She made a sound like she didn’t want to move, like it was early morning and someone was trying to get her out of bed.
I smiled. Guess that meant she thought I was comfortable.
“We can’t stand outside all night,” I said, amused and feeling pretty damn smug.
She stiffened and then snatched herself away from me in two seconds flat. The way her eyes darted around with fear and the way the blood leeched from her skin had my jaws clenching again.
Was she afraid someone might see us?
That he might see us?
I took her hand, ignoring the way it stayed stiff and towed her toward the entrance to the club. Ty opened the door and seemed a little surprised to see us both there.
I put Roxie right beside him. “Watch her, Ty,” I ordered.
I didn’t bother to see if this pissed her off, because frankly, I didn’t care. I stalked into the bar and pinned Cam with a stare. Harlow was standing nearby, giving him an order of drinks. Both of them looked up.
“Cam, you’re in charge.”
Cam just nodded. Harlow’s eyes got wide.
“You help him,” I told her.
“Roxie?” She started forward.
I held up my hand. “I got this.”
She started to protest, but Cam called her name and her steps faltered.
“I’ll handle things here,” Cam said.
I trusted him. I knew the Mad Hatter would be fine tonight. For once in my life, I really didn’t care. I wasn’t worried about my business; I was worried about Roxie.
It was a little startling to realize I’d never put any of my four wives above this place. Maybe that’s why I was divorced.
Nah. They were just bitches.
Roxie was still right next to Ty when I walked out. “Thanks, Ty.”
“See ya later, boss!” he called after us as I led Roxie toward my bike.
“My bike or your car?” I asked.
“Oh, I have a choice?” she snapped.
I pinned her with a stare. “I told you, you always have a choice with me.”
Her lower lip wobbled.
I groaned. “Rox, you wanna come with me?”
I wanted this to clearly be her choice.
She nodded.
I straddled my bike and reached for her. She started to climb on behind me, but I made a noise and stopped her. “Uh-uh. Up here.”
I patted the seat in front of me and scooted back to make a spot for her between my thighs.
“I can’t drive that thing,” she said.
“I’ll drive.”
“You can drive with me sitting there?”
I gave her a look. She sighed and climbed on, fitting between my thighs perfectly. Once she was settled, I scooted closer so my chest was pressed along her back. Our legs were forced together, and I reached around her to grab the handlebars.
I didn’t want her behind me. I didn’t want her to feel exposed or somehow vulnerable. This way she could feel more protected and I could feel her in my arms.
“You ready?” I asked low right beside her ear.
She nodded and curled her hands around my knees.
The bike roared to life beneath us, and I steered it away from the Mad Hatter and in the direction of my place.
It was the first time I’d ever driven a bike with someone practically in my lap. The feel of her relaxing against me and the sensation of her silky curls flying out and wrapping around my arms made me want to do it more often. With her. Only with her.
I lived in a condo on the beach. It cost too much money, but I didn’t care. I liked getting up and running right on the sand. I liked the view from the window, and I liked the gated security that came with the building. After I opened the Mad Hatter II and got it rolling, my next business purchase was going to be a complex like this. The guy who owned this place had to be making bank for what he charged for rent. I wanted in on the action.
The guard was surprised when I pulled up with Roxie on the front of my bike. To his credit, he didn’t say anything, just pressed the button and waved me through. I saw Roxie glancing at the gate as we drove past it, and I hoped it made her feel safe and not trapped.
The spot right beside my car, a two-seater BMW, was open, so I parked and cut the engine. Roxie didn’t move. I could feel her hesitation.
“You know I just wanna talk,” I said.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“Please don’t be afraid of me.” I breathed the words into her ear.
She shivered lightly, and I wrapped an arm around her waist.
“It isn’t you I’m afraid of,” she said. “It’s the way you’re going to look at me when I tell you what you want to know.”
I reached up and slid all the hair over the back of her shoulder, tucking it out of the way and revealing the side of her cheek. I nuzzled the soft skin on her face, pressing lingering kisses to her cheekbone.
“Give me a little more credit than that, sweetheart.”
She turned her face into my kiss. I wrapped my other arm around her, and she tilted her face upward so I could reach her lips.
I kissed her slow and light. The way our lips brushed together like two feathers floating from the sky had my loins tightening. I pulled back slightly and kissed the corner of her mouth, letting my tongue dart out to tease the fullness of her lips, and she sighed.
I forced myself off the bike and led the way up the stairs to my condo.
As we walked, I steeled myself for what she was about to say, because I knew whatever it was, I wasn’t going to like it.
19
Roxie
The view out his windows beckoned me. He had an almost panoramic view of the ocean. The sun was sinking and appeared as a great orange ball floating across the edge of the water. The sky was streaked with peach hues, and the white moving caps of the surf seemed to float on forever.
The sand was inviting, making my toes squirm in my heels, wanting to get out to play, to sink down into the gritty sun-warmed grains.
I couldn’t imagine waking up to this every day. I’d never want to leave.
“Like it?” Adam asked, coming up beside me to stare out across the view.
“It’s gorgeous,” I said, but even the breathtaking views couldn’t keep my eyes from looking at him.
“I run down there every single morning,” he rasped, his voice rough like the crashing waves.
“I’m going to have to start running too, since I’m not going to be dancing every night.”
“You’re perfect the way you are, Rox,” Adam said, turning his head and looking at me.
We got lost in the moment, the two of us. We stood there in the sinking sunlight of early evening staring at each other, studying every last nuance of each other’s face. It was quiet here, but a comfortable sort of quiet. The kind that sometimes seemed elusive.