Page 13 of Gio

Who knew a career girl could be so hot?

After forty-five minutes I was tired of watching her flit about, directing her team here and there, and I swooped in to rescue her. “Hey babe, your guests are arriving. Have a drink and reset.”

She stopped and turned to me, surprise flashed in her eyes. “You got this for me?”

“Of course.” I leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her neck and immediately regretted it because she smelled like flowers and sugar and my dick liked that scent. A lot. “Have a sip. Time to shine.” I handed her the whiskey and water, and she accepted it.

“How did you know?”

I smiled. “I’ve known you forever, Harp. I knew you needed to relax but you wouldn’t want to be blitzed while you worked.”

She sagged against me a little. “Thanks, Gio. You’re sweet.”

That was the first time anyone had ever called me that. Even when I helped little old ladies cross the street, they thanked me with a wink or a pinch to my ass. Never called me sweet.

I might actually like it.

“If you think I’m sweet, you should see how I taste.” I leaned in close and whispered the words in her ear. My chest swelled with pride at the way she stiffened and then shuddered with unrestrained lust. Yeah, I knew my power over women I just didn’t think Harper was one of those women.

A flush crawled up all of her exposed flush and when she turned to me, her eyes were glazed over with lust. “Not the time or place. Oh and in your dreams.Honey.”

I laughed. “Always sassy.” She’d always been a smart ass and now that she was older and smarter, her barbs hit harder and fuck me, but I liked it still. “Is that a challenge?”

Her blue eyes went round with shock or maybe it was fear, and she took a step back. “No, it’s not. Absolutely not.”

Another laugh escaped. “In that case, let’s put our game faces on. I’ll be your arm candy and you be the powerful and gorgeous babe you are.” I was here to protect her, and I reminded myself of that fact no less than four dozen times over the course of the damn gala.

Harper laughed easily with the guests whether they were old perverts who attempted to get a little fresh with them, older women who tried to make her feel small or younger women who blatantly ogled her boyfriend. She was a goddamn pro, always turning it back to the gala and raising money to help kids aging out of the foster care system. “They all deserve a chance toachieve what you have,” she said to a heavyset woman in her fifties who couldn’t keep her eyes off the tats my suit didn’t hide.

“Yes,” she sniffed. “Well it is important that we make sure they become productive members of society rather than a burden.”

Harper stiffened beside me and her jaw clenched so imperceptibly that no one watching would notice, but I did. “That sentiment is exactly how I know I can count on you to set an example for the rest of the attendees, Mrs. Shift.”

Just like that the woman was easily placated and she turned away with her chin notched high in the air.

“You handled the snooty bitch perfectly.”

Harper laughed and bumped her shoulder against my chest. “They tend to be like that, at these things. People who have that kind of money also have a certain way of thinking. Offensive or not, their money will help a lot of kids get on their feet and she has no say in what career path they choose. Postal worker, biker, tattoo artist, as long as they can take care of themselves, I’m happy for them.”

That surprised me. “I always got the impression you didn’t approve of the Steel Demons.” It seemed like she hated it.

“I don’tnotapprove, but I hate the idea of you and Cole constantly in harm’s way. It was bad enough when he was in the military. He got out and I thought, finally I can relax. And then both of you idiots decided to always be in the path of danger.”

“That’s why you don’t like it?” My assumptions were all wrong. Again.

Harper turned to me and studied my face while I took another opportunity to let my gaze roam her body. “You thought I was just being a snooty bitch?”

I shrugged. “Yes and no. I thought it was the whole outlaw biker thing that got your panties in a bunch.”

Her cheeks turned a pale shade of pink. “I mean I’d love it more if you both were accountants who just happened to ride motorcycles but it’s not my life and not my choice. All I want is for you to be safe. Both of you.”

“Both of us?”

She rolled her eyes. “Duh.”

I leaned in close again, inhaling her intoxicating scent before I whispered in her ear, “I knew you liked me.”

Her gaze met mine, serious and dark and impenetrable. “Sometimes I wish I didn’t.”

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