I kissed her again. “Yeah,” I agreed again.
She was breathless, and my heart was slamming against my chest as I came back down. Her arms and legs were still wrapped around me, but we slowly untangled ourselves. I pulled off the condom and tied it before pulling my jeans up and throwing the condom in a pile of Bobby’s trash.
Arla and I stared at each other, grins on our faces like we were stupid fucking high school kids with no cares in the world. She pushed her hair back from her face and I was so close that I got a hint of her shampoo scent again. My dick twitched.
The sound of a motorcycle engine cut through the silence and my smile fell.
It was time.
“Meet you back in there?” I said to her, stepping away, and she nodded, her gaze shifting to her feet. I watched her pick her beer back up and head inside, and I felt like a monster for making that smile disappear. I knew what she was thinking. I knew she thought that that didn’t mean anything to me. But I couldn’t tell her that it actually meant everything.
I headed back around the side of the building, seeing Hardy and Gauge stepping off their bikes. They both looked surprised when they saw me.
“New look?” Gauge asked, and I nodded. He cleared his throat. “Suits you.”
“Don’t match the name,” Hardy grumbled, his expression hard as usual.
“Let’s get a beer,” I said.
Arla was back serving as we walked inside. She smiled when she saw me, her eyes lighting up in a way that made her look fucking beautiful. I slid back onto my stool and slid some money over.
“Three more beers, please.”
She glanced to either side of me as Gauge and Hardy sat down before nodding and looking away.
“She’s hot,” Gauge said, his gaze on her ass. He pulled out his cigars, tapping one against the box. He still hadn’t looked away from her and I realized that I was clenching my teeth together. I’d never wanted to hit one of my brothers like that.
“Can we focus on tomorrow?” I said, my teeth still gritted.
Hardy and Gauge began speaking in low voices, warning me about how everything was going to go down. No longer than eighteen months—that was what I’d been promised from the lawyer. It was a small price to pay for my club. I knew that, yet staring at Arla, ready to go on the trip of a lifetime, I couldn’t help but worry that I was giving up so much more than just eighteen months of my life.
The next day I was heading to County, covering up a crime that Hardy had committed. But better me than him. He was the president of the Devil’s Highwaymen—my club, my family, my life. They needed him. And I’d be back soon enough.
“Come on, brother, time to get you home,” Gauge said as we headed outside. He patted me on the back. “Sure you won’t stay at the club tonight? Got a couple of sweetbutts who could keep you company.”
I shook my head, my gaze on the door as Arla came out, her goddamned jar filled with cash under her arm. She headed over to her car and threw her things inside it.
“Come with me,” I suddenly blurted out.
“What?” Hardy grumbled as I stalked over to her.
Her eyes widened as I drew close. “Caleb? Everything okay?”
“Gauge, Hardy, you look after my girl while I’m gone, you hear me?” I said, my chin high. Her eyes widened as she looked between me and my brothers.
“Woah there, I’m not your girl.”
“Done,” Hardy drolled.
“Caleb, I’m not your girl.” She gave a nervous laugh. “I’m leaving tomorrow, remember?”
“Make sure she has everything she needs,” I said to Hardy, ignoring her refutes.
“Done,” he agreed again.
I stepped into Arla’s space, closing the distance between us as I threaded my hands through her hair one last time. I tipped her face up to mine one last time and took her mouth with my own, one last time. I kissed her, giving her all of me with every stroke of my tongue, wishing we had more time but knowing our time had already run out. At least for now. I finally released her and stepped back, loving how swollen and full her mouth was.
“I’m going on a trip too,” I said. “It ain’t nowhere near as fun as yours is gonna be though.” I laughed darkly. “But we’ll have a drink together everywhere you go, okay?” I nodded toward the jar of cash in her car. “Every country. Every bar. Every part of your adventure…take me with you.”