“I’m a cuddler,” he warns after already wrapping an arm around me. “Hope you don’t mind.”
I don’t.
“You’re taking up most of the bed.” Grumbling under my breath, he solves the issue by pressing me to his chest. “Ass.”
His front vibrates before one of his hands slides down to cup me from behind. He squeezes my ass and smiles when I groan. “Anywhere else?”
Damn him. He’s enjoying himself, isn’t he? From his smile alone, it’s very telling.
“Every day has been terrible.” Murmuring the words into my hair, he sighs. “Let’s just stay like this for a while. We can relax and pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist. It’s just you and me.”
“Sounds like a nightmare…” Closing my eyes, I realize how nice his suggestion sounds.
His chest rumbles again with a laugh. Instead of picking a fight, he pulls me in tighter.
Without spelling it out, he has no intention of letting me go again.
11
Jinx
When Diesel appears with a bag of patches and his girlfriend in tow, I realize the day is going to become even more exciting.
Raven is back to pretending I don’t exist, but it’s different now. Instead of hiding on the other side of the bar, she lingers by wherever I sit, and hisses her embarrassment when I purposely hop seats just to test my theory.
I’ve got no choice but to accept it. This harsh woman has outright stolen my heart out of my chest, and she’s hoarding it like some dragon with its treasure. There’s no other way to explain the way I feel when I’m with her.
I think I’m in love. Like, actual love. The kind that makes a person do silly things like think about rings and of future plans.
If we had a kid, would they have black hair like hers or brown like mine?
Does she think about that sort of stuff, too, or am I just some kind of sappy bastard now?
When the patching ceremony takes place, she’s tucked behind the bar by herself, her favorite place to be. Like the loner she is, I’m sure she’d be happier tucked away where it’s quiet, but she doesn’t. She waits around until I get a pat on the back and am sent on my way.
Kansas shoots me a grin as he goes right after. Catching me in the act of already heading toward Raven, he’s one of the few to know what’s going on. I haven’t outright told everyone that I want Raven, but it’s not because I don’t want to.
Beneath all that rage, I’ve learned that Raven is quite… the bashful type. So, until she’s ready, I’ll wait. Still, doesn’t mean I don’t want all these assholes to know she’s off the market.
All it’ll take is one newbie to see her beauty and think he’ll take a shot…
It takes strength not to let the thought ruin the smile on my lips as I coast over in her direction.
“How’s it look?” Running my thumb along the rectangle on my chest feels really good, seeing JINX instead of PROSPECT. Real fucking good as I show off my accomplishment.
I’m really happy. Got a girlfriend and a patch. What could be better than that?
She lifts a brow. “Uh…”
Turning around, I show her my back next. Instead of it being bare, I’ve got the club’s logo proudly attached. “Impressive, right?”
Her brows then pinch together before she lets out a laugh. Alaugh. It’s a sound that catches a few people’s attention, unfortunately.
Moving in front of her to block the view of the gorgeous curve on her lips, I lean toward her. The bar is too broad, putting too much space between us. “Tell me that you’re impressed. My pride needs stroked.”
“Jinx.” Using my name like it’s a scold, that smile sadly disappears. “I’m surrounded by ten of you guys every five minutes. Everyone wears the same patches. It’s just a vest.”
It is, but it isn’t.
