“Seems there is a lot you forgot.”
“That isn’t fair, babe.” I push her hair behind her ear. “When I get out of the shower you still gonna be here or do I need to cuff you to the bed?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Love you, Hazel. Always have.”
“Why?”
“Why do I love you?”
“I need to hear it.”
I stroke her jaw with my knuckles. “Because you challenge me. You don’t make it fuckin’ easy, babe. Never did. You’re wild, but I don’t want to tame you. I want to possess that freedom that roars inside you and claim it for mine. Only mine. No one else gets that part of you. I do. That wild heart in your chest beats for me. Don’t deny it. You feel this thing between us. That force that makes you want to stay. Yeah. I collared and cuffed you, but you were free to go any damn time you wanted to. Gave me your wild and free when we were kids. Said it was mine for the taking. Gave me your body. Now I am asking you to give me the rest—your heart. Whatever your soul is made of I fuckin’ crave it. I want it all. So, tell me you’re not going to run on me. Just got you back and I don’t want to be without you.”
A tear rolls down her cheek. “You can’t say shit like this to me. It’s too much, Beni.”
“Mean every word.”
“I won’t survive losing you again.”
“Won’t ever happen.”
“The biker life is dangerous.”
“Can be, but not always. I get you got questions, and I have answers, but it’s been a helluva day.”
She nods. “Go shower. I’m not going anywhere.”
I kiss her forehead and hit the shower.
The events of the day take their toll and weariness sets in. I’m fucking beat.
When I finish Hazel is curled up in the middle of the bed. “And she sleeps,” I mutter to myself and slide in behind her. I don’t have to prompt her. The moment my head hits the pillow my woman rolls into me, head in the crook of my neck. My hand over her heart. Her sweet lips meet my skin, and it hits me all over again. That feeling of being home. Like nothing can go wrong. I hug her tighter and close my eyes.
She melts into me and whispers, “good night.” And yeah, despite the craziness of the day it is a good night because it’s ending with her right here where she’s always belonged.
**
I wake up alone, but I hear Hazel humming. She better not be doing what I think she’s doing. I roll out of bed, snag a pair of flannel pants off the floor, hit the bathroom, then I find her. She’s in my kitchen still wearing my tee but with a pair of my crew socks pulled up to her knees and her hair piled loosely on top of her head in a messy bun.
I lean a hip against the counter. “What are you doing?” She has a mop plunged into a bucket then washes the wall with it.
“What’s it look like?”
“Told you I’d get a prospect on it.”
“But I’m here. And what the hell is a prospect?”
“Babe, the whole fun of having prospects is getting to order them to do the shit you don’t want to. They’re a potential club member who is on probation.”
“Seriously?”
“Yup. Get over here.”
“Why?”
“Don’t make me tell you twice.”