“I’ve been around from time to time.Been a while though.Might have been before your time.”Not a stretch.She was at least fifteen years younger than me.
"Mechanic?"She eyed my hands, and I knew she was noticing the ingrained oil stains, the small burn scar on my right thumb.Details that couldn't be faked."What do you ride?"
"Custom Harley.Rebuilt the engine myself last year."Truth again."She's out front if you wanna see her later."
Wren's gaze lingered on my hands a beat too long."You affiliated?"
The million-dollar question.I took another sip, letting the whiskey burn."Lady, I got lots of affiliations.”I smiled to take the sting out of my words, but I knew this girl wouldn’t take offense.“Right now, I’m just lookin’ for some fun company.”
“Uh huh.”She gave me a wry grin, seeing through my deflection.Surprisingly, she didn’t call me on it.“What brings you to Nashville?”
I shrugged.“The usual.Fresh start.New town.New faces.”
"Fresh start from what?"Her eyes narrowed, but there was interest there, not just suspicion.
I laughed, running a hand through my hair in a calculated gesture of discomfort."The usual shit.Bad relationship.Worse job prospects.Needed new scenery."
"So you picked this shithole town?"She was smiling now, a real one that transformed her face.And, oh, my God, the woman was breathtaking when she smiled.
"Got good roads.Decent garages willing to hire someone without asking too many questions."I leaned closer, lowering my voice."And apparently hot women with purple hair who drink whiskey like water."
A flush crept up her neck, but she didn't back away.Instead, she finished her drink and nodded toward the pool tables."You play?"
"Depends on the stakes."
"Loser buys the next round."She pushed off from the bar, and I followed, hyperaware of how every guy in Bound in Blood tracked her movement.Several of the men in other clubs too, but not in the way the men of her club did.Like they were ready to carve out my liver with a spork if I made one move on Wren they didn’t much like.I kept my distance, respectful, watchful, until we reached an open table.
She racked the balls."You break."
I lined up the shot, the familiar feel of the cue making me smile.The break was clean, two solids dropping into pockets.
"Not bad," she commented, leaning against the wall as I circled for my next shot.
"I've had a bit of practice."I sank another ball, then missed the third deliberately.Never show your full hand too early.First rule of both undercover work and pool hustling.
She stepped up, and I watched the fluid way she moved around the table.Every motion economical, precise.She cleared three balls before missing what should have been an easy shot.Yep.Girl knew what she was about.Though, I got the feeling she wasn’t trying too hard.In fact, I thought she might be mocking me.Which delighted me to no end.
"Distracted?"I asked, moving in to take my turn.Our bodies brushed as we exchanged positions, and I felt a jolt of lust.While I wasn’t above using sex to get what I wanted, I wasn’t entirely certain sex alone would work with this girl.
"By what?"But her voice had a slight huskiness that hadn't been there before.
I leaned over the table, lining up my shot as I frowned, shrugging."No idea.Just seemed like an easy shot to miss."
“Could say the same for your miss.”She smirked at me.Yeah.Little thing was playing with me.Like a kitten with a ball of yarn.And didn’t the idea of tying this kitten up for hours while I pleasured her bring this whole thing into greater perspective.
We continued our game.Game was the code word here for foreplay.Because there was absolutely no way I didn’t get this woman in my bed tonight, whether I intended to or not.When she leaned over for a difficult corner shot, I allowed myself to admire the curve of her ass in that tight black dress.Pretty sure her ass would make angels weep, too.
"See something you like?"She caught me looking as she straightened up.“Maybe you’re the one distracted.”
"Oh, I definitely like what I see," I replied smoothly with as much innuendo as I could.Wren rolled her eyes.
"So what kind of connections you looking to make in this town?"she asked, watching me sink another ball.
"The useful kind."I straightened up, meeting her gaze."People who know their way around.People worth knowing."
"And you figured the Valentine's Ball and a local biker bar was a good place to start?"
I shrugged."Heard it was neutral ground.Figured it was safer than walking into a club bar on a regular night."
