Well, shit.
I needed the money, which meant I needed this job. He might be willing to break the rules, but I couldn’t afford it.
I stepped back. “Fine, but you can’t kiss me at home either.”
The most devious smirk I’d ever seen crested his lips. “I’ll be right behind you on my bike. Don’t run any red lights.”
My gaze alternated between the road and the sight of Punc on his motorcycle in my rearview mirror. He rode very close to my bumper. For some reason, he wasn’t wearing a helmet leaving his hair windswept. Add in his dark sunglasses, the leather he wore, and a powerful bike between his thighs, and he oozed kickass biker.
While sitting at the traffic light at Old Middleburg Road, I took a quick count of the cash in my wallet. I had one thousand, two hundred dollars in cash. Along with yesterday’s earnings of five-fifty, I needed to make at least another two hundred and fifty dollars so I could give Frank a full monthly payment of two thousand on Friday.
It sucked that he wouldn’t take a check because there was no way he’d be issuing me a receipt. And nobody wanted to waste two grand.
The light changed and traffic moved forward.
I couldn’t believe Punc wanted to kiss me. Then I wondered if that stemmed from seeing me strip or from watching me give two lap dances on the main floor.
I shook my head at myself. I couldn’t go there with him. I couldn’t jeopardize this job, at least not yet. I’d raked in almost two grand in two days. Like Punc mentioned last night, it could be the new girl effect, but whether it was or not, I needed to make as much money as I possibly could from that vibe.
Yeah, I had to stick to my guns about no kissing in the driveway either.
Punc could see me home, and that would be that.
My wayward libido said I was wrong. My heart wanted me to be wrong, too, because deep down I longed for someone I could open up to about my problems. I wantedhimto be that man. That would probably scare him off – or send him over the edge, my guess was it could go either way.
I parked my car, and by the time I had exited the vehicle, Punc had powered down his bike and swung a leg off.
“In the house, babe.”
Hmm…babe wasn’t as good as sweetheart.
I unlocked the front door. “Catalina! I’m home. Punc’s here, too.”
There was no response, and I realized the house was eerily quiet. I moved through the kitchen and saw Catalina’s handwritten note on a dry erase board attached to the fridge door.
I’m at Bella’s to study and have dinner. Be back by nine.
My heart clenched seeing her stick to the curfew Mom had insisted on for school nights. I couldn’t say I was a stickler for that kind of thing because Cat was already so responsible, part of me had thought it would do her good to break curfew, though not so much, now that it was just us.
Punc’s eyes scanned the note, and he grinned. “Got the house all to yourself.”
“I do. Listen, I’m sorry if my dances caused you to get the wrong—”
In two strides, Punc stood toe-to-toe with me. “You are one helluva a great dancer, Ava, but that isn’t what’s going on here.”
“Then what is going on here?”
He dragged a hand through his hair. “Fuck, if I understand it, either. But I can’t fight the pull you have on me, and that started before I laid eyes on you on Monday.”
I tipped my head to the side. “Something tells me, a man who’s as rough, rugged, and handsome as you can fight any pull you want.”
His arms wrapped around my waist. “Not true, sweetheart, but I like hearing you say I’m handsome. Not too many women tell a biker that.”
He held me close. Both of his hands traveled down to my ass again. I had no choice but to put my hands on his broad chest. I liked touching him like this, but I couldn’t let myself revel in it. No matter how much I wanted to slide my hands up and drape my arms around his wide shoulders, I beat that back.
“I shouldn’t do this, Savannah. I’m not the man for you. You’re so good…too good for me. You deserve much better than what I can give you, but even though Iknowthat, I can’t stop myself. I’ve gotta have one little taste of you.”
“That doesn’t sound like a good idea either, honey.”
