Riding with the Bad Boy (A Dark Motorcycle Club Romance) (11 page)

“
Y
es
, and you are already that essential to me, that I need you with me. Plus, it will be great on the job training.”

I
t was a whirlwind of travel
, and the whole time I was stuck following him, Dean Gilmore. I can’t say it wasn’t a total waste, I mean the view of his tight ass alone was more than enough reason to follow him around.

B
efore I knew
it we were climbing up into his private plane out of some small regional airport, the bag he packed in hand, following his every move. I felt so of touch. Even the simple things. The way he talked to his assistants, the way the people around him moved. It reminded me that he was more than just the simple man who took me to a Dim Sum place.

“
Y
ou look a little nervous
,” He said to me as he leaned up against his chair and grinned.

“
M
e
? What?”

“
Y
ou can tell me
, Ava. It’s okay.”

O
h
, yeah. I guess. It’s just, it is my first time on a plane. And to New York, really.”

“
N
ever been
, huh? A lot of firsts for you lately.”

I
t was
. First time working for a billionaire, first time traveling out of state. Damn. I was so inexperienced.

“
N
ever been much of anywhere
, really. Went to college in the same city I grew up in. Work there now too. You know how it is.”

“
Y
eah
, but not anymore, Ava. Now you travel.”

I
t was true
. This job brought a lot for me. Including travel, and I very well could not risk it. Especially on dating the boss.

B
ut I couldn’t help
myself; I could tell by the way he was looking at me, he felt it too.

“
K
now what else you do
?” He asked, his eyebrow rose.

“
W
hat
?”

“
Y
ou kiss
the boss when no one is looking.”

D
amn
, that heat rose up to my cheeks again. We were in a professional place. A space where that would normally, should, really, be the last thing on my mind.

S
o sneaking
over and wrapping my arms around him was the type of thing I shouldn’t do. But I did.

“
Y
eah
, thought so.” He pulled me down into his lap and kissed me, a long slow kiss that developed into something too hot and too passionate for the plane.

“
B
usiness
, Mr. Gilmore. We are on a business trip.” I reminded him, though I have to say, it was feeble.

H
e chuckled
, “I don’t think you have to worry about anything. Just make sure you are giving all my papers to me, and that I am nice and organized, and business will go smoothly.

“
I
’m not
sure that our client is willing to accept the terms. He wants more information technology and more in house advisors for the transition.”

“
I
am pretty
sure we can work something out.”

“
I
t isn’t just that
, it is the level of customer service. That is a lot of systems, and a large amount of technology, Mr. Gilmore. I don’t think you understand what Gambit Textiles does.”

T
he room was quiet
. Dean, for once, looked too tired to argue, but he also seemed resigned to his fate. So I looked over at him and then opened my mouth.

For better or for worse, “We do. Gambit provides a lot of meaningful textiles to the military, hospitals and other organizations that need tough, durable quality mass-produced. It is exceptional material that requires strong point of sale system, in-depth programmable robotics, and reliable code. I think you will agree with me, Mr. Akiedo , when I say that you would not have called Mr. Gilmore into he office if you did not believe he could deliver that kind of quality, am I right?”

“
W
ell
, yes. Ms…”

“
J
acobs
. Mr. Gilmore and I have looked into your company, have analyzed all the material you sent over, and we have found good solutions for you. So please, hear us out. We are trying to make your company run smoother.”

T
he tall lanky
man stopped and considered me, “I am seriously impressed, Ms. Jacobs. You are right. My company does need those things. A lot of people see our line of casual uniforms and thinks that we are run of the mill, but they do not stop to see all the services we provide. Mr. Gilmore, you better watch out. Your associate might take your job.”

A
ssistant
. I was just his assistant. I ducked my head in shame.

“
O
ne can only hope
,” He laughed, “I need a good day off now and again.”

H
e shot me an appreciative look
, his hand snaking under the table and giving mine a squeeze. I wasn’t sure what it meant, other than that I didn’t do anything wrong.

R
elief flooded through me
.

“
N
ow
, if we could talk about the possibility of a contract,” Dean said, his voice confident as he took over.

“
Y
es
, yes. Of course.”

T
hankful for the win
, I tried not to look pleased with myself, and just listened.

***

D
ean

I
t didn’t
matter how much I transitioned before we left, how long I was in rare form. Nothing mattered. I wanted her. She was becoming everything to me, and there as nothing I could do to keep those feelings at bay.

I
barely knew this girl
, let alone understood why were linked so closely. It didn’t make sense. None of it made sense. She was little more than a name on a resume at this point. But whenever I looked at her, it filled me with more than just desire. Her curves, her body. It was more than just lust.

I
wanted all of her
.

I
t was
a stirring of something I didn’t think was possible.

I
shook
myself off and tried to concentrate on what I needed to do next.

“
T
hat’ll be
forty-three fifty.” The cashier looked up at me as I threw fifty on the counter. “Keep the change.”

I
t took all
I had not to snap at him and grab the roses from his hand. It wasn’t like me.

T
he recluse
in me was coming out. I needed to get out of the city.

O
ne more night
. I would last one more night. I had to.

***

A
va

“
I
wasn’t
sure you would agree to another one of these.” He was honest as he walked me, down the narrow sidewalk and towards some fancy restaurant that I couldn’t even remember, let alone spell. Something totally French, or Italian, one of those fancy places.

“
W
hy
?”

“Because of the last disastrous date, and because I lugged you across the country just to come to a business meeting with me.” He ran his hand through that soft, silky hair. “I wouldn’t go out with me.”

“
Y
ou brought
me to New York City, and you are taking me to a fancy restaurant. I don’t think I can complain.”

I
like nice things
, but I am not all that fancy. And to be honest, he really intrigued me.

“
W
ell
, whatever the reason, I’m glad you did.”

“
A
re
you sure you want this, Ava? I’m damaged, I’m a hell of a man. And I don’t know if you can handle me.”

“
I
can handle it
, Dean. Just let me try.”

“
I
’m darker
than you could imagine. I want more than you could give. Are you sure you are willing to try?”

T
ry and give
into the pain and the pleasure I so desperately wanted, yeah I was sure I could do that.

I
kissed him
, killing his argument as I sunk my teeth into his bottom lip. It wasn’t long before he was grabbing me, gripping me with the fierceness I was longing for, the one he warned me about, and being pulled into him. He took over, giving me a swift bite on my bottom lip before shoving his tongue into my mouth and tasting me. Taking everything he wanted and then some.

“
Y
ou know
, you really saved the day for me in there. I am not sure why, but I just blanked out. Something I never do.” He scratched his head, and then smiled at her. “It doesn’t matter, you impressed him more than I ever could have.”

D
ean opened the door
, “After you.”

T
he waiter sat
us at a little table overlooking the skyline up on the top floor of the restaurant.

“
T
his
… this is beautiful.” It was. The lights of the city, the little scrap of New York that I could see, it was beautiful. It was mine.

A
nd it was
all because of him. Dean

“
A
little different
from the Dim Sum place?”

“
J
ust a little
,” I quipped.

T
his was
the kind of date I was hoping for, and he delivered exactly what I wanted.

***

D
ean

I
kept checking
over at her, sneaking glasses whenever I got the chance. She was beautiful. Not in the traditional way. Not like all this women who have things done to make themselves look “perfect”. No, she was beautiful in a different way.

S
trong features
, a beautiful, muscular body, one that looked good in a dress. Not like all this other women I usually dated.

T
he dozens of them
.

W
hen I entered
a restaurant back home, they all knew me. Knew my name, knew who I was. It was my territory.

B
ut this
? This was a concrete forest and I held no sway here. Still, my money was good, and a reservation was an easy buy.

“
D
o you have reservations
?”

“
G
ilmore
.”

“
A
h
, I see. Wonderful, right this way.” The hostess lead us through the building to a small little corner where we could look out the window over at the rising skyline and the city streets. It was beautiful, but it wasn’t what was in my heart.

I
yearned for the forest
, for the darkness. The loneliness that was part of my soul. My heart.

W
hen you live
as long as I have, that solitude creeps in.

“
I
t’s beautiful
.” Ava sat down in her chair after I pulled it out, and allowed me to push it in. “Thank you, I, I can’t believe my life right now.”

“
W
hat do you mean
?” I asked as I sat down across from her.

“
W
ell
, I’m here, in a fancy restaurant, with you, my dream job, and pretty close to my dream date. I never expected.”

“
W
ell
, that is the only place you went wrong. You are beautiful, smart, and independent. You should have expected as much, if not more.”

I
watched
as the color rose in her cheeks, and something, something instinctual pulled me in. It was like I wanted to make her blush more, harder, in so many different places. But at the same time. I wanted to claim her.

T
his beautiful woman
.

“
I
just want
you to enjoy tonight, do you think you can do that for me? It would give me the greatest pleasure in the world.”