Chapter 5

5

HALO

Mississippi- 2 months ago

I stare up at the motel as Riot grabs my suitcases… which is awfully chivalrous of him since I wasn't going to enjoy having to lug them up to my room. Kyle, my friend and co-worker who helps me and Star out from time to time, has more luggage than I do.

"Take it, I'm not gonna be seeing much of you." Kyle jiggles his eyebrows.

I turn to face him. "Stop it," I mutter.

"What?" He feigns innocence. "He's cute."

Kyle is also gay and clearly not blind.

"I know that, but it isn't like that."

"I don't know, hon, all this pent-up tension we've all been going through lately, I think a dose of hot sex this weekend might just do the trick."

I smirk. "You've got plans for the weekend then?"

"Maybe."

"Yeah, right. You brought your gaming earphones, Ky. I think I know what you'll be doing in your free time."

Riot approaches and we stop talking. "I'll take these up to your room."

I smile. "Thanks, Riot, that's really nice of you."

He smiles back, ever the tattooed gentleman. A hot biker with a fantastic body, gorgeous butt and amazing blue eyes that could light up a room. I've been attracted to him since we first met at the Whiskey Straight. Okay, so the bar is located in a not so elegant part of downtown where I wouldn't normally frequent. But when I accompanied Star, who was looking for the Nomad Brothers, Brew and Haze; the two men from the club who seem to scare everyone away just from one glance. The two are larger than life, but then again, so are most of the men in this MC. They're here too, along with Nevada and my best friend. I just really hope we can get some answers for Star. She's been suffering for so long since her sister was kidnapped. I don't know how, call it a hunch, but I get the feeling that this trip will bring us answers, one way or the other. Star needs closure, and I hope to God that it's going to be positive news, and not complete and utter devastation. She's suffered enough.

Riot's still watching me as I glance up from my shoes at his words. "You good?"

I plaster a smile on my face. "Yep. I'm great!"

He nods for me to go in front and I take the key from Kyle's outstretched hand and ignore his jiggling eyebrows as I mount the stairs.

"You ever been to the Magnolia State before?" Riot asks.

Before I can reply, I stumble and pitch forward up the steps. With lightening quick reflexes, Riot drops my suitcase and catches me from behind. "Be careful there, Kitten. You almost gave me a heart attack."

"Shit, sorry," I mutter. "I've always been a klutz. At least we'd have some cushioning to break the fall." My attempt at humor doesn't warrant any laughing from behind me.

I wait until I get to the top of the stairs before I look back at him. He's watching me, his brow furrowed."What's that supposed to mean?"

I frown too. "My ass." I point to it. "It's big and soft, so we'd probably bounce."

He stops at the top step. "I hope you're jokin'."

Uh, oh. "Uh, yeah. I mean…"

"You have a beautiful body, Halo. So don't joke about it bein' big or soft or whatever you were meanin'."

I have a beautiful body? Uh, what?

Okay. Humor. Try humor again. "Nice of you to notice."

His eyes inadvertently flick to my chest for a split second. Okay, I'm heaving my breath a little after climbing two flights of stairs, and that only accentuates my rack. Which is large.

Two watermelons might be a better description, according to some asshole I had coffee with and split once he proceeded to ask if I had implants. I don't, by the way. I'm au naturel.

"Not like I can ignore what's in front of my eyes."

"Are you making a pass at me?" I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear.

"If I were, what would you say?"

Cheeky. "I'd say that I'd like to get to know you better. I don't, uh…" Oh, no. Why are you blurting shit out? It's the pretty eyes. They just kill me and they're like truth serum.

"You don't?"

"Sleep around." I clear my throat. Way to go, Halo. Nice. Make the man run away before you get to take a ride on the pony. Clap, clap.

"Was I talkin' about sleepin'?"

My mouth parts, and then closes again. Wait, does he mean other stuff; like sex? Or does he mean, we're here to do work and find a missing girl so we shouldn't even be having this conversation?

"Enlighten me then."

One side of his mouth turns up and my eyes dip to his lips. Jesus, they're perfect and even though he's got scruff around his face, his lips look soft. Juicy. Good enough to suck on. My eyes wander farther south, and I can see a bulge I'd bet would be even better to suck on.

His sharp intake of breath has my eyes flicking back to his face, my cheeks flushing.

"You keep checkin' me out like that, angel, I might have to show you what I mean."

He smirks, moving past me.

This man seriously lights a fire inside me that is new to me. I've never been this sexually attracted to a man before, but then again, I've only dated douchebags in the past, and they weren't even that good in bed. I can't imagine Riot not being good at sex. He oozes it. Everything about him in those tight jeans and t-shirt that wraps around his muscles and hugs his body tells me he's experienced and knows how to please a woman. Holy shit, now I'm thinking about him pleasing me… Make it stop.

"Two hundred and four," I call out as Riot leads the way.

The motel doesn't seem that bad, it's got a fresh coat of paint and seems to be in a nicer area of town. Not that we'll be spending much time indoors. The next few days will be jam packed, and I'll be helping Kyle out in the surveillance van while the others track down and question leads about the trafficking ring in the area. Money talks, that much we know.

When we come to a stand-still, Riot moves slightly so I can slide in front and unlock the door with the giant key. Why do they make keys so big? Just as I think it, I brush up against Riot's body and I hear him hiss. Don't look now, Halo, but there's something suspicious digging into the top of your butt cheek. I mean, he couldn't be hard. Not because of little old me.

I'm nothing like any of the girls he's probably used to. The MC is well known for having hordes of pretty, buxom, thin model-like women floating around with barely any clothes on. I'm not under any delusions that I'm anything like those girls. But Riot seems to like what he sees and that makes me tingle between my legs.

I haven't had sex in so long, I've almost forgotten what it's like.

I might jiggle the key a little, trying to get the handle to turn on purpose so I can bend and brush up against him again.

"Fuck," I hear him mutter.

I turn. "You okay, Riot?"

His eyes are squeezed shut and I've never seen such a sight of pleasure and pure agony all rolled into one. He's angelic. He can't be angelic, it's not allowed. He's a biker and I'm supposed to be here for my friend, not drooling over him and hoping he'll take control and pull me into his bed.

I like a man who takes control. He doesn't have to be heavy handed, but knowing what he wants is a big turn on.

Blue eyes staring at me jolts me out of my daydream. "Nothin' a cold shower won't fix."

I have no words for him. Why take a cold shower when we could just see where the road takes us? Like a bucket of cold ice being tipped over me, I hear Kyle yelling something down to Star as he mounts the stairs. Shit. I almost forgot about Kyle. Some friend I am.

I unlock the door for real this time, and step inside. The room is fairly small, as predicted, with two double beds.

"He really gonna be sharin' this crib?" Riot doesn't sound happy. He also knows there's nothing going on between me and Kyle and that Kyle prefers the company of other men. We're also friends, so, ew.

I set my purse down on one of the beds. "Yes, and I'm fine with it. Kyle's a good guy."

"Don't doubt it, but this is kinda close." He drops my suitcase down and nods to the bed situation.

"It's fine," I whisper, hearing Kyle approaching. "We've shared a room before."

He piques an eyebrow just as Kyle enters the room. "No bell hop around here for my bags." He gives me a side eye and Riot a smirk.

"That's because you packed way too much shit," Riot informs him.

Kyle tests out the springs on the bed, sitting on his ass and bouncing as I facepalm myself "Hey, looking this good takes a little time."

"You good?" Riot looks annoyed.

Kyle thumbs his chest. "Me? Yeah, I'm good. Hungry though, we might go grab some lunch, there's a diner next door. I get hangry when my blood sugar levels get low."

I try not to wince. Poor Kyle. While I'm quite aware of what Riot is referring to, it's still impolite to get annoyed with Kyle for simply being here. He didn't have much choice in the matter, and we're lucky to have him. He's the best hacker next to Rock and Jett from the club, and a wiz with surveillance.

"What about those protein energy bars I got for you?" I say, ever the mother hen. "If your blood sugar drops too low, you could go into shock." He's also a diabetic and that isn't anything to joke around about.

He blows me a kiss as he exits the room. "I ate them already."

"Kyle!" I yell after him. "You're not supposed to eat six bars in one sitting!"

When he's gone, Riot is still standing near the foot of the second bed watching me. "You feed him too?"

"Relax, he's like a brother to me. I'm kind of like a mother hen, or at least that's what Star tells me. When I was a kid, I took extra sandwiches to school for the kids who couldn't afford to buy lunch." I shrug. "I guess I never really grew out of it. I like cooking for people."

"What do you like to cook?"

It's a simple question, but it kinda floors me. Nobody is ever really interested in what I like to cook, even my ex-boyfriends. I don't think that anyone has ever asked me that question before.

"I bake pretty well. Do you like pie?"

A slow, sexy smile creeps on his face and it's hard not to feel the flutters in my stomach. "I love pie."

"What kind is your favorite?"

"Uh, pumpkin, but I'd eat anythin'."

I roll my lips. I know it's not meant to sound sexy, but anything Riot says sounds so hot. And now I'm picturing him doing things to me while I try to roll out pastry and put his pie together… Holy shit. I have to get a grip on this stupid little crush of mine before it takes hold.

"I also make apple and blackberry; it's a crowd pleaser."

"No shit."

"The apples around St. Charles Parish are abundant," I laugh. "In fact, we have huge apple trees near our property. I used to pick them as a child and eat so many I'd get a stomachache."

He smiles and it reaches his eyes. "I bet you were a cute kid."

I roll my eyes. "I was a little shit, but not as bad as my brother."

"Do you get along with him?"

Shit. That was the wrong subject for me to bring up. Antoine and I don't really see eye to eye on much, and he loves taking my dad's side where my life choices are concerned. "Right now? Not so much. My family life is… difficult at the moment. That's why I moved to New Orleans."

"When did you move here?"

"Four months ago."

"Do you like it better than Charles?"

I nod. "I like it a lot. The more I see of the city, the more I feel a real affinity there."

"Good. That means I won't have to come hunt you down in the Parish anytime soon, then?"

I laugh. Okay, so now he's making it known he's into me? I can't help the shit-eating grin that spreads across my face.

"Nope. But I thought you'd have a ton of girls fawning over you at the club." Okay, it's my subtle way of trying to find out if he's been with anyone lately.

Even though I barely know this man, I can't stand the thought that he's been with anyone since I saw him that night at the bar. Even though it's ridiculous, a surge of jealousy runs through me when I think about another woman touching him. Kissing him. Spreading her legs for him. I don't like it.

The feeling in me is so strong, I feel it in my chest. A pang. I know I've never felt this before and it shocks me a little.

He folds his arms over his chest. "You askin' if I'm available?"

I copy his movements, folding my arms over my chest. "What if I am?"

"What if I said I only have eyes for you?" His gaze skates down my body and my throat goes dry. His hungry gaze finds mine again and I feel that pull once more in my lower belly.

"I'd say you say that to all the girls."

"Not ones as pretty as you."

I give him a skeptical look. "I've seen the girls who hang around the club; sweet butts, right? They're very pretty."

"I like a certain type of woman." Jesus. His words thrill me, especially when his eyes darken a little more.

"So you have a type, huh?"

"Oh, yeah."

"And tell me, Riot, what type do you have, exactly?"

He takes a step forward, stepping into my space. I smell his woody, masculine scent of pine and citrus wash over me. It's heady and intoxicating and makes my heart race.

"I like…"

I cock a brow. "Cat got your tongue? You won't offend me. I'm fully aware of my size."

"You know, if you were mine, I'd put you over my knee for sayin' that twice in the space of a few minutes."

Put me over his knee? Holy Hannah. That alone sets my insides blazing.

"I'm just stating the obvious."

"That you're curvy and I find curves extremely sexy?" My heart rises in my chest at his words. "That I like a woman with big tits and hips and a decent ass?"

I swallow hard. "You… you do?"

He makes this sound in the back of his throat that could almost coax me to orgasm. Like a low growl. It's so sexy. "Yes. I do. And you know what else turns me on? Confidence."

"I'm not sure I have much of that," I admit sheepishly.

He shakes his head. "When you walked into the bar that night with Star, you had confidence drippin' off you, babe. That's what I find hot. And you've got a brain to boot, ain't nothin' sexier than a chick with attitude, ass and intelligence."

"Maybe I'm faking the intelligence part?"

He snickers. "Doubt it. Not if you work with Star."

"Good point." I try not to let my breathing hitch, but that's becoming increasingly difficult. "She wouldn't accept a dummy as her right-hand woman."

His words are soft and low. "No, she wouldn't."

Our heads move closer and I feel that surge. The rush. All of the adrenaline and pent-up emotion these last few months trying to help Star come to the surface. I'm a furnace who can't keep a lid on the overflowing pot. I need a release…

"Halo?" Star yells as I hear her heels on the stairs.

Riot and I spring apart and I feel the heat rising up my neck. "Shit," I mutter at the same time he says, "Fuck."

He not-so-subtly adjusts his bulge and my eyes go wide, but then Star's at the door, looking at me with a little annoyance. "What are you two doing up here? We're hungry already."

"Uh, Riot was just helping with the suitcases." I wave my arm in the general direction of my bed and Star glances suspiciously at Riot. Well, at least it wasn't a few seconds later, she might have found us in a more compromising position.

"Well, I'd love to leave you two lovebirds alone, but Nevada says we have to all stick together."

"Who died and made him Prez?" Riot mutters.

Star turns to Riot. "Fight it out amongst yourselves. I need some pie, apparently they make Mississippi mud next door." She takes off and I grab my purse and try to hide my smile. All that pie talk just brings me back to those illicit thoughts about me and Riot doing bad things to each other while I try to cook.

Riot is chuckling too. "Need my pie too, and soon."

My eyes meet his. "I know exactly how you feel."