THE OUTLAW’S BRIDE Read online

  Angel

  As I finished my second drink, the alcoholic warmth in my belly and throat was growing more and more pleasurable by the minute. I knew I should have refused the second drink, but there was something about his manner than I knew I couldn’t refuse. He reminded me of someone. Someone I’d known and loved. Trey.

  The name brought a flood of painful memories back to me. Boys like Trey had always been my weakness, even after he and I were broken up for good. It had taken years for me to be able to think of Trey without crying, but I finally could. Somehow, this stranger was threatening to bring it all back. He was gorgeous — sculpted tanned face, bulky muscular body without an inch of fat, wavy brown hair. Stunning blue eyes that he’d kept hidden behind sunglasses until we were in the bar.

  I couldn’t believe he’d taken such an interest in me. But the chemistry between us was undeniable. Every time he leaned close, I felt my heart start to pound in my chest. The adrenaline rush from Randy and Nick’s attack had long faded, but a new one was threatening to take its place. I shuddered as the handsome stranger rested a hand on my leg.

  “You did a good job,” he said slowly, inspecting my knee. “You used to washing off a lot of cuts and scrapes?”

  I was, of course, because having an eight-year-old son meant that literally every day, I cleaned up a cut. “Yes,” I said shyly, without elaborating. Even though I loved Chuckie more than anything in the world, I was hesitant to mention him. Sometimes, finding out a woman was a single mom was a turn-off to guys. I wasn’t looking for anything, but I had to admit the attention he was showing me felt good. It had been a really long time since I’d let myself talk to a guy and flirt and relax. It reminded me of what it was like to feel wanted, to feel needed. To feel loved, I thought in my tipsy brain. Automatically I felt guilty. I knew what it felt like to be loved; Chuckie loved me more than life itself. But it’s not the same, I thought with a twinge of guilt. I missed being loved by a man, someone who would hold me and cuddle me until all my dark fears in the night went away.

  The guy finished his beer and gave me a lazy grin. “What do you say about one more?”

  His voice was low and sensual and I shivered as I felt lust tear through my body, like fingers ripping wet silk. I wanted this man suddenly more than I’d ever wanted anyone in my whole life. I didn’t stop to think about what that meant as I leaned back in my stool.

  “Sure,” I said. The guy grinned at me and my stomach did a flip-flop.

  “Same thing? Something different?” He winked at me as he asked.

  I had a feeling he was testing me. But part of me, the part of me that was enjoying his attention, decided to flirt back. I licked my lower lip and tried to wink at him. Since he didn’t laugh, I imagined my wink had the desired effect. I let my eyes trail down his body. He was clad in a t-shirt and dark jeans, but under the cotton of his shirt I could tell he had a marvelous, sculpted body. I saw his rock-hard abs clench and twist as he shifted and flagged down the bartender. The muscles in his biceps were bulging and I saw a grin sneak onto his face.

  “Hey, barkeep!” he called loudly. “Same thing for me, and something different for the lady.” He grinned and I felt a blush cover my face. “She likes different things,” he said softly, meant only for me to hear.

  A shiver of lust ran through my body and I felt my lower belly clench with desire. If I’d been drunker, I would have dragged him to a dark corner and plastered my body against his. He had big, strong, veiny hands and I shivered as I thought about what they would feel like running over my body. Take me. Just for the night, make me yours.

  The bartender handed me a shot and a glass of something swirling blue. “This is different,” she told me with her eyebrows raised. “You probably don’t want to drive after this.”

  Closing my eyes, I lifted the glass to my lips and knocked the shot back. My mouth stung — it was almost like the soft tissue was numbed from the drink — and I gasped and coughed. The guy laughed before reaching out to pat me gently on the back. As he did, I caught a whiff of his scent and desire rose in me like a tidal wave. He smelled like a blend of sandalwood and tobacco and leather and I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. No doubt about it, this guy was trouble.

  When I opened my eyes, I realized the guy was staring directly at my face. I blushed.

  “What is it?” I asked softly.

  He kept staring. The blush deepened on my face and I returned his gaze, as hard as I could. His intense blue eyes were boring deep into my soul and I shivered. I hadn’t been this intimate with someone in a long time, even though we had yet to touch.

  Before I could think about what was happening, he leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. At first the kiss was chaste, reasonable. But after a few seconds, I started to feel the heat from his mouth seeping into mine. The kiss grew alive and sparks flew between our bodies. I moaned softly into his mouth and tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling myself as close as possible to him. I was barely aware of the guy wrapping his arms around me and crushing my body to his. As our lips and tongues danced together, arousal began to thump in my lower belly. He groaned and pulled me off the barstool until I was practically in his lap. Feeling all of the sexy stranger’s muscles pressed against my body made me shiver and before I knew it, I was crawling on top of him and wrapping my arms around him, pulling him as close as possible. He responded by eagerly pulling me close. I could feel a giant, hard bulge in his dark jeans, pressed up against me. I loved how hard I’d made him, as if this was the kind of thing that never happened, when in reality, he was probably the type to pick up girls all the time. Lust coursed through my body and I pressed my forehead against his, deepening our kiss. He tasted amazing, like leather and beer and soap, and I wanted to be covered in his scent. I wanted to smell it on my pillows in the morning. I wanted to smell it on my skin.

  He groaned and tangled his hands in my hair. I cried out softly as he nibbled and sucked on my lower lip. I was so aroused I could feel my panties were soaked and every time I twisted, they rubbed against my sensitive skin. The stranger’s hands were slipping around my back, up my shirt, rubbing the soft skin underneath. I hadn’t had a man’s hands on me in years, and I loved the feel of his calloused fingers sliding over my skin. As they slid around to my front, I gasped as I felt his fingers tweak at my nipples through my lacy bra. I blushed madly as I deepened the kiss. If only I’d known I was going to meet this guy today, I would have worn matching panties. As I twisted my body against his, another fierce bolt of desire shot through me.

  The bar around us faded into nothing as we madly pulled at each other. He broke the kiss and nudged my head up to lick and suck at my neck. God, this feels so good, I thought. My body was swimming in lust and alcohol and there was nothing more in the world I wanted than this guy. I wanted him to take me, to make me his. His tongue slid between my lips and danced with mine, his hands toying with my breasts under my sweater until I was whimpering softly into his mouth. His touch was magnetic; I craved it like I craved breathing. He was doing incredible things to me, and the worst thing was I just wanted more. I shivered at the thought of his tongue licking down my body, between my legs, sucking my clit until I cried out with pleasure.

  I wanted to wrap my mouth around his cock and suck until he came in my mouth and his whole body was shaking. I wanted to bring him to his knees with lust and desire for me. As he gnawed at my wet mouth, he pressed his crotch against my body and I felt his stiff erection poking me through his jeans. He was huge. I shuddered, imagining what it would feel like the first time he slid his hard cock inside of my soaked pussy. I wanted to take him all the way. I wanted to spread my legs and let him slide in until I was screaming.

  Breathlessly, I pulled away. He was staring at me, the lust wild and evident in his eyes. His lips were shiny with our mingled saliva and his breath was coming in damp bursts, just like mine. My heart was beating like a jackhammer in my chest and I felt painful arousal tugging at my crotch. More, my body was begging m
e. More, more, more.

  But when we weren’t touching, the reality of the moment sank in. I blushed and coughed, tasting alcohol. God, I’m really drunk, I realized. This is what I get for not having a drink in months. The bar around me was bleary and brightly-colored; I could tell it had long since gotten dark outside. What the fuck was I doing in a bar with this hot stranger? Yeah, I wanted him. But oh god, did he ever look like trouble. And yet, there was something familiar about him.

  “I have to go home and take care of my son,” I blurted out. “He’s with a babysitter.”

  Chapter 5

  Trey

  I blinked. Fuck! Every nerve and cell in me cried out for release. I hadn’t been this horny in months, and I couldn’t believe Angel was pulling away. She’d wanted it just as much as I had. A few seconds ago, she’d been on my lap, letting me play with her perfect, round tits. I shuddered as I imagined the taste of her stiff nipples in my mouth. Her skin would be sweet, like sugar, but musky. She was the hottest little animal I’d ever seen, and I knew I had to make her mine. Just thinking about the way she’d writhed and twisted in my arms made me so hot. My cock was chafing against my jeans and I shuddered. Angel’s liquid green eyes were begging me for more.

  I exhaled deeply and finished the rest of my beer. “Okay,” I said. “Got it. Where do you live?” I gritted my teeth. I couldn’t believe she’d broken apart from me and mumbled something about having to get home to her son. Suddenly, her phone call from earlier made sense. She wasn’t calling another guy to cancel on them; she was calling her babysitter. I slapped my head to my forehead and groaned. Way to go, Trey. Hope you enjoyed your one-way ticket to the Land of Blue Balls.

  “I can go get my car. It’s at the library,” Angel said softly. She peeked up at me through her long red bangs and blushed.

  Instinctively, I knew she was remembering our steamy encounter and turning it over and over in her mind. I chuckled. She was hot, that was something all right. She was the hottest little minx I’d seen lately and, yet, there was something so familiar about her. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but her blend of demure and ferocious reminded me of someone I’d known a long, long time ago.

  “I don’t think you can drive, princess,” I said wryly. Pink spots appeared on Angel’s cheeks and she stood up, drawing herself up to her full height. I was impressed; she was tall, but I was over six feet. Still, for a woman, she might have been the tallest I’d seen, especially lately. She looked adorable and ruffled, but also a little drunk.

  “I can drive,” Angel said. Her head lolled back like a child’s and when she reached towards the bar to steady herself, she grabbed her glass. Instantly, it slipped off the counter and broke into a million tiny pieces on the floor. Angel barely caught her balance and I had to grab her arm to keep her from going down with the glass. From behind the bar, the bartender glared at us.

  I held up my hands. “All right, all right, we’re going,” I said loudly, digging through my pockets and throwing a wad of cash on the bar. “I get it.”

  As I supported Angel and helped her outside, I chuckled to myself. No wonder they wanted me gone — first I bring in a chick and get her sauced, then pull her on my lap and grope her tits in front of everyone. Then she breaks a glass. I shook my head and laughed under my breath. Just another fuckin’ average day for Trey Minter! “Where do you live, sweetheart?” I asked, holding Angel at arm’s length and staring into her beautiful, sleepy green eyes. “You feel like tellin’ me?”

  “I can drive,” Angel insisted. She tried to put one foot in front of the other and almost fell over. I laughed, but reached out and grabbed her so she wouldn’t actually hit the ground. “I swear,” she added, her face pink with the effort. “I’m fine.”

  I chuckled. “I don’t think you are, honey,” I said, supporting her over to my bike. “How about tellin’ me where you live?”

  Angel looked up at me with such clarity that it was hard to believe she’d been falling over just a few seconds ago. She bit her lower lip, managing to look both sexy and innocent. “I live on West Street,” she said softly.

  I frowned. “That ain’t such a good area,” I said, whistling under my breath. “You sure about that, honey?”

  Angel gave me a withering look and I burst out laughing. Even drunk, she had her wits about her. I couldn’t help but find her even sexier for that.

  “I know where I live,” she said softly, but I could tell there was a backbone of steel under her demure sweetness. “You taking me home or not?”

  “Of course,” I said sarcastically, grinning at Angel. I handed her my extra helmet and helped her climb on my bike. “Hold on tightly,” I warned. “I don’t want you falling off.”

  Angel nodded. Suddenly, she looked almost like a little girl. I knew she’d had a hard day, but damn if I couldn’t get her sweet body out of my mind. She was one of the sexiest women I’d ever seen. Maybe I could get her to agree to go out with me again.

  As I drove towards the bad part of town, Angel snuggled against me. She wrapped her arms tightly around my waist and clung on for dear life. I whistled when I crossed the train tracks and looked around. We were at one end of West Street, and I couldn’t imagine the other end was any nicer. I couldn’t believe a dame like this was living here. She should have been put up with a husband and a couple of kids, living in a nice place, closer to the river.

  We pulled up in front of Angel’s little house. I could tell it had been painted recently. Someone had planted flowers in the yard and trimmed the hedges, but it was still pretty ramshackle. One of the shutters was hanging off the side of the house and it was small, probably two tiny bedrooms and one bathroom. It didn’t even look like there was enough space for an attic.

  “You sure this is you?”

  Angel gave me a rueful smile. She seemed to have sobered up over the course of the ride. As she pulled my helmet off and handed it back to me, she tossed her red hair and I caught a glimpse of something shiny and golden at her throat.

  My mouth went dry. Suddenly, my head was filled with another girl. A girl who looked very much like Angel. I shook my head. No, there was no way it could be her. Even though Angel bore a strong resemblance to this girl, she’d disappeared years ago. They couldn’t possibly be the same person!

  Before I knew what I was doing, I reached into her sweater and pulled out the necklace. It was a gold chain with a tiny pendant in the shape of a four-leaf clover. My stomach did flip-flops and I stared into Angel’s green eyes. The pendant she was wearing around her neck was tarnished with age. I remembered buying it years ago, saving up for weeks and then sneaking into the jewelry store during a trip to town.

  “You sure about this?” The old guy behind the counter was holding up a shiny, new necklace: a four-leaf clover on a delicate chain. He gave me a look like he wasn’t sure that I was holding legitimate money. “This is a lot of money, boy.”

  “It ain’t that much,” I snarled back. I dropped thirty dollars on the counter. “And that money is good. I didn’t steal it.”

  The old man shook his head, then wrapped up the pendant in a cotton pad and a white box. “She’s a lucky girl,” he said softly under his breath as he handed me the little package. “I hope she knows how lucky she is.”

  I blinked, feeling dazed. The pendant around Angel’s neck was the same one I’d bought for Angel Carringer all those years ago.

  Angel’s soft voice brought me back to reality. “Are you okay?” I realized she was looking at me strangely. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  I stared at her. “Where did you get that necklace, Angel?”

  Her face changed. Angel’s high blush disappeared and she swallowed a lump in her throat. Tears filled her eyes and she sniffed, looking down at the ground.

  “A boy gave it to me,” she said softly. “A boy I knew a long time ago.”

  My jaw clenched and I set my lips in a thin line. “That’s what I thought,” I muttered. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”r />
  Angel didn’t resist as I took her elbow and escorted her up the front walkway. It had been made from tiles of concrete but most of them were broken and shattered by now. A rage was filling me, my whole body. Angel. Angel Carringer. They were the same girl.

  I closed my eyes and remembered the last time I’d seen Angel. It was the night I’d taken her home on her eighteenth birthday. We’d fought — she wanted to stay out, but I was worried about facing the wrath of her parents. They’d always hated me, but now that she was an adult, I wanted to make a good impression. After all, I loved their daughter more than anything. I loved Angel Carringer more than life itself. But I never got the chance to make amends.

  “Angel! Angel!” Angel’s mother ran down the driveway and wrapped her in a bony hug, holding her at arm’s length and looking over her thin, lithe frame.

  Her father followed close behind. “Just where the hell do you think you’ve been?”

  “Daddy, I’m fine!” Angel protested. She twisted out of her mother’s arms and looked at me. “Trey’s been taking care of me.”