Page 10 of Marked by the Protective Biker

He’s staring at my lips, and I’m wondering if he’s thinking about that kiss we shared. It was good. Heck, it was everything, but Ido wish we had more time. It was over too quickly, and I would love to know what it’s like to kiss him when we can take our time.

He must see the desire on my face. He doesn’t want to let me down, so he does it easily. “Nothing, honey. I don’t fit in your world.”

I jut my chin at him defiantly. “Since when do you care what people think about you?”

He chuckles softly. “Honey, I don’t give a fuck what people think about me, but I’m not going to ruin your name.” He points to where we’re sitting. “I mean, look at us right now. Everyone that walks by is looking at us like they’re trying to figure out if they need to save you or not.”

I lean toward him and touch him for the first time since he sat down. “I don’t need saving from you, Jack.”

I had hoped he would reach for me or lean toward me or something, but he does none of those things. He sits, holding himself tightly. I pull my hand away and stand up. “I’m going home now, so you’re off duty tonight.”

He stands up, towering over me, and just smirks.

“Are you going to follow me home?”

He nods.

I want to scream in frustration. I want to beg him to kiss me, right here and now, but I don’t do it. My hands fist at my sides, and I walk away from Jack toward my car. I drive across town, and I can’t help myself. I keep looking in the rearview mirror to see if Jack is behind me.

As I’m driving, I try to tell myself that Jack is right. Nothing can come of us. We are too different. And he only mentioned my world, but I’m sure he’s thinking about his own, too. There’s no way he’s going to want me in his world. But as I pull into the driveway, I know I’m not going to be able to stay away from him. No matter how much he thinks I should.

CHAPTER 7

FELON

I follow behind Emily, and it’s like I’m having an internal battle with myself. It took everything inside me to keep my hands off her. When I get to her house, I know I’ll sit outside, wondering what she’s doing inside. This won’t be the first time that she’s consumed my every thought, but this will be the first time since I’m no longer behind bars.

I park at the curb on the road and watch as Emily parks her car and gets out. I grip the handlebars even harder as she walks up her sidewalk. I almost call out her name, but before I do, she stops and turns toward me. Even from here, I can see the indecision on her face. I get off my bike and stand next to it as she walks down her driveway toward me.

She puts a hand on her hip and stops a few feet away. “So how was your first day at work?”

Of all the things I imagined, this was not what I thought she would say. “Uh, it was good.”

She nods. “Okay, I didn’t ask, and I was wondering.”

I nod, watching her closely.

She points north. “Isn’t your club in Whiskey Run?”

I grunt and nod.

She tilts her head. “That’s like thirty minutes from here.”

I nod, wondering where she’s going with this. “Yep, it is.”

There’s the slamming of a screen door, and I look at Emily’s neighbor that is standing in his yard staring at us. I gesture to Emily. “You should probably go inside before the neighbors call the police.”

She scrunches her pretty nose up. “Call the police? Why would they call the police?”

I widen my stance and cross my arms over my chest. I’m not going to say it again. It’s obvious how different we are, and I’m sure her neighbors don’t want me in their neighborhood.

She sucks in a breath and blows it out slowly. “Jack?”

By the tone of her voice, I know she’s about to ask me something, and she’s nervous about it.

She takes a step toward me. “Well, first of all, I don’t care what my neighbors think, or anyone else, for that matter. And second, would you come in and eat dinner with me?”

I open my mouth, prepared to say no, but the way she’s looking at me has me changing my mind. “You sure you want me to come in for dinner?”

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