Page 9 of Warrant (The Berserker’s Rage MC: Wyoming Chapter #1)

Warrant

F uck, she was gorgeous. She was in a pair of skin tight jeans that were making my own a little too tight for comfort across the front.

And a t-shirt that made her eyes this soft misty gray color.

Her black hair was loose, hanging down her back and it had been distracting me during dinner, imagining it wrapped around my fist.

Not the best imagery when your mother was sitting across the table from you. Even I had boundaries.

“This place is so incredible,” Ainsley said, shaking her head. “We have a couple smaller farms back home, but nothing like this.”

I grinned and looked out over the fields that I grew up roaming. “Yeah, it’s pretty incredible. You should come back out to my place,” I added. “I can show you what I’ve got.”

She gave me the side eye then laughed. “Is that a euphemism?”

“I was talking about my operation,” I said, tone going for offended, but the teasing slipped in. “But I can show you that, too.” I turned toward her, my hands going to her hips. “I wouldn’t turn down a lady’s request.”

She shoved at my hands and put her own on her hips. “I don’t doubt you would.” She arched a brow but her lips were curving upward.

That made me think about what I’d said. “I meant you,” I clarified.

“Uh huh,” she teased. “Or any other ‘lady’ that came along.” She walked off before I could defend myself.

Well damn. I’d been planning to kiss her, but had managed to shove my boot so far down my throat the moment was spoiled.

Ainsley stopped with a gasp and my hand went to the waist of my jeans, where my holster was clipped to the inside of them. “Is that a moose?”

Sure enough. Out in one of the fields, munching on grass alongside my dad’s cows, was a moose. She raised her head, watching us as her baby ran around her with gangly legs.

“Okay. That’s the cutest thing ever.”

I wasn’t about to tell her that the way her voice and features had softened as she watched the baby frolic was actually what was cute.

She was doing her best to keep that strict, no nonsense, cop attitude—at least around me—but every once in a while the real her slipped through.

It was clear she had a huge heart. One that was just soft enough to see that she was a sweetheart through and through.

I had no doubts she could hold her own in a fight.

Not that I’d seen it yet, but I’d seen her working out in the little home gym she’d made in one of the spare bedrooms in her house.

Seen her boxing with her punching bag. The next time the guys qualified on the shooting range, I planned to go observe and see how she did.

She was a cop. Through and through. That didn’t mean she wasn’t a woman. And damn I was enjoying getting to see that woman shine through.

She wasn’t wrong to assume I’d kiss a woman just because she asked.

Or looked like she wanted one. I’d kissed quite a few women.

Some had been long-term, some had been short-term, some had been in passing.

Nothing had ever stuck. But I was also the kind of man who made my mind up quickly.

And it was becoming obvious to me that keeping Ainsley in my life was becoming a possibility. A necessity.

Shoving my hands in my pockets, mostly so I didn’t grab her and end up with a knee to the dick, I walked her around and showed her my parents’ ranch.

I didn’t show her the gardens. Mom would kill me.

That was her pride and joy—her sons came after the gardens—and she was going to end up walking Ainsley around, pointing out all her plants and how they were growing, after dessert.

I wanted my family to like her. And they would.

Because I did. Besides, what wasn’t to like?

Well, I wanted all of them to like her except Alex.

He could fuck right off and go find his own woman.

Took me a long damn time to find this one.

Until I decided if I was keeping her, my middle brother could go pound sand.

We were around the back of the corrals behind the barn when I decided we were far enough away from the house and I’d been gentlemanly long enough. I paused, and she stopped with me, looking over at me.

“You did a great job with everything with the Rices,” I told her.

“Thanks,” she said, her eyes flashing with sadness.

I’d seen the worry and doubt and tiredness in her eyes over the last few days every time I’d seen her. I wanted to erase it.

Not bothering to ask, I stepped in closer, put one hand on her hip and one on the back of her neck. Her lips parted in shock just enough that when I fit my mouth to hers it was like puzzle pieces locking together.

At least this time there wasn’t a bunch of gossiping mothers, and their kids, hanging around as I kissed her. The hand at her hip moved up to wrap around her, tugging her closer to my body because she wasn’t fighting me. As soon as our lips rubbed together she sort of…melted into me. Fuck. Yes.

As soon as she let go of all that self-control she was going to be a fucking wild cat.

I just knew it. I was hoping she’d scratch and bite me, mark me up a bit.

Making her lose her shit and go wild while I fucked her was fast becoming a personal goal of mine.

She was always so…put together. So much in control.

I wanted to make her lose it. Make her lose her mind.

Forget everything but me and what I was doing to her.

My tongue brushed hers and she let out a sexy little moan that had my dick harder than a two by four. She was so damn delicious.

She shoved at my chest, so I reluctantly broke the kiss but didn’t put space between us. Her tits were mashed up against my chest and I liked it. Fucking loved how tall she was, how toned and strong her body was. I pretty much liked everything Ainsley so far.

“You’ve got to quit doing that,” she said, staring up at me, not moving away either.

“Why?”

“Someone’s going to see.”

“Is that why?” I grinned. Someone already had.

A lot of someones. Not that anyone was going to confront her on kissing someone.

They didn’t know her well enough yet. But between my MC brothers and my family, I already knew the town was talking about me kissing the new sheriff.

Owen had already read me the riot act. As if his objections were going to stop me.

He knew it, too. Annoying bastard had still tried.

She ran a hand through her hair, then seemed to realize how close we were still standing and scrambled backward.

It made my palms itch to let her go. I wanted to snatch her close again, but if I pushed too hard she was going to bolt on me. I didn’t want that. I needed to take some time. It was a delicate balance of just enough patience to lure her in, but not so much that I lost her.

“Look, Warrant,” she said with a sigh. “I’m new here. I’m just trying to…get my bearings. I don’t have the time, or luxury, of…starting…anything. With anyone,” she clarified.

“Uh huh,” I said, watching the cows as she tried to let me down easy. I snorted to myself. She didn’t know me well yet, but that wasn’t going to work. She’d find out soon enough. No need for me to tell her.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the invitation to dinner-”

Focusing on her, I let one side of my lips lift upward. “That was Mom’s invitation.”

“Huh?”

“You still owe me dinner, Ainsley. In exchange for those locks. This was Mom’s dinner. Not mine.”

Her mouth opened as though she was going to say something, then closed. Finally, she narrowed her eyes at me. “Okay. Fine, but it’s not a date,” she said, drilling her finger into my chest.

I grinned at her, pushing a little closer to her. “Sure. Whatever you say.”

She gave in first and backed away from me. “When do you want to do this?”

“How about Friday?” I asked, which was four days away. Enough time to have her worrying about it a little bit, not so far that she’d stop and get used to the idea.

She sighed. “Fine. Friday.”

“I’ll pick you up.”

Grabbing her hand, I ignored her struggle and linked our fingers together as I walked her back to the house. This was going to be a lot of fun.

It was early Friday when I showed up to the sheriff’s station. Stepping inside, I found Owen and sat down across from his desk. “How’s it going?”

“Busy,” he grunted, hunched over his computer as he filled out paperwork.

“Everything alright?” I asked. Sentinel wasn’t usually that busy of a place.

He glanced up at me. “Yeah. Just a couple of things here and there. Nothing too big.” He leaned back in his chair, studying me. “Do I need to worry?”

“‘Bout what?” I asked, feigning innocence.

“Are you just bored and playing around? Or is this serious?” he asked, not answering my question. “I need to fucking know, War, because this is my damn job and-”

“I’m not playing around,” I told him, leaning back in my own chair and mirroring the way he had his arms crossed over his chest. “I’m not fucking around either,” I said, knowing he’d know exactly what I meant. I was trying to figure shit out, but… Ainsley could end up being it for me.

He blew out a heavy breath. “Leave it to you,” he muttered. “Fine, I won’t stand in your way, but figure it out before you do serious damage. For my sake?”

“Who said I’d do serious damage?” I asked, offended that he’d think I’d intentionally break a woman’s heart.

Women were these amazing creatures. Soft and sweet and they deserved to be treated well.

Anytime I broke up with girlfriends in the past, I’d always done my best to make sure it ended as amicably as possible.

I wasn’t a douche. Well, I was, but not that kind of douche.

I flirted. Sure. Not when I was in a relationship—which hadn’t been in many years now—but otherwise, I always respected women. My mom would string me up by my ankles if I didn’t. And my dad would have his teaching moment once Mom was finished with me.

“Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid,” he sighed.

I thought about that. “Not sure I can actually promise that,” I told him. “But I’ll do my best. Nothing stupider anyways.”

He groaned. “Get out of here. We’re too busy for you to be loitering today.”

Taking that as my cue, I left the building. There’d be time over the next couple days to finish up in Ainsley’s office. Those locks would only take a few minutes to finish up, even though I’d stretch the job out for days so I could see her.

Eyeing Ainsley’s Tahoe, I grinned and headed in that direction.