Page 27

“I appreciate your concern Max, but they have these things called hotels that let you stay there for a small fee each night. And they always have rooms available.” Arms crossed, I gave him a defiant grin and waited for his response.

“Well that’s all fine and well,” began a familiar voice behind me. “But I have an available room and no fee.”

I turned with a half-smile. “Thank you for the offer, Tate. But I’m going to have to pass.”

He stepped closer and placed his hands on my shoulders. “I’m not asking.”

“Good, then I won’t feel bad about saying no.” I stared at him, his gray eyes matching my blue ones in intensity, dogged determination and plain old stubbornness. I didn’t want to give in, but I knew I would. Eventually.

His mouth curled up into a smile that sent me reeling. My body heated up and my skin tingled at the predatory look in his eyes. “Good. Then I won’t feel bad for tossing you over my shoulder and carrying you.”

Damn. I must be sick in the head, because just the thought of that is hot as fuck.

***

Nothing helps shove a trauma down deep like getting fucked within an inch of your life. At least, that was what I always said. And last night when I got back to Tate’s, or Max’s place — or whoever’s house it was — Tate had been happy to oblige my need to forget. To just fuck for the sake of fucking.

And good Lord that man knew how to be a proper distraction.

The man groaned behind me, his grip on my stomach and my breast tightening. “You’ve been up for like one minute and already you’re overthinking every damn thing.”

I laughed at that. “How do you know I was even thinking, never mind overthinking? I could have simply been...reliving.”

His teeth sank into the tendons between my neck and shoulder, his morning wood nudging insistently between my thighs. “Why relive in your mind when I’m right here?”

Why indeed? There was no need to answer him, not when he gripped my ass and spread my cheeks, slowly sinking into me from behind. I was drenched already, pulsing and aching for him as he slid slow and deep at first, but it was too good and my orgasm didn’t seem to give a damn if Tate was close or not. He apparently got the message, gripping my hips tighter with one hand and pushing my back into a deeper arch as he pounded, hard and fast, and so damn deep it made me tremble. My legs began to shake and my breaths were shallow, hard to inhale as he slammed into me again and again.

“Oh, shit Tate! Yes! Fuck me...yes!” I should’ve felt ashamed of how loud and enthusiastic I was, but damn that was some good dick and if I wasn’t careful, I might start jonesing for it. “Damn, that was better than coffee and vitamins in the morning.”

His deep laugh sounded, turning into a groan when I joined in, the move making me clutch around his still hard cock. “Good morning to you too, Cover Girl.”

I rolled my eyes at the name, but hell, I was used to it by now. “I should probably get up and check on my place.” Though the thought of going back there made me sick to my stomach. Even though feel-good sex hormones still coursed through my body, the image came back to me quickly. Someone really wanted to fuck me up and I released a long, shuddery breath at the thought.

“No, you’re not.”

“I am too, dammit.” I pushed off the bed but he grabbed me around the waist. “Let me go!”

“Just stop!” His words stopped me. I was ashamed as hell to admit it. “Max said they were planning on processing everything since there were some, uhm, things inside. Long story short, your place is off limits for a few days.”

“No! Goddammit, this isn’t happening.” His grip loosened, and I took the opening to get out of the damn bed and put some distance between us.

“I know Teddy, it’s shit. But there’s nothing we can do about it today. Now get your pretty little ass in the shower because I have a meeting at the club in an hour.”

I whirled around, not giving a damn about my nudity, though the look in his eyes as he took me in had me close to agreeing to do just about anything. Including hanging out at biker gang headquarters. “I don’t need to go with you, you’re a big boy Tate.” Very big.

He smirked like he could read my thoughts. “I’m in charge of keeping you safe, which means for the time being, you go where I go.”

His damn jaw was set in that determined clench that looked like it could crack marble and my shoulders fell. “Fine, whatever.” He chuckled as I marched away, laughing out right when I slammed the bathroom door behind me.

“Save me some hot water,” he called out, his voice still ringing with amusement.

With an evil smile I stepped into the mint green tub and turned on the shower spray before I called out, “Sorry, can’t hear you!” Being around Tate was fun and waking up with a big strong body wrapped around me was a new experience because I never stayed the night with a man. Sex was one thing—trust was something entirely different.

But, I had to trust Tate, at least for today, so I kept my comments to myself as we entered the converted airplane hangar he called their clubhouse. “Doesn’t look very clubby,” I told him. “Looks like a bar designed by boys. Boys with questionable taste, at that.”

> “It serves its purpose,” he grunted back, fixing a fake ass smile on his handsome face. “You’ll be okay for a little while?”

I patted my laptop bag and nodded. “There’s always work to be done. Just show me where I can charge if I need to and give me the Wi-Fi info and I’m good.”