Rebellious (7 page)

“I don't really see the point in staying. You aren't—or can't be—comfortable with me right now. I'm moving too fast. That's just the kinda guy I am. I see something, I take it, and fuck the consequences. But this…” He gestured to my hunched figure in front of him. “It's just fucking breaking my heart, sunshine. You deserve someone a hell of a lot gentler than me.”

He made a move to get up once more, and I put a hand out on his chest this time. His skin jumped like I'd touched him with a hot iron.

“But I don't want you to go. I just…I need a minute. That's all.”

Reb sighed. “We've got a problem here, sunshine. I'm not the type to hit a woman. I do, however, like to punch walls and occasionally toss a chair across the room. That's not gonna change. I can lie and say it will, but like I said, life's too fucking short. You need someone who'll treat you with kid gloves, and I must've left those fuckers in my other pair of jeans.”

“You're wrong. Yeah, that stuff scares me, but despite my little anxiety attack I've never felt safer than when I'm with you. I don't need kid gloves. I need someone who will respect me and push me not to accept the bare minimum. Jessica said you could be that guy. And I'd like you to stick around so I can see if she's right.”

Reb threw back his head and laughed. “So let me get this straight. You want me to stay so you can prove to your friend that she's wrong? It's not the worst reason I've heard, but I gotta say it's a new one. Usually girls wanna be with me to get back at their daddy.”

“I don't want to prove her wrong. I'm really hoping she's right.” I gave him a watery smile. “I like you, Reb. But if it helps, I think my dad would hate your guts.”

Reb smiled back at me. “Sounds good to me, sunshine. Let's go sit somewhere more comfortable, then.”

I took his proffered hand and let him pull me up. Once I was standing he dropped my hand. We stood there, close enough to touch, close enough to kiss, but not touching at all. I'd never been one to go for bad boys. But something about Reb called to me. He was an intoxicating mixture of scary and sweet. I could see it in his gentle blue eyes and his neck tattoos. Not to mention those scarred knuckles that were dripping blood on my kitchen floor.

“Oh my God, Reb. Your hand!” I grabbed his hand and tugged him to the sink. After turning on the faucet, I ran his swollen knuckles under the water. “I think I have a first-aid kit in the bathroom. I've got some ointment or gauze or something. I just can't believe you—”

“Emily. Look at me.”

I stopped mid ramble and looked into his suddenly serious eyes.

“I'm fine. Just a little blood. No big deal. It's not the first time and likely not gonna be the last. Just give me a paper towel and let's go sit down on your hard-as-fuck couch.”

Mutely I turned off the water and tore off a paper towel. He took it from me and wrapped it around his knuckles. A small amount of bright red blood bloomed in the paper. I gulped and tried not to look at his knuckles again as he led me to the couch with his uninjured hand holding mine. I really didn't enjoy the sight of blood. “I should mop up before—”

“It's fine. Sit down.”

I obeyed the tug of his hand and sat down next to him on the couch. So close to him that his jean-clad thigh rubbed against mine. So close I could feel his body heat radiating toward me. So close I could smell that scent that was undeniable Reb.

Leather. Tobacco. Man.

Reb just grunted when I sat down. He nonchalantly threw an arm around my shoulders, picked up the remote with his other hand, and turned on the TV. Like it was nothing. Like this was some scene from our everyday lives.

Meanwhile, I was trying not to hyperventilate.

I couldn't remember the last time I just sat on the couch with a guy before I mauled Reb earlier this afternoon. Or didn't want to remember anyhow, because those were the few untarnished memories I had of Michael
before.
I didn't want to spend one more second thinking about that bastard.

So I settled in, cuddled up to Reb's side, and feigned an interest in the nature show he stopped on. And it worked. Five minutes later I was practically on the edge of sleep in this man's arms when he spoke.

“You wanna order pizza or something?”

I blinked blearily up at him. It took me a second to process what he said, then I sat up with a start. “No. I can cook. I've got some chicken in the fridge. Just give me—”

Reb tugged me back down into his arms. “Not tonight. You can play hot housewife tomorrow. Right now I just wanna sit here on the couch with you, eat some pizza, and drink some beer. So what do you want on your pizza?”

“I don't have any beer. Sorry, but I don't drink it. I could run out and get so—”

“Don't worry about it, sunshine. I'll take care of it. What do you like on your pizza?”

It felt like he was vowing to take care of me, too. A warmth that had nothing to do with his body heat swept through me. I cuddled closer to him and answered. “Pineapple and Canadian bacon.”

“Fuck me. Of all the toppings possible, really?” Reb groaned. “I guess there had to be something wrong with you. We'll go halves.”

“Okay. My purse is over there.”

Reb's chest vibrated with his laughter under my cheek. “Damn, you're cute. But that's not what I meant. Hang on a sec.”

After some jostling beneath me, Reb found his cell, thumbed at the screen, then lifted it to his face. “Bam, I need you to bring a large pie from J.J.'s. to Emily's place. Zag can give you the address. Half supreme, half Hawaiian. Yeah, I know, but she's hot so I guess I can live with it. Don't forget the ranch dressing. And a six-pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.” Reb paused as he listened. “I don't give a fuck. Figure it out.”

Reb tossed his phone onto the coffee table, then plopped his booted feet near it on the table. “Fucking prospects. Need to have their hands held every goddamn minute.”

I hummed in response. Honestly I didn't know what to say. The idea of having people obey your every command wasn't something I was familiar with, so I couldn't really relate.

But that was who Reb was. He was the
president
of a motorcycle club. He had people ready and willing—or was it frightened?—to do his bidding. I looked down at his swollen knuckles and reminded myself who the man I was cuddling with was. He ordered people to do things, violent things. Had probably done even worse himself.

It was hard to reconcile the two sides of this complex man. When Jessica was shot last year, I'd seen him for weeks holding vigil in the waiting room at the hospital. And then there was how he was with Tucker. He could be so gentle and caring.

But he was also a man who punched holes in walls when he was pissed off. When his ex pissed him off. What would he be like with me when I frustrated him? Could I trust him?

“You okay, babe?”

“Uh, yeah. What?” I jerked back to the present and found Reb watching me intently.

“You looked a thousand miles away just now. Everything okay?”

I settled into his side and made a decision. I was in. Something told me that this guy was worth it. “Everything's great.”

Now all I needed was for that little doubting voice to shut up.

Two hours later we'd devoured most of the large pizza and were still sitting side by side on my hard and uncomfortable couch. Despite the spring digging into my lower back, I was enjoying myself. We'd jumped from the nature show to a horrible movie, which we then spent two hours making fun of while eating pizza and cuddling.

And that was all we'd done. Cuddle. No kissing. No groping. It was so nice just to eat pizza and be relaxed with a man but have no pressure.

Don't get me wrong. There was still sexual tension. The air practically crackled between us. I was aware at all times of the very sexy guy sitting next to me. Each time we touched I felt a zing in every erogenous zone. When his legs brushed mine, I felt an answering pang between my thighs. When he put his arm around my shoulders and idly traced my arm with a finger, I couldn't stop the shiver that shook my body. But Reb never pushed me for more.

I mean, he was a scary, tough-as-nails biker guy. Wasn't he supposed to be all take charge and commanding? Where'd
that
guy go?

Instead I had someone who listened to me, looked into my
eyes
when I talked, and hadn't done anything more risqué than put his arm around my shoulders.

What the hell was wrong with me? Reb was great. He was obviously going the sweet route because of my freak-out earlier. So I'd have to give him a sign.

But what?

It'd been so long since I was
here
with a guy, I'd forgotten what to do. Really, there had only been Michael—who I didn't want to think about—and Scott—which had been so awkward I still cringe when I think of his name—so I didn't know where to start.

I peeked up at Reb, but his attention was so finely tuned to the show that he was no help. Like most men, he was having problems reading my mind.

Ugh. Why did this have to be so hard?

Taking a deep breath, I lifted a trembling hand and softly rested it on his chest.

He didn't so much as twitch. Nope, and his attention was still on the damn TV. It had felt like such a big move to me, but I got nada from Reb. This was gonna be harder than I thought. After another shaky breath, I slowly slid my hand down his chest until it rested on the very large bulge at his crotch.

There was no mistaking my intention now. And Reb's cock flexed under my hand as if to underline my point.

“I'm only gonna give you one warning.” Reb's voice rumbled under my cheek because I didn't have the nerve to look up at his face.

“Uh, what do you mean?”

Reb pushed against my shoulder until I tipped far enough away that I couldn't help but look into his eyes. Not that my hand left his lap. I'd taken up residence, and I wasn't leaving without being evicted.

“I was willing to take things slow—be the nice, sensitive guy for once—but you're skipping a few steps. So this is your one warning, because if you don't get your hand off my dick, there's no turning back.”

Where my sassy comeback came from, I'll never know, but somehow I answered before my brain could catch up to my mouth. “Sounds like you're trying to scare me off, and I don't scare easily. I'm pretty happy where my hand is, so what are you gonna do about it?”

Reb's eyes narrowed and his lips firmed into a straight line. He looked every inch the badass biker. My heart kicked into an unsteady rhythm.

“Fuck the nice-guy routine,” Reb growled.

I could only squeal as I found myself suddenly on my back on the couch, with Reb looming over me. His face was cast harshly in the shadows, but I could still see his narrow-eyed intent before he swooped down and took my lips in a fierce kiss. After that I couldn't see anything. I could only feel. His lips moving over mine. His tongue teasing mine. His fingers plucking at my aching nipple.

My recent bravado forgotten, I let him take control. I was just along for the ride.

He pulled away slightly and let out a low, throaty growl that made the hair on the back of my neck prickle. I shivered, and before I could even catch my breath, his mouth was slanting over mine again, taking me deep. His mouth kept me distracted as I lost myself in his kiss. He did this thing with his tongue that had my entire body throbbing. If he could do that with just a kiss…Oh God.

Finally I had to break away and catch my breath. Either his talent or the lack of oxygen had me seeing stars. I pulled back slightly and collapsed onto the couch. We'd probably been kissing for only minutes, but it felt like a lifetime later. But that was probably the lack of oxygen talking.

Reb loomed above me. The combination of his buzzed head, the neck tattoos, and that intense look in his eyes had me shrinking back into the cushions. The threadbare material rasped against my shoulders, and I suddenly realized that I wasn't wearing a top. Somehow, amid all that amazing kissing, he'd managed to get my shirt off. I wasn't sure if I should be thrilled that he'd been so skillful or scared that I'd lost myself so deeply I hadn't noticed.

But it left me so exposed. Only my tiny bra covered my sadly small chest. It was all out there for him to see. I fought the urge to cover myself with my hands. Was he disappointed? Did I not measure up to his usual caliber of women? I couldn't tell anything from that look in his eyes. My skin started to itch, and I wanted to be anywhere but here.

“You're thinking too much.”

I looked up from my perusal of my very minimal bra and found him staring intently at my face. Not at my small chest or my visibly hardened nipples that the scrap of lace couldn't hide. He was looking at
me.

And then it all just went away—my nerves, my fear of disappointing him, my expectations. There was just me and this man.

“You're right.” I pulled away until I could get up. I stood before him in my jeans and bra and held out a hand. “Come on.”

Reb's lips twitched as he eyed my offered hand. After a beat he grabbed it with his bruised one and pulled me toward him. Before I could ask him what he was doing, he'd tossed me over his shoulder and carried me toward my bedroom.

“Reb!” I squealed.

But much like that first night at his clubhouse, he didn't listen to my protestations. His smug, husky laughter echoed around us as he opened my bedroom door and walked inside the only room I hadn't cleaned in my earlier frenzy. He stepped over the pile of laundry I'd been sorting earlier, and my hair brushed against the curve of his ass hidden behind his jeans. The combination of my nerves and the blood rushing to my head from him tossing me over his shoulder had me light-headed. Then he jostled me again and all my breath left me in a whoosh.

“Reb,” I gasped. “Let me—”

Suddenly my upper body righted as Reb pressed on the back of my legs, and I slowly slid down his body. My legs momentarily cradled the large bulge at the apex of his thighs. I couldn't hide the gasp that left me when my jeans bit into my clit as I coasted over the speed bump in his pants. With my feet finally on the ground, it felt like my breathing sounded overly loud. I was still so nervous, my eyes could only rise so far as his chest. Meeting his gaze took more courage than I was capable of at the moment.

But apparently Reb didn't need any more cues. He wrapped his arms around me and made me soar again as he took my lips in a seductive kiss. I closed my eyes, tipped my head back, and floated.

We stood there and kissed for what felt like an eternity. Until my knees went weak and Reb was totally supporting my weight. Until I could no longer remember my own name.

Still holding me up, his lips cruised down my jaw and he blew hotly in my ear.

“Oh God, Reb.”

“Mmm, what, baby?”

My head fell back as I gave his lips access to my throat. “Hmm?”

I could feel his lips curving into a smile as he murmured back, “Nothin'.”

I gasped as his teasing turned into a full-on blitz. At a point just below my jaw, he sucked until I moaned in surrender. Until my nipples and the junction between my thighs throbbed. I groaned and sagged in his arms.

Reb chuckled hotly against my neck, then tilted me back, so I could collapse onto my bed.

I lay there panting. I hadn't had a hickey since high school. But if it made me feel like this, why had I ever stopped necking?

That might've had something to do with the guy I was with. No other man was so masculine. Reb stared down at my prone form with the smuggest little smile. Like he knew how much my body was tingling.

And like he had more than one lewd idea about what to do about my tingly bits.

Reb widened his stance and reached up behind his head. Grabbing the back of his T-shirt from behind his neck, he slowly pulled it up his body in a scandalous display of abs, lean muscle, and tattoos. With a flick he tossed his T-shirt to the other side of the room and stood before me half nude, with his worn jeans hanging lower on his hips than the band of his boxer briefs.

But it was his upper body that held me spellbound. I'd never seen so much finely tuned muscle in person. He could've modeled as one of those headless torsos on romance covers. I wanted to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming, because no one looked like that in real life.

Except, apparently, Reb.

He was a perfect male specimen, the only flaw being his tattoos—if you could call them flaws. If anything, the arching letters spelling “TRUE” on his abdomen only highlighted his perfect six-pack and made me want to run my tongue over the letters and the divots from his carved muscles. Just looking at his torso had the saliva pooling in my mouth.

“Wow,” I whispered reverently.

Reb smiled smugly as he toed his boots off. He had this expression on his face like he was mentally listing all the dirty, sinful things he wanted to do to me. I couldn't wait to help him cross them off the list. One by one.

And then he was crawling up the bed until his large arms bracketed my head and his muscular body hovered above mine. The hard press of his erection pushed into the cradle of my hips and was the only point where our bodies touched. I couldn't wait until we were naked and touching just there. My body throbbed and I helplessly arched my hips into his.

“Ah, baby. You've gotta slow your roll. Hasn't anyone taught you the joys of delayed gratification?”

I blushed under the heat of his gaze. “I think you know the answer to that.”

Reb chuckled darkly, then ducked his head and rubbed his five o'clock shadow against that spot on my neck he'd sucked not so long ago. “You're about to have a crash course.”

I shivered at the mixture of his words and the rasp of his stubble against my delicate skin. I just knew I'd have that telling stubble burn tomorrow. Not that I cared. I groaned at his threat. “But why? I thought of anyone, you'd have the ‘If it feels good, do it' mentality. I feel good, do me!”

Reb snorted with laughter as he buried his face in my neck. Did I really just tell him to do me? Oh my God. But instead of feeling embarrassment, I shook with laughter, like Reb.

“Fuck me but you're cute.” Reb pulled back and I shivered at the intensity in his eyes. “Don't worry, I'm gonna do ya, baby. I'm just gonna drive you out of your mind first.”

All my mirth fled, and I trembled as I stared into his baby blue eyes. I didn't know what to say in the face of his erotic promise. My daring attitude of just minutes ago was gone.

And then Reb bent his head to mine once more, and in a second I was incapable of thought.

His lips moved demandingly over mine. His tongue rubbed against mine in a simulated dance we'd do with other parts of our bodies later. The sensation had me arching into his hips again as I groaned into his mouth.

“Mmm, please.” I broke away from his lips to whisper hotly. “Can we please take some more layers off?”

“Hmm, I do like that you're asking permission. We might have to make that a thing between us.”

Reb's teasing words didn't have me irritated, as I should've been. But then, that might've had something to do with how freaking horny I was.

“Since you asked so sweetly, you may.” Reb twisted to his side next to me then held his hand out commandingly.

Wait. What? I looked at him in confusion.

“Get to stripping, sunshine. You're interrupting my flow.”

Suddenly I felt very much on display. There might've just been the two of us in the room, but I couldn't strip. That wasn't me. I thought of all the women he'd been with. Rhonda. The ones I'd glimpsed in the clubhouse the night before. The kind who belonged on the back of a bike. Tall. Voluptuous. Fearless.

The very antithesis of me.

I was two jobs and a junky car. A librarian, for chrissakes. Short. Flat-chested. Jumped at my own shadow. Hell, I'd only ever been with two men—one was more boy than man, and the other had been so awkward (and quick) it wasn't even worth mentioning. I wasn't the seductress. I couldn't do it. Maybe this whole thing was a mistake.

I opened my mouth to say as much when Reb gently brushed the hair away from my face. “Hey, if you don't feel comfortable, that's okay. I only expect as much as you're willing to do. So if that means we hang out here and maybe kiss a little more, that's fucking fine by me. We only go as far as you want.”

I nodded even as I buried my face in his neck. His arms wrapped around me and I burrowed into his warmth. A sense of peace and home swept through me that I decided not to examine closely. This felt good right now, and that was what was important.

So we lay there, wrapped in each other's arms, not saying anything.

Reb's heart beat strong and sure under my cheek, every thump a reminder that I wasn't alone. After a few more reassuring beats, I pulled away, and kneeling before him, I reached behind me for my bra closure.

“Baby, you don't gotta—”

Before he could finish the sentence, my bra popped open and fell from my shoulders, and I was all out there for him to see. Every bit of my 34B breasts.