“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. Come with me.” My tone is forceful enough that he complies and follows me down the hall.
“My room,” he says.
“Okay.” Since each room comes with its own bathroom, it makes sense to use his. After all, he’s the one bleeding all over.
As I flick on the light in his bathroom, I can see the cuts more clearly. Fortunately, they’re not deep, but they look painful, nonetheless.
“Sit down,” I instruct him, gesturing to the edge of the bathtub.
He obeys without a word, watching me as I rummage through the medicine cabinet for supplies. I can’t say I’m surprised it’s so well stocked. Men in motorcycle clubs must get into all kinds of trouble. This might be typical for him, but it’s not for me. I can’t even remember the last time I was anywhere near a fist fight, well, other than last night. Not that I saw that one, but I believe Talon’s account of what went down, so maybe that counts. Either way, he lives in a world completely different from mine.
“Hold out your hands so I can disinfect them.”
“Sure.” He holds his hands steady, barely flinching as I pour the liquid over the cuts.
“I’ll have to be more careful with your face.” I pluck several cotton balls out of a container on the counter. Blotting them with disinfectant, I move to touch his face. This time, he jerks away.
“Fuck, that stings.”
“I’m sorry, but we have to do this.”
“Yeah. I know,” he grumbles.
My fingers gently trace the outline of the lacerations on his face, feeling their raw edges. He winces but doesn’t pull away. His gaze softens as it drops to my mouth. My lips tingle in response. Being this close to him is exciting but also unnerving.
He looks away, breaking the spell.
“What happened?” I ask, concern filling my voice as I reach for a tube of antibiotic cream.
“Club business,” he replies gruffly, avoiding my gaze.“I can’t tell you about it.”
“Why not? I can keep a secret.”
“Even if you can, it doesn’t matter. We don’t talk about club business with non-members. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. It’s you I’m concerned about. How did you sleep last night?”
“Good.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Despite his insistence that he’s okay, I worry about him. I spend my days working as a fundraising specialist for a non-profit animal shelter, while he faces danger and has to deal with violence. We’re nothing alike, so I can’t understand why I’m so drawn to him. Maybe if I get to know him better, it will make more sense.
“Did the fight happen here at the clubhouse?” I ask.
“Jess, I told you. Let it go.”
“But I just want to—”
He grabs my waist and pulls me to him. Sealing his lips against mine, he drowns me in a searing kiss, effectively silencing my protests. My mind goes blank as I’m consumed by the intensity of his touch. The press of his lips against mine makes every concern I have about him irrelevant. For a moment, nothing matters but the raw connection between us.
His lips are wild and savage against mine. My heart races as his fingers grip the back of my neck. He holds me close, trapping my legs between his powerful thighs. When his tongue presses between my lips, I sigh into the kiss. He glides his tongue across mine, tangling them in a passionate dance of desire. But just as suddenly as it started, the kiss ends, leaving me breathless and wanting more.
“Do you want to go to work today?” he asks gruffly, catching me completely off guard.“I don’t think it’s safe, but it’s up to you.”
“Work?” I struggle to understand what he’s asking because I’m still buzzing from the intensity of his kiss. I can’t think about anything but what just happened. Why the hell is he talking about work?
“Yes. Yesterday, I tried to stop you from going, but you went anyway. Look what happened.”
