Page 37

Kenna

During the day, the clubhouse was a different place than after sunset or during a big weekend rager. With the exception of a big ass truck hauling some sort of bulldozer, the bikes in the lot were all the usual suspects, plus Dylan’s Jeep.

Behind me in the truck, Eli bounced excitedly. “I see Daddy’s motorcycle!”

Then his eyes got big. “And Uncle J’s and Cam’s and…”

He rattled off almost every Desert King that sat around the table with a sort of child-like awe that gave me chills. They were his heroes.

Mine too.

I parked the big truck, hopped down, opened the back door, and caught Eli as he flew from the backseat. “Whoa.”

“I can undo myself, don’t tell Dad.” His little eyes were huge, like he’d just now realized his mistake.

With a chuckle, I shut both doors and led him toward the clubhouse.

Several guys from White Pines were here, so they were having an impromptu family dinner.

I could drop Eli off with his dad and ride share back to the tattoo shop.

I needed to get another load of my stuff from David’s and bring it to the apartment. I was running out of clothes.

“Dad!” Eli charged into the clubhouse when I opened the door, the lights on the back of his sneakers flashing red all the way across the large room to the table where Puck sat.

I didn’t follow, instead turned to the bar, where Dylan knelt in front of a fat-looking pit bull with no neck and a tongue that lolled from her mouth. It was like she was smiling at every word Dylan said.

“Who’s this?” I knelt beside her and scratched at her ears.

The guy sitting with her wasn’t wearing a Desert Kings cut, but he had Desert King written all over him. From his dusty leather boots, up faded jeans, to the sexy as sin smile and long blond hair hanging almost to his shoulders.

“I rescued her from a shit-hole.”

His grin softened when he glanced down and scratched behind her ears.

I couldn’t help pet her as Dylan stood. “What are you going to call her?”

“She needs a pretty name. Maybe I’ll name her after you.” He poured it on thick.

“You can call her mine , Romeo.” A familiar deep voice, with the rumbling emphasis on that word, left me all tingly and my cheeks warm. I peered up to see Puck standing over me, Eli jerking at his arm.

“Can I pet your dog?” he asked Romeo.

“Absolutely.” It was his turn to kneel, no longer giving me the once over as he introduced Eli to the dog. He’d obviously taken the hint.

“Hi.” I stood, surprise arcing through me when Puck tugged me against his chest and leaned down to kiss me.

His lips were warm, the kiss itself somehow both possessive and sweet, and far too short since we weren’t alone.

When he pulled away, I waited on that burn of desire, but instead was rocked with a slow warmth that seemed to expand in my chest until I couldn’t breathe.

I glanced up at him, caught in those gray eyes, and tears stung at the back of mine.

All that emotion, because the things this made me crave, weren’t mine.

“Wow.” Dylan laughed. “I somehow wasn’t expecting that, but can’t say I’m mad about it.”

Puck winked, and I couldn’t do more than bury my face in his chest.

“Roxy, her name is Roxy, Dad! Like my goldfish, the one Nana flushed down the toilet after it went belly up.” Eli bounced around excitedly and pulled on the hem of my shirt.

I moved from Puck’s arms and took Eli’s enthusiastic hands in mine. “Did Romeo let you name his dog?”

“He did!” Now he was jumping up and down, and Roxy was barking and running in circles around him.

“Hey, Romeo and Roxy sound good together.” He stood and shrugged. “Sorry for flirting with your ole lady, I didn’t know.”

“That’s the only reason I didn’t lay you out.” Puck grunted when I punched him in the stomach. “You made my kid’s day.”

“I really like the name.” He strolled over to Eli and Roxy, playing tug of war with a piece of thick rope. Eli buzzed around them, laughing manically when Roxy accidentally knocked him down.

“So it’s official, then?” Dylan nudged me with her hip as the three of us watched them.

I pressed my hands to my hot cheeks and closed my eyes. “I guess so.”

“It’s a crying damn shame.” Jester moved past us toward the bar, swatting at Dylan’s ass as he went. She dodged with a spin and flipped him off.

“Anytime, anyplace.” He gave her a cheeky wink.

She shocked me when she didn’t immediately fume and instead rolled her eyes with a smirk. “Even he can’t ruin my joy. I’m happy for you.”

Dylan wasn’t much of a hugger. That was more my thing. When she bent to give me a short, hard hug, I clung to her. “Thanks.”

But what was I thanking her for? I wasn’t his ole lady, we hadn’t made it that official.

I mean, we’d decided not to screw around with other people.

But…he’d just told that Romeo guy to back off and called me his.

Worse, I really really liked it. Just like I’d liked picking up Eli from school and meeting Puck here. Like a family.

The sort of thing I’d never had. Something I was probably never going to be worthy of. It was only a matter of time until I fucked shit up. The desire to run, to hide, made all my muscles twitch painfully.

“I need to go,” I said to Puck, side stepping toward the door. “I’ll get a ride share to the shop.”

His brow furrowed. I’d marvel about how cute Puck looked when he was confused. He snatched my wrist with one wide, strong hand. “Stay for the family dinner.”

Rocking on my heels, I didn’t pull away. Even his fingers circling my wrist felt warm, safe, enticing. I focused on that feeling while I frantically sought an excuse to leave. Not that I didn’t want to be with him, I did. Too damn much.

“I don’t want to risk seeing David and Nadine. And it would be a good time to swing by the house and pick up more of my stuff.”

“We can do that tomorrow.” He reeled me in and wrapped both my arms around his waist. Our bodies touched from thighs to chest, and my heart raced. When he touched me, I couldn’t think straight. “It’s family dinner. Stay.”

Instead of looking at him, I pressed my forehead against his chest and spoke like that. “But David…”

“Wasn’t invited. Club house is closed tonight, the people here are it. Plus, Cam and Riley when he gets back with her.”

I wanted this so badly it hurt. The acceptance, the…whatever this was.

“You sure?” I didn’t just mean the dinner.

He chuckled and hugged me close, resting his chin on the top of my head. “Never been more sure in my life.”

“You must really be hungry.”

His chest shook with a full-on belly laugh. “Come on, I need to collect my kid before he steals Romeo’s new dog.”

While the guys pushed the long tables together, I helped Dylan set out all the condiments and utensils. Drop Top and AP had booted everyone from the industrial kitchen. I’d been to a family dinner or two with David, but this seemed something more because I was there with Puck.

When I took my seat, he held my chair. Eli scrambled onto the chair between us, spending as much time talking to me about Roxy as he did eating his lasagna.

Across from us, Cam stared lovingly at Riley between bites.

In some ways, she’d made him softer…gentler.

But that edge was still there. I had a feeling he could still bite when he needed to.

The warmth that made my chest tight clung to me, making it hard to eat, though I couldn’t stop smiling.

I glanced over to Puck while AP and Jester argued playfully over who was taking the trash out.

And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t have the urge to move constantly, like I was on the cusp of making a run for it.

Puck was undeniably attractive. Today, he’d trimmed and braided his beard. His hair was pulled back like they’d been riding, and his eyes were crinkling around the edges as he smiled. More than attractive, he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen.

I wanted to kiss him right then.

Instead, I leaned down to kiss the top of Eli’s head.

“What’s that for?” he asked, mouth full of noodles and sauce.

“Being cute.”

“Then you should have kissed me.” Puck smirked over him.

“Maybe later,” I teased. The feeling that had been buzzing in my chest all day, finally developed a name.

Love.

This was something I never got to hold on to for very long. Someone or something always ripped it away from me. I’d thought Mom going away would have brought me that, but then there was Ghost. Then David until Nadine.

And now, I had Puck.

Instead of clearing dishes like I normally did after dinner, I went upstairs with Eli to wash up.

“Thank you,” he said as he stepped down from the makeshift stool at the sink. Of course, the clubhouse wasn’t toddler approved, so he stood on a large wooden crate.

“You’re welcome, dude.”

He turned to me, wrapped me in a fierce hug, and squeezed so tightly. “I love you. I love it when you’re with me.”

I swiped at the tears that threatened. “I love you, too, and love being with you.”

“Good.” Having apparently gotten the reaction he wanted, he stepped back and started toward the stairs.

The sound of rushing boots and engines firing left a sharp pitch of anxiety in my stomach. I grabbed Eli, hefted him onto my hip, and walked fast to the top of the stairs. Puck was halfway up them.

“AP’s house is on fire.” He kissed me. “Can you stay with Eli? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

There was genuine concern on his face for AP more than anything. But he was still a dad. His first responsibility was clinging to my shoulder, quiet because of the chaos. Eli knew something was wrong.

“Absolutely.” I could give Puck that. I couldn’t help with AP’s house, but I could take care of Eli.

He grabbed Eli’s face, kissed his forehead, then grabbed mine in both his big hands. “I…” He took a breath, closed his eyes, and kissed me.

Was he about to say that thing? The lingering, painful thing that he could never take back? Because if he did, I would fall apart. I’d never wanted something so much but been so afraid of it.