Ridin' Dirty: An Outlaw Author Anthology (OAMC Book 1) (35 page)

“He scared the crap out of me, “I laughed, realizing I had thrown my leg over Nickel and was holding on tight to him.

“I’ll keep you safe, baby,” Nickel promised.

I rested my head back on his arm and wondered what the hell I had gotten myself into.

Nickel

The fireworks were close to being over and all the “ohs” and “ahs” Karmen was making at each display was going straight to my dick. All I wanted to do was toss her on the back of my bike and head back to her house where I could have my way with her.

“Oh, look at that one!” She pointed up to the sky as the huge firework crackled off leaving light trails in the sky.

I had never seen her so happy and carefree before. She had a grin permanently on her face the whole time, beaming up at the sky. When she wasn’t pointing up in the sky, she would rest her hand on my stomach. Every time she moved her hand, it took all my willpower not to grab it and rest it back on me.

“Here comes the finale, baby.”

She turned her head at me, her eyes huge, “You mean it’s going to get better than this?” she asked, shocked.

“Hell yeah. You haven’t seen one of Pyro’s finales. You’re going to love it.”

She turned her attention back to the sky, amazed. I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen someone so amazed by something so simple. Karmen had an innocence about her that scared the living shit out of me. I was so jaded and hardened from all the shit I had seen that watching Karmen made me stop and see things through her eyes.

“That was incredible! I had no idea you could make fireworks into shapes.” She looked up at me, her eyes wide with excitement and a grin spread across her face.

“Yeah, it’s pretty fucking cool, baby. You ready to get out of here?”

“It’s going to take forever to get out of here,” she looked around, watching everyone pack up their blankets and shit.

“Not on my bike, baby.” I stood up, holding my hand out to her. She grabbed it, and I hoisted her up and kissed the top of her head. “Wait right here,” I said, walking her over to the corner of the blanket.

“Leave the fucking blanket. We’re going to wait for Pyro to get done. He’s got Ginny with him tonight, and she’s always got friends who are always up for a good time.” Wood laid down on the blanket, sprawling out.

“Thanks, brother. There should be a couple of more beers in the cooler. I’ll see y’all tomorrow.”

I grabbed Karmen’s hand and led her through the massive crowd that was slowly surging to the parking lot. Karmen was glued to my back, not wanting to get crushed by the crowd. We passed several brothers who were at the fireworks with their families. I nodded my head at each of them, not wanting to stop for small talk. I saw them every day in the clubhouse, right now I was focused on getting out of here with Karmen.

We made it to the bike, and I quickly strapped the helmet on her head and straddled the bike. She scrambled on behind me and wrapped her arms tight around my waist.

“Hold on, baby girl.”

She rested her chin on my shoulder and kissed my neck. “I will,” she whispered into my ear.

A tremor rocked through my body at her touch, and I cranked up the bike, revving the engine. That was the first time she had willingly touched me, and it drove me insane.

I maneuvered the bike through the cars that were at a standstill waiting to get on the road, and pulled onto the street.

“Wow, I guess driving your bike tonight was a good idea,” she laughed.

“I wouldn’t breathe a sigh of relief yet; we still need to get around the long line of cars in front of us,” I pointed out.

“Go down the next side street. We can take the back way to my house.”

I spotted the next street up, “Hold on.” I revved the engine, deciding there was more than enough room to squeeze in between the stopped cars. Karmen squealed, and ducked her head in my back and wrapped her arms around me tighter.

After we had maneuvered around the cars, we shot down the side street headed back to her house.

“Man, even though it’s over eighty degrees it sure does get cold on your bike.” She slid off the motorcycle, unhooked her helmet and rubbed her arms.

I grabbed the helmet from her hand and hung it on the handle bars. “Sorry, baby. I should have told you to bring a sweatshirt.” I swung my leg over the bike and leaned against it.

“Um, so I had a good time tonight. Minus the whole getting trampled on by that drunk guy. Your friends seem nice.”

“They’re more than friends, baby. They’re my brothers. I’d do anything for them.”

“Oh, well. It’s nice that you have people like that in your life.” Her eyes darted to the left, not wanting to make eye contact with me. I knew there was more to Karmen than what I had seen the past year. There was something beneath the surface that I don’t think anyone saw.

“You got anyone like that in your life, baby?” I pulled a cigarette out of the pack in my pocket and grabbed my lighter.

“Those will kill you,” she said as I lit the end.

“So will fifty million other things,” I smirked. I blew out a cloud of smoke away from her and stared her down. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“You don’t always need people in your life.”

“Seems pretty lonely. What about your girl? The one who works with you.”

“Nikki? I’ve known her since I was fourteen. She’s a friend.”

“What about your family?”

“I don’t have any family. I’m freezing, I’m going to head in.” She turned around and headed to the front door.

What the hell just happened? “That’s it? Not even a goodbye?” I called.

“I’m not saying goodbye. I’m just going in. I never said you couldn’t come in,” she said over her shoulder, a smile spread across her lips.

Well, I’ll be damned. She wasn’t blowing me off after all. I grabbed the keys out of the ignition and followed Karmen through the door and up the stairs to her apartment.

“You want some coffee?” she asked, opening the door and tossing her purse and keys on the table next to the door.

“Sure,” I said, shutting the door. I looked around her apartment, taking in the small touches that I could tell were glimpses into who Karmen was.

She slipped into the kitchen, kicking her shoes off on the way. I heard her putter around, grabbing mugs down and running the water.

“You can turn the TV or radio on if you want,” she called.

I walked over to the radio and hit play on the CD player, wondering what kind of music she listened to. Bob Segar came pouring out of the speakers singing “Turn the Page.” “Baby, you listen to Segar?” I asked, amazed. I imagined she listened to some indie, whino band.

“Yeah, I like classic rock. Segar, Doobie Brothers, Tom Petty.”

Huh, didn’t expect that. “I didn’t imagine someone your age to like that kind of music.”

Her laughter bubbled out of the kitchen, “How old do you think I am?”

Oh, shit. This could be a loaded question. “Twenty-three.” Better to go lower than high.

“Nope. Close, though. I’m twenty-five.” She walked out of the kitchen carrying a cup and handed it to me.

“You’re not having some?” I asked, grabbing the cup.

“It’s a Keurig. My cup is brewing right now.” She sat down on the end of the couch and folded her legs underneath her. “I’m surprised you picked the radio instead of the TV.”

“I don’t watch a lot of TV. I’m always out doing something for the club, so I don’t have time to get caught up in shows.” I sat down on the other end of the couch and took a sip of my coffee. Strong and black. Just the way I liked it.

“Hmm,” she hummed, folding her hands in her lap. I watched her nervously fidget, not knowing where to look. The carefree girl from the park had disappeared and shy, nervous Karmen was back.

“Why’d you run when I asked you about your family?” Probably not the best question to ask when she was pulling away from me, but I wanted to know.

“I didn’t run; they’re just not something I wish to talk about. My mom left when I was a baby; my dad is in jail, and my Grandma is dead.”

“There’s no one else?” she shook her head no and walked back to the kitchen.

I leaned back into the couch, going over what she had just said. So she had a family, but she didn’t think they were family. I had to assume her dad must have done something bad for her to say she had no family. Maybe that was why she was so guarded. It had to be hard having both parents alive, one not wanting anything to do with you and the other in jail. “I’m sorry, Karmen,” I called.

“Nothing to be sorry for. I obviously didn’t win the parent lotto,” she laughed, walking back into the living room. She sat back down on the couch and stared down at her coffee cup. God dammit. One second Karmen was open and talking to me and then the next second she shut down and wouldn’t even look at me.

“Karmen,” I called. Her eyes slowly lifted to look at me. “Why won’t you look at me? What’s going on in that head of yours?”

She set her cup down on the coffee table and looked me right in the eye. “Truth?” I nodded my head yes, wanting to know. “What the hell are you doing here?”

I reared back, shocked by her question. “You want me to leave?” I set my cup on the table next to hers and stood up.

“No! That’s not what I meant.” She stood up and rubbed her hands down her jeans. “I mean I can’t understand why you want to be here. Why… just why!” she said, throwing her hands up in the air. “It doesn’t make any sense!”

I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair. “Karmen, I don’t know why you think it doesn’t make sense. I like you. I’d like to think that the feeling is mutual.”

“But what doesn’t make sense is
why
you like me. I am nobody. I can count on one hand the number of dates I’ve been on in my entire life. FYI, that is counting tonight. I’m not skinny, and I’m not fat. I’m not pretty, and I’m not ugly. I’m just… just ME! I’m seriously starting to question your sanity.”

I tilted my head back and looked up at the ceiling. “I can’t believe this shit. Normally it’s the chick trying to convince me to go out with her, not this shit.”

“How I feel is not shit!” she snapped back. She ran her fingers through her hair, causing it to stick up and fly all over the place.

“How you feel about this is shit. Close your eyes,” I ordered.

“I’m not going to close my eyes.” She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her leg out.

“Do it.”

“No, this isn’t –”

“Do it, now!” I thundered. Her eyes snapped shut, and she bit her bottom lip. She stood there, her body slightly trembling and I’m sure terrified. “Do you want to know why I’m here?”

She nodded her head yes, not speaking. I walked around her, my eyes traveling up and down her body, and I grabbed her hand and pulled it behind her back. She gasped as I pulled her to me and wrapped my other arm around her waist. “I’m here because I want you. You’ve driven me crazy the past year, and I can’t take it anymore.”

She gasped at my words and looked over her shoulder at me. “So it’s just sex you want?”

I shook my head no and leaned down, my lips a breath away from her ear. “If all I wanted were sex, I’d have you bent over this couch already, taking what I wanted.” Her body trembled, and I knew my words were making her want me. “You make me want more. More than I’ve ever had.”

“I don’t have a lot to give,” she whispered.

“You have more inside you than you know. I can tell you hide behind your past, trying to hide away. I’m not going to let you hide anymore.”

“There’s things about my past that you don’t know. My dad killed someone. My mother knew right away she didn’t want me, so she left.”

“None of that matters to me. Your mom doesn’t know what she’s missing, and your father’s past has nothing to do with you.”

She leaned back, resting her head on my shoulder. “I want to hear you, Nickel, but I can’t. I can’t let go to trust.”

“Just stop thinking, baby. Just feel.” I trailed kisses down her neck as she tilted her head to the left, giving me permission I needed. “Feel my lips on your soft skin, baby.” She moaned, a tremor running through her body. “Tell me to stop now, or I won’t be able to later.”

She shook her head no and flattened her hand against my hip. “Please don’t stop, not yet,” she pleaded.

I spun her around and wrapped my arms around her. “Do you know what you’re asking, baby? I keep going; I make you mine.”

Her eyes filled with lust and she rested her arms on my shoulders, “I’m scared that I don’t want you to stop. I shouldn’t want this.”

“Trust me, Karmen. I promise not to hurt you.”

She leaned up on her tiptoes, stretching to meet my lips. “Don’t stop, Nickel,” she whispered.

I crashed my lips down on hers, finally taking what I had wanted for so long. She molded her body to mine, rocking her hips into me. I grabbed her ass, lifting her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist as we devoured each other. I had never tasted a kiss so sweet before. I couldn’t tell where Karmen began and where I ended. “Bedroom,” I gasped, ripping my lips away.

She pointed over my shoulder down the hall, her head buried in my neck while she sucked on my ear. I headed in the direction she pointed, my fingers digging into her sweet ass, itching to touch all of her.

I kicked the door open, and Karmen reached over, flipping the light on. “Bed, now,” she panted.