Overwhelmed, I dipped my head forward, letting my hair fall over my eyes. I pressed my hands to Colt’s chest, mindful of his new tattoo, and began to move.
“That’s it, darlin’.” His voice was raspy and thick and it only inflamed my desire.
I gave him all my worry and concern, branding him with my body the way he’d branded me.
It was hard, slick and fast, but it wasn’t enough.
“More,” I commanded. “I need more.”
He gave it to me as he bucked beneath me. And then his hand snaked between our bodies where we were joined and teased me until I came.
I dug my nails into his shoulders as I shuddered around him. He thrust up into me, grabbing my hips and slamming me down. A few deep strokes later and he shouted, “Fuck!”
He fell back against the pillows, breathing hard. The lamplight highlighted his skin, making it seem gilded in gold. I leaned over and dotted his chest with kisses.
I slid off of him and my feet hit the floor. I went into the bathroom to clean up, and when I was in the middle of washing my hands, Colt knocked on the door and then came in.
He removed the condom and dropped it in the trashcan. My eyes gazed downward, admiring that he was still engorged. My gaze traveled back up to his chest where there were half-moon red gouges on his skin.
“Did I do that?” I rushed forward and touched his chest. “Jesus, I’m sorry. Do they hurt?”
His mouth turned up at the corners. “I’ll be okay, darlin’. It was worth the pain.” Colt’s hand reached out to touch my cheek. “Let’s get back in bed. I’m fucking wiped.”
I nodded and went back into his room. I looked around for his discarded T-shirt and threw it on before climbing into bed and settling on my belly. Sleeping on my back would only irritate my new tattoo.
“What happened with the sheriff?” I asked.
Colt got in next to me and then turned off the lamp. “I paid him off. Told him this was club shit he didn’t want to get involved in.”
We breathed in the darkness for a few moments before I said, “Your sister was injured tonight because of me. The Iron Horsemen came to the bar and shot out the windows because of me. Someone could have died.”
“How do you know it was the Iron Horsemen?” he asked, voice carefully blank.
“Who the hell else would it be? Why else would I be staying at the clubhouse instead of your house if it wasn’t the Iron Horsemen? I’ve noticed there’s a little bit more protection here.”
“Our house.”
“What?”
“My house is your house, babe.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Joni really is fine. Flesh wound. I wanted to bring her here to look after her, but Zip said it was no trouble to stay with her for tonight.”
I wisely bit my tongue. That was a hornet’s nest I was not going to stir.
“She could’ve been really hurt, Colt.”
“But she wasn’t.”
“This time.”
He fell silent for a moment and then he said, “It’s the life. No getting around it.”
I woke up when a streak of sunlight peered through the blinds. I looked at the clock—it was late morning and Colt was still asleep. I watched him for a moment and then got up to brush my teeth and wash my face. When I stared in the mirror I saw tired, red-rimmed eyes. The scratch on my cheek was nearly gone, but I had stubble burn on my jawline and neck. My lips felt raw, the kind of raw that came from hours of kissing.
My brain was tired and hadn’t had a chance to process the events of the previous night. Sheriff Valenti could’ve been a problem, but the protection of Colt’s name and wallet had taken care of it. Too bad it hadn’t taken care of the Iron Horsemen issue. If anything, it seemed only to add a match to gasoline.