Page 33 of Wyatt (The Black Roses MC #5)

Chapter fifteen

Wyatt

W e’ve spent the last two weeks sneaking around.

I don’t know how many more things I can come up with to “fix” around the house.

There are no runs scheduled for a while, so I’ve been able to hang out with Maizie and Colby every day.

If she’s at work and I’m not watching Colby—which I’ve been doing more often lately, because he’s a great kid and I genuinely enjoy hanging out with him—I come over after Cece leaves and stay until the early morning hours.

Even when I’m there, I stay until just before dawn, not wanting to leave my woman a second sooner than I have to.

Today, Maizie has the day off, and we’re at the park with Colby and Pepper.

“Lucy and Mia want to stop by. Said they grabbed some treats and coffee from Cool Beans for me and Colby,” Maizie tells me as she sets her phone back down between us.

“What about me?” I ask.

“You want me to text her back and have her get you one of the caramel drinks I like? Something with extra whipped cream?” Maizie asks with a smirk.

Last week, before I came to watch Colby, I stopped by the coffee shop and grabbed one of Maizie’s favorite drinks with extra whipped cream for her and a couple things for Colby.

While he was out back playing with the dog, I pulled Maizie into her bathroom and added the whipped cream to her already sweet pussy.

Then I licked it all off before she had to tend bar for the rest of the night.

“Nah, I’ll just taste yours.” Fuck. I want to lean over and press my lips to hers. So damn bad. “Baby, we need to tell people. I can’t keep pretending we’re just friends. I want to kiss you where I want, when I want. I want everyone to know you’re mine.”

She lets out a long breath. “I know. You’re right. God, Lucy is going to gloat so hard,” she says.

I think part of Maizie has been waiting for the other shoe to drop, even though she would deny it. I’m starting to regret telling her she can take the lead, and we can announce it on her time. But I also understand the caution behind it. It’s not just Maizie, it’s her son too.

“Do you trust me?” I ask, and she whips her head toward me.

“Of course.”

“Do you trust me with Colby?”

Her brows dip. “You know I do.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

She huffs out a laugh. “There isn’t one. Honestly, at this point, I’ve built it up in my head so much I’ve probably made it a bigger deal than it actually is.”

“I don’t know, I think I’m a pretty big deal,” I say and shoot her a smirk, to which she rolls her eyes.

“So cocky.”

My smirk turns into a wicked grin. “I’ll show you what I can do with my co—”

“Hey kids,” Lucy calls, walking up to the bench we’re sitting at. She waves to Colby and holds up a bag with a big smile on her face.

“How are you guys?” Mia asks, giving Maizie a hug and sitting on the other side of her.

“Great, thank you for this,” Maizie replies, taking the drink from Mia’s hand, and I eye the whipped cream.

Fuck , I think to myself and adjust the way I’m sitting before anyone notices the quickly developing situation going on in my pants.

Colby comes running over, and Lucy cackles as he jumps for the bag she’s holding over his head. Pepper starts jumping, too, thinking they’re playing a game.

“Does Pepper get a treat, too?” Colby asks when Lucy finally takes pity on the poor kid and hands him a cake pop.

“They don’t have doggy treats at Cool Beans, bud. Sorry,” Lucy says.

“Oh, I picked some up on our way here. I’ll run and grab them,” Maizie says, standing from her seat. She takes a long drink of her froufrou coffee and shoots me a meaningful look. Or maybe I just understand the meaning since we were both remembering the other day with the whipped cream.

When she’s out of earshot, Lucy turns her attention to me and narrows her eyes.

“What?” I ask.

She quirks a brow.

“Is this how you get Jude to spill all his secrets?” I ask as her questioning gaze pierces into me. Fuck, she could probably get all of my bank account information out of me if she keeps this up.

She tilts her head. “Do you have secrets, Wyatt?”

“Nope.” At least I’d rather not.

“Maizie’s buying treats for your dog,” Lucy says.

“That’s what she said,” I shoot back and look at Colby, who is happily munching away on his treat while Pepper stands next to him wagging his tail and waiting for any crumb to fall.

“I think I need to have a conversation with my friend,” Lucy tells me, and I look at her.

“I think you do, too,” I agree.

She wears a self-satisfied grin on her face while Mia’s gaze ping-pongs between us.

Maizie comes back and shakes the bag in her hands to get Pepper's attention.

“I should get going,” I say, and Maizie’s brows dip a bit, causing a tiny line to appear.

“I thought you didn’t have church for a couple hours,” she says.

“I don’t, but I have some errands. Is it okay if you watch Pepper for me? I’ll swing by later and pick him up when you get home from work.”

“Yes,” Colby answers for her, and she laughs.

“Sounds good,” Maizie replies, and I head to my truck.

I drive away but park my truck a couple blocks from the playground and pull out my phone to text Maizie.

Me: Pretty sure Lucy knows .

Maizie: Is that why she has a weird look on her face?

Me: I have no idea. The only woman I pay attention to is you.

Me: I’m telling the guys at church today. I’m tired of leaving you and not being able to kiss you goodbye when people are around. If you want to wait for me to tell Colby, I’d love to be there.

I doubt Colby would have a problem with anything, but just in case he does, I want to reassure him that I’m here for him and his mom. Make sure he understands man-to-man—or man to five-year-old boy—what that means.

Maizie: Divide and conquer?

Me: We’re not going into battle, baby. Just letting our friends know that you scored the hottest biker in Shine.

Maizie: Jude might disagree with that statement.

Me: As long as you don’t.

Maizie: I don’t. And I’ll talk to them before we leave the park.

Me: Okay. I’ll see you tonight.

I want to tell her I love her. That seems like what couples do. And I do. I love Maizie, and I have a strong feeling she loves me too. And now that we’re making everything public, I plan to show her what that love is going to look like—every possible second—for the rest of her life.

“Any other business, or can we get the hell out of here?” Ozzy says before slamming the gavel down to adjourn the meeting.

I raise my hand. “Right here.”

“This isn’t second grade, Wyatt. You don’t have to raise your hand,” Knox says.

“Fuck off,” I tell my VP, but there isn’t any heat behind my words. “I wanted to let everyone know that Maizie and I are together. She's my woman.”

I look around the table at my brothers. No one bats an eye. Not that I necessarily thought they would, but not a single raised brow or curious stare?

“Any other business?” Ozzy asks, and I give him an incredulous look. He was the one who told me to stay away. I thought if anyone would have something to say, it would’ve been him.

“What?” he asks, meeting my gaze. “Do you want me to throw a party to memorialize the occasion that you finally pulled your head out of your ass?”

“I mean, I’m always up for a party. But you were the one who warned me away from her.”

“That was right after she had a baby and was taking care of her sick grandma. I didn’t want anyone fucking with her head, least of all one of the brothers. You fucking with her head, Wyatt?” His tone is both questioning and threatening.

“Not at all. I’m claiming her. She’s mine and I’m hers. End of.”

“End of?” Ozzy asks.

I give him a decisive nod. “Yes.”

“Good then. Now that we can put Wyatt’s love life to bed, can we fucking get out of here? It’s a gorgeous day, and I want to take my woman out on my bike.” Ozzy slams the gavel down, and we all get up to file out of the room.

Barrett comes up behind me and slaps me on the back. “Did you really think we didn't know?”

I shoot him a surprised look. “You didn’t say anything.”

At that, he laughs. “What should we have done? Made some tea and had a chat like a bunch of old biddies? I knew you would claim her sooner rather than later. It’s not like I wasn't there when you chased off her date a couple weeks ago. Or that I’ve missed the fact that you haven’t gone with us to Midnight Rose in months.

Or that you’ve been out late every night, but have a spring in your step every morning.

Only one thing has that effect on a man, and it’s good p—”

“Finish that sentence and I’ll knock your teeth down your throat,” I tell him, my tone leaving no question that I mean it.

“Hell yeah,” he says with a wide smile. “If you’re threatening me, then I know you mean it.”

“I’ve never meant anything more.” My commitment to Maizie and my threat to punch him in the face.

“Happy for you, man. Now there’re more women left for me.”

I scoff. “I think you’ve been with nearly every single woman in Shine and the surrounding towns.”

A devious grin spreads across Barrett’s mouth. “Most. But not all.”

I shake my head, and bellowing laughter bursts from him.

“I’m going to head to the shop and help the guys out.

This weather has everyone around here taking out their motorcycles and old cars for Sunday drives.

They’ve been swamped getting cars ready or fixing them after some dumbass drives it too hard after having it sit for eight months. ”

The club owns the only shop worth a damn when it comes to motorcycles and classic cars in a fifty-mile radius. They stay pretty busy throughout the year, working on various makes and models of all cars, but summer sees a huge influx of cars people only take out when the roads are clear.

“I’ll come help out for a few hours, too.”