Wild Ride (Wind Dragons MC #4.5)(14)

“Move over,” he says, so I roll over, giving him some room on the edge of the bed.

He takes some of the sheet from me, then pulls me into his arms. I rest my head on his shoulder and wait for him to speak.

“Rake and his brothers aren’t going to be happy about this,” he starts, and from his tone I can’t tell if he cares or not.

I lift my head and look him in the eye. “That’s why you’ve been avoiding this”—I was going to say connection, but I don’t want to freak him out—“attraction?”

“One of the reasons,” he says, sighing and studying me carefully. “There’s a few.”

“Do enlighten me.”

“I’m a biker, you have a kid, and this isn’t exactly the safest lifestyle,” he starts, and I nod for him to continue. “Yes, there’s Rake. Bailey is your best friend, and there will be hell to deal with there.”

“Why does he even hate you so much?” I ask, not getting it.

“Many reasons,” Talon says, sounding subdued. “I also have a lot of shit going on at the moment. I guess the timing didn’t feel right, and I was waiting until it was.”

“And now?” I ask. Was he just going to go back to staying away from me after this? He didn’t make me any promises, so I won’t be upset over it, just disappointed. I’m not a woman who sleeps with a man, then expects him to stay. I slept with him because I wanted to, not because there were conditions attached to it.

“And now,” he murmurs, rolling over so he’s on top of me again. “I want you again.”

He kisses me, making me forget my questions.

Afterward I fall asleep, and when I wake up, he’s gone.

I guess that answers them for me.





CHAPTER NINE




Talon

I RING Tia again, but she doesn’t pick up. I want to go over to her house to explain what happened this morning in person, but I know her son will be there.

When I got a call this morning saying that there was an issue with the gun shipment, I had to leave to sort it out. I didn’t want to wake her, so I kissed her and left quietly, telling myself I’d just call her and explain that I had to leave, not that I was bailing after f*cking her. Although since she’s not picking up or replying to my messages, that’s probably exactly what she thinks. I don’t think I’ve ever called a woman and had her ignore me before, so it really doesn’t sit well with me. Is she already starting to play games? The thought annoys me. Why won’t she just pick up the phone and let me explain? I pace around my room, wondering if I should randomly show up there. I’ve made my decision to do just that when my phone rings.



By the time I finally see her, it’s 8:00 p.m.—two days later. After Shayla’s bodyguard called, I had to go and handle a few things, or men, as it were, and I only just got back into town. I know she’s going to be pissed at my showing up on her doorstep, but she didn’t pick up her phone, and there’s nothing else I could do. I know it’s late, and I don’t want to talk in front of her kid, but I figure she can come out the front or something. If she wanted to avoid this, she should have answered the f*ckin’ phone. She must’ve heard the rumble of my bike, because the front door opens and she storms over to me, barefoot and dressed in her pajamas, which consist of shorts and a tank top. She looks f*ckin’ adorable, even with that scowl on her face. I try to hide my amusement as she stops in front of my bike.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, looking at me like I’m batshit crazy. “Rhett’s here!” She pauses. “And you’re an *!”

I get off my bike, my black boots stopping right in front of her blue-painted toes. I lift her chin with my index finger, rendering her silent as I look into her eyes. “I had to leave because I got a call—the men needed me. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t get freaked out, and I sure as f*ck didn’t bone and bail. I tried to call you to explain, but your stubborn ass didn’t pick up.”

“I haven’t heard from you in two f*cking days,” she whisper-yells, putting her hands on her hips. “Your men needed you for two days? Sounds like you got what you wanted and now you’re done.”

“It sounds like if you had picked up your phone I could have told you that I had to head out of town to handle some business,” I say, trying to stay calm while she throws her attitude at me. “I literally came straight to your house, Tia. I left you a voice mail explaining everything, but I guess you didn’t listen to that either?”

“I never check my voice mail,” she says, wincing. “How was I supposed to know?”

“That’s why we do this little thing called communicate,” I say, wanting so badly to kiss her. And maybe shake her a little.

“Oh,” she says, her expression softening.

“Yes, oh. Why the hell didn’t you pick up my calls?”

She shifts on her feet, looking down before she replies. “Honestly, I think I was just assuming the worst. Thought you were going to say it was a mistake . . .”

“Act like I did after the kiss,” I surmise, feeling like shit. Yeah, I had avoided her after that kiss, and told her it was a mistake. No wonder she thought I’d do it again.