Page 9 of Ox

That hot stare warmed me all over despite my previous chill. “Is that for work?” I asked, barely able to keep eye contact with his unwavering gaze.

“Yeah, the Club keeps me pretty busy,” Ox answered, as we moved toward the entrance.

“Wait, you work for the Club?” Call me stupid, but I didn’t realize Ox worked for the Devil’s Riders on top of being a member. I guess that’s how he found time to drive down here to help me. I probably should have put two and two together before this. However, I’d been so torn up about Ghost nearly running me off the road at the time to really think it all the way through.

Ox held the door open for me and we both walked through. “Yeah, Babe. I’m the Club Enforcer.”

I paused and this time it was my turn to look at him from head to toe. “Makes sense. I certainly wouldn’t want to mess with you.”

Ox’s mouth turned up at the corners in a sexy grin. “For you, I’d be gentle.”

I laughed, and teased back, “I’m tough, remember? I can take it.” I’d meant it as a joke, but I was kind of breathless when I’d said it and it sounded more like a come-on than a recall to our earlier conversation.

Ox’s blue eyes smoldered at that. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he replied, his thumb grazing my bottom lip.

The waitress broke the tension when she asked us if we were ready to be seated. We followed her to the back of the restaurant, which kind of reminded me of the one I worked at. It boasted the same red booth seating, plain dark tables, worn menus, and looked as though it hadn’t been renovated since the owner bought it thirty years previously. The earmarks of every good restaurant. They weren’t hiding behind ambiance, just relying on the quality of their food to stay afloat.

“How’d you find this place?” I asked, never having been here myself, though I lived relatively close by.

Ox didn’t even review his menu. It was clear he already knew what was on it and what he wanted.

Adjusting his long legs so they fit somewhat under the table, he leaned back and placed his arms alongside the top of the seat. “It’s right off the highway and I’d stop in whenever the Club had business in the area. Like I said, they got the best burgers in town.”

That sounded great to me. I hadn’t had a burger in some time. My mom used to add a package of onion soup mix to the meat and it was amazing! I hadn’t been home in over a year to have one of her delicious burgers and I missed them, and my parents, terribly.

As if sensing what I was thinking, Ox asked, “You from around here?”

“No, Massachusetts actually. I came out here for school. My parents are still on the east coast,” I explained.

Leaning forward, as though he was actually interested in my answer, he asked, “You going back North when school is done?”

I shook my head. “This is my home now. I love the weather, my friends, and I have some potential leads on some well paying jobs once I graduate.”

Ox looked impressed. “You’re going to be a nurse, right?”

I nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah. I can’t wait until I’m done with college and I can actually earn a living. I swear, the cost of school is eating me alive! Plus the cost of living out here isn’t cheap either!”

Our drinks arrived then. The waitress handed both of us cokes and some straws. “I’m LuAnne and I’ll be your server tonight. You kids know what you’re getting today or do you need another minute to decide?”

I took my lead from my companion and ordered the classic burger with fries. However, I’d only ordered one while Ox ordered two. But I could understand why. The man was as big as his Club name implied and probably needed as many calories to sustain his immense strength. On top of his meal, he ordered an appetizer platter that had mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, and potato skins.

Before the waitress had even finished taking my order, she saw that Ox had consumed nearly his entire soda. “I’ll bring you a few refills on that drink, too, sweetie,” she said with a wink. “I can tell you’re going to need it.”

I couldn’t help the smile that crept onto my lips. “You definitely charmed our waitress,” I said, once she was out of earshot.

“It wasn’t the waitress I was hoping to charm,” he returned, his blue eyes boring a hole into mine as he polished off the amber liquid inside his frosted glass.

My heart began to beat fast and my nipples hardened at his direct words. What was coming over me? I was acting like I’d never seen a man before and was going into some sort of heat!

Well, to be fair to my libido, I’d never known a man like Ox before. So handsome. So charming. So scorchingly hot! The biker had such a powerful air about him. Like he wasn’t afraid ofanything or anyone in this world. It was so sexy and comforting at the same time, I didn’t know if I wanted to hug him or fuc–

“You smiling about something in particular, Babe?” Ox posed then.

I didn’t even realize I’d been smiling until he said that. I blushed out of embarrassment at my dirty thoughts. “No, I’m just enjoying myself. I don’t really go out that often. Between work and school, there isn’t much free time,” I rambled.

The waitress arrived with his cokes then and our appetizer. She brought us extra napkins, too. LuAnne definitely had a soft spot for the big biker, I could tell.

“Holler if you need anything else,” she told us, tossing Ox an adoring look before checking in with the booth behind us.

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