Page 65 of Ridin' Free

He quirked a judgmental eyebrow at me and then continued to unpack my bag, narrating as he went. “White cheddar popcorn—okay, not awful. Frosted Mini Wheats?” He paused and looked my way once more. “Cereal’s garbage. You know how much sugar they put in this shit?”

“I’m not big on sweets. I like cereal for dessert. Get over it,” I declared, yanking the box from his grasp. “You know, if it bothers you so much, I could pack all this up and go home.”

In the blink of an eye, my hands were empty, my cereal was sent sliding across the counter, and I was gathered in Twister’s arms, my palms braced against the eagle tatted across his chest.

“Fat chance,” he murmured.

Then he kissed me.

Unfortunately, he didn’t linger long.

But when he pulled away, those brown eyes were alight with amusement, just the way I liked.

“You’re welcome to store your fuel wherever there’s space. Next time, say the word, I’ll fill the fridge, too. Get you some milk to go with your cereal.”

I felt my way up his chest and over his shoulders, pulling myself closer as I informed him, “I like it better dry.”

“Whatever, weirdo,” he spoke through a smirk. “All I’m sayin’ is, I’ll handle it. My cupboards my bill. Got it?”

“Okay, brown-eyes. You gonna let me go so I can have a snack, or what?”

“Depends. You gonna share some of that popcorn?”

“Depends. You gonna stop judgin’ me for my food preferences?”

His smirk stretched into a grin, and he chuckled as he reached down and filled his palm with one side of my ass. “Probably not.”

I couldn’t help but giggle, his flirty playfulness too hard to resist this late into the night. It didn’t stop me from muttering, “Asshole.”

“Yeah, well, at least I’m honest.”

My smile fell a little at his comment. Not because it was a lie, but because I knew it was true. I was learning he wasn’t a liar any more than he was an asshole.

“How ‘bout we start over?” I suggested, pulling myself even closer. “Hi.”

He touched his forehead to mine and replied, “Hey, baby.”

Two words. Three syllables wrapped in his low, rumbly voice, and my longing was awakened.

Pressing up onto my tiptoes, I sealed my mouth with his and took what I wanted. This time, he didn’t pull away so fast. Then again, maybe that was on account of my fingers in his hair, clutching at the thick, wavy strands.

Damn, but I loved to be kissed—and he was the best I ever had.

When he grabbed me at my hips and lifted me from my feet, I gasped in excitement. I thought he was getting ready to take things up a notch when he set me atop the counter—but rather than kiss me more, he nipped my bottom lip between his teeth and licked me before he pulled away.

“Sparky, you get me goin’, you won’t be eatin’. Put somethin’ in that stomach. Besides, we need to talk.”

“We do?” I asked skeptically.

He didn’t answer me as he reached for the bag of popcorn and my package of rice cakes, holding them up for me to choose. I took the rice cakes then reached for the peanut butter.

“I’ll let you start on that popcorn if you get me a spoon.”

He turned for his silverware drawer, extracted a spoon, then handed it to me. As I began to mix the oil settled at the top of the jar, he stowed my groceries in an empty cupboard—all but the white cheddar popcorn, which he opened as he leaned against the counter in the spot right next to me.

“Shadow got his final patch tonight. He’s no longer a probie. We’re celebratin’ tomorrow. Party’ll be at the clubhouse. I want you there.”

I paused mid-stir and shifted my eyes his direction. I wasn’t exactly sure what all his invitation implied, but it didn’tseem insignificant. We’d been out together in public, but never at the clubhouse. At least, not on purpose. Not as athing. Furthermore, I’d successfully kept my distance from that place for years.