Jenny stands before me in a black dress that hugs every curve of her body like it was painted on. The hemline stops mid-thigh, revealing legs that are thick and strong and perfect. The neckline dips just low enough to hint at cleavage without showing too much. Her brown hair falls in loose waves around her shoulders, and her green eyes are lined with something that makes them look bigger, brighter.
I blink twice, convinced I'm hallucinating.
"Beast?" she prompts, and I realize I've been staring without speaking for too long.
"You look..." Words fail me, which isn't unusual, but now it's inconvenient. "Aren't you going to be cold?"
Smooth, Murphy. Real smooth.
Jenny's face falls slightly, and she glances down at herself. "Is it too much? I wasn't sure what to wear, and this is the only nice dress I have, but I can change—"
"No," I say quickly, finding my voice. "You look beautiful. Really beautiful. I just meant it's forty degrees outside, and my bike isn't the warmest ride."
Her smile returns, a slight flush rising to her cheeks. "Oh. I have a jacket. And, um, thank you."
"You're welcome." I shift my weight, suddenly aware of how small the doorway is, how close we're standing. "Ready to go?"
Jenny nods and turns to grab a leather jacket from a hook by the door. It's well-worn but suits her somehow. She slips it on, and the combination of the elegant dress with the beat-up jacket makes my cock strain against my briefs. She looks fucking incredible.
"All set." She steps out into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind her.
I offer her my arm without thinking, and she hesitates for just a moment before slipping her hand into the crook of my elbow. Her fingers are warm through the fabric of my shirt.
"So," she says as we walk toward the stairs, "any last-minute details I should know about? Allergies? Family drama? Ex-girlfriends who might show up?"
"No allergies except penicillin. No family besides my mom. And no exes, not the kind that would show up for dinner anyway." I guide her toward the staircase that leads down to the main floor of the clubhouse.
"No exes at all?" She sounds skeptical.
"I don't do relationships, remember? That's why we're in this mess." I lower my voice as we reach the top of the stairs. "Mom's name is Elaine. She'll ask about your job, probably about your family too. She's direct but not mean about it."
Jenny nods, taking in the information. "Got it. And if she asks how we got together?"
"Like I said yesterday, keep it simple, close to the truth. We met when you came to town with Tank. Hit it off. Been seeing each other for a few days."
"Still not very romantic," she says, repeating her comment from yesterday. "Women like stories, Beast. Details."
I sigh. "Fine. I noticed you the moment you walked in with Tank. Couldn't take my eyes off you. Asked you out for coffee after Tank was distracted with Amelia. You said yes because of my charming personality."
Jenny snorts. "Right. Because 'charming' is the first word that comes to mind when people describe you."
"What would you say, then?" I ask, genuinely curious.
She considers this as we start down the stairs. "Intimidating. Intense." She pauses. "Solid."
"Solid?" I repeat.
"Yeah. Like, dependable. You seem like the kind of man who does what he says he'll do."
"That's...actually pretty accurate."
We're halfway down the stairs when the conversations below start to die down. I glance over the railing to see several club members staring up at us, expressions ranging from shock to amusement.
Steel raises his eyebrows but says nothing. Shadow, ever observant, just gives a slight nod. Rage's mouth is hanging open like he's watching a UFO land. And Torch, that asshole, has a shit-eating grin spreading across his face.
"Well, well," Torch calls up, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Look who's all dressed up. Should we expect a fire hazard when Tank finds out? Things are about to burn up!"
A few chuckles ripple through the room. I fix Torch with my best enforcer glare, the one that usually makes prospects piss themselves, but he just winks.
