Road to Passion Read online

  “Darien?”

  I licked my lips. “Huh?”

  “Did someone hurt you?”

  “Oh.” I shook my head. “No. It happened at work.”

  He frowned. “Someone hurt you at work?”

  “No!” I said a little more forcefully. “I whacked it on a piece of furniture.”

  “Babe, you need to fuckin’ tell me what happened.”

  Because I’m Dork Darien, and because he smelled so delicious, all I could think about was licking him (no joke), and I told him everything that happened at work.

  Mack stood with his arms crossed as I filled him in, but when I was done he sighed. “Fuck me.”

  “Now? ’Cause I don’t really know you,” I retorted.

  He stared at me for a second or two and then laughed. The sound made me shiver... in a really good way, and I couldn’t stop a smile.

  “Go back to your friends, sweetheart.”

  I nodded and high-tailed it out of the hallway and back into the club. I nearly slammed into Millie who grabbed my arm with a frown. “Where did you go?”

  “Nowhere, it’s fine,” I said.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yep, fine. Just went through the wrong door.” She studied me, but I was glad she let it go. “Are we dancing?”

  Millie shook her head. “Huh-uh, we’re back upstairs. Booker bought us drinks.”

  “Okay, cool.”

  I followed Millie back upstairs and tried to put my weird interaction with the sexiest man on the planet out of my head. Admittedly, I failed, but I fell back into my comfortable belief that a man like Mack would never want a woman like me. I was safe there.

  ON A BUSY Friday morning almost three months later, I rushed into the locker room at work where I slipped out of my scrubs with a shudder and stepped into the bathroom. I needed to shower first, then I’d take care of the vomit-covered protective wear. Ugh. So gross. One of the residents was close to the end of his life and wasn’t keeping down any food. We still tried, but unfortunately, it didn’t work.

  I sighed as the hot water covered me. I really hoped my book would become a bestseller so I could justify quitting. I liked my job just fine, but I’d rather write, and if it meant writing smut, I was so okay with that. Especially since I’d gotten my first royalty check for almost two hundred, sixty-two dollars and four cents... my monthly total. It was a bummer, because it wasn’t enough to quit, but even so, people were buying the book, so I couldn’t complain.

  * * *

  Saturday afternoon, I took Barney down to the little shopping center near our apartment. Outside of my job, it was my first venture past my front door in a week. Considering I’d been so tired from work, I’d barely had the energy to walk Barney to the communal yard and back upstairs.

  One of the things I loved most about Portland was its super dog-friendly attitude, so Barney was typically welcome most places. This particular day, however, I just wanted to sit at one of the outdoor tables with a strong cup of coffee and use my Kindle as a cover to people watch.

  As I set my coffee on an open table and took a seat, securing Barney to my chair, I pulled my Kindle out of my bag just as a familiar face came running towards me. My heart raced as Mack caught sight of me and his mouth spread into a slow smile. He was in shorts and a tight, white T-shirt, and even in work-out clothes, he was beautiful. He slowed to a walk and I took a deep breath as he closed the distance between us.

  “Hey, Darien.”

  “Hi,” I replied. He’d remembered my name again and it made my heart race. “Out for a run?”

  Yes, Dork Darien, of course he’s out for a run. Obvious much?

  “Yeah. Havin’ coffee?”

  I blushed and nodded. “Do you live around here?”

  He knelt down and captivated my dog with behind the ear scratches. Barney’s favorite. “Yeah. About six blocks north.”

  “Oh, that’s close to me,” I said.

  He smiled again.

  I cocked my head. “Do you want to join me?”

  “Sure. I’ve got a few minutes.” He rose to his feet and took the chair across from me. “Any more work injuries?”

  “Huh?”

  “The bruise on your leg.”

  “Oh.” My hand went instinctively to my thigh. “No. I’ve been injury free for a couple of weeks now.”

  He frowned.

  “What about you?” I continued.

  “Not in the habit of gettin’ work injuries, babe.”

  “Yeah, you let your bouncers do the dirty work,” I grumbled ungraciously.

  Mack studied me. “Train’s been dealt with, Darien.”

  “I’m sorry?”

  “Look, babe, he was doin’ his job, so I won’t apologize for him protecting club patrons, but the other shit he said to you...?” His face grew hard.

  “Yes?” I prompted.

  “Well, he’s been dealt with. Chalk it up to a recruit who got a little eager about doin’ a good job.”

  “Am I really never allowed to come back?”

  Mack sighed. “You want it that bad, Darien?”

  “Well, no. Not life or death bad.” I shrugged. “But it was fun.”

  “Give me your phone.”

  I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. “Why?”

  “You wanna come some weekend, you come when I’m there.”

  “You’re not there every weekend?”

  “No.”

  “Why do you have to be there, then?” I challenged.

  “Someone has to keep an eye on you.”

  “Stalker much?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You can try and come another time, Darien.”

  “But I won’t get in,” I deduced.

  He held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”

  I fished it out of my bag and handed it to him, leaning my chin in the palm of my hand. “How did you get so bossy?” I wondered aloud.

  He smiled and handed the phone back to me. “Lots of practice.”

  “Yeah, I’m guessing that.” I chuckled. “Dani said her husband was part of a motorcycle gang. Are you as well?”

  “Holy shit, Darien.” Mack dropped his head back and laughed. “Motorcycle gang?”

  I slumped in my chair, feeling very self-conscious. “That’s not the right term?”

  “No, babe. We got a club. Dogs of Fire.”

  “Is it like Sons of Anarchy?”

  “The motorcycles, yeah. But we’re not part of the one percent, which means our club and businesses are clean... mostly.”

  I sighed in disappointment. “So no Jax Teller.”

  Mack smirked. “You know he’s not a real guy, right?”

  “When I’m awake, yes, but at night in my dreams... now, that’s another story.”

  “You’re fuckin’ funny, Darien.”

  I smiled. “What about you?”

  “I’ve been known to be funny,” he retorted.

  I giggled. “What do you dream about?”

  He leaned forward. “You, baby.”

  I let out a rather inelegant snort. “Wow, you’re good. No wonder Pauley says you’re a who—”

  “A what?”

  “Nothing, never mind,” I said. Calling him a man-whore was not only vicious gossip, it wasn’t nice and I was better than that.

  “Well, this has been fun,” he said, and stood.

  “Wait, I’m sorry. I don’t know you. Neither does my sister, really, and her view towards good-looking men is a little askew.”

  He smiled and bent down to pet Barney again. “You want into Blush, Darien, you let me know.”

  And then he was gone.

  I internally groaned. God, I was not only a dork, I was kind of a bitch. I grabbed my stuff, unhooked Barney, and headed back home... then I obsessed. After about an hour of contemplation, followed by massive spiraling, I showered, dressed in my best pair of jeans, ankle boots, and off the shoulder cutesy sweater. I pulled my hair into what I hoped would be a sexy ponytail, not a ‘crap
, I don’t have time to wash and dry my hair’ ponytail, spritzed a little perfume on, and grabbed my purse. I had precious little time to do what I needed to do, but I was going to give it my best shot.

  * * *

  Mack arrived home and tossed his keys on the counter before heading to the shower. He’d done a shit job of getting his pixie out of his head and he was pissed at himself. But then she appears right in front of him as if to taunt him? He realized he was now officially fucked.

  He stripped down and stepped under the cool water, wondering what Pauley would have told Darien. Right about now, he wished he’d been a little less happy to give his body to a few of the women he’d “enjoyed,” but that wasn’t something he could change.

  God damn it, Darien was just as gorgeous as he remembered. Probably more. He picked up on her inability to lie, but thought her need to not make him feel bad was kind of sweet. He was gonna need to figure out what to do about her, because now that he’d seen her again, he wasn’t prepared to let her slip through his fingers. He’d get the shit with Blush sorted, make sure it didn’t touch her, then she was his.

  He smiled to himself as he turned off the shower and dried off. She didn’t stand a chance.

  PULLING UP TO the back parking lot for Blush, I climbed out, grabbed the gift bag I’d brought with me, and headed up the outer stairs to the ‘employee only’ entrance. I’d noticed someone try to open the front doors as I was driving in, and they appeared locked, so I hoped this would work.

  I banged on the door and waited... and waited some more. No one came, so I banged one more time. With a force I wasn’t expecting, the door slammed open and I let out a shocked squeak. A tall, tatted man glared at me as he stood in frame of the door. “Yeah?”

  “Um, sorry. I was wondering if Mack was here.”

  His face showed surprise. “You’re here to see Mack?”

  I nodded holding the gift bag closer to my chest. “Yes. If he’s available. If not, that’s fine. I can come back.”

  “Babe, you’re not getting one foot inside this door.”

  “Well, can you tell him I’m here at least?” The man was incredibly intimidating, with his bald head and smooshy features, but I had a mission and Mr. Clean wasn’t going to stop me.

  “Damn it!” he breathed out and lifted a walkie talkie to his lips. “Mack, you got a visitor.”

  “No time for visitors,” came the reply.

  Baldy shrugged. “You heard him.”

  “Right. Can you please tell him it’s Darien? If he can’t see me, that’s fine. But I have something for him.”

  “Fuck me, lady, do I look like a secretary?”

  “Well, no, you kind of look like Mr. Clean went and joined a motorcycle gang, but if you could just tell him all the same, I’d appreciate it.”

  The side of his mouth went up slightly and he raised the walkie to his mouth again. “The visitor says her name’s Darien and she’s got somethin’ for you.”

  There was a brief pause, and then, “Bring her back, Pug.”

  Wow, the guy really did look like a pug... and not the cute puppy kind, but the sniffly, slobbery kind. He had really nice eyes, though.

  “Come on,” Pug said, and waved me inside.

  I shuffled behind him, feeling suddenly self-conscious, but I’d come this far, so I kept moving forward.

  “In there.” Pug pointed to a closed door and kept walking, which meant I was left standing alone in a dimly hallway alone.

  I gave a tentative knock and the door opened.

  “Darien,” Mack said.

  “Hi. Oh, wow, I forgot how gorgeous you are.” I blushed. “Crap, I mean—”

  “You’re gorgeous yourself, Darien,” he said with a chuckle.

  “Sorry. I don’t mean to be a bother, but...,” I held out the gift bag, “I wanted to apologize.”

  “Sweetheart, I appreciate it, but—”

  “I know you’re busy and I’ll go,” I continued, talking over him. “I just felt bad about earlier and I needed to tell you that.”

  “Darien, shush.”

  “Sorry,” I mumbled.

  I pressed my lips into a thin line and he smiled. “What I was going to say, is you don’t have anything to feel bad about.”

  “But I was rude,” I countered.

  “You were?”

  “No?” I asked, nodding.

  Mack laughed. “Come in, sweetheart. I’ve got a few minutes.”

  “No, it’s okay. I’ll go. I don’t want to keep you.”

  He took my arm and pulled me further into his office, kicking the door closed. Reaching into the bag, he pulled out the book I’d bought him and stared at it. It was a full color, coffee table book titled, “Ultimate Harley Davidson.” I’d made a quick run to Powell’s Book Store, which typically never ends up to be quick, but this time it was, considering the book was on one of the first tables I passed.

  “It’s nothing big,” I said. Mack opened it and I suddenly regretted my rash purchase. “Do you already have it? Ohmigod, it’s lame.”

  I turned to flee, but found myself gently pulled back against his hard body. “Darien.”

  I dropped my head back and swallowed. “Yes?”

  “You know you could have called.”

  “I know.” I bit my lip. “But I wanted to bring you that.”

  He smiled and my stomach did a weird swirly thing. “Which is sweet, but you could have called and I would have picked it up.”

  “But what’s the point of an apology gift if I make you come to me?” I countered.

  Mack chuckled. “Do you always apologize with gifts, or am I special?”

  “I try very hard not to do anything I have to apologize for, honestly, but when I do screw up, I apologize with gifts. Um, but that doesn’t mean you’re not special.” I grimaced. “Do you hate it?”

  “Darien, there’s never been another woman who’s brought me an apology gift to apologize for something she didn’t actually do.” His arm slid around my waist. “Truth be told, there’s never been a woman who brought me an apology gift to apologize for something she did do.”

  “That’s not really what I asked,” I mumbled.

  He grinned as he set the book on his desk and turned back to me. “It’s thoughtful, it’s sweet, and it’s something I’ll treasure. I love it.”

  I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, baby, I’m sure,” he said.

  “I’m so glad.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” I smiled. “Is your bike in there?”

  Mack picked the book up again and thumbed through it, careful not to bend the pages. When he got to the Fatboy, he pointed. “Mine looks a lot like this.”

  “Oh, wow, that’s really pretty.”

  He chuckled. “Bikes aren’t pretty, Darien.”

  “Oh, sorry.” I giggled and did my best Cheech impersonation. “It’s like totally cool, man.”

  Mack laughed again.

  “Do you have a real name?” I asked.

  He slid his hand to my neck and stroked my pulse. “A real name?”

  “Yeah. The name on your driver’s license. I feel weird calling you ‘Mack.’”

  “You do?”

  I nodded.

  “How come?”

  I blushed. “Because you’re too pretty to be compared to a semi.”

  He chuckled. “Logan Reed.”

  “Of course it is,” I ground out. “Couldn’t you be a Myron or something?”

  Before he could respond, a voice came over the walkie. “Mack, got a delivery question. Need you out front.”

  “Be right there, Knight,” he answered back.

  “I’ll let you get back to work,” I said.

  “Why don’t you come meet some of the guys?”

  “I really didn’t mean to interrupt your work. I should go.”

  He reached out and took my hand with a smile. “Stay for a bit.”

/>   “Are you sure?”

  “I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t.”

  “Okay. But kick me out if I’m in the way, okay?”

  Mack nodded. “Whatever you say, baby.”

  I squeezed his hand and sighed.

  “What?”

  “Can you try to lay off the endearments a little?” I requested.

  “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  “No, it’s not that.” I felt my face grow hot again. “I just find them very distracting and it makes me want to... ohmigod, never mind.”

  “What, Darien?”

  I shook my head. “Okay, look, I have this thing... this problem, if you will. I tend to say what’s on my mind and it gets me into trouble. It drives my sister batty, but I’ve never been a good liar, I don’t really know how to play games, and I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. I have this really bad habit of believing what people tell me, so when you call me ‘sweetheart’ or ‘baby,’ it makes you more attractive to me, and my sister says you’re dangerous. With your reputation, I know you know your affect on women, and I’m unfortunately not immune to that affect. But I like you. You seem nice and I like to be around nice people, but I have no illusions as to what kind of women you like.”

  “I don’t think you have any idea what kind of women I like.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m pretty sure they’re not dorky red-heads who have no filter, so if you could just cool it with the endearments, I’d really appreciate it. I don’t want to run the risk of falling in love with you.”

  “And what about you?” he asked.

  “What about me?”

  “What will you do so I don’t run the risk of falling in love with you?”

  I groaned. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. You’re gorgeous, you have this super sexy name, and I find you a tad bit irresistible.”

  “You don’t think that goes both ways?”

  “No, I don’t think it goes both ways.”

  “Well, you’re wrong, Darien.” He studied me for a minute and then smiled. “From the second I met you, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. See, I have this thing for girls with boys’ names. Always have. I think they’re adorable and when they’re attached to the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, it kind of throws me off my game. Follow that up with the fact that said woman is sweet, thoughtful, and funny as hell, it drives home the reality I’m not good enough for her. And when she’s standing in front of me, all I want to do is kiss her, but I know I have to go slow because I can’t scare her away.”