Ignoring his head issues and continuing a carefree life of stripping and getting blowjobs for cash was a million times easier than listening to this shit and trying to improve himself. But he wasn’t a stupid, horny kid anymore. Now, as a patched member of the HHMC, he’d proven to Copper and his brothers they could trust him. He was responsible. He was a fucking adult. Maybe he needed to take the same approach to his personal life.
“All right, lay it on me.”
“The fact that you’re all torn up over Mak tells me she’s already wormed her way in. She’s different.”
Yeah, she was different. Sweet, caring, dependable, intelligent. A host of attributes he’d never cared about before. And when combined with a physical package that drove his dick wild, it made for a woman he couldn’t stop being drawn to. He found himself thinking of her first thing in the morning, all throughout the day, and when his head hit the pillow. And yeah, many of those thoughts centered around fucking her. The million ways he could make her lose her mind and scream his name. But sex wasn’t all he thought about.
He wondered if she was tired after being on her feet at the diner all day. Whether she’d had enough to eat. If she needed help wrangling the kids.
“She’s different,” he said with a sigh. “In a way that’s making me insane.”
“I’m gonna ask you a question,” Screw said as he leaned back and began tossing the ball again. “Forget all your head shit. Just answer it based on gut and dick, okay?”
Thunder watched him from the corner of his eye. “Okay…”
“Do you want her? Do you wanna fuck her again? Do you want to be the only one fucking her? Do you want to be fucking only her? And do you want other shit too? Meals, hanging with her family—because you know bailing on those won’t be an option. Being there for her when her day sucks. Having her be there for you. Dates, good times, bad times. Do you want it?”
Did he want it? Yes. His gut, his head, and something deep in his chest resonated with everything Screw said. His dick? Well, sure, that was easy. Fuck yes, he wanted Mak to be fucking him and him alone, and he had no interest in sticking it anywhere else either. Instead of sending him for the hills, the picture Screw painted sounded…nice. Perfect, actually.
“Yes, I want it. I want her, but—”
“Nope.” Screw held up a hand. “No buts. No telling me you’ll fuck it up, or you don’t deserve that shit. You’re a good fucking guy, T. Shit, I’ll owe you forever for catching Jeremy the day he blew up the diner. Who knows what he’d have done to Jazz if you hadn’t caught him. You want her, take her, brother. The rest of the shit is just work. If she wants you too, you work together.”
“That easy, huh?”
With a half snort, half laugh, Screw stood. “Fuck no, it’s not easy. Hardest thing I’ve ever done some days. But I’m not afraid of hard. Neither are you. And trust me when I tell you it is so fucking worth it. Pun intended.” Screw winked then headed toward his kitchen. “Need something stronger than beer to counter all these feelings. Want something?”
“Yeah, man. I’ll take whatever you’re having.”
When Screw disappeared into the kitchen, Thunder pulled out his phone and opened a text message to a buddy of his.
Got a gig I can’t make tonight. Bachelorette party with extras. Want it?
Not five seconds later, he had his answer.
Fuck yes. Send me the deets.
After texting the details, he also messaged the party’s hostess, claiming illness, but letting her know he’d found an incredible replacement up for anything the ladies wanted. She’d been disappointed, and he could feel the annoying pout through the phone, but once he’d fired off a topless pic of his replacement, she’d perked right up and forgiven him.
As Screw sauntered back in with a glass in each hand, Thunder shot to his feet. “Sorry, brother, I gotta go.”
“You cancel your gig?” Screw set the glasses on the coffee table.
“Yep.” He stowed his phone and held his fist out to Screw, who gave it a bump. “Thank you.”
“Anytime, man. Anytime. Gotta do something with all this newfound maturity and shit.”
Rolling his eyes, Thunder practically sprinted out the front door. As he reached his bike, Screw stuck his head out the front door.
“Make sure she knows she wouldn’t have gotten more of your dick tonight if it wasn’t for me!” he shouted, neighbors be damned.
Thunder revved his engine and shot down the street, flipping Screw off in the process.
“Maturity, my ass,” he muttered, unable to keep the huge grin off his face.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“AND AFTER WE watch Frozen—the second one—and eat the ice cream, we can watch Trolls World Tour while we eat the cookies, and after that—”