By the end of the week, the excitement of being back at work had evaporated. Mr. Harris wasn’t there to give her more work and correct all her efforts, but he also wasn’t there to do his own work. Another bank manager had come to help, but there was definitely a learning curve to understanding everything that needed to be done and what the previous bank president had completed.
Friday afternoon, a large rumble drew Ivy from her office. It sounded a few blocks away—even through the thick walls of the bank. The throb of the thunderous motors grew as something approached. Virginia joined her at the large plate-glass windows as others craned their necks to see.
“I have a guess,” Virginia whispered.
“Surely not.”
“Want to bet? Go get your purse,” the loyal employee encouraged.
“That doesn’t set an outstanding example for everyone else working until closing,” Ivy stated with a shake of her head. “If it’s them, they’ll wait for me to finish.”
“I’m sure they will.” Virginia hurried away to start a fire under the employees. They had one more reason to get out of there efficiently on a Friday.
When the bikes came into view, Ivy stepped outside to watch them. She grinned at the tough-looking motorcycle club. Ivy definitely wouldn’t recommend tangling with them—the Shadowridge Guardians lurked on the edges of societal rules. She knew, however, that they’d do anything to help her and others who needed them. Plus, knowing they all had teddy bears in their saddlebags lessened their rough appearances.
She waved as they drove into the parking lot. Faust, Rock, Storm, Doc, Bear, Talon, Silver, and Gabriel led the group with others she didn’t know as well, following. Steele and Storm rounded out the group. The men backed into parking spaces toward the back of the parking lot so they didn’t interfere with the bank patrons. Ivy skipped across the pavement to greet them.
“Hi! Wow! You guys are impressive together,” she complimented them.
“That’s exactly the impression we want to give the world.” Talon’s usual sarcasm made her smile.
“Hey, Little girl. You ready to go for a ride?” Steele strolled forward.
Ivy looked around, embarrassed to see if any bank patrons overheard his words. She should have known Steele would have already made sure everything was safe.
“I need to stay. It will be about thirty minutes. Is that okay?”
“Of course it is. We’ll hang in the parking lot and make friends,” Storm replied.
“Try to smile every once in a while, will you? Don’t scare everyone,” she suggested.
“We’ll be on our best behavior,” Rock assured her.
Ivy looked at him, assessing whether she could trust the elder biker and decided quickly that he was sincere. Besides, he was Remi’s dad, and she liked Remi a lot. Shaking her head, she walked forward to Steele and rose on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck.
“I won’t be long,” she assured before planting a quick kiss on his lips.
“A promise and a tease of a kiss. I guess you are feeling better.” Steele looked over her head at Doc and gave him a thumbs up.
“Daddy!” she hissed. Everyone didn’t need to know that Doc had given her a checkup last night.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. They’re all tickled you’re feeling better. Go finish your day and then we’ll go celebrate,” Steele suggested.
“I’ll be fast.”
Dropping one last kiss on his lips, Ivy turned and walked as quickly as she could on her pumps. She wondered if being in a relationship with Steele would keep her from advancing at the bank. With a shrug of her shoulders, Ivy dismissed that idea. What was more important? Treasuring the special connection she had with the man who saved her and captured her heart or letting others decide how she lived her life? Ivy would choose Steele every day.
For once, closing the bank for the day was hassle-free. All the tellers balanced their drawers quickly and headed out with big smiles. Virginia helped Ivy finalize the rest of the accounts, and they were ready to leave in no time. Ivy looked at the woman who had become a good friend. When higher positions opened, Virginia would be the first candidate that would come to her mind.
“Come on, boss. They’re waiting for you.”
“It’s best not to keep them standing around,” Ivy agreed, grabbing her purse from her desk.
Even with the Shadowridge Guardians in the parking lot, Ivy took time to check all the security cameras. She definitely didn’t want history to repeat itself. None of the Guardians appeared in the displays. They were standing far from the exit of the building. Ivy knew they had the area perfectly under control, even if she couldn’t see them.
After exiting the building, Ivy pushed the door closed and waited to hear the security lock engage. With a goodnight to Virginia, Ivy headed for the man who waited for her.
“Should I follow you somewhere?” she asked, waving at her car.
“You’ll ride with me,” Steele stated firmly, holding up an extra helmet.
“But my car…”
“Your car was safe here for over a week. It will be okay overnight. You’ll ride with me.”
“O-Okay.” She allowed him to fit the helmet onto her head and buckle it securely.
“Does that feel okay? Not too tight?”
“No. It’s fine.”
“Flip the visor down when we get started. That will keep the wind and bugs out of your eyes.”
“Maybe…” She looked back at her car.
“You’re going to love this, Little girl. Trust me.”
That’s all it took. If Steele asked her to trust him, she was there. The massive man had never lied to her. Straightening her shoulders, she nodded.
“Good girl.” He stroked his hands over her shoulders before shrugging out of his leather jacket and helping her into the enormous garment. “When I lean, you lean. When we stop, you sit still. Got it?”
This time when she nodded, Steele patted her bottom before taking her purse. “Get on after me.”
He stowed her handbag in a saddlebag. She peeked but couldn’t see a stuffie hiding inside. With that taken care of, Steele swung a leg over the bike and started it with a powerful kick before knocking the stand back. Bracing the bike, he told her, “When you’re ready.”
She tried to be graceful as she followed his example, but Ivy felt completely uncoordinated. Thank goodness she’d chosen to wear pants that day. The oversized jacket was heavy and cumbersome by itself. If she’d tried to maneuver her way onto the seat in a skirt, she would have given someone a show. When she finally settled in place, Steele sat down as well. He pointed out the pegs for her feet and frowned at her pumps.
“I should have brought you some boots. I’ll ride carefully, Emerald Eyes. I don’t want to scuff those designer shoes.”
“They’re not important, Steele. I’ve got three other pairs of black dress shoes at home.”
“Boots next time. Watch out for the pipes. They’re hot and will burn you.” She leaned to the side to see where he pointed and nodded.
“Is there more?” Ivy asked nervously.
“Now, it’s time for fun. Relax and enjoy the feeling of freedom. It’s time to fly.”
Steele patted her hand reassuringly and drew it from resting on her thigh to wrap her arm around his waist. Repeating the action on the other side, he tugged her forward, and she slid on the leather seat to rest against his back—and his backside. “Hold tight. Yell in my ear if you need to stop for any reason.”
“I’m ready.” Ivy was proud there was only a small quiver in her voice.
The other men had mounted up when Steele started his bike. Storm and Bear eased into motion, and the others fell in behind them. Steele and Ivy were in the middle of the pack, with Doc next to her. She had a feeling the medic wanted to keep an eye on her.
The first few turns were scary, but Steele taught Ivy what to do by trapping her against his hard body. Soon she was so focused on the feel of the hot man in front of her that Ivy didn’t worry as they navigated through several streets. She tensed a little as they got on the interstate, but the group stayed together wrapped around her.
The buzz between her legs grew stronger at the faster rate. She clung to Steele as her body responded. Thankful the jacket covered her erect nipples, Ivy felt herself getting wet. She tightened her arms around his waist.
“Having fun?” he asked over his shoulder as he reached back with one arm to squeeze her thigh.
“Daddy,” she tried to whisper, but the wind whisked that away. Did he know what the vehicle was doing to her?
Ivy rested against him and tried to think of anything else. The scenery flew by, and she admired the flowering trees and green grass decorating the highway. Anything to tune out the continual buzz pressed against her most intimate spot.
Her hands bumped down below his waist when they bounced over a patch on the pavement. Steele controlled the bike perfectly, to her delight. Oh!
Her hands were pressing directly on his fly, the buttons bulging slightly as his cock responded to her touch. She had basically groped him without intending to touch him.
“Sorry!” she said loudly so it would reach his ears as she tried to move her hands. He trapped hers in one hand and lifted them back around his waist.
“No tempting Daddy.”
By the time they got home, her panties were completely soaked. She hoped when he got up there wouldn’t be a wet spot on his seat to betray her arousal. Steele stopped and squeezed her hands to hold her in place.
Twisting to meet her gaze, he instructed, “Be careful of the pipes. Step off and go stand against the house where you’ll be safe.”
She stepped off, trying to control the shaking of her legs. As she turned to walk to the place he had indicated for her to wait, Ivy saw him scoot back on the seat. He was wiping off the proof of her arousal with his heavy jeans. Ivy felt her face heat and knew she was blushing horribly. He does know!
The other Guardians waited for her to be in place before maneuvering their bikes into their normal spots. Steele wrapped an arm around her waist to guide her into the building without saying a word. Discombobulated and trying to look like everything was normal, Ivy relied on him to take care of everything.
When he steered her down the hall to his room, Ivy realized she hadn’t thanked the group for coming to escort her home. She paused and turned to go back.
“You can thank them later, Emerald Eyes,” Steele assured her.
“Do they know?”
“Yes. Will they ever mention it? No. The club has your back, Little girl. The minute I claimed you for myself, you had their protection.”
“But they know,” she whispered.
“They’re Daddies. They notice more things than others do. Come on, Little girl. Let me take care of you.”
Reassured, Ivy nodded and walked with her Daddy to their apartment. Once inside, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom, placing her gently on her feet. His hand cupped the back of her head and pulled her forward to kiss her deeply.
As if that touch turned the key, eliminating the last of her self-control, Ivy grabbed handfuls of his T-shirt and ground herself against his hard frame. When he lifted his lips, she demanded, “I need you now.”
“Careful telling Daddy what to do,” he warned with a grin that took away any bite his words could carry.
When she bit her bottom lip, Steele smoothed a finger over it. “Only Daddy gets to bite you, Emerald Eyes.”
Her “Please!” earned her another kiss. This one seduced and captivated her. How could his kisses rock her world so much?
As she clung to him for stability, Steele efficiently stripped off her dark suit and the professional pumps off her feet. He glanced over her body, clad only in her normal cotton panties and bra. The heat in his eyes made her shiver.
“I’m sorry. I’m not wearing any fancy underwear.”
“Little girls don’t need to wear anything lacy, sweetheart. I couldn’t be any more attracted to you than I am now.” He tugged her hand from its grip on his shirt and pressed her palm onto his erection.
She automatically curled her fingers around him to grip him firmly. Staring up into his deep brown eyes, Ivy whispered, “Make it better, Daddy.”
In a flash, he had her naked.
“Crawl up on the bed, sweetheart.”
She peeked over her shoulder to find his gaze locked on her ass as he unfastened the buttons on his fly. His T-shirt was already gone. Scooting around, she sat on her heels on the mattress, watching the show. After grabbing a condom from the drawer, he shifted onto his hands and knees, and Steele prowled over her, forcing her back on the mattress. He took a minute to help her swing her legs from underneath her before lowering himself to hover over her.
Ivy loved the heat radiating from his body. She ran her hands over his broad chest and down his ribcage to cup his muscular butt. Squeezing the powerful muscles, she watched his face.
“Play all you want, Ivy. I love your touch.”
“All I want?” she repeated, raising her eyebrows suggestively.
“You are going to be the death of me,” he sighed. His expression completely denied any displeasure with her.
She pushed one of his shoulders, and Steele rolled obediently onto his back. Ivy scrambled after him, straddling his body. As her pussy glided along his thick shaft, Ivy groaned and ground herself on him. Her gaze flew to meet his as Steele captured her hips and held her still.
“Let me protect you, Emerald Eyes.”
Boosting her hips up, he quickly opened the small packet and rolled the bright green condom onto his erection.
As she smiled at the color, he told her, “I’ve gotten rid of all the other colors, Emerald Eyes. I’m fond of this one.”
“Daddy. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Little girl.”
Gripping her waist, Steele drew her down to his body. “Play, Ivy.”
With permission given, she squirmed against him as she explored his chest and abdomen. Her eyes closed in delight when he glided his hands up her sides to cup her breasts. Kneading them roughly, he brushed his thumbs over her nipples. She loved the scratch of his work-hardened skin on her body. Steele wasn’t a gentleman with manicured, soft hands. He was a Guardian. A welder. A biker.
She leaned forward to press her torso to his and teased him with light kisses until he tangled one hand in her hair and held her in place as his mouth explored hers. He tasted her as if she were the sweetest delight he’d ever sampled. His other hand gripped her bottom with a hold she knew would leave marks tomorrow as he lifted his pelvis to move against hers.
Immediately, her play ended. He was in control. His hand slipped from her tresses to slide between their bodies. His fingers stroked her pink folds to stoke the fire inside her. He tapped lightly on her clit, making her inhale quickly.
“You are so wet, Ivy. Do you want to ride Daddy’s cock?”
She nodded. Her body was so ready.
“Good girl.”
Steele fitted himself against her slick opening and flexed his hips to enter her. He gripped her ribcage and urged her to sit up, pushing his cock into her completely. “Ride me, Emerald Eyes.”
With ferocious desire written on his face, Ivy couldn’t feel self-conscious. She bounced experimentally and gasped. His shaft inside her set off so many sensitive spots inside her body. She tried it again and dropped her head back to concentrate on those exquisite sensations.
“Ah!” she gasped at the feel of his fingers pinching her nipples.
“Eyes on me, Little girl. Don’t look away.”
The intimacy of watching his reactions and seeing the hunger in his eyes pushed her desire higher. She watched him glide a hand over the muscular grooves in his abdomen to stroke her clit. “Come, Little girl. Drench my hand with your wetness.”
As if he were in control of her body, Ivy felt the swirling tingles draw together. She screamed into the room as she contracted around his thick cock. She ground herself against him, prolonging the delectable sensations for as long as she could.
“Daddy’s turn,” Steele announced as he wrapped his arms around her.
Ivy saw the world rotate as he turned their bodies to kneel between her legs.
“Wrap your legs around me, sweetheart.”
Fitting her legs around his waist, she locked her feet together at the ankles. As soon as she was in position, Steele lifted his hips and thrust deep inside her. At the end of each stroke, he rubbed his pelvis against her, fueling the sparkles inside her. She bit her lip, trying to resist the growing pleasure.
She held onto him as he plunged into her tight channel. Ivy knew he watched her shifting to create the most sparks inside her. When the feelings were ready to overwhelm her, Steele filled her, revving up his speed. Struggling to stay focused on his face, Ivy saw the moment he lost control. Pure exaltation covered his features, and she felt a rush of warmth as he emptied himself into the condom.
“Come, Ivy!” he shouted into the room as he held her plastered against his body.
With a wordless cry, she succumbed to the delight he treated her to. Grinding her pelvis against him, she fought for every bit of pleasure she could survive.
Minutes later, she lay cuddled against him with her head resting on his shoulder. Her mind still replayed the pleasure she had experienced. Being with Steele was unlike any man she’d ever dated. He made her feel.
Ivy slapped a hand over her tummy when it roared aggressively. Steele let out one of those low chuckles that made her giggle along with him.
“I need to feed you, Little girl. I’m losing my street cred as a Daddy.”
“There’s street cred for being a Daddy?”
“Only with the Shadowridge Guardians.”
She nodded like she knew what went on with the other motorcycle club members. “Think they’ve eaten everything for dinner?”
“It’s taco night. There will be lots.”
“Tacos?” She bolted upright and slid off the bed. “Come on. Tacos!”
As he dressed her, Ivy thought about the men in the motorcycle club. She couldn’t imagine not knowing the bikers now and felt bad, knowing she thought of them differently now. They had all taught her an important life lesson. While she had always treated everyone respectfully and professionally in her position at the bank, she appreciated these tough, tattooed, and daring Shadowridge Guardians. They protected the community and took care of each other, regardless of what it took. No matter what.
“Thank you for finding me, Daddy.”
“I wished I’d caught them at the bank,” he said regretfully, pulling on his T-shirt.
“That was the scariest day of my life,” Ivy admitted before deciding, “And ultimately, the best day ever.”
“Come on, Emerald Eyes. I want to see how many tacos you can eat.”
“Six! And you’ll eat eight.”
“I’ll just be warming up at number eight,” he teased.
Her giggles filled the hallway as they walked to the kitchen to join everyone.