“I know you’re frustrated, but you’ll be back to your old self soon enough. You just have to be patient,” she said as she reached for her purse. “But don’t worry too much about Cassidy. She loves you, Cotton. If you play your cards right, you’ll get her back.”
She gave my hand a light squeeze before she turned and left, giving me no chance to respond. I stared at the empty doorway for a moment, thinking of what I actually needed to do ‘to play my cards right.’ I grabbed my phone and made a call to Guardrail. It was time for me to make a statement with Cass, one she wouldn’t be able to ignore, and I was going to need some help from my brothers to pull it off.
After work, Sydney and I went to grab a bite for dinner, and by the time we were done, I was beyond exhausted. I felt like I hadn’t slept in days, and my body ached everywhere—my head was pounding, and my neck had a terrible crick in it. Hell, even my butt hurt. I just wanted to take a hot bath and crawl into bed. Unfortunately, before I could go home, I had to make a run by the grocery store. It was the last thing I wanted to do after a long day, but I managed to get in and out of the store without much of a hassle. By the time I finally made it home, I was so tired I almost missed the large vase of roses sitting by my apartment door. The minute I saw them, I knew they were from him, which made my heart immediately start pounding against my chest. I quickly dropped my bags to the floor and reached for the card, eagerly opening it. My eyes scanned over it, again and again, until his words began to sink in.
Give me a chance to make this right.
Answer the phone.
Cotton
Unable to resist, I lifted the vase up to my nose and inhaled the delicate fragrance of the pink roses. And just like that, a little bit of hope snuck in, and I found myself smiling. I unlocked the door to my apartment, and as soon as it swung open, I was stunned by what I saw. Every inch of my apartment was covered with vases filled with roses, daisies, wildflowers, and lilies. Everywhere I looked, there was a different arrangement of flowers, each containing the same little white card nestled in the center. I rushed inside and grabbed several of the cards, impatiently opening each one to see what was written inside. Every card had the exact same message as the first. Damn. He was getting to me. As much as I tried to make myself believe I could forget about him and move on, deep down I’ve always known he had stolen my heart that first night we were together. I hadn’t had many experiences with men, but I knew what we’d shared was something different… something I’d never get enough of.
The guys were in need of some wind therapy as they called it, and Cotton asked if I’d like to tag along. And of course, I jumped at the chance. I loved riding with him, feeling the vibration of the powerful engine beneath me as I snuggled up close to him. It was always fun, but there was something different about that day. There was a hungry look in Cotton’s eyes when he looked at me, which only got more intense as the day progressed. When the rest of the brothers started back toward the clubhouse, he waved them off, taking me down a long, winding road nestled deep in the woods. He pulled up to an old, secluded cabin and cut off the engine. When I saw the Satan’s Fury emblem on the front door, I knew we were at the club’s hunting lodge, a place where none of the other women had ever been before. He stepped off the bike and extended his hand out to me. He didn’t have to ask. He knew from the way I’d been holding him close, letting my hands wander a little more than usual, that I was feeling the same way. Without saying a word, I laid my hand in his and followed him up the steps.
Once we were inside, he released my hand and headed over to the fireplace. He glanced over to me and smiled as he started sorting through all the firewood stacked beside the hearth. While he got the fire ready, I stole a few glimpses around the large cabin. The rooms were simply decorated with just a bed and a TV—a perfect getaway for the guys at the club. When Cotton finally finished with the fire, the room quickly filled with a warm, incandescent glow. He took a step toward me with a look that made my breath instantly catch in my throat. I’d dreamed of being with him a thousand times and couldn’t imagine wanting anything more. He brought his hands to my face, gently cupping his palms along my jaw as he lowered his lips to mine, kissing me with a passion I’d never even known was possible. Our hunger for each other took over, causing the kiss to become wild and heated. In a matter of seconds, our clothes were tossed to the side, and Cotton was lowering me to the floor. What started as rushed and filled with carnal desire slowly slipped into something soft and tender. I felt so safe in his arms, like nothing in the world could harm me as long as he was holding me close. We spent the entire night making love by that fireplace, and neither of us could get enough of each other.