Burning Desires (Blue Bandits MC Book 4) (34 page)

They pulled up to her apartment and she grinned because she realized what he wanted to show her was likely his dick because it had been two days since they had seen each other. She almost laughed at the thought as he parked and helped her off the bike.

“I missed you,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead before walking her to the door. Kelsey was a little disappointed that he’d only placed that chaste kiss before he turned to head inside. Her lips compressed into a tight line and she glared at his back as he walked towards the door. He couldn’t have missed her much with a greeting like that.  She waited while he opened the door to the apartment entering ahead of her. Her anger left her when she saw the living room.

Burner had lit candles around the room and pushed the furniture out of the way to create a little pile of bedding on the floor in the living room reminding her of their time at the cabin. They had spent more than one night making love in front of the window watching the sunset through it because after the ‘spider’ incident he refused to go out to the meadow to watch it. A grin teased at the corners of her mouth as she thought of the look of revulsion on his face as he’d stared at the granddaddy long leg.

“I guess you did miss me,” she finally said, feeling her heart swell inside her as she leaned into his back, her face pressed to the back of his shoulder. Burner wasn’t ready and she almost fell when he stepped forward but he spun and his arm shot out catching her.

“Damn, I forget you’re so damned clumsy sometimes,” he muttered and she glared at him.

“You were the one who moved when I was leaning on you, not me,” Kelsey said defensively.

“You’re right. My bad.” He was grinning when he said it and she could almost hear the sarcasm in his voice but he ushered her towards the blankets and she saw the little picnic he’d set up. She sat down on the blanket with a little huff, almost ready to forgive him for calling her clumsy.

“I’ll be right back. Stay,” he barked, and turned to head into the kitchen. She watched him as he took two pots on the stove, pouring them into bowls before grabbing a tray from the fridge.

Kelsey glanced at the crackers and little breads that were already on the blanket and wondered if he thought she had starved while he was gone because she didn’t need this much food. He set the bowls and tray on the kitchen counter and grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses for them, bringing those into the living room first before going back for the bowls and the tray. When he set down the bowls, she realized that one was melted cheese and the other was melted chocolate, while the tray had assorted fruits, meat and vegetables.

Burner sat down and began pouring her a glass of wine, handing it to her before pouring one for himself.  She took it, drinking a small sip before reaching out to grab a piece of bread only to get her hand smacked gently.

“I’ll do that,” Burner told her when she glared at him in question. Then he dipped the bread into the cheese before lifting it to her mouth. She frowned at him for a moment before she allowed him to feed her the bite. She sighed in blissful contentment when the flavor of the cheese hit her tongue and she realized it was her favorite pepper jack.

Kelsey was surprised at how intimate it felt to allow him to feed her while she alternated giving him bits of meat and bread between bites. He fed her a chocolate-covered strawberry after the first few bites and she sighed blissfully, enjoying the romantic picnic and wondering how a night could be more perfect.

Chapter Twenty-six

After they were both full, Burner stood, taking the dishes back into the kitchen while she leaned back into the little mound of blankets, her wine glass poised near her mouth, taking small sips as she let out a happy little sigh. Although he insisted he wasn’t good enough for her, she didn’t feel that way. He was protective and considerate and the only complaint she had was that he hadn’t given her his patch yet.

Sarah had explained to her what a patch was a week ago when she’d been invited out with Sammy, Roz, Candy, Laci and her to a little luncheon the ladies in the club had every week. Sarah said that it was like being married or seriously committed in the eyes of the club and that when a man patched a woman he was basically asking her to be his wife.

Kelsey wasn’t sure Burner was truly over his reservations about their relationship and she likely wouldn’t be until he offered her his patch. The little things he did for her like this picnic always gave her hope that he would eventually get there. He had told her more than once that he loved her so she knew she was important to him but there was that little niggling voice that kept questioning how committed he was to making this work because he hadn’t given her his patch yet. She closed her eyes, feeling a little sleepy because she hadn’t slept for more than three hours a night since he left.

“Babe,” Burner whispered a little while later and she started because she must have fallen asleep.

“Hmm,” she whispered, opening her eyes to see him hovering over her, a tender smile on his face as he stared down at her. He held a little brown package out to her and she found herself taking it, wondering what it was. She untied the string and opened the paper and her heart started pounding in her ears as the vest slid out into her hands. She felt tears sting her eyes because this wasn’t something she had expected, despite this impromptu picnic he’d set up.

“Burner,” she breathed, opening the vest to see it had Property of Blue Bandits MC with Burner’s name on it through her tears. She held it to her chest, joy flooding her, making the tears of happiness flow freely down her cheeks.

“Don’t cry, babe. I’m sorry it took so long but the first vote didn’t go well. Second one was the charm though.” His eyes gleamed in a way that made a watery smile break out on her face.

“I’m guessing that’s why you came home with busted knuckles and a swollen jaw last week then?” She had asked him about it the night he had arrived with the injuries but he’d just shrugged and told her it was club business.

Burner grinned. “Maybe,” he said, a sheepish look on his face as he leaned over and kissed her cheeks, then her eyelids and lastly her mouth, his tongue teasing hers into a gentle game of give and take. She grabbed for his neck when he lifted her in his arms. He reached out, catching the patch and setting it on the coffee table that was pushed against the couch.

“Time for bed, baby. I know you’re tired but I need to make love to you if that’s all right,” he said as he carried her towards their room.

“When is that ever not all right, Burner?” she asked as he laid her out on the bed.

“True,” he muttered, before he made slow gentle love to her twice before they both fell into an exhausted sleep.

Three weeks later, she was doing inventory at the bar wearing her new patch, feeling happy with the way things were shaping up with her and Burner, when Greta and Hanna came down the stairs into the basement with identical looks of grim determination. Uh-oh, she was in for a lecture, she could see it on her sisters’ faces.

Damn.

She let out a sigh and wondered what they were so bent out of shape over. Her relationship with Burner was on track and the two of them were even searching for a house. They’d already looked at one near Sarah and Reaper the other day; it was two brownstone’s down from theirs and up for sale. Burner hadn’t said anything but when she’d gushed over the fireplaces in the living room and the master bedroom, she was pretty sure he’d made an offer on the house.

Her sisters should be happy for her, not spoiling to give her a lecture. She let out a little sigh, setting down the handheld computer she’d been doing inventory on and watching them warily. Hanna sat down on a crate and Greta wrung her hands as she began to pace in front of Kelsey.

“Oh for goodness sakes, spit it out,” Kelsey demanded, unable to stand Greta’s fretting.

Greta stopped pacing and bit her lip as she glanced at Hanna, who shook her head.

“Uh-uh, you said I should let you do the talking, so talk,” Hanna muttered.

“Fine. Fine,” Greta said, turning back to Kelsey, who stood with her hands on her hips watching her. “We thin–”

“No, we don’t,
you
do.
I
think she shouldn’t be dating him at all.”

“Hush, Hanna.
We
think that you should wait till things are more serious before you give up your apartment. I know you two are living together but–– well, you’re not married and it would be better if you waited–” Greta was saying, her voice hesitant.

Kelsey interrupted her with a slice of her hand in the air and a curt, “Stop. We are serious, first of all.”

“I just don’t want you to give up your place and then things not work. I know that right now things are going well but have you thought about the fact that he already hurt you once and he hasn’t even made a solid–” Greta was rushing to say but she cut across her words again.

“Stop talking and listen. He patched me,” Kelsey said.

“So what?” Hanna asked, rolling her eyes.

“It’s like marriage to the club so we are kind of married.”

Hanna let out a derisive snort and Greta stared at her wide-eyed.

“What?”

“That’s why the club that came in the other night that normally causes issues didn’t this time. You know that one, Licker or whatever the hell his name is, usually grabs my ass ten times when I bring them drinks but you even commented on how well behaved they were, remember?” Kelsey reminded them seeing the questioning look on both their faces, although Hanna’s held a heavy dose of doubt.

“I don’t see what that has to do with you and Burner, Kells.” Greta tilted her head, her brow furrowed.

“Everything, Greta. The reason they didn’t cause trouble and Licker was on his best behavior is because now that Burner patched me, if they mess with me or by proxy you, they will be in a world of hurt because I’m property.”

“The fuck you say. You are not a piece of land, Kelsey!” Hanna cried, her eyes narrowed as she jumped up from the crate.

“No, I’m not but I am claimed by Burner and that means
he and the club will kick the shit out of anyone who messes with me or my family. Burner giving me this patch was like him putting a ring on my finger,” Kelsey explained, seeing the dawning light in Greta’s eyes and the shock in Hanna’s.

“Wait, so he basically married you by giving you a piece of leather that says he owns you?” Hanna asked frowning.

“Yep.”

“That’s barbaric,” Hanna bitched.

“No, it’s the way it works for them and if I’m okay with it, you will have to be because it’s
my
relationship, not yours,” Kelsey told them, unwilling to give up Burner just because they didn’t understand.

“You really shouldn’t be. What if he changes his mind and decides he wants it back?” Hanna asked. Kelsey shook her head, stepping forward to glare at Hanna and meeting her angry gaze.

“He won’t. But if he did, it would be no different than a married couple splitting up because it didn’t work out, Hanna,” Kelsey defended.

“Yeah, except if you’re married you have a right to tell him not to screw around on you,” she muttered.

“I have that right wearing his patch too, Hanna. I’m not turning into a doormat because he gave me his version of a wedding ring. He knows if I ever discover he has cheated he will be out on his ass faster than he can say boo,” Kelsey told her, rolling her eyes at her sister’s ridiculous statement.

“I see, so my little sister’s married and she didn’t even tell me?” Greta said, her eyes filled with a hurt that made Kelsey feel a little guilty that she hadn’t explained sooner about the patch.

“I just didn’t really think about it, Greta. I’m sorry.” She stepped closer, hugging her tightly. Greta hugged her back, making Kelsey really feel like shit when she sniffled and Kelsey realized she was crying. Damn, she hadn’t meant to hurt her sister, she really just hadn’t thought about it.

Pulling back, she gave Kelsey a pained smile before she whispered, “I’m really happy for you, Kells.”

“Thanks.” She glanced over at Hanna when she stepped back away from Greta, her gaze weary as she took in her sister’s stiff posture.

“He’s not good enough for you, you know,” Hanna grunted, stepping closer.

“Is any man?” Kelsey asked, a little laugh escaping her when a smile tugged at her sister’s lips.

“No,” Hanna said, taking another step towards her. “I guess this means I have to stop giving him a hard time then, huh?” she asked.

“Nah, it’s good for him.” Kelsey laughed as Hanna hugged her tightly.

“Kells, sometimes I really love you, kid,” she whispered against Kelsey’s head.

“Yeah, sometimes I love you bitches too,” Kelsey laughingly retorted.

Epilogue

Death Rider drank another swig from his beer while watching the door. He’d been here for over three hours and Blade was supposed to be here an hour ago. Showing up early had been his way of being sure it wasn’t a trap and assuring himself that he had a good escape route before the meet.