“One of the reasons I respect you.” He laced his fingers with hers. “So I’ll take all this as a yes? I can drag you inside and show you off?”
“As long as you promise we can escape to your bedroom after one beer.”
Vincent rubbed his chin, pretending to contemplate his choice. “Give up time with my Brothers for another taste of that hot little pussy? Hmm.”
“Who said anything about that? Maybe I want another date with your cock.”
“We’ll see.” He walked her to the door. “Ladies first.”
Stepping into the clubhouse tonight differed greatly from any other time she’d visited. The main room resembled an indoor playground—Brothers were crowded around the dartboard and pool table in the back. Women were seated at the half dozen custom-made barrel tables and chairs, drinking. The lounge area with a big-screen TV and three leather couches to the right was crammed full with people watching motorcycle race videos. And the music—louder than inside Valhalla.
Tina gripped Vincent’s arm as he moved across the concrete floor, pausing to shake hands with a couple of Brothers. “Lurch and Axe, this is my girlfriend, Tina.”
Lurch checked her out head to toe. “Now we know where you’ve been disappearing to. Welcome.”
Axe grinned and slapped Vincent’s shoulder. “She’s beautiful. Too bad I can’t take her for a test drive.”
Three guys wearing leather vests with Prospect patches were standing off to the side of the archway that opened into the kitchen. Vincent stopped to talk with them too.
“Queenie, Jefferson, and Brent,” Vincent announced their names to her. “Jefferson is my Prospect.”
All three shook her hand.
Tina leaned close to Vincent. “You have your own Prospect?”
“Of course,” he said. “Like a manservant, aren’t you, Prospect?”
Jefferson saluted.
Vincent snatched Tina’s car keys from her hand and offered them to Jefferson. “Get her bags from the back of the Cadillac SUV out front and put them in my bedroom.”
Jefferson nodded and immediately departed.
“Just snap your fingers and he’ll do whatever you want?” Tina asked on a smile.
Vincent stared at her for a long moment. “Don’t get any ideas, woman. He belongs to me.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Stingy, aren’t you?”
“Just with you,” he said.
A girl wearing a bikini approached with a tray of longnecks in her hands. Vincent grabbed a couple and offered one to Tina. “You mentioned something about one beer.”
Tina took in the activities around her again, paying close attention to the dartboard. Practically a professional, she itched to place a couple of bets. “Would you mind introducing me to the Brothers playing darts?”
Vincent guzzled his beer, then lowered it from his mouth. “Wait a second.” He eyeballed the crowd in the back. “You can’t resist, can you?”
“Not when I know I can make money.”
He chuckled, hard. “Plan on losing the first couple of rounds?”
Tina took a lazy sip of her drink. “Maybe.”
“Only thing: those Brothers might not appreciate a woman kicking the shit out of them.”
“A chance I’m willing to take.”
“Wait.” His expression grew serious. “Sure you’re in the mood? I understand if you need more time to think about what happened. Say the word, we’ll go wherever you want.”
“Thank you for trying to make me feel welcome here and comfortable. I can’t tell you how happy I am about us. The most important thing for me to do right now is to forget about Kline tonight. He’s already stolen too much precious time I can never get back.” She squeezed his hand to reassure Vincent that she was okay. “Darts will keep my mind occupied. And after I win, you can have my body.”
Vincent shook his head.
“What?”
“You,” he said softly. “You’re an amazing woman, Tina.”
She found him devastatingly irresistible and so considerate. Perfect, really. Her very own leather-clad god with patches, and a heart of gold.
Chapter 27
The following Monday at work, Tina prepared for the actual meeting she’d fantasized about all weekend long. Spending time with Vincent gave her strength and a level of self-worth she’d never had before. Her boss, Alexander James, was known for his prowess in the courtroom and unyielding expectations of his employees. The man rarely negotiated with anyone. What he wanted, he got. And though Tina’s record with the firm was sterling on paper, she’d voiced her opinion in staff meetings before, sometimes not lining up with Mr. James’s own philosophies.