Page 17 of The Pursuit of Her Happiness

“Why did you become a veterinarian? I’m not saying I’m an expert on motorcycle clubs or anything, but I imagine there aren’t many veterinarians joining up.” Polk grins boyishly with a shrug. He’s so damn handsome. Like the handsomest. And I’ve been happily staring at him for going on three hours now. My stomach flips knowing this is going to end soon. We’ll say our goodbyes and I’ll go home to an empty house alone and wish he was with me.

“Ok, so before I tell you, you have to promise to remember that I was a child, barely out of my toddler years, so you can’t judge me.”

I shake my head. “Well, now I’m definitely going to judge you. Toddler or not.”

He sits back in the booth, tips his glass of ice-cold beer into his mouth, and sets it down, all while maintaining eye contact. He has the prettiest blue eyes. “Fine. When I was a kid, we always had pets. Cats, dogs, a snake, fish, a murderous hermit crab, birds…not at the same time, but enough that it was constant chaos.”

“It sounds awesome, though. Every kid’s dream.”

“Cleaning up shit constantly was irritating, but yeah, I had a lot of furry friends. So, one time, just once, when I was about 4, I was sitting on the couch watching television. Our cat Percyjumped up on the couch, rubbed against me, then hopped to the top of it, tail waving.”

“Ok.” I motion for him to continue. I smush my lips together to keep from laughing when an embarrassed flush spreads up his neck and covers his entire face.

“I was a curious kid. Fuck, I still am. I’ve been hungry my entire life for knowledge. How things work, where things come from, why humans behave the way they do…so, naturally, being a curious 4-year-old, when Percy’s tail waved back and forth, I got curious.” I have three boys, I know where this is going, and I can’t stop the laughter that bubbles up and out of me. “I stuck my finger in Percy’s asshole.”

“Oh, God!” I can’t breathe. I’m gonna expire right here at this table, the image of a precocious 4-year-old Bently violating his cat is going to be my last thought!

“As you can imagine,” Polk continues in a solemn tone, “Percy did not find it nearly as amusing as you do.” Sweet baby Jesus! I can’t stop laughing, people are starting to stare. “My mom had to pry Percy off me, he’d dug his claws in deep. When she bandaged me up, she told me that I owed it to all animal-kind to treat them better. And I took that to heart.”

“You’ve been…my stomach! You’ve been taking care of animals almost all your life because you got fresh with one when you were 4?”

“Now you know my deepest, darkest secret.”

“I feel so close to you.” I squeak out, my hands covering my stomach as if I can soothe the muscles with a simple touch.

“This is an unpleasant experience. However,” his frown smooths into a naughty grin, “the way your tits bounce when you laugh is quite enjoyable.” That sobers me almost instantly.

“You’re really attracted to me?” He stares at me unimpressed. “Like, you want to see me naked and—”

“Do quite a number of things that are not suitable dinner conversation when strangers are near.” His words are a dark promise that dampens my panties and causes my nipples to harden instantly in my bra.

“Hmm,” I murmur, unable to articulate anything else as lust and deep desire swirls through my entire body. Closing my eyes, I inhale, then exhale slowly. When I open my eyes, Polk is staring at me, amusement and his own desire glittering in his pale blue eyes. “You’ve explained why you became a veterinarian. Now, explain where the Congressionals MC comes in.”

“As you wish.” He grabs the glass of ice water on the table and takes a long sip, licking his lips after and threatening my sanity. God, he’s hot. “A bunch of us went to school together with Buchanan. Being Madison’s son and all, we were friends when Madison, Hayes, and Adams started the club with Lincoln and Carver’s dad. A couple years later, McKinley, Clay, and Barkley joined. It was as natural as breathing to prospect. We had grunt work to do, but I got to hang out with my best friends, ride motorcycles, and live it up.”

“And go to college?”

“It usually takes 8 years to become a vet, but I finished in 6. I spent all my breaks and summers taking classes and interning. I knew I’d come back to Independence to open my own practice. I missed Buck, Fillmore, Pierce, Lincoln, even Carver, but my time away was necessary. And they came to visit when they could. Fuck, Lincoln had his own shit to worry about in law school and his parents dying.”

“A vet. Two lawyers. A tech guru. A plumber.”

“Baker and candlestick maker.” I chuckle at the thought of any of his brothers making candles, let alone baking.

“The Congressionals MC are certainly unique.”

“We are.” He grins thinking of his club. “A brotherhood that is as much a part of me as my legs or arms. It is an extension of me. Truthfully, we aren’t as unique as you might think. A few clubs we’re friendly with are made up of some guys with interesting professions. Hell, the Golem Guerillas in Pittsburgh are vigilante biker bankers.”

“I met some of them at the charity gala.” I shake my head thinking of the GGMC, “Zebulun, I think his name is, he was…um…”

“Insane?”

“No, not insane. He assured me he’s been tested.”

“They’re a great group of guys, just starting out, finding their way in the world. But they are doing great things in their community.”

“I always thought bikers were like Hell’s Angels and the Bandidos.”

“Most are. But you’ll find military vets that need a purpose. They served their country, and sometimes their country seems to have forgotten them. They want to belong to something, know that they have brothers to watch their backs, they want to be useful.”

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