Page 4 of Completing Her

“Um, no. Most people don’t get that close.”

“You don’t let them, do you Molly? I bet there are a lot of guys who wanted to be this close.”

She rolled her eyes, snatching her face out of his grasp and turning away. “No. And you know it. You never even glanced at me.”

“I gave you plenty of glances. Came in the shop so much I got addicted.”

“To coffee,” her nose scrunched when she spoke.

“To coffee. To Molly. You know a molly is a powerful drug. You take it and it goes straight to your head.”

“You’ve taken it?” her chest rose, and he pushed her torso back down.

“I’ve taken a lot of things.”

“Are you an, an addict?”

His laugh rumbled out before he could stop it. “No. They don’t allow addicts in the Roarers. You can’t ride, strung out and looking for your next fix. And they have a very effective treatment program. They kick your ass until you’re clean. They’ll kill you before the drugs will.”

She shuddered under his fingers. “That’s terrible.”

So sweet, so innocent. He should leave. Get the fuck out right now before he ruined her. But she was also sohis. “It is, and it isn’t. Like I said. I’m not addicted to anything other than coffee… and you.”

“Stop saying that. It’s not true.”

“The first time I walked past the shop,” he continued. Rolling right over her protests like worn-down speed bumps. He noted them but kept going. “I glanced into the window. You were wiping a table. But you glanced up and our eyes met. Do you remember?”

“Yes,” she squeaked the soft whisper.

“You looked for a minute and then your eyes slid away.” He pinched her shoulder, kneading the flesh some more. “You look away, you shield your eyes, you cover your face. You hide. I hate when you do that.”

“Why?”

“Cause sometimes you forget. That first time you forgot. You gave me a real smile. A Molly smile. Addictive. You even gave a little wave. So pure, so innocent, friendly. You weren’t asking anything. Not trying to be anything other than you. You were just real. When you’re on the highway, on a hot day, with the steam coming up from the concrete, you can’t always believe what you see. So, you look for what’s real. And you were real. I don’t know another word for it.” He sighed. Her shoulders were tense again. But not in bunches. Waiting. “But then you froze. And I saw you, like a little mouse who’s been caught out. You went scurrying to a safe corner. Hiding.” His breath slid out of his chest with another sigh, but her shoulders didn’t move. No breath at all. “I came in ‘cause I needed to hear your voice. But then I didn’t know what to say, so I ordered…”

“…the mocha latte with extra whipped cream.”

“Yep. I can’t stand coffee…”

“But you come every day.” Her nose scrunched up. “Rain or shine. Even when Skin Sins is closed. One cup in the morning and another at night.”

His hands froze, matching her still shoulders. “I don’t come for the coffee.” He went back to kneading her shoulders, moving to the other side. His voice was gruff, but she’d get the point. “I wasn’t there for coffee. Like I told you, mollies are addictive.” He rolled her over. He had to see her. Watch her lip when she chewed it again. Watch her eyes, did she get what he was saying? Watch her face, was she really surprised? “You spoke in a soft voice, but it sang to something in me. Filling me. Completing something that I didn’t know was missing. It shook me.” His lip turned up. “Shook me so much I drank that latte and learned to love it. Learned so many things about you. Learned how to see past the mask smile to the Molly smile. Learned how to turn the Molly smile into a Molly laugh. Learned how to appreciate what you said when you weren’t saying anything.” He smoothed the gentle curve of her shoulder. “When I saw you the first time, you reminded me of the Michael I used to be. Smelly-Melly Michael, who was scared of life and tread on by bullies. He was all alone and he didn’t like it. Hated it, hated feeling alone and vulnerable. That’s how I ended up with the Roarers. I found people to have my back. I wantedyouto have someone. But then I met you, and I realized I got it all wrong. You were stronger than I ever was. Because you were standing up to life unafraid. Braver than I’ve ever been. Just watching you be strong, to hold your own even when a group of bikers, invade your territory. That shit was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Her curls brushed against the pillows. As she waved her head back and forth like a distress flag. “You didn’t. I, I don’t believe you.”

“Then believe this.”

The soft curls caressed his palms when he cupped her head and turned her shoulders. Tipping her head up with his thumbs. Savoring her skin and the moment before he dipped his lips to the bow of hers. She tasted like her drinks. Sweet and bitter, chocolate and cream. Addictive. He caressed her lips. Waiting for the invite. Waiting to slide into home. His home. Waited for her to open the door and let him in. He groaned her name and her lips parted. As if his groan was the secret password to her lair. The magic key. Whatever, either way, she let him in, and he wasn’t going anywhere.

Chapter 4

Molly’s lips wrapped around his, drinking in his flavor. His taste was like one of the flavor shots she added to her coffees. One shot was powerful enough to break the coffee and change it into something else. Energizing. Addictive. Another lick alongside his tongue had her quivering inside. He said she was a mouse, and she felt like one. Small, weak, and helpless in his bulging arms. But not completely at his whim. Never. He snuck into her mouth with another groan and withdrew. Giving her the power. Giving her control of the kiss and their passion. Nobody had ever given her that power before. Everybody assumed the poor little scarred girl was the weak one. She knew the reason that kid had targeted her. She seemed easy. Easy pickings. She’d been easy picking for a long time. But in his arms, with his soft exhale over her lips as she stole his kisses. She was the one picking. Deciding. Choosing.

“Molly, you’re killing me here.” He groaned again. Tumbling her off the couch and straddling her around his hips on the floor. His hands trembled as he massaged her butt cheeks. Rubbing her into his groin. Pressing the hard proof of his arousal against her soft belly.

Powerful. She’d never had power over a man. Never had a man. Should she tell him? No, not when he was willing. Not when he wanted her as much as she wanted him. She shouldn’t have been surprised that he’d been watching her. Stalking her like an alley cat after a mouse. But this mouse had been stalking him too. Her sex life had shut down after her accident. She’d locked it in a box, hurt and angered by rejection after rejection. She’d cracked it a little to please herself. But then she’d slammed it shut again. Until him. He’d made her lift the lid, and the little hussy inside had come slinking out and wasn’t going back on lockdown. She pulled back from his lips. Their lips untangling like two magnets being forced apart but still reaching for each other. Her body protested the movement, but she had to know. “Do you want me?”

“The fuck? The fuck kind of question is that?” He grabbed her arm and pulled her back into his embrace. His tug was leather-padded handcuffs. Soft but unbreakable. His lips sank to her throat as he palmed himself with her hand. Her touch forced another mangled groan. “Don’t you feel that? Never been so hard in my life. My dick could hammer nails and not break.” He slid his kisses around to the other side of her neck. Leaving warm wet trails as a necklace. “Can’t fake that, baby. And wouldn’t if I could. I want you. Want you so bad.”

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