Primal Surrender (6 page)

“I didn’t really consider how you felt about the matter. I just knew I needed to leave. I shouldn’t have forced Mack to take me along tonight. Sorry.”

She was eerily quiet for several moments, her face completely devoid of emotion, but her eyes were turbulent. When she spoke her voice was steady, and yet something in her stare assured him she was anything but calm.

“You’re sorry. That’s it. We’re supposed to just go on like nothing else happened because you’re sorry you broke the law, risked your life, and acted like an ass?”

“That’s right, duchess. That’s it in a nutshell. I fucked up, so sue me. Oh wait, you can’t because I don’t have shit for you to take. Can’t get blood out of a turnip. Why don’t you climb down off the pedestal you’ve put yourself on and mind your own business. I don’t know why I thought you were so hot in the first place. You’re just a spoiled little rich girl who thinks she’s better than everyone else. Go back to Austin, duchess. You don’t belong here.”

The words tasted like shit as they fell off his tongue, but he couldn’t stop them. Instead of sending her running, she flew at him in a rage slapping the beer bottle from his loose grip into the wall where is shattered and splashed all over the floor. Her booted foot planted in the center of the recliner’s footstool right between his spread knees and she shoved it down throwing him forward. He barely managed to avoid toppling out of his seat into her.

“Do you know what? I think you’re a stubborn jerk who is so deep in his own pity party he can’t see the forest through the trees. You have one big thing going for you, Ryker Thompson, and he’s standing right there,” she gestured to Mack who was gaping at her actions in shock. “Believe it or not, I think he loves you in spite of yourself. You might have fallen on hard times, but the only reason you’re a loser right now is because you are allowing it to happen. No, you are welcoming it with open arms.”

Ryker stared at her in stunned fascination.
Did she really just call me a loser? Yes, I believe she did, and she’s right, but it doesn’t mean I want her to know it.
Jumping to his feet, he purposely stepped forward into her space to make her retreat a step. “What do you care if I’m such a loser? Disappointed the poor cowboy doesn’t have a rich brother you can sweep up so you don’t have to go without?”

“Ryker, that’s enough damn it!” Mack’s temper was barely contained. Ryker could see it on his face and in his body language. If he pushed him any harder they would end up brawling.
Hell, a good brawl might be just what I need.

“Why? You want me to keep my mouth shut so you can get laid? She’s pretty but her pussy ain’t made of gold.”

The words were barely out of his mouth before the pain of Claudia’s fist impacting his nose set in and he fell backwards over the recliner and into the wall. The crack of his skull against the plaster never even registered in his brain before he blacked out.

*****

“Holy shit, Claudia! You have a hell of a right hook. Ryker? Damn it to hell, he’s out cold. Fuck.” Mack was dragging his brother out from where he was crumpled half on and half behind the now broken easy chair.

She hadn’t meant to hit him, but his arrogant attitude and insults just stung too much. When he went after Mack, she couldn’t stop herself from fighting for him. Her whole hand throbbed all the way up to her elbow, and her own pain was the only thing that kept her from laughing at the fact she had just knocked out a man at least twice her size with one punch. Sure, the chair and the wall did most of the work, but damn it, she started the chain of events, and he deserved it.

“I’m sorry, Mack—” Her voice cracked as she clutched her aching arm to her belly and stared at the unconscious man in the middle of the floor.

Mack checked his brother’s head to make sure he wasn’t bleeding and then shook his head. “You have nothing to be sorry for. He earned every bit of the pain he’ll feel later.”

“Is he okay?”

“Physically? Yeah, he’s fine. I don’t think his head hit that hard, but he was already drunk so…”

Mack was running his hand through his yellow curls again, like he always seemed to do when he was stressed out or nervous. All of the anger had left both of them the moment she hit Ryker, and now she just felt a sad sort of pity for the unconscious man. It was clear he was in a lot of pain, but it didn’t give him the right to treat her or his brother that way.

“Is your arm alright, slugger?”

The question caught her off guard and she looked up at him in surprise. His concerned blue eyes were taking in the way she held her injured hand against her body protectively. “Uh, I think so. I don’t know.”

“We better get some ice on it and check to see if you broke anything, sweetheart. Come on.” His large body was invading her space again, but she didn’t feel awkward about it this time. In fact, she felt safe and secure as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and propelled her toward the kitchen.

“Are you sure he’s okay? Maybe we shouldn’t leave him?”

“He’ll be fine once he sleeps off his drunken stupidity,” he answered as he retrieved an ice pack from the freezer and moved back to her side.

She gasped in surprise when his hands landed on her hips and he lifted her easily up onto the kitchen counter in front of him so she was easier to reach. “Mack!”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

A hiss of pain slipped from between her teeth when he began checking each knuckle and finger gently, and she couldn’t think straight. Between the pain in her hand and the heat of his callused finger tips, she felt completely out of control as sensations barreled through her.

“I don’t think anything is broken, but you won’t be shaking anyone’s hand for the next week or so. Pretty impressive for a city girl.”

The glint of humor in his gaze eased some of her discomfort and she gave him a small smile. “Even in the city we stick up for our friends.”

“Is that what we are, Claudia? Friends?”

She felt her lips part as she stared up at him. Did he know what his tone did to her? The slight curl of his upper lip told her he did, and turned her on even more. She wanted to taste him, now more than ever before.

“I hope so. I-I mean, I did just coldcock your brother and knock him out, but if you don’t hold that against me—”

His laughter cracked through the air, “Hold it against you? Hell, honey, it’s more likely to make me fall in love with you. Ryker has needed someone to knock some sense into him for a while. I just kept thinking he needed more time and space to get over it. I kept telling myself everyone deals with their issues differently. I ran off to The Cage when my business went under, but Ryker doesn’t have an outlet. All of his so-called friends are back in Chicago avoiding his calls.”

“What’s The Cage?” The question seemed to rattle him, and he stopped speaking and grimaced.

“Uh, it’s just a local club.”

Curiosity got the better of her, and she prodded the subject even though he clearly didn’t want to talk about it. “Like a dance club?”

“No, uh, shit. Look this is our first date, and it hasn’t exactly been run of the mill, but I’m still hoping I haven’t scared you off completely yet.”

She almost laughed at the awkward look on his face. Didn’t he notice she was sitting on the counter in his kitchen, with ice pressed to her bruised hand, and his lean hips between her spread knees? This was clearly not a typical situation, and if she hadn’t gone running when his brother took off driving drunk, or when he insulted her in every possible way…but the more she watched him fidget, the more her curiosity ate at her. Something about the club had triggered his awkwardness. What kind of club would make someone that uncomfortable?

“Is it a strip club? Or a gentleman’s club? Like an escort service? Is that it? You paid for sex with a prostitute and now you’re feeling guilty?”

Wide blue eyes stared at her for a few brief seconds before he was laughing again. When his laughter finally calmed, he gripped her jaw gently and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. Her tongue darted out to wet it and his pupils dilated. “No, you nosey woman, I have never paid for sex in my life. The Cage is a BDSM club where I’m a member.”

Nothing prepared her for that. Her mouth fell open as he smirked at her shock. “BDSM? You like to beat on women?”

He shook his head and rolled his eyes, “No, sweetheart. That’s not what BDSM is about. Sometime in the near future we will continue this conversation and I will try to explain, but I think after all of this excitement now is not the time.”

She wanted desperately to question him further. To understand what he meant by BDSM club. It’s not like she was a complete moron. She had read the popular books, so she knew the basics. People into that stuff liked to inflict pain on others and make them beg and cry. The sour taste in her mouth and the butterflies in her belly had her nodding her agreement to shelve the topic for another time. Too much had happened tonight for her to absorb the man she thought she was interested in, was way too kinky for her plain-Jane self.

“Are you sure Ryker is okay?”

“Let’s go check, before I walk you to your car.”

Mack helped her off the counter and they both went back into the living room. The big man on the floor had shifted and thrown one arm over his face and he was snoring. Reassured he really was just sleeping off the alcohol, she picked up her keys from where she had dropped them earlier and led the way out of the tiny cabin to her car.

She paused before opening the car door and turned to face Mack. In the dark shadows of night he seemed more raw and dangerous, and her heart fluttered a little in her chest.

“I wish—”

“I’m sorry—”

They both started to speak at the same time, and broke off with a laugh. Mack shook his head, “If you’re going to try to apologize again, you may as well keep quiet. This wasn’t your fault in any way. It’s been coming for a long time.”

She nodded and stared at the button in the center of his wide chest in silence. His hands came up to wrap around each of her elbows and he rubbed up and down as though trying to warm her. If he only knew how hot she already was for him.

“I was going to say I wish this night had gone differently, Claudia. I will make it up to you on our second date.” His warm breath caressed her cheek as he dipped his head down, and instinctively she lifted her face.

“There you go again, assuming there will be a second date.” She drew back, but her voice was so breathless he just grinned. Even in the dim moonlight she could see the deep groove of his dimples and the white flash of his teeth. The man had a killer smile to go with his sex God body.

“There will be.”

Three words, and her knees nearly collapsed. The confidence and command in those three words sent goosebumps skittering across her skin and she struggled to maintain her dignity. What would he think if she begged him to touch her right now?

“Sweetheart, I’m going to give you five seconds to get in your car and shut the door, because if you don’t I’m going to kiss you, and once I kiss you, I have a feeling there will be no going back for us.”

She let out a gasp of indignation and then her breath caught. He was serious. Torn between the desperate desire to finally taste him and her own instinct for self-preservation, she swayed on her feet. Only his hands on her biceps kept her from toppling.

“Five…four…”

She jerked backwards and both of her hands landed on the center of his chest. Just the physical connection made her pussy throb and her skin burn.

“Three…two…”

Her mind was spinning as she pressed one hand to his chest, “Wait a second. Don’t I get a say in this? Who says I even want you to kiss me?”

“You’re still standing here.”

Lightning struck the moment their lips touched. Fire sizzled through her veins, and pooled directly between her thighs. She gasped on impact and he took it as an invitation to invade her mouth. That’s exactly what it was, an invasion. Her senses were completely overwhelmed and she melted into him, her arms sliding up around his neck as he braced himself on the car behind her with one hand and tugged her body tightly to him with the other.

Somewhere in the recesses of her brain she heard a tiny voice warning her about getting involved when there were so many hurdles between them, but in that moment she couldn’t hold on to it. There was no gap too wide or mountain too high when his mouth and hands were on her body. Instead, she felt as though she had finally found a home. A safe place where she could revel in this one man’s desire and need for her.

It could have been hours, but she knew it was only minutes before they broke apart panting for air, and she buried her face in the crook of his neck. Only the chirping of crickets sounded on the breeze as the two of them fought to regain control over themselves.

“I’m—”

He jerked back a step, and covered her mouth with his hand. “Don’t you dare say, you’re sorry. Baby, if I could, I’d strip you naked right here and fuck you seven ways to Sunday, but you deserve better. We didn’t have the best first date, but that kiss assures me that it wasn’t the worst either. Give me your phone.”

She shook her head trying to follow his train of thought, “My phone?”

“Yes, love. I want to put my number in it, so you can call me when you get home.”

Somehow she managed to open the car door and fish her cell phone out of her purse, handing it to him silently. She watched while his thick thumbs zipped over the tiny device like a pro, and a buzzing sounded from his back pocket. He pulled his own phone out and smiled again, “There, all set. Call me as soon as you’re there, okay?”

Her tongue wouldn’t work. Something in his kiss must have numbed her mouth. Like some sort of anesthetic because her voice box seemed frozen too.

“Claudia, okay?”

Resorting to a silent nod, she accepted her phone back and took a seat in the car.

“Take a left when you get to the road, and then a right when you see the sign for Dottie’s Ice Cream Parlor. That will get you back to Main Street.”

She nodded again and shut the car door, latching her seatbelt as quickly as possible. His large frame filled her view as she backed up and turned around. He remained standing in place until she turned out of the drive toward town and he disappeared in the darkness.