“We’re just sleeping next to each other, Xander,” she says.
Deciding she’s right, I pull my t-shirt off and watch her eyes widen as she takes me in. I stifle the urge to flex. Instead, I take off my jeans, leaving me in my boxer shorts. Smirking at the look on her face, I can’t help but tease her.
“Change your mind?”
She shakes her head, her gaze glued to my abs.
“I can’t sleep in my jeans. It would be uncomfortable,” I explain, growing hard under her perusal. Fuck, the way she looks at me, like she’s never seen a man before, like she’d like nothing more than to lick me from head to toe, makes me need to have a cold fuckin’ shower.
She scoots over in the bed, pulls the blanket down, and closes her eyes again. I slide in next to her, and she instantly melts against my body. When she slides her thigh in between mine, I look at the ceiling and try not to groan.
Fuck.
I could get used to this.
*****
After a good night’s sleep, I get up before Trillian and head back over to Zach’s to shower, brush my teeth, and change clothes. Zach walks in the door as I’m about to go back to her house.
“Hey,” he grins, his eyes bloodshot.
“What happened to you?” I ask with raised eyebrows.
He collapses on the couch and lifts his legs up onto the coffee table. “Wild party. When I say wild, I mean wild. Fuck, Sin and his men know how to party. That Rake is a fuckin’ machine. A pussy machine.”
I laugh at that. “Sounds like an interesting man.”
“You have no idea. Men like them, Sin and Arrow, fuck, wouldn’t want to mess with them. Glad they’re on our side.”
I didn’t want to get into his biker politics, but I find myself asking, “Why, are they higher up than you?”
Zach shakes his head. “They’re just from a different chapter. Where you live, actually. I’ll have to introduce you one day. I forget you don’t know everyone.”
“Sounds good. You know you look like you’ve been to hell and back,” I tell him, amused by his appearance.
“How was your night?” he asks, studying me. “How’s my girl?”
His girl?
I think not.
Not anymore, at least.
“Went out for dinner, a bike ride, and watched some movies,” I say, sitting next to him.
He sits up straighter. “Trillian let you take her on your bike?”
I nod, not telling him about how she got on the night of the club. “Yeah, and she fuckin’ loves it.”
“Fuck off,” he breathes. “She wasn’t scared? I’ve been trying to get her on my bike for years. And just like that, she lets you? She and I are going to have words.”
My eyes narrow on him. “You fuckin’ won’t be having words with her about it.”
His eyes widen, and then he smiles. A slow-spreading smile that makes me nervous. “You like her.”
I glance away and sigh. “I do. Fuck, she’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman and never found. But it’s more than that—I can’t even explain it. I just want to protect her.”
And fuck her like crazy, but that’s another story.
Zach laughs. “Fuck, only Trillian could tame someone like you.”
“Me? Tamed? Not fuckin’ likely,” I deny. We’ve only just met. It isn’t possible. “And ‘someone like me?’” I ask, even though I know what he means.
I love women.
And I’ve loved them ever since I turned fifteen.
A lot.
But this thing with Trillian is different. I don’t just want sex from her. I want her. I want everything—things that have never crossed my mind before.
“You know what I mean, Xander. I’m not saying I’m any better. I just don’t want to see Trill hurt. You’re one of my best friends, but Trill is, too, and Trill needs me, so you better know that I’ll be there for her no matter what.”
I’m not mad that he’s essentially saying he’ll choose Trill over me if I fuck up. I’m glad, because Trillian deserves someone to be there for her. “I got you.”
“Good,” he replies. “She needs a good man. She deserves one.”
“I know. We’re going to be seeing each other while I’m here,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I like being with her.”
“She’s sweet as fuck, isn’t she,” Zach murmurs. “Kindest heart I’ve ever known.”
I stand. “I told her I’d make her breakfast.”
Zach stares at me a second then starts laughing. When he starts making whipping sounds, I decide to get out of there. I head to the store to grab a few things, unsure what Trillian has. Now back at her house, I knock on the door, my hands full of groceries.
Chapter Nine
Trillian
After spending the night in his arms, I wake up alone. I don’t know how I feel about that. However, about an hour later, Xander is back at my front door, his arms full of groceries. Wide-eyed, I let him in and sit on the kitchen counter top as he makes an omelette with a side of bacon.
I’ve never had a man besides my dad cook for me before. It’s definitely something I could get used to.
*****
“Zach messaged and wants to go for a ride tonight. Do you want to come?” Xander asks as he unscrews the lid on his water bottle. It’s a warm day today, so we decided to go to the beach. We’re both sitting on our towels on the sand after just having come out of the water. Xander is bare-chested, rivulets of water dripping down his smooth, tanned chest. My mouth is dry.