Cas slips behind the bar with me when most of the men are in the back room playing pool. “You’re coming with me after your shift,” he murmurs in my ear. His hot breath tickles my skin, and my eyes flutter closed as a flame lights low in my belly.

“Cas, be careful,” I whisper. “What if someone sees you?”

“I don’t fucking care,” he growls. There’s something up with him today: a tension and urgency in his body that I can feel as he leans into me. Between my legs, a familiar ache begins to grow, as it always does when he gets this close to me. His cock is hardening as he presses against my ass. Oh, God… We’ve been together long enough now that I know exactly what he can do to me, and exactly how good it’s going to feel when he does…

“I’ll call Jewel and see if she can keep Noah a little later,” I say in a strangled voice. Then I slide away from him before I burst into flames. He moves away to the other side of the bar, and I exhale in relief. Being around that man is dangerous when I have to pretend there’s nothing going on between us.

There’s not a whole lot going on at the clubhouse today, so I have a little more time to myself just to think and enjoy the relatively slow pace. It’s funny, but even though I have to put up with the men flirting with me, I actually sort of like working here. It’s nice to feel like I belong, for once. Since I’m Angel’s sister, I’m off limits, so I know I don’t have to take any of their B.S.’ing seriously. I get to watch from an amused distance as the fully-patched members test out the prospects, making them do their grunt work to see whether they’ll be loyal to the club. I’ve even struck up friendships with some of the old ladies. For maybe the first time in my life, I don’t feel like I’m “less than,” or like I’m not living up to anyone’s expectations. I just feel like I fit in. It’s a welcome relief from being around my father, who always seems to be disappointed in me and my choices.

My father… I breathe out a sigh as my thoughts turn to him. I’ve been kind of avoiding Dad the last couple of weeks, mostly because I don’t want to deal with his prying questions about what my future plans are. He knows I’m working at the clubhouse now, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t approve — though when I told him, he didn’t blow up like I thought he would. In fact, he was downright subdued about it, to the point where I almost asked him why he wasn’t more upset. Something’s bothering him, I think. And it seems like whatever it is goes deeper than just the reelection campaign.

My hand goes up to finger my mom’s ring as I think guiltily about the three voicemails I have on my cell phone from him. I really need to call him back one of these days, I tell myself. He does deserve at least that much. After all, it’s because of him that I have a roof over my head. Even though I’m doing a lot better financially now, and soon I’ll be able to pay him back for the damage deposit, I should probably make a point to thank him again for helping me in the first place. I resolve to be a better daughter to my dad. Heck, maybe I’ll even bring Noah over to see him for an hour or two this weekend.

My thoughts continue to ping-pong back and forth between turning over a new leaf with my dad and wondering what Cas has planned for us after I’m done working. I call Jewel and make sure she’s okay with taking Noah for a couple more hours. Somehow, I manage to make it through the rest of my shift. Then I drive home to take a quick shower, because I spilled beer on myself earlier, and really, that’s just not a sexy smell.

Cas shows up at my place about ten minutes after I get out of the shower. My hair’s still wet, and I feel a little self-conscious that I haven’t had time to dry it and put a little makeup on. But when he strides through my door and pulls me to him like I’m a glass of water and he’s dying of thirst, my disheveled state doesn’t seem to matter so much.

“God damn, I thought I was gonna go crazy back at the bar,” he murmurs in my ear. One hand goes around the back of my neck, the other to my hip, pulling me hard against him. He’s already huge with need. His lips come crashing down on mine, his mouth taking me, possessing me. I make a small sound between a gasp and a moan as I open to him.

My hips are pressing against him, the ache between my legs already almost unbearable. Cas’s urgency is contagious. I want him — I want this — now. My feverish hands go to his waistband and start to fumble open his fly.

“No,” he growls, grabbing my arm. “Not here.”

I catch a ragged breath and try to focus on what he’s saying. “Where, then?” I’m confused. I can’t see why he’d rather take the time to go to his place. It’s not that much different from mine, other than it’s nicer, and has a larger bed.

But apparently he’s determined. “Come with me,” he rasps. He hasn’t let go of my wrist, and starts to pull me out the front door.

“Uh, Cas?” I begin, pulling back on my arm and halting in my tracks.

“Yeah?” He bites the word out, clearly impatient.

“Maybe I should — you know — put some clothes on first?”

For the first time, he seems to notice that I’m only wearing an oversized T-shirt.

“Oh. Yeah,” he mutters. “Well, okay. Hurry up.”

His tone is gruff, but I know it’s not anger — at least, not at me. Still, I don’t waste any time. I go into my tiny bedroom and stare at the closet. I consider what to wear for a moment, but then tell myself that wherever it is that Cas is taking me, it’s likely I won’t be wearing clothes for very long.

In the end I just pull on a pair of jeans and a tank top, then pull my hair into a pony and walk back out in to the main room. Cas is already standing impatiently at the front door, and pushes it open to let me go through.

Outside, the air’s already starting to cool, the sun about halfway down its descent to the horizon. Cas gets on the bike and I climb on behind him. I take a moment to breathe in deeply and relish the solid warmth of him — the deep comfort and masculinity of a powerful man on a powerful bike.

I wrap my arms around his waist and snuggle close. Then he fires up the engine and we drive out into the evening, leaving Tanner Springs behind.