“Fine, you’re right, they did. Thank you for waking me up, but it really wasn’t necessary. My friendship with Jessica doesn’t include me taking members away from their whatever, to babysit me.”
He twisted around to face me. He didn’t say a word. He just swung me up off the ground and into his arms. He strolled over to the bed and sat down with me on his lap and his arms securely around my middle. I squirmed to get away.
“You do that, and we’ll be doing more than talking, Doc. Sit still and listen to me.” I stopped moving. I could feel his erection pressing into my bottom through his sweats and my robe.
“Now, first of all, your friendship with anyone at the club would get you our protection, if you needed it. But baby, it’s more than that. You refuse to see it. You’re not just a friend to the club. You’re the woman a patched member wants to be his. In case I haven’t made it clear who that is, it’s me, Zara. I want the two of us together. I’m tired of us dancing around each other every damn time we meet. For some reason, you refused to believe I wanted to go out with you when I asked. Why? I’ve done nothing but show you my interest. And don’t tell me you’re not attracted to me, because I can tell you are.”
I looked over my shoulder at him incredulously. Didn’t he get it? I wasn’t going to be some pseudo-bunny for him or any man. Hooking up for the sake of sex wasn’t my style. I needed to have some emotion with it, other than lust. Because I can guarantee you, if I didn’t, I’d have already been all over him.
“It’s not going to happen De—, I mean, Luca,” I corrected quickly, as he gave me a narrow-eyed look. “I know you’re used to women falling at your feet and having sex with anyone you want. Then you move onto the next. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not like that. I have no interest in hooking up with you or anyone else. I want you to stop acting like we’re going to be together. I don’t want to lose Jessica as a friend. So, if it makes it easier, I can meet her away from the compound. This doesn’t need to be uncomfortable for either of us. We’re adults.”
He didn’t say a word. Suddenly, I was flipped over onto my back on the mattress. He was hovering over the top of me. His eyes were narrowed, and he looked pissed. His jaw was clenched, and a muscle was flexing along it.
“I’ve had more than my share of women. I’m not going to lie, nor am I going to hide it. They have been casual hook-ups. Not a single one has ever made me want to have more than a night or two with them. When I’m done, they leave, or I leave.”
I glared at him when he said it. That right there was why we were never going to happen. I had more respect for myself than to be treated like a disposable toy. I told him that. “And that right there is why we’ll never be together. I’m not a toy that you use and then throw away. I have more self-respect than that. Now, I suggest you get off me before I hurt you, Demon.” I hissed at him. My temper was rising, and when I lost it, that was never a pretty sight.
“You didn’t let me finish, Hellion. I said none of them did. You’re a whole different story. I took one look at you and was a goner. I don’t want to be with you for some fun and then that’s it, Zara. I want you in my bed every night. I want us to be together in every way possible. I want us to work at seeing where this can go. The way I see it, it’s going to go all the way. I’d never use you and treat you like a toy.”
I looked at him in shock. Was he seriously thinking we could have a relationship? And what was “all the way” to him? Old lady? Girlfriend? Surely not a wife?
“Demon.” His mouth crashed down on mine. His tongue forced its way into my mouth and his hands gripped my face. He took over my mouth and kissed me like nothing I’d ever experienced. He practically consumed me, his tongue thrusting in and out of my mouth and dueling with mine, his teeth nibbling on my lips and then licking and kissing them. I instantly grew wet between my legs and my nipples hardened. He drew back when I was about to explode from the lack of oxygen.
“I’m not going to tell you again, call me Luca. Next time, I’m spanking that gorgeous ass. Now, I can tell you have questions. Shoot.” I took a couple of shuddering breaths and decided not to address his threat to spank me. Not now. I wanted to keep us on topic. Besides, I might explode into a ball of flames.
“Luca, you can’t be serious? You just all but admitted you’ve never had a girlfriend. What do you see as ‘going all the way’? We’d date and see each other? We’d be exclusive or would it be an open relationship? Would both sides be open-ended? When you’re tired of me, we go our separate ways, but still have to see each other when I’m around Jessica? Don’t you see, this would never work. You’d get bored and move on, eventually. Then we’d be left with an awkward situation every time we ran into each other. And while we were together, I don’t see you being faithful anyway. I don’t share. We aren’t compatible.”
“Like hell we’re not! I fucking burn for you and I know you do for me. But it’s more than sex. I want to be around you regardless of what we’re doing. And it wouldn’t be dating.” My heart fell. Just what I thought. He wanted me and anyone else he felt like hooking up with.
“I can see your thoughts, Zara. They’re written all over your face. I wouldn’t be with anyone but you, and you sure as hell would only be with me. I won’t fucking share! I don’t see myself getting bored for at least a hundred or more years, if then. So, you don’t need to worry about this ending and leaving us with an awkward situation. As for us dating, that’s not happening. You’d be my old lady and eventually my wife.”
My mouth dropped open over his last declaration. His wife? Was he serious? No way he would settle down to domestic bliss with one woman. He must be crazy. “Luca, you’re not thinking clearly. I know some of the guys are married in your club, and so far, it looks like they’re faithful. But you? Really? I see how the women flock to you. It’s obvious they’ve been with you and want to be again. I’d have to worry every hour of the day which woman was throwing herself at you. I’ve seen them. They’re gorgeous. I can’t compete. I won’t even try. I don’t need or want that. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.”
He ran his thumb across my bottom lip. I was looking away from him. I needed him to leave. I was feeling too vulnerable and exposed. I might spill all my secrets and I didn’t want that. It would be too humiliating.
“Baby, I don’t know who hurt you or made you think a man can’t be faithful, but I can be. The others never mattered. You do. I would never do that to you. And there is no competition because you outshine every one of them. You have no idea how truly beautiful you are, inside and out. No woman is going to compare. I want you to let me show you. Let me in, Zara. One day, I want you to tell me who made you this guarded. Please, all I’m asking is you give us a chance.”
I closed my eyes. Could I risk this? Could I let him in and not be destroyed if or when it went south? I was so tired of being alone, to have no one to share my life with. I missed sex. Not that it was ever spectacular like some women described, but I did miss it. I warred with myself for I don’t know how long. He didn’t say a word. Finally, I sighed and opened my eyes.
“I’ll go out with you on a date. We’ll see how it goes. But, Luca, if we end up together and you end up hooking up with another woman… Hell, if you flirt with another woman, we’re done. Do you understand?”
He frowned. “Baby, I agree. We’ll go out. But you don’t have to worry about me and other women. Period. Now, I know you have to work the next few days and you’re tired when you get off. How about we go for a ride on Friday? I know you enjoyed the short ones and I want you to feel the open road. It’s amazing. Then we can get dinner later and maybe go to the bar and dance.”
I thought about it. If we were on his bike, we wouldn’t be able to talk much, and if we went to the bar to dance, it was likely some of the other Warriors would be there. We wouldn’t be alone. I could probably handle it. I was trying not to jump too deep into this. As much as my body burned for his, I knew I’d have to be careful and not make this a sexual relationship. Not until I was sure he could be faithful and was really wanting a serious relationship. I wasn’t convinced yet.
“Okay, Friday it is. Now, can I get up and get ready for work?”
He grinned. “Sure. But one thing first.”
“What?” I asked. He lowered his head and kissed me senseless again. When he was done, I was fuzzy headed. He chuckled, the bastard, as I stood up and walked unsteadily to the bathroom. I took my time doing my makeup, though I didn’t wear much. My hair was easy. I brushed it up into a bun. I didn’t like it down in my face when I was working.
He sat and watched me get ready from the bed. His eyes never left me, which was a bit disconcerting. When I came out fully dressed and ready to go, he’d gotten dressed and had on his boots. I slipped on my work shoes. It was still early, but I could go in and get some paperwork done.
“You leaving?” I asked him.
“No, I’m ready to take you to work.”
“Luca, I can get to work on my own. No need for you to take me. Besides, if you did, then you’d have to pick me up.”
“That’s the plan. I want to see you after work. Don’t worry, I won’t stay long. But I do want to take you there and pick you up. Come on.” That was how I ended up arriving at work on the back of a motorcycle with a hot, sexy biker. The stares I got were ridiculous. When I handed him my helmet, he took it and then pulled me between his legs. His mouth took mine. He kissed me like he wasn’t going to see me forever. Then he let me go. I stood there stunned.
“See you after work, baby. Have a good day,” he said before he grinned, straddled the bike, and roared out of the parking lot. Goddamn him! He was doing it on purpose. I had to figure out how to knock him on his ass like he did me. I shook off those thoughts and got into doctor mode. I would think about him later. I strolled into the ER with eyes staring at me in shock. I was in for a helluva day, in more ways than one.