Bella Chapter 9

Another date done, the last of them actually, or it was until I made up my mind whether to go out with Boomer. I'd promised the ladies I would after completing my first dates with the other Infidels, but I wasn't sure if I should. It wasn't because any of them stood out as being dazzling, and I thought I'd found the guy I wanted to explore a lasting relationship with.

Don't get me wrong, all four had been way better than Travis and Will. We talked, laughed, and had a good time. All were attractive men. I thought any woman would be lucky to have one of them, but they didn't make my body zing. There was no tingling from just seeing them. A simple touch didn't make my body react. However, Boomer hadn't been my date, and both last night and tonight, after seeing him at both restaurants, I'd reacted to the sight of him big time.

It made me nervous. This, along with the assumption he intentionally had dinner at both places to sabotage my dates, made me more nervous. A big part of me liked the fact he did it, and I shouldn't. Why didn't I march over to him both times and demand he explain himself and ask him to stop and leave? Instead, I kept glancing at him and acknowledged him.

I knew Vicious had been furious when he saw him, and after he talked to him, he wasn't any less upset. He did try to hide it, but the tension had been there for the rest of the night. Tonight, Daredevil had been upset, but nothing like Vicious, or if he was, he hid it much better.

As I did with my other first dates, I met him there. A girl had to have a way to leave if she needed it. Daredevil walked me to my car and ended the night with a kiss on my cheek and a request to think about going on another date with him. I told him I'd let him know. I saw he was disappointed, but he didn't push. Now, I was driving home, and I was consumed with thoughts of Boomer.

Lord, he'd made me hot when I saw him both times. There were zings and tingles and throbbing, and, damn, I had to stop thinking about it. I was becoming turned on while driving! My nipples were hard, and my pussy was throbbing and dampening. A session with my vibrator was in my future. I should get more batteries tomorrow. My nights were filled with dreams about him and the two of us in bed having hot sex.

Despite our misunderstandings and my anger at him, my attraction to Boomer grew every time I was around him. The man was preying on my mind. I had to expel those excessive thoughts one way or another. One way was to decide to have nothing to do with him and stay away until this died inside of me. The other was to acknowledge it and jump his bones, which wasn't normal behavior for me.

I wasn't a virgin or anything. I'd had boyfriends over the years, but not dozens of them. I wasn't a nymphomaniac who went around attacking unsuspecting men or luring them into having sex with me. Except Boomer made me feel as if I was, and he was the only one I wanted to be a nympho with. I gave myself a mental shake. Stop it and concentrate. You don't want to wreck this close to home.

It took effort, but for the remaining drive, I concentrated on the road rather than getting lost in my head. It was pitch dark since I was outside of town, where there were no street lamps. As I drove up my long driveway, my headlights swept over something. I blinked to make sure I wasn't hallucinating, but it didn't disappear. Sitting outside my house at the end of the drive was a big motorcycle. My heart sped up. It was too dark, and I was too far away to see the color, to be sure, but my heart was hoping it was Boomer and not one of the others.

I impatiently pulled my car into the garage and shut off the engine as I hit the button in the car to lower the door. I got out on shaky legs. I took a deep breath as I headed for the small side access. When I swung it open, I screamed at the hulking shape standing right in front of me.

"Bella, it's me, Boomer. I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to scare you. Shit, I should've stayed on the porch." he said as he backed up hastily.

"It's okay. I just didn't expect you to be right here. I saw the bike. What're you doing out here on my porch, in the dark, and at this time of night?"

"I guess you might say there is something wrong, although it's not what you might think. I need to talk to you, and it can't wait until tomorrow. Can we go inside? Or if you feel safer out here, we can do that, too. Whatever you're most comfortable with."

His tone made me think he remembered how I had reacted when he grabbed my arms in the backyard. He had a good ten feet between us. I shut and locked the garage door, then hurried over to him. I put my hand on his arm.

"Boomer, I'm not scared to be near you. It's chilly out here. It would be better to go inside. Come on." I gestured for him to follow me. I took him to the front door. I fumbled with the keys because his closeness was making my hands shake, but not out of fear. I had left the porch light on so I could see the lock. He reached around me, took the key, and inserted it.

"Thank you," I told him as we walked into the house.

"Welcome."

I had a lamp on in the kitchen, too. I hated coming home to a dark house. I went to take off my jacket. I was taken by surprise when he came up behind me and helped me get it off. I took it out of his hands and tossed it over the back of a chair.

"Thank you again. Why don't we sit here in the living room? Can I get you anything?" I asked as I led him over to the couch.

"No, I'm fine, but if you want something, go ahead." He remained standing.

"No, I'm good. Sit, please."

"Not until you do. Ladies sit first. I know I've acted like an uncouth jackass, but my mom did teach me manners."

I sat on one end of the couch, and he took the other. I turned so I partially faced him. "I never said you were uncouth. Now, tell me what was so important you had to talk to me tonight. You know you could've texted me and asked."

"No, this is an in-person kind of conversation. How was your dinner?"

I was taken aback by his casual question, but I decided it was best to call him out on my suspicion. "The food was great, and the company was really good. I have a question for you. Did you follow me to those places to spy on me and my dates?"

He grimaced before he answered me. "Yes, I did go there to watch you and with the hope I would disrupt them. I hated to see you with them. It took everything I had not to march to the table and steal you away. Please tell me you don't want to date one of them."

"And if I do? Will you continue following us and disrupting things?"

"It's your decision ultimately, and I'll do my damndest to honor your wishes, but it won't be easy. To come into the clubhouse or onto the compound and have to watch you with one of them will be hell. I know I've made every misstep possible. You have no reason to give me a chance, but I'm begging you to give me one. Let me take you out so I can show you how good we can be together. What do I have to do to get you to say yes? Whatever it is, I'll do it."

"If I went out with you, where do you see this going between us? Will we go out a few times, and then you'll get bored and move on? Or, after one date, will you expect me to jump into bed with you, and we'll have fun until it ends?"

"First, tell me where you want a relationship to go?" he countered. Was he doing it to throw me off?

"I don't play games. I never have. I don't go out with a man and then go home to have sex with him on the first date. I've had boyfriends, and we have been together anywhere from months to a couple of years. I don't do friends-with-benefits or fuck buddies or whatever you want to call them. Being wanted for sex alone isn't what I want. I would love to find someone I could spend my life with, but if that's not in the cards, at least someone to spend a good while with. Your turn."

"I've had fuck buddies, friends-with-benefits, and casual fucks my whole life. No strings were my terms. Being with a biker seems to attract women. I grew up in an MC in Florida, and it was a rough, crazy, uncivilized environment. I lost my virginity at thirteen when my dad had a club bunny show me the ropes, as he called it."

I held up my hand to stop him. Everything he was saying was the opposite of me. He was making my stomach churn. And the way he told how he lost his virginity, as if it was normal, sickened me. "Enough. God Boomer, do you hear yourself? You make all that sound normal. How old was the one who took your virginity, can I ask?"

"She was nineteen. I'm telling you this—"

"Nineteen! She was an adult. You were a child. It was rape! You weren't old enough to give consent. Those types of encounters you enjoy aren't me."

"You think I don't know that? Christ, you're nothing like any woman I've ever been with. I'm telling you this to show you how much you've taken over my mind. I've never had a steady girlfriend. With you, I can't stop thinking about you, wanting you, and not just for sex. No strings are the last thing I want when it comes to us. I want as many strings as I can get, actually, so you never leave me. I'll do whatever it takes to prove to you I'm the man for you."

I was beyond stunned at his confession. There was no mistaking the sincerity in his voice or on his face. I was at a loss how to respond. It worried me he had never had an actual girlfriend. It didn't bode well for our chances. What if he changed his mind? On the other hand, I was almost desperate to give him a chance.

He watched me intently. I knew I had to say something. "You've surprised me, no, shocked me. I don't really get why I'm the one to make you want to be different. I'm scared, to be honest. What if you change your mind? What if we find out we can't stand each other? Or we burn hot and then burn out quickly. I know neither of us can make guarantees, and I'm not asking you to do so, but it's a huge risk."

"What if you find you don't want me? Or that you hate me, but I adore you? I'm as much at risk of having my heart broken as you, maybe more. I've already pissed you off several times with how I open my mouth and say shit. It's never meant the way it sounds, but I know as hard as I try not to do it again, it'll happen."

"You said you wanted all the strings you could get. Tell me what strings mean to you."

"If this goes the way I hope and think it can, you'll be claimed as my old lady, like Londyn and the other women are. If you're willing, when the time is right, I'd want to get married. We'd share our lives in every way. And, I'd like to have some kids one day. Not sure what kind of dad I'll make, but with the examples I have in the club, I do know I'll be a much better one than my old man was."

I edged a bit closer and reached out to take his hand. He grasped mine. My heart was racing so fast. I knew I was about to take probably the biggest risk of my life. Hopefully, it won"t blow up in my face. "I want to say yes." He began to smile. "But we need to set some ground rules," I hurried to add.

"Anything."

"The biggest is while we're dating, and if we take it further into an actual relationship, we will remain monogamous. If you can't do it, there's no need to even start. For me, this means no kissing and fondling. Oral sex counts as cheating, not just penetration."

He frowned. "Babe, what kind of men have you dated?"

"Luckily, none of them did those things, but there were others who wanted to date, but they couldn't promise to be monogamous, especially if I wouldn't sleep with them on the first date."

"You don't need to worry. I won't do any of those things. It would kill me if you did it to me, and I just can't see myself finding someone else who attracts me like you do."

"Thank you, but that brings up the next one. We can never say never, so if either of us finds ourselves wanting someone else, we promise to tell the other and we end things before we get in deeper and end up hurt more."

"Agreed. Next."

"I don't need someone to boss me and dictate what I can and can't do."

"I don't want to boss you, but I reserve the right to keep you safe, which may include me and the club doing things you might not like. However, know it's only to protect you, not control you. There are things I can't tell you. Sometimes, stuff with the club is club business, and the old ladies, family members, and kids aren't privy to it. It's for your protection."

"Does it happen all the time? If every time you go somewhere or do something and your answer is club business, that isn't sharing our lives. Being there for sex and companionship only isn't what I want."

"No, it isn't all the time, and I don't want us to share sex and companionship only, either. If I go somewhere, I'll tell you where it is and explain what I'll be doing in most cases. I'd like to ask you to do the same. I want to know you're safe."

"I can do that. Oh, one more thing. I want to be the one to tell the other guys we won't be having any more dates. And I'll do it alone."

"Bella, I don't like that."

"Why?"

"I don't want them to give you a hard time. They might get upset."

"Would they hurt me?" I asked in shock. I wouldn't have thought they would.

"Oh, hell no! Never. Although, if they did, I'd kill them. No, they just might scare you, and I remember how you got with me. There's no need for you to experience it."

"I'll be fine. If you're with me, it'll possibly make your relationship with them more tense. I don't want to get between any of you. It's a brotherhood, I've learned. I promise to tell you when I do tell them so you can be on standby if it makes you feel better."

"I don't love it, but I can accept it."

"I can't think of anything else. If you don't have anything, how do we start this?" I asked him nervously.

"I think we should seal it with a kiss if you'll let me," he said in a low rumble.

My body tingled. I had no objections. I'd been wondering what it would be like to kiss him. I barely gave my nod before he was the rest of the way across the couch and had his arms around me. He hauled me against his chest, then lowered his head. One hand came up to cradle the back of my head and tilt it. The first touch of our lips was gentle, but it didn't last long.

As they pressed together and moved, our mouths slightly opened, and tongues immediately went seeking into each other's mouths. Our moans set off our passion. As our tongues entwined in between, there were nips with teeth on our lips. It was better than I imagined by far. I'd never had a kiss like it, nor had I become so aroused by one. Usually, kissing was mildly pleasant and a prelude to foreplay. I knew his kisses would be a necessity and often.

Suddenly, he tore his mouth away and scooted back. He was breathing hard. I was hot and panting. "W-what's wrong?" I stuttered.

"I gotta stop. We're taking this at your pace, and that kiss is testing my restraint not to try and convince you to get naked with me right now. I'm not fucking this up. Damn woman, you can kiss," he told me with a sexy wink.

I laughed shakily. "I was about to tell you the same. Okay, I know you're right, but can I say I don't like it? It's smart. Maybe I should sit in the chair. We should iron out the schedule."

"Schedule?"

"When I'll talk to the guys and when you want to go on a date. It doesn't have to be a date, date. I could fix us dinner one night or something."

"Tomorrow. Talk to them all, and then tomorrow night, we'll have our first date. No need to cook, although I'll take you up on your offer another time."

"Tomorrow! What if they can't?"

"Believe me, they'll make time if you ask. Why don't you arrange to meet them in town at the coffee shop or the bakery? It's away from the club, so it's still private enough without being alone. Again, they won't hurt you, but I don't want them here."

"Let me guess. You'll be somewhere very close by when I do, just in case they need to be reminded, not just in town somewhere."

He grinned. "Now you're getting it."

I shook my head and rolled my eyes, but I laughed. From there, we ended up moving to opposite pieces of furniture, and we talked for another hour. The sexual tension remained, but we fought it and just shared random things about each other. It was more of the same thing as the texts we'd been sending each other. When he finally left, he gave me a quick kiss and then groaned before he got on his bike. He waved as he pulled out, and I watched him until he was out of sight. Locking my door, I floated to the bedroom. Wait until I told Londyn and Diane what I was about to do.

???

I was staring at the phone. I'd bitten the proverbial bullet soon after getting up this morning, and I called each of the guys to ask if we could meet sometime today because I wanted to talk. They all agreed, and I did take Boomer's advice and arranged to meet them at the coffee shop. I spaced them out to give an hour per guy. I wanted to vomit. Not because I was reconsidering my feelings for any of them but because I hated to disappoint or upset them. They were truly really nice guys. I didn't think any were head-over-heels for me. They didn't know me. I did get the feeling, though, that they might've been interested enough to try for something more.

I sent Boomer a text telling him about where and when. I couldn't talk to him yet due to my nerves. He immediately responded, saying he would be nearby and insisted if they were getting upset, I must text him so he could come in. I hoped I wouldn't have to do it, but I agreed. Otherwise, I knew the man would plant his ass right in the middle of the coffee shop and watch us.

Now, I was calling Londyn and Diane. I decided a three-way call was best, so they both got it all at the same time, and we could talk it through together. Well, they could mostly talk to calm me down. I was worried, thrilled, and anxious, all mixed together. Worried about hurting or upsetting the guys. Thrilled about starting this with Boomer. Anxious about what if it turned out to be nothing, or he decided it wasn't for him, and I was left brokenhearted? I dialed Londyn first. It rang a couple of times before she answered.

"Hey, Bella, I'm glad you called. We need to talk."

"Hi, Londyn. I agree. Hold on and let me conference in Diane."

"Ooh, this must be either good or serious. Do it."

I pushed the buttons to add her. Diane answered, sounding happy. "Hi, Bella, good morning."

"Good morning, Di. I have you on three-way with Londyn. I need to talk to both of you. Do you have time right now?" If they said no, I might die if I had to wait. Thankfully, they both said absolutely. Once they did, I lost my train of thought.

"Bella, are you still there?" Londyn asked.

"I am. I just blanked on what I was about to say."

"Are you alright?" Di asked.

"I am, yeah, well, mostly. I'm freaking out, and I need you to talk me down and tell me if I've made a terrible mistake."

"We can do that. Just tell us what you did or didn't do. Let's start with last night. How was your date with Daredevil? I haven't seen him yet today. Did you have a good time?" Londyn asked. I was glad since it reminded me where to start my conversation.

"We had a nice time, and he was great. We talked and laughed, and the food was wonderful."

"If it was, why the funny sound in your voice?" Diane asked.

"Well, for one thing, he confronted Boomer, who was there too."

"He crashed this date too!" Di exclaimed. Londyn, on the other hand, laughed hysterically.

"Why are you laughing like a hyena?" I asked her.

"Because I knew he'd do it. I knew it! So, did Daredevil get as pissed as Vicious did?"

"No, he didn't seem to be. He settled easily afterward, and we enjoyed our date."

"So, do any of them stand out as dateable material more than the others? And now that those dates are over with, when are you gonna go out with Boomer to see if he might have a chance?" Londyn asked. Leave it to her to get straight to the crux of it. That was Londyn.

"Yes, one does stand out, but I'm not going on a date with Boomer to see if he has a chance."

"Are you sure? Who did you pick? What if you should give Boomer a chance even though he's been an asshole? Did you tell the others yet?" These questions came from Diane. I knew she wanted to beat Londyn to it.

"The answers to those questions you're both firing at me is why I called. I need you to help reduce my anxiety about what I decided. I'm scared shitless. I have four men to talk to this afternoon. Help."

"Take a deep breath. We've got you. Let's start with the four talks. When and where?" Londyn asked as she took control.

"At the coffee shop. The first one is at one o'clock. I did them one right after the other, so the others are at two, three, and four. I don't think any will last long, so they shouldn't pass each other. I hate the idea of hurting any of their feelings. They're good guys."

"They are, but you have to go with your gut and heart. Obviously, one of them made a big impression if you're not gonna give Boomer a chance, although the old ladies were waiting to see how it would go. Anyway, who's the lucky man?" Londyn prompted.

"You're right. Both my gut and heart pushed me to my choice. I'm still worried that if it goes nowhere, I'll get hurt, but I have to try. Last night, after my date with Daredevil, I made my decision." I paused to take a deep breath. "It's Boomer. I've agreed to work with him on a relationship."

There was absolute silence on the other end for the longest five seconds or so of my life, and then it was like an explosion. I heard shrieking, and then they both talked over top of each other loudly.

"What? Oh my God, are you kidding me?" Diane shouted.

"What the hell happened? Boomer? Tell me!" was Londyn's outburst.

"If you hush, I will," I yelled back since they were still rumbling loudly.

They slowly died down. As soon as they did, I launched into telling them about finding Boomer at the house last night, what we talked about, and how he wanted me to choose him and tell the others ASAP so he and I could start officially dating or whatever it was. I ended by letting them know he was taking me out tonight.

"Wow, he said all that? And all the shitty things he said and did, you're just forgetting about those?" Diane asked.

"I'm forgiving them, not forgetting. He knows what I will and won't accept. He has to learn to be in a relationship since he's never been in one. Listen, I couldn't ignore how he makes me feel on all levels. The others are good and everything, but they don't come close to what he does to me, and I feel, even if I end up hurt, I'd never stop asking, what if I didn't try? Of course, I'm terrified and trying to figure out what to say to the guys and what to wear on my date with Boomer. I want to throw up."

"We'll support you no matter what you decide. I think you might be perfect for him. He's rough around the edges, and I'm still getting to know all the guys, but they all seem to be honest. If he makes you promises, I think he'll keep them. Just know he'll be a dominant guy, and you have to push back when he gets out of line. I do it with Torpedo. The other ladies do, too. The guys may try to lead, but they don't want mindless women. They like strength, and I know you have it. Don't be afraid to show him all sides of you. With that said, let's talk about what to say to the other four, and then we'll figure out your clothes. Let's get this show on the road," Londyn stated happily, making us laugh.

In the end, they did calm me down a lot, and I had an outfit idea. I ended the call so I could get ready for my coffee dates. I prayed they'd go well or as well as they could. I took time with my appearance and did some breathing exercises to psych myself up. When it was time, the drive seemed to be over too fast. Oh lord, here I go.