Fanning the Biker's Flame - Piper Davenport Page 0,31
don’t know what to say.”
“I have wine,” a voice called out and I heard the slider again.
“About time,” Jasmine retorted. “Did you bring more than one bottle?”
“Am I a monster?” Olivia responded, holding up two.
“I have glasses,” I said. “I think.” I turned once, then twice, finding them sitting in the corner of the counter. “Aha!”
Jasmine grabbed the bottle opener from its current place on the counter, handing it to Olivia who promptly opened the wine while I handed everyone a glass.
“You’ve started celebrating without me?” Shadow growled, pushing his way through the ladies to get to me, and wrapping his arms around me, kissing me gently as I held my wine up in an effort not to spill.
I grinned up at him once he’d removed his mouth from mine. “The ladies brought my favorite wine.”
“Did they?” he asked, mocking innocence.
“Did you have something to do with that?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Hm-mm, sure.”
He grinned, kissing me again before addressing the women. “If you’re done with my woman, can we eat?”
A shiver rushed through my body when he said, ‘my woman,’ and I couldn’t stop a stupid grin.
“Willow made her potato salad,” Jasmine said. “Hell, yeah, we can eat.”
“We’ll meet you out there,” Shadow said.
Olivia grabbed the full wine bottle and the rest of the ladies followed her out.
“You okay?” Shadow asked.
“I’m amazing, honey. Thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’m going to need you to tell me what you paid Shiloh,” I said.
“What I paid Shiloh?”
“First and last, etcetera?”
“Oh, that.”
“Yes, that,” I said. “I’m going to pay you back.”
“No, you’re really not.”
“Shadow—”
He shut me up by kissing me again and I sighed against his lips. “You can’t keep—”
Another kiss and I let out a frustrated groan.
“If you’re done with your nonsense,” he said. “Come party for a little while.”
I glared up at him, as he grinned down at me. I figured out pretty quickly I wasn’t going to win this one, so I sighed.
“I have an early morning,” I reminded him.
“I know, baby, you’ll be in bed before midnight. Promise.”
“With you?” I asked.
“Do you want me to be?”
I smiled and nodded my head.
He chuckled. “Then, yes, with me.”
“Okay, let’s party.”
He took my hand and led me outside. Shutter arrived an hour later, pulling Shadow aside. It wasn’t lost on me that Quin guided me over to a table laden with food when I moved to follow Shadow.
“He’s going to fill me in later, you know,” I said.
She grinned. “But for now, he’s gonna want you to hang here so he can filter later.”
“I don’t want him to filter.”
“Believe me, babe, you do.” She handed me a plate. “Try the potato salad.”
I craned my head to look at Shadow and Shutter, but I felt my plate dip and was forced to focus back on whatever Quin was dumping onto it. “That’s too much.”
“I’ll let you do it, then,” she said with a cheeky grin.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “You’re a little bit evil, aren’t you?”
“Pleading the fifth.”
I shook my head and grabbed a little more food before turning to find my man. He found me.
“Hey,” he said, leaning down to kiss me quickly.
“What did Shutter say?”
“Carl’s been dealt with.”
I frowned. “Like, how? Dumpster dealt with…?”
“No, baby. What kinda man do you think Shutter is?”
“Nolan,” I whispered. “He hit Carl once and Carl was out. Out, out. Shutter knew exactly where to hit him to do damage.”
“You’re absolutely right. He does know where to hit to do the most damage,” he whispered back. “He pulled his punch so he wouldn’t.”
“Where’s Carl now?”
“He’s home.”
“You know this for fact?”
“Yes. Shutter followed him home.”
I sighed. “Okay.”
“Did you give him your address?”
“No,” I admitted.
“Would anyone you know give it to him?” Shadow asked.
“No way in hell.”
“Then, how the hell did he know where you live?”
I bit my lip. “Oh my god, I have no idea. I didn’t even think about it.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Well, now I don’t either.”
“Shutter’s got a couple of recruits watching him,” Shadow informed me. “He won’t get near you.”
“It’s not like he’ll do anything to me, Nolan.”
“You willing to bet your life on that?” he challenged.
“Honestly? No. Desperate people do desperate things.”
“Exactly.” He smiled. “Let’s forget about him for the moment. I want to eat, drink, then take my woman to bed and fuck her into oblivion.”
I shivered. “Yes, please.”
He chuckled, and grabbed a plate of his own, keeping his promise by taking me to bed just after eleven. He kept me up until midnight with his magical tongue, but