Maybe This Time (14 page)

I nod,
pressing play on the show and smiling as he wraps me in his arms.
Jade walks out a few moments later, and silently takes a seat. Reid
nibbles on my ear. “Thank you.”

“I have my
moments,” I say into his chest.

“Dad, there’s
a customer and I don’t know anything about motorcycles to be of
service,” I say, peeping my head into the back office. My dad
flashes me a grin and stands to his full height, scratching his
beard before walking out.

I’ve spent the
whole day helping him out in his bike shop. It’s feels good to
spend some extra time with him, and I can tell he enjoys having me
around, too. It’s a win-win situation. He's hinted at me working
here full time with him, but truth be told I know nothing about
bikes except that I love being on the back of one.

I’m not gonna
complain about the eye candy that walks in here, though, because
damn, I never even knew this town had so many hot men. After two
guys hit on me this morning, my dad put up a sign that says ‘the
discounts only apply to men that
don’t
hit on my daughter.’
I couldn’t help laughing.

His store is
having a huge sale right now, hence the large amount of customers
today. I haven’t been much help apart from ringing up a few orders,
and ordering a few parts on the phone. I also vacuumed the store
because there was nothing else for me to do.

On my break I
walk to the deli across the road and get dad and me some food for
lunch, and we sit in the office eating together. To other people
this might seem like a normal, everyday moment, but to me it’s
times like these I dreamt of as a child. Spending time with my dad,
joking, hanging out. I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling all
day.

“How’s things
with Reid?” he asks after we finish up lunch.

“Good,” I say,
a smile playing on my lips.

“I heard
you’re coming to the fight.”

“Yup.”

“You sure you
okay with all of that?” he asks, studying me.

I shrug both
shoulders. “Comes with the package that is Reid Knox, right?”

He suddenly
looks uncomfortable, shifting nervously.

“What, dad?” I
ask warily, pursing my lips.

He clears his
throat, once, twice. “You’re being safe, right, I mean. I assume
your mother had chats with you, but I just wanted to make
sure…”

I choke on my
bottle of water. “Oh my god, dad!” I start laughing uncomfortably.
“We haven’t… that is... We haven’t had sex yet.”

My dad’s eyes
widen, looking surprised. He exhales and gives me a crooked smile,
now looking both relieved and pleased.

“That was
awkward,” I mutter to myself.

“You can talk
to me about anything, Summer, you should know that,” he says
quietly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

“Thanks,
dad.”

“Xander
mentioned how you reacted to seeing his mother,” he says after a
moment.

Now it’s my
turn to shift uncomfortably. “Yeah, I mean, I spent my whole life
listening to mum blame her for you not being around. So it’s kind
of wired into me to feel weird around her. Mum hated her, and I
guess I kind of feel like I’m betraying her by even considering
being friendly with Daria.”

Dad sighs,
looking tired. “She was wrong to put that on you, just as I was
wrong for messing up in the first place.”

“I’ll try,
okay? I don’t want Xander to not be able to have his own mother
over because of my grudge. And if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t even
have Xander, and he’s the best brother I could've ever wished for.
So I guess everything happened for a reason,” I tell him. I don’t
want dad feeling guilty over the past anymore. I love my mother,
but she’s gone, and I have a new life now. A new family. I will
never forget her, or her memory, but I can’t keep holding on to the
hate she tried to instil within me.

“Your mother
might have had her faults, but she raised a good girl,” he says,
looking proud.

I blush a
little at the compliment. “Thanks, dad.”

“We better get
back to work,” he says, standing up.

“How did you
get into the underground fighting thing? I mean, you run it,
right?” I ask him as we walk out.

“I’m one of
the organizers, yes. I used to fight myself, Summer. It kind of
just went from there,” he says.

“Who taught
Reid to fight?”

“As kids, Reid
and his brothers did karate, they're all black belts. Two years
ago, he found a trainer and I helped him, too. Xander, Dash, Ryan…
They can all take care of themselves. We teach a few of the younger
boys, too. Harlen and his friends,” he says.

“I’ve met
Harlen,” I say, remembering the guy from the bar.

Dad chuckles.
“Yeah, he told me about that. He was a little smitten with you, I
think.”

I stay at the
shop until closing, peering out the window when I hear a rumble of
motorcycles. Four men stop in front of the shop, and get off their
bikes. Dad sees them and grins, instantly unlocking the door and
walking out to greet them. After a few masculine displays of
affection, I can hear them chatting and laughing while I grab my
jacket and switch all the lights off in the store.

“Dad, can you
lock the door?” I call out. Dad grins and walks over, locking up.
Then he puts his arm around me and walks with me to the bikers.

“This is my
daughter, Summer. Summer, these are my friends, Red, Dax, Bade and
Henry,” he says, gesturing to each one as he says their name.

“Hello,” I say
shyly, offering them a smile. A few grunts of hello ensue.

“She’s
beautiful,” the one named Dax says, grinning. He looks to be in his
mid-twenties, with hazel eyes. His dark hair is shoulder length and
has a slight wave to it, and he’s wearing a blue bandana on his
head.

“I know. Now
keep your eyes to yourself,” dad mock growls. The men laugh good
naturedly. They're all wearing the same cuts, so I assume they're a
part of a MC.

“I’m gonna
head home, dad,” I say, giving him a hug. I smile and wave to the
bikers before getting into my car.

As I drive
home I decide to drop by Reid’s and say hello. He has an hour
before he starts at the bar, and I know he’s been training all day.
He must be exhausted. His fight is tomorrow night, and I think I’m
more nervous than he is. I knock on the door, rolling my eyes when
Ryan opens it wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts.

“Expecting
someone else?” I ask dryly, leaning on the wall.

Ryan grins,
then looks a little uncomfortable.

“Oh, god, what
am I interrupting?” I cover my face with my hands.

“Nothing yet,”
he says, smirking.

“Reid?”

“Not home yet,
should be here any second, though.”

“So, you
aren’t going to invite me in?” I say, my body shaking with
laughter.

Ryan scowls
and hesitantly opens the door. “Tag by himself?”

“Hired a new
girl, so it’s less strain now,” he says, closing the door behind
me. I can hear giggling as soon as I enter the living area, and
gape when I see not one, but two women sitting there. I send Ryan a
look that says ‘you sly dog, you’.

“Do you want
me to tell them to go?” he asks, frowning.

“No, no. Don’t
worry about me. I’ll head into Reid’s room.”

“You sure? You
know you’re more important. Family is more important,” he says,
looking conflicted.

“You don’t
need to kick them out on my behalf. I’ll go wait in Reid’s room.
Enjoy yourself,” I say, kissing him on the cheek because he is just
that sweet.

I make myself
welcome in Reid’s room, burying myself under the black comforter.
When I hear Reid’s voice saying, “What the fuck, Ryan? At least go
into your room!” I start laughing. Reid opens the door, his face
brightening as soon as he sees me lying in his bed.

“Fuck, you’re
a sight for sore eyes, beauty,” he says, kneeling at the bed. He’s
wearing a pair of track pants and a black wife beater, and he looks
seriously fucking hot.

“I missed you,
so I thought I'd come see you before work,” I say, leaning over for
a kiss.

“You look so
sexy in my bed,” he says huskily, moving closer for another taste.
He sucks on my bottom lip, pulling away too soon. I make a sound of
complaint, earning me his signature grin.

“I’m gonna
have a quick shower. Stay right where you are,” he says, leaving
the room. I flip over and sigh into Reid’s pillow. Reid and I
haven’t had sex, and he seems to be content with taking things
slow. I, on the other hand, want him.

Bad.

I’m thinking
up seduction techniques when Reid walks back in, dressed in only a
towel. I sit up in bed, my eyes devouring him. His arms have the
perfect amount of muscle, not too bulky, and his chest is toned to
perfection. His stomach is full of sleek lines and ripped curves,
and as rivulets of water drip down his abs, I swallow hard, my
mouth suddenly parched.

He clears his
throat and my eyes quickly dart to his. “I forgot my clothes to
change into,” he says, sounding slightly sheepish.

“Reid?”

“Yeah,” he
says in a low tone.

“Can I touch
you?” I ask in a soft whisper. He doesn’t reply, but takes the few
steps between us, reaching the bed. I sit up on my knees, so my
face is level with his chest. I place a soft kiss on the top of his
ripped stomach, feeling his muscles tense the second my lips make
contact with his skin. I lift my hand up tentatively, tracing the
lines of his abs and running my fingers down his chest, our eyes
staying locked together. He watches me through heavy lidded eyes,
the blue shades darker than usual. I sink my teeth into my bottom
lip, and Reid inhales deeply at the action. In a swift movement,
his large hands grip my hips as he lifts me off the bed, and puts
me down on the floor so I’m standing. His gaze is so intense, so
probing.

“Are you sure
you want this?” he asks, the low timbre of his voice thick and
rough. The sound turns me on even more.

The word ‘yes’
barely leaves my mouth, when he takes my face into his hands, and
kisses me hungrily. His tongue begs entrance, his rough moan
penetrating the air when I open and let him in.

I can’t get
enough of him.

His taste.

His
passion.

He starts
kissing down my neck, trailing hot, wet kisses that leave me
gasping. I don’t think there's anyone that can kiss as well as Reid
Knox. If this is a preview for more things to come…

Reid pulls
away to lift up my top. His intense gaze rakes over my black lacy
bra, and a growl of pleasure sounds deep in this throat. He
unbuttons my jeans, and slides down the zipper. Licking his full
bottom lip, he slides his thumb to the back of my jeans, and gently
tugs down, until they sit just below my ass. My panties are plain
black cotton, as I wasn’t really expecting anything to happen
between us tonight. I feel shy for a moment, until Reid says, “You
are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

I wriggle a
little until my jeans fall to the floor, and I’m left standing in
front of him in just my bra and panties. He traces the tattoo on my
hip with a long finger, reading the words aloud. “Be careful who
you trust, the devil was once an angel.” His head comes up sharply,
a curious glint in his eye. Before he can say anything else, I lean
forward and drop his towel with a flick of my wrist. I gasp as I
take him in, naked in all of his glory. Strong, powerful thighs,
lean hips and… Holy shit, he's even bigger than I thought. I bite
my lower lip, my gaze touching on his abs, chest and shoulders
before reaching his amused eyes.

“Wow,” I say,
my vocabulary leaving me. Reid leans closer, so our bodies are
touching. We both moan at the contact, and I blush at his arousal
pressed firmly against me. He is rock hard, velvet over steel.

“I think he
likes me,” I say, flashing an innocent look at Reid.

“I know he
does,” Reid answers hoarsely, walking me back to the edge of the
bed, pushing me gently so I’m sitting. When he drops to his knees
in front of me, I lick my lips nervously. The gesture makes Reid
lose his last ounce of control, as he leans closer and captures my
lips in a demanding kiss. I run my fingers through his hair,
pulling gently as he takes my mouth. He licks, bites and tastes,
until I’m begging for more.

“Please,
Reid,” I whimper, as he pulls my panties down, taking his time.

As soon as the
words leave my mouth, Reid lifts my legs over his shoulders and
starts to lick and kiss up the inside of my inner thigh. When he
reaches my core and starts to slowly lick me, I shudder with
pleasure. Reid moans, and knowing that he enjoys tasting me so much
heightens my desire. He pays special attention to my clit, licking
and sucking, causing me to squirm. Tangling my fingers in his hair,
I lift my hips up, grinding against his face, trying to get as
close to him as I can. Warmth soon pools in my lower belly, and
when he sucks on my clit once more, streams of pleasure shoot up my
spine, blinding me with its intensity.

“Reid,” I call
out, panting as wave after wave washes over me, my thighs
trembling. Reid doesn’t stop until the last tremor leaves my body,
and I sag back onto the bed. That was amazing.

No - earth
shattering.

Reid lifts his
face, our eyes locked together as he slowly wipes his mouth with
the back of his hand. Okay, that was fucking hot. When he stands,
his huge length is pointing right at me, and sorely in need of
attention. I grab his hand and pull him down so he’s lying on top
of me.

“I love your
taste,” he rumbles, licking his lips. I lift my head to kiss him,
opening my legs so his hips align with mine. I reach down and take
him into my hand, sliding the tip up and down my wetness.

“Are you
sure?” he asks, his tone pure sex.