Page 3 of Rugged Soul

She smells like Honeycrisp apples and coming home after a long day on the road.

What the fuck does that even mean?

I saw the woman start to fall and moved on instinct to protect her. Now that she’s secured in my arms, I have the strangest feeling. I don’t want to let her go. Not when she fits so perfectly with her soft, generous curves pressing against the hard slats of my muscles. I love that she’s not a tiny little thing. Makes me want to scoop her up and toss her down on the nearest surface and…

I clear my throat and untangle myself from who I assume is my new real estate agent. It’s more difficult than I’d like to admit to take a step back, but if I don’t get my hands off of her smooth skin, I may have a bit of an awkward situation down below.

Jesus Christ, so inappropriate, I chastise myself as well as my dick.

Seriously, when was the last time I got hard from a mere touch? Hell, now that I'm thinking about it when was the last time I was hard in general? With all the club shit that's been going down lately, getting off is the last thing I'm worried about. Even before all the drama with Deviant Souls MC, I didn't mess around with women or relationships. Too much trouble.

“Uh, so, thanks. Sorry. I, uh…” she rambles a bit, blinking her eyes against the harsh sun as she tilts her head up to meet my gaze. “Hi. I-I mean, hello. I’m… whew.”

The woman blows out a breath and then inhales while closing her eyes. I hold my breath with her, exhaling at the same time. I watch in real-time as she resets and pastes on a convincing yet fake smile that makes me want to know what she’s really hiding.

“I’m Calista Rink, your real estate agent.” The woman holds her hand out for me to shake, this time, her smile is genuine. There’s a hint of pride behind her words that makes me want to wrap her up in my arms again.

Again, what the fuck does that even mean?

“Marsha,” I blurt out. Calista drops her hand, cocks her head to the side, and furrows her brow in question. What is wrong with me? My brain is short-circuiting the longer I stare into her bright green eyes. With delicate, porcelain skin, dark brown hair, and long lashes framing those mesmerizing eyes, Calista is truly captivating.

“I’m Calista, actually,” she replies slowly. God, I must look like a drooling idiot. “Marsha had her baby a little early, so I’m filling in for her.”

I know I’m losing my mind when an image of Calista round with my baby, sitting on the couch while I feed her whatever weird pregnancy craving she’s having at the moment flashes across my eyes. Get it together. Say something you caveman.

"Calista," I say. More like a grunt, really. I've never claimed to be a well-spoken man or even a particularly intelligent one, but I'm usually more articulate than this.

“And you’re Mr. Gabriel?”

“Domino.” Nailed it. Me, Domino. You, pretty lady. Me take you to cave now.

Instead of finding me off-putting or frustrating, the curvy bombshell nibbles on her bottom lip to hide her smirk. Why is that so sexy?

“Now that the introductions are over, would you like to take a look at the place?”

“After you,” I say, gesturing toward the walkway leading up to the front doors. Good job. That’s two whole words, I think to myself sarcastically.

I try not to stare at Calista’s hips as they sway back and forth in front of me, focusing instead on her silky, chocolate-colored hair. Damn, I bet I could wrap those long locks around my fist and tug her head back, exposing her neck to my greedy lips…

I grunt, wiping the image from my brain. Well, trying to, at least. What the actual fuck has gotten into me today? Is the stress of the club, the pressure of being the new prez, the lingering threats… is all of it finally starting to break me?

“... And I’m sure Marsha probably already told you, but this property is free and clear and ready to scoop up whenever you have an offer,” Calista says, her warm, enthusiastic voice bringing me back into the moment.

“Moving a little fast, don’t you think?” My words come out harsher than I intended, but it’s for the best. Calista caught me entirely off guard. Totally sidelined me with her emerald eyes and curves for days. Add in that smile - the real one - and any guy would go crazy.

I’m not giving in that easily, though. Especially since this is the first big move I’m making as the newly elected President of Deviant Souls MC. I’m going to find us the perfect property for our fresh start. We need to leave the past behind and focus on rebuilding trust within the club. Starting with the clubhouse itself.

“Sorry, I’ve never done this before,” Calista says a second before covering her mouth with her hand. “I didn’t mean to tell you that,” she mumbles from behind her hand. If I were a man prone to smiling, that might have pulled one from me. As it is, I don’t know how to react to this woman or her adorable confession.

“Me neither,” I whisper-shout. I didn’t mean to say that. It sounded almost… playful? Am I winking at her right now?

I don’t have more than a second to think about it before Calista shows me her brilliant, genuine smile. Well, fuck me if that’s not the most beautiful fuckin’ thing I’ve ever seen.

“Your secret is safe with me,” Calista whispers back.

“Same.”

She grins at me, a slight blush spreading across her cheeks. Calista turns her attention to her purse, pulling out a set of keys. Her hands are shaking slightly and I wonder if I make her nervous.

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