a term; fuck and forget was probably more appropriate. She would never admit this out loud, but instead of being disgusted by the knowledge that Striker had been with many, many women, she was curious to know what it was like to be on the receiving end of all that experience.
“No, Lila, I’ve never brought a woman here for a meal, for a chat, or for a fuck.” He sounded agitated. Had she offended him?
“I’m sorry, Striker. It’s just…well, it’s no secret around town that you attract a lot of female interest, so I guess I just assumed…” She wasn’t entirely sure how to avoid digging the hole deeper.
Luckily, he snorted out a rough laugh. “I’m certainly not a monk, Lila, I just don’t bring them here. This is my home, my sanctuary.”
“So why are you letting me stay here?” Her voice had dropped, and she whispered the question she was both dying and dreading to hear him answer.
“Because from the moment the club decided it wouldn’t be safe for you to stay at your own house, I couldn’t picture you anywhere but here with me.” The heat in his eyes backed up his words.
“Oh.” That shut her up.
“Come on, babe.”
As she followed him through the foyer, Lila absorbed her surroundings. The entryway was sparsely decorated, but very comfortable, and masculine in a way that didn’t scream swinging bachelor. A cozy-looking leather couch took up the majority of the living room. Motorcycle magazines were scattered on a coffee table in front of the sofa, and a large flat screen TV dominated the wall. Shades of beige and peach paint covered the walls, fitting well with the Spanish style of the home.
The living room flowed into the kitchen, giving the place an open and inviting feel. While the kitchen was small, it was equipped with state of the art appliances and had a modern look.
“Do you cook?’ she asked.
“Some. I won’t win any awards, but I won’t kill anyone either. You?”
“Love to. I find it a great way to de-stress, although I haven’t done too much since I’ve lived here. Not so much fun cooking for one. That and the fact that I’m at work all the time.”
“Well, feel free to go to town in the kitchen. In fact, I insist.”
Lila chuckled at that.
“The house has two bedrooms, one bath, so, sorry, but we have to share. I know it’s small, but the lot is big, and I bought it thinking it would be perfect to expand on one day.”
“It’s fantastic.” She meant it.
“You haven’t seen the best part. Follow me.” He opened the fridge, reached in and snagged a couple bottles of beer. After he bumped the fridge closed with his hip, he turned toward the sliding glass doors and exited the kitchen onto the deck. Lila followed him out to the backyard. Her mouth dropped in surprised delight when she took in the view.
The backyard was enormous, and all sand, opening right up to the lake, which was about eighty feet back. A huge wooden deck with a fancy, stone encased stainless steel grill ran along the entire length of the back of the house, and extended well into the yard. Near the grill, a picnic style table with bench seats sat waiting for a barbecue. On the opposite side of the deck, two chaise loungers called to her, perfect for watching the sun set over the water.
Striker held a beer out to her. “Pick a chair. We can sit for a while then grill up some dinner. Sunset is killer back here.”
Lila took the offered beer, and plopped down in a lounge chair. The view was spectacular, the beer was cold, and the company, like the air, was hot. She smiled to herself as she leaned back, and relaxed for the first time that day.
Striker was right to call this place his sanctuary. The peaceful quiet of the open lake soothed her nerves and eased some of her fears. She felt safe here, away from the bustle of town. Lila let herself breathe and allowed some of the worry over the morning’s events to dissolve away. Whether it was strictly the location that relaxed her, or the
“No, Lila, I’ve never brought a woman here for a meal, for a chat, or for a fuck.” He sounded agitated. Had she offended him?
“I’m sorry, Striker. It’s just…well, it’s no secret around town that you attract a lot of female interest, so I guess I just assumed…” She wasn’t entirely sure how to avoid digging the hole deeper.
Luckily, he snorted out a rough laugh. “I’m certainly not a monk, Lila, I just don’t bring them here. This is my home, my sanctuary.”
“So why are you letting me stay here?” Her voice had dropped, and she whispered the question she was both dying and dreading to hear him answer.
“Because from the moment the club decided it wouldn’t be safe for you to stay at your own house, I couldn’t picture you anywhere but here with me.” The heat in his eyes backed up his words.
“Oh.” That shut her up.
“Come on, babe.”
As she followed him through the foyer, Lila absorbed her surroundings. The entryway was sparsely decorated, but very comfortable, and masculine in a way that didn’t scream swinging bachelor. A cozy-looking leather couch took up the majority of the living room. Motorcycle magazines were scattered on a coffee table in front of the sofa, and a large flat screen TV dominated the wall. Shades of beige and peach paint covered the walls, fitting well with the Spanish style of the home.
The living room flowed into the kitchen, giving the place an open and inviting feel. While the kitchen was small, it was equipped with state of the art appliances and had a modern look.
“Do you cook?’ she asked.
“Some. I won’t win any awards, but I won’t kill anyone either. You?”
“Love to. I find it a great way to de-stress, although I haven’t done too much since I’ve lived here. Not so much fun cooking for one. That and the fact that I’m at work all the time.”
“Well, feel free to go to town in the kitchen. In fact, I insist.”
Lila chuckled at that.
“The house has two bedrooms, one bath, so, sorry, but we have to share. I know it’s small, but the lot is big, and I bought it thinking it would be perfect to expand on one day.”
“It’s fantastic.” She meant it.
“You haven’t seen the best part. Follow me.” He opened the fridge, reached in and snagged a couple bottles of beer. After he bumped the fridge closed with his hip, he turned toward the sliding glass doors and exited the kitchen onto the deck. Lila followed him out to the backyard. Her mouth dropped in surprised delight when she took in the view.
The backyard was enormous, and all sand, opening right up to the lake, which was about eighty feet back. A huge wooden deck with a fancy, stone encased stainless steel grill ran along the entire length of the back of the house, and extended well into the yard. Near the grill, a picnic style table with bench seats sat waiting for a barbecue. On the opposite side of the deck, two chaise loungers called to her, perfect for watching the sun set over the water.
Striker held a beer out to her. “Pick a chair. We can sit for a while then grill up some dinner. Sunset is killer back here.”
Lila took the offered beer, and plopped down in a lounge chair. The view was spectacular, the beer was cold, and the company, like the air, was hot. She smiled to herself as she leaned back, and relaxed for the first time that day.
Striker was right to call this place his sanctuary. The peaceful quiet of the open lake soothed her nerves and eased some of her fears. She felt safe here, away from the bustle of town. Lila let herself breathe and allowed some of the worry over the morning’s events to dissolve away. Whether it was strictly the location that relaxed her, or the
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