Burning Desires (Blue Bandits MC Book 4) (14 page)

Of course, that required him remembering what the fuck he’d been on about because at the moment it escaped him. He swallowed hard, trying to wrack his brain for a single coherent thought, but none was forthcoming. Burner blinked and took a step forwards before he forced himself to stop and he pulled his eyes upwards, trying to find somewhere to look that would make his blood return to his brain because otherwise he was going to tackle her to the bed. At the moment his cock didn’t think that was a bad idea but he knew it was for some reason, even if he couldn’t remember why.

“You were saying?” Kelsey asked, a sly smile slipping over her face, and he knew that she was playing with him. He should teach her a lesson by taking what she was offering but even in the state he was currently in, he knew that was a bad idea. Burner stepped back, his hands out in front of him as he watched her move towards him.

“I just remembered som-something I have to do,” Burner uttered, his voice much higher than normal as he took a step back from her. Kelsey tilted her head watching him silently. Burner knew he was still backing away from her like a scared little girl as she took another step forward but he couldn’t let her get within touching distance. If he did, he would grab her and then all his good intentions would fly out the window along with his brain cells.

“But I thought you wanted to talk about what happened at the club tonight?” Kelsey asked, following him into the living room as he retreated, trying not to look down at her in those lace panties or think about sinking into her wet pussy to the hilt.

“Sorry, I have to go,” he snapped and forced himself to turn and head to the door, realizing that whatever he’d wanted to talk to her about could wait till she was dressed. Preferably in a gunnysack because surely even she couldn’t make that look good. He slammed out of her apartment quickly. He couldn’t get out of here fast enough because if he looked back at her one more time, he wouldn’t be leaving and he knew it.

Chapter Eleven

Kelsey couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her as she stood in her doorway calling out after Burner, who was practically running from her apartment like a scared little boy after she’d stripped to her underwear.

Ha, score one for her. 

“If you’re sure because I really thought it was something important.” Knowing she was taunting him, she felt a little remorseful but not enough to stop laughing at his reaction.

Hell, that had been easier than she’d expected.

She was still standing in the doorway peeking out when a car pulled in behind Burner as he pulled away from the little drive. Recognizing Greta’s car, she didn’t bother shutting the door and instead stood with it cracked to wait on her. Greta came up the walkway looking behind her at Burner’s retreating figure.

Kelsey sighed because this was likely going to earn her another lecture from her sister. Damn, and after so successfully avoiding the first one too. What was Greta doing here anyway? It was four am after all. When Greta was closer to the door, she looked at her, a frown on her face, and Kelsey wanted to scream mind your own business but she refrained.

“Was that Burner?” Greta asked as Kelsey let her into the apartment.

“Yes, what are you doing here?”

“I came over to ask you if that doctor you know will––wait, are you in your underwear?” Greta asked suddenly

Shaking her head, Kelsey muttered a clipped, “Yes.”

“With Burner here?” Greta said, sounding scandalized which was ridiculous because neither of them were prudes.

“Yes.”

“Are you two having sex?” Greta demanded, her hands landing on her hips and a scowl on her face. Kelsey’s hazel eyes narrowed before she slammed the door, locking it.

“If we were it wouldn’t be any of your business, Greta. Now what about the doctor? Is Hanna okay?” Kelsey asked, concerned that something was wrong with Hanna if Greta was asking about Lance.

“Right, I get it but I don’t think it’s a good idea, Kelsey. And Hanna is getting worse, she started throwing up a few hours ago. She needs to be seen and she’s likely dehydrated because she can’t keep anything down. I wanted to ask if you thought we should drive her to Titusville or if Lance would see her this morning. I hate to wake him but I just don’t know what else to do at this point.” Greta was biting her nails and wringing her hands, which told Kelsey that she was worrying herself half to death.

“Let me grab my phone and I’ll call him. He offered to see her at one this morning so he will likely see her now if I call him. I need to put some clothes on and then I’ll check with him to see,” Kelsey told her sister, hoping for Greta’s sake that Lance was willing to see them or by the time they got to Titusville she would have an ulcer if she didn’t already. She walked towards her room to grab her phone from the pocket of the jeans she’d been wearing.

“Okay,” Greta said, before using her own phone to call Hanna again to see if she was all right. Kelsey knew that Greta had likely been at Hanna’s when she got home four hours ago because any time one of them was sick, she turned into a mother hen. Not that she wasn’t always a mother hen, it was just worse when one of them was sick. Digging her phone out of the jeans before throwing them back on, she dialed Lance’s number.

“Hello?” a gruff male voice husked over the phone.

“Hi, Lance, this is Kelsey. Sorry to call so early but I wondered if you could see Hanna sooner because she’s started throwing up and can’t keep anything down. If you can’t, we can drive her to Titusville.” Kelsey felt awkward calling him at all, much less at four in the morning. Running a hand through her hair, she really hoped he wouldn’t be ticked off that she was rearranging his schedule.

“Um, yeah. It’s all good, just bring her over and don’t worry about the time. If you need something just call. I’m used to it with the club and I don’t want anyone to wait if they’re hurt or sick because it makes my job harder anyway,” Lance told her, his voice sounding clearer as he woke up more.

“Thanks, Lance, I really appreciate your help with my sister and just let me know what we owe you for the early morning visit and I’ll make sure you get it.” Kelsey grabbed a light jacket from the closet because there had been a slight chill in the air when she was standing at the door and she didn’t want to get whatever Hanna had. As she exited the closet, she moaned loudly as she hit her toe on the bedpost when she headed into the bedroom to grab her shoes.

“Are you okay?” Lance demanded, making her blush because it was something that happened often and it was never fun to explain that she was fine, just clumsy.

“Yeah, I just stubbed my toe.”

“Ah, yep, that hurts,” Lance said, his voice sympathetic.

“It does,” Kelsey muttered, thinking that it was par for the course to her though because it happened about three times a week.

“As for the credits, you don’t owe me a thing. The club foots the bill for stuff like this so no worries. They pay me well,” Lance explained.

Kelsey didn’t know what to say to that as she put on her shoes because they weren’t part of the club, but she was unwilling to say that because she was afraid he’d say he wouldn’t be able to see Hanna if she did, so she held her tongue. Feeling a little guilty over the slight fib, she made a mental note to clarify the mistake after he’d seen Hanna and pay him then.

“All right. Then we will see you in a little while. We have to go get Hanna and then we’ll be over.” Kelsey hung up after Lance’s agreement, heading into the living room where Greta was sitting on the edge of her couch, looking more worried than she had been when she had arrived as she stared down at her phone.

“He will see her as soon as we get her there,” Kelsey said, bringing her sister’s attention to her.

Greta jumped up. “Thank goodness. She isn’t answering the phone. I’m worried.”

“I’m sure she’s just sleeping but let’s go so we can get her seen and feeling tiptop and being her annoying self again,” Kelsey muttered as she grabbed her purse and keys and waited on Greta to precede her out of the apartment before she locked up.

“Lance, I really appreciate you helping Hanna. I feel bad that I didn’t say anything over the phone but we’re not really part of the club. I was afraid if I said anything when we were speaking that you wouldn’t see her. I’m sorry but if you’ll just tell me how much I owe you, I promise not to ask this of you again.” Kelsey glanced over at the hospital bed across the room where Hanna was hooked up to an IV stand with a slight grimace. She was glad they hadn’t had to go to Titusville because by the time they got Hanna here, she’d been dehydrated from the vomiting and fever she’d had for twelve hours. It didn’t make her feel better about deceiving Lance but at least Hanna was going to be okay.

“I have a feeling that you’re wrong about that, Kelsey,” Lance told her when she turned back to him, a grin spreading over his face.

“Umm, no, really we’re aren’t.”

“Isn’t the bar half owned by the club?” Lance asked her, still smiling at her.

“Not really, no. They just get a portion of the profits from the club in exchange for protection,” Kelsey replied looking at Greta who was currently fussing over Hanna by rearranging her pillows. Hanna didn’t look too thrilled and Kelsey knew she would have to step in soon to make Greta leave her alone or they would start fighting. Not that they didn’t fight all the time but it was embarrassing when it was in front of other people.

“You still don’t owe me anything,” Lance replied, bringing her attention back to him.

“I must insist, Lance. The club wouldn’t be too happy with us if we used our association with them to elicit free services from you,” Kelsey told him frowning.

“That’s not what you’re doing but if it was, I don’t think it would be an issue. After all hasn’t Burner been stuck to your ass like a tick on a deer for over six weeks now?” he asked, his grin slightly wicked.

“Yes,” Kelsey gritted out between her teeth because she wasn’t too pleased with that description despite its accuracy. “But not for the reason you obviously think.”

“I would think there is only one reason a man like Burner would see to a woman’s safety personally, trust me,” Lance said, letting out a little chuckle.

Lowering her voice so that Hanna and Greta didn’t hear her, she hissed, “It’s only because of the near rape he stopped the night I came here with him.”

“No, it’s not, but you keep believing that if it helps you sleep at night.” Lance laughed a little and turned, setting down the scanner he’d used on Hanna a little while ago to see what was wrong with her.

“What are you going on about?” she demanded, tilting her head to look at him in question, glancing over at her sisters again to see Greta sitting beside Hanna talking to her.

“Burner could assign anyone in the club to be sure what happened that night never happened again only he is sticking to you like glue instead. What do you think that tells me?” Lance asked, his brow raised and that slightly wicked smile on his face again.

“I don’t know, what?” she snapped, her patience with this conversation thin.

“That it’s a hell of a lot more than your safety he’s concern about.” Lance turned his back on her, lifting supplies from the counter to place them inside the cabinet he’d removed them from when he was treating Hanna.

“I can’t see that. He’s just an asshole who thinks that he has to see to it because his ego is too big.” Kelsey rolled her eyes, wondering what the hell he was going on about because Burner was an asshole and he certainly wasn’t interested in her. Tonight had proven that to her in vivid color. Lance watched her for a long moment, making her feel a little uncomfortable with the tight scrutiny.

“He wasn’t always an asshole, you know. He used to be like your Hanna actually but he’s been through a lot in the past year and a half and it hardened him. It’s changed him. I know him better than you and I can tell you he is very interested in you if he’s still hanging around. Likely tore up about it because of what he’s been through and that’s why he’s being an asshole.”

Kelsey knew that her mouth was hanging open because she couldn’t imagine Burner being a jokester like Hanna. It just wasn’t something she could visualize. It was also the second time one of Burner’s club members had said something about him being interested in her. But if that was the case wouldn’t he have tried to take her rather than run away tonight? She didn’t know the answer to that but she did know that she was annoyed with this conversation and she wasn’t going to continue it.

“Well if you’re refusing payment then I can’t force the issue but if it upsets the club, just let me know and I’ll make sure you get the credits to cover our visit here,” Kelsey muttered before she turned on her heel and walked over to where Hanna and Greta were arguing, ignoring the slight chuckle from Lance that followed her.