Lay It Down: Bastards MC Series Boxed Set (23 page)

There were two black wrought-iron tables up here. One was a little circular two-seater on the side facing the city; the other, a monstrous rectangle that had to seat at least ten, overlooked the river. Near the large table was a grill and a small counter. There were iron lounge chairs with bright cushions and matching tables scattered around, and potted plants set here and there to add some green. In the corner to my right was a giant hot tub secluded by mesh netting and Christmas lights. I immediately loved it. This was a place you came to relax and let every worry drift away.

I walked to the fence, braced myself with my hands, and leaned over to see the city. Millions of lights started to glow against the dusk sky, headlights blurred as cars hurried to their destination, and horns blared in protest. There was life everywhere around me. I loved it. Sighing, I let my scattered thoughts float away and focused on a couple walking a dog on the street below.

“It’s not you, you know that, right?”

I jumped at the voice and turned. Rocker was striding across the rooftop, a beer bottle in each hand. He offered one to me, and I took it gladly.

His lips twitched. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle ya.”

I shrugged, took a long sip of the bitter liquid, and turned back to the view of the city.

“We’ve got nothin’ against you. I didn’t know you were in the hall. You okay?”

I shrugged again, not making eye contact. “None of my business.”

“Matt’s not your business? Your marriage isn’t your business?”

I rolled my eyes at his tone. “I’m impressed.” I changed the subject and took another sip. “It’s a beautiful view.”

I heard him swallow his beer then clear his throat. “It is, Lil’ Kangaroo. Beautiful.”

I could feel him staring at me and looked over to meet his eyes.

“When I met you last week, I was shocked shitless. You aren’t at all what I pictured.”

I glared at him. “Really? What did you picture?”

He smirked. “Not some little hot-as-hell firecrackah that can keep him on his toes. When he talks about you, he uses words like ‘loyal’ and ‘sweet.’ Says you think he’s funny instead of annoyin’ as hell. When he talked about Tay, or hell, even Bex, he would use physical descriptions, like giant rack, tight ass, screamah, lips that would—”

“I get the picture,” I snapped, still glaring. I remembered
that
Matty quite well. He’d been gone for a while though. “Your point?”

His smile widened. “He talks about you. Not your looks. Hell, you coulda been a fifty-year-old widow, and I wouldn’t have known because he never talks about how fuckin’ hot you are.”

I fought the urge to pull on the hem of my short dress. I shook my head and rolled my eyes again. “Did you need something?”

He took another sip off his bottle and looked out into the city. “We’re a private group. We don’t trust outsidas as a rule. I feel like I’ve known you for years though, so I don’t see you that way. But the guys, well… the ring, it was a surprise. Another thing Matt never mentioned. They’ll get over it though, so don’t take that shit personally. How long you been hitched anyway?”

I rolled the bottle between my hands. “A long time. Before I met Matty.” I sighed. “I have two kids too.”

He couldn’t hide the surprise in his voice. “Really? Wow…” He chuckled. “I knew about the kids, not the old man.” He took another sip then stood straight and faced me. His voice was loud when he spoke, and he offered me a wink. “Not right now—I’m puttin’ the moves on this little cutie. Give a guy some privacy, will ya?”

I turned around, and my breath caught. Matty was standing a few feet away, head tipped slightly, watching me. I moved my eyes over him slowly, taking him all in. He was dressed in dark blue jeans that showed how long his legs really were, and an untucked white dress shirt with a black tie. He’d put a few spikes in his dark hair, leaving the rest of it in a sexy mess. He hadn’t shaved, leaving a thin layer of whiskers over his chin and down his neck. I wanted to run my tongue along the edge of that shadow. He looked scrumptious.

I didn’t know that I was biting my lower lip, but suddenly he was directly in front of me, a hand on my cheek, his thumb on my chin, pulling it down to free my lip. Then his mouth was on mine, and I couldn’t keep myself from letting a moan escape. His other hand cupped my cheek, pulling my face closer to him and deepening the kiss. His hands trailed down my face and neck, onto my shoulders, then fingertips lightly touched my back. Settling on my ass, he moved forward a step, and I thought he was going to pick me up. Instead, his hands grabbed the thin material and started inching it up.

A throat clearing snapped my head away from Matty’s, and I pushed at his hands until he stopped tugging at my dress. He growled but let me move his hands, and then, as if remembering where he was, he stepped back a pace.

He turned, glaring at his friend. “Rob? You hittin’ on my girl?”

Rocker gave us an evil grin and leaned back on the railing. “Nah. I’m only here for the show.”

I giggled, but Matty gave him the finger. Looking down at me, he smiled. “You look amazing. Can I go show you off?”

He stepped back, holding out his hand. I laced my fingers in his and waved to Rocker.

20

The restaurant was perfect. It looked like a little hole-in-the-wall place, but when we walked in, my opinion changed instantly. It was small, but what it lacked in size it made up for in charm. Red-and-white checkered tablecloths covered every table, along with a single candle in a tall hurricane jar that cast flickering shadows all over the walls. The service was phenomenal, the food to die for, and the wine… well, I blamed that for my current state.

I wasn’t drunk, not really. I was feeling good—and maybe a little tipsy. Matty laughed at my constant chatter and singing as we walked along the downstairs corridor of his house to the elevator, his arm around my waist, holding me tight. When we got into the little box, he hit the button and wrapped both arms around me, pulling me into him. He didn’t try to kiss me, just held me close.

I tipped my head back, chin on his chest, and smiled up at him. “Tonight was fun. Thanks.”

He ran his hand up and down my back slowly. “Mmmmm.” He sounded sleepy. Carb coma, no doubt. I giggled at him, and he grinned back. “It’s not over yet.”

We got off on the top floor, and I slipped off my shoes, kicking them under the table in the foyer. My feet practically screamed in relief. I watched, amused, as Matty copied me, leaning against one closet door as he peeled off socks and tucked them in his shoes. There was something about him barefoot that was so damn sexy. Okay, everything about him was sexy. He stood, reaching for me again, and ushered me up the circular stairs.

Earlier he had mentioned that I had to see the view of the city at night. I had agreed, trying to figure out how to get him naked and into the hot tub so I could take advantage of him. When we walked onto the roof, I realized I wasn’t the only one thinking that way.

Someone, I assumed Rocker, had been busy while we were gone. There were candles everywhere—not little tea lights, but big pillars that gave the space a romantic glow. A giant white couch, one I hadn’t seen on the tour of the house earlier, was overlooking the city. The small table had a bottle of wine chilling, two wine glasses, and something under a round glass cover.

I turned back to the most amazing man in the entire world, ready to tell him just that, when he reached both hands around me, grabbed my ass, and lifted me. My arms wrapped around his shoulders, and I leaned in, nipping his ear. He groaned and flopped us onto the couch.

I wanted his mouth on me, all of me, and nothing else mattered.

“Joes?” Matty pushed my hair back from my face, meeting my eyes.

I smiled as I leaned forward, trailing my lips along his jaw and down his neck, as I pressed the lower half of my body onto his. I could feel how hard he was, but he didn’t seem interested in more than a make-out session. Every time I reached back, trying to grab the zipper, he pulled my hand back to his head. Sometime over the last few minutes, we had shifted on the couch and he’d lain back, pulling me onto him. He’d balled up my dress, tracing fingertips gently over my exposed thighs, but he hadn’t explored anything else. I was soaking wet and the last thing I wanted to do was lie here and kiss like high school kids, but he was taking it slow tonight. Slow frustrated me.

To keep my hands from straying, I alternated between pulling on the tie that was driving me nuts and running them through his hair. We’d been kissing for so long, my lips felt swollen, but I would take what he was willing to give me.

“Jo?” he repeated. This time, the hands didn’t just pull the hair out of my face, they pulled my head back away from his.

I relented, sitting up and leaning back into the legs he had bent up behind me.

“Hey, what’s your rush?” He looked up at me, completely serious for a moment.

I shrugged, confused. Did I need a reason to want him? He grabbed the back of the couch and sat up, pulling me with him. I moved to my side, completely confused.

“We haven’t had dessert.” Before I could jump in and tell him exactly what I wanted for desert, he smiled and added, “I would kill for a drink right now. You want?” He stood, holding out a hand.

I sighed and let him pull me to my feet. I followed him to the little table and sat while he poured us each a glass of wine then pulled the glass lid off our desserts. I clapped once and tipped my head back, laughing hysterically when I saw the cannolis on the plate.

Looking up into his eyes, I teased, “Guess we’ll have to go for a run tomorrow.” I sipped on my wine.

His eyes twinkled back, and he winked mischievously. “Or get plenty of exercise tonight.”

I choked. Matty jumped forward, slapping my back hard. As I coughed, the cool liquid fell out of my open mouth. I was mortified.

He only laughed. “It wasn’t that funny, Joes.” He gave me a wry smile then walked to the other side of the table. He sat and gave me that serious look of his. “I love you.”

He said it casually, as though it was something he’d say to any friend. I was actually quite positive he’d said it to me before in a laughing manner when I’d done something absurd. I stopped breathing, not sure if I should reciprocate or even acknowledge he’d said it.

Before I could respond or overanalyze more than I already had, he shook his head at me and shrugged. “I do.” Then he added that heart-breaking smile of his. “I love you, Joes. I’m in love with you.”

I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. I wanted to hear it again and again. I was pretty sure that I would never get tired of hearing those words come out of his adorable mouth. A stray thought drifted through my mind and must have reflected on my face because he stiffened.

His eyes narrowed briefly. “Don’t do it.”

I raised an eyebrow, unsure of which
it
he was talking about.

“Don’t ask me why. Don’t think about it. Just tell me you love me back.”

I shook my head. That wasn’t my problem. I vaguely remembered him telling me he wanted me the night we went to the bar, but he’d never said the words that made my heart thump and my belly tighten. I leaned over the table, one eyebrow still raised. “Say it again.”

“I fucking love you, Joes.”

“Then I love you back!” I grinned. Then I shivered.

“You cold? Wanna go in?”

I shook my head. It was beautiful out here. Yes, anyone in one of the handful of tall buildings around could look out and watch us, but I felt as though we were in our own little world. I didn’t want to leave. I picked up my glass, took a small sip, and looked out into the city.

“How ‘bout we take a dip in the tub?” His voice was suddenly husky, and I turned quickly, just in time to see his eyes watching me, dark again.

I stood as I nodded, reaching around to unzip my dress.

“Hey! I’m pretty sure I told you I wanted to take that off you. Slowly.”

I giggled like a little girl as I grabbed his hand and walked to the other side of the roof.

He opened the hot tub before he turned to me. I watched steam rise into the air, and the smell of chlorine filled my nostrils. I could feel the humidity and couldn’t wait to sink into the purple-lit water. Stepping up behind me almost silently, he leaned in, touching my neck with his lips. My breath caught instantly as his mouth moved down to my nape and onto my shoulder, nudging the silk out of the way. His hand wrapped around my hair, twisting it gently and lifting it off my back, before he kissed from one shoulder blade to the other. Then he moved up onto my neck, mirroring his movements from just a few minutes ago. I groaned.

He moved closer then, but his body still didn’t touch mine. He wrapped his hands around my waist briefly, then he moved them up each side of my back, fingers light as they traced the skin at the edge of my dress. When I shivered again, it had nothing to do with the temperature outside. He slid the zipper down slowly and leaned in, trailing his tongue down the middle my back.