Page 1 of At Last

1.

Dr. Brennan/ Caitlin

The curvaceous woman moans loudly, limbs wrapped around him. She rubs her indecently clad skin over most of his body, kissing on his chest and neck as they stand outside his club room while I pass them on my way to Elise’s. His hand on the knob pulling the door shut.

Their presence in the hall perfumes the air with alcohol, sex and really bad decisions.

No shirt, wearing only a leather vest exposing all his expanse of beautifully ripped chest dusted in dark hair and covered in tattoos. His arms. His chest. I’d bet any amount of money, his back too. All covered in tattoos.

Beyond the dusting of hair on his chest, he hadn’t bothered to button up his jeans. I swallow down the lump in my throat, embarrassed that I’m unable to tear my eyes away. Even more embarrassed that I stop moving altogether, to openly gawk at the man. But when I say he’s beautiful, I mean,He. Is. Beautiful. In that gruff, gritty, could kick your ass without breaking a sweat kind of way.

My eyes follow the line of course hair trailing down from his navel, a runway pointing to the root of what promises to be a long, thick good time. When I move my gaze back up, I find him glaring at me through heated eyes. Not the good heat, the lip licking, ‘I want you’ way which would work for me, as I clearly want him.

No, he looks on me with a something else kind of heat.

My lips part, and I feel myself beginning to sweat under his intensity. I clear my throat knowing I have to gain back control of the situation. So I ask, “Is Elise inside?” Pointing to her door two doors down.

He says nothing, just stares at me like I’m the dim kid in class.

Control, Caitlin. Get back the upper hand, I silently motivate myself. In order to do that, I train a condescending smile across my face, and raise one brow. Then I ask again, slowly and drawn out, “Is Elise in her room?”

His face turns harder than it had looked only seconds before, I’m sure not understanding the audacity of someone, especially a woman, speaking to him in such a manner. “Watch it,” he grumbles.

“Come on, Duke.” The woman hanging all over him, whines in a breathy, ‘just had great sexbut I’m ready for more’ kind of voice. And that’s my cue to get the heck out of here.

“Never mind.” I wave him and his attention away. “I’m sure she is. Have a nice day.” Then I turn my attention from the man and force myself to walk like I’m not trying to escape which is especially hard pulling a plastic cart on wheels behind me. The cart keeps catching on my heels, causing me to wince each time because having a heavy cart attack my heels hurts.

I only give a light knock on Elise’s door. If the baby is sleeping, I don’t want to bother him yet. As I wait for her to answer, my back to him, the back of my neck burns from his stare. I feel it. He’s there, watching me.

And even if I didn’t feel him watching, I’d know it the way Elise pulls open the door and steps into the doorway. She glances at me briefly, but only briefly because her eyes dart over my shoulder and stick. A sort of half-smile smirk dusts across her face before she moves back out of the way.

“Hey Elise, how are you?” I ask as I move into her room.

Today I’m at the Brimstone Lords compound for Elise’s six week checkup, post baby Gunner’s delivery. Her husband is out on a run. That’s what the men call them, even though I know he and two other MC brothers are out searching for Livvy Baxter. They’re lucky, as in lucky to be alive, as she and Elise were unfortunate players in that crazy, murderous Houdini’s psychotic show. Bad business, that was. I got the details first hand, but even if I hadn’t, their stories were the top news stories all over the country.

“Good. Thanks for coming down,” she says in what I can only describe as a forced cheer. I’ve been coming around here for close to a year now, and Elise Hollister is usually quite open with me.

So I pause before replying, waiting to give her the opportunity to come clean on whatever has her troubled. She stays silent. On a sigh, I shake my head once and pick back up. “Not a problem. I know the drill. Any cramping? Started your period yet?”

“No cramping, and yes, period here and gone.”

While I look for a place to set down my purse, she hops up on the bed. Then I walk to her bathroom to wash my hands. “Good. That’s good. So how’s our boy been?” I call through the door left open, though not loud enough to startle the baby.

“Busy. Can’t wait for him to get home.” She giggles. At least that seems genuine.

“I meant thebabyboy.”

“Beau can be quite the baby.”

Now we both giggle quietly as I can see the little bundle of joy wrapped up and sleeping soundly in a bassinet.

“Ugh.” I blow out an exasperated breath. “That’s all men.”

“Don’t I know it. I live in a biker compound.”

“So I’m going to check you first and then I’ll check Gun. Let him sleep a little longer.”

I turn around to the plastic bin on wheels that has all my equipment inside, unlatch the locks and flip the lid open. What I need is right on top.

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