Sal (The Ride Series) (8 page)

I looked down at myself in confusion. “Why?”

“Put some more clothes on,” he clarified somewhat tersely.

Well, this was off to a great start. I huffed, putting on a long sleeved thermal.

“More,” he replied when I moved to follow him.

“Jesus, Sal, it’s freaking hot. Do you want me to pass out from heat exhaustion?” I complained.

“Fine,” he bit out, turning his back to head for the kitchen.

“Wonderful,” I muttered to myself.

He’d ordered my favorite pizza, sausage and olive, which I had to admit, was thoughtful. Over beers and pizza, I loosened up a bit. I felt more relaxed, the beer helped.

“What do you want to watch?” he asked as he flipped through the channels.

I shrugged, not caring.

He settled on some action movie that had decent reviews.

I sat on the far side of the couch with my legs tucked under me and sipped my beer. He sat on the other side, his jean-clad legs crossed at the ankle and resting on the coffee table.

The sexual tension zapped between us as I forced myself to keep my eyes on the screen. I knew he felt it too, with how firmly he gripped his beer bottle. At least I wasn’t the only one. We’d never sat so far apart on this couch before. We’d watched countless movies here, but always with limbs tangled as we lay cuddled up together.

I must have fallen asleep at some point during the movie because when I woke up, I was cuddled into Sal’s side with his arm around me. I flinched and jerked away when I realized what I’d been doing. I guess my subconscious hadn’t gotten the memo that we broke up.

“Sorry,” I muttered, embarrassed.

“You can fall asleep on me anytime,” he replied with a glimmer of mischief in his eye.

“Don’t count on it,” I retorted, standing up and stretching. “Thanks for dinner, goodnight,” I said, anxious to make a speedy retreat.

I used the one bathroom to get ready for bed and crawled under his covers. Everything smelled like him. It was both reassuring and punishing at the same time. I tried desperately to find sleep, but it was weird sleeping in his bed without him. I could hear him shifting around on the couch, and I knew he wasn’t sleeping either. I stared up at the ceiling and ignored the throbbing in my neck that beat with the cadence of my heart as I tried counting sheep. My mind kept drifting back to the thought of Sal on his couch, probably just in boxers. My mouth ran dry at the thought. I forced myself back to those boring sheep.

A few hours later, I was desperate to fall asleep.
Fuck it
, I thought as I threw the covers back and padded out to the living room. His head turned to me immediately in the dark as I stood tentatively in the doorway in my shorts and tank top.

“Can’t sleep?” his deep voice inquired. His voice did crazy things to me, it always had.

“No,” I replied. Then I sighed in resignation. “This isn’t an invitation for anything,” I began sternly.

A broad grin spread across his face at my attempt to be firm.

“But, I can’t seem to sleep in your bed without you in it,” I stammered, feeling a bit awkward. “Would you mind, I mean could you?” I asked, drifting off, my face flaming. We’d never been in this situation before. Sal and I had slept together almost immediately. This whole dancing around each other thing was brand new.

His smile turned warm and knowing. “Yeah, baby, I can do that,” he replied easily, sitting up and tossing his blanket aside.

Dear god, he
was
just in boxers. His tall, muscled frame stalked toward me and I swallowed audibly.

I looked up at the ceiling and prayed for strength.

He led me back to his bedroom, his hand warm and strong over mine. He got in on his side and I got in on mine, and I immediately felt much more at ease.

How annoying was that?

“’Night,” I said, turning my back to him with determination to not give him any invitation for more. It wouldn’t take much for me to give in; hell, a look at this point might do it.

“’Night, sweetness,” his voice came through the darkness, sending my already revving libido into overdrive. I squeezed my thighs together and took a deep breath, forcing my body to relax.

Listening to Sal’s familiar breathing behind me and his comforting smell surrounding me, I was able to fall into a deep, restful sleep.

Chapter 9

T
he next morning, I woke up and found myself wrapped around Sal like a vine.

Shit.

I carefully extricated myself from his reassuring warmth and slipped out of bed to head for the bathroom. Sal had always been a late riser, and I figured he needed his sleep after the past few days. I was happy to find my neck and face felt much better. A look in the mirror confirmed the bruising was lightening as well. Some heavy makeup should be able to cover up my eye and a scarf would do the trick with my neck. I could probably get away with working my shift the following evening. I couldn’t afford to take any time off, especially not with the weekend coming up when the tips were best.

I decided to go for a run before Sal woke up. I knew it wasn’t the smartest thing to do. Ok, it was downright stupid, but damn I needed it. It was the perfect way to clear my head. I quietly threw on my running gear in the bathroom and put a ball cap on to try to cover up some of my face. I slipped out of the house quietly after disarming the alarm.

Sal did the security set up for the club and their businesses. He was really good at what he did and seemed to enjoy it. Back when Scarlet had been having issues with her insane ex-boyfriend, Sal had done up Cole’s house like a freaking vault. You needed more codes than the CIA to get in the door.

I pushed myself hard, relishing the burn in my muscles as I pounded the pavement and allowed my mind to drift. Maybe Scar would bring the baby by today. I was dying to see my little Gracie. Then my thoughts drifted to Sal. I felt utterly confused about him. Where had he been all this time? The thing that scared me the most was how right it felt to have him back. Spending time with him made me realize how truly hollow I’d felt with him gone. I hadn’t slept, hadn’t truly lived during those months despite my best effort to the contrary.

Could I possibly take the risk of giving him another shot? What if it was like before and he didn’t let me in? What if I was left doubting how he felt about me like I always had? The man didn’t even hold my hand in public. I’d always told myself it didn’t matter that he wasn’t physically affectionate in front of other people. But, I’d always wondered why he didn’t stake his claim in public the way he unerringly did in private. If we were going to give this another go, big emphasis on the
if
, he’d have to try harder. We both would.

When I got back to the house, breathing hard, I went straight to the kitchen for a drink of water.

“What the fuck,” Sal barked from behind me.

I jumped about a mile in the air. I hadn’t noticed him standing there. “What?” I asked despite the fact I knew exactly why he was so pissed.

“Please tell me you didn’t just go for a run alone and wearing
that
,” he growled.

I looked down at my outfit. I was wearing the shorts and sports bra I always wore when I ran. “What?” I asked again.

“Christ, did you wear this shit before?” he demanded.

“Uh, yeah, you were just always asleep when I got back,” I replied haughtily. I didn’t run outside often anyway; it was usually too hot.

He took a deep breath as though gathering himself. He was shirtless but had at least thrown on some black shorts. Those six-pack abs and chiseled V, which led below his shorts, was making it hard to concentrate. A few months ago, I would have crossed the room, pulled those shorts off, and dropped to my knees. My mouth watered a bit at the thought.

He surprised me by getting in my space and backing me up against the counter, his arms braced on either side of me. He looked down at me and I gulped slightly at what I was fairly sure was lust burning in his eyes.

“You keep looking at me like that and my mouth’s going to be between your legs before we have a chance to talk about things,” he growled.

I felt my face flush and my heart began to pound as I bit back the nearly overwhelming desire to pull his body to mine in what was sure to be a life-altering kiss. I could feel the heat coming off him as he stood a mere inch from me, pressing me into the counter. I was immediately damp between my legs and inwardly chastised myself for not having more of a handle on myself around him.

“You shouldn’t be running outside alone right now,” he said gruffly. “And you shouldn’t be wearing
that
at any time,” he added, looking down at my body with a fierce expression. “Unless it’s just for me, that is,” he added.

The audacity of this man, honestly.

“Okay, I won’t go out alone,” I conceded. He was right on that point. “But I wouldn’t let you tell me what to wear when we were together. I’m certainly not going to let you tell me now,” I snapped, ducking out from under his arm and heading for the shower.

“Things change,” he pointed out in a serious tone, and I knew he wasn’t referring to my wardrobe.

“I fucking hope so,” I muttered.

That night found me sipping beer with Scarlet at the Knights’ clubhouse. There’d be a barbeque later, but for now, the guys were meeting. The atmosphere was tense given the threats against the club.

The first time I’d been here with Sal, almost a year ago now, I’d been surprised by how welcoming the club headquarters felt. The interior walls were wood paneled and lined with hundreds of photos of club members through the years. Many featured Cal, Cole’s father and the club’s president, depicting his career with the Knights throughout the years. He was still a handsome man. He and Cole shared the same startlingly blue eyes. Cal could be a hard man, one who didn’t accept failure or doubt. But, he was also kind with a capacity for warmth if you knew how to tap into it. He had a soft spot for his men’s women and especially his new granddaughter.

The history and pride of the club was clear almost immediately upon entering the space. This was their domain, their castle. The smell of the main room always got me. Leather, grease, and men. Heaven.

Tonight, I’d arrived on the back of Sal’s bike. I’d always loved riding with him, and tonight had been no different. I loved the vibration of the bike under me while I clung to his strong, leather-clad torso. I’d missed it, more than I’d realized until tonight.

Gracie was sleeping peacefully in her Moses basket with Chief snoring contentedly beside her. I kept glancing down at her, secretly willing her awake so I could hold her. “Your face looks much better,” Scarlet observed as we sat outside on the picnic table closest to the door. The outside space was large with several fire pits and picnic tables. It backed up to the desert beyond, and the setting was incredibly private.

I snorted. “It’s mostly makeup. But, yeah, the bruises are fading a bit,” I agreed.

“How’s it going with Sal?” she asked, and I knew she was barely tempering her avid curiosity.

I sighed. “Confusing would be a good way to sum it up.”

We both laughed.

“He seems pretty determined to get another chance. He’s pretty sure of himself that he’ll get one,” I grumbled. “But, I don’t know. He’s the only guy I’ve ever loved, but fuck, it tore me up when he left. I don’t know if I can risk it again. And I don’t want to be in the same place we were before either.”

Scarlet knew intimately all of the issues I’d had with Sal’s lack of affection and the many walls he surrounded himself with.

“Maybe he’s changed,” she offered.

I made a face. “Do men like Sal change? I’m not sure.”

“Everyone can change,” she argued.

“What do you think I should do?” I asked, desperate for some advice.

She sighed and seemed to ponder the question for a moment. “I think it’s Sal.” She shrugged as though that said it all, and it pretty much did. “You two have something powerful despite the issues you had in the past. I think if you don’t give him another shot just because you’re scared of getting hurt, you’ll regret it,” she said while sipping her beer.

“I’m just still so angry,” I muttered.

“That’s fair. He has a lot to explain and to make up for. But, I think you owe it to him, and to yourself, after everything to at least hear him out.”

I nodded, agreeing with her despite the prospect scaring the crap out of me.

“How are you guys doing?” I asked her.

She sighed. “Cole is wound so tight I’m worried he’ll snap,” she replied. “I’ve never seen him so pissed off. And I know he’s worried,” she murmured as she looked down at a sleeping Gracie. “He takes his job as our protector extremely serious and he puts too much pressure on himself,” she fretted. “I wanted to start planning the wedding, but with all of this, I don’t think I should put something else on his plate.”

“You should plan it,” I said firmly. “You’ve already put it off and we both know he wasn’t thrilled about that. If anything, he needs something to look forward to. You both do.”

“Maybe you’re right,” she mused. I knew her well enough to not push her any further and changed the subject back to our favorite topic, Gracie.

Hours later, the meeting was long over, and the atmosphere was decidedly lighter. I was on the other side of the large patio from Sal, but his eyes continually searched until they locked with mine. I felt the same flutter in my belly I always did when his eyes were on me. He was checking in on me to make sure I was okay while keeping his distance. It had always been like this whenever we were out with his brothers. He never seemed to feel a need to stake a claim on me when we were out, content to keep a distance which always frustrated me. That is, unless another man didn’t understand I was indeed spoken for. When needed, Sal could cross a room remarkably fast.

“Another beer?” Axel asked me as I sat off to the side from the commotion of the boisterous party. Scarlet was off with Cole, and I was in need of a moment of solitude.

Axel was a gorgeous, formidable man, and in a detached sort of way I’d always thought he was incredibly attractive. He was powerfully built with the outline of muscle obvious through almost anything he wore. His dark brown hair hung to his collar in a constant state of unruliness. He wore a beard and it worked for him. But, it was his beautiful gray eyes that really set him apart.