After Burn Read online

  “We meant to have you over sooner but wanted everything presentable before we—” Charlotte trips over the words, stopping midsentence.

  Do I make her nervous?

  Charlotte’s a brave girl. Stabbed her uncle when he went after her. Stood up to Wrath when he voted her down. She’s a smart lawyer who spends her days arguing in court. But she always seems flustered around me. I’m not sure how I feel about that. She’s makes Teller happy, though, and the club trusts her now. Those are the only things that matter.

  “Whenever you’re ready. Let us know.”

  Teller’s been adamant about doing the work at his house on his own. Or from what Murphy says, Teller’s been putting Charlotte’s brother to work. He’s the most relaxed and least obnoxious he’s ever been in all the years I’ve known him. For that alone, Charlotte’s earned my respect.

  “So, does Carter have to finish all his chores before you allow him to go on this trip?” A soft laugh follows Hope’s question.

  “I guess I’ll give him the time off.” Teller smirks. “Actually, he’s a hard worker, once I get him motivated.”

  I wait for Charlotte to defend her brother, but she shrugs. “He’s never been very focused.” She jerks her thumb in Teller’s direction. “Mr. Discipline here has been showing him the ropes.”

  Hope laughs again, brushing against me in a way that sets off a fierce hunger through every muscle in my body. “Sounds like someone else I know.” She squeezes my arm. “Is Teller’s motto ‘early is on time’ too?”

  Teller grins and lifts his chin at me. “I probably got that from him.”

  “Nah, you were always a dependable, hard worker.”

  Teller’s eyes widen as if I’ve never given him a compliment before. Jesus Christ, my work never ends.

  I slide my hands down to Hope’s waist, my fingers digging into her hips. She responds by shifting her ass and ever-so-slightly grinding it into my already throbbing erection.

  This party can wait.

  I tug on her hand. “I need a word with my first lady.”

  Teller’s mouth tips into a lazy smile. “Sure, Prez.”

  “Text me, Charlotte,” Hope calls out as I drag her away. She runs a few steps to catch up with me, laughing the whole time. “What are you doing?”

  “I need you.”

  She lets out an exasperated snort. “You have me anytime you want.”

  “Exactly.”

  She trots up the stairs behind me. “We have a house we can go to.”

  “Can’t wait that long.”

  Inside our old room, I don’t even bother flipping on the light. I press her back to the door and lean down, brushing my lips over hers. There’s enough moonlight coming in through the windows to see her green eyes, glittering with amusement and love.

  I pull back, fighting my own smile. “What’s so funny, baby doll?”

  She loops her arms around my neck and stares up at me. “Nothing. I just love you.”

  Heat spreads over my skin. I never tire of her saying those words. “I have something for you.”

  “I figured that was why you dragged me up here.”

  “Not that.”

  Slipping my hand in my pocket, I pull out a small box. “A little something for our road trip.”

  “Aww.” She sighs. “You already gave me so much for our anniversary.”

  “I love spoiling my girl.”

  “It’s too small to be a new vibrator.” She grins up at me. “Unless it’s a pocket rocket.”

  I shake my head. Fuck, my woman comes up with the craziest stuff. “You don’t need that when you have me ready and willing to shove my face in your pussy every chance I get.”

  She vibrates with laughter, thunking her head against the door, which only makes her laugh harder. “Ow.”

  Cupping the back of her head, I rub the spot that connected with the door. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine.” Her green eyes meet mine. “Never happier. Can I open it?” she asks, holding the small box up between us.

  “Go on.”

  She plucks the top off the box and her eager grin melts when she sees the patch inside.

  “Not all those who wander are lost,” she reads. Her glittering eyes meet mine and a soft smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. She knows exactly what those words mean to me. “It’s perfect. I love it.”

  “I thought it would go with your wanderlust patch from our last trip.”

  She smiles even wider. “It does. Perfectly.”

  For some reason, she can’t stop laughing. Finally, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small white box of her own. “Great minds and all that.”

  Inside the box is a tiny metal pin with the same words engraved around a miniature compass.

  “I wasn’t sure if it was manly enough to go on your cut”—she waves her hands in the air between us—“or whatever, so I won’t be offended if you don’t want to—”

  I cut her off with a kiss. “Of course I’ll wear it.” I tilt my head to the side. “Put it on for me.”

  Her eyes widen. “Am I allowed to alter your colors?”

  “Yes, sass-mouth, just put it on.”

  She bites her lip while she concentrates on jabbing metal through leather. “I don’t want to stab you in the neck.”

  “I’ll survive a poke from your little pin.”

  Laughter dances in her eyes when she looks up again. “I’m used to you doing the poking.”

  Fuck, I love her. “Don’t worry. I’m gonna poke you real soon.”

  “There.” She fusses for a few more seconds, checking to make sure it’s secure. “I hope it’s okay, but I bought little pins for the guys too.”

  “You did?” This woman never stops surprising me with her sweetness.

  One of her shoulders jerks up and she glances away. “I thought it was—”

  “It’s sweet. Thank you.”

  “Don’t worry. They’re manly.” More confidence edges into her voice. “They have a skull on them.”

  “Sounds perfect.” I give her a more serious look. “You okay?”

  “Yes.”

  My beautiful wife isn’t good at keeping secrets from me. There’s something—a hitch in her voice, a quick glance to the side—that prickles along the back of my neck.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m a little nervous about the trip,” she confesses.

  There’s more to it. I’m convinced, but I won’t push. Not tonight anyway.

  As if I wasn’t already nervous about this trip.

  I smile for Rock’s benefit, knowing he’s already stressed about the upcoming run to National.

  Correction. The run with multiple stops.

  First stop—Devil Demons MC’s clubhouse. That, I’m not stressed about. I’ve met them before.

  National? That scares me.

  The rally we’re all riding to afterward, even scarier.

  Trinity hasn’t seemed thrilled about any of it either. Maybe her lack of enthusiasm has colored my view of the trip.

  Heidi seems to be treating the run like a grown-up carnival. Charlotte’s the only one who’s shown a sensible mixture of interest and caution about the events.

  “Are the guys excited?” I ask.

  His mouth twists. “Now that Murphy figured out their lodging, he’s less of a pain in the ass.” He traces his fingers over my collarbones. “Where were we?”

  “Are you trying to distract me?”

  “All you need to worry about is me.”

  “I do worry about you.” The truth of those words hangs in the air between us, because the invitation to National was more of an order. This mandatory meeting of all the Lost Kings charters only happens every couple of years, and Rock was a no-show for the last one. Apparently, even the “no rules” biker lifestyle comes with a few rules that can only be disobeyed for so long.

  Another wry smile from my husband. “Focus on me. I have everything handled.”

  There’s peace in tha
t, because I do trust Rock to take care of everything. But I always want to make things easier on him, not harder.

  “Hope?” His tone conveys some exasperation that he doesn’t have one hundred percent of my attention.

  “Present.”

  A warm puff of air slips over my skin as he leans down to kiss my neck.

  “Oh.” I sigh and close my eyes, savoring the crisp pine-and-soap scent clinging to him.

  “That’s it.” He strokes up and down my sides while his mouth moves lower.

  He skims his fingers over my legs, spreading a tickly-shivery sensation over my bare skin as he reaches the hem of my skirt and slowly drags it up, shoving it over my hips.

  Now I’m focused.

  Excitement sizzles over my skin as he yanks my underwear down my legs, kneeling in front of me.

  “Rock?”

  “Quiet,” he warns before swooping in to brush a kiss over my inner thigh. “Open.”

  I inch my feet apart, but not fast enough. The short heels of my cowboy boots stick on the hardwood planks.

  Rock’s warm hand grasps me behind my knee, pulling it up. “Shoulder,” he orders.

  Nervous laughter spills out of me for about a second before he leans in and silences me with a long, slow lick. I arch away from the door with a gasp.

  “Jesus Christ,” I breathe out, staring down at him.

  He flicks his gaze up, meeting my eyes. “Nope. Just your husband.”

  I’m out of sassy comebacks.

  He rests his other hand on my butt, pulling me closer. After some maneuvering my body the way he wants—back against the door and legs over his shoulders, he dives back in, licking and kissing.

  My heart pounds, blood singing in my veins. I’ve been worked up ever since I caught him staring at me across the room downstairs, knowing this was exactly what he had in mind.

  “Rock.” I tangle my fingers in his hair, and he lets out an encouraging growl.

  “Yes, yes, yes,” I whisper over and over in time with his tongue. Rough stubble brushes my inner thigh, the scratchy-tickling sensation combined with the pleasure of his mouth is almost too much. I squirm, but his big hands hold me still, heightening my excitement.

  He circles my clit once, twice, three times and my body tightens, my entire existence narrowing down to my flesh against his tongue.

  A blow against the door jars me out of the orgasmic bliss I’m hovering over. My fuzzy brain struggles to comprehend what’s happening.

  Knocking. Someone is knocking on the door I’m pressed up against. Rock’s either ignoring the visitor or hasn’t noticed.

  “Prez!” Z calls.

  Rock answers by wiggling his tongue over my clit, making me gasp.

  “I know you two are in there. You’re needed downstairs.”

  An unhappy growl rumbles out of Rock as he pulls away. “Be there as soon as I make my wife come.”

  “Rock!” The scolding I intended dies to a whimper as he slides a finger inside me.

  On the other side, Z chuckles uncomfortably. “I don’t know, Prez. Hope’s kind of like a sister to me, but I mean, if you’re offering—”

  “Get the fuck out of here!” Rock shouts.

  Somewhere between mortified and amused, all I can do is laugh.

  Z bangs on the door once more. “Hurry up.” His heavy steps fade down the hallway.

  I stare down at my husband, and by the fire in his eyes, he has no intention of leaving this room until he’s accomplished exactly what he said.

  “Never going to happen now,” I warn him. My body’s still tingling, but the impending rush of ecstasy vanished the second I heard Z’s voice.

  “We’ll see.”

  I should’ve known he’d take that as a challenge.

  He slowly lowers my feet to the floor and stands. Before I have a chance to open my mouth and offer what we both know will be a weak protest, he lifts me up. “Hate being interrupted,” he grumbles, walking us to the bed.

  “What do you think he needs?”

  “Don’t know.” He drops me to the mattress and wedges himself between my legs, working his belt loose. “Don’t care.”

  “Rock—”

  Ignoring my objection, he focuses his no-nonsense gray eyes on me. “Shirt off.”

  I’m pretty sure I rip the seam yanking it over my head so fast. I don’t wait for another command, just toss my bra to the side too.

  The slight quirk of his lips says he approves.

  He stares at me for a moment, drinking all of me in—naked except for the denim scrunched up around my waist and the cowboy boots on my feet. “You look good like this.”

  Our eyes meet and he falls over me, leaning down to press the softest kiss against my lips. He slides a hand under my ass, tilting my hips. The second his cock nudges against me, my head falls back and my eyes close. He kisses my neck as he slowly pushes inside. My fingers dig into his shoulders, sinking into the soft leather of his cut.

  Pleasure floods through me in a violent wave, pushing me to the edge again. “Oh please,” I beg.

  “Anything you want.”

  “This. This is all… right there, Rock.”

  He brushes his fingers over my hair and kisses my forehead while continuing to grind into me at a leisurely pace.

  “More?” he asks.

  “Yes.”

  My world spins, and I find myself on top of him. He squeezes my hips. “Best view in the world.”

  My skin warms from the compliment. Under Rock’s appreciative gaze, I believe every word from his lips.

  “Giddy-up, cowgirl,” he teases, tapping his fingers against my boot.

  It doesn’t take long before I’m gasping with pleasure. Stars burst and spin behind my eyelids. Rock pulls me down, holding me tight while he pistons up into me. A few short, rough thrusts and he’s groaning against my hair. I touch my sweaty forehead to his and stare into his eyes. “Thank you,” I whisper.

  We both know I mean more than thanks for the amazing sex and mind-blowing orgasm.

  The softest smile my hard man is capable of spreads over his face. “Anything for you.”

  As soon as my pounding heart slows, I sit up, remembering Z’s waiting for Rock downstairs.

  “They can wait.” He tugs me down beside him.

  “I don’t think you have time for after glow cuddles.” I tickle my fingers over his stomach and he captures my hand, pressing it against his chest.

  “After glow cuddles.” He peers down at me. “I like that.”

  I reach up, tracing my finger over his lips. “I like making you smile.”

  He rumbles with laughter. “I only do it around you.”

  We indulge in a few more snuggles before I roll away from him, hopping out of bed and out of his reach. “Come on, Mr. President.”

  He groans and sits up.

  “Look at you, still dressed.” I smooth my skirt back down over my hips. It’s denim, so it didn’t wrinkle too bad. “And somehow I ended up mostly naked.”

  “The way it should be.” He stands and lazily buttons his jeans and buckles his belt, watching me the entire time.

  “Don’t look at me like that. You have duties to attend to downstairs.” I swipe my shirt off the end of the bed. Yup, just as I thought, there’s a small rip under the armpit. “Look what you made me do.” I hold out the shirt, shaking it with mock indignation. “I was so eager to get naked for you, I put holes in my clothes.”

  “I’d apologize—”

  “But you’re not sorry.”

  “You know me so well.” He leans over, reaching for my bra, but I snatch it out of his grasp.

  “Nice try, caveman.” I glance around the room. “Where’d my underwear go?”

  He gives me an innocent shrug.

  “There’s no way I’m running around down there in a skirt and no panties,” I mutter as I rummage through one of my old dresser drawers. “Ah-ha!” I hold up my prize—a pair of blue, cotton, cheeky panties.

  Rock clut
ches his chest, right over his heart as if it’s killing him to watch me get dressed.

  While I hurry to fix myself up, he seems completely unconcerned Z waits downstairs with some emergency.

  “You can go ahead and see what he needs. I’ll be right down,” I call from the bathroom.

  “Want my first lady on my arm,” he rumbles in his post-sex gravelly voice from the doorway.

  In the mirror, I catch his gaze roaming over my backside. “Don’t get any ideas.”

  He doesn’t deny his dirty thoughts, just leans against the door frame and continues to watch me comb my hair.

  “Thank you for my new patch.” Our eyes meet in the mirror and I wink at him. “I can’t wait to squeeze you tight all the way to Mississippi.”

  A larger smile brightens his face and warms my heart. Rock worries about me on these trips, and I want to reassure him that even though I’m nervous, I’m also looking forward to being by his side.

  Finally, we’re both presentable and return to the party. Our guests must have assumed we’d gone home for the night. The atmosphere shifted to something more X-rated in our absence.

  I spot Teller busy slow dancing with Charlotte in the corner. Quickly, I blink away the tears that prick my eyelids, pleased he’s found someone who makes him happy—and less of an asshole.

  Any joy I’m feeling evaporates when I catch the strained look on Trinity’s face. Five seconds later Tawny’s voice pierces my eardrums.

  Next to me, Rock groans and sighs at the same time.

  “Rock!” Sway shouts, striding over with an outstretched hand. Rock shakes it, and Sway pulls him closer, slapping his back.

  “Little lady.” Sway throws a smirk my way.

  I smile and nod in response, not quite sure anything nice will come out if I open my mouth. Rock squeezes my hand as if he can sense my internal struggle.

  “Thought we’d ride out to National with you,” Sway explains.

  Rock forces what could be interpreted as a welcoming smile. “Good. We’re actually leaving tomorrow. Have some business to attend to on the way out.”

  Having no idea what Sway’s relationship is with the Devil Demons MC, I leave them to discuss logistics.

  “Hi, Tawny.” I tap her shoulder and put on my hostess face. She squeals and embraces me as if we’re long-lost sisters. I suppose in a way, we are. “It’s good to have you up here again.” I use my most welcoming tone, but it still sounds phony to my ears.