He dipped his chin and one of his eyebrows ticked up and down.“You are, even though you don’t know it.And your facial expressions are out of control.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he was right.Even Chad had told me my facial expressions put me on par with Dorothy fromTheGolden Girls.
My gaze moved past him and I swatted my hand out toward the bathroom.“You go get dressed or whatever, and we won’t have to talk about this.”
He nodded.“I’ll do that.”His finger came up and traced along the edge of my temple.“Then, I’m taking you downstairs so you can ice this.”
“I can just go downstairs while you—”
His index finger went under my chin and tipped my face up.The insistent look in his eyes sent a thrill through me.“No.You don’t go down there withoutme.”
My brows furrowed.His statement didn’t sound like a warning, it almost sounded proprietary.
“It’s just a bag of ice,” I whispered.
His expression turned serious.“But that isn’t just some room down there.It’s our common room.If you’re not with me… not sure Killian will be able to stop whatever might happen to you down there.”
“Something would happen to me?”
“Since nobody down there knows who you are… something could.Bottom line, you wait five minutes for me.Got it?”
“I got it.”
Slowly, he dragged his finger out from under my chin.“Don’t be scared.Once they know you’re… with me, it’ll be fine.”
I didn’t know why he hesitated before saying ‘with me,’ but I sensed it went back to his proprietary tone.
He turned around and my mouth dropped open.Colorful ink depicting the Riot MC patch covered his back.It was impressive and gorgeous, but made even more so by his rippling muscles.My eyes wandered down his legs.I admired his thick calves and the intricate scorpion tattoo wrapping around the bottom of his left calf.The bathroom door snicked shut, and I shook my head.
If anyone was trouble around here, it was definitelyhim.
Chapter 10
One More Thing in Common
Ryan
Thisnightcouldn’tendfast enough.I thought being stuck in a room in the middle of nowhere was torture, but no,thiswas real torture.Having her on the back of my bike, in the clubhouse, in my room, and soon in my bed… but not being able to do a damn thing with her because I’d told her she’d be safe here.Yeah, I had a masochistic streak all right.
Then I’d almost told her she was mine.
Good God.
I couldn’t have a woman right now.I may have earned my patch, but working for Lark felt like I’d signed on to be a never-ending prospect for him.
That wasn’t totally true.
He ran the three of us ragged in an effort make usfeeljust how grueling and harsh the restaurant and bar industry really was.
I didn’t want to add a woman into the mix right now.Definitely not one like Ivy, who not only wasn’t from my world, but also deserved a stable man who lived in her world.
Watching her interacting with Killian though, practically barring him at the door, some instinct in me said she could hack it around here.Not just hack it, but even fit in with brothers and their ol’ ladies.
Shit.
I quickly put on my tank and pulled on my jeans.I’d forgotten to grab a clean pair, but I’d take care of that while Ivy showered.The way she looked at me earlier had me fighting off kissing her.And for her to think I wasn’t attracted to her.That was ridiculous… then again, she thought she wasn’t as gorgeous as my sister.I was exactly the man who could show her reality.
I stepped out of the bathroom to find her watchingMonday Night Footballwith a hip propped on my bed.
