“Who said anything about being weak?”
“You don’t have to say it; I’ve been watching you. You can’t stand needing help.”
“Most things I can handle on my own,” I admitted. “This thing with the Iron Horsemen? I’m way out of my element.”
“I rely on my brothers, my club. They’re my family. Does that make me weak?”
Colt was anything but weak. He was strong, assured; the man swaggered when he walked. But for him it wasn’t a struggle, it came naturally.
“You want me,” he stated, changing the conversation entirely and calling me out directly.
I shook my head in negation.
“I want you. I’ve been thinking about you since I kissed you at Dive Bar,” he said huskily, his hands grasping the back of my head as he bent down to kiss me. His lips met mine in a show of sexuality. He plundered my mouth with his tongue as he held me to him. My hand touching his shirt curled into his body to feel his strength. It was a kiss of ownership, and I felt it everywhere. I was buzzing from the electric charge between us.
Colt pulled back but kept his hold on me, his eyes lit with hunger and promise. His hand came up to tease the strap of my tank top.
I swallowed, needing space, needing to get my bearings. “I won’t have sex with you as a thank you for letting me stay here. You’re not expecting that, right? Because—”
“Woman, you’ve got all kinds of issues.”
“That came out wrong.”
Colt released me. “How was it supposed to come out?”
I stepped away from him and shrugged. “I dunno. I didn’t mean to insult you but…I have nothing, Colt. And you have everything I need right now.” I looked away, hating my vulnerability. “I won’t be a pity fuck.”
“What makes you think you’d be a pity fuck?”
My gaze snapped back to his. “Look at me.”
“I am.” His brown eyes stayed on mine.
“You brought me here under duress.”
“You think anyone can make me do something I don’t want to do?” He shook his head. “You needed a place, I got a place.”
“I could’ve stayed with Zip,” I pointed out.
“Like hell you could have,” he snapped.
“Why couldn’t I have stayed with him? He’s your brother, right? You clearly trust him.”
“Not when it comes to you.”
“You think he would’ve made a move?”
“No.”
“Then I don’t understand.” I cocked my head to the side. “If you weren’t worried about his actions, were you worried about mine? Did you think that if I stayed with him, I’d fall for his charms and throw myself at him?”
“This is why I don’t talk to women,” he grumbled. “They’re nothing but trouble.”
“We’re nothing but trouble?” My eyes widened. “You’ve got three different personalities and I never know which one I’m talking to.”
He sighed. “Fuck, I’m no good at this.”
“Good at what? Conversation? Yeah, I realize that.” I turned away from him, but his hands were still on my shoulders and he forced me to face him.
“Look, I don’t connect with people easily,” Colt stated.
“Okay.” I stared up at him with a quizzical gaze.
His thumb stroked along my neck, making me shiver.
“You don’t owe me anything. This isn’t payment.”
“Why are you helping me, Colt?”
“I may be an asshole,” he smiled slowly, “but I don’t turn my back on people who need help.”
He pressed a quick kiss to my lips and then left the room, leaving me to stare after him in dumb amazement.
Chapter 5
I took a few minutes to look around the guest room. There was no bathroom suite, but when I left the bedroom, I found the bathroom just across the hall. I headed downstairs, pausing briefly to look at the framed photographs hung up along the wall of the staircase. Following the series of a happy couple were photos of a young Joni and Colt. I didn’t know their age difference, but there was one picture of a teenage Colt holding Joni, who must’ve been ten or so. Both of them wore huge smiles and I wondered where the seemingly easygoing Colt had gone.
I walked into the kitchen. Colt was at the counter, making himself a sandwich.
“Want half?” he asked, slicing it down the center. “It’s turkey and Swiss on rye.”
It was a thoughtful gesture. One I hadn’t been expecting. “I’m good, thanks. Do you have a cell phone charger? My phone is dead.”
He took the plate to the kitchen table and sat down. “I’m getting you a new phone,” he stated.
“Why? I have a perfectly good phone.”
“Did you give your cell phone number to Dev?”
“Yeah…”
“Then you get a new phone.”
“You know I can just block his number, right?”
“I want another layer of protection.”
“Wow.”
“What?”
“When you go into protector mode, you go all in, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I do.”
This was not a battle I was going to win. “Fine. I’ll fold on the new phone thing, but I need to call my best friend first.”
“Why?”
“Why? What do you mean why? She’s my best friend. She knew I was leaving town and I told her I’d call her when I got settled.”
“But you’re not settled,” he pointed out. “You’re in a shit storm and the best idea is to go underground.”
“Colt—”
“Mia.”
We stared at each other and finally Colt said, “I’ll get a message to her, but you shouldn’t call her.”
“How are you going to get a message to her? If you call her and she doesn’t hear my voice, she’s going to worry. If you send one of your guys to talk to her, she’s going to worry.”
He smiled. “I guess I’ll have to convince her that you’re safe and not being held against your will.”
“She doesn’t trust bikers,” I announced. “She told me I should’ve chosen someone else to help me get rid of the guy at the bar. That I made a mistake by approaching you.”
“Probably,” Colt agreed. “But you’re in it deep now, darlin’.”
“In what, exactly?”
“You kissed me.”
“Actually, you kissed me.”
“Damn right I did. I’d do it again in a heartbeat, too.”
“Is this the possessive biker thing Shelly was trying to warn me about?”
Colt let out a laugh. “What did she tell you?”
“I’m not sure I understand exactly what she was trying to tell me. Did you—were you claiming me? When you kissed me in public?”
“Sweetheart, if a kiss was all it took to claim a woman, I’d have a damn harem.”
I glared at him.
“You’re cute when you’re riled. Grab a beer and stop thinking so much.”