Throttle Me (Men of Inked, #1)(21)

“I’m perfect just the way I am.” She squinted at me which made it harder for me to stop laughing. The pissed off teacher look made my dick rock hard and my balls ache.

“I didn’t mean it that way. I mean you need to learn to have some fun,” I said, grabbing her chin after fixing the fasteners.

“I have plenty of fun, for your information.”

“Climb on, sugar.” I patted the seat. “What do you like to do for fun?”

Her hand touched my shoulder as she hoisted her leg over the bike. “Well, I like to read. I go out with my friends sometimes. Um, I like to hang out at the pool. I like to play games. I do plenty of fun things.” Her body rested against mine and I closed my eyes. Down boy – not tonight. She didn’t mention one thing that resembled fun in my book.

“What about a club? Concerts? Parties?” A girl her age should’ve experienced a couple things in her life. She went to college and had to live a little… I mean, f*ck. “I know you’ve never ridden a bike before.”

“I don’t dance. Concerts, a couple of times in college, and parties? Do work parties count?” She clasped her hands around my chest and sealed the gap between our bodies.

“Everyone can dance. I saw how your body moved last night, babe. You can dance.” I turned the key and throttled the engine.

She swatted my chest. “Hush.”

I embarrassed her. Good – I needed to push her. I wanted to learn what she was really all about. The good girl bullshit worked for me, but I needed to know there was a sinner underneath that polished veneer.


“Well, tonight we’re going to add a few check marks to your life.” I moved my body, leaving no space between us.

“What are we doing?” she asked against my back already hiding her face.

“Heading to the beach.”

“It’s dark, though.”

“Exactly.”

I drove slowly through her neighborhood waiting for the right moment to pay her back for the smack on my chest. I hit the open country road at the end of her development and gunned the bike. Glancing in the side mirror, I could only see her blond hair blowing in the wind.

I sped up and she pinched my pec and yelled, “Stop!”

I didn’t listen, pretending the wind made it impossible to hear I pointed at my ear and shook my head. “I can’t hear you.”

“Slow down,” she yelped.

Stopping at the red light, I turned my face to look at her. “There’s no one around. We’re safe – I promise.”

“I don’t know if I can ever get used to riding on this dang thing.”

“Do you trust me?”

“What?”

“Trust, sugar. Simple question.”

She sighed. “I do.”

“Then enjoy the ride. It’s freeing and there’s nothing like it in the world. Ready? Hold on.” I gunned the bike, but not enough to lose control, as she screamed in my ear. I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.

She still had a strangle hold on my chest as we rolled into the beachfront bar. I squeezed the bike into the only single space available. Charlie’s was the place to be seen on a Saturday night and by the looks of it, half of the town was there.

“Can I open my eyes now?” she asked, her voice muffled from my jacket.

“We’re here. Off you go.” I pried her fingers apart and patted them.

“Charlie’s?” She climbed off the bike and unlatched the helmet quicker than I thought possible.

“Yes. Have you been?”

“No.” She looked around the parking lot.

“Hey,” I said as I grabbed her chin.

“It’s okay. I’ll give you plenty of firsts.” I smiled at her. “I like the idea of showing you new things.” There were so many things I wanted to do to her. I wanted to ruin her in every possible way. Fuck the lawyers and the boring motherf*ckers.

“I rarely come down to the beach, let alone at night.”

“Well, tonight there’s a DJ and I want to dance with you.”

“Oh,” she said her eyes wide in shock. “I told you, I can’t dance.”

“You can and you will. Might take a couple of those sweet drinks you like, but you’ll do it.”

“Oh, suck it.”

“I plan on it.” I smirked at her and grabbed her hand.





I’m not too uptight, am I?



Did I know what a good time was anymore? I went to college and knew how to live it up and let go. My life had become so wrapped up in work and finishing my Master’s degree that I kind of forgot what it meant to let go and unwind. I’d always put more pressure on myself, wanting to get ahead in life, not wanting to worry about paying the next bill. I lived comfortably and I was happy with that. I enjoyed staying home and reading a good book. Hell, it was cheaper than going out to a bar and drinking. I needed to watch my pennies and drinking them just felt silly.

“I’ll take a margarita,” I said to the bartender, reaching in my purse, but City put his hand over mine.

“I’ll take a Yeungling Beer please,” he said to the bartender and then he looked at me and said, “I got this, Suzy.”

“I can pay for myself.”