As he rubbed her thigh, her pulsing sex ached for him to touch her, enter her, and bring her over the top.
"I'm horny for you," she whispered.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go back to the clubhouse. I can show you my room."
"Won't there be people there?"
"They're all here. We'll be alone for a few hours. Later, there's a barbecue then the club party. That'll be wild. Can't wait to show you off to the visiting members." He sucked her bottom lip while his hand slipped under her thigh.
Catching his glance, a sensual thrill rode her spine as she saw hunger blazing in his dark eyes. "What are we waiting for?" she rasped.
He scooped Baylee up then set her on her feet, tugging her along as they went to his Harley. Pressed against his back, the cool, early evening breeze rolled around her as they drove to the clubhouse.
The great room seemed different without the usual chatter of the brothers. Blade was behind the bar, making sure the liquor was in order for the club party that night. A few of the old ladies had also come back early from the rally to finish last-minute preparations for the family barbecue.
"The food smells fantastic," she said as Axe led her by the hand to his room. "How many are coming to the party?"
Axe peeled off his t-shirt and kicked off his boots. "A lot, like a hundred, but that includes the women."
Baylee looked around his room. It was simple with just a queen-sized bed, two tables, one desk lamp, a computer, one desk chair, one recliner, and a forty-two-inch flat-screen TV. The room did not show any markings of a home; the white walls were bare, and cheap plastic blinds covered the large garden-level window.
"How do you like my place?"
"It seems convenient."
"It serves its purpose. Now, get your sweet ass over to the bed."
"There must be mostly men at the party, since there's only a handful of women in the club," she said as she shuffled to the bed.
Seizing her hand, he pulled her on the bed, and Baylee landed half on him and half on the mattress.
Tugging her top up with urgency, Axe answered, "The barbecue is for the family, brothers, charter and affiliate members. After the dinner, the women clean up, go home, and the party starts. The women who come to the parties are the club whores and the hoodrats. You know what they are?"
"I remember reading about them in my research. I didn't think it was real."
"It's real. It's the way the club works. The old ladies know it, and they're cool with it as long as their men don't stick their cocks in another chick's pussy." He twisted her top over her breasts. "Damn, babe, help with this."
Baylee flung off her top. "Am I going to the party?"
"Yeah. You'll be with me, but you gotta stay with me so there isn't any problem." He pulled her shorts down, taking her sheer panties with them.
"Don't worry. I won't leave your side."
Hovering over her naked body, Axe bent forward so his face was inches from hers. "Good girl. Now, give your man some love."
She yanked him on top of her, his hard dick flat against her belly, and covered his mouth with hers.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Tuesday
"You want to meet for lunch?" Baylee asked as she snuggled in Axe's arms.
"Today isn't good. I got stuff to do. We can go out to dinner, though."
In a soft voice, she said, "I'll be going back to Denver soon."
"I know, babe." Axe squeezed her tighter.
After holding on to each other, and Baylee hitting the snooze button several times, she groaned as she untangled herself from Axe's arms then rolled out of bed. She padded to the bathroom so she could get ready to start her day.
When she arrived at her office, there was a new floral arrangement on her desk. She opened the card, and the brief "Can you forgive me? Let's have dinner" note from Palmer turned her stomach. Doesn't this guy ever give up? She picked it up and marched over to Tina's desk, setting the bouquet of carnations and roses on her desk.
Tina smiled widely. "Thank you, Ms. Peters. I'm sorry you're allergic to flowers."
"I'm very allergic, especially to these. Enjoy."
When she went back to her office, she was surprised to find Gary sitting in it, since he'd gone back to Denver the past weekend.
"Hi, Gary. What brings you back to Pinewood Springs?"
Gary looked up from the document he was reading. To her, he looked tired-weary, really. He was probably over-worked since the firm had taken on more projects than they should have. Baylee was going crazy juggling several jobs they'd given her in addition to the strip mall gig. The newest assignments were all in Denver, so at least being back in the city would help make her workload more manageable. Her stomach lurched, as it always did, when she thought of leaving Axe.
She knew he wanted her to stay in Pinewood Springs, but how could she give up her career, something she'd worked so hard for? It'd be like her asking him to leave the Insurgents. He'd told her it wasn't the same since the club was his family, not a job, but there was a Denver chapter he could be part of. For the past two weeks, she'd been musing over possible ways for them to make their relationship work long-term, but it looked like nothing would help. They'd decided on taking turns visiting each other, but Baylee knew from a past relationship with a fellow architect she met on a project in Cheyenne, Wyoming, that it would only work for a while. Then life came up and one or the other party couldn't get away until the whole relationship fizzled out.
For her, the difference with Axe was that she adored him. She loved him more than she'd ever loved any other man, so she'd try hard to make a go of it. She worried Axe would grow restless. Without her around, would he succumb to the advances of the women who seem to always make a play for him? He is very sexual, and he is a man. She shook her head, not wanting to think about that. What were they going to do?
"Baylee?" Gary's voice transported her back to her office.
"I'm sorry, Gary. I was thinking about the projects I'm working on. Is there something wrong with the strip mall?"
Gary darted his eyes around, as if to avoid her gaze. Baylee sensed something was wrong. He seemed more nervous than usual, and he wouldn't look her in the eye. Maybe he's come to tell me I didn't make partner.
"What is it?"
"Stop asking me that," he snapped.
Taken aback, Baylee leaned back in her chair, the sting of his comment weaving its way through her. She'd not say anything more and let him take the lead, since he obviously wanted to tell her something. They sat in awkward silence which seemed like hours to Baylee, but was only a few minutes before Gary, locking his fingers together, leaned forward.
"You've been a great employee, Baylee. A real asset to the firm, and we've been impressed with your fresh, creative designs. You have your pulse on the look for the future." He paused. "I've enjoyed watching you grow as an architect. Your mother would've been very proud of you." His voice caught.
Is he leaving the firm? Is he sick? What's going on?
"Thanks, Gary. I love working for the firm, and I'm happy you and Bob gave me a chance."
"Your mother was a lovely woman. She was so creative. You remind me of her. She was also very ethical-sometimes too much." He muttered the last part of the sentence so she had to lean in to pick up his words.
"It makes me happy to hear you compare me to my mom."
Okay, this is getting weird. Why does he keep talking about Mom?
"Is your biker friend still in the picture?"
"Yes."
Gary nodded then stared at her with piercing eyes, the tenderness of the past few minutes gone in a flash. "Is he going to pick you up after work tonight?"
"I'm not sure. Why?"
"I noticed your bodyguard is gone."
"Yes. I haven't had any more problems. I guess it was just some loony who got his kicks scaring me. He was probably doing the same type of things with other women. Some people are very strange."
"You see, I told you there wasn't anything to worry about." He smiled thinly at her.
For a split second, an icy fear froze her as she looked at him. Then it melted away, leaving a sense of confusion in its wake.
Gary rose to his feet and walked to the doorway.
"You'll have to work late tonight. I have some things I need to go over with you, but I don't have time now."
"On the strip mall?"
"Yes."
"I thought everything was on target."
"Well, it's not. Are you questioning me?" he asked tersely.
"No. Sorry. I'll see you at seven-thirty."
"Okay."
Then he stalked away.
That was weird as hell. I wonder what he's talking about. Too strange.
She walked down the hall to Logan's office. He was staring at his computer screen intently, so she knocked on the door frame. He pivoted to the door, a smile crossing his face when he saw her.