Page 11 of What He Wants

“Are you with anyone?” he surprised me by asking.

I frowned. Was he asking me if I was involved with someone? “No.”

My answer seemed to please him. “But you were.”

I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to open myself up to him. Only Jasmine knew about my rocky marriage with Paul and how it had ended. I accepted that Big John and I were attracted to each other, but the attraction was sexual in nature, and didn’t warrant us getting personal. Besides, nothing was going to happen between us. What we were doing now was a mistake. Fear of letting another man in caused me to pull away from him and slip off his lap.

Surprisingly, he let me go.

“I think you should probably leave.”

He stood, towering over me like a mountain. “I don’t know what the fuck this is. I’m not even sure I like it. I don’t get involved with women like you.” Women like me? “But something is happening, and until I figure out what the fuck it is, I’m not going anywhere.” My eyes rounded at his proclamation. “Go with me to the club Christmas party tomorrow night.”

That was the last thing I had expected him to say. “Thanks, but I don’t think−”

“I’m not asking,” he growled, crossing his arms over his chest.

The action made him look menacing as hell, and I felt my temper rise at the fact that he thought he could tell me what to do. “No.” I crossed my arms over my breasts and tilted my chin. The quirk of his lips revealed that he was amused at my attempt to intimidate him. Still, I backed up, because the results of my stubbornness with Paul had been physical and painful, and had usually started with an evil smile.

Big John scowled, his eyes seeing more than I liked. “Don’t know what happened in your past, but you don’t ever have to be afraid of speaking your mind with me, baby. I’ve never laid a hand on a woman who didn’t want it.”

I’m sure he thought that would solve the issue, but all I could think about was his hands on someone other than me. Jealousy raised its ugly head, and that was just plain crazy. Lord, I had to get him out of there fast. I watched him pull his wallet from his pocket. He opened it and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill.

“This should cover your services. Keep the rest as your tip.”

I shook my head. “I’m still not going with you tomorrow night,” I said firmly, taking the offered money.

He totally ignored me. “I’ll swing by around seven to pick you up. Wear pants, because we’ll be on my bike.”

“Didn’t you hear me?” I asked, following him to the door.

He stopped and turned so abruptly that I crashed into him. The next thing I knew, he wrapped one of his big paws around my neck and pulled me in for a quick, but satisfying, hard kiss. “Seven.”

I couldn’t think fast enough to say anything in response. With my mouth open, I watched Big John mount his bike and take off. Finally, when I could no longer see him going down the road, I turned the lock and headed to my apartment.

I wasn’t going with him.

And he couldn’t make me!

Chapter 6

Daisy

I stared at myself in the floor length mirror. Damn that Jasmine! After I’d told her about my encounter with Big John she’d talked me into going with him to the party. She was going too, and said that she’d keep her eye on me to make sure I didn’t get into any trouble. What kind of trouble could I get into? It was a Christmas party, and I wasn’t typically a heavy drinker. I had gone into town though, and picked up a bottle of wine because, honestly, weren’t you supposed to show up at the door with a hostess gift?

I had no idea what to expect at a biker club party.

I sucked in a deep breath and released it like a groan. Jasmine had helped pick out my clothes and I wasn’t very impressed with her choices. When I’d told her that Big John said to wear pants because we’d be on his bike, she’d pulled out a pair of skinny jeans, which, on my curves, fit like freaking tights. Well, maybe I was exaggerating a bit. But I did feel a bitexposed. Normally I would have covered up my ass with a long men’s-type shirt, but she’d paired my pants with a red beaded crop top that hung sexily off my shoulders. Because it was cold outside, a waist-length leather jacket finished off my supposedly killer look--Jasmine’s words, not mine.

Flashy gold bangles at my wrists and huge hoops in my ears completed the ensemble. Oh, and let’s not forget the hooker boots she’d insisted that I wear. She’d gone home at lunchtime to retrieve them. They reached my knees and added at least four inches to my height. I’d attempted to pile my thick, untamed hair up with a decorative clip, but so much had escaped that I had to wonder why I’d even tried. And then Jasmine had done my makeup, which I’d insisted she keep minimal. I had to admit that I liked the sexy, smoky eye thing she’d done on me. It made my green eyes look exotic and mysterious.

She’d left a half hour ago, and I’d been looking at my appearance in the mirror ever since. As seven o’clock neared, I began to get a little apprehensive. Was this a date? Big John didn’t seem like the dating type. He also didn’t seem like the kind of man who took no for an answer. I wondered what he did for Phantom Riders. Heck, I had a feeling that before the night was out I’d know more than I wanted to about MC life.

I heard the distinctive sound of a motorcycle approaching. It had to be Big John. Before I left my apartment, I sprayed a fine mist of Opium perfume into the air and walked through it on my way to the door. I started to reach for my coat where it hung right outside my door, but at the last second decided the leather jacket would have to do. It was a short ride anyway. I was halfway down the stairs when I heard his rap against the glass door to the salon. As I made my way to the door, I could see his massive outline through the glass.

My heart rate picked up, and anticipation of the unknown fluttered in my stomach. It was dark out, but I could see enough to recognize how handsome he looked, all in black leather from the waist up, tight, worn jeans covering his lower body. Thick black boots were on his feet. His hair was tied back. I reached up to turn the lock, and hesitated, meeting his eyes.

His feral grin alarmed me while it turned me on. “Don’t do it,” he said in a gruff warning tone, with a hint of amusement. I wondered what he’d do if I didn’t turn the lock, if I decided not to go with him. “Baby, this fucking glass door won’t keep me from you.”

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