Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 49530 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49530 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
“Thanks. I’ll pay you back,” Elizabeth whispered.
“Not going to happen, Little girl. Come meet everyone,” he requested as he wrapped an arm around her waist. Not waiting for her response, he guided her a few steps away from the booth to the rough-looking, disturbingly handsome men in leather.
“Elizabeth, these are my brothers. Steele, Doc, Gabriel, Kade, and Rock.”
“Thanks for showing up at the right time,” she said quickly, noting the bikers each looked at how Talon held her close to his side. “Who was that guy?”
“That asshole calls himself Vengeance. His real name is Marion,” Gabriel answered her before looking at Steele for guidance on how much to tell her.
“We’re glad we were here,” Steele assured her. “We’ll go look for some corn. Bring Elizabeth to dinner, Talon.”
“Oh, I couldn’t…”
“We’ll be there,” Talon assured him.
He waited for the others to walk away before saying to Elizabeth, “If you ever put yourself in danger again, I’m going to spank your bottom until you can’t sit down for days.”
“What? You can’t threaten me like that,” she blustered while at the same time heat flared low in her belly.
“That is not a threat, Buttercup,” he said, drawing her away from the crowd and to a secluded spot under a large oak tree.
Backing her up against the wide trunk, he set the basket down and leaned his hands on either side of her shoulders to pin her in place. “You scared me, Little girl.”
He leaned in to kiss her hard before moving closer and tugging her to his body. With his arms wrapped around her, Talon captured her lips once again. When he lifted his head, she could only stare at him with passion-glazed eyes.
After a few seconds, she whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“Never again, Little girl. Call the police, go get someone in authority, hell, gather a crowd, but don’t ever stand up to a bully by yourself. We’ll take care of the Devil’s Jesters. Okay?”
“Okay. Can I have another kiss?” she blurted, unable to believe he had rocked her world so much.
This time, Talon changed his tactics. His mouth met hers in a tender kiss that made her knees weak. She responded to it eagerly as she tangled her hands in his thick black hair. This time when he raised his head, she blurted, “You wouldn’t really spank me, right?”
“Wrong. This was your only warning.” His look told her he wasn’t joking. “Let me have your phone.”
Elizabeth pulled it out of her back pocket and handed it over. She watched Talon put his number into her phone. He’d handed her a napkin with his number on it last night, but she hadn’t stopped this morning to type it in. She watched him ring his number and check on his own phone that he had her number before handing it back.
Talon lifted a hand to cradle her chin. “Call me if you’re in a pinch. Even if I can’t convince you that I’m your Daddy, I’ll come as fast as possible to help—as will the rest of the Shadowridge Guardians. I’ve claimed you now.”
“Really?” she squeaked. “I mean, we just danced a bit last night.”
“We danced our asses off, Buttercup. Had there been a dance award, we would have won!” Talon crowed, making her laugh and dispelling the last of the tension.
“Did you finish your shopping?” he asked.
“I wanted to get some baby onions for my Greek salad.”
“Let’s go finish up. Have you had breakfast?”
“No. But it’s almost lunch time,” she pointed out with a laugh.
“Lunch it is,” he announced.
“You don’t have to take me to lunch.”
“I don’t, but I want to. You’re coming to dinner at the clubhouse. We might as well spend the day together. That is, unless you have other plans?”
“I don’t have anything particular on my schedule. Are you sure they want me at the dinner tonight?” she asked as Talon picked up her basket and slung it over his muscular forearm.
Taking her hand, Talon squeezed it. “The president of the MC asked you himself. You have to come now.”
”Really?” she squeaked for the second time in just a few minutes.
“Really.” As they merged into the crowd, many people smiled at them. Elizabeth returned the friendly greeting as she turned her attention to the perfect onions. “That was the booth I was going to visit when all the ruckus started.”
“Let’s go.”
A few minutes later, she had exactly what she’d hoped to find. Talon paid for her choice despite her protests and made an extra stop at a vendor with flowers. The colorful bouquet he chose was gorgeous, and Elizabeth had to keep herself from dancing at his side from pure happiness as they walked back to the parking lot. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had given her flowers.
“Let’s take these back to your house, Buttercup. Where’s your car?”
“My apartment is about a fifteen-minute walk from here. I just came by foot,” she admitted.