Page 42 of Steel

“I know a fighter when I see one.” I smirk. “Got the bruises on my shins to prove it.”

She laughs, and the sound lifts a weight off my shoulders. “Thanks, Jameson.”

“Anytime,wildfire.”

Tempe’s still grinning when she turns back to the sandwiches. She checks the bottoms of them and turns off the stove when they’re brown. The moon shines through the window, offering her enough light to see as she moves around.

She walks over with my plate, setting it in front of me, and the breeze of her movement kicks the napkin across the counter. She tries to catch it, not realizing until it’s too late that she’s pressed her chest against me with her efforts.

Her lashes flutter as she looks me in the eyes. We’re face-to-face. So close I can feel her sweet little exhales escaping her lips, and I’m teased with every brush of her pebbled nipples poking through her T-shirt as her chest expands.

So close I can hardly resist when her gaze drops to my mouth, and she wets her lips.

She’s the daughter of the man who betrayed my club.

Baggage I can’t take when my shoulders are already burdened with enough weight.

A girl who comes with expectations a man like me can’t live up to.

But when her hazel eyes flit back to mine, I’m tempted to grab her hips and lift her onto the counter. To claim this girl like I wanted to do the second I met her.

I didn’t ask her to rush my life, but she did.

Tempe is a breath of fresh air in a room without oxygen. A spark when I’ve been walking in darkness. She’s fire when not even the Vegas sun has been able to heat the coldest parts of my chest up to this point.

I want to make her leave as strongly as I want to keep her safe.

I want to push her away, and I want to hold her close.

She makes me want everything.

“Sorry.” Tempe backs up, and I miss her body heat the moment she does.

But she doesn’t circle the island like I expect. She takes the stool next to mine. And when she sinks her teeth into her grilled cheese, avoiding my stare, I know why Soul’s been giving me such a hard time about the fact that I haven’t let this girl out of my sight since she first broke into the clubhouse.

I have no doubt Tempe was put on earth as the weakness of man. And if I’m not careful, she’s going to become mine.

12

Tempe

Havoc grips the steeringwheel as he makes a turn. The dog tags around his neck shift, and I’m tempted to ask him about his time in the service, but I keep my questions to myself. He’s shown kindness to me and my brother, offering to escort us to my house to gather some of our things. But I still don’t know whether he’s actually friendly or just doing his president a favor.

At least I feel safe around him. He’s Jameson’s sergeant at arms, the club’s protector, and for the time being, mine.

“How’s Prez treating you?” Havoc asks, glancing over at me when I’ve been staring at him for too long.

“Good.” I shrug. “He’s busy, so we don’t see him much.”

“He went home last night.” A hint of a grin curls up in the corner of Havoc’s mouth.

“He did.” And I still don’t know why.

When Jameson first brought us to his house, he made a point of telling me he never sleeps there. So I’m not sure what to make of the fact that he came home last night.

It could be that he doesn’t trust us, but that’s not the impression I got.

“Jameson’s going to show me his motorcycle.” Austin smiles, changing the subject. “He said it’s superfast.”