Crimson

Crimson

Ashton Grove M.C. #4

Jessica Coulter Smith

Copyright © 2015 by Jessica Coulter Smith

All rights reserved.

Thank you for downloading this eBook. Please do not share it with your friends. This book may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, with the exception of quotes used in reviews.

Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Chapter One

The ground quaked under his boots as lightning streaked the sky. Crimson blew out a steady stream of smoke before tossing the nub of his cigarette out into the rain. The deluge had started an hour ago, and if it kept up, they’d be gathering animals two by two. Already the parking lot in front of the bar had small lakes forming. Thank god he’d had the foresight not to ride his bike tonight.

Thunder boomed again, making the ground tremble. Turning his back on Mother Nature’s temper tantrum, he went back inside Laguna Paradise to join his brothers and the local wolf pack. Ghost, the new President of the M.C., had decided it would be good for some of the club members to hang out with the pack, further relations between them. They’d worked together on a few rescue missions so far, but the wolf pack still seemed wary of the M.C.

Crimson slid onto a stool between Pistol and Hunter. He’d noticed the wolf sneaking glances at one of the waitresses and wondered if there was something between them. She was a looker, even if she was fuller figured than what Crimson usually went for. All that long, glossy, dark hair would look spectacular spread across his pillows though.

“She yours?” Crimson asked, nodding toward the brunette.

“No.” Hunter tore his gaze away from the woman and took a swallow of his beer. “I just like the look of her is all.”

“So you’ve never talked to her?” Crimson asked. “Never asked her out?”

Hunter shrugged. “What would she want with a shifter? I mean, look at her! She’s gorgeous and can have any man she wants. Why take up with a wolf when she can have a human and pop out some normal kids?”

Crimson studied the woman, watched as she pushed a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. The smile on her face looked forced as she approached a rather rowdy table. He wondered how long she’d been on her feet, and how many assholes she’d had to deal with today. Crimson watched and waited, wondering if she was going to need assistance, or if the crew at the table was going to mind their manners.

“You like her,” Hunter said, his gaze swinging from Crimson to the waitress and back again. “You like Holly.”

“That’s her name?” Crimson asked, thinking it suited her.

“Yeah. I asked around about her, but I’ve never approached her. She’s never paid any attention to me.” Hunter stared into his beer. “So, if you want to make a move on her or something, she’s free. I don’t hold a claim on her or anything like that.”

“She’s not your mate?”

Hunter shrugged. “I haven’t gotten close enough to be sure, but I don’t think so. I just really like her. But I’ve been coming here for over a year now and have yet to so much as say hi to her. She deserves better than that. If you have the balls to approach her, then go for it. You have my blessing.”

Crimson nodded and went back to watching Holly. She moved gracefully, even when carrying a tray laden with beverages. Crimson’s bear was on high alert, waiting to see if anyone touched her inappropriately or upset her in some way. He could tell she was wound tight and about to snap at any moment, and he didn’t want to just sit on his ass and watch it happen. Hard work had put lines of fatigue on her face, had stooped her shoulders, and made her move more slowly than the other waitresses. But it was the fact she still tried to smile at everyone that really got to him. He could tell she was hurting from being on her feet so much, and yet she smiled at every customer.

“Think we can get her to wait on our table?” Crimson asked.

“She’s never waited on me. I don’t know if I just sit in the wrong section every damn time or what.”

“Anyone know our waitress’ name?” Crimson asked, looking around at their small group.

“Bethany,” Pistol said. “You’re going to offend her if you ask her to switch tables with Holly.”

Crimson arched a brow. “You thinking about taking her home?”

Pistol grinned. “Maybe.”

Crimson kept an eye on Holly, ready to jump to her defense if anyone bothered her. As the night wore on, he realized that she knew how to handle the customers, even the grabby ones. She sidestepped more wandering hands than anyone should have to, and yet she kept her smile firmly in place and moved on to the next table.

When he saw her cash out and head for the entrance, Crimson excused himself and shadowed her steps. The rain had slackened outside to a drizzle. Crimson watched as she walked to an ancient car parked at the curb and tried to start it. The engine refused to turnover. As she rested her head on the steering wheel, he realized she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. He walked over and tapped on her window.

Holly manually rolled down the window and peered up at him with uncertainty in her eyes. “May I help you?”

“Actually, I thought I might be able to help you. I don’t think your car is going anywhere tonight. Why don’t you let me give you a ride home? It’s too wet outside for you to walk, and I know your feet have to be hurting after working tonight.”

She nibbled on her lower lip and it drew his attention to how full and kissable her lips were. He forced his gaze back to her eyes and waited for her decision. She was right to be leery of him, not having met him before. A single woman working late at night, especially in a bar, could never be too careful, but he wasn’t sure how to set her mind at ease. Crimson hunkered down next to the car so he wouldn’t tower over her.

“You don’t have anything to fear from me,” he assured her. “I only want to help.”

“I saw you follow me out here.”

“Only to make sure you got to your car safely. I saw some of the customers inside giving you a hard time and I didn’t want them to follow you out and hurt you. You looked like you could handle yourself in there, but…”

She nodded. “You’re right. In there, I know how to handle myself. Out here? Not so much. I appreciate you looking out for me.” She stuck her hand through the open window. “I’m Holly.”

“Crimson.” He took her smaller hand in his and marveled at how soft it felt against his callused skin.

“That’s an odd name.”

He smiled. “It’s my road name. I’m part of the local M
.C. Does that bother you?”

“I’ve never met a biker before, not knowingly anyway, but no, it doesn’t bother me. You seem nice enough, even though I’ve always heard bikers are tough and criminals. No offense!”

“None taken.” He rose to his feet and opened her door. “Come on. Let me give you a ride home. I won’t rest easy tonight unless I’ve delivered you safely to your door. I may not be part of the criminal element, but that doesn’t mean some of the men inside this bar aren’t. Let’s not take a chance with your safety.”

Holly stepped out of the car, snagged her purse, and then locked the vehicle. “All right. I’ll accept a ride home.”

The rain began to pick up as Crimson secured Holly inside the truck. He ran around to the driver’s side and slid in right before the downpour started. He wanted to shake the water from his body, but thought the animal-like gesture might trigger questions he didn’t want to answer. While it wasn’t common knowledge that shifters existed, enough people knew or wondered to make it dangerous to expose himself.

Of course, he wanted to hang out with Holly more, maybe get to know her better, and then she would eventually find out the truth about him. How would she handle being mated to a bear? She was sturdy enough to take his brand of loving, with those curvy hips and gorgeous legs.

“You’re staring,” she said, tugging down the hem of her skirt.

“Sorry. I didn’t meant to. You just have really beautiful legs. It’s hard not to look at them.”

Her cheeks flushed, but she stopped trying to pull down her skirt.

“You haven’t told me where I’m going,” Crimson said.

Holly gave him her address and he felt her gaze on him.

He slid a hand along his whiskers. “I know. I look fearsome when I have a beard. I meant to shave it this morning, but got too lazy.”

“It’s not that. No one has been nice to me like this since I moved here. I guess I just wondered what you wanted in return for helping me. No one ever does anything for free, not these days.”

He wasn’t sure if he should be insulted or not.

“I don’t want anything in return, Holly. I just didn’t like the idea of you not making it home in one piece.”

“Why?” she asked. “You don’t even know me.”

“I watched you tonight,” he admitted. “Not in a stalker kind of way! But…there was just something about you that drew me in. I could tell you were hurting from being on your feet so much, and I knew you were getting upset with some of your tables, but you tried your best to hide it and keep smiling.”

“Yeahm well, in my business, you don’t get tips if you slap the shit out of someone with grabby hands.”

“Why don’t you work somewhere else? There has to be better jobs around Ashton Grove.”

“Not for someone like me,” she muttered.

Crimson frowned, not understanding what she meant. Someone like her? Was there something wrong with her that he didn’t understand? He’d inhaled her scent when he’d helped her into the truck. She wasn’t a shifter like him. Could she be a witch? But if that was the case, why work at such a low income job when she could force someone to give her a better one? He’d met a few witches in his time and they had been nasty creatures. He heard the wolf pack was friends with one, but she was supposed to be a good witch.

Crimson pulled up at the curb outside of her apartment complex. “Let me walk you to the door. I wish I had an umbrella so you wouldn’t get wet.”

“I’m already wet,” she mumbled.

Startled, he thought for a moment she meant the other kind of wet, but surely he was mistaken. She stared at him, eyes wide as if she couldn’t believe she’d just said that, and he couldn’t help but lean in closer for a sniff. Her aroma was more than a little pleasing and there was a tang to the air as her arousal filled the cab of the truck. So the little human wanted to play with the big, bad bear? He was more than agreeable.

“Can we forget I just said that?” she asked.

“I don’t think I can, but I won’t act on it if you don’t want me to.”

His nose flared as he took in her scent again. The first whiff had made his cock harden and now it throbbed in his jeans. But if she didn’t want to follow through on her body’s reaction to him, then he would hold his beast in check—somehow.

The look she cast his way was a little puzzled, then her expression cleared. “You’re a shifter!”

His heart nearly stopped in his chest. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do.” She poked a finger at him. “You can’t tell me you aren’t a shifter. I saw you scenting the air. My best friend back home was a shifter.”

So, she was one of the few humans who knew about his kind. That made things easier, and harder, all at the same time. He wouldn’t have to lie to her about what he was, but at the same time, he wouldn’t be able to hide some of his more embarrassing traits.

“So, what kind of shifter are you?” she asked, her gaze raking over him.

“Bear,” he muttered.

“How cool. My friend back home was a fox shifter. I never got to see her shift, but I did see her animal once when I showed up at her house unexpectedly. She was pretty cute. I’m guessing, as a bear, you aren’t cute, but you’re probably pretty awesome. I bet you’re huge!”

He couldn’t help but smile at her excited chatter. “Yeah, I’m a good sized bear.”

She looked up at him expectantly. “Do I get to see you shift?”

“Uh, no. That’s reserved for my brothers and my mate, so unless you’re offering to fill that second role…”

A blush stained her cheeks. “You could do way better than me for a mate. There’s a reason I’m working at Laguna Paradise. I never finished high school, and I haven’t gotten my G.E.D. I’ve thought about it, but to tell the truth, it scares the hell out of me.”

He was surprised she hadn’t finished high school, since she seemed quite intelligent, but it didn’t bother him in the least. Holly was a sweet woman and he would be lucky to call her his, if she agreed to becoming his mate. It didn’t seem likely at the moment though. She had some self-esteem issues based off her comments and he knew it could take a while to tear down the walls she’d built up. Good thing he had plenty of time on his hands.

* * * * *

Holly unlocked her door, very aware of the large male behind her. She could feel the heat of his body and smell a hint of his aftershave. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man, and she wasn’t sure she was ready now. Just because he could smell her arousal didn’t mean she had to give in to it and invite him inside, and yet, that’s what she’d done.