Page 15 of Just Heartbeats (Royalla Motorcycle Club #1)

The clock struck five o'clock. Roma turned off the coffee maker, put the files in the cabinet, and set every rag, tool, and pack of cigarettes that had accumulated in the office during the day on the chair by the doorway for the men to find.

She hurried to leave the garage after receiving a text an hour earlier notifying her that the package she had ordered the previous night from Amazon had arrived.

She stepped into the main room of the clubhouse.

The small brown package sat on the corner of the counter at the bar like a beacon in the night.

Her heart leaped. She looked around to make sure no one else was in sight.

The soft murmur of music and tools echoed from the garage into the building.

They had one more hour before closing, but Kodiak always sent her out an hour early, since she arrived before their first appointment to make the coffee and still had time to bill the insurance companies before the busy part of the day.

She grabbed the box with both hands and bolted down the hallway like it might explode if anyone else saw it.

It was bad enough that she'd worried all day over Baker picking up the package outside the gate.

What if it came in a box that had a picture of what she'd bought on the outside?

Luckily, that wasn't the case. The fact that she had the box and no one was the wiser about the content made her more excited.

When she reached her room and clicked the door shut behind her, she was breathless, flushed with nerves, and giddy with anticipation. She stood with her back against the door for a second, gripping the package to her chest and smiling like an idiot.

She crossed the room, entered the bedroom, sat on the edge of the mattress, and slowly peeled away the tape.

The cardboard creaked softly as she opened the box, her fingers careful but eager.

Nestled in layers of discreet black tissue paper was the skin-toned vibrator she'd ordered—sleek and elegant.

The reviews claimed it was quiet and classy, unlike some of the others she'd seen online.

This one looked... beautiful. Intimate. Grown-up.

A rush of warmth filled her chest, even as she bit her lip and gave a nervous laugh. She reached in and ran her fingertips over the device's surface. It felt cool, smooth. Like something secret. Something private.

She set it gently beside her and looked at the box again. The rest of the contents were simple: a tiny charging cord, a velvet pouch, and a folded instruction sheet. She skimmed it, not needing much help. She already knew what she wanted to try.

Slipping into the bathroom, she washed the device and then returned to the bedroom. On the mattress, she took off her shorts. Her heartbeat echoed in her head. The quietness of the room only made her secret more titillating. She picked the toy back up and held it in both hands, looking at it.

This wasn't only about pleasure. It was about becoming the kind of woman she thought Kodiak might want. A woman who knew herself. Who wasn't afraid of her own body or her desires.

Kodiak was older and more experienced. Through the years, she'd seen many women come and go from his room. She understood what happened behind closed doors. He was doing the same thing many of the Royalla members would do in the dark shadows of the clubhouse during parties.

But she had zero experience. How would he even notice her or be interested in her compared to other women who were sexually active?

She groaned in frustration. The way Kodiak viewed her was the opposite of how she saw herself.

Lately, it was hard to ignore the way her stomach fluttered around Kodiak or how her skin buzzed after he brushed past her in the garage.

He looked at her differently, too. Something had changed.

And if there was even the slightest chance he might someday want her the way she wanted him, she wanted to be ready.

She wanted to feel confident in her skin, not like some clumsy, uncertain girl fumbling through her firsts. She wanted to own herself.

And this—this vibrator was a step toward the life she wanted.

Wasn't that what Kodiak wanted for her? He was always encouraging her to make the most of herself.

Roma leaned back against her pillows, still holding the toy. The room was warm. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like she was waiting for something to happen.

She was making it happen.

And maybe, just maybe, the next time Kodiak looked at her... he wouldn't see a kid.

He'd see a woman.