Page 17 of Resist Me (Men of Inked 3)
“What? I’ve seen him twice in my entire life. That’s quite a leap, Mia.”
“I knew about Michael after only a couple of dates.”
“When the hell are you two going to get married, then?” I asked. “If you’re so sure, why wait?”
She shrugged and picked at her nail. “I’m waiting for him to pop the question.”
“Fuck that old-school thinking. Ask him to marry you,” I insisted, shaking my head.
“No way in hell would I do that. Michael’s too old school and he’d have a coronary.”
“Have you two talked about marriage?” Suzy asked.
“Yeah. Neither of us is ready to take that plunge.”
“He’ll ask when the time is right. It took Joey’s accident before he popped the question,” Suzy said.
“I’m not worried, ladies. I love Michael and we’re in a really good place. The clinic is doing so well right now, and living together is enough for me.”
“Makes shit less complicated,” I said, cracking my knuckles.
“When you’re in love, everything is complicated,” Suzy said, smiling and rubbing her belly. “Joey has made my life complicated since the moment I met him.”
“You didn’t fall in love with him right away.” I remembered how he’d had to chase Suzy and make her admit her feelings.
“I don’t remember not loving him. Sometimes you can only lie to yourself for so long.”
“I don’t believe in love at first sight,” I lied, but didn’t even convince myself with that statement.
“Girl, sometimes there’s a spark you can’t ignore.” Suzy rubbed my shoulder. She was always so touchy-feely.
I hung my head, as the girls seemed too ecstatic about my time with James. “Ladies”—I cleared my throat—“I don’t do relationships, and certainly not with a man like James. I fucked him once and that’s it.”
“What do you mean a man like James?” Mia asked with raised eyebrows.
“Mia, you keep wiggling those things up and down and you’re going to get a cramp.” I laughed, slapping the floor.
She scowled. “Shut the fuck up and spill it, woman. Your deflection doesn’t work on me.”
“Fine. You two are nosy bitches.”
“That’s the pot calling the kettle black.” Suzy giggled.
“You both know how Mike and Joey are, right?” I whispered.
They looked at each other with dopy smiles, and nodded.
“I don’t like how they are, and James makes them seem like kittens compared to him.”
Mia’s mouth opened into an O shape, and Suzy’s smiled grew wider. Half of my sisterhood understood my dilemma.
“What’s wrong with how your brothers are?” Suzy asked, looking over her shoulder at Joey.
“Um, hello. Bachelorette party ring a bell?” I asked, shaking my head. “They’re bossy, demanding, and cocky as hell.”
“Yeah,” Suzy whispered, turning back to me with that lovesick-puppy look. “I’ve grown to love it.”
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, Suzy, but that man has seriously scrambled your brains.” I rested my face in my hands, hiding my eyes and wondering what happened to my girls.
“I get it,” Mia said, touching my shoulder. “I get it more than anyone here. Mike made me crazy at first. I had been on my own too long to put up with his bossy bullshit, Izzy.”
“Add Joey and Mike together and they don’t equal James.”
“Fuck me,” Mia whispered.
“Exactly.” I sighed. “He’s too much for me, ladies.”
“I felt the sizzle and pop between you two, Izzy,” Suzy said.
“Suzy, it was electric, but that doesn’t mean I want the man as a part of my life.”
“You’re scared ’cause he has you nailed,” Suzy replied.
“He nailed me all right,” I said, trying to hold back a laugh. “And it was fucking amazing.”
“I don’t see you with someone like Flash. You need someone who won’t put up with your brother’s bullshit. James is that man. Don’t you think so, Mia?” Suzy asked, looking toward Mia.
“That’s hard to say, but she definitely needs someone who will tell these boys to go to hell. No wimpy guy will survive in this family. No way in hell.”
“He drove me home Saturday.” I don’t know why I felt the need to share that fact with them, but maybe they needed to understand the caliber of man I was dealing with here.
“And?” Suzy asked, moving closer to me.
“Let’s go outside or for a walk. I can’t tell you where the others will hear.” I sat up, quickly moving to my feet. I held out my arms, helping Suzy and her growing belly off the floor. “We’re going to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air,” I told the guys, not caring if they were okay with it or not.
They grunted and waved goodbye as the three of us wandered onto the lanai and sat around the table. I faced the living room so I could keep an eye out for anyone heading our way.
“Mia, reach back and close the door all the way,” I said, motioning toward the glass siding door with my chin.
“This must be juicy,” Suzy shrieked, rubbing her hands together.
I loved her. She was sweet and pure, and she always wanted to think the best of everybody. Usually, she was misguided, but thankfully, she was my biggest cheerleader. Someone like her needed a man like Joey to protect her. It wasn’t that she was weak; Suzy was just naïve and way too kind for her own good.
“First off, I did not have sex with James this weekend.”
“Darn it,” Suzy whispered, snapping her fingers as Mia laughed.
“Tommy called James and had him bring me home.”
“Sounds like no big deal to me,” Mia said, leaning back in chair, twirling a piece of her long brown hair in her fingers.
“It is a big deal. When I slept with him on your wedding night”—I looked at Suzy before I continued—“I didn’t stick around for a goodbye. I grabbed my things and left before he woke up.”
“Oh, you’re a bad girl,” Mia crowed, laughing. “That takes balls.”
“Hey, I am who I am. Well, Friday night he didn’t want me to ‘run away’ again.”
“Oh boy,” Suzy said.
“Anyway”—I turned back to Mia—“he waited for me to fall asleep and he handcuffed me to the bed.” I put my head on the table, banging it lightly against the glass surface.
“I like him already,” Mia whooped.
“He didn’t?” Suzy asked with her mouth hanging open and her eyes as large as saucers.
Lifting my head, I answered her: “He did.” I nodded, a small smile playing on my lips. “I tried to convince him to free me, but my charms didn’t work.”
“Did you try to seduce him?” Mia asked, covering her mouth and laughing.
“Fuck yeah, I did, but he didn’t fall for it.”
“He left you like that?” Suzy asked. “All night?”
“All night.”
“Hold up. How did you try and seduce him?” Mia inquired, leaning forward, clasping her hands together in front of her.
“Well…” I sighed. “I told him I was afraid. He crawled in bed with me and we started to make out.”
“Ooooh,” Suzy cooed, resting her hands on top of her blossoming belly.
I laughed at her response. It was sexy looking back at it, but when it had happened…well, fuck, it had been sexy then too.
“I asked him to free my hands because I wanted to touch him.”
“What did he do?” Mia asked, her right eyebrow shooting up toward her hairline.
“He ripped my panties off and left me in the dust and handcuffed to the bed.”
“He plays dirty.” Mia laughed. “Yep, I like this James guy.”
“Oh fuck off, Mia,” I hissed, but couldn’t hold on to the fake anger. “He’s so fucking bossy.”
“He knows your game, sister, and that’s why you’re scared.” Mia smiled, her eyes teary from her laughter.
; I blew out a breath through puffy cheeks. I knew she was right. My schemes didn’t work and he seemed to know my next move.
“I don’t like him,” I whined, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Yes, you do,” Suzy argued, nodding as she smiled.
“No, I don’t.”
“You so do. You’re fucked.” Mia cackled, leaning in her chair and throwing her head back.
“I’m totally fucked,” I whispered, closing my eyes as I tried to come to terms with this knowledge.
I didn’t want to like James. Men like that always rubbed me the wrong way, but when James did it…well, it sent sparks through my body.
It was a traitor.
Chapter 8 - The Chase
Bike Week ended, and this year had been relatively quiet compared to previous ones. The Sun Devils MC, along with Thomas, headed back to Leesburg—a town north of Tampa, and their home base.
It had almost been a week since I’d walked out of Izzy’s house and headed back to Daytona. I couldn’t get her out of my mind. She was like a wet dream I couldn’t shake. Her smile, her taste, her smell—everything about her had stayed with me, and I wanted more.
It didn’t help when I found her G-string shoved in with my shit. I’d walked out of her house with a hard-on, wanting to slam her against the door and take her. The throbbing in my dick and aching in my balls needed some attention, and I’d do what I needed to do to make it happen.
I twirled my phone in my hand, wondering if I should pull the trigger. Send her a text and find my way in. I couldn’t wait any longer. It was fucking killing me. Either I’d die of blue balls or boredom. Izzy Gallo was the only thing that held my attention. It was ten p.m., but I figured she had to be awake. She didn’t strike me as the type of girl who turned in early. Plus, she might still be at work.
Me: Hey, beautiful. Thinking of me?
Within seconds, my phone beeped with a reply.
Sexy Fugitive: Who the fuck is this?
