Shay narrows her eyes. “I see.”
Leaning forward, I press my shoulder into her waist. Shay yelps when I pick her up, but doesn’t fight me. I walk to the cage and tell Pax we’re leaving.
“I’ll catch up with you,” he says, swinging again.
“I’m not leaving you with all these meth fucks.”
“Ahh…big brother love,” Shay says, dangling from me. “I like the view, by the way.”
I feel her goofing around with my back pockets. Ignoring her curious fingers, I snap for Pax to finish.
“I’m not scared of no fucking teenagers.”
“Meth fucks bite, Pax. You’re still healing from the last person to take a chunk out of you.”
Shay laughs. “Bit his dick.”
Pax glares at me. “You tell her everything, huh? Very whipped of you, turd.”
“Can we just fucking go before I freeze or drop Shay?”
“Crap,” she mutters. “I hate falling.”
Laughing, Pax leaves the cage. We walk to the parking lot with Shay swinging back and forth while holding onto my pockets. When I help her stand, she grins.
“Nice ass, Ford.”
“Back at you, darling,” I say, smacking hers. “Let’s go before those meth fucks decide to start trouble and I’m forced to bash in their empty heads.”
Shay climbs on behind me and smiles at Pax. “Did you see me nearly hit the ball earlier?”
Pax laughs. “Oh, I saw. Warmed my heart too.”
Their laughter gets drowned out by the Harleys’ engines, but Shay giggles the entire ride home. She’s in a great mood, so I don’t mention what Lucky said or how I’ll need to spend a few days apart. For the evening, I pretend everything is fine and I’m not dreading dropping her off in the morning.
34
Ford
Devour It All
Shay is sound asleep when I wake up. Leaving her, I take a piss and find somewhat clean jeans. Pax is dozing on the couch while Folgers eats a leftover McMuffin from the table. I shoo off the dog then pour a cup of coffee.
I follow Folgers outside, even though I’m only wearing a jacket over my bare chest and no shoes.
Sitting on the back deck, I drink my coffee and ask myself why I’m so fucking nervous about telling Shay what needs to happen. She knows I have to work. Tonight, she works too. Everyone has a damn job. No harm in me needing to work.
Except Shay is homesick. When she thinks too much, her old life looks better than sticking around here. As long as I keep her mind on other shit, she stays in Little Memphis. If I’m busy for a few days or even a week, who the hell will keep her brain busy?
Bebe and her kid might keep Shay occupied. While I could ask Darby to help, she’ll tell everyone in the state I’m worried. I don’t need the gossip when I’m already enjoying lectures from papa bear.
Folgers chases a squirrel then barks at a neighbor’s cat. Once he’s sufficiently threatened enough animals, he returns to the warm house.
Pax is still asleep on the couch. He doesn’t wake when I go out front to get the paper or when I cook eggs and sausage for Shay. Pax only stirs when I yank his single boot off.
“Hey.”
“Early food run, huh?” I ask, tossing the boot at his head.
“Yeah. A nightmare woke me up early, so I headed to McDonald’s.”
“What was your nightmare about?”
“Meth fucks gnawed off my dick. I grew a new one, but it was small and girls laughed at it.”
Grinning, I leave him to wake up Shay. She’s resting on her stomach, spread out across the bed, and hiding her face under her hair. The sheet is half off her and I take in all her pale flesh. No woman’s ever turned me on like Shay. Hell, even her forearms are sexy.
I pull back the sheet and look over her little ass. My gaze lowers to the birthmark on the back of her thigh. I kiss it first then suck at the curve of her ass. Shay squirms under my touch, remaining hidden under her long hair.
“I need to work the next few days,” I say, lifting her hips and sliding a pillow beneath them. “I won’t be able to see you.”
“Huh?” she mumbles, peering back at me through her hair.
“Three days probably, maybe more. The club has an issue to stomp. Pax and I will play the roles of the boots.”
Shay wants to turn around, but I have her butt lifted up so perfectly and I hold her still. My jeans are on the floor and I climb on the bed behind her.
“Ford,” she whispers, sounding scared.
I kiss her shoulder then her cheek before finding her lips. “Nothing weird. Just relax.”
“Not that.”
“I can’t talk about work, remember?”
Shay nods then rests her head on the pillow while I kiss her shoulders. By the time my lips find the small of her back, she’s relaxed.
“I like the way your beard feels against my skin,” she murmurs.
“Is that what the all these goose bumps are about?”