The Biker's Fate Chapter 11

Danielle

I swallowed, squeezing my legs shut in an effort to stop my body's traitorous reaction.

"Dani?"

"What?" I rasped.

"Do. You. Get. Me?" he repeated.

I licked my lips and nodded.

"Good." He smiled again. "Let's eat."

I swallowed, but continued to stand where I was.

"Babe?" he said. "Food."

I nodded again and followed him back into the kitchen, wholly unclear on what had just happened. Austin seemed perfectly at ease, while I felt like I needed a cold shower.

We sat at my small dining room table and ate in virtual silence, Austin leaving me to my thoughts which really wasn't a good idea on his part, because I spiraled. Big time.

I made it through one piece of pizza before I realized if I ate another, I'd throw up. I took my plate back to the kitchen. Rinsed it, put it in the dishwasher, and turned to get his, but he was already right behind me.

His arms came around me and he gave me a squeeze. "You're gonna be fine, Dani. We're gonna make this work and you'll learn to trust me."

I did a face plant into his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist and breathing him in. He smelled delicious. Leather and cologne... not too heavy... but just enough to make me want to lick every part of his body, starting with his mouth. I shook off my thoughts and let him hold me. "You freak me out."

He chuckled. "I'm pickin' up on that."

I leaned back so I could see his face. "I feel like I've known you forever and that scares me. I just can't trust you this fast. It's unwise."

"I'm gonna give you time. You'll see."

"What do we do about my family?"

He shrugged. "Whatever you want to do. But if this works out the way I want it to work out, I'm gonna have to meet them."

I pulled away from him and poured a glass of wine. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms while I sipped and contemplated. He let me think for about six minutes before he took the glass from my hand and put it on the counter. "I'm still working on that," I complained.

He pinned me in, his hands on either side of my hips, leaning against the counter. "You can have your wine in a minute. Right now, you need to listen to me."

I wrinkled my nose. "Not the boss of me."

He chuckled. "If you want me to be patient and wait, baby, you need to stop being cute."

"I'm not trying to be cute, I'm being serious."

Austin leaned closer. "That's why it's cute."

He kissed me, and damn it if I didn't melt right then and there. I had to figure out a way to get myself together and quit doing this. Of course, I thought of this while I slid my hands into his hair and deepened the kiss. Austin lifted me onto the counter and I wrapped my legs around him as he moved into me. His lips moved to my neck, while a hand went under my shirt and pulled one bra cup down, scraping a nail across my nipple. I gasped as he rolled it between his fingers and I couldn't help myself from pushing into his touch.

"Austin?"

"Mmm?"

"We need to stop," I said, my breath coming in short bursts.

"Fuck." He dropped his hand, lowered my shirt, and nodded.

I cupped his face and grimaced. "Sorry."

"I get it, babe. It's just gonna take me a minute."

Austin got himself together and then lifted me off the counter. I couldn't seem to stop yawning, but didn't want the night to end, so covered it as best I could.

"I should go," he said. "You're exhausted."

"I was hoping I could hide that better."

He stroked my cheek. "I'll take you to dinner tomorrow night."

I grinned. "Okay."

"Plan on Saturday nights to be our thing, yeah?"

"That all sounds amazing, but next week's out."

"Why?"

"Girls' night with Kim."

Austin frowned. "Blow her off."

"Um, no way. I only get one Saturday every other month when she blows off working at her very lucrative bartending gig to spend more than an hour here and there with me."

He shook his head. "Babe, I can't see you over the next few Sundays. I might be able to break away for a bit on Wednesday, but if I can't, I'm not waitin' an entire week to see you."

I grimaced.

"What?"

"I can't do Sundays either."

"Why the hell not?"

"It's dinner at my parents' place." I bit my lip. "It's a standing date for all of us every week."

"Shit!" He dragged his hands over his face. "Work with me here, Dani."

I chuckled. "Austin."

He cocked his head. "You think this is funny?"

I bit my lip and shook my head, but couldn't hold back a snort at his expression of incredulity. "Okay, it's a little bit funny."

He smiled slowly and I realized I'd possibly pushed him a little further than I was prepared for. I backed out of the kitchen, him stalking me. I turned and made a run for my bedroom, attempting to close the door before he reached me, but failing miserably.

He bent at the waist and gently shoved his shoulder into my middle, tackling me onto the bed, and tickling me until I was sure I would pee. "Stop," I squealed.

"You gonna make it up to me?" he asked.

"How exactly am I supposed to do that?"

He kissed my neck. "I can think of a few ways," he whispered.

I had no idea what the hell was wrong with me, but this struck me as funny and I chortled, trying to squirm away from him as he gripped my hips and held me to the bed.

"That's funny to you?" he asked.

I pressed my lips into a thin line and shook my head, but it was useless, I couldn't stop giggling. Chalk it up to my lack of sleep, but I totally lost it. What I wasn't entirely expecting was him to laugh as well. He didn't stop tickling me, but he did laugh while he was doing it.

"Stop, stop," I said, breathless. "I'm going to pee."

He kept going.

"Stop, honey. Please."

He did. Immediately. "What did you say?"

"Stop, I'm going to pee?"

Austin shook his head. "No after that."

"Please?"

He squeezed my sides again and I squeaked in surprise, giggling again. I bit my lip and reached up to stroke his cheek. "Honey," I whispered.

"Fuck," he rasped, leaning down to kiss me. "I love that."

"You do?"

"Yeah, baby. I do." He rolled onto his back and groaned. "I need to go. If I don't, I won't."

I slid off the bed. "I'm free on Monday."

"Can't do Monday, baby."

"Okay. Well, I'm sure we'll find another night that works."

He nodded. "I'm gonna go now."

"Okay."

He rose to his feet and kissed me again before heading back out to the living room and grabbing his leather jacket. I felt somewhat dejected that he was leaving, but I knew that if he stayed, we'd go further than I was ready to, and lucky for me, he seemed to understand that. I don't know what it was about him, but I was falling fast, and that was new to me. I couldn't quite decide if I liked the feeling or not, but when he smiled his sexy smile and leaned down to kiss me again, I decided I didn't really care. He was delicious.

"Talk to you tomorrow," he said.

I nodded and pulled open the door again, but when he made to walk out, I grabbed his hand. "One more kiss?"

He grinned and left me with a kiss that made me want more as I closed the door and leaned against it. There was no way in hell I was going to manage sleeping when all I wanted was him to keep me occupied for the night. I forced myself not to call him back inside and headed to bed, my overwhelming exhaustion replaced with a kind of desire that no one but Austin "Booker" Carver would be able to satisfy.

I was in big, big trouble.