By the time we reached Seattle hours later, my ass was numb, just like Lily had warned me it would be. I was surprised when my legs buckled a little getting off the bike.
“Whoa,” Mack said, grabbing me by the hips. “You good?”
“I can’t feel my legs,” I muttered, pulling off my helmet.
He laughed. “Give it a minute.”
“We’re staying here tonight?” I asked as I glanced around the property. The club that was hosting us was situated outside the city on a few acres covered in trees. Their clubhouse was an actual house, big, but still a house. I wasn’t even sure how we’d all fit inside, there was no way we could sleep there.
“Prospects have some tents in the pickup,” Mack replied.
“Well, you better set up far away from everyone else,” I said, watching as my parents climbed off my dad’s bike. “Because I’m loud when I’m drunk.”
“Can’t fuckin’ wait,” Mack said, his hands sliding to my ass to squeeze it.
There was a lot of backslapping and laughing as our members greeted the other club, and I loved watching Mack in his element. He knew everyone, and they all seemed to like him. More than once, I noticed men walking away from conversations to come say hello.
“Grease’s kid, right?” a grizzled old man asked me after saying hello to Mack. “Hell, it’s been years since I saw you last. Think you had pigtails then.”
“That was my preferred hairstyle for a long time,” I confirmed, smiling at the way he cackled.
“Well, it’s nice to see you, sweetheart. ’Specially with this guy. Good as they come.”
“I know,” I replied as Mack pulled me against his side.
I glanced over the man’s shoulder, and froze as I saw Copper striding out of the house behind him. Sonofabitch.
“All good, baby,” Mack said quietly in my ear. “He’ll keep his distance.”
I wasn’t so sure, but I nodded, anyway. Copper was walking around saying hi to everyone like he didn’t have a care in the world. Most of them treated him like they’d treat any other member, with handshakes and hugs, but my brothers and parents were far more reserved, and I was pretty sure if my Aunt Farrah could have killed him with her eyes, she would’ve.
“There’s a good spot by the lake,” the older man was telling Mack as I forced myself to pay attention to the conversation. “Left of the house, start walkin’ and you can’t miss it.”
“Thanks, man,” Mack said. “I’m gonna set us up real quick before things get goin’ around here.”
“Holler if you need anythin’ at all,” the old timer replied.
He walked away and Mack tugged me toward the truck.
“Might as well get situated,” he said. “We’re not gonna wanna be building shit in the dark.”
“We?” I joked. “I never said I’d pitch a tent.”
“I’ll pitch it,” Mack said, climbing into the back of the truck. “You just sit there and look pretty.”
“Well,” I huffed. “That was patronizing.”
Mack looked up from what he was doing. “You just said you weren’t gonna help.”
“Maybe I will help now.”
“Good,” he said, throwing a tent bag over his shoulder. “Because this thing is a bitch to build with only one person. Grab our sleeping bags off the tailgate, yeah?”
“Ooh,” I said, picking up the sleeping bags as Mack hopped down. “Are we gonna zip these together to make one big sleeping-bag-for-two?”
“You want to?” he asked as we headed toward our camping spot.
“Hell, yes.”
“Then that’s what we’ll to.”
“We should have brought an air mattress,” I murmured. He just looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
“We’re only gonna be here for two nights.”
“Two long nights,” I replied.
“Two drunk nights,” he shot back.
“Touché,” I said with a laugh. “I’m not gonna feel anything when I pass out.”
“And I’ll let you ride me,” he said with a sigh, like he was doing me a huge favor. “So you’re more comfortable.”
“Such a gentleman,” I joked.
“Only the best for my woman.”
“The best would be an air mattress,” I sang, winking when he scowled at me.
Building the tent and putting our stuff inside didn’t take long, and before I could convince Mack to get naked with me for a little afternoon delight, my brothers came to bug us.
“Hey, how’d you find this spot?” Will asked, his eyebrows nearly touching his hairline. “We got stuck near the driveway. It’s dusty as hell.”
“I know people,” Mack said with a chuckle.
“I know all the same people,” Tommy said. “This is bullshit. I’m moving our tent over here.”
“No, you’re not,” Will, Mack and I all said at the same time.
“The hell?”
“Think it through,” Will muttered. “Three, two, one—”
“Ew, fuck!” Tommy spat, glowering at us.
“My thoughts exactly,” I said, flicking his head as I passed him. “Come on, I need a drink.”
“You’re cute when you’re bossy,” Mack whispered, throwing his arm over my shoulder. “I could be into that.”