“Well, Iwantedto work with PD, but being an apprentice in a tattoo business is the goal I’ve had for years. PD made it clear, more than once, that he wouldn’t take me on, so this is a sign, right? Exactly what I want was dropped into my lap. That’s ahugesign. I should take it, shouldn’t I?” My mind was in a whirl. Was I talking myself into working with Ren or out of it? God, what should I be doing? I knew what I wanted to do.
KC tipped his face up. The raindrops running down his skin made him strangely ethereal. My fingers itched to draw him, but I knew there was no truly capturing this moment. He was too fucking beautiful. Light cracked through the gray clouds and made him glow like a redheaded angel. “This is a good opportunity. Why not?”
“Yes! Thank you! Exactly!” And how did you argue with a divine proclamation?
KC grinned and kissed me. His lips were warm and soft. I could practically feel the encouragement filtering from him to me as he gently caressed my bottom lip with his tongue. My cock struggled against my jeans, and I stepped closer so I could press it on his muscular thigh. He hummed and wrapped his arms around me. My heartwhooshedin my ears and my skin tingled. This was the first time I’d been kissed in public, and excitement popped off stronger than fireworks in every part of my body.
Nearby, a loudvroomnearly scared me half to death. I jumped, but KC held me closer, smooshing me against his hard muscles. Jester waved at us from the seat of his bike as he passed.
“Ass!” I called after him, but there was no way he heard me.
KC chuckled.
“About the other day—” KC pressed a kiss to my cheek, as if he’d changed his mind about what he wanted to say.
“Yeah?”
He pursed his lips, then gave me a squeeze. “Will it be a problem? With you and Ren?”
“Why would it be?”
He shrugged.
The clouds rolled close again and thunder rumbled overhead. The rain beat down on us harder, and we were simply soaked now. I would have to go home and change.
“I don’t know. I mean, the sex stuff. It might make working together awkward?” he said.
I stood on tiptoe and pecked KC’s lips. “Let me worry about it. Good luck at your game. Ren and I will be there in the stands.”
“Really?” He grinned.
“Yeah.”
“KC! What are you doing out in the rain?”
We whipped around and Quain, his dad, was staring at us from a good ways down the sidewalk from the doorway of his shop. My belly shivered at getting caught by someone we knew.
KC dropped me and backed away, frowning at his dad. “All right. I better get going. I’ll see you later.”
“Yep. Later.” I had a lot to think about. But at least I wasn’t going to get yelled at by a parent.
14
KC
Sweat stung my eyes and my chest heaved. My biceps burned and my legs ached. The heavy effects of the Saturday night game burdened my sore body, and when it was done, we’d won, but only just. Our home crowd cheered under the bright lights. It was the beginning of the season, and we had a lot of games to play, but it was a good start.
Ozzie came over and slapped my ass, and I patted him on the shoulder as we headed into the locker room. Pa and Barber had come to the game. I’d seen them in the front row, Barber yelling like a mad man while Pa stared at plays with quiet calculation. Later on, he’d give me a rundown of the weaknesses he’d seen in both our team and the rivals, the way he did after every game. If there was one thing he was good at, it was finding vulnerabilities to exploit. Barber was more proactive, screaming at the referees and asking them if they were blind.
Or stupid.
Or getting paid off.
I’d be mad if I didn’t love the guy. He was the helicopter parent. While technically he wasn’t my dad, he was certainly starting to act like one.
And the poor ref. He took one look at Barber and blanched, caught between irritation and fear at seeing a parent wearing a Kings of Men MC jacket.
After the game, I approached the ref and thanked him for his time while also apologizing about Barber.
