Page 10

Torch

“Woah.” Q took a step back and grinned. “Where you runnin’ off to?”

“Nowhere.”

“Come on, now.” Savage gave me the once over, checking out my freshly ironed shirt and new jeans before saying, “We both know that’s not true.”

“I’m going to pick up Beck.”

“No shit?” A smirk crossed his face as he teased, “You two going on a hot date?”

“You could say that.”

“Seriously.” His smirk widened as he called out to Wrath. “You hear that? Our boy’s got himself a hot date.”

“With Beck?”

“The one and only.”

“Well, it’s about damn time.” Q crossed his arms. “You two have been a long time coming.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” Rooster chuckled as he said, “He’s finally gonna take a walk down her winter wonderland.”

“Oh, God.”

It was clear Rooster was just getting warmed up when he goaded, “Yep, he’s gonna tangle her tinsel.”

They all roared in laughter. I, on the other hand, just stood there, glaring at them. Rooster gave me a nudge as he teased, “You gonna eat her milk and cookies.”

“That’s enough,” I warned.

“Hold on.” Rooster could barely contain himself as he said, “I got one more.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yeah. you best leave it.” Wrath’s smile faded as he asked, “Big know about you two?”

“Not unless Beck told him. I planned to talk to him, but I haven’t gotten around to it.”

“He’s out in the garage.”

I gave him a nod, then left the bar and made my way out to the garage. When I walked in, I found Big wiping down his bike. He had his usual focused expression as he worked with the chrome until it gleamed. The man was a tank, both in size and presence, and even though I’d known him my entire life, I was feeling a little uneasy as I made my way over to him. But my respect for him outweighed any apprehension I was feeling.

This had to be done, and it had to be done right.

“Big.”

“Torch.” He didn’t look up. He just kept wiping down the handlebars. “What’s up?”

“You got a minute?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“I need to talk to you about something.”

That got his attention.

He stood up, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he turned to face me. “This about club business?”

“No, sir.”

His expression didn’t change, but his brow lifted just enough to let me know I had about five seconds to spit it out. “I want to take Beck out on a date.”

“You asking or telling?”

“Both.”

For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He just stared at me, and his expression was completely unreadable. “So, you put her swing together, helped her out with Ava when she got sick, then took care of Beck when she was sick, and while you were at it, you went and put up her Christmas tree. And now, you want to take her on a date?”

“Yes, sir. I do.”

Finally, his lips twitched into what could only be described as a knowing smirk. “Well, I’d say it’s about damn time.”

“You think so, huh?”

“I do.” His smirk grew into a full-blown grin. “I watched you dance around her for most of her junior and senior year of high school. I expected you to come to me back then.”

“I would have, but the whole age thing....”

“I get it. I would’ve done the same.”

“I wish you’d told me about everything. If I’d known...”

“I know, son, but it wasn’t my story to tell.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “So… you’re good with me starting something up with her?”

“As long as you do right by her.” His eyes narrowed. “You screw up, and you’ll answer to me. And trust me, brother, you don’t want that.”

“Understood.”

Big gave me a hard clap on the shoulder, the kind that almost knocked me off balance. “Good. Now go take her out and make it worth her time. She deserves it.”

“Yes, sir.”

We spoke for a moment longer, and then I headed out to my truck. I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself as I thought about my conversation with Big. He might’ve been a brick wall of intimidation, but underneath it all, he was just a father who wanted the best for his daughter. And I planned to be just that.

Feeling a bit anxious, I gave myself a quick once over before getting in the truck. I had on my cut with a button-up and jeans and a pair of newer boots that weren’t scuffed all to hell. I didn’t usually go to the trouble of dressing up for women, but Beck wasn’t a hang around or some chick I’d met at a bar. She meant something to me, and I wanted our first date to be something she’d remember.

I’d waited a long time for this.

We both had, so I’d made reservations at a nice spot in the city. Something a little fancier than my norm, but I wanted to make our night special. And I couldn’t deny that I was looking forward to seeing her all dolled up. It was a thought that had me pressing my foot against the accelerator and racing through the outskirts of town.

When I got to her house, I parked and wasted no time heading up to her front porch. I knocked, and it felt like an eternity before I heard her shout, “Coming!”

Seconds later, the door opened, and the sight of her took my breath. Her long, brown hair was curled and down around her shoulders, and she was wearing a pair of black jeans that hugged her curves in all the right places and an oversized white sweater that brought out the brown in her eyes. She looked incredible. “Hey.”

“Hey.” I let my eyes drift over her as I said, “You look beautiful.”

“Thanks.” Her beautiful, pouty lips slowly curved into a sexy smile as her dark brown eyes met with mine. “You look good, too. Really good.”

“Glad you think so,” I chuckled. “You ready?”

“So, where are we headed?”

“I made us reservations in the city.”

“Oh, okay.”

Something about her tone led me to say, “Unless you’d rather do something else?”

“No, that’s fine.”

“Not looking for fine, babe. I wanted to do something special for you.”

“But I don’t need special. I just need to be with you, and we don’t have to drive an hour to the city to do that.”

“So, what are you thinking?”

“We could go to Danvers for a burger, or we could go to your place and order take out.”

I blinked, surprised but not entirely against the idea. “You sure?”

“I’m sure.” Her cheeks flushed, and damn if it didn’t make her even more stunning. “I just want to spend time with you. Doesn’t really matter where.”

While she was grown up now and absolutely beautiful, deep down, she was still the same Beck. She still had that same fire in her eyes, and I couldn’t get enough of her. Unable to resist, I slipped my arm around her and pulled her over to me, claiming her mouth.

The kiss instantly became heated, intensifying my need for her. I took several steps forward until Beck’s back was pressed against her front door. My hands slid down to her ass, lifting her off the ground. Her legs instinctively made their way around my waist, and the heat of her body set me on fire.

An overwhelming need to extinguish the burn had me struggling to contain my craving for her. I’d never wanted anyone as much as I wanted her in that moment. My lips left her mouth and slowly traveled down her long, slender neck. Beck moaned with pleasure as her fingers raked through my hair and down the back of my neck. Her hips rocked against me, making my cock grow harder, prying against the zipper of my jeans.

We hadn’t even made it out to the truck, and we were already losing control. I lowered her to the floor and took a step back, breaking our embrace. I looked down at her with a smile and said, “You’re something else, you know that?”

She gave me a playful shrug as she asked, “So, is that a yes?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s definitely a yes.” I chuckled, already reaching for my phone to cancel the reservation. “The question is... pizza or Chinese?”

She grinned. “Pizza sounds great.”

I leaned in, brushing a quick kiss to her lips before reaching for her hand. I led her across the yard and into my house. Beck had never been there before, so she took a few minutes to look around. I watched her take in my sparse décor and worn furniture, along with the various bookshelves stacked with books and random odds and ends. A soft smile crossed her face when she spotted my old guitar leaning in the corner. “I remember when you used to play at the clubhouse.”

“I haven’t touched it in years.”

“That’s a shame. You used to play so well.”

“I might have to pick it up again.”

“You should,” she said softly, and I couldn’t help but smile back. “I love your house. It’s so nice and cozy. It reminds me of you.”

“Not sure what to think about that, but thanks. It’s a work in progress.” I led her into the living room as I asked, “You hungry?”

“Sure.”

I placed the order, and then we kicked off our shoes and Beck curled up on the couch beside me. She rested her head on my shoulder as we searched for the perfect movie. For the first time in a long while, I felt like everything was right in the world—and it was about to get even better.

We didn’t eat much of the pizza. We had other things on our mind. You could feel the sexual tension crackling in the air around us. I don’t know how long we’d been sitting there when Beck looked over at me. I could see the hesitation in her eyes as she finally said, “I’ve been thinking about you.”

I cocked my brow and smirked, “Is that so?”

“Um-hmm.”

“Well, don’t hold out on me. Tell me what you’ve been thinking.”

Her cheeks flushed, and damn if it wasn’t the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Her voice was barely a whisper as she admitted, “Just that you’re so different now.”

“Different good or different bad?” I asked, moving just a little closer.

“Good.” Her lips curved into a shy smile. “Definitely good.”

That was all it took.

I couldn’t hold back a second longer.

I reached up and cupped her face in my hands, brushing my thumb across her cheek. Her skin was soft and warm, and as I looked into her eyes, I knew she was the only one for me. The way she looked at me like I was something more than I ever thought I could be, had my cock stirring to life.

I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers, kissing her—soft and slow at first, savoring the moment. Her scent wrapped around me. It was a mix of something sweet and familiar. I couldn’t resist her if I tried.

Hell, I didn’t want to.

The second her hands rested on my chest, everything changed. The kiss deepened, and hunger and heat took over as I claimed her mouth with mine. My fingers slid to her hips, pulling her closer, and the soft sound she made against my lips set me on fire.

She tilted her head, giving me full access to delve deeper. There’s no way to describe how much I wanted her, and if all her little whimpers and moans were any indications, she wanted me just as much.

She eased back, breaking our embrace, and stood. I thought I’d read things wrong until she reached down and took hold of my hand, leading me down the hall to my bedroom. When we reached the foot of the bed, she reached up and tugged at my vest.

I didn’t stop her. I shrugged it off and draped it over the back of the chair before turning my attention back to her. This woman had a way of pulling me apart and putting me back together in ways I didn’t even know I needed. I looked down at her and was about to kiss her again when she whispered, “I don’t know how you do it.”

“Do what, baby?”

Her hands slowly drifted lower, and when she reached the hem of my shirt, she looked at me with need in her eyes. “Make me feel like you and I are the only two people on earth?”

“That’s you, babe. All you.”

I leaned in and pressed my mouth to hers, kissing her long and hard. A light moan vibrated through her chest when my tongue slid across her bottom lip with a lazy glide. When my hand gripped the back of her neck for better access, I delved deeper into her mouth. My tongue tangled with hers as she hooked a leg over mine, arching her hips towards me.

With her eyes locked on mine, I pulled my t-shirt over my head and tossed it to the floor. Before I’d had a chance to reach for her sweater, she already removing it and pitched it onto the floor next to mine. Her eyes met mine as she whispered, “I’ve waited so long for this.”

“I’ve waited right along with you.”

“I’m done with all that. I want this, Thomas. I want you.”

As soon as the words slipped from Beck’s lips, the dam broke, and any resistance slipped away. I lowered her onto the mattress and laid down next to her. My hand dove into her hair, and I brought her mouth to mine, then kissed her hard, our tongues twisting and tasting each other with nothing but passion and desire. Her mouth was warm and soft, and each swirl of her tongue made the blood rush to my cock.

I lowered my mouth to her neck and ran my lips softly down the curve of her jaw to her shoulder and whispered, “You’re so damn perfect. I never could’ve imagined how damn perfect.”

“ Thomas ,” she rasped.

There was something about hearing her call out my name that made me ease back and demanded, “Say it again.”

“Thomas.”

I growled as I began trailing kisses down her chest. Her head fell back, giving me better access as I slipped my hands behind her and unclasped her bra. Her fingers raked through my hair as I continued kissing down to her breast.

Heavy breaths and low moans filled the room as I brushed my tongue against her nipple. Goosebumps prickled across her skin as my fingers trailed down her abdomen. I quickly unbuttoned her jeans and lowered the zipper, and as she arched her back, I slid them along with her panties down her long, slender legs. A little whimper escaped her throat as I eased my hand between her legs, slightly grazing her center.

“So much wasted time.”

My touch was feather-like, just enough to drive her wild, and when she could no longer contain herself, she bucked her hips forward, begging for my touch. I slid my fingertips inside her and had just begun to stroke her as she moaned, “Oh God, Thomas, don’t stop.”

I brushed my thumb against her clit and felt her body start to tremble. Knowing she was close, I ran the rough pads of my fingers across her G-spot. When I increased the pressure, her breath quickened, and her head dropped forward as her entire body tensed with her release.

I couldn’t wait a minute longer.

I had to have her.

“I’m not wasting another second.”

She was still recovering from her orgasm when I stood and quickly removed my jeans. I turned towards her, and just as I was about to settle on top of her, she placed the palms of her hands on my chest and coaxed me to lay back on the mattress.

I wanted to be in control—I wanted to show her exactly what she was doing to me, but I did as she requested and laid back. Her eyes met mine as she sat up on the bed and straddled me with her knees at my sides. I reached for her hips, lifting her as I settled her on top of me.

She raked her warm, wet center across my throbbing erection as she leaned forward and kissed me hungrily. I loved the feeling of her mouth on mine, but I wanted to be inside her. Hell, I thought I’d lose my mind if I had to wait another second.

Feeling the same need burning inside of her, she raised up and asked, “Do you have a condom?”

“Side table. Bottom drawer.” Beck reached into the drawer and handed me the small square package, and as soon as I slid it on, she was back on top of me. While she leaned over me, the heat of our breaths mingled between us until the anticipation became too much. Her hand lowered between our bodies as she slowly stroked me.

Inching herself down over my cock, a fevered hiss slipped through her lips as she took me deep inside. Fuck . She felt so fucking tight, so warm and wet, and I wanted to savor every second, feel every sensation, but the building need became too much. I was doing my best to keep it together.

Her pace quickened, and even though it felt incredible, I needed more. Unable to control myself, I brought my hands up to her hips, guiding her back and forth. Her nails dug into my chest as her hips bucked against mine, meeting every thrust with more force, more intensity. “That’s it, baby. Don’t stop.”

“Oh my God, Thomas!” she said, and I could feel her muscles contracting all around me as my body became tense while I struggled to hold back my own release.

“Damn. I’ll never get enough of you.” Her hips rocked against mine, faster and faster in a feverish rhythm, until, finally, she let out a tortured groan. With one last deep thrust, her body became tense, and her breath stilled as her head fell back. She clamped down around me, making it impossible to hold back as I came deep inside her. “Fuck.”

I held on to her hips, holding her in place as I caught my breath. Her body trembled above me, still shuddering from her release. She lowered herself onto my chest and lay with her heart next to mine, neither of us moving as our breaths started to slow.

I ran my fingers through her hair as I whispered, “I meant what I said... I’ll never get enough of you. Not if I have you every minute of every day. It’ll never be enough.”