“I’ll make sure they leave,” Knox said, going to the cruiser with Gaige inside.
As Shade and the rest of the men returned to where the women were waiting, Shade ran his eyes over Lily, making sure Gaige hadn’t bruised her when he grabbed her.
“You okay?” Razer asked Lily.
“I’m fine,” Lily assured her brother-in-law while her eyes avoided Shade’s.
She began walking with her sister, looping their arms together. Shade had witnessed them walking that way before. Both women were very expressive with their love, and although Beth would take Razer’s hand often, Shade couldn’t imagine the day Lily would reach out to touch him voluntarily.
“Do you want to go back to the booth and get another figurine?” Beth asked.
“No,” Lily said, changing the subject. “Let’s play some games.”
She walked up to one of the booths where you had to throw a ring around a milk jug, handed the worker some money, and he gave her several rings. Aiming, she missed pathetically. She tried again with the other two rings, throwing each one carefully, and missed them all. Shade wanted to help her yet hung back at the edge of the group, watching the members as they walked through the fairgrounds.
The members began splitting up, going to different games and playing. The brothers went to the shooting game, while Lily and the women moved on to another game, shooting water into a clown’s mouth. She won and began jumping up and down, laughing.
After two more races, Lily earned a prize, picking a purple monkey, and the man behind the counter handed it to Lily.
“Here you go.” Lily handed it to Beth.
“Don’t you want it?” Beth protested.
“You’re the one who likes stuffed animals.”
Beth’s face was confused as she took it from Lily. Shade had to walk away from the group, returning to watch the men shoot while staying close enough to keep an eye on the women.
Gaige had destroyed something Lily had let herself want; as a result, she was giving the stuffed animal away before it was taken from her. Shade knew it was what she was used to happening.
With the game over, the women came back to watch the men. While Train and Rider were shooting at the targets, Shade stood next to Viper, both watching.
“Why don’t you take a turn, Shade?” Bliss asked loudly.
Shade shot her a look, which the small woman had no trouble understanding. Bliss was walking a fine line with him. She had been with the club long enough to have heard what job he had held in the military. She was trying to expose club secrets. He was growing tired of her attempts to draw his attention.
He felt Lily’s angry stare at him and knew she didn’t like that he wasn’t friendlier with Bliss. Fuck, if she knew the truth about their past, she would understand Bliss was playing games she had no chance of winning.
“Let’s go ride the bumper cars,” Bliss suggested.
The Last Riders made their way through the fair, stopping and riding a few rides and playing several more games. Then they all came to a stop at the ride where they would get on a seat and go to the top and then be released to swing in a large circle.
“I’m going to go get something to drink,” Lily told Beth, who was standing in line with Razer.
Shade, in line behind them, wasn’t surprised Lily wasn’t going to ride. He stood in line, keeping watch as she went to a food truck where she bought a drink and cotton candy then took a seat at one of the tables.
Shade got out of line.
“You want me to hold your place?” Razer asked with a snicker.
“Fuck you.” Shade moved away.
He saw Beth burry her face in Razer’s chest, her shoulders shaking. Those two had a warped sense of humor.
As he approached, Lily was delicately licking the sugar crystals from her lips.
Shade sat down on the bench next to her. “You don’t want to ride?”
“Not that one, I don’t,” Lily replied, smiling.
Shade surmised the cotton candy had put her in a better mood. It sure as fuck was doing things to him.
She sat, eating her candy as The Last Riders got on their ride. Lily watched them while he watched her eat the sticky confection with his cock steadfastly reminding him it hadn’t had a woman’s mouth on it in three months.
She looked at him inquiringly when he shifted closer to her. His eyes dropped to her tiny pink tongue as it swept the sugar crystals from her bottom lip. He was about to take the job over for her when she turned away, taking a drink of her soda.
A smile came to her lips.
“What are you thinking?” Shade asked.
She turned to him with a start, giving him a sweet smile. “I was just thinking how happy everyone looked, like they belong together. I can see you all care about each other.”
Shade turned to where she was staring. The Last Riders had gotten off the ride and were approaching, laughing and having a good time. He faced her again. He would rather watch her eat the cotton candy.