Making the Cut (Sons of Templar MC 1)

“I think the more appropriate question is, what is a woman doing out on an unprotected porch in the middle of the night, not even aware enough to know when someone is within ten feet of her?” Cade shot back angrily.

I flinched back in surprise. Was that concern in his tone? “What do you care?” I replied, recovering quickly. “Isn’t this like a prime opportunity for someone like you, poor defenseless women, out alone in the dark?” I spat at him.

“No baby, I like my women willing and aware,” he said, slowly advancing on me.

I stepped my bare foot back, trying to distance my ovaries from his body, not noticing the glass surrounding me, a sharp pain erupted in my left foot.

“Shit!” I cursed. I lifted my foot to see blood spurting out of it.

“Don’t move baby, you’ll make it worse.”

Cade strode forward, glass crunching under his boots, before I realized what he was doing I am in his arms.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I screeched while squirming and slapping at him. “Put me down this instant,” I commanded, trying to sound firm.

“Quit moving.” Cade opened the door, somehow directing us into the kitchen.

“Where’s you first aid kit?” he asked.

I ignored him. “Get out of my house and put me down, or I am calling the police.” I threatened, trying to deny that the proximity of his body was turning me on. I should be committed, this stranger turns up on my porch in the middle of the night and somehow I managed to get horny.

“Now how are you going to call the police when I have you in my arms? Seems to me that’s a very empty threat.” Cade gave me a squeeze, his face far too close to mine.

For a second I forgot everything but the attraction between us. I knew he felt it too because the humor on his face was gone and was replaced with a primal stare. He leaned in, nose brushing mine, preparing to kiss me.

“Fuck,” he whispered, face inches away from mine. I felt his warm breath on my nose. He pulled back and I let out a little moan. I clamped my hand over my mouth and began to regain coherent thought.

“Babe. First aid kit. Tell me where it is,” Cade ordered, voice hoarse.

“Cabinet above the sink,” I replied automatically, my brain still foggy from the almost kiss.

“Right.”

He set me down on our kitchen island. Cade then lifted my feet up so I was fully up on the counter, brushing my bare leg. I gazed into his grey eyes and then back to his hand, which was resting on my upper thigh. I then glimpsed down at my foot, which was leaking a fair bit of blood. Cade followed my eyes, his face turned hard, focus moving to the first aid kit.

I regarded him from behind, his faded jeans fitting him like a glove. I checked out his ass, it was pure male perfection. Then I got a look at his cut. It was like someone splashed ice water over me. What the fuck is going on? How have I let him in my house? A stranger and a biker! A biker who I was far too attracted to and was losing all sensible thought around. I swung my legs down, jumping off the counter, preparing to grab the phone or maybe a weapon of some sort. I was not prepared for the blinding pain in my heel, the pressure I was putting on it pushing the glass further in.

“Ouch,” I hissed.

“Whoa there sweetheart.”

I felt Cade’s hands at my waist, lifting me back up into my previous position. I ignored the tingle where his hands met my skin.

“Probably not the best idea, trying to walk with glass embedded in your foot,” he pointed out.

“Well I think it’s probably a worse idea having a biker, whom I don’t know, in my house in the middle of the night, so I was going for the lesser of two evils,” I hissed back.

“Now baby I ain’t evil, well not at the moment anyway.” His eyes flared. “I am not going to hurt you,” he told me firmly and moved to the end of the counter to look at my foot, bending down to get a closer look.

His hand gently touched the injured area and I flinched away from his touch.

Grey eyes met mine.

“I told you I’m not going to hurt you. I’m gonna get you fixed up.”

For some strange reason, maybe the wine or more likely blood loss, I believed him, relaxing into his touch.

“That’s it baby.” He watched me for a second then went back to inspecting my foot. “Yup that’s in there pretty good,” he muttered while grabbing some tweezers and antibacterial wipes out of the kit. “Now this is going to hurt.”

“I think I can handle it,” I informed him.

“It’s in pretty deep and I’ll have to use anti bacterial spray and that stuff hurts like a bitch,” he said while studying my first aid kit.

“Yes, I’m sure you’ve had your fair share of experience in disinfecting, with stab wounds and bullet holes,” I scowled at the top of his head.

“Oh, yeah, baby you can only imagine what I have to deal with. I just don’t want to hurt you.”

His rugged face was surprisingly tender, inspecting my face while cradling my foot in his two giant hands. You know what they say about big hands…wait, Gwen, focus!

“I’ve had worse,” I snipped, failing to hide the slight shudder in my voice from the closeness of this male who was having such a disturbing effect on me. I focused on my foot, which hurt like a bitch, but I suffered through it and tried to take my mind off it by interrogating Cade.

“What in hell are you doing outside my house in the middle of the fricking night anyway?” I asked, crossing my arms, mentally congratulating myself for bringing up such a sensible topic.

“Just doing my part for the neighborhood watch baby,” he replied without looking up.