Bones by the Wood (19 page)

“Yes.  There is.  But we’re goin’ to make sure the guys that threatened you, us, don’t ever do somethin’ like this again.”

He hadn’t realized that he’d been stalking her across the room as they’d been speaking until she let out a shocked gasp when she hit the wall by the desk.  That fucking red lace was calling to him.  He put his arm out, palm flat against the wall by her head.  He wasn’t blocking her escape, though, in any way.  If she wanted to, all she had to do was slide along the wall and walk to the door.  He was fairly certain that if she made a move to do so, that he’d let her go, but he wanted to touch her first.  She hadn’t moved yet.  He couldn’t decipher her expression, and he didn’t care to try.  He concentrated on what he’d been wanting to do since he’d first seen that red lace.

He laid his free hand on her shoulder, and let it sit there for a beat to see if she’d shake it off, but she didn’t.  He’d been able to see more of her ink now that he’d seen her in something other than that godawful shirt she wore in the store.  He knew now that the roses only covered her upper arm, but there was something else on her back, and it seemed to be a sizable piece.

His palm was now covering the rose inked over her shoulder.  The leaves and stems were shaded in black and grey, only the blooms themselves had color; they were deep red, the color of fresh blood.  There were two large flowers, one over the curve of her shoulder and one on her bicep.  He smoothed his palms down over that art until he could brush his thumb over the tender skin at the crook of her elbow.  She shivered a little, gooseflesh raised on her skin, but she did not flinch.  He watched his hand as he moved it back up her arm until it rested flat over her collar bone.

He flexed his hand slightly, only enough to push his fingers under the strap of the beater and that tantalizing red bra beneath it.  Then he repeated the path he’d already mapped over her arm, but this time he took the straps with him.  As his hand reached Thea’s elbow, the layers of material peeled back until one breast was almost fully revealed, the material just catching over the nipple.

He tore his eyes away from that beautiful sight so that he could look in her eyes.  Her expression was far more revealing now.  She wasn’t going to run away, but he could see curiosity there.  She was wondering what he’d do next.  He was wondering when, or if, she’d stop him.  He held her gaze as he stroked down, over her breast, until his hand cradled that firm, pale orb, prizing it fully from the confines of her clothing.  He’d felt something, against his palm.  He glanced down to be sure, and yes, there was a barbell through her nipple, two little steel balls sitting innocuously on either side of it.  He ran his thumb over and around the dusky pink peak framed by the hard steel.  He looked back up when he heard not so much a gasp as a wordless exhale.  That sound made his balls tighten in the best way.

Thea’s eyes, almost hidden behind her too-long bangs, were hooded, her lips parted, and as he kept up the movement of his thumb, she arched away from the wall, pressing her breast deeper into his palm.  He leant forward, his mouth hovering over hers, before he completed the kiss, or began it.  His mind was spinning as her tongue stroked his.  He kissed her harder; he’d missed the way that she tasted. 

Needing to be closer, Dizzy wedged one thigh in between Thea’s legs so that he could press his body against hers, press her against the wall.  Her hips flexed against him and he could feel the heat of her core even through two layers of denim.

He wanted her naked, soon.  Sure it was irresponsible, there were some important matters he needed to be giving his attention to, but with Thea moaning into his mouth, her hands running around his hips until she could grab fistfuls of his shirt, he couldn’t quite give anything beyond this room its proper priority.  Her hips were still rocking and he couldn’t help answering the motion, the delicious friction torturing his cock, which was painfully hard and constrained in his jeans.

He tore his mouth away from hers.  He wanted to run his lips over her neck while he freed her other breast.  Three sharp raps at the door sledgehammered their way into his consciousness.  It took Dizzy a moment to compute.  In those mixed up seconds Thea tried to squirm out and away, but he held her fast with his palm and his leg.  He pressed his body still closer to keep her where she was.

“Boss?”  Scooby’s voice was muffled by the door.

He had to cough before he could speak, and even then his voice came out hoarse.  “Yeah?”

There was a pause.  “Boss, I’m headin’ out with Annelle and Alex.  Cage is comin’ with.”

He looked at Thea as he spoke.  The desire was bleeding out of her expression and being replaced with something like anger.

His voice was clearer this time.  “Good.  Okay.  Tell the boys, we’ll meet when you get back.”

“Will do, boss.  See you later.”

Dizzy listened to the muffled thump of heavy boots making their way down the corridor.  Thea was about to speak, but he cut her off, flicking his thumb over her nipple as he spoke.

“I’m gonna let you go now, but you and me, we’re unfinished business.”

She softened slightly at his promise to release her.  He pressed a lingering kiss against the base of her neck where it joined her shoulder, just beyond one of the thorny stems tipped with leaves.  Then, before he changed his mind and broke his word, he pushed away from the wall and took two steps back. 

She didn’t move initially, just stood there looking gloriously wanton, sagging against the wall.  He was about to decide the world outside could go fuck itself when she moved and adjusted her clothing to cover herself again.  His disappointment was sharp and bitter in his mouth. 

She took a step forward and he braced himself to be slapped, but with an enigmatic smile, she reached up and pressed a brief kiss to his cheek and murmured at his ear, “I’m gonna hold you to that, cowboy.”

And then she was leaving, walking out the door as if they’d merely been chatting about the weather.  Dizzy’s mouth was dry and his cock was throbbing.  It was definitely time for that shower.

Having closed the door securely behind her, Thea took a moment to regain her center.  The hallway was mercifully empty.  She had no idea what the fuck she was doing.  She had been determined not to get involved with a man again, and here she was fucking flirting with him after an encounter so hot she had to look down to check that the wet she felt soaking her panties wasn’t showing through her jeans, too.

She was being sucked in, and I wasn’t just that Dizzy got her blood pumping, although he was all different kinds of hot as far as Thea was concerned.  His eyes, while he caressed her, had burned with intensity, something like a possessive certainty.  She’d been angry when she’d thought he wouldn’t let her up to cover herself before whoever knocked, Scooby maybe, had walked in there and seen what was obviously on display.   For a brief moment, she’d thought maybe he wasn’t going to be so much of a gentleman, but he had released her, and perversely she had ended up disappointed by that.

As impressed as she was that he’d nearly turned her into a puddle of mush without so much as dislodging his hat, it was also the way that she and Josh were being absorbed into the club family that was breaking down her determination to remain alone.  The loneliness of having only herself to rely on had been overwhelming.  She’d been so afraid of placing her trust in someone, hoping that they wouldn’t fuck up or let her and Josh down, that it was easier to keep shouldering the burden on her own, even when it felt like she might snap under the weight of being the sole parent, the sole provider, the sole defender.  Now, here was someone, a whole club of people, who were willing to take a little of that weight.  They were prepared to put themselves on the line for her and her boy.  Okay, their business was probably their main concern, but they’d brought her and Josh in instead of leaving them to hang.

Her body was still thrumming, and she needed to calm down before she went into the main room.  She thought about trying to find a space where she could take care of business, give herself the release that she’d just been denied, but the one room that was private enough was currently, probably, not the most sensible place for her to be.  Now that she had some space, she needed to make a decision.  Things were moving at a pace she hadn’t expected.  Annelle had seemed to think Dizzy would take a shine to her, but she needed to be certain, more than hundred percent certain that she was something more than a new sweetbutt.  She really didn’t want to have to start fending off advances from all the other boys.  She didn’t think her self-esteem could take the hit of being fucked then passed over.

She took a deep breath and massaged her temples with her fingertips as she willed her body to relax.  It wasn’t listening.  She was feeling frustrated and resentful at no one and everyone for no good reason.  Well, she had some use for her temper.  She went looking for Lucy.

Thea stalked into the main room.  Lucy and Britney were still firmly attached to the brown leather sofa that they had been curled up in all morning.  If they didn’t get up soon there’d be imprints of their asses in the cushions.  Needing to know that she wasn’t going to make a fool of herself, she stuck her head round the door to the kitchen.  Annelle and Alex were missing.  Oh yeah, they’d gone supply shopping with Scooby and Cage.  Myla was up to her elbows in soapy water in the sink and Lyla was wiping a dishtowel over a recently washed plate.

“How come you two are on this?”  Thea asked.

Myla shrugged, still scrubbing something under the bubbles.  “Annelle told ‘em to help out, but they didn’t shift once she went out the door.  Seemed easier not to make a fuss.”

“Fuck that. Take those gloves off.  Now.”  Thea instructed. 

She stayed and made sure that Myla did as she’d said before she turned and crossed the room until she was standing in front of Britney and Lucy.  She planted her fists on her hips, if only to keep from planting them elsewhere for the time being.

“You two can get your lazy fucking asses off that sofa right the fuck now!  You’ve had your breakfast cooked for you and all you’ve done so far is roll around on your backs and sit on your backsides.  Well tough shit ladies, this ain’t a fuckin’ vacation. Kitchen, now!  Don’t want to hear any bullshit about your nails.  Decide who’s washin’ and who’s dryin’.”

“And who the fuck put you in charge?”  Lucy asked archly, without moving an inch.

“Don’t matter to you.  What does matter is that you get in there and start helpin’ out and stop makin’ like you’ve got a gold-plated pussy that puts you a cut above anyone else in this room.”

Lucy sprang off the sofa.  “How fuckin’ dare you!  I am not a whore!”

Thea cocked a skeptical eyebrow.  “Really?  Prove it then.  Earn your keep by doin’ more than just layin’ on your back and spreadin’ your legs.”

Lucy was gaping like a fish.  Her mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out.  Britney stood, having decided to join the fray. 

“You can’t talk to me like that.”  Britney pouted.

“Says who, darlin’?”  Thea took in the platinum blonde hair with the lilac streaks that she’d bet were extensions, the silver top that was three sizes too small and barely contained a pair of braless, blatantly false tits, and Daisy Dukes that didn’t cover half an ass cheek at the back and had the pockets showing under the hem at the front.  She didn’t usually like to judge a book by its cover, but she’d have her ink lasered off if this woman, girl, wasn’t as vapid as she appeared to be.

Britney looked frantically around the room, but although every face was turned in their direction and no one was making any effort not to be caught listening, no one said anything in her defense, not even a twitch.

Thea didn’t need to look around to know that the only person currently in Britney’s corner was Lucy.  “That’s all the answer you need, darlin’.  Shimmy your ass into the kitchen.”

With a final futile look around the room Britney stomped past Thea, followed by Lucy.  Both had their noses high in the air, trying to retain some dignity.  It didn’t work.

Thea looked around for Reba next, wondering if she’d come out of her coma of overindulgence yet, but she was nowhere to be seen.  Thea decided she needed to keep an eye on the redhead.  There could be trouble there.  Dana hadn’t come back yet.  She’d disappeared with Easy while everyone was eating breakfast, and it looked like he was still keeping her busy