EXCERPT: Country

Prologue

Dusty

I stood in the compound with my heart in my throat as I looked around at all the men and women mingling. The women flirted so easily with the men. Envy flickered to life in my chest, wishing I had their skills. There was someone I wanted to approach, but my nerves were controlling me, and I couldn’t get my feet to move from the floor, away from the wall I leaned against.

Still, my eyes stayed glued to the tall, wide man on the far side as he spoke with his biker club brothers. He wasn’t the one who’d interviewed me for a position, but I wished I had met him that day. At least I would have a name to put with the handsome face. His smile was radiant, his eyes soft and ones I could get lost in. His cropped dark-brown hair, where it was a little longer at the top, called for my fingers to run through it. I would have to get on my tippytoes to achieve it, but I’d be willing to do so.

He threw his head back and laughed. A heavy breath fell from my lips, and I quickly bit down on my bottom one when I pictured myself kissing him right there on his tattooed neck. I even wanted to know what his neatly trimmed goatee and moustache felt like against my skin.

I probably looked like a stalking weirdo leaning against the wall and watching, and that was the only reason why I pushed off the wall and walked to the bar. As soon as I reached it, I sat on one of the few empty stools and rested my elbows on the top of the counter.

A guy around my age, or maybe a bit older, stopped in front of me. “Hey, what can I get you?”

“Um, a beer, please. But I, ah, don’t have an ID on me.” Why did I add that? Now I’d acted underage like I was at nineteen. Not that it didn’t stop me from stealing out of my parents’ liquor cabinet on the nights I was bored and extra lonely.

He grinned. “No need for one here. I’ll grab you a beer.” When he placed the bottle in front of me, we got to talking about random things, and before I knew it, I’d had another few drinks and was feeling slightly buzzed. I swung around on the stool with a giggle as I searched for the man who’d caught my attention. Even as I talked to Kylo, who was a prospect, I couldn’t stop from searching out the man. I wanted to ask Kylo who he was, but the words died in my throat each time.

Though, with my spin on the stool, I couldn’t find him anywhere, and my shoulders sagged at the thought of him leaving. It wasn’t until I finished turning that I noticed a form close to my side. When I lifted my gaze, my eyes nearly bugged out my head, and I almost fell backward off my stool. He was there. Right there. He quickly reached out and took my arm, steadying me.

Once he saw I wasn’t going to crash to the floor, his hand disappeared, and he smiled down at me. It was the first time in my life my clit pulsed from a smile.

“Ah, hey, hi, hello,” I blurted, blushing. I glanced to the side to see if Kylo caught my stupidity, but he was serving someone else a drink, thankfully.

“Hey, darlin’.” His voice was like a warm caress that hinted toward something orgasmic. If the sound was something to roll in, I would have got naked and jumped in. I couldn’t believe he was standing right in front of me, and I was gaping like a fool.

Quickly, I snapped my jaw and waved, like I hadn’t just told him hello three times in one sentence. His grin widened.

“You’re new, yeah?”

“Uh-huh.” I couldn’t look away from him or form more words in my brain.

His chuckle had me wanting to tear off my panties and throw them at him. He took a sip of his beer, and there was that neck again, on show and waiting for my lips. I gripped the stool under me to keep from jumping at him.

“Dusty,” I blurted when he’d looked away. I wanted his attention back.

“That your name?”

“Yep. Do you want a beer? I mean, I can buy you one.”

He smirked. “Don’t need to buy drinks here, babe, but I’ll have one with you.”

I wanted to palm my face. I forgot we didn’t pay for drinks at the compound¾all the booze was supplied. At least he wasn’t running from how I’d acted. “I’d like that…”

“Country.”

“Country,” I muttered under my breath as he called out to Kylo for two beers after glancing at my empty bottle. I peered down to his thick tattooed arms and then to his vest, my eyes widened when I saw the patch read, President.

He was in charge of the club, and all I could think was that it would have to be a hard job to do since there were so many members.

Country passed the beer to me. When I took the bottle, I tipped it his way. “Thanks. Can I ask you something?”

He nodded. “Yeah, Dusty.” Oh boy, my name from his mouth sounded like porn.

“I… can’t remember now.”

He chuckled. “Then let me ask you somethin’.”

Smiling, I nodded. I took a sip of the beer, kicking my feet since they didn’t touch the ground.

His gaze made a quick run over me, and instead of feeling creeped out, I liked it. “How old are you?”

With a mock glare, I gasped. “You should never start with the age question.”

His dark brow rose, and a chuckle sounded, this one softer. “I shouldn’t?”

“No. Not unless you’re prepared to answer it as well.”

“All right, darlin’. You go first.”

“Nineteen.”

His eyes widened. “No shit?”

Shaking my head, I replied with his own words, “No shit.”

“Babe” was all he said with a shake of his head.

“What?”

He rested his elbows on the counter and turned his head my way. “What you doin’ here?”

Picking up my drink, I shook it a little. “Drinking.”

“Nah, darlin’, I mean what are you doin’ at a clubhouse at nineteen? Don’t you got better things to do? Go out with friends, people your own age?”

“No, I don’t have many friends who I feel comfortable drinking with.” Coffee dates, sure, but nothing where I felt I could let myself go and drink around them. I’d be too worried about what I’d say or do or if they found me annoying.

Yet, there I was drinking in a biker’s club of all places.

Yeah, my actions didn’t make sense.

My face heated. “I know it doesn’t make sense because here I am drinking with you, but…”

“But?”

Shrugging, I took a sip of the beer and looked up at him. “I guess I feel safe here.” Strange, even to my own mind. But I couldn’t understand why, when I walked in there, I felt a sense of home.

He jerked his head back as if surprised by my answer.

“And don’t think I didn’t realize you didn’t answer me about your age.”

“I’m thirty-eight, babe.” I didn’t like the way his brows pinched together or the fact he looked away. I was sure my being younger was a problem for him.

“Um, I just wanted you to know that I don’t think you’re old.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Good to know, darlin’. What made you join as a club girl, Dusty?”

“I overheard some women talking at a coffee shop about it.” I pointed behind him. “Those two over there.” He didn’t look away from me. “I thought it was time to do something different in my life, and that decision took me here.”

“No shit?”

Laughing, I shrugged. “No shit.” It also happened to be at a time I was low and bored with my life.

He took one elbow off the bar and turned his body my way. My pulse raced when he reached out and tucked my light brown hair behind my ear. He caught the shiver it caused.

“You seriously don’t care I’m way older?” He cocked a brow.

“No. Not at all.”

“Good to know. Tell me somethin’ about you, Dusty.”

So I did, and we ended up talking for an hour, which included some light touches, knee bumps when he sat on his own stool, and many flirty smiles. It was the best fun I’d had in a long time, and I was glad I had those drinks to push my nerves back, as it meant I got to know Country and talk somewhat normally.

The crowded room had lessened a bit by the time Country stood from his stool. He gently pinched my chin to tilt my head back to have my gaze. My stomach put on a display of flips and twists. Was this where he was going to leave? I didn’t want to see him go. I was enjoying my time with him. He’d made me laugh more tonight than I had in a long time.

“What do you want, Dusty?”

“P-Pardon?”

His eyes warmed. “Tell me what you want, darlin’.”

“As in with my future or… tonight?”

He smiled. “Tonight, baby.”

Baby. He said it in a way that had me feeling all soft inside.

With both hands, I reached up and gripped his inked wrist. I was going to take a leap. Take something I wanted from the moment I first saw him. “I…” I blew out a breath. “I’d like to go to bed with you.”

His gaze darkened as he leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth. His facial hair was rough, but I liked the way it tickled against my skin. “Then let’s go to bed, darlin’.” He took hold of my hand and led me through the compound and up some stairs to a room at the back. His room.

My hands shook from a jumble of nerves and excitement. When I heard his bedroom door close, I jolted and turned to him.

His brows rose as he watched my chest rise and fall rapidly. “You sure you want this, darlin’? You can walk out that door any time you want.”

“No, I mean, yes, please.” My face burned. “What I’m trying to say is that… well, I couldn’t walk out that door because I like where I am.” I want this. Please take me now. His smile at my ramblings was a little smug, but I didn’t mind. Even though it seemed my nerves were coming back.

“Fuck, darlin’, you’re somethin’ special. I’m sure that’s why the brothers didn’t snap you up.”

Or it could have been because they saw how I couldn’t keep my gaze away from Country. Thankfully, the man himself didn’t seem to notice my attention on him most of the night… before he approached.

Butterflies took flight inside me from knowing how lucky I was Country had come to the bar and stood beside me. If he hadn’t, I would have gone back to my room dejected. When I’d first applied to be a club girl, Death, the man who’d interviewed me, made it clear the brothers would never force themselves on the girls. We had to be willing and wanting their attention.

Boy, did I want Country’s.

He took a few steps to stop in front of me. My skin buzzed when he cupped my cheeks with both tattooed hands and slowly bent. His lips headed right toward mine, and I watched his eyes flick over my face, as if he was waiting for me to freak and stop this.

That wasn’t going to happen.

His lips pressed against mine in a quick taste before he pulled back and caught my gaze. His touch wasn’t enough. I needed more.

Lifting my hands, I slid them up under his vest and gripped his tee before stretching up for a better taste. When I tugged him closer and nipped at his plump bottom lip, he groaned and moved one hand to the back of my head. The kiss deepened. We opened to each other, exploring one another’s mouth in a heated, hot kiss that had my toes curling.

Feeling brave, I dropped a hand to his perfect ass and took a handful that brought him in closer, where I felt his erection against my stomach. I wanted him in my mouth. Just thinking that had my body shivering and a moan slipping out. Country broke the kiss to clip, “Christ, darlin’.” His heated gaze fell to my mouth, and he muttered, “Your mouth… fuck.”

“C-Can I… I want to….’

His fingers threaded through the back of my hair and gripped, tearing a gasp out of me.

“Fuckin’ beautiful. What you want, darlin’?”

“To suck you.”

He groaned and rested his forehead against mine for a moment before his lips brushed against my cheek, my nose, the corner of my mouth. There he ordered gruffly, “Go sit on the edge of the bed.” As soon as his hands fell away, I scrambled over to the bed and sat, looking up at him with my hands on my lap.

“Fuck me,” he muttered with a smirk. I watched as he moved around the room, took off his vest, hung it on the back of a chair, and then removed his tee. His smooth, strong chest had my mouth watering. Across his chest was a tattoo, surrounded by others, of written words of the club’s name. I wanted to reach out and trace them with my finger.

Later though, because as he started my way, he popped the button on his jeans. I rubbed my thighs together as my pussy pulsed. He slid the zipper down as he stopped in front of me. “Last chance, sugar. If you’re havin’ second thoughts, walk out. If you’re not and want my cock in your mouth, then know this will be your only chance to go. As soon as this starts, I’m not gonna be able to stop.”

“Country, I’m not going anywhere.”

A growl rumbled out of him that had me running my hands up the back of his thighs to grip the top of his jeans and slowly pull them down. His cock popped free. The tip glistened with precum. He took himself in hand and held it out for me. When I went to dip in, he shook his head.

“Close your mouth, darlin’.” I did, and my heart stumbled when he squeezed the base of his cock and brought his hand up his length, causing the tip to leak even more. He cupped the back of my head and rested his wet tip against my lips, running it over and around my lips.

He groaned, his chest rising and falling faster. “Fuckin’ gorgeous. Open up now, baby.”

I did and licked at the tip before flicking my tongue around the head. Country made a noise in the back of his throat and jutted his hips forward, sliding his cock deeper into my mouth.

“Jesus, Dusty. I can’t….” Wait, what? Panic started to ebb its way in, until he shifted back enough to bend, take hold of my tee, and pull it over my head. His hands were on my bra next, and his fingers were quick to undo it and fling it from my body. Next, he shoved my shoulder where I dropped back on the bed with a gasp, but I didn’t mind at all, not when Country tugged my jeans and panties from me and threw them over his head as his gaze ran over my body.

Smiling, I now understood what he’d meant by he couldn’t. He didn’t want to wait. Already he was at the point of needing to be inside me, and I was more than willing to give him that.

“You’ve got me feelin’ like a schoolboy, Dusty,” he clipped through clenched teeth.

A laugh escaped. I covered my mouth, but he’d already heard it.

His brow rose. “You think it’s funny?”

Pinching my thumb and finger together, I said, “A little.”

Another growl sounded in the room as he grabbed my ankle and dragged me to the edge of the bed causing me to squeal. He bit inside my thigh, ripping a moan from my mouth.

“I’ll have to punish you for laughin’, darlin’.”

Panting, I shook my head and looked down at him trailing kisses and nips inside of each thigh. “Can… can you do that later, please?”

He lifted his head. “Why, baby?”

Cupping my breast, I swallowed and told him the truth. “Because I need you inside me.”

“Fuck. Fuck.” He reached into his jeans pocket, grabbed his wallet, and pulled out a condom. I watched him rip it open and slide it on, and in the next second, he hooked my legs around his waist and pushed inside me. Arching, I cried out and wrapped my arms around his neck, needing him as close as possible.

“Baby, Christ, you fit me like a glove.” He kissed my neck and slowly pulled out, only to return with a grunt. “Perfect. So fuckin’ perfect.”

“Country,” I whispered before I sank my teeth into his shoulder. He groaned into my ear. His hips pulled back to slam into me, and I moaned around his skin, then licked the spot. “Yes, honey.”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he muttered, sliding his hands down under my ass where he gripped, the speed of his thrusts increasing. I dropped my head back, panting and loving the way he filled me up, pressing me in all the right areas.

“God, yes.” I glided a hand from his shoulder up and tugged on his hair. He gave me what I wanted by lifting his mouth from sucking on my neck to my lips. The kiss was long, slow, and amazing with the hard thrusts of his cock. My lower belly tingled. My pussy tightened around him, drawing out a grunted growl from him into my mouth. I drank it down and held him tighter. I moved my lips from him, panting out, “Close, honey.”

He groaned, taking my lips in a wild kiss. I dropped my head to the bed and moaned, clamping around his cock as I came.

“Jesus, baby. You love my cock.”

“Oh, yeah.”

He cursed under his breath, then licked along my neck, biting my lobe where I heard the hitch in his breath and groan as he fucked me faster, filling the condom. He slowed his thrust, leisurely moving in and out of me until he stopped and looked down at me.

His gaze ran over my face, my breasts, and back up. When he had my eyes again, he grinned, and I couldn’t stop the returning smile.

“Enjoyed that, darlin’.”

“Me too.”

“Good.” He pulled out of me, and I felt the loss right away. Sitting up when he shifted away, I curled my arms around my knees and watched him get rid of the condom before doing up his jeans again. I wanted him again, but I could already see he was shutting that idea down when he pulled a new tee over his body.

It was then I knew my place. I was only a club girl, after all.

Quickly, I slipped off the bed and got dressed, ignoring the way disappointment twisted my stomach. I’d asked for this by joining as a club girl. It couldn’t be any different between us, and really, I shouldn’t have wanted it to after one night together.

I didn’t know what the future had in store, but I would make it one where I was happy. Where I was welcome and not a nuisance.

Moving to the door, I glanced over my shoulder to see Country looking at his phone in hand with a pinched brow.

“Um, later.”

He looked up, smiled, and lifted his chin my way. That was his goodbye. I took it because I wasn’t there for something more. Well, that was what I would keep reminding myself.

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