Free Leather for Two: Wings of Steel MC by Rhonda Lee Carver Page B

liked. In the end, I decided on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. It was neither too dressy nor modest. I brushed my hair until it hung in silken waves. I didn’t own much makeup, but I found mascara and lip tint in the vanity drawer and applied both liberally.
    I then called the school and told the secretary I wouldn’t be in today.
    I found Blaze sitting at the kitchen table when I went downstairs. He wore a shirt—thankfully—and held a “best teacher ever” mug that I’d received from a student last Christmas. “Took you long enough,” he said as he handed me a cup that read “Teachers do it best”. A gift from Daisy.
    “I was upstairs less than fifteen minutes. I can’t pull on a shirt, run my fingers through my hair and call it a day.” I accepted the coffee and sat across from him. I looked into the light colored liquid. He remembered how I liked it.
    “You still like lots of crème and sugar, right?”
    “Yes, I do.” I sipped the coffee. “It’s delicious.”
    “Thankfully I had an old shirt in the console of my bike. Being that we want to make this as undercover as possible, I thought I’d get too many looks going shirtless. And we’ll take your beat up car. It’ll get less attention than my bike. ” His hands looked large wrapped around my cup. I could think of a few other places I wanted his hands.
    I licked my lips and put the cup down. If I wasn’t careful, I’d splash it over the top. I hated being nervous around him. I wanted to be natural…aloof. “I didn’t expect to wake up this morning and be enmeshed in the middle of a crazy murder mystery.”
    “I don’t think that’s anyone’s wishes, sweetheart. After Diesel’s house, we’ll go to the shop so bring what you need.”
    “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I rolled my finger around the rim of the mug.
    “You won’t be staying here.” His gaze was on me, harsh but sincere too.
    “This is where I live—”
    “You didn’t think I’d leave you alone, did you?”
    My heart thumped. “I guess I never really thought about it. Until now.”
    “You can stay with me.”
    “Wait!” I jumped up so fast that the coffee sloshed over the rim, spilling on the table. “That’s not possible.”
    “It’s very possible.”
    “Your place is the size of an ice chest.” I couldn’t allow him to come in here and take control.
    “But trust me, baby, it’ll feel like a furnace.” He winked and every cell in my body rushed to the surface, begging for more.
    “And that’s exactly why it won’t happen.” I grabbed a towel from the hook above the sink and wiped the table.
    “We can’t stay here.”
    “Why?” I tossed the towel into the sink.
    “Seriously?” One thick brow lifted over curious eyes. “I have a shop to run. And I know everything that happens at the shop.”
    “And I have a class to teach.”
    “You wouldn’t want the kids in danger, right? We don’t have any idea what we’re dealing with.”
    As much as I hated admitting it, he brought up a good point. “Okay, you’re right on that argument.”
    He chuckled and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Let’s take one step at a time. Diesel’s first. Then accommodations.” He emptied his cup and stood. He stepped closer to me, so close that his breath swept across my cheek. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
    “I’m not taking anything with me. If that’s what we decide is best, we’ll come back and I can grab my things. After we check out what’s in the box, everything might be fine.” I slid the tip of my tongue across my bottom lip, willing my body not to fall helplessly against him. “I’m not your responsibility, Blaze.”
    His hand came up and he touched my chin, lifting it slightly. “Oh, baby, but you are.”
    I looked at him through the veil of my lashes. My stomach dropped to my toes. “This is dangerous.”
    His hand dropped to my neck, then he slid his fingers around to the back of my neck. His callused