CHAPTER TWELVE
Lake
I’d almost freaked out when I’d realized Axel had brought me to his clubhouse. I’d been arguing with Axel about it when Blaze had walked into the room looking like a wet dream with his jeans riding low and his feet bare.
I couldn’t believe he’d said I could stay until I found a place. Relief had washed over me like a cooling wave, but now that I was alone in the bedroom, I had to wonder if it was a good idea. Being so close to Blaze made me want things. Things I couldn’t have. But where else was I going to go?
To Khan and Stephens as soon as they get back from their trip, I reminded myself.
But could I stay at the clubhouse until then? I worked so much, I wouldn’t just be hanging around. My stomach sank when I realized I had no transportation where I was. Even if I’d had my bike, I couldn’t have pedaled all the way to the club or even the coffee house. The following morning I’d have to be at The Cup and Saucer by eight.
I headed for the bedroom door. The hallway was quiet, but I could hear someone tinkering in the kitchen. Blaze had said he was heading for bed. I turned and looked the other way. Two doors other than the bathroom, and only one was closed with a light under it. I approached it and knocked, hating myself every second for needing help.
“Come in.”
Blaze’s deep voice sent tingles down my spine and rattled my balls before fading. I bit my lip and turned the knob.
Blaze looked up from where he was sitting on the double bed, laptop open in front of him. “Hey. Do you need something?”
My eyes drank him in. He wore only a pair of red Calvin Klein boxer shorts. I caught just a glimpse of the Hedonist tat on his left upper arm, but my attention was drawn to the other arm where the yellow snake curled around the muscular bicep, a rich yellow against his tanned skin, triangular head peeking out just below the elbow. I couldn’t help but notice another impressive “snake” clearly outlined in his snug shorts.
“Lake?”
God, I’d been staring. I took a breath.
“Uh, yeah. I’m really sorry, but…” I left off. Why was it so fucking hard for me to ask for something? I gnawed on my lower lip and looked anywhere but at the sexy man in front of me.
“What is it?” Blaze asked, the question jerking my eyes to finally meet his. “Just ask.”
I let out a breath. “It’s just that everything happened so fast tonight, I didn’t think. I have to be at work at eight in the morning and have no way of getting there.” I forced myself not to look away, and my next words had to work their way past my lips. “I don’t even have cab fare. Well, I do, but not enough to go back and forth for very long. Plus I need to be saving for a down payment.”
“Looked like you got a good start with all the bills guys were shoving into your shorts tonight.”
My lips parted in surprise.
“I was there for a while,” Blaze said, and this time he was the one to look away.
“You were? I didn’t see you.”
He shrugged. “I left early.”
I wondered why he’d left. Had my pole dance with all the men ogling and touching me disgusted him? My cheeks warmed, and I straightened my spine.
“I’ll just take a cab in the morning and work it out from there. Sorry I bothered you.” I turned to go, but Blaze’s words stopped me.
“I’ll give you a ride to work. If I can’t, one of the guys will. It’s not a problem. There’s always one of us going somewhere.”
I started to refuse, then nodded jerkily. I was in no position to let my pride get in the way. I spit out a “thanks” and hurried back to the room I’d been given. Lying on the bed, I wondered what Blaze thought of me.
Had he found my dance disgusting?
Or had he liked it?
My cock thickened in the jeans I’d changed into before leaving the club. I liked the thought of turning Blaze on. Very much. Only, I still didn’t know for sure if he swung that way or even if he was interested in me at all.
Why should he be?
I turned my thoughts elsewhere. Sara. She’d been married to Barry, and Barry had hit her. That didn’t surprise me one bit, considering what he’d done to me. I was glad she’d gotten away from him and made a safe place for herself and her child.
I squeezed my eyes shut, blocking the memories trying to squirm through my mind.
God. I sat up and rubbed my hands over my face. Maybe a shower before bed would relax me. It was late, and I needed a few hours of sleep.
I walked across the hall to the bathroom, pulling a blue towel out of the linen closet before turning on the shower. I didn’t want to use all the hot water, so I washed quickly, shampooing my hair with someone’s head and body wash that smelled awesomely familiar. My cock twitched when I realized it must be Blaze’s.
Finished, I dried off, wrapped the towel around my waist, walked out the door, and ran straight into a hundred and eighty-five pounds of solid man.
I barely managed to grab hold of my towel and keep it from falling as two hands reached out to grasp my arms. When I looked up into Blaze’s eyes, my cock rose like it was about to be featured in the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Blaze looked down at the tent in my towel and swallowed. I was breathing hard, like I’d run from the bathroom rather than casually walked out of it, and trying to pull myself together wasn’t working. Blaze’s proximity had me flushed all over. My dick throbbed against the soft terrycloth of the towel.
I wanted to drop to my knees and bury my face in the crotch of those sexy undershorts. And the way Blaze looked right then, I was pretty sure he’d let me—straight, bi, or whatever. I actually considered it. The house was quiet, Axel either gone or in bed. I licked my lips and shivered when I noticed Blaze staring at them.
A voice from the kitchen caused me to blink and step back.
Blaze took a deep breath and let it out.
“Hey. Just…going to talk to Matteo.” He paused a moment more before heading into the kitchen.
I continued into my room and closed the door, falling to the bed. I glanced at the poster on the wall of the woman bent provocatively over the motorcycle.
“You’re not doing anything for me, lady,” I muttered, then wondered what it would be like to be fucked over a Harley. Blaze’s Harley.
Pushing everything from my mind but that image, I took myself in hand and beat off fast and furious, dampness from the shower slicking my way. In a matter of seconds, I arched my back and bit back a moan as I shot all over my hand, the towel, and my quivering abdomen.