“Just curious.” He shrugged. “You mentioned them before.”
I took a sip of wine, wondering if I had imagined the calculation that flickered in his eyes before disappearing. Searching his expression, all I found was the usual curiosity a man would have for the woman in his bed.
“It’s mostly boring stuff. Routine wires, small transfers, the kind of thing that pops up every day for businesses with high transaction volume. But nothing that crosses my desk ever seems to escalate. I just follow my supervisor's guidance—approve and move on.”
He took another bite before asking. “I can see how that would be frustrating if you do that a thousand times a week.”
“Um…more like a couple of hundred at the busiest of times.” I shook my head with a laugh. “And it’s only that many because Mr. Hopkins doesn’t trust me with the more complex alerts. The analysts who get those spend a lot more time on them. I’m not attached to any of the high-risk accounts yet.”
He set his fork down, reached across the table, and caught my hand. His thumb stroked over my knuckles. “But you like your job?”
I shrugged. “It pays the bills, and I’m good at what I do, even if my tasks aren’t that complicated. That’s enough for now.”
He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my palm. “Good. As long as you’re happy.”
“I am.”
That was even more true now that he’d come into my life.
“What movie should we watch later?”
I thought about our options before suggesting an action flick that came out last year, but I hadn’t had a chance to watch it yet. But we never make it to the couch after dinner. Instead, he scooped me from my chair and carried me to the bedroom where he slowly stripped me bare. By the time he was done ravishing me, the movie was the last thing on my mind.
11
POPPY
Istared at my reflection in Colter’s bathroom mirror for the third time in ten minutes, smoothing my hands over the halter top I’d picked out. It was as close as I came to biker chic, but I’d never worn it before. I had tossed it into my suitcase on Wednesday out of pure impulse, similar to when I bought it a few months ago.
The top looked better on me than I remembered, but it was so different from what I normally wore. With my hair down in loose waves, tight jeans, and lipstick the same shade of pink as my halter, I felt confident that I wouldn’t stand out like a sore thumb today.
Still, my stomach was doing cartwheels.
No matter how often Colter had told me not to be nervous, I was headed to the Hounds of Hellfire clubhouse for the first time. A place that Riverstone locals were all curious about. But more than that, I was going to meet the family he’d chosen.
He appeared in the doorway behind me and leaned a shoulder against the frame. Already dressed, he looked sexy as ever. “You ready, baby?”
I turned, biting my lip. “I think so. Maybe? I’ve never been to a motorcycle club before. Am I wearing the right thing? Or should I change? What if I say the wrong thing? Or talk too much? Or?—”
He pushed off the doorframe, closed the distance between us in two strides, and cupped my face in both hands. His thumbs brushed my cheeks. “Poppy.”
I sucked in a breath. “Yeah?”
“Just be yourself. That’s who I want there with me. Not some quiet version of you. You don’t need to worry about trying to fit in.”
My eyes stung at the sincerity in his deep voice. “What if they think I’m too much?”
“That’s not gonna happen. But if it did, they’ll still love you anyway and soon figure out how wrong they are.” He kissed my forehead. “Come on. It’s time to go.”
The ride to the clubhouse on his motorcycle felt like it held more meaning than any of the other times I’d been on the back with him. The teal helmet he’d bought me fit perfectly, and I wrapped my arms around his waist, cheek pressed to his back, letting the rumble of the engine and the wind drown out most of my nerves.
When we pulled through the gate, the lot was already full of a mixture of motorcycles, SUVs, and trucks. The smell of charcoal and barbecue sauce drifted toward us, and kids’ laughter rang out over the chatter. Not exactly what I’d been expecting from the Hounds of Hellfire MC.
“Stay close until you feel comfortable,” he murmured, squeezing my fingers. “Or the entire time, if you want. I like having you next to me.”
“Okay.”
It was rare for me to be so nervous that I was actually quiet, but my one-word reply gave me away.
