Page 49 of Ink's Devil

Me with an old lady?

What the devil’s gotten into me?

Thank fuck I’m out on a job tonight. Clearly we need time apart. I try to convince myself I don’t mind not seeing her.

I’m lying.

Beth’s like a devil who’s gotten under my skin, tempting me to sin. For the first time since I was patched in, I resent having to do my duty for my club. When we’re called in for a meeting to discuss tonight’s plans, I’m so annoyed I kick my chair over.

“What the fuck’s up with you, Leatherneck?”

“Fuck all,” I snarl at my brother and friend. “Leave it.”

Chapter Fifteen

Beth

“Is it serious between you and Ink then, if you’re going back tonight?”

When I left the gym, I didn’t bother to change thinking I’d sort myself out when I got home, so I’m still in my running gear and in desperate need of a shower. The fact Mom has hardly let me in through the door before starting her inquisition shows her eagerness to hear my response.

“It’s not serious, Mom,” I reassure her. “Despite Mel finding her happy-ever-after with Ro, bikers are men you use for fun.”

I’m lying.

Last night had been different, and while I was on the treadmill, I’d let my mind drift, trying to sort out how. I still couldn’t put my finger on it.

It had started off badly, but Ink had listened and had got my point when I’d come so close to walking out. I’d let him off with a pass this time, and something tells me he won’t behave like that again. He is trying, but whatever’s between us is new to him.

We’d had the same type of sex as we’d done before, Ink being his usual dominant self and me unable to resist him, but at times it had felt more like we’d been making love. There was never any question right from the start that I would spend the night, and for a long while after we’d used the last condom, he had just held me, and we’d talked. He’d even offered to spend the day here with me and Mom in case Connor put in an appearance.

Coupled with the texts we’d been exchanging all week, that doesn’t sound like the behaviour of a man who just wanted me for sex.

Would he run a mile if I told him I’d like us to date? To have a relationship, not just in bed, but out of it.

But what if he’s not in the same place? I’m already in deeper than I’d ever intended, and it won’t be easy to casually wave goodbye when Ink gets bored with our arrangement. Unless… it’s no longer a cold arrangement for him either.

Love?

Not sure I’m there yet, but the involvement of my heart is certainly not far over the horizon.

“I’ll be seeing him again, but don’t read much into it,” I warn her.

Mom opens her mouth to say more. Not wanting to hear parental words of wisdom for now, I pull my exercise tank top away from my armpit, sniff and wrinkle my nose, then seeing she’s got the message, run upstairs to jump into the shower.

As I stand under the hot water, my hands smooth over my breasts. They might not be huge, but Ink seems to like them. He seems to find me as perfect for him, as he is for me.

Maybe I’ve just chosen wrongly before, but my experience with men who are shorter hasn’t been good. They’ve felt the need to prove themselves, the worst one I’d left when he’d used his fists on me to make a point that despite my height he’d been physically stronger. Then there were a couple more who saw me as someone to support them, that my broad shoulders could take the weight of their worries. If I wanted a pet to take care of, I’d have gotten a dog or a cat.

Ink offers himself for me to lean on, and he’s definitely a take-charge man in bed which I’ve found I enjoy immensely. Even if my ass is still a little sore, I grin, as I reach around and massage my buttocks. He wouldn’t want me to sort his problems, instead, he’d take on mine as well as his.

He makes me feel cherished and cared for. That’s why I need to shield my heart. Ink made it clear this is only a temporary arrangement, and nothing he’s said has hinted otherwise. If I read too much into his actions when he’s made no other promises, I’ll end up getting hurt. Which would be my fault for overstepping the boundaries.

I rinse my hair, thinking how hard it is for me to put myself out there. I’ve had enough hurt and disappointment to be wary, and my natural inclination is to hide in my shell. The only men I meet are friends of friends or people I meet through work. I could never use an app like Tinder. My shyness at odds with my looks, it isn’t what most people expect.

Mel knows me though, that’s why she was surprised I went after Ink. Sure, I’d been bolstered by alcohol, but when I’d seen him that day it was as if I’d been possessed by a devil telling me I couldn’t let this one escape, not without at least making an attempt to get him to notice me. Just for sex? Well, that would be worth something on its own. Something more?

Ink had immediately knocked that idea on its head, but I found I was happy to stay for scraps, even if the full meal was beyond my reach. But now, it would seem, I’m developing a hunger for more. But I worry the cost of that dinner is way out of pocket.

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