Page 19 of Reaper & the Lioness
“This is Cora,” she said, gesturing to a twenty-something blonde with a pixie cut sitting beside Maisie. “She’s with Ace.”
I shook the strawberry blonde’s hand and noticed an intricate tattoo wrapped around her pale, scarred wrist.
“And this is Jess. She’s with Reno.”
Jess nodded at me from across the table, brushing her hair from her face as her green eyes assessed me.
“And I don’t know if you remember her, but this is Taryn. The two of you met at my bridal shower. She’s with Tomcat.”
“Of course I remember,” I exclaimed. “You had adorable twin girls, from what I recall.”
Taryn nodded proudly. “Tilly and Talia. They’re the ones using Reaper as a jungle gym right now with Cora’s boy, Leo.”
I glanced across the yard, letting out an unexpected laugh as I saw two five-year-old girls hanging off Reaper’s large frame with a boy of about ten sitting on his shoulders. The sight of the man who commanded respect overrun by a pack of children caught me off guard.
I noticed Merrick’s intense gaze from across the bar as we chatted. The sergeant at arms watched my every move with suspicion as he spoke to a blond-haired, blue-eyed biker. I tensed under his scrutiny as I brought a round of drinks to the table.
“Don’t mind Merrick,” Rhetta said, following my line of sight. “He’s just doing his job. Even though Thane says you’re good, he’s still waiting for you to pull a badge out of your bra.”
I laughed. “I didn’t realize I gave cop vibes.”
I became distracted when I caught sight of Reaper moving through the crowd. Our eyes met, and a jolt ran through me.
“So, when’s the last time you had a little fun?” Rhetta asked, a sly grin spreading across her face.
I pretended to misunderstand. “I have fun every day. I have a job I love and a rambunctious puppy.”
Cora chuckled. “I think she means fun with a man.”
“A naked man,” Jess clarified.
My cheeks warmed. “Oh, it’s … it’s been a while,” I admitted, suddenly very interested in the label on my beer bottle. “Dating in D.C. was a nightmare.”
“You’re in luck,” Taryn said as she pulled her black hair into a high ponytail. She gestured around the clubhouse yard. “Plenty of single guys here.”
“Reaper among them,” Rhetta added, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she grinned.
I choked on my drink. “Absolutely not.”
Rhetta beamed as I continued to sputter.
“Reaper is frustrating and annoying and?—”
“Hot as fuck?” Cora finished, raising an eyebrow.
My face flushed even deeper. I couldn’t deny my attraction but pushed the thought aside. “He’s a client. He owns one of the club-associated businesses that I’m here to represent. That’s it.”
Rhetta shrugged. “If you say so, sugar. But if you ask me, you need to loosen up and let go. Shed that uptight, professional persona and live a little. What better way to break free from those corporate shackles than getting tangled up in sheets with a man likethat?”
A hot flush spread across my cheeks. “Stop,” I insisted. “It’s not happening.”
“Sugar, I’m speaking from experience. A night with a biker is just what you need to forget your troubles.”
As the night wore on, I found my eyes drawn to Reaper. Each time our gazes met, the same inexplicable pull teased at my chest. But I steeled myself against it, reminding myself of professional boundaries and the complications that would arise from any involvement with a client—especially one as complex as him.
The group of old ladies broke apart when the prospects yelled it was time to eat, some moving to make a plate for their children and others sitting beside their bikers.
Having already eaten at home, I leaned against the bar and nursed my third drink of the night. I watched the members interact in fascination—like a zoologist watching a pride of lions interact across a savanna.
