Page 14 of Hope's Heartlands

She nods her head. “Yes, that’s so.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Oh, you’re cute.”

Looking all indignant, she asks me, “What’s so funny?”

I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and lean down so our foreheads are touching. “You’re my woman, that’s my ass.” I reach down and grab it. “And you have my heart. I’d say that’s our shower and we should go in together.”

She nods her head and I know I’ve left her speechless. She grabs my hand and laces our fingers together. I’ve never been a hand-holding kind of guy, but with Cat I can see myself wanting to do it. I’d do anything to be close to her, I’ve come to realize.

She looks up at me then, as I’m running the soap-filled sponge down her curvy body. “So does this mean you’re moving in?”

I concentrate on her breasts, the sudsy water rolling across her hard nipples. “Yes. I want to. I don’t want to sleep away from you ever again.”

She doesn’t respond and I tip her head up. “Is that okay with you?”

I don’t realize until she answers me that I’m holding my breath, but when she says, “Yes, I’d like that,” I can finally breathe again.

I just go back to washing her. “That’s good, honey, because you don’t really have a choice. You’re stuck with me.”

She takes the sponge from me and puts some more soap on it. She gets up on her tiptoes and kisses me. I try to deepen it, but she pulls away, smiling at me.

She holds her hand out, gliding the sponge across my body. “My turn.”

Chapter14

Cat

Aweek with Saint is a life-changer. I didn’t think I’d ever open up to anyone or feel so safe with someone like I am with Saint. He isn’t perfect; in fact, he’s a little overprotective. He doesn’t want me to work at the bar anymore, but I told him too bad. So now, when he gets off work at the garage, he comes home, showers, and then sits downstairs staring down every man that talks to me. The other thing about him is he’s not a morning person. I mean at all. But those aren’t deal breakers, as far as I’m concerned.

A part of me had hoped after telling Saint about the Outlaws, it would be over but it doesn’t seem that was the case. Saint went to Troy and Gage to talk to them about me and everything I went through there. Saint and a few of the other crew left last night and were gone for hours. It was really hush, hush what they were doing, which I’ve come to learn when they say it’s club business, it’s club business. You don’t ask questions.

When he came back, I was in bed and I lifted up on my elbows and watched as Saint walked down the hallway. The single light that was on showed him covered in blood, but the way he was walking I knew it wasn’t his. He wasn’t hurt.

I wanted to go to him, but I didn’t. His face was hard and filled with anger. I heard the water turn on and later shut off.

I just laid there quietly until he slid under the covers and I turned, rolling into him.

His hands went around me and I rested my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

“Are you okay?” I muttered.

He took a deep breath. “Yea.”

He cupped the back of my neck and tilted my head to look up a him. “You’ll never have to worry about Roach again.”

I wanted to ask him what he did, but I didn’t. I knew he wouldn’t – he couldn’t – answer me. He made love to me after that. And I say that just because the way he makes me feel, I’ve never experienced it before, but I’m pretty sure this is what love feels like.

This morning I got up and I left him sleeping in our bed to go to the bar and work on inventory and update the computer system.

While I’m in the thick of it, Barbie comes in and sits down at the bar. I get a little nervous and I feel a little guilty because I know that Barbie really liked Saint. And I know that she’s been with some of the other guys since Saint told her to give him room. But this is the first time I’ve been around Barbie alone since I took up with Saint.

“Sweet tea?” I ask her.

She nods her head at me, not smiling at me like she usually does.

I pour the drink and set it down in front of her. “Look, I’m sorry, Barbie. I know you like Saint, but well, everything, it just happened so fast –”

She interrupts me. “I’m happy for you, Cat. And really I was hoping you would get over your fear and would take the plunge with someone.”

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