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SLOANE RAN HER FINGER around the rim of her glass and smiled at me. “He’s good with Rocky, isn’t he?”
I sighed and couldn’t hide my smile. “Well, of course. Rocky is ten, and Cue drives a Harley. He’s the epitome of a badass. Rocky loves him.”
“That is very good, Olive. If Rocky didn’t like him, things would be much harder between you two.”
I rocked back and forth in my chair. Rocky had gotten home from school this afternoon and had stuck to Cue Ball’s side pretty much the whole time. Even during dinner, he made sure to sit between me and Cue Ball.
He was becoming pretty attached to Cue, and I was telling myself not to worry. It wasn’t working very well, but I was trying not to stress about Cue Ball being here constantly and then suddenly disappearing when they found out who blew up the gym. Hell, the whole club could become wildly famous if the reality show took off, and I might not be good enough for Cue Ball anymore.
For the past hour after dinner, Sloane had told me about her whirlwind romance with Aero and how a weekend away had turned into her finding her biker.
Of course, she wanted to know everything that was going on with Cue Ball and me, but there wasn’t a ton to tell. I had been absolutely shocked when Cue Ball kissed me. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it a lot, but I didn’t know if it would happen again. I hoped it would. I did need to take a second to think about everything.
Sloane and the guys had driven up on pretty much everything between Cue Ball and me, and she wanted to know things I didn’t even know yet. “There wouldn’t be anything with Cue Ball if Rocky didn’t like him. Cue wouldn’t have stepped foot in my house.”
“But he did, and it doesn’t seem like he is going anywhere soon,” Sloane sang.
I rolled my eyes, but I hoped she was right. “Weren’t you worried about when you got back home and went back to reality what was going to happen between you and Aero?”
Sloane shrugged. “Uh, yeah,” she giggled. “But then I stopped thinking and just enjoyed being with Aero. If I’ve learned anything from the books I’ve read, it’s just to sit back and enjoy the ride.”
“Easy to say, but kind of hard to do,” I sighed.
“Because of Rocky?” she asked.
I nodded and took a sip of my water. “I really thought I was over his dad, bu–.”
“You’re not over his dad?” Sloane gasped.
I held up my hand and shook my head. “Let me rephrase that. I really thought I was over what his dad did to me, but it still messes with my head.”
“What did his dad do?”
“Nothing,” I laughed flatly. “He did absolutely nothing other than grabbing a pen and signing his rights away.”
Sloane leaned forward and scowled. “Are you serious?”
I nodded sadly. “Rocky was only six days old when he signed the papers, and I never saw him again. Well, that is, until I was in the hospital from the explosion, and they called him as my emergency contact because I hadn’t been in the hospital since I gave birth to Rocky.”
“Wow,” Sloane breathed. “And Cue Ball was there?”
I nodded and cringed. “Uh, yeah, and I made it look like Cue and I were together even though he had just met me three minutes earlier.”
“Girl,” Sloane laughed. “You are talking to me like a damn romance novel. I’m going to have to take notes and call Winter.”
I tipped my head to the side. “Is that one of the guy’s girlfriends?”
Sloane shook her head. “No, though I’m sure she would love to come spend a few weeks at the clubhouse.”
“You have completely confused me, Sloane.”
“She writes romance novels. I met her at the signing, where I met Aero. She sort of gave me the nudge to take a chance with Aero.”
“Oh,” I gasped. “That is pretty cool.”
“And I am so going to tell her about you and Cue Ball. She won’t be able to resist writing a few books about the Iron Fiends.”
“And I told you we better be getting royalties from all the books she is going to sell about the club.” Aero pushed through the screen door and leaned down to press a kiss to Sloan’s lips. “You good?” he asked softly.
Sloane smiled broadly. “Never better.”
“Ready to head home?”
“Home or the clubhouse?” Sloane asked.
“Clubhouse, babe.”
Sloane wrinkled her nose. “Do you think you’ll ever take me back to my house?”
Aero shrugged. “Eventually.”
“You do know I only have today and tomorrow off, right?” Sloane reminded him.
“And then it’s the weekend. I’ll have you home by Sunday. Night,” he added.
Sloane rolled her eyes, and he pulled her out of the chair. “Dove is going to think you kidnapped me.”
“It’s not kidnapping when you coming willingly, Sloane,” he tsked. He wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her close.
“I’m going to need to write that down.”
“Sloane,” he groaned. “Not everything I say needs to be in a romance novel.”
Sloane rolled her eyes and patted his chest. “Sure, honey. Whatever you say.”
Aero growled and swiftly moved back and crouched down. He placed his shoulder to her stomach and lifted her over his head.
“Oh my god!” Sloane screeched. “What are you doing? I’m too heavy for this?”
Aero slapped her butt and jogged down the steps. “You’re gonna pay for that.”
“For what?” she squeaked.
“Saying you’re heavy,” he retorted.
I rocked up and leaned against the railing to watch Aero toss Sloane on the back of his bike and wave to us.
“See you tomorrow?” Cue Ball called.
“We’ll be there,” Aero cheered.
“Come early, Olive,” Sloane ordered.
“Uh, it won’t be until Rocky gets out of school,” I hollered.
“Perfect!” Sloane waved happily and wrapped her arms around Aero’s waist.
I watched as he backed up and then rocketed down the driveway and onto the road.
“I like them,” I whispered.
“Know in the first ten seconds?” Cue Ball asked.
I glanced over at him and smiled. “I think it took a good minute because I was in shock when I met them. Having our first kiss in the middle of the road was out of the normal, and then having your friends interrupt fried my brain.”
“Not the best first kiss?” he asked softly. “Maybe the second one will be better.” A wave of electricity coursed between us, and he closed the distance between us.
“Rocky’s sleeping?” I whispered.
Cue Ball nodded and brushed my hair behind my ear. “I checked on him before I came out here. He was snoring and drooling all over his pillow.”
“Remind me to wash the sheets tomorrow,” I laughed.
He stepped closer, and I tipped my head back to look at him.
“Shh, doll. I don’t think either of us is worried about laundry right now.”
“You’re right,” I whispered.
Our lips met, and it was just like earlier.
Amazing.
This kiss, though, was more confident and familiar. His lips moved against mine, and his hand rested at the small of my back while the other cradled my neck, keeping me close.
I could feel the heat of his body through his thin t-shirt, and my fingers itch to pull the fabric over his head and get it out of my way.
“I’ve been thing about this all afternoon,” he whispered against my lips.
“Me, too,” I confessed. I couldn’t help but feel that this kiss was a huge promise of what was to come for Cue Ball and me.
He pressed his forehead to mine, and our eyes locked.
“I gotta tell you, Olive, I was not at all happy when Yarder sent me to the hospital to make sure you were okay.”
“Oh, yeah?” That was a tad disappointing. Though, what person would be happy being sent somewhere to take care of a stranger? A paramedic or firefighter, maybe? “I have to assume this is turning out better than you imagined.”
A soft smile spread across his lips. “Doll, it is going to take a force of god to get me away from you and Rocky.”
My heart melted at him mentioning Rocky.
When Rocky was younger, I tried dating. None of them worked out. Most ran when they found out about Rocky, and the ones who said they were fine with it were, in fact, not fine with it. They didn’t like that my number one priority was Rocky and not them.
What they didn’t get and never would, was I could have more than one priority.
“I think Rocky is a pretty big fan of yours,” I laughed.
“Wait until I tell him I’m taking him to school tomorrow on the bike.”
I rolled my eyes and rested my hands on his shoulders. “He might be good with that, but maybe you should ask his mom first.”
“Oh yeah?” Cue Ball laughed. “You think she’ll be okay with it?”
I pressed a kiss to his lips and sighed. “I think you might be able to convince her to be okay with it.”
“Convince her, huh?” He pulled me flush against his body. “I think we need to get more comfortable.” He swung me up into his arms and pulled open the screen door. He moved to the couch and sat down with me on top of him. I planted my knees on each side of his hips and draped my arms over his shoulders.
“This is a good start,” I purred.
He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “There’s a whole lot more to come, doll,” he teased.
The soft glow of the lamp next to the couch created a warm and intimate vibe around us. There was a shift in the air when Cue Ball’s lips touched mine, and my body ignited. He deepened the kiss, our breaths mingling, and the soft sound of our sighs filled the room.
“Cue,” I gasped when we finally pulled apart. My shirt was pulled up to my neck, and his hand was cupping my breast.
“God damn, Olive. You’re like a fucking drug. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you.” He squeezed my breast and growled deep.
I could feel his dick through his jeans and ground my pussy into him.
“Doll,” he groaned, “if you keep doing that, things are going to move along a lot quicker.”
I bit my bottom lip and locked eyes with him. “Promise?” Cue and I were both grown adults, and we wanted each other. There wasn’t any reason to stop if we both wanted it.
He reached up and cupped my chin. He pressed his thumb against my lip, and I sucked his thumb into my mouth. “I’m a man who takes what he wants and doesn’t give it back, Olive. I take you, and you’re mine.” He pulled his thumb out of my mouth and trailed it down my throat. “I don’t play around.”
“And neither do I. I can’t remember the last time I was with a man.” Seriously, no clue. It had to have been when Rocky was a toddler. After that shitty experience, I just took care of myself. Less drama, and I didn’t need to dress up to impress anyone.
That was until Cue Ball.
Just a simple touch from him was more than anything I could do to myself.
“Doll,” he uttered. “You should not have told me that.”
“Going to run away?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Hardly. Now you’re really never going to be able to get away from me.”
I shimmied off his lap and held my hand out to him. I wasn’t going to run away from Cue Ball. “Come with me.”
Sure, I had only had myself to reply on for the past ten years, but Cue Ball was here right now showing and even telling me he wasn’t going anywhere.
Tag had never done that. The first sign of turbulence he had hit the door without a thought. Cue Ball was the exact opposite. He had come rushing in when my world was literally blown up, and he stayed.
“You sure, doll?” he asked.
I had never been more sure of anything in my life other than being Rocky’s mom. I wanted Cue Ball. I knew the second I met him that he was it. Of course, at the time, I thought it crazy to think this man would ever want me.
I nodded and grabbed his hand. “I’m sure. You were there when I needed saving, and you haven’t left.”
“You didn’t need saving, doll. You were killing life without me.”
I may have been, but now I wanted to do life with him. For however long he wanted to be by my side. “Sloane found her biker with Aero, and now you’re my savior, but only if you want me.”
“Any man who says no to you is a fucking fool, Olive. I’m not going to claim saving you, though. You did that all on your own the past ten years.” He wrapped his fingers around mine and stood. I stepped back and turned to head down the hallway, but he again swept me up into his arms.
“This really seems like a move a savior would do,” I laughed.
“Stop,” he gaffed. He strode down the hallway and walked into my bedroom. He tossed me on the bed and closed the door behind him.
“Good thing Rocky sleeps like the dead. I plan on keeping his mom up for a while tonight.”
Anticipation coursed through my body, and I pulled my shirt over my head.
I was ready.
*