Dirty Ride (Wind Dragons MC, #3.5)(13)

I nod. “I am. So step away from the frying pan, because you’re going to get burned.”

He smirks but does as I ask, sitting down at the table. “We didn’t get to our third round.”

I shake my head at him. He woke me up in the middle of the night, his hand between my legs and his mouth on my neck, and I rode him until we both came. I feel a little sore this morning, but in a delicious way. At the mention of more sex, however, I still find myself interested, my body already responding. I turn off the stove and walk over to him. He reaches out and puts his hands on my hips, lifting me onto the table and sliding me right in front of him. He then pushes my legs apart, peeks up at me and grins. He lifts my skirt and slides his finger underneath my panties, touching my center gently.

“Are you sore?” he asks, not looking up at me.

“I’m fine,” I reply, lying a little, because I didn’t want him to stop what he was about to do.

“Liar,” he says, moving his hand and placing a soft kiss over my panties.

“Can you not study me there so closely?” I grumble, trying to squeeze my legs shut.

“I’ve seen all of you, Valentina.” He smirks, running his hand down my inner thigh in a soothing motion. “You don’t have work today?”

I shake my head. “No, we alternate Saturdays.”

I told him all about my job last night, just how much I’m enjoying it, and that I was also pretty damn good at it.

“What do you have going on today?” I ask him, cupping his face with my hands. “Biker stuff?”

He turns his face and kisses my hand. “I’ve got some biker stuff tonight, but I’m yours until then.”

I tilt my head to the side and study him. “You never talk about the club.”

He kisses my knee, stands up, and heads to the counter, grabbing a plate and serving himself. “I know. I only talk about the club with the club.”

He doesn’t say it in a harsh way, but still, it stings. It makes me question everything, like why did I sleep with him so soon? How can I have such a connection with a man I haven’t known that long, a man who obviously has his own secrets?

What am I doing here right now?

I’m lost in my own thoughts when his face appears in front of mine. He kisses my lips and then says against them, “I want you to get to know me before you get to know the club, all right? I want to earn your trust, and I want you to earn mine.”

Every time I’m unsure about what exactly is going on here, I look into his eyes, and I see the sincerity in them. I listen to his words and hear the truth in them. Either I’m completely blinded by him, or he’s the real deal, a man I could trust, one who would have my back and make me feel safe. My past can’t haunt me with Ardan here, because he is bigger and scarier than everything else. He hasn’t shown me that side, but I know it; I feel it. He isn’t one to be messed with. But to me he is kinder and more thoughtful than any other man I’ve been around or know. Although, considering my ex, I guess that isn’t hard to beat.

I expel a sigh, then kiss him back. “Let’s eat.”

“And then?”

“And then, we’ll spend the day in bed, watching movies, spooning, and f*cking,” I say bluntly, watching his expression.

“What do you want to watch?” he asks, looking amused for some reason.

I shrug my shoulders and jump down from the table. “I don’t know. I’m sure there’s something on Netflix.”

Ardan chuckles and raises his eyebrow at me.

“What’s so funny?”

“This is my first ever Netflix and chill,” he says, making me groan and cover my face with my hands.

“You’re way too old to even know that saying.”

He chuckles some more and finishes fixing his plate. When he hands it to me, I look at him, surprised. He served me first?

“Sit down,” he says, grabbing another plate. “I’ll bring you something to drink.”

I sit down and wait for him to join me, thinking how crazy it is that things can change so drastically in such a short period of time. The tables are always turning, and I just hope I get to stay in this happy period for as long as possible.

I think I deserve it.



Two weeks later

“What do you think?” I ask Sally, running my fingers through her now short blond hair.

“I love it!” she squeals, turning her head from side to side. “I think the short cut suits me.”

“So do I,” I say, framing her face with the longer ends at the front. “It looks stunning on you.”

Sally stands up and looks at me. “Thank you, Tina. I really love it.”

“You’re welcome,” I reply, beaming. I watch as she walks to reception, where Lin is waiting to take her payment.

“I’m going on my break, Jess,” I call out, since I don’t have any clients booked for the next hour anyway.

“No problem,” Jess replies. “Can you get me a coffee while you’re out?”

“Sure,” I tell her, grabbing my bag and leaving the salon. I cross the road and walk to the café, ordering two coffees and a muffin. While I wait, I send Ardan a quick message, telling him I can’t wait to see him after work. He replies back instantly, saying that he can’t wait either. I smile like a lovesick schoolgirl who hasn’t yet been burned by the world, then send another message, this time to Lacey, asking how she’s been and saying that I hope she’s doing all right. Then, coffees and muffin in my hands, I return to the salon and pass Jess her coffee.