“No, I just tell it like it is. Besides, why wouldn’t you stay here? We’ve got the space.”
“Maybe because I don’t feel entirely welcome. What did you call me? A burden?”
“Jesus, woman.” Colt ran a hand through his dark hair in obvious frustration. “I’m trying to help you out and—”
“I don’t need yourhelp, you arrogant—”
“She can’t stay here,” Zip interrupted as he walked back into the living room holding a glass of water in one hand and a few pills in the other.
I jumped, having completely forgotten he was in the same room and witnessing my argument with Colt. My cheeks heated in embarrassment at my behavior. Colt was turning me into an angry shrew.
“Why not?” Colt demanded with a glare at Zip.
“You said it yourself—the clubhouse is a place to crash after parties. And you know how wild they get. Wild is a tame word for it, actually.” Zip grinned. “Nice girls like Mia don’t belong at our parties. She can stay with me.”
“Like hell she will,” Colt boomed.
My gaze bounced back and forth between the two men. Zip was smiling, relaxed, while Colt looked like he wanted to pummel Zip into the ground.
“Doesn’tshehave a say in things?” I ventured to voice. Neither one of them was paying any attention to me, so my question fell on deaf ears.
“You’re right, Prez,” Zip drawled. “She should stay with you. It’s just for a little while, right?”
Colt’s scowl could peel chrome off a trailer hitch, and I was glad it wasn’t directed at me.
“You’ve got a guest room,” Zip pushed. “Oh, wait, you have that one little rule, don’t you?”
“What rule?” I asked.
“Zip,” Colt warned.
Zip’s grin widened. “He doesn’t bring women back to his house. Not ones he wants to fu—”
“Shut it!” Colt yelled, making me jump. “Mia, let’s go.”
“Go?”
“My house.”
“Yeah, no. I’m good. I’ll just stay here.”
“I’m not asking, I’m telling. Now get your ass up. You’re coming with me. And you can save the smart ass retort.”
Apparently I was taking too long to follow his edicts because he reached down and scooped me up into his arms.
Right now, I was dealing with Colt, MC president. But earlier, when he’d washed my feet, I had been dealing with someone else. Perhaps that was the man beneath the leather.
“Bye, darlin’. See you later,” Zip said with an irreverent grin and a wave.
“Yeah, if Colt and I don’t end up killing each other, I’ll see you later.”
Zip’s laughter followed us out onto the porch and then faded away. Colt managed to open the passenger side door of the truck with me still in his arms and he set me down on the seat.
“Buckle up,” he commanded.
I rolled my eyes but did as he said. I shook my head. “You’re such a grumpy old man.”
Colt came around to the driver’s side and hoisted his large body into the seat. He closed the door and then jammed the key into the ignition. “I may be grumpy, but I’m not old.”