Page 78 of Blade

“I don’t think…”

“Don’t think, just feel.” Then he dropped his lips on mine and everything else fell away.

My eyes fluttered closed and I let myself feel everything. The way his hands brushed over my hips, pulling me closer. The way my nipples tightened when my breasts smashed against his chest. The feel of my hands on his muscular arms, sliding up to circle around his neck.

I inhaled his scent. The combination of cologne and the leather of his cut. The way it swirled around me muddled my concentration.

The sounds of the mountain disappeared as I got lost in the sensations caused by his mouth on mine. I no longer heard the birds that had been serenading us, or the crickets chirping out a tempo.

When he pulled back from the kiss, he took my hand and walked to his bike.

“Come on, that’s enough for today. We need to get back. I’ll drop you off to freshen up and change, but I want you at the clubhouse tonight. We have the Mother Chapter here, so there’s a party tonight and a run tomorrow. I want you bymy side tonight and on the back of my bike tomorrow. Say yes.”

There was only one answer he would accept.

There was only one answer I wanted to give him.

Right then, I made a choice. To stop the merry-go-round that wasn’t going anywhere and step off to see what another ride offered.

“Yes.”

Chapter Eighteen

Beck

Back at home, I hopped off the bike. Blade held on to my hand once more and I stood there for a second, not entirely sure what to do.

“Give me that mouth, babe.”

I didn’t think as I leaned into him and pressed my lips to his and, like the few times before, everything faded. I felt safe, cared for, wanted, and, yes, even loved. Blade had done something no one else could. No one sincehim.

I shared a bond withhim.One I never thought could be challenged when he died. But I couldn’t deny there was something that drew me to Blade. Something that felt stronger than the teenage crush I was holding on to.

How was this possible? How was it the man I thought hated me for an unknown reason was the one to get through my wall of grief? Letting him go was hard, but I needed to talk to Grams before I went to the clubhouse. After saying goodbye to Blade, I rushed into the house.

Walking through the kitchen door, the first thing I did was go in search of Grams.

I found her once again sitting in her favorite chair.

“Hi, Grams, you got a minute?”

Without looking up from her book, she said, “Sure, honey. Where have you been? Rachel dropped off yourpackages hours ago…” Grams laid her book down and laying eyes on me for the first time since I left for my dinner with Grant.

She gasped. “Beck! What the hell happened to you?”

Grams moved out of her chair so swiftly I was afraid she would fall and break a hip.

I dashed to her side to prevent that from happening.

“I’m ok, Grams, I promise.”

She grabbed my chin to look at the bruise.

“Who did this? Did Grant do this? I’ll kill him. Where is he?” she asked, reaching for her purse.

“Grams, calm down.” I fretted, placing my hands on her arms, halting her progress.

She narrowed her eyes at me. “I will not calm down. That son of a bitch put his hands on my granddaughter. Well, now he will feel my hands on him.” She glared at me. “Is that why you left so early this morning? You didn’t want me to see what he did?”

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