Chapter Four
Quite a few pairs of curious eyes were glued to Kori as she stepped back into the main area of the clubhouse. There wasn’t much she hated more than feeling unsure of herself, and she hadn’t felt this uncertain for as long as she could remember. Which was ridiculous. She knew damn well how to play the biker game.
So she raised her head, wiped her damp palms on her skinny jeans, and strode toward the bar. A quick glance at a giant Harley clock on the wall reminded her it was only a few minutes past three in the afternoon. Far too early for the hard stuff.
“Just a beer, please. Anything,” she said to the prospect behind the bar. He practically vibrated with energy, no doubt a result of suppressing his burning desire to know who she was and why she was granted a private meeting with their president. Rebel wanted to do the introductions, so she kept her mouth shut. It was too early to know how the man would react when disobeyed. And it was his club, so his show.
The young prospect returned seconds later and plunked the beer down in front of her. “Thanks,” she said as she spun on the barstool before he had a chance to fire any questions her way. It was a mistake. Now, instead of facing one nosy man, she faced a room full of inquisitive onlookers. After three sips of her beer, the probing stares and not-so-discrete whispers became almost unbearable. She kept her gaze on an empty table about five feet away and could have cried in relief when the entrance door swung open and diverted everyone’s attention.
Her focus shifted to the entrance, as guilty as everyone else of curiosity, and the beer bottle nearly slipped from her fingers. Holy shit. Quite possibly the most attractive man she’d ever laid eyes on walked into the room. No. Walked was not the right word. Swaggered, strutted maybe. Paraded? Whatever it was, it reeked of cocky self-confidence. She had an instant impression of the arrogant player he’d be.
The biker was tall, well developed, wore his jeans like they’d been made for the sole purpose of hugging his muscular thighs. Thank God she couldn’t see his ass. She might just weep. And he had a face that bore a striking resemblance to Colin Farrell.
Her fingers flexed against the frosty bottle in her hands, though they really itched to run through the black, soft-looking goatee that rimmed his mouth. A deep ache began between her legs. She’d never been with a man who had facial hair and she shivered at the thought of that soft hair brushing her neck or breasts. Her pussy throbbed as though calling out to him for the opportunity to give it a whirl. The chances of a dry pair of panties remaining in the room were growing dimmer with each passing second.
As he hugged and slapped backs with a few of his brothers, Kori openly stared at him. From across the room, a tiny woman with huge breasts and not much covering them sidled up to him and planted her chest against his side. He dropped a polite kiss on her cheek, but didn’t pay her much attention beyond that. Not possible that the man wasn’t interested in a woman like her. She was as classic a club girl as they came.
As he extricated himself from Chesty McChesterson’s hold, his gaze connected with Kori’s. Never before had need sucker punched her from mere eye contact. Air whooshed out of her lungs and she realized her mistake the moment he waved off his brothers and left the busty and pouting woman. She should have looked away. Now she was ensnared in a royal blue trap glittering with mischief. And there was that swagger again.
“Well, hey there,” he said when he was within reach. “This has to be your first time here because I would certainly remember all that gorgeous. I’m Lucky.” He picked up her unoffered hand and pressed his lips to her palm. She managed to suppress any outward signs of desire, but her insides zinged with excitement the moment his mouth met her skin. “And let’s just say you are about to get very lucky.”
Kori coughed in an attempt to smother an outburst of laughter as one eyebrow rose of its own accord. Was this guy for real? Arrogance oozed from every pore like he’d doused himself in a dollar store cologne.
She widened her eyes in what she hoped was an innocence-meets-surprised expression and let out a girlish giggle. “Does that mean what I think it means?”
He stepped closer, still holding her hand and brushed his lips across the inside of her wrist. “It sure does, baby. Sex and sin.”
It took every ounce of self-control Kori possessed to tamp her reaction to Lucky’s lips stroking her skin. She clenched her teeth and nearly every other muscle to stop the tremor of desire that threatened to race through her. Jesus, the man was lethal. Taking his ego down a peg would be the most fun she’d had in weeks.
“Great,” she said, her voice breathy and seductive. “So you can hook me up with that guy over there? I have a feeling I’d get really lucky with him.” She pointed toward a group of bikers drinking at a corner table, not any one of them in particular.
The overconfident smirk slid right off Lucky’s face like melted butter and he dropped her hand as though it burned him. Ahh, satisfaction. She gloated in her head for about three seconds before she could no longer hold in the laughter.
Lucky crossed his arms over his impressive chest and nodded, a small chuckle escaping his flattened mouth. “Nicely played. Round one goes to you…”
“Kori,” she said around laughter. “And I’m sorry, but you were asking for that.”
Lucky snorted. “I think I was asking for something quite different, angel. How about you let me buy the victor a free drink?”
She held up her half-full beer. “Still working on this one, thanks.”
“Well then, so there is no room for miscommunication this time, how about you let me take you home and make you scream for the next few hours.”
The man was persistent. She had to give him that. That boastful I’m-the-shit attitude hadn’t been beaten down for long. She had to admit the offer was very tempting. Losing herself in mind-blowing pleasure for a few hours would go a long way toward helping her rid the stress of her off-kilter life. But… “Sorry, I don’t date bikers.”
He leaned in close enough to whisper in her ear. Damn, the man smelled good. The hairs around his mouth tickled the rim of her ear. Soft, just like she’d suspected. “I’m not asking for a date.”
“Okay then, I don’t do bikers.” Man, this guy didn’t hold back.
“Pretty sure I can change your mind, angel.”
Ugh, he was bordering on predictable now. A commotion from the other side of the room caught her attention and she peered over her shoulder. Rebel emerged from the hallway and flashed her a smile. With a flick of his head, he summoned her to him. She turned back to Lucky. “Give it your best shot, big boy. But don’t be too disappointed when the only one getting lucky this afternoon is your right hand.”
With that parting shot, she hopped off the barstool and made her way toward Rebel. So sue her if she put a little extra hip action in her walk. Just because she wouldn’t give in to the temptation didn’t mean it wasn’t there. And what woman didn’t like admiration from a gorgeous man?
About halfway to Rebel, the full weight of what she’d just done settled on her shoulders. She’d thrown down the gauntlet and issued a sexy challenge to a very potent biker who probably took the dare very seriously.
A quick peek over her shoulder told her she was right. His deep blue eyes gleamed with lust and his smile was all teeth. The game was on and she immediately regretted her role in starting it.
So much for getting lucky.