Stepbrother: Instant Spark (Stepbrother Billionaire Romance) (Stepbrother Romantic Suspense) by L.A. Pierson Page A

and left the bar without another word, but Georgie and Charlie knew they were out of the pack when they heard the rev of five engines pulling away outside. Georgie’s hand flew to her mouth once again and she timidly came over to Charlie to try and brush back a strand of his hair to check that he was alright. Charlie brushed her off and simply picked up the beer he’d put down before the fight began and continued to drink.
    “Charlie, should we go after them?”
    “What for?” Charlie shrugged. “They’ve made up their minds.”
    “This is all over me and it always has been. You should go after them.”
    Charlie let out a hollow laugh. Georgie could tell he was angered by the situation, but when he looked at her his eyes softened. He sat down on his chair once more and patted his knee to invite her to sit down.
    “I don’t need them, doll,” he told her. “You don’t ride with guys who haven’t got your back. It’s the first rule of the road. I’m better off.”
    “You say that now, but this is what you do. What will you do next summer? Just ride around on your own?”
    Charlie’s eyebrows lifted in surprise and he gave her a charming grin even though his face was starting to bruise. “You gonna make me ride alone?”
     
    *****

Georgie was careful not to hurt Charlie as she wiped away the blood from his face, but he didn’t make a fuss. She could tell that he was perhaps a little hurt from what had happened in the bar - the pack was as good as his family, after all - but he was too much of a tough guy to let that show. She paused for a second as she was pressing a cloth to his face and then leaned forward to gently brush her lips against his.
    All of their kisses so far had been heated, demanding exchanges full of passion and sexual desire, but this was something different. This kiss was recognition of a good man who’d stood up for her and thankfulness that he’d chosen to stay by her side. It was affectionate, like the kiss of a woman to a man she cares deeply about, rather than the heavy kiss between two people engaged in a one night stand.
    Charlie noticed the difference in her kiss and when he returned it, his own kiss was also tender. His rough lips brushed against hers softly and his tongue just gently ran against her lip as if he wanted to remember the taste of her kiss forever. Charlie was sitting on a chair by the window of the motel room and Georgie sat on his lap, straddling him with one leg on either side of his body so that she could more comfortably lean into his kiss and be closer to him. She ran her fingers through his hair as she pressed her lips down over his and Charlie wrapped his arms around her back so that they were embracing as they kissed.
    Their other encounters had been urgent, rushed activities at times when the sexual tension between them had boiled over, but this was a patient and sweet encounter, where each took the time to be tender.
    “It means a lot that you stood up for me,” Georgie told him softly, kissing his temple sweetly.
    “I told you: you’re with me.”
    “So I’m not just another girl who comes and goes?”
    “I don’t want you to go. I think you’re pretty amazing, Georgie.”
    The flutters in Georgie’s heart now weren’t the adrenalin-fuelled palpitations that came from uncontrollable lust, but the kind of butterflies you get when you’re looking into the eyes of someone you care for deeply. She kissed him again.
    Charlie rose from his chair, took Georgie by the hand and led her to the edge of the motel bed. She’d already changed into her day clothes, so he was able to take his time in slowly removing first her pastel cardigan and then her baby blue shirt. Georgie reached out to pull his shirt from his body. They were standing so close to one another now. Charlie’s body was so warm and Georgie loved the feeling of his skin warming hers when his chest pressed against her as he leaned in to kiss her again.
    “You’re amazing...” he