Page 25 of Razor (Road Reapers MC #4)

“And honey—” Ryan lifted her chin, so she had to look at him, “you don’t need to borrow jeans from Karlie on my account.

You can just wear those shorts you have on to eat pizza tonight.

I like these a lot.” He ran his hands down over her ass, to her bare legs, and back up.

Her shorts were a little too short, but spending money on clothes for herself wasn’t an option, so she had to make do with her cut-offs.

He released Jenna with a quick, smacking kiss and left to find Drew and the kids.

“Well,” Karlie said, breaking Jenna’s attention as she watched Ryan’s ass as he walked away. “You two seem to be cozy.” Her sister wasn’t smiling anymore. She seemed almost concerned, the way she studied her.

“Jenna, I just don’t want you to get hurt.” Karlie crossed the kitchen and grabbed Jenna’s hand.

“I know that you worry about me, Karlie, but you don’t need to.

I am a big girl now. My priority is my son and his happiness.

But Ryan—” How could she explain to her sister what she and Ryan shared the day Zac was born?

Ryan was there for her. He was the one who coached her through her labor and delivery.

He was the one who wrapped his arms around her and helped her push Zac out.

He was the first person, besides her, to hold her son.

What they shared was more intimate than most people shared during sex. And then, he walked away.

“He’s not someone that I can say no to. I have wanted him since I was a teenager. He never paid me any attention, not until the whole thing with Jake. He was there with me when Zac was born. I just—I feel this connection with him that I can’t explain.” Karlie was nodding her head in understanding.

“I get it. I felt the same way when Drew found me on the side of the road. Everything happened so quickly with him, I thought I had gone crazy. But I felt connected with him from the moment I saw him. I think I fell in love with him on the side of that road. Everyone thought I was crazy, but it just felt right. I get it.” Karlie led Jenna to the kitchen table, offering her a cookie.

Jenna couldn’t resist her sister’s chocolate chip cookies, even though she knew she should.

“I don’t need these.” She took two from the plate. “I still have a few pounds to lose from having Zac. My body isn’t the same as it was before pregnancy.”

Karlie barked out a laugh, “Mine either, but Drew loves my curves. He says it’s sexy that my body was able to give him Jemma. Every time I tell him that I need to lose the last ten pounds from my pregnancy, he gets mad, telling me that I’m perfect the way I am.”

Karlie and Jenna collectively sighed. “Yeah, well, some of us don’t have a knight in shining armor telling us how perfect we are.” Jenna put the second cookie back on the plate, deciding against the extra calories. Karlie laughed and put the plate back on the table.

“Drew is hardly a knight. He has his faults, but he’s good at loving me.” Karlie smiled a dreamy smile of a woman well satisfied. Jenna suddenly lost interest in the half-eaten cookie in her hand.

“Please, I am ready to burst into flames from not having sex for over two years, and you rub salt in my wounds?” Karlie looked a little guilty at Jenna’s statement.

“Um, sorry,” Ryan said, clearing his throat from behind them. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but Jem wants a bottle.” Karlie got up to find her daughter’s juice bottle, and Jenna groaned and banged her head on the table.

“I’ll just take this to her,” Karlie gestured to the bottle and headed out of her kitchen, leaving Jenna alone with Ryan.

He sat next to her at the table. “Jenna, honey, look at me.”

“No,” she felt ready to cry. She had the worst luck with men. Jake was crazy, and no other man seemed interested in dating her once they found out that she had a two-year-old. “Just leave me alone, Ryan. I’m not worth the trouble.”

Ryan growled, causing Jenna to look up at him.

“I don’t want to hear you say that again, Jenna.

You are worth every bit of trouble you’re gonna give me.

” Ryan seemed angry with her, and she sat up a little straighter in her chair.

She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but her relationship with Jake caused her to be leery of angry men.

There were many times that Jake had grabbed her a little too roughly, and a few times when he had hit her.

The last time they were together, Jake knocked her out and locked her in a closet.

Ryan must have realized that he frightened Jenna because he backed away from her.

“Jenna, Christ—I’d never—” He ran his fingers through his hair, not finishing his statement.

“I know you wouldn’t hurt me, Ryan. I am just a little—I don’t know, broken, after what Jake did to me. I don’t trust easily. But I do know that you’d never physically hurt me.” She put her hand on his arm, and he flinched.

“You should be scared of me, though. I am worried that I will hurt you. I’m sure I will, emotionally. I don’t think I can be what you need me to be. I want you, Jenna, but I might not be what you want.” Ryan started to stand, but Jenna held onto his arm.

“Please, Ryan, don’t go yet. You are exactly what I want. I have wanted you forever. I just can’t let you in if you are going to leave again. I won’t be able to watch you walk away again; it would hurt too much,” Jenna sobbed.

Ryan stood, taking Jenna with him, pulling her into his body. “Honey, I’m not going anywhere.

I—”

“Jenna,” Drew yelled from down the hall, “your son needs a diaper change.” Drew came into the kitchen, carrying Zac under his arm like a football. Her son was squealing with delight as Drew handed him to Jenna. She freed herself from Ryan’s arms and took her very stinky son.

“Ugh,” Ryan laughed, pinching his nose, “What did you feed him?” Jenna laughed and grabbed the diaper bag.

“Zac, you should have told Uncle Drew that you needed to use the potty.” Zac tried to look innocent and shrugged.

“I no-no, Mommy.” He patted her cheek, and she couldn’t help her smile. Yeah, potty training wasn’t going so well. “I’m going to change him in Jem’s room. Then, I need to head out.” She looked at Ryan. “Can I pick up anything for tonight?”

“Naw, I’ve got it,” he smiled at her and Zac. “I’ll see you both at five, with cheese pizza.” Zac cheered and clapped.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, and then we’ll go to the grocery store, little man.” Zac’s cheering stopped. Her son felt the same way that she did about grocery shopping; he wasn’t a fan.

“No! I no go, Mama.” Zac was squirming to get away from her, but she knew from experience that if she let him down, he’d be sitting in that dirty diaper until she could catch him again.

“Zachary Ryan, stop your squirming and settle down.” She looked at Ryan, and he grimaced at the use of Zac’s middle name. Jenna just smiled at him.

“You said it was okay to give him your name,” she shrugged, still struggling with Zac’s efforts to escape.

“Yeah, but the way you middle-name the kid, it sounds like a curse. He’s going to hate his middle name by the time he’s a teenager.

” Ryan was next to her, holding his arms out for Zac, who willingly went to him.

“Let’s get your diaper changed, buddy, and then we’ll all go grocery shopping.

You and I can play while your mama gets what she needs. ”

“Ryan, really—that’s not necessary. Zac and I will be just fine. We go grocery shopping every Saturday.”

Ryan kissed Jenna’s cheek, so sweet and tender, “I know, honey, but I’d like to tag along. If that’s okay with you?”

“Well, if you want to, that would be a help. I’m already running late today because of Zac’s late nap,” Jenna admitted.

“Um, I may have a better idea.” Drew broke in, “How about Zac stays the night with us? You know he likes to have sleepovers with Jemma, and we already have everything he needs here.” Drew looked between the two of them.

“That way, you two can go out to dinner, have a real date.” He winked at Jenna, and she felt her face get hot again. Geeze, what was with all the blushing?

“No, I couldn’t just dump him on you guys, Drew. We’ll be fine—” She couldn’t even finish her statement when Jem and Karlie came into the already packed kitchen. Zac squirmed, causing Ryan to put him down. He ran to Jemma and hugged her tightly.

“I stay Jem,” he said, hugging his little cousin, and they were both excited. How could Jenna say no to the two of them?

“We have cheese pizza?” Zac looked serious as he questioned Drew, who laughed at her son.

“Yeah, little man, we’ll have cheese pizza.” This caused another round of cheers from both toddlers and even Karlie.

Jenna looked curiously at her sister, “Why are you so excited? You were just saddled with another kid!”

“Yeah, but I don’t have to cook dinner!” Karlie walked to Drew, wrapped her arms around her husband, and kissed him.

“Baby, if I knew that pizza would get me that, I’d get it for you every night.” He swatted her ass, and she squealed and shooed him away.

“Then, it’s settled?” Ryan asked, looking down at Jenna.

“Yeah, I guess. I just don’t have anything to wear if we are going out.” Jenna looked at her sister.

“Not a problem,” Karlie took Jenna’s hand, looking over her shoulder to her husband, “you change Zac, and we’ll look through my closet.” Drew groaned, causing both women to laugh as they headed down the hall to Karlie and Drew’s room. Drew didn’t even have time to protest.

“Let’s find you something sexy to wear, so you can knock Ryan on his ass!” Karlie led Jenna to her huge walk-in closet.

“Swear jar!” Drew shouted from the kitchen, and Karlie just giggled.