Page 73 of Collect the Pieces

Birch dips his chin. “She fixed the pants for me too.”

“Bet the granddaughter told the whole school,” Jigsaw shouts. “And never looked at you again.”

Next to us, a short snort of laughter pops out of Rooster.

“Look at you so confidentlywrong.” Birch raises on his toes and points to Jigsaw. “I totally got with her in the spring.” Birch winks. “I think her grandma told her I was well hung, and she should give me a test ride.”

“Gross,” Shelby moans.

“Bullshit!” Eazy shouts. “You went one too far.”

“That’s Eazy,” Jigsaw whispers to me. “He’s a member of my charter downstate.”

I nod quickly. “I remember talking to him at Teller’s wedding.” My cheeks flame hot. “I wasn’tthatstoned.”

Jigsaw shifts his body and clears his throat. “Yeah.”

The air around us seems to change.

While the party carries on, I turn and roll until I’m kneeling between Jigsaw’s outstretched legs. I rest one hand on his thigh. He drops his gaze to my thumb slowly stroking the rough denim of his jeans.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Nothing.” He lifts his chin toward something behind me. “He thought you were cute.”

Is he still talking about Eazy? “So?”

He swallows hard and stares into my eyes. “I never wanted to punch a brother so much in my life when I saw him talking to you.”

“Yeah.” I duck my head and laugh softly. “It was kind of obvious when you walked up andkickedhim.”

“Since I didn’t give you an answer right away, I was worried you might ask him to…you know…” he lowers his voice and leans in closer, whispering against my ear, “tutor you.”

His warm breath sends a shiver of pleasure down my spine. A second later the words that came out of his mouth penetrate my brain.

I sit back on my heels and scowl at him. “Why would you think that?”

Did he assume I was so desperate I’d ask any random biker to help me?

He frowns and shrugs.

No way. I don’t want him to think anyone else would’ve made me happy. “I askedyoubecause I likedyou.”

He stares at me for a few seconds, studying my face in a way that squeezes my chest. “Yeah, I know that now.”

“Good.” I poke a finger in his stomach, and he grinds his teeth like he’s trying to hold in his laughter. “Are youticklish?”

“What? No.”

I tap my fingers along his side. “Are you sure?”

His lips tilt into a lopsided grin, then he grabs my hand, tugging me closer. “Tell me again.”

I think I know what he wants to hear but teasing him is too irresistible. “That you’re ticklish?”

He clamps his hands over my hips and pulls me into his lap. “No.”

I cup his cheeks with my hands. “That I liked you?”

---