Part 5 (2/2)
J. reached up to touch her arm, but thought better of it. ”He comes on strong, sorry.”
”I'm okay,” she repeated in the same small voice.
”Did you, ah,” J. paused, licking his lips. He could smell the soft fragrance of her pale blond hair. It wasn't doing anything for the tightness in his boxers. ”Did you need to go or something?”
”I probably should.”
J. felt his heart sink. He felt himself talking without realizing what he was saying. ”You haven't had anything to drink yet though.”
She looked at him sharply. ”How do you know?”
J. swallowed. ”Guess I noticed you. You kind of stand out in here.”
The girl hesitated before breaking out into a soft smile. ”I don't actually know what I'm doing here.”
”Having a drink with me,” J. said with more confidence than he felt.
The girl rocked back and forth on her feet. The sway of her hips sent another jolt to J.'s groin.
”Okay, I will,” the girl said suddenly, as if making up her mind on the spot. ”I'm Emmy.”
J. grasped her small hand in his when she offered it. Her skin was just as soft as he hoped, but her grip was surprisingly strong. She was holding on to him as if unwilling to let him go. ”J. Welcome to my party, Emmy.”
They turned to the bar. ”What're we celebrating, J.?”
J. felt his stomach lurch.
”I've ah, graduated.” The lie sprang to his lips easily.
He placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her to where he was sitting with the rest of the Sons of Steel and she went willingly. It was better that she didn't know the truth.
Chapter 10.
Emmy What are you doing, what are you doing, what are you doing? The chant inside my head clamored loudly as we walked over to the group of leather clad men. Bikers, as I now understood. I had wandered into a biker bar and agreed to have a drink with one of them. Robert would be scandalized.
That was why I was doing it.
Well, that was part of the reason. The other part currently had his warm hand pressed into the small of my back.
I didn't know why I had agreed to have a drink with him. My brain was shrieking about the danger I was in. J. certainly looked dangerous. He was all in black; black T-s.h.i.+rt, black jeans and heavy black work boots, but what sent my heart racing in fear was the black vest he wore over his muscular chest. It was leather and studded with patches. ”Road Captain,” it said. ”Sons of Steel M.C. Philadelphia, PA” read the back.
”What are the Sons of Steel?” I felt myself asking, then immediately cursed my naivete.
When J. laughed, it was like his whole face lit up. I searched his face for any trace of anger at me, but I only saw warmth in his light brown eyes. ”Don't know if I can quite explain it to a citizen.”
”Citizen?” Something about the way he said it made me laugh. ”Is that what I'm supposed to be?”
He pulled out the barstool and gestured for me to sit. I had to grin at the chivalry. Robert would do something similar, but only when people were watching. For J. it seemed like something he would do just because.
”You don't happen to ride a motorcycle, do you Emmy?” He asked, and I could hear the note of teasing in his voice.
”Maybe I do,” I replied archly, crossing my legs.
”Oh?” He raised his eyebrows and grinned, flas.h.i.+ng deep dimples. ”Well then I apologize. Your club must be pretty lax if you're allowed out without your colors.”
I played along, enjoying myself. ”I don't have need a club.” I gestured to my cut up T-s.h.i.+rt. ”These are my 'colors,' yellow and violet.”
He laughed again. ”They're kinda bright.” He paused and put and appraising finger up to his lips. ”But they look good on you.” His eyes locked on mine.
I squirmed in my seat, recognizing something in his gaze, but not allowing myself to dwell on it for too long. I had at first thought his eyes were a warm brown, but now that he was close to me, I saw little flecks of hazel in them, tiny shards of emerald, scattered around the iris. His eyes turned up at the corners ever so slightly and the dark black of his lashes cast a shadow along his high cheekbones. The smile faded from his lips as he held my gaze.
”Hey there, Emmy,” he murmured, and took my hand into his once more. This time it wasn't a handshake. His strong hands were calloused and rough, workman's hands. I inhaled sharply, tasting his scent on my tongue. It tasted like warm leather worn b.u.t.tery soft with age.
”Hey,” I felt myself breathe.
A sudden chorus of hoots and hollers broke through the moment. ”You gonna drink or what?” I heard one of the bikers shout.
I almost jumped out of my chair when a huge, blond, Nordic looking biker came stalking unsteadily towards us, a drunken smile plastered across his reddened face.
”Are you f.u.c.king with me?” J. muttered and twisted around in his chair.
The blond biker slung his arm over J.'s embarra.s.sed shoulder and turned to leer at me. ”You need a drink in your hand, beautiful. Tonight's a celebration.”
”My graduation,” J. interjected quickly.
The blond biker blinked and licked his lips. ”That's right. This promising young gentleman over here is now a proud graduate. Shall we toast him?”
His formal manner made me giggle, as did his blatant leering at my chest.
”I don't have a drink,” I protested.
”We can change that!” he shouted and waved his free arm wildly in the air. J. pinched the bridge of his nose. I laughed again, starting to enjoy myself. ”Hey Rosie!” the blond biker shouted. ”Three over here!”
J. uncovered his eyes and shot me a mock-bashful look over the palm of his hand. ”Emmy, I apologize for my brother over here. Case gets excited easily.”
I looked back and forth, hesitant, from J.'s smooth mahogany skin to Case's pale, reddened face. ”Bro...ther?” I sputtered, then immediately blushed.
J. just looked amused. ”Brothers. M.C. brotherhood.”
He leaned forward, ducking out of Case's increasingly unsteady grasp. ”You'd know what I meant if you belonged to a club,” he teased, fluttering the hem of my T-s.h.i.+rt. ”Instead of being a lone wolf like you are.”
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