“He’d probably throw up,” Sidewinder grumbles. “Then he’d have to clean that up too.”
“You should definitely make him do it then,” Playboy crows.
“Fucking hell,” I mumble while walking out of the wet room. “I’m going to crawl back into bed with my woman.”
Before I can get far, Sidewinder’s hand on my shoulder stops me. “Are you sure about Ezra?” He keeps his voice low, not that there’s anyone else around to hear him other than Playboy who is close enough to hear him clearly.
I turn toward my brother, ready to lay into him, but something about the look on his face stops me. He’s not asking to be an asshole. There’s something else; some other reason why he’s asking.
“It’ll cause problems,” he says it with a hint of regret, either because he hates that it’s true or because he hates to say it out loud.
“I don’t give a fuck,” I grunt the words before running a tired hand over the short hair on my head and then down my face. “I know for sure that my family isn’t going to judge her based on who her father is and will welcome her here. You all saw that shit with her dad anyway; the man is going to lose his daughter if he’s not careful. That’s on him and she knows it.”
“The Sheriff’s daughter though.” Playboy lets out a low whistle, his words teasing. “With the motorcycle club president? Pretty sure Opal read a book like that a few months ago for their little book club. Means Ezra did too.”
Playboy wiggles his eyebrows at me. I flick his forehead and his eyes go cross-eyed as his hand comes up to that spot on his head.
“Ouch,” he whines. “Fuck, man,” his words are filled with complaint.
“You’re lucky he didn’t break your nose.” Sidewinder eyes Playboy before adding, “Again.”
The lopsided grin on Playboy’s face is more than a little unhinged.
“I’m just curious about how quickly she’ll have your balls?” Playboy tilts his head slightly, his voice gleeful, “Or does she already have them in her hands? Her purse?”
Sidewinder punches Playboy’s shoulder causing him to wince and flinch back from him. “Do you even hear yourself?” Sidewinder curls his lip. “There’s no need for that shit.”
“I was only kidding,” Playboy grumbles.
“Not funny,” Sidewinder bites out.
“Like I said, I’m going to crawl into bed with my woman.”
When I make it back to my room, I jump in the shower and clean up quickly even though I wasn’t anywhere near the splash zone. Still, I’m not taking that shit into bed with Ezra. Not tonight, not ever.
I slide into bed, naked. Ezra’s soft skin calls to me, and I slide my hand over her hip and around her body. When I pull her back against my chest, she comes willingly.
She lets out a little sigh that goes straight to my balls. As if I needed to get harder for her. Fuck, the moment I stepped inside the room and was hit with her citrus and clove scent, I was half-way there.
Then sliding into bed next to her?
I’m hard enough to pound fucking nails.
“Everything okay?” Ezra mumbles the words, each one laced with sleep.
“Now it is,” I whisper against where her neck and shoulder meet.
Ezra makes a humming sound, her voice languid, “Smooth. Real smooth.” There’s a long pause before she adds, “I’m glad you’re back home safely.”
Home.
While I don’t know that I’ve ever considered my room in the clubhouse as home, it feels a little closer to it with Ezra in my arms. I’m starting to understand that home isn’t a place so much as a person.
As peace washes over me, I know it’s her.
Sleep comes easily as I cradle Ezra against my chest. I’m not followed into dreams by the darkness. I’m not plagued by the decisions I had to make.
I sleep; just sleep. And it’s all because of her. My little teacher. And, one day, my Old Lady.