"This is really good," Jessica moaned as she tore into the second half of her sandwich. She hadn't realized how hungry she was, but forgetting to eat wasn't unusual when she got deep into the flow of her story and hated to let it go. Seeing and hearing her characters wasn't always the easiest part for her – she was more of a storyteller – so, when the characters spoke to her, she had to run with it as long as she could."I'm glad to see you actually eating something."Layne's condescending tone caused her to stop chewing and lift her eyes to his. They were shadowed in the muted light of the studio, and she didn't necessarily like what she saw there. Where she normally saw love and understanding, tonight there was barely leashed anger and possibly a little fear and frustration."I eat," she defended herself."Not when you're holed up in here for days at a time," he raised an eyebrow, daring her to argue with his words.Confronted with a truth she didn't really want to face, sh
Jess cocked her head to the side as she listened to Layne talk on his cell."Well, just call us and let us know when it's safe out there, or when they've reopened. We should do all right here," he glanced at Jess, giving her a wink.Her cheeks heated at the wink. The heat went straight down her body to the tips of her toes. He'd gotten more handsome over the years as he'd gotten more comfortable in his skin. It'd taken them a long time to get here, where he was relaxed enough with her for the little touches and gestures. They still weren't where he was completely uninhibited with her, but a Layne that wasn't selfish with his affection was a sight to behold."We'll sit tight here, Jess usually keeps it pretty well-stocked, and in case you haven't forgotten, I'm ex-Army. I think we got this," Layne rubbed his hand over his head, seeming to forget for a moment he had hair, when he dug his fingers into the strands.His hair had grown out a bit over the past few months. Instead of k
Layne pushed Jessica's head forward, letting it hang from her shoulders as he again grasped her by the hips, and pulled her back towards him. This time it was with enough force to make her stumble against him and instead of stopping her, he pulled them further into the middle of the room until the back of his knees hit the bed.Using the tips of his fingers, he ran his hands underneath her shirt, pulling it up and over her head. Before she could say anything to him, he'd done the same with the sweatpants she wore, leaving her in nothing but her bra and panties.Letting his eyes run over her back, he felt a surge of adrenaline as he realized she had on a matching set. The matching set meant she was horny and Lord above, so was he. Stress affected her in different ways, and this was one of the more enjoyable ones he'd discovered."Matching set huh?" he questioned in her ear as his hands cupped her tits, the pads of this thumbs strumming her already hard nipples. "Were you hoping to
When Layne woke up the next morning, Jess wasn't in bed; she was sitting perched at her desk, fingers flying over the keyboard of her laptop. He wondered how long she'd stayed in bed with him last night. But for the life of him he couldn't remember when he'd gone to sleep, he only knew that in the end she'd worn his ass out instead of the other way around.He lay back against the sheets for a few minutes, wondering if he should interrupt her. It was then he noticed she wore earbuds, so he decided against it. With the rapid pace her fingers were keeping on the computer, he knew she was deeply into a scene and if he ruined it now by interrupting, he'd feel bad. Especially since he'd kind of thrown her off her game when he'd come to chew her out for getting stuck in a snowstorm.Fifteen minutes later he'd done his morning business, taken a quick shower, and put on into some pajama bottoms and a t-shirt he kept there for times just like this. Jess still hadn't noticed he was awake, so
STEELE & CHRISTINETravis Steele, resident tech geek of the Heaven Hill MC rolled his head on his shoulders, hoping to loosen the tension he felt in his neck. People were driving him insane. Two days before Christmas and all of the guys were trying to surprise their wives, which meant he was keeping tabs on people more than usual. When really the only person he wanted to be keeping tabs on was his own wife. He looked down at his cell phone, sitting beside his mouse and saw he had a message from her.Client is taking longer than I thought. I probably won't be getting out of here until almost eight. Should I go to the house or meet you at the clubhouse?He wanted to tell her to head to the house they'd bought in the past year, but he still had some things he had to do for the club. He sighed, running his hand over his chin, sucking harder than he needed to on the sucker in his mouth.C'mon here. I still have some things I have to take care of. Let me know when you're leaving so I
Steele glanced at the outside camera. He knew Christine should be getting there soon, and breathed a sigh of relief as he watched her get out of her car and make her way to the front door of the clubhouse. He finally felt like he could breathe again. She was in the same building with him and he didn't have to worry about her being on the road or downtown by herself. Clicking on the other cameras he made sure everyone was in for the night, ready to spend a few hours with his lady.As he was about to shut the computer down, he heard a small knock on the door. He left it half ajar most days because he didn't want to be disturbed, but wanted people to feel like they could come in if they needed to. He'd know that knock anywhere though."C'mon in, babe. I'm just shutting everything down in here."She was quiet as she came through the doorway and he wondered if she'd had a bad day. Normally she was bursting with stories to tell, ready to clue him in on the hair she'd done, and the goss
Christine threw her head back as she sank down on his length, moaning when she felt him expand inside her. Shivers worked their way through her body as she tried to deal with the maelstrom of emotions hitting her from every side.When she'd first met Steele, sex had been something kind of off-limits with them. She hadn't been sure she enjoyed it after what she'd gone through as a teenager. Being given to a religious zealot and forced into sexual slavery did that to a person, but her husband had been patient. He'd calmly shown her everything she needed to know about pleasing him and herself. He'd helped her overcome the fears and insecurity she'd had, and now she could say with complete conviction that she loved this time she spent with him. There was nothing she appreciated more than giving her pleasure over to him and letting him work her body like those keyboards he loved so much.Tilting her head back up, she opened her eyes slightly, loving the look of concentration on his face
Travis was lethargic as he sat back, trying to catch his breath. She'd blown his mind in every single way there was to blow it. This had been the most unexpected Christmas gift he'd ever received in his life."What made you do this?" he asked as he fingered the lace, hanging on by a thread, at her chest.She giggled, stretching so she could lay her head against his shoulder. "You've been stressed the past few days, and I hate when you're stressed. You're kind of a pain in the ass," she snickered. "But I also know how hard you work and how much you worry. Everyone needs some time to relax every once in a while, and I felt like you weren't getting that. Plus, I missed you," she shrugged. "And if I want to have time with you, sometimes I have to make that time.""I can't believe we christened the cave," he pushed her hair back from her face. "You know it's going to be hell for me in here now. I'm gonna sit in this chair and think of the way we are right now, think of what we just di
The temperature in the cab of the truck was downright frigid as Remy drove to Tyler's house to drop off Addie first. Tatum refused to meet his gaze and that flat out pissed him off. If she was going to give herself to another man and then have the balls to sit in front of him like this, she should at least have the decency to meet his eyes when he looked at her."Am I going to have to explain to Tyler why I'm dropping you off at one in the fucking morning?" Remy glanced in the review mirror of the truck, looking back to where Addie sat in the extended cab."No," she shook her head, looking about as tired and unhappy as he felt. "He's at the clubhouse. He and Mom had planned to stay and they took Caelin with them."Well, thank God for small favors, because the one person besides Liam he didn't want to face off with tonight, was Tyler."You're lucky I don't call him and tell him where the hell you've been. How could you let her go up there with him?" he questioned her, the irrita
Tatum's heart beat through her chest as she followed Gavin upstairs to a much quieter part of the house. Her mouth was dry – the result of her nerves, or the alcohol she'd consumed – she wasn't sure which. Her hand gripped Gavin's tightly, but she knew it wasn't because she was excited, it was because she wanted to yank on it, and stop him from leading her into the empty bedroom. Part of her wanted to put a stop to it, the other part wanted to go through with this so she could throw it in Remy's face. Those stubborn traits she'd inherited from her dad were alive and well tonight.She glanced over her shoulder, spotting Addie pulling out her phone and making a call. The worried look on her friend's face told her all she needed to know. Addie was probably calling in reinforcements and her time had suddenly become very limited."You feelin' good?" his deep voice questioned in her ear, causing her hair to stand up and goosebumps to appear on her arms. This time it was different than wh
Remy was in a piss-poor mood, had been since the night of the Christmas party and everything that had gone down with Tatum. He bit off the head of anyone foolish enough to ask if he was okay. He'd been eating lunch by himself, and overall had been a miserable fucking loner. Even right now, while everyone else was partying their asses off, his big date was being in the gym and beating the ever-loving shit out of a heavy bag. It was the only thing that seemed to calm him the last few days.Hearing his fists connect with the bag felt good, even if it was muted by the gloves he wore. His arms burned, his shoulders and back ached, his chest heaved, and sweat poured down his forehead and into his eyes; making them sting. The sting felt good though, because it distracted him from the guilt he felt for the way he'd treated Tatum. And that guilt was pressing down on him like he was trapped under a thousand-pound boulder.He'd felt every emotion on the spectrum since she'd walked out on him
Tatum's blue eyes took in the party-goers around her. In different parts of the room, she could see members of her graduating class, some kids that were now seniors, and a few college kids. God, this had never been her thing, she'd never found high school or college parties worth anything to her. She could see everything that went on at them and more, at the club parties. Plus, this was a mob mentality – everyone here went along with everyone else, and it was so boring. Nobody had any individuality. Normally, she'd have tossed the invitation in the trash can and not even thought twice about it. She would have spent the night at the club's New Year's party and have an actual good time with her friends and family.Tonight though, she was on a mission."Do you see anybody?" Addie asked as they surveyed the room.Tatum took a drink from the bottle of Strawberry Boone's Farm she carried in her hand. It was the bottom shelf stuff, guaranteed to get you loaded in the least amount of tim
Tatum had never felt anything like the all-consuming lust that blasted through her as soon as Remy grabbed her hip and pulled her deep into his body. She'd thought she had but damn, she was wrong. Her fingers grasped at his shirt, trying to ground herself in the feelings, when she felt his bare palms slip up under the hem of her dress. The sharp intake of breath, and the way he nipped at her lip indicated he'd discovered she'd worn a thong."Fuck, Tate," he moaned as he pulled his lips from hers.She almost cried as he abandoned her lips and smeared his mouth down her neck. She felt the sharp nip of his teeth down to the core of her body. It caused her nipples to tighten further against the lace of strapless bra, and before she knew what she was doing, she was rubbing up against him."Please, Rem," she gasped out when she felt one of his hands on her ass venture back over her hip, and closer to the wetness and heat she felt between her thighs."Has anybody touched you?" he grow
He knew the second she walked in, just like he'd known when she'd entered the bakery. Even seven shots of Pappy in, he could feel her, he knew she was there by the way the hair on the back of his neck stood up, the goosebumps he got on his arms and the way his dick stirred to attention. He wasn't sure what kind of hold Tatum Walker held over him, but it was strong, maybe dangerously so, like some sort of Jedi Mind Trick he'd never be able to resist. And dammit if his hand didn't shake as he took his next shot."Too much for you?" Drew asked as he noticed the slight tremble of the other man's hand.How did he tell the man sitting beside him, he was hard up for his little sister? Easy. He didn't."Nah, I'm good, but I gotta hit the head. Be back."Plan number two when plan number one didn't work? Run and hope she wouldn't follow. As much alcohol as he had consumed, he wasn't sure he could push her away this time. After all, he was only a man and he wasn't immune to the way she lo
He should have brought a date. Those were the first words Remy thought when he walked through the door of the clubhouse. It hit him like a ton of bricks, and all he wanted to do was turn around and head back to Cash and Harper's. Normally, he lived at the clubhouse, but he'd had dinner at their place tonight. He could relieve the babysitter watching Maddy, and he wouldn't have to worry about keeping his guard up.Couples were paired off, which meant anyone without a plus one would be inevitably thrown together. Looking up, he saw mistletoe was hung randomly around the room. Shit. Since he was the youngest, he seemed to be one of the few without a woman on his arm. Sure as the world turned, he'd find himself thrown toward someone tonight.Gazing around the room, he didn't see Tatum and for that he was extremely thankful. He'd been able to avoid her since the day at Harper's bakery, but it'd hadn't been easy. Not that she'd gone out of her way to be around him but they were in the sa
Remy told himself to slow down as he grasped her neck, hauling Tatum closer to him. He cautioned his lust-drunk body not to make a fool of itself. He warned his libido not to let this go too far. They were in the middle of the bakery, in the middle of downtown. Anyone could walk through that door from some dumbass off the street, to her brother, to her dad. But he couldn't stop, couldn't force his hand not to trail down her body and grasp her tight ass in his fingers. He wanted desperately to pull her lower half into his, wanted to shove his thigh between her legs and feel the heat he knew would be there. His tongue was forceful as it made its way into her mouth, testing how far she'd let him go.Turned out she'd let him go as far as he wanted to.His brain tried to warn him that this was progressing too quickly. It was getting too out of control, too fast. If he didn't watch it, he'd be picking her up and putting her ass first against the nearest wall. He was losing his mind, losi
Son of a bitch. Something in the way Tatum's gaze met his made him think he'd said those words loud enough she could hear them. But fuck, she looked amazing. Even more than she usually did. Tatum had been gorgeous for a long time, but with her hair in this new cut, she looked sexy, and almost… sophisticated. But this was Tatum. She'd never fully be a lady, not really. She didn't do dresses unless she had to, she didn't do caked on makeup, and she could hang with the guys – no matter how raunchy it got."Do you like it?" She asked again, this time looking much more unsure than when she'd started out. Very slowly, she ran her fingers through her hair, giving it a tousle.Remy cleared his throat, not sure how honest he wanted to be, but at the same time knowing he couldn't help but be honest. If he lied to her, she would know, and it would do nothing to help the situation they seemed to always find themselves in. The two of them always seemed to be either pushing or pulling at each ot