CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Blaze
I’d lain all night in the trundle listening to Lake’s even breathing. Every time I thought about how he’d chased that flirty waiter away from me the night before, I couldn’t help but smile. He’d been jealous, and knowing that gave me the courage to make my move.
I’d invited him to go to Sunday dinner at Dante and Swish’s house and arranged to drive us in the SUV so we could talk.
As everyone was getting ready to leave, Ax pulled me aside and told me what had happened after I’d left the club. My blood pressure rose at the thought of one of the Sinners—or anybody, for that matter—manhandling Lake. It made me crazy.
“I should have stuck around,” I said.
“Naw, he wouldn’t have appreciated you getting into a fight over him,” Ax said. “I handled it. Only had to tell the guy Lake was yours.”
I thought about that and realized it didn’t bother me. At all. “I’m glad you did.”
“Now all you gotta do is make it true.”
The sound of arguing carried down the hall.
“I need it for in the morning.” Morgan’s tone was stubborn, reminding me so much of his brother it hurt my heart.
Zeke’s obstinate reply matched his husband’s. “Well, you aren’t gonna get it without me with you, and I promised Swish I’d pick up the dessert. We’re running late as it is.”
“You can’t be with me all the time,” Morgan said. “I can hire bodyguards if need be.”
“Tonight?”
“Well, no.”
“Then you ain’t going, Twinkle Toes.”
“Reverting to former annoying behavior isn’t helping me see things your way,” Morgan said tightly.
“What is it you need?” I asked when the two entered the living room.
“My dance bag. I’m teaching a class early in the morning. Zeke’s being overly protective,” Morgan said with an annoyed glance at his husband.
“He’s right,” I said. “You shouldn’t go alone.”
Morgan sighed. “I guess we can leave Dante and Swish’s a little early, but I hate it because we did that last time. Seems like we’re always rushing off somewhere.”
“I’ll go get it for you,” Skitz offered. “At your house, right?”
“That’s nice of you, but it’s out of your way.”
“Naw, I was planning on running by my friend Juan’s and picking up a jacket I left there. He lives about ten minutes from your place.”
“Thanks, Buddy,” Zeke said, slapping Skitz on the back. “Here’s my key.”
That settled, I looked at my watch. What was taking Lake so long? Freshly showered and looking sexy in a shirt that matched the green of his eyes and a faded pair of jeans that hugged his tempting backside, he appeared as the guys were walking outside.
“You look nice,” I said, feeling a little out of my element. Was it okay to say that to a guy? Or did you treat them differently than girls? Just treat him like you want to be treated, moron.
Dante and Swish lived outside the city in a little town called Henry. As Lake and I buckled into the front seat of the SUV, the guys took off one by one on their bikes, roaring down the street.
“Ax said you had some trouble last night,” I said when we’d been on the road a while.
Lake glanced at me with his cat eyes, a blush creeping into his cheeks. He shrugged. “Just a pushy patron. It happens.”
“He said the guy wouldn’t leave you alone.”
Something flickered behind Lakes eyes that I couldn’t read.
“Customers sometimes get like that.” His normally soft, full lips firmed stubbornly. “I can take care of myself.”
“I’m sure you can.” I let the subject drop and we rode in silence for a time.
When I took the exit off the interstate, I realized I was running out of time alone with him. So far I’d only managed to make hi defensive. I merged into the traffic on County Road Nine. I glanced at Lake. He looked to be deep in thought and was biting his bottom lip. My eyes zeroed in on that gorgeous mouth. I wanted to kiss him, no doubt about it. I wondered how different it would be with a man rather than a woman.
“I regret the way I acted at Dante’s party,” I blurted.
Lake glanced at me in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“You were kind of flirting with me, and I acted rude. I’d just lost a really good friend, and…to be honest, I was a little confused about my immediate attraction to you.”
The corners of Lake’s mouth pulled down kind of adorably. “I don’t understand.”
Might as well put it all out there. I had a feeling Lake wouldn’t appreciate anything less than the bare truth. “I’ve never been with a guy.”
Lake’s slight intake of air and the way he unconsciously batted his lashes instigated a fluttering in my stomach.
I turned the car onto the long country road Dante and Swish lived off of.
Just ask him, Blaze. “Anyway, now that we’ve been thrown into each other’s orbit again, I was wondering if you might like to go out with me.”
“You’ve really never been with a guy?” he asked after a moment.
“No. Does it matter? Did you think I had?”
Lake glanced at me. “No, of course not. You just seem really comfortable with it. After the party I thought you were straight or maybe closeted. But lately, I’d begun to think maybe you just weren’t into me.”
I pulled onto the long driveway leading to the main house before reaching over and catching Lake’s hand in mine.
“Trust me,” I said with an intense look, slowing the car a mere roll, “I’m into you.”
Lake’s wide-eyed, parted-lips look had my heart knocking in my chest. I let go of his hand and accelerated the rest of the way up the driveway. When I’d parked and turned off the engine, I turned to Lake again. What he said surprised me.
“You didn’t want me when Matteo asked me to give you a lap dance,” Lake reminded me.
“Matteo was trying to embarrass me. He knew I’d been watching you.”
Lake seemed to think about this a moment then climbed out of the car.
I followed, the blast of cold air taking my breath away. In the distance, I could see the roof of the shelter where Swish had first lived when he’d taken the job of animal caretaker. That had been before Gus, the old man who’d adopted Swish, had died unexpectedly, leaving Swish everything he owned.
Ax, Hung, and Matteo had arrived before us, their bikes parked in a row beside Dante’s. Foghorn’s new jeep sat under the big oak. The roar of Zeke’s bike heralded his arrival. I leaned against the SUV, waiting until everyone had entered the house and only Lake and I were left outside. He still hadn’t answered my question about a date.
Lake pushed his hands into the pockets of his peacoat and looked toward the lit windows of the house.
“Will you go out with me?” I asked again.
The dogs were going crazy inside the house. In a minute, someone was going to ask us why we were standing out here.
Lake studied my face, and I wished I knew what was going through his head.
“I’ll think about it,” he finally said, and simultaneously I wanted to laugh and moan in frustration. When he started toward the house, I grabbed his wrist and pulled him against me, aligning our bodies. I wrapped my arms around him, marveling how he immediately sank into me and how the experience was similar to holding a woman, yet exciting in a completely different way. I liked the hardness of his body—the way his hipbones pressed into me, and the feel of his slim hips and the dip at the base of his back. He smelled good. Manly. I wanted to taste him.
I let my hands run up the expanse of his back beneath his open coat and felt a tremor run though him right before I leaned in and pressed my lips to his.
They tasted even better than I’d imagined and felt like heaven when they finally moved against mine. I ran my tongue over them, eagerly seeking entrance, and when Lake tilted his head and opened up for me, I dove in, the kiss setting me aflame like a match to gasoline.
Lake clutched at my shoulders and let out a sound that was half whimper, half growl and drew my nuts into tight, hard balls. I could feel Lake’s heart hammering against my chest as his fingers twined in my hair. He gave as good as he got, and soon I forgot where we were, how cold it was, what my name was, why I existed. Everything blanked out as I sank into pure sensation.
“Hey, Blaze!” Dante’s voice calling to me across the yard jerked me out of my daze, and I reluctantly pulled back, pleased at how discombobulated Lake looked. I kissed the tip of his nose and stepped away, grinning at the scowl he gave me before rubbing at his nose.
“Coming!” I called to Dante and took Lake’s hand in mine. I tugged him toward the house, suddenly feeling on top of the world.