Five - Goose
Five weeks later
“Tellin’ ya, brother, she’s the real deal for me.” Goose grabbed two beers from the cooler behind the bar, balancing his phone with one hand as he cradled the bottles against his belly with the other. “You remember me talking about my ideal woman?”
Road Runner’s gravel-filled laugh sounded over the call, and Goose found himself grinning in response. “Yeah, brother. I also remember it was about a week after Frannie went to work at the diner. Interesting coincidence, doncha think?”
“Francine, she don’t like Frannie,” he returned, hitting the door leading to the back deck of the clubhouse with his ass, levering it wide so he could turn and walk through. “And yeah, it was after I met her. I had an inkling of what was hiding under all that cute. Now I just have to convince her it’s the right thing.” He held out one of the bottles, lifting his chin at Mason when the man accepted it. Settling his lanky frame into the lawn chair across the firepit from his friend, Goose told Road Runner, “She’s so fuckin’ sweet, Road. God, and the way she reacts to me, it’s goddamned amazing. So responsive. Too much, sometimes.”
“Too much?” Sounds in the background told Goose where Road Runner was, the clacking of pool balls labeled the location as Jackson’s. “Do tell?”
“Yeah.” He stretched his legs out with a sigh. “I fucked up a couple of weeks ago. Shut her down when she was thinking to explore things. Wasn’t the right time, and I’m all in on this, brother.”
“So what’s the problem?” Laughter in the background now, and Goose thought he heard a distinctive feminine tone.
“That Paris?” Road’s woman, Aurelie, had become a fast fixture at the bar, making a home for herself in Road Runner’s club family.
A dark chuckle. “Yeah. My Aurelie fancies herself a card shark these days. She’s organized a girl’s poker night and is in the process of losing her ass to Jess. I think Mica and Molly are holding their own, but Aurelie is down to just a couple of chips.” Aurelie was a fashion designer who had moved to Chicago from Paris to follow Road Runner; they’d only recently come together as a couple, and Goose was glad to hear the proud contentment in his friend’s voice. Mica had been part of the Rebel landscape for as long as Goose could remember, one of those rare women who were considered Property Of, but didn’t belong to an individual. Molly was her little sister, and the two women had married brothers who were both accepted as friends of the club. Shouting laughter, then Road Runner called loudly, “Way to go, my Aurelie.” Back to a normal tone, he described the scene, “She pulled a king high pair out of the air and won the pot. So the game continues.”
Goose laughed, “Sounds busy.”
“Not too busy to notice you didn’t answer my question, motherfucker.”
“Yeah, sucks to admit you fucked up. That’s what I did, though. My Francine is so responsive, so open to the smallest suggestion. When I shut her down because she’d been drinking, she believed it was for other reasons. I’ve been working along the edges of things, trying to find a gentle in with her, but if I haven’t so far, I’m thinking I won’t.” He sighed and tipped the bottle up, drinking deep, noting Mason’s eyes on him. I’ll be answering his questions next. “She’s done everything I’ve asked of her, even things that weren’t comfortable or pushed her. But you let me flirt with her all gentle-like, and she’s oblivious. She has nightmares so I wind up sleeping in her bed at least once a week. Helps keep her calm, you know?” Road Runner made a noise. Goose remembered Aurelie’s story and knew the man understood. “She always wakes up cuddled close, but if I even catch her looking—” He paused. “—she’ll escape to the bathroom before I can say boo.”
“Then go direct. If you want to have a vanilla romance with her, it’s one thing. You can dance around that until you’re sure the rebound thing is out of her head. But if you want a Dom/sub relationship? I think you’ll have to carefully judge how far to push her and then do that pushing, because it sounds like direct is the only way.” Road Runner cautioned, “If she’s a natural submissive, you don’t want to chance any misdirection, brother. No shame of her desires, or she’ll stuff them so far under you won’t be able to reach her. If she is a sub, that is. Is that what you’re thinking?”
Goose remembered the pride shining from her face, not at a job well done, but at his acknowledgment of it and resulting praise. The way she wound her fingers in his belt loops, keeping a tenuous connection with him at every function, wanting to ensure she stayed close. “I know she feels safe with me. And yeah, the way she responds…fuck, man. It’s a joy, you know?”
“I do know.” There was a pause, then Road Runner said, “I heard you weren’t hitting the club. Francine the reason for that change, brother?”
Goose smiled, pleased he’d remembered her name this time. Good man. Responding with blunt honesty, he said, “Yeah, I’d rather sit on the couch at home with her than work up a scene with a sub that’s only half satisfying in the end.” He huffed out a laugh. “I get it now, brother. I totally get it.”
“I hope you’ll get it,” Road Runner’s rumbling laugh was echoed by more shouts in the background. “Jesus, she’s a fucking shark. Jess is gonna kill her. I gotta go, brother. Good luck with your little one.”
“Yeah, same to you. Shiny side.” The call disconnected and Goose shoved the phone into his front pocket, taking another drink of beer. “Well? I know you’re not gonna bide your time long, Prez. What’s your take on my side of the convo?”
Mason chuckled, lifting his half-empty bottle in a toast. “Lot more to the gal than I knew back when she was with Worm.” The man’s name curdled Goose’s stomach, and he tipped his head to the side, staring into the flames. “Man’s an idiot, and an ass. You and me, we know we’ll probably cut him before the year’s out, so I’m glad you got her out from under him when you did. What I’ve seen of her with you, she’s a perfect old lady for you. Someone you can share every single bit of your life with.” Arm over the side of the chair, Mason worked the butt of his bottle into the loose dirt with short, strong twists, digging a hole to keep the beer upright. He leaned forwards, elbows to his knees and stared across the fire at Goose. “Every bit, brother. And that’s not something I thought you’d find. That’s rare, man. A treasure, and you need to remember that. All you gotta do now is convince her of the same.”
Remembering Francine’s face early this morning when he’d walked from the bathroom to the kitchen for a glass of water, Goose grinned. When he’d turned from the refrigerator to find her standing in the doorway, he’d caught her staring at him and hadn’t shown her anything except confidence, standing still and letting her look her fill. After a few moments, his cock had fattened, starting to uncoil as blood flooded to his crotch in response to her interest. Her eyes had darted from his dick up to his mouth, then back to his dick. Oh yeah, she’s definitely going to be convinced, he thought. “Yeah, I’m working on a plan as we speak.” He returned Mason’s grin, settling into the chair. “It’s gonna happen, boss. I’m all in on this.”