Page 21 of Property of Stone (Kings of Anarchy MC: Pennsylvania #1)

Chapter Twelve

Taryn really didn’t need to be reminded of one of the worst choices she’d ever made in her life. And she’d made quite a few doozies. But it was too late to right that wrong, so now she had to minimize the damage as best as she could.

It really sucked that once Vic got out, her life would change again . Taryn’s wish was to live in peace and raise her son to be a good man.

Not like his father.

“I understand we struck a deal, but please remember, I’m not working for you. You’re not my boss.” Stone could not give her orders and expect her to comply without question.

“Yep.”

That didn’t sound like he understood the assignment. “Yep? Consider me a volunteer. An unpaid volunteer.”

“Babe, that’s what a volunteer is…unpaid.”

Of course, he purposely missed the point. “I own a business.”

“Yep.”

She sighed and raked fingers through her hair. “Again, that means you’re not my boss. Our deal doesn’t mean you get to dictate everything in my life now.”

“Yep.”

She squeezed her eyes shut while gritting her teeth. It was important he was clear on that point. “You know what that means?”

“Yep.”

Instead of dragging fingers through her hair again, she was about to yank it out in frustration. “Good,” she somehow managed to say without shrieking. Barely.

He sat up and snagged his beer, but didn’t take another drink. He let the bottle dangle from his fingers between his thighs. He was gearing up for something…

“Okay, once your ex gets out, this is how it’s gonna be…”

She knew it.

“You ain’t goin’ back to teachin’ classes at that place in Camp Hill.

You keep one of the prospects with you at all your jobs.

If not one of them, one of my brothers if I ain’t available.

I’m available, it’ll be me. You wanna teach cookin’ classes, there’s a thing called the fuckin’ internet.

Set up a camera in the kitchen and cook.

” Then he downed what was left in the bottle before setting it back on the deck.

Her eyebrows shot up. “You must have the memory of a gnat. I just told you you’re not my boss.”

“Can’t forget since it was just a minute ago.” He tapped his temple with a finger. “Got a memory like a trap.”

With all the pot he smoked, she doubted it. “Right. And that was why I had to remind you.”

“Got it.” He sat back in the chair and stretched his long legs out in front of him.

She wished she could be that relaxed right now.

Only, the men in her life, both Stone and Vic, were making that difficult.

“I’m not sure you do. While I appreciate your concern and offering your protection, I need you to stay out of my actual business.

” She was talking about her professional business, but that could apply to her personal life as well.

She came here to help out with this daughter and to get out from under a house she couldn’t afford, not to live with a dictator.

Her business was her only source of income.

He pursed his lips and drew a hand down his beard. “No.”

“No, you won’t?”

“Gonna treat you how I treat you. Either gonna like it or you ain’t.”

Say what? “And if I don’t?”

“You’ll get over it.”

“Wow. No wonder you’re single.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Ain’t the only single one sittin’ on this deck, babe. Anyway, bein’ single’s my choice.”

“So is that attitude.”

Stone’s lips pressed together to smother either amusement or annoyance.

Taryn’s guess? The first one.

Good God. Sunny got her attitude honestly. She was Stone in a much younger, female form. No DNA test needed.

“Wanna talk about attitude? You got a smart mouth.” A grin slowly spread across his face as he stared at her there. “What else can you do with it?”

Of course, his focused attention made her lick her lips out of instinct. “My attitude?”

“Your mouth.”

Damn. Him asking that crude question shouldn’t make her pussy twinge and her nipples ache. Instead, she should be offended. Proof her brain was not attached to her lady parts. Because if they were, they would not be betraying her with a bossy biker like Stone.

Maybe her unexpected reaction was due to the fact it had been a while since she’d experienced any kind of intimacy. The last time was with Vic. And that was…

Depressing.

She actually couldn’t remember the last time she’d been touched intimately. Or even shared a simple kiss with an adult member of the opposite sex.

Since she’d been busting her ass trying to grow her business—and in turn, increase her income—along with raising her son, that didn’t give her much time to date. Or, hell, even have a random, occasional hookup.

With pursed lips, she twisted her neck to stare back at him.

A dark eyebrow cocked. “What?”

She shook her head. No, Taryn. No! You need to smack yourself on the nose with a rolled up newspaper. Get any thoughts of Stone, his tattoos and that freaking beard out of your head.

His red flags were not waving; they were whipping around in hurricane-force winds.

“Still waitin’ for an answer.”

She shrugged like his words didn’t affect her in any way. “Like most people, I use my mouth for communication and sustenance.”

“ Got a son. Had to use it for more than that.”

“It had nothing to do with getting pregnant. If I had used my mouth instead, Wren wouldn’t be here.”

She couldn’t say she wished she didn’t have Wren since he was her world, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t wish he had a different father. Just like Stone wished Sunny had a different mother.

But both of them had to deal with what life had handed them.

Here she was, sitting on the back deck of a house she was temporarily living in with a non-law-abiding biker in her attempt at “dealing.”

Life was crazy and unpredictable.

A year ago, Stone had come to her rescue. Now…

He had once again come to her rescue.

Shit. The man went to prison for her. Maybe not for her, but because of her. Stone lost over thirteen months of his freedom, thirteen months of being away from his daughter, for defending her.

She closed her eyes and blew out a breath. She owed him. “You’re right.”

“Usually am.”

She ignored that. “I realize you’re looking out for my best interests. I tracked you down to thank you for getting involved at the Shoppes at Susquehanna, but I need to thank you again for opening your home to not only me, but my son. For caring enough to be worried about our safety.”

“We’re both benefittin’ here. Ain’t all one-sided, Taryn.” His head tipped to the side as he studied her. “Can think of somethin’ else that can mutually benefit us both.”

“What?” He was talking about sex, wasn’t he?

She startled when he surged to his feet, spun, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her from her seat. When her mouth opened to ask him what he was doing, he took it.

He took her mouth without warning. Without asking.

Simply claimed it like it was his.

Holy shit.

She should be clawing his eyes out, not digging her nails into his shirt and clinging to him.

She should be shoving him away, not pulling him closer .

She should be biting his tongue, not allowing it to tangle so damn skillfully with hers.

She should be cursing at the gall of his actions, not groaning in encouragement.

What was wrong with her? Was it shock? Or awe?

He would not be her next bad decision. He. Would. Not.

She couldn’t afford any more bad decisions. They had already cost her enough.

When he deepened the kiss and continued to plunder her mouth, her body whispered, “What’s one more mistake?” and melted against him.

While his hands were fisted in the hair on both sides of her head, keeping her right where he wanted her, it wasn’t necessary.

She wasn’t going anywhere. It would be impossible even if she tried, since she had not one functional bone left in her body.

Not freaking one. They had all disintegrated into liquid. He was what was holding her up.

His strong hands, his hard chest, his hard…everything.

His words whispered across her lips. “Wanna make another deal with you.”

“I know where this is going.” She needed to resist.

“Want my bed back.”

Oh, was that it? No deal needed. “I can take the couch.”

“With you in it.”

Her brain glitched, causing her to blink up at him while rubbing her face where his thick beard had tickled and scratched her skin. Maybe she imagined that last part. Maybe it was wishful thinking on her part.

Wait. No. That was not what she wanted!

“Did I…did you…”

It would be stupid to get involved with him—sexually or otherwise—beyond their initial deal.

He dipped his head down and locked gazes with her. “ You heard what I said. Gonna assume by your reaction to that kiss, you ain’t totally against that deal.”

Any euphoria still lingering from that toe-curling kiss was now completely gone and her spine had returned. “And you’d be wrong. That wouldn’t be smart on my part. I need to do better for Wren. Sharing a bed with you just down the hall from our kids wouldn’t be showing them a good example.”

She needed to pull away, put space between him, but his grip on her hair kept her close.

Stone snorted. “Think Sunny don’t know about sex?”

“You explained the birds and the bees to her already?” She was only ten!

His eyebrows pinched together. “Birds and bees? Fuck no. Her whole life she’s been around people with no problem showin’ their whole ass. Includin’ her mother.”

“You, too?”

“And me. She knows sex is a part of life. Don’t mean she’s allowed to have it ’til she’s thirty, but she ain’t dumb about it. No reason to keep her in the dark ‘bout somethin’ that’s parta human nature.”

She pushed a hand against his chest. “Can you release me?”

“I can, but we ain’t fuckin’ done here.” His dark eyes traced every line of her face before dropping to her chest.

When one side of his mouth pulled up, she knew exactly why.

Once again, her body betrayed her. It tried to convince her that giving him what he wanted wouldn’t be a bad thing. Her brain was screaming otherwise.

Her ex-husband not only broke her heart but tried to break her.

She had no doubt the man offering himself up to her was far, far more dangerous than Vic.

Taking care of his daughter was one thing. “Taking care” of Sunny’s father was quite another.

“Ain’t gotta be a big thing. Could simply be a mutual scratchin’ of itches.”

“If you have an itch, I’d suggest going to a doctor. It could be a contagious rash and you wouldn’t want it to spread.”

“I need to prove to you how much you want me?”

“No. I can simply tell you if you need to hear it.” She was afraid if he kissed her again she’d self-combust.

“You lie a lot?”

He released her hair but before she had a chance to put space between them so she could think straight, he planted his hands on her ass and pulled her even closer. She swore the heat from his palms would leave scorch marks behind.

“Stone.”

“Yeah, babe?” His soft words whispered over her lips.

She closed her eyes and whispered, “I can’t do this.”

“Sure you can. You’re just worried you’re gonna like it too much and want more.”

Her eyes flashed open and she silently mouthed, “Wow.” The arrogance!

He slowly thrust his hard cock against her belly. “Right? Pretty fuckin’ impressive. That could be yours. Just say the word and I’ll go up and move Baby Bird into Sunny’s room.”

That simple. She only had to tell him yes and he’d go up and move her sleeping son to his daughter’s room.

Only, he wasn’t taking into account the questions their children might ask about that change.

“Gonna get you in my bed one way or another.”

“That sounds like a threat.”

“Ain’t a threat. It’s a promise now I know I don’t turn you off.”

“Who said you didn’t?”

“Your hard-as-fuck nipples, you suckin’ on my tongue, the deep groan that made my balls ache, the way you ground yourself against my dick. Those were damn good signs. Bet if I checked, your panties are soaked, too.”

“Ha. Jokes on you, I’m not wearing any.” Her eyes widened and she slapped a hand over her mouth in horror. Holy shit. Did she actually reveal that?

One side of his mouth slowly lifted. “Want you spread wide on my bed as I eat your pussy. Want you face down ass up as I fuck you from behind. Want?—”

“Okay!” she shouted over him. “I get it.”

“Plan on gettin’ it. Just gotta say the word.”

His confidence was a turn-on; his pushiness was not. “I’ll consider your generous offer. But at this point, I need to politely decline.”

“You’ll change your mind.”

Why did she believe him? “Are you sure about that?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you only want me because I’m convenient?”

“Not a goddamn thing to do with convenience. Can have sweet butts at the snap of my fingers. That’s fuckin’ convenient. See what I want and I go for it.”

She did catch the fact “sweet butts” was plural. Like she witnessed that day earlier in the week.

Damn. How was this still the same week that she had tracked him down? It was crazy how fast life could change.

“I think it’s time for me to go to bed. Alone.” Of course, she wouldn’t be alone since she was still sharing a bed with Wren. If she moved to the couch, her son would be forced to share Sunny’s room. That might make Stone’s daughter hate Taryn even more.

“Ain’t gonna be alone.”

“You’re right. I’ll be sleeping next to my son.” Having Wren sharing a bed with her was one way to prevent Stone from joining her without an invitation.

Because she was afraid of what she’d do if Wren wasn’t with her and Stone came tapping on the door. Hell, he probably wouldn’t even knock, he’d just walk right in.

She would not be doing the right thing by answering the door and inviting him in. Luckily, Wren made a great cock block.

“Sleep on it,” he suggested.

“Your bed? I will.”

He snorted and shook his head.

“Now, can you release me so I can go inside?”

With a deep sigh, he slowly removed his hands. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

She took the opportunity to put some space between them before he changed his.

Or she did.

“By the way, you taste like beer and pot,” she tossed over her shoulder as she opened the back door and stepped inside.

“Better than if I ate a shit sandwich.”

“Debatable.” The door shut behind her.