BAD BOY ROMANCE: DIESEL: Contemporary Bad Boy Biker MC Romance (Box Set) (New Adult Sports Romance Short Stories Boxset) (165 page)

Prologue

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they got amazingly better. Like, two-orgasms-a-night better. Stratton was turning out to be the perfect lover; I couldn’t believe that I was so lucky.

It was hard to believe that we’d been enemies before this. Stratton had turned out to be so unexpectedly sexy and sweet; I was in total disbelief that I’d been so wrong about him before.

With Megan’s wedding right around the corner and our final year of grad school coming to a close, we only had one more semester together as husband and wife. I loved him, but I wasn’t sure what would happen after we left. Would we keep our word and divorce quietly? Or was there a chance that maybe, he was falling just as deeply in love with me as I had with him?

Either way, the future was coming up more quickly than I could account for. I’d just have to close my eyes and enjoy the ride….

Chapter One

Leda

“This is so beautiful,” I breathed, craning my neck and looking at the snowy mountains. Stratton grinned and pulled me closer. My butt slid a heartstopping inch forward on the cold metal and for a moment, I thought I was going to fall. I squealed and Stratton wrapped his arms around me, burying my neck and cheeks with kisses.

We were on a ski lift, hundreds of feet above the mountains of Aspen. It had just started to snow and even though we’d been out for most of the morning, I wasn’t feeling too tired or cold yet. Keeping up with Stratton was proving to be all the vigorous workout that needed.

“I almost fell!” I complained as Stratton showered me with kisses. “What would have happened?”

Stratton shook his head. There was a little bit of snow on his brown hair that peeked out from under his massive goggles and cap and I giggled. “You would not have fallen,” he said. “I would have caught you.”

“Yeah, right,” I teased. “You wouldn’t have had time!”

Stratton laughed and tickled me. I screamed and threw myself to the side, sending our lift chair rocking precariously in the wind. My stomach plummeted as I looked down over the rocks and bumps so far before. The people on the ground were smaller than ants.
“Leda,” Stratton said in a soothing voice. He kissed me on the cheek again and I felt my insides jump and warm up. “You’re not going to fall,” he repeated softly. I turned my head and we kissed. His lips felt cold at first but mine warmed them up, and soon, he slipped his tongue into my mouth. Moaning softly, I turned my head and allowed him better access to my warm mouth, gently flicking my tongue against his. Stratton squeezed me through my jacket.

When I opened my eyes, I saw that we were getting close to the station. My stomach tightened as it always did when we approached on a lift: after two days of skiing, I still hadn’t managed to get off the lift without falling down. Even when Stratton grabbed me, gravity always grabbed harder. Stratton expertly flipped the bar over our heads and guided me out. I slipped and almost fell backwards, but with his strong grip, I somehow managed to remain upright and we glided down the little hill together.

“Get a room,” someone muttered behind us and I felt my cheeks pink.

“They think we’re on honeymoon,” I whispered. Stratton turned to me and pressed his body against mine, eagerly kissing me with the same passion from the lift. I wrapped my arms around his bulky form and pulled him close. Through my padded ski pants, I thought I could feel the hint of an erection.

“That’s funny,” Stratton said, snickering into my hair. An icy wind blew over us and I shivered, stomping my feet and almost slipping when my skis went forward on the ground. “Are you cold? Do you want to go in?”

I shook my head. “Not at all,” I said. “I’m fine. Let’s keep going.”

Stratton nodded and pulled his goggles down over his face. He pivoted around and started gliding toward another lift. “Are you ready for something more serious?” He called. “This is going to be a lot of fun!”

My heart thudded in my chest but I stabbed my ski poles into the ground and pushed off after him. So far, we’d only been on the baby hills. Stratton had spent the first day teaching me how to ski. He’d been really, really patient with me. We’d spent the whole morning talking about how to “fall properly,” and even that had left me exhausted. I’d spent the afternoon in the lodge studying while Stratton did more advanced runs. Then we’d gone out again after dinner and he’d guided me down a few of the practice hills. I’ve never been a really athletic person, but skiing was easier to pick up than I’d imagined it would be. By the end of the day, I’d been feeling incredibly sore. In the morning, I was so sore that I could barely walk.

The snow that had been falling lightly was starting to pick up, and I looked around, feeling a little nervous. Stratton was only a few feet in front of me, but by the time we reached the second lift, I could barely see him. When he called out to me I felt like we were in a deep fog.

“Stratton!” I cried. “Wait!”

He took ahold of my elbow and guided me on the lift. The snow swirled around us in the air, and when I looked down, I couldn’t see the ground. I shivered and leaned against Stratton. His outer layers were just as cold as I felt and I tossed my head, trying to warm up the back of my neck. Snow filtered down through my wrap scarf and started melting on my back.

“Are you tired? Do you want to go in after this?”

I looked around. It was getting dark; I could tell that we were climbing higher and higher on the mountain because of the yellow lanterns poking out of the side of the mountain. “Yeah,” I called. “I might just take this down and call it a day.”

Stratton shook his head. “Do this with me, Leda,” he said, grinning. “I’ll keep you safe. I’ll make sure you’re okay.”

We slipped off the ski lift and I managed not to fall.
Yes!
I thought.
Now that’s twice in a row!
Maybe everything really was getting easier, maybe things would be okay…

I gasped as we slid to the top of the hill. It was so steep that it looked almost straight down, and I watched as people on either sides of us zoomed down, shifting their weight from side to side and gracefully disappearing into the night. It had to be at least twice as steep as anything that I’d done before. A cold sweat broke out all over my body and I gripped Stratton’s sleeve nervously.

“I’m scared,” I said into his ear. Stratton looked at me and grinned.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said, tapping me on the shoulder. “Stay right behind me. I’ll go slow, and I’ll check for you on the flatter parts.”

Just I was about to tell him to wait, he stuck his poles in the ground and pushed off. He was moving faster than I felt comfortable with, but taking a deep breath, I followed him anyway. Almost at once, my skis started to glide on the ground so fast that the air was whipping me in the face. Stratton stayed steadily ahead of me, pumping his weight from side to side and tapping the sides of the ground with his poles. The snow swirled in the air and I squinted; even with goggles, it was really hard to see. My stomach plummeted as I felt my body leave the ground. I hadn’t even realized that there was a little jump in the ground. Every muscle in my body was tensed and controlled as I tried to slow my progress down the mountain. Stratton was calling encouragement to me even though he hadn’t checked to see where I was once.

I felt myself start to slow down a little bit and looked around me. The ground was evening out, but there was a sharp drop a few feet ahead. I tried to skid to the side and stop but there was a patch of ice under my skies and I slipped over the edge quickly. My heart froze in my chest as realized this drop was the
real
hill; whatever we’d been on before was like a little platform. Skiers raced from side to side and flew over small bumps and bounces like they were Olympic athletes. In front of me, Stratton’s figure grew smaller and smaller. Finally, it felt like I got ahold of my body and managed to shift in time with the speed. The more I shifted, the more I slowed down, but my legs ached almost instantly and the end was nowhere in sight. Spotting Stratton up far ahead in the distance, I plunged my skis into the ground and sped along. The burst of energy was enough to catapult me forward and I almost fell on my face, but I straightened up and resuming the pumping in my leg muscles. Finally, I was almost right behind him.

“Stratton!” I called out. “Look! I’m really doing it!”

The snow clouds whirled around us and he didn’t turn around, but I didn’t let that frustrate me. Digging my poles into the ground again and again, I plunged forward into the inky abyss of the night. Just when I thought I was going to catch up with him, I felt one of my legs slide out from under me until I was painfully stretched. When I tried to regain my balance and pull my legs together, I leaned back and lost my balance. Falling backwards into the air, I felt like I was suspended above the ground for an eternity. The lights and the snow jumbled into a knot of stimulation and I felt the ground meet my ass,
hard
. The air got completely sucked out of my chest and I gasped and tried to stand up as the ground kept whirling around my head. I felt nauseous and dizzy. Finally, I was able to roll on my side. I could feel the cold seeping through my ski clothes as the dizziness began to wear off. I could see Stratton in the distance. He was laughing and cheering, and I was momentarily stung. Then I realized he was cheering because I’d made it almost all the way down the whole run without falling; I was only a few feet away from where the ground leveled off.

Rolling onto my knees, I balanced my skis to the side until I was standing upright. My ass ached something horrible, but the rest of me didn’t feel too bad.

“Leda!” Stratton yelled out. “That was great! You were great!” He cheered and clapped as people around us started to stare and shake their heads. Looking down, I saw that my whole side was covered in damp snow. “You even fell the right way!”

I blushed and looked down. “That was horrible,” I said slowly. “And I didn’t do a very good job of falling. I didn’t do a good job of staying upright, either.”

Stratton wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close, dropping his poles on the ground. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you inside.”

Chapter Two

Leda

By the time we were back in the room, I felt like I was going to faint from exhaustion. Stratton had to support me through the lodge and into the elevator. When I sat down on the little bench inside, I didn’t think I was ever going to get up. Stratton actually had to prop the door open with his skis before I could muster the energy to stand.

In the room, he gently pushed me backwards onto the bed. “Wait here,” he promised. I closed my eyes and listened as Stratton bustled around the room, getting things ready. After a long day, the only thing that sounded good was a nap. I don’t even think he could have roused me out of the bed with the promise of food. Well, maybe steak.

After what felt like an hour, Stratton gently tapped me on the arm. “Leda,” he said. “Wake up. You fell asleep on me.”

“Sorry,” I mumbled, pushing a hand over my face. “It’s too bright in here,” I whined. “Can’t we go to bed?”

Stratton shook his head. “Not yet,” he said. “I have a surprise for you.”

My eyes opened and I looked around warily. “I can’t do anything tonight,” I said softly. “I’m too sore.” Stratton shrugged.

“I didn’t mean sex,” he chided. “Just what kind of opinion do you have of me, after all? Come in the bathroom,” he said. “You’re going to relax.”

My legs felt numb and shaky as I hefted them over the sides of the bed. Stratton came closer and scooped me up easily in his arms. “Aren’t you sore?” I frowned. “You’ve been going harder than I have, for sure.”

Stratton laughed and a blush spread over my cheeks.
Of course he wasn’t tired. He’s actually an athlete
, I thought, feeling stupid. As he carried me into the bathroom, steam washed over my face. It felt so good that I closed my eyes. I didn’t open them again until Stratton had set me down on my feet. My legs ached and I almost buckled to the floor, but managed to stay upright.

The giant tub in the bathroom was full of hot, steaming water and bath salt that smelled like rose. I inhaled deeply. At once, I wanted to cry because it looked so amazing. I had a feeling that I was going to crawl in the tub and not come out until the water was frigid.

“Do you need help?” Stratton raised his eyebrows and gestured to my damp sweater and jeans. “Can you manage alone?”

I shook my head. “I’m fine,” I said, blushing. “Thanks.”

Stratton watched as I tugged my sweater over my head. When it caught on my elbow, he stepped forward and gracefully removed it. After a hard day’s workout, he smelled muskier than ever. Between my legs, I felt a warm, tingling sensation come to life.

“This should help,” he said archly as he helped me out of my jeans. When I was just clad in my wet panties and bra, Stratton turned around. “I’ll be a gentleman,” he said softly. “For once.”

I blushed. Even though I’d felt too tired for sex minutes ago, suddenly I didn’t want him to leave. But it was like Stratton could read my mind: as soon as I decided I wanted him, he graciously bowed and stepped out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Left alone, I peeled off my bra and panties and crawled into the tub. The water was much too hot: exactly the way I like it, and it felt so good on my aching body that I wanted to moan out loud.

Stratton left me alone in the bathroom until the water started to get cold. When he knocked on the door, he called my name as if I’d fallen asleep. “Leda,” he called. “How are you feeling? Any better?”

I moaned softly. “It’s amazing,” I called back. “I can barely move.”

Stratton laughed and pushed the door open. He was carrying a big fluffy towel, and he jerked his head up, gesturing for me to stand. I hauled myself out of the tub, for once not self-conscious about my body. I was just too tired. When I was standing, Stratton stepped closer. He wrapped the warm towel around me and patted my body through the soft cotton. A full-throated yawn hit me and I threw my head back and closed my eyes.

Stratton snickered. “You’re really cute when you’re so tired,” he said. “You’re much nicer, Leda.”

I frowned. “Shut up,” I said. When I realized what I’d said out loud, I looked at Stratton and we both laughed. The chemistry between us was so easy, so simple, compared to what it was like at home. I was starting to wonder if things could always be like this.

“Your surprise isn’t finished yet,” Stratton said. He took me by the hand and helped me step out of the tub, then guided me into the other room. It was dark, and it took me a minute to notice some tiny tea light candles flickering on the nightstand. I grinned.

“What’s this?”

Stratton shrugged and nodded towards the bed. “Towel off, please,” he said with a smirk, reaching out. Blushing, I let the towel fall from my body until I was standing naked in front of him. My skin was still warm with the heat from the bath, and I looked away when I realized Stratton was staring at my breasts. His attention still made me blush, even though I was slowly getting used to feeling desired. It was like nothing I’d ever felt before.

“What are you doing?” I asked again, but Stratton shook his head.

“Lie down on your stomach,” he instructed. I bit my lip and climbed on the bed, settling naked on top of the duvet. The fabric was amazingly soft and warm against my naked skin and I relaxed all of my muscles with a little sigh. As much pain as I’d been in before the bath, that was how good I was feeling now.

The room was quiet, and it was hard not to drift off to sleep. There was pressure on the bed but I couldn’t even sit up and crane my neck, it would have taken too much effort. I heard some rustling fabric sounds and realized that Stratton was zipping out of his pants. He crawled on top of me and sat on my ass, the heat from his skin radiating into my body. There was a slight
pop
sound and I heard him rubbing his hands together. Before I knew it, something hot and wet dripped on my back. It almost hurt, and I squealed until I realized that it was oil. Stratton slowly dripped it all over my back until I was squirming on the bed. The rough fabric of the duvet rubbed against my nipples and made them stiffen as I wriggled around, and a shiver of pleasure went through my body.

When Stratton placed his hands on my back, I moaned loudly. They were warm and strong and covered in oil, and he rubbed torturous circles around on my skin with his thumbs. Being given a massage by Stratton made me feel like a lump of warm clay, being shaped by the master. He skillfully worked his way up my back, loosening all of the tense muscles under my shoulders. When he got to my neck, I thought I was going to scream with pleasure.

“You’re really tight,” Stratton commented. “Try to take a deep breath for me while I do this, okay?”

I sucked in air and a sharp pain hit the side of my neck. Stratton’s careful fingers began to rub and blend at the sore spot until I was melting. He slowly treated my whole neck and shoulders to the same kind of exquisite torture. My body was singing with pleasure; it wasn’t even sexual, I just wanted the feeling to consume me all over.

“How are you feeling?” Stratton asked. “You want more?”

I managed to moan ‘yes’ just as Stratton dragged his hands, in fists, down my back. The bumps of his knuckles pushed into my skin and sent pleasure radiating through my body. I closed my eyes and purred as he stretched and rubbed at my muscles through the skin. The oil had soaked into me and moisturized my whole body; in the air hung the heavy, sensual aroma of sandalwood.

When he stopped, I wanted to cry. But soon after, a delicate lull took the place of the pain in my body. Stratton gently pushed me over to one side of the bed and covered me with the blanket. I reached out for him but he shook his head.

“You nap for a little while,” he told me with a grin. “I’m going to see what I can do about finding us some dinner.”

After he’d dressed and left, I tried to stay awake. I even pulled out my iPad and started reading, but the words blurred together painfully. Before I knew it, I’d fallen into a dark and dreamless sleep.

Chapter Three

Leda

“Let’s go downtown today,” Stratton said, raising his eyebrows at me. “You slept for over ten hours, Leda. I don’t think you should hit the slopes again.”

As much as I wanted to protest, I knew it was probably a good idea. When I sat up in bed and stretched, my joints were sore and my limbs were stiff. Just walking to the bathroom sounded more painful than anything I was willing to put up with. I frowned.

“I’m sorry,” I said, looking into his eyes. “I feel really guilty. You’re missing the whole last day out because of me. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather go for a little bit by yourself?”

Stratton shook his head. “Definitely not,” he said. “I’d rather be with you. After all, I left you alone for two minutes yesterday and look where we are now.” He grinned. “Can you be ready in an hour? The resort has a shuttle.”

I groaned. Bed felt so good, I didn’t even want to move. After he’d massaged me last night, I’d slept for almost four hours. Then Stratton had come back in with dinner. Room service steak and mashed potatoes. It wasn’t the kind of food that I’d normally pick out, but I’d been famished. This morning my stomach felt like an empty toothpaste tube. It was hard to believe that I’d eaten at all.

As I climbed out of bed, Stratton stood and watched me. “You might have pulled a muscle,” he said. “If you’re having trouble walking tomorrow, you should go to the doctor when we get back.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll be fine,” I told him. “Trust me.”

Stratton took my elbow and guided me to the bathroom. “Poor Leda,” he teased. “You couldn’t even chase me around now if I did something wrong.” He tossed his head back and laughed as if it was the funniest thing he’d ever said. Maybe it was my bad mood, but for some reason his jab felt a little more hurtful than I wanted.

After I was dressed and finally ready, we went downstairs together. The resort offered a complimentary breakfast buffet and despite our late-night meal of steak and potatoes, I was starving. My mouth watered as the scent of sausage, bacon, and eggs wafted over to me through the air.

I shot a guilty look at Stratton. “Do you mind if we eat first? I’m starving.”

Stratton grinned. “Sure,” he said. “Do you still want to get lunch in town?”

I nodded pathetically. “I’m so hungry,” I complained. “I feel like I’ve never used this much energy in my life. Is this how you’re always eating?”

Stratton laughed. “Your metabolism isn’t used to it,” he said. “You’ll probably feel better in a few days when you’re back to your normal routine.”

I rolled my eyes and pushed past him, heading for the buffet. Grabbing a plate, I loaded it up with everything in sight. It was embarrassing how hungry I was; I could almost hear Megan’s voice in my head. “
Are you pregnant?”

Choking on a bite of sausage, I closed my eyes dramatically. It had been a few weeks since my last period. Ever since I’d started talking the pill, I’d been a little more lax about what constituted the “same time” every day. I mean, it wasn’t like I’d had anything to worry about. Not before Stratton.

It was true that we used condoms most of the times. But I remembered hooking up with him once, a month ago, and we hadn’t used protection. Cold fear gripped my belly and I looked down at my plate, no longer hungry.

“What’s wrong?”