Chapter Twenty-One
Through her piercing yells, a baritone voice broke through and her eyes flew open. Instead of the bogeyman who’d been lurking in her thoughts, the man at the door was blond, gorgeous, and pissed.
She flung open the door. “Why in the hell are you lurking around scaring the shit out of me?”
Goldie walked into the shop. “Why the fuck are you at the shop so late?”
“How’s that your damn business? You still haven’t answered why you were lurking outside.”
“I wasn’t ‘lurking,’ I was watching out for you. Remember the last time you stayed late? I didn’t want you to have any problems.”
“How did you know I was even here?”
“I was headed to Get Inked and I came down this street. I was surprised to see your lights on. I just wanted to check to see if you’re good. From your frown and pouting lips, I’d guess you’re not.”
“I’m fine. Thanks for looking out for me. Wait, that’s your job, right?”
“You going to start in on that shit already? And it’s not my job anymore. I talked to Ryan and told him that I found out Nolan’s stalking another woman in Albuquerque. So Ryan’s let go of the leash.”
“Oh. Was Nolan ever in Alina?”
He shook his head. “Never. That’s the problem with the grapevine, it’s rarely accurate. I had one of my brothers check him out. You don’t need to worry about him anymore.”
“Why’re you still looking out for me?” Standing next to him in a small space brought an influx of butterflies dancing inside her.
“Because I care about you.” His gaze melted over her.
“You do? You could’ve fooled me. I mean, I haven’t heard from you. You were at Cherry Vale tonight and I know you saw my car, but you never came down to my aunt’s room.”
“I know,” he said softly as he ran his hand down her arm.
Tingles shivered through her as she watched his fingers against her skin. “Why have you been dissing me?”
“Because you asked me to. You told me to leave you alone.” He grasped her wrist and pulled her closer. “But I can’t. I want you, Hailey. You were right. You’re a grown woman and I’m a man, and if we want to be together it’s our damn decision.”
“I’ve had a crush on you since forever, but I felt something pull me to you when I first saw you the night I got the tattoo.”
“Me too. I wondered if you felt it. It was a jolt and it made me take notice. When I found out it was you, it was so fucked up. But now it’s clear. I want to be with you.”
“For tonight? I’m not into one-night stands. I like being with someone and having a relationship. I’m afraid of getting hurt.”
“There’s always a risk in getting hurt, but it’s worth it. I’m gonna be honest with you. I can’t promise you forever. Hell, I don’t even know what the fuck to do in a relationship because I’ve never been in one. All I know is that you’re in my head all the time, my dick’s been hard for too fuckin’ long, and I want to spend time with you. I want to get to know all of you—inside and out. I’ve never wanted that with a woman, so I’m pretty sure this is more than just lust.”
“What about all the women you have?”
“Are you hearing me, woman? I want to be with you. You. Only you. I don’t want any other women. Let’s just see where this takes us. We don’t have to figure it all out tonight.”
She smiled. “First thing for you to learn about me—I’m an obsessive planner. I cringe at spontaneity and don’t do so well with a change in plans.”
“I know that. Remember how you’d make a fuss when Ryan and I would take you to the fair instead of swimming when the carnival was in town? You always could go swimming the next day, but you’d carry on like it was the end of the world. And you always ended up having a good time at the fair.”
Shaking her head, she laughed. “I think it’s going to be dangerous to go out with you. You remember too much.”
He drew her into his arms and kissed her hard on the mouth. “I don’t know what it is, but you do something to me.” Kissing her again, his hand roamed down her back, landing on her ass.
“You do something to me too. I’ve never had a man make me feel things the way you do.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet.” In one fluid movement, he picked her up and set her down on the front counter, his lips never leaving hers. He slipped his hand under her blouse and teased his fingers up to her breasts.
Pushing his hand away, she whispered, “Let me pull the blinds. I don’t want anyone passing by to see us.” Ignoring his protests, she jumped off the counter and pulled down the shades, then dimmed the lights. As she walked back to Goldie, his gaze tracked up her body, then locked on hers. Desire heated his eyes. The look sent a bolt of fire between her legs.
Licking her lips, she slowed her pace, his low growl fanning the lust inside her. Without warning, he reached out and jerked her into his arms, crushing his mouth on hers. His kiss was hot, hungry. Her mind reeled out of control as he thrust into her mouth, touching her body and making it burn. She clawed at his shirt in a desperate attempt to rip it from him so she could run her tongue over his taut muscles.
“Need some help with that?” he said in a low, deep voice that made her panties damp with want. He tugged his T-shirt over his head and threw it on the floor.
She pushed him away and stepped back far enough so she could take him in. Seeing him shirtless for the first time made her knees shake as her gaze traveled up and down. He was magnificent. Every muscle was taut, lean, and so wickedly delicious. He had a smattering of blond hair on his chest that trailed down and disappeared into the waistband of his jeans. She couldn’t wait to see how far down it went.
“You’re gorgeous,” she murmured as she ran her fingertips across his chest and then lower on his stomach. A small groan ripped through his throat and she glanced up and met his lust-filled gaze. As her fingertips slipped into his waistband, he shook his head and yanked her to him.
“I want to see your body first. All of it.” He feathered kisses up her neck and across her throat as she tilted her head back and moaned. “Fuck,” he said. His warm breath on her skin sent tingles up her spine. Pulling away slightly, he grasped her blouse and ripped it open, buttons pinging everywhere. He bent his head and lavished a trail of kisses over the tops of her breasts as his hands traveled up to cup them. His thumb grazed over her nipples, then flicked them teasingly until they ached for his mouth. He jerked her bra down, the straps capturing her arms at her sides. The cool air from the AC suddenly felt icy against her hardening nipples. Leaning back on the heels of his boots, his gaze devoured her, stroking her with dark intent.
“Your tits are fuckin’ beautiful,” he rasped as he dipped his head.
Embarrassed by his gaze and words, she closed her eyes.
“Open your eyes. I want you to watch what I’m doing to you.”
Fluttering them open, she met his and watched as he slowly licked the tip of her nipple. It was exquisite and tormenting at the same time. Arching her back, she thrust her breasts closer, hoping he’d take them in his mouth. He leaned back again. Damn! He chuckled.
“Do you want more?”
“You know I do. Touch them.”
With a wicked glint in his eye, he slid his tongue around her nipple before sucking it between his lips. Heat flooded between her legs and she pressed closer to him, humping his leg. Harder and faster he sucked, and her low moans turned into cries. When he slipped his hand into her jeans and placed his palm on her damp panties, sparks rushed up her spine.
“That’s so good,” she muttered as she ground against his hand.
“What do you want me to do?”
Swallowing hard, she looked into his eyes. “I want your cock deep inside my pussy,” she said in a naughty voice. Hearing her voice saying the words shocked her a bit. She’d never said anything like that to a man, but she’d been practicing how to talk dirty ever since she’d read several articles on the subject.
Silence. Goldie stopped playing with her breasts. His hand came out from her jeans. Embarrassment flooded her and she closed her eyes. What the hell was I thinking? Why did I say it?
Her eyes flew open when Goldie lifted her and then slammed her down on the front counter. Her legs hung off the side and her sandals fell to the floor. There was a feral, predatory look in his eyes as he pushed her down on the counter and stripped off her jeans, leaving her just in panties. Mesmerized by the hunger she saw reflected in his blue orbs, she lifted herself up on her elbows and watched as he grasped one side of her panties and ripped them at the seam. A wicked smile spread across his lips and he ripped the other side easily.
After kicking off his boots and shedding his jeans and boxers, Goldie’s fingers dug into her soft flesh, spreading her bent knees wide until she felt a small stretch down the insides of her thighs. Goldie stared at her pussy, and instead of feeling shy about being so completely exposed, excitement filled her. She could feel her juices dampening the small strip of blonde hair on her engorged lips.
“Fuck,” he said in a low voice as he slid his hands under her and cupped her ass cheeks. His shoulders kept her opened wide as he lifted her. She raised her head and flattened her hands on the counter as she captured his piercing gaze. Holding her breath, she watched as he slowly licked the length of her, his lips soon glistening from her arousal.
Her body jolted from the sheer pleasure of it, and her synapses sparked and sizzled as he shoved his tongue into her slippery slit. Over and over, he licked, nipped, and feasted on her until her insides were mush and she was half-crazed with frenzied desire. As he shoved his fingers in and out of her, he steadily licked her hardened nub while his penetrating gaze watched her. Never in her life had she been so aroused. Everything around them blurred; the only thing she was aware of was the tangy scent of their arousal, the sound of his tongue swishing in and out of her, the feel of his warm, soft tongue coaxing her to orgasm. And then the tight coil deep inside her unfurled with such ferocity that she didn’t recognize the guttural screams coming from her. Thrashing on the counter, she came hard, raw, and completely.
“That was incredible,” she panted, the blowing air cooling her sweaty body.
Goldie leaned over and kissed her passionately. “That was just for starters.”
As she watched him slip on a condom, she wondered if it’d hurt to have him inside her. He was pretty big; much bigger than any man she’d been with, although there hadn’t been that many. He pulled her off the counter and turned her around so her ass was to him. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he pushed down. She bent over and put her hands flat against the side of the counter. With his leg, he spread her wide, then pushed her head down more so her ass was sticking high in the air. He cupped her wet pussy and smeared her juices over her ass.
“Your tat looks good. Real sexy and such a turn-on.”
“You’re the first one to see it,” she said.
“And the last.”
Then he pummeled into her, his hand on the small of her back, pinning her in place so she was completely at his mercy. And she loved it. With each thrust, her body jerked back and forth until they were going at it at such a frenzied pace that Hailey thought for sure the counter would break. Grunts, moans, and skin slapping on skin were the only sounds in the shop. When he reached under her and tugged at her swaying breasts, sparks went off behind her eyelids and she exploded with a yell. One last, hard thrust and feral sounds came from Goldie as he stiffened and yanked her ass closer to his soaked skin.
For several minutes, they stood there panting until he pulled out and helped her straighten up. She fell into his arms and he held her close, running his fingers through her disheveled hair. “Fuck, babe. Just… fuck,” he said as she put her lips against his neck.
Hailey was so overcome with emotion she almost cried, but she didn’t think Goldie went in for crying women. Most men didn’t.
“You want to grab some food? I’m starving,” he said in her ear.
“Me too. Is there anything open this late around here?”
“The diner’s open until midnight. We better hustle.”
Pointing at her ripped blouse on the floor, she said, “I don’t have shirt.”
“No worries, I got one in my saddlebags. I always carry spares. I’ll go grab one.”
After she donned his T-shirt and locked up, she followed him to the diner. I can’t believe how wonderful it was with him. Now don’t go and make what happened into a bigger deal than it is. She had to watch herself because if she didn’t, she could easily fall head over heels in love with him. You can’t lose your head. Remember, he doesn’t even date. He even told you he’s never had a relationship. She pulled up behind his Harley and smiled when he came over and opened her door.
Inside, a few people sat on the stools at the counter and some of the tables were occupied. The waitress led them to a booth by the window and handed them two menus. After taking their dinner order, she walked away.
“I totally forgot about Leroy’s. I used to come here with my parents when I was in grade school. Wait a sec… you used to come with my family for dinner sometimes. Do you remember?”
“Yeah.” He tilted his head back and looked up at the ceiling. “I’d have the chicken fried steak, Ryan the smothered pork chops, and you’d always have the chop suey.” He looked back at her and smiled.
“That’s right. How in the hell did I eat chop suey? Do they even have it on the menu?” She scanned the menu. “I don’t see it.”
“I think they got rid of it after you moved to New Mexico. You were the only one who ever ordered it.” He laughed. She made a face at him and that made him laugh harder.
“I hear Dylan’s getting married. I don’t really know Skyla but they seemed like they were a good fit the night we hung out with them.”
“Yeah. She’s good for him. He’s always needed that structure more than any of us. He was real young when our parents died, and I think it affected him the most. I used to think Monica was the one who had the hardest time with all of it, but I don’t think that anymore.”
“How’s she doing? I’m surprised I haven’t bumped into her in all these months.”
“She’s good. She works for a wholesale company and does a shitload of traveling all over the world. When she’s home, she’s so busy catching up with everything and everyone that I don’t see her that much.”
“Next time she’s in town, we should get together for drinks or something. I always liked her.”
At that moment, the waitress set down a plate of chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes in front of Goldie and a pastrami on rye with fries in front of Hailey. “Did you want anything else?” she asked. When they both shook their heads, she scurried away.
“I’m sure she’d like that. How’d you find out about Dylan getting married? Are you guys talking?”
Shaking pepper on her fries, she shook her head. “No. Your buddy Army told me a few nights ago when I was out at Big Brothers Barbecue for dinner with Rory and Claudia. He said you were going to take care of the flowers. I’m pretty sure he was hinting that I call you.” She picked up a fry and dunked it in ketchup.
“What the fuck? Dylan’s not getting married until next summer. I didn’t say shit about buying the flowers. I’m gonna punch Army in the face when I see him.”
“Don’t do that. I think he was trying to get us to talk again. I think it was kind of sweet.”
“Fuck that. ‘Sweet’ and ‘Army’ don’t ever go together in the same sentence. He was putting his goddamn nose where it doesn’t belong. He’s got a real knack for that.” He sawed into his meat.
Hailey reached over and put her hand on his. “Don’t be mad at him. I think he meant well. Rory said if you were acting anything like I was, she could see why he said it.”
After chewing, he grinned. “How were you acting?”
She shrugged. “All whiny and pathetic. You?”
He laughed. “Pissed as fuck. I must’ve started at least four fights at the clubhouse and a couple at Iron Rose Saloon.” Leaning across the table, he put his arm around her neck and pulled her toward him, kissing her deeply. Settling back against the seat, he smiled.
She licked her lips. “I guess everyone will be glad we’re talking again.”
“And I’m glad we’re fucking. Damn, woman, you know how to get me off.”
Glancing around, she said softly, “You just say whatever comes into your head, don’t you?”
“Why not? I was blown away by our screwing. When I first saw your ass, I thought it was the most perfect one I’d seen, and I still do. But damn, your tits are something else.”
“Goldie! This is stuff we say in private, or at least in a lower voice. You’re so bad.” She slipped out of her sandal and rubbed her foot over his leg.
“You keep doing that and I’m going to spread you out across this table and eat you out.”
Not having any reason to doubt him, she jerked her foot away and picked up her sandwich while he guffawed. For the next hour, they reminisced about growing up in Alina. He told her about life in the brotherhood, she told him her dreams of owning her own store one day, and they spoke about their families and how sad it was to see people you love grow old and sick. Even though she still had her parents, she’d lost her beloved grandmother a few years before, so she could understand how Goldie felt at that point in his life.
When they left the restaurant, the waitress locked the door and turned off the neon sign. Darkness engulfed them. He circled his arms around her, folding her to him. She bent her head back and her body tingled in anticipation of his kiss. Gently, his lips touched hers and they exchange a tender moment.
“I need to get you on the back of my Harley. What about this Sunday?”
“I think I’ll be too scared.” He’s making plans with me. This isn’t a one-time thing.
“I’m not gonna let anything happen to you. Riding on my Harley is required.”
“Is it?” She licked his Adam’s apple, loving the way his groan vibrated against her tongue.
“Damn straight.” He cupped her behind and squeezed.
“Then I guess I’ll have to try it out with you. Sunday works.”
Smiling, he leaned down and seized her lips again. They stood under the dark sky kissing well after the diner’s employees left.
“I better get going,” she whispered against his mouth.
“I want to fuck you on my bike. Right here. Right now.”
Her eyes widened and he laughed. “If I said yes, I bet you would do it.”
“Damn straight.”
“I don’t think I’m that adventuresome.”
“We can leave it for another time.” He winked at her.
She opened her car door and kissed him again. “Maybe I’ll see you at Cherry Vale tomorrow night. I usually go there around five or so.”
“Maybe. I’m never sure how my day goes at the ink shop. I’m going to follow you home. I want to make sure you get in all right.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
After Goldie walked her safely to her porch and kissed her for several minutes, she watched him until the red taillights disappeared into the night. Locking the door, Hailey went into the family room and turned on one of her favorite Whitesnake CDs. When the music filled the room, she danced up a storm, her body an explosion of sensations. She had so much pent-up emotion from the most wonderful night of her life that she wanted to dance, sing, run up to the roof, and shout out that she was the happiest person alive.
And it was all because of Goldie.
Knowing she was letting her emotions get the better of her, she didn’t care. For that one moment, she wanted to feel all the loving, raunchy, and happy emotions until she tried to talk herself out of getting too involved with him.
That night, she would let herself be ecstatic.