstand down, he’d carried her into the house, set the alarm, and had her up against the door.
His breath came fast and hard. “Two choices. The floor or the bedroom.”
She wiggled out from under his arm, took one, two, three steps, and took off running up the stairs, laughing the whole way. He caught her at the doorway to the bedroom, and fell with her to the bed, cushioning his fall. His hands went to her ass, dragging her farther up on the bed. Her arms went around his neck, and he groaned in pleasure as she bucked her pelvis against him.
“Need you,” he said.
She inhaled swiftly. “I’m right here.”
“Sorry, babe,” he whispered. “You scared me, running off and not listening.”
“I know.” She nibbled his bottom lip. “Bad habit.”
“We good?”
Her eyes softened. “Yeah.”
He slid her down his body, enjoying the mixed pleasure and pain of her body rubbing against his hard one. He took the end of her shirt and pulled it over her head, sucking in his breath.
The black, lacy bra barely covered the bottom half of her breasts. He trailed his finger over the top of each mound, watching her chest rise as she inhaled swiftly.
“Rain?”
“I’ve got you,” he murmured.
He stripped off his own shirt, and then moved to her jeans. The belt came undone, and he yanked it out of the loops and tossed it across the room. He had her naked underneath him within seconds.
“Rain?”
He tangled his fingers in the hair at the back of her head and brought her face toward him. “What do you need?”
She smiled. “You. Only you.”
He captured her lips.
Nothing else mattered.
He made quick work of removing his boots. The rest of his clothes, his jeans, his boxers, came off next. The whole time, he kept her at his side, until he was through and satisfied that there would be nothing separating them.
“I need to taste you, babe.” He kissed his way down her body, taking his time.
He licked the warm pulse at her neck. Then left kisses along her collarbone.
He lowered his head, took her nipple into his mouth, and sucked. His eyes closed voluntarily. Perfect in every way, he teased her with his tongue eliciting a moan from Tori. With his hand, he cupped the slope of her breasts.
“Rain … ” Tori sank her hands into his hair.
He raised his gaze and moved down her body. Her breasts, her nipples, her stomach, and gazed up at her as he settled between her legs. He lowered his head.
“Oh. My. God.” She moaned.
He smiled against her, showing her exactly what she could expect each and every time with him. He’d do this all day long, and never get tired of tasting, feeling, experiencing her pleasure against his mouth.
Tori writhed underneath him. Her hands clutched his hair, and her upper body came off the bed. He continued. A lick here. A nip there. Until, he gave her what she cried for and zeroed in, taking her all the way.
She moaned his name as her thighs clenched his head, trembling with the power of her orgasm. He slowed, bringing her down softly. Her body jolted with each swipe of his tongue.
She inhaled a shuddering breath and collapsed, arms thrown out to the side. He crawled up on the bed, stretched over her to open the nightstand drawer. She watched him remove a condom and put the protection on before settling back between her legs.
“Open your eyes.” He kissed the curve of her jaw. “I want to watch you as I make you come again.”
“Twice?” Her eyes flashed open. “I can’t … ”
“You can, trust me, huh?” He hardened even more, and his balls grew tight.
She nodded. “Okay,” she whispered.
She ran her hands up his arms, over his shoulders, and something happened in her face he’d never seen before. She softened and focused on him without any doubts. He moved his hips, barely touching his cock to the entrance to her sex when her eyelids fluttered and he felt her tremble.
He groaned and plunged into her wetness. She gasped as he moved excruciatingly slowly in and out. His body tightened in determination and he fought to keep control. His body hardened to a level he’d never experienced when her leg curled around his hip.
“Oh. Oh.” She arched her neck.
He stilled. “Look at me.”
She clawed his shoulders and eased her head back. Eyelashes fluttered. He grinned, waiting. When she connected and melted underneath him, he drove into her.
In. Out. In. Out.
He didn’t miss a stroke. “That’s it, babe.”
She fought to keep her eyes open. His toes curled. God, that was sexy. Having her zoned in to what they were doing. Him being the center of her universe. There was nothing better.
He slipped his hand between her body and his, found her heat, and slowly rubbed. “So beautiful.”
She panted. Jaw tight. Eyes doing their damnedest to close, and her struggling to keep him in focus, was his undoing, taking everything out of his control. His body seized in extreme pleasure, rolling through him from head to toe. He thrust deep and let her orgasm bring him to release.
Spent, he lowered himself to his elbows, cradling her head in his hands. A full body sigh swept through him as he caught his breath. She added her own moan of contentment underneath him, and he chuckled in her ear. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she whispered.
He closed his eyes and enjoyed the way she kept rubbing her hands along his sides. Eventually, his arms gave out, and he rolled to his side, taking her with him.
She snuggled against him. “Rain?”
“Hm?”
“Thanks for not letting me run,” she said.
He lifted his head and stared down at her. His chest warmed, and he kissed her forehead. “Someday, you’ll learn you don’t have to run from me to protect yourself.”
She wiggled closer and laid her head on his chest. “I hope so,” she whispered.
He tightened his arms. “Me too,” he whispered back.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rain pulled into the parking lot of Cactus Cove after rushing home long enough to make love to Tori before bringing her back to the bar. She hopped off the motorcycle. Rain pulled her in front of him.
She balanced her hip on the gas tank and wrapped her arms around his neck. The last thing she wanted to do was separate from him, even for an hour. She definitely didn’t want him going to the Lagsturns’ leader and pushing his weight around.
“Say it again.” His hand cupped her ass, holding her in place.
She wiped the smile from her face and played innocent. “Say what?”
“You’re falling in love with me.”
She sighed and gazed over his shoulder. “I’m falling in love with you.”
“Put your eyes on me, babe,” he said. “I want to see what you’re feeling.”
A flutter went through her. She looked at him. If someone asked her a few days ago if a man’s quiet request would rock her world, she would’ve laughed. Here she sat, not caring who watched, listened, or witnessed their growing relationship. She wanted to shout to the world that she was Rain’s woman.
“Say it … ” he whispered.
She traced the curve of his cheek with her hand, kissed him softly. “I’m falling in love with you, even though you’re stubborn and bossy.”
He returned her kiss, giving her the little moan of satisfaction she was not immune to, and which left her wanting more. “You like me bossing you around.”
She snorted. “I’ll never admit it.”
“You don’t have to. The way your eyes glaze over and you get that tender look to your chin, I know.” He kissed her hard. “I can’t wait until this is over, and I can take you back to bed.”
She threw her arms around his neck and sunk her hands into his hair. “I’m scared. I don’t know about all this biker craziness, and avenging town business. Won’t you take someone with you?”
“No.” He patted her bottom. “Hop off. Let’s get this rolling. The sooner I get rid of Sanchez, the faster I can take you home.”
“How about if you leave your phone on, so I can hear what’s going on when you go to the meeting?” She unzipped her leather coat and shrugged out of it as she walked into the bar with Rain.
“You watch too many movies.” He chuckled.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She tossed her coat on top of a vacant table and pulled the hem of her tank out from her leather pants. “I’m concerned. This is my first gang war.”
He laughed and threw his arm around her shoulders. “Where do you come up with stuff? This isn’t a gang war. I’m meeting with another leader of a motorcycle club. Gangs are … well, it’s not what we are.”
“Then have Sanchez come here. You can sit down over a beer and talk.”
He stopped at the end of the counter. “Enough, babe. I need to take care of business and get a head count.”
“’Kay.” She stood on tiptoe and put her hand on his chest, kissing him softly. “Be careful, and come right back here the minute your meeting is over.”
“Putting restraints on me already?” He glared, but the muscle in his jaw twitched belying how he felt about her asking him to take care.
“I don’t want what we did earlier to be the last time we make love.” She flipped her hair. “It’s a little addictive. I want more.”
He stared at her and ended up muttering, “Damn me,” as he walked to the middle of the bar and raised his hand to get everyone’s attention.
She slid onto a stool and propped her chin up with the palm of her hand. Tonight would stretch on forever. She hated waiting, and the sooner her life returned to semi-normal, the better.
The crowd simmered down. She gazed around the room. Women she’d never seen before sat with men she’d met briefly.
When Rain ordered every member of Bantorus to the bar, they came. She smiled and waved to Ronny, Taylor, Slade — who seemed content to have Taylor sitting on his lap. Gladys stood beside Rain, wringing the bar towel in her hands. Bruce leaned against the counter, arms folded, not passing out drinks for a change.
The conversations quieted and stressed how desperately everyone needed answers and the Lagsturns to leave their town. She squeezed Torque’s arm, and he winked down at her to reassure her Rain would be okay. A sense of contentment washed over her.