Page 53 of Jack

She bravely meets my eyes again. “Maybe I don’t want to be an angel anymore.”

“What are you saying, Lily?”

“Stop babying me and handling me with soft gloves.”

My eyebrows lift. “Ihandle you with soft gloves?” I do. I didn’t think she realized it, though.

“You’re the worst.”

She’s not wrong.

“Are you sure? Because if I take the soft gloves off, they won’t go back on.”

“I’m sure,” she replies softly.

I lean closer to her ear again. “You know I’m attracted to you, right?”

She nods. Well, now. This day isn’t ending so badly after all.

Against her request, I softly press my lips to her forehead and linger there for a long moment before stepping back. I wasn’t expecting this tonight. My phone vibrates in my pocket. Club business never stops.

“Tonight, you sleep on that. Imagine everything it could mean. And I meaneverything, angel. Tomorrow, it all changes.” I hold up my hands and wiggle my fingers. “The soft gloves are already gone.”

Before I change my mind, I turn and leave. Plus, I’m being summoned by someone. I’ll give her tonight to process what she asked for. Tomorrow, she’ll see the real me. There’ll be no turning back and no way out for either of us. Tomorrow’s going to be an interesting day.

Chapter 23

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Lily

Fully dressed and ready for work. Check. A to-go cup of coffee in hand. Check. Breakfast. Nope. My nerves are too shot for food. Is this what having butterflies feels like? I place a hand on my stomach. It doesn’t settle. My hand moves to my chest. I can feel my own heartbeat. No, this feeling isn’t butterflies in your stomach. The bad-boy biker set off a volcano of emotions within me last night. Whatever he did runs through my blood. No part of my body goes untouched, which is virtually impossible because he didn’t even kiss me.

My lack of sleep last night wasn’t from nightmares. I have plenty of those. Joel’s degrading words and punches didn’t cross my mind all night. I awoke for reasons just as dangerous. This danger could own me, consume me, burn me alive, and, in a way, heal me. My mind’s so warped. Maybe I should make an appointment with the counselor Nanny keeps mentioning.

His words are on repeat in my head. The soft gloves are gone. Everything changes today. And like he requested, I thought ofeverything. Some of those everythings kept me awake for hours, but from a different kind of fear.

I’ve thought about the members with their ole’ ladies. Like bunnies, it’s a term I’m uneasy with. Jack’s parents’ relationship is intense. I’m not sure his dad likes me very much. Still, there’s no doubt that these men love their wives and children. From what I’ve witnessed, their love is all-consuming. Nothing stops it. Nothing gets in its way.

I lightly laugh. What am I thinking? Jack didn’t ask me to marry him. He didn’t even ask me on a date. Do bikers date? Still, everything meanseverything.Right?

When I close my eyes, I can still feel his lips on my forehead, soft, sweet, tender. I’ve imagined and even dreamed of those lips moving across my body.

“Nope.” I jerk myself from those thoughts.

Those kinds of thoughts kept me awake most of the night. I can’t think like this right now. I have to go to work.

Three hard, distinctive knocks pound on the front door, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin. Geez. Even the way he knocks on the door is different today.Girl, get it together. It’s just a knock. My imagination has seriously run away with me.

The three hard knocks come again, jolting me from where I planted myself. This is ridiculous. I’m going to feel like a fool when I open the door. Nobody, or situations, can be that different overnight. Not even Jack McLeod.

“Lily!” Jack shouts as I reach the door.

A set of keys jingle. Oh no. I jerk the door open before he barges through it.

“Geez, Jack. Settle down. I’m fine.”

I’m far from fine. Because of him, I’ll never be fine again. And I was wrong, so very wrong.

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