He laughed. "You just checked it an hour ago, babe. Puck's down there making sure your pink baby is doing okay."
"Even so, I want to make sure." She looked through the curtain and saw her Harley, the parking lot light bouncing off the chrome. Puck sat on a chair with his arms crossed, playing sentinel to the powerful machines. She looked up, expecting to see the black sky littered with sparkling stars, but the city's artificial illumination masked the blackness and hid the twinkling lights in the sky. She closed the curtain and crawled into bed.
"All good?"
She nodded and snuggled under the crook of his arm. He reached over and turned off the lamp, then put his thumb under her chin and tilted her head back. Parting her lips, she raised herself to meet his, and she quivered at the sweet tenderness of his kiss. Exhausted from the long ride to the city, they held each other tight as they fell asleep.
* * *
Kimber had never seen as many motorcycles in one place as she did at the expo. Her dream had always been to go to Sturgis, and if things continued to go well with Throttle, she'd be joining him that year at one of the largest bike rallies in the country. Of course, if she went, she'd want to ride to South Dakota on her own bike. A knot formed in her stomach just imagining the argument they'd have about that one.
"There's the Insurgents' booth," Throttle said as he guided her through the maze of people and kiosks. Puck and Blade stood guard-one on each side-while Bear, Bruiser, Rock, and Jax spoke with people, handed out literature about the Insurgents MC, and gave away stickers, buttons, and black T-shirts that read "If Riding were a Crime, I'd be on Death Row" and "Respect is Earned, a Beating is Free." A group of women congregated around the booth, flirting and handing out their phone numbers to the members behind and around the kiosk.
"Where's Rags?" Throttle asked as he held up one of the T-shirts.
"He's with Wheelie checking out the wet T-shirt contest," Bear said.
Throttle laughed. "Why aren't you with them?"
Bear lifted his shoulders. "Don't think my ol' lady would like that." He grinned and handed out a few pamphlets to a couple of young guys who wore Harley-Davidson T-shirts.
"Do you want to watch the contest?" Kimber asked Throttle.
He ran his eyes over her body, then tugged her to him. "I wanna see you wiggling your ass in a wet T-shirt," he whispered in her ear, his hot breath singeing her skin.
"You're so damn horny all the time." She smiled as she stroked his cheek.
"You made me that way. I can't get enough of you, babe. The way you smell, the way you sass, and the way you shake your sexy ass is nothing short of a fucking hot wet dream." He kissed the side of her neck, and his fingers skimmed down her arm. Static tingles sizzled under his touch, and a small yelp burst from her throat as she pressed closer to him. Whenever she was near him, it was like she'd stepped on a high tension wire, making their connection magnetized. She looked at him and his gaze shone. "Yeah, baby. I feel it too."
In a place where there were thousands of people and loud noise, no one existed for her but him. It was like a movie where the background receded and the main characters were highlighted. She hooked her arms around his neck, bringing his face to hers, and then she gave him a passionate, loving kiss. At that moment, she cared for him more than she ever had for any other man, and it scared and exhilarated her at the same time.
"Go back to the fuckin' motel," Hoss grumbled as he came up to the booth.
"Don't take it out on me just ‘cause no one wants your dried-up dick." Throttle laughed, his arms still around Kimber's waist.
"Fuck you. I could bang more bitches in an hour than you could all night." Hoss cuffed Bruiser on the shoulder; the member nodded, sliding out of the booth and heading toward the wet T-shirt contest.
"Wouldn't want to see you act like a pussy when you lose that bet." Throttle leaned down and kissed Kimber. "You've got me so fuckin' worked up," he said in a low, thick voice.
"Do I?" She squeezed his waist.
"You fuckin' know it. I can't get enough of you."
"You gonna stand there practically fucking your woman or you gonna help? Bear's been manning the booth for the last three hours," Hoss said.
A warm glow spread through her when she heard Hoss refer to her as Throttle's woman. Throttle didn't protest or recoil from her when he heard it, and that made her feel even better. But was she truly his woman? They'd never talked about it and he never claimed her while fucking, as was the outlaw's way, but he said stuff to her that made her think she was special and not just some woman he banged for fun. She wasn't sure. She knew he loved the ladies, and she'd gathered from what the other brothers said to him that he loved them back in the way that was only reserved for fucking.
She didn't even know if she was the only one he was screwing. They'd never talked about exclusivity, but she knew if she went out and screwed another man that Throttle would go ballistic, so that was something, wasn't it? Then again, bikers could be very territorial with women, even if the woman wasn't their old lady. The Demon Riders never let their club whores service anyone else but the brothers, and she gathered the Insurgents were the same with their club women.
No, she really didn't know where she stood in Throttle's life.
"Come help me behind the booth. Bear said they've given away a shitload of T-shirts and buttons. The young guys like to put them on their jean vests. I used to do that when I was in high school. I was totally into collecting buttons from my favorite metal bands."
She smiled. "I didn't know that. Do you still have them?"
"Yep. My sister has all my old shit in a big box in her basement. I want you to meet Dawn and Olivia."
"Olivia's your niece, right?"
"Yeah. She's so fucking cute. She cracks me up." A warm smile whispered across his lips.
So the badass biker has a weakness. I love it! "Sure, I'd like to meet them."
"I'm taking them out to dinner next week. I want you to come."
She nodded. So he wants me to meet his family. That definitely means something. And sharing a glimpse of his past with me-totally huge. Maybe this is more than an affair. "I'd love to go. Thanks."
"No need to thank me. Fuck, we're beyond that, babe."
"Are we?"
"You know we are." They locked gazes, and the air around them crackled with sexual electricity. A jolt of desire coursed through her like a lightning rod in a savage storm. His dark eyes were molten, making the need between her legs ache more. She bit her inner cheek when she saw the large bulge in his jeans, loving that he wanted her as much as she did him. She licked her lips and began to walk to him when a teenager with long, straggly hair cut in front of her and went up to the booth's table.
"What is the Insurgents MC all about?" he asked Throttle.
With regret etched on his face, he turned to the teen and handed him a leaflet. "The Insurgents MC is a club of brotherhood, the most important aspects being respect and loyalty … ."
Kimber turned away, breathing deeply to dispel the desire that was still pulsing through her. Addie and Baylee came up to her. "Hawk told us to come find you. He said there's a killer bike show with over a hundred vintage and high-custom bikes. He said you'd be psyched about it." Addie pointed to the left. "It's over there. Do you see the large neon sign?"
Kimber craned her neck. "Yeah. Hawk's right, I'm totally down for it. You guys going?" They nodded. "Okay, let me tell Throttle where I'll be." She slipped behind the kiosk and told him her plans.
Worry crossed his face. "I don't like you being somewhere I can't see you, especially with so many other bikers around. Why don't you wait and I'll go over with you? I should be able to get a brother to spot me in a couple hours."
"I'll be fine. I know you want to see the bikes too, so I'll go back with you. I'm going over with Addie and Baylee, and Hawk's there. Chill, okay?"
Dipping his head slightly, he said, "All right, but text me when you connect with Hawk, okay?"
"Yes, Dad," she joked, laughing louder when he frowned.
As they walked away, Throttle called out, "Addie, Baylee-you take care of her."
"We will," Baylee replied, the three of them laughing as Throttle frowned.
When Kimber went into the bike show, she couldn't believe how many kickass motorcycles there were. As she was checking out the bikes, someone bumped into her from behind and she felt a pinch on her butt. Enraged, she whirled around, her face blanching as her gaze fell on Chewy. Images of his fist smashing into her face and his boot cracking her ribs flashed through her mind. Without saying a word, she turned away, searching for Hawk.