Damaged and the Dragon Read Free Page A

a bacon hamburger
or something,” I said, rushing after him as he dumped his backpack
onto the back of his shiny red Harley. “You smelled like bacon and
I love bacon. I think you did that on purpose.”
    “ Probably,” he said, taking
my backpack and shoving it next to his. “Let’s go.”
    “ Where?”
    Nick climbed on the Harley then focused his
gaze on my face. “Do you care?”
    I didn’t dare smile or give away the happy
dance happening inside me. Shrugging as if bored, I climbed on
behind him. My attempt at playing it cool ended when I wrapped my
arms around his hard stomach. I’d dreamed of this moment a million
times, but reality was better.
    When I sighed, Nick became very still.
Emotionless, distant, dead to me, he glanced over his shoulder with
a look of concern.
    “ Do you need a
helmet?”
    Balking, I prepared to remind him I was
Bailey Fucking Johansson. Before I ranted, Nick smiled and I
realized he was messing with me.
    “ Don’t let go,” he said,
turning on the bike.
    His words felt like more than a suggestion
about safety. They were the request of a man needing me. I really
liked the thought of him suffering without me. Resting my cheek
against his back, I imagined the dragon tattoo hidden under his
shirt.
    Nick drove us to the Hog House on the
outskirts of Ellsberg. The dive only served pork, so I assumed this
was where he ate the bacon I smelled on him after lunch one day. I
slid off the back of his Harley and fixed my shirt. When I looked
up, Nick was standing over me with a strange expression on his sexy
face.
    I thought he might say something rude or
tell me I had a booger. Instead, he cupped my face, leaned down,
and sucked at my lower lip. Happening so fast, I barely had time to
savor his kiss before it was over.
    Nick stepped back and ran his fingers
through his dark hair. I tried to play cool, but I wanted another
kiss. Preferably a longer one leading to us naked somewhere. I
hadn’t been with a guy in a long time and I’d been dreaming about
Nick for even longer.
    “ So you like me?” I said,
placing my hands on my hips and frowning up at him.
    “ I like bacon too. Let’s
get something to eat.”
    Before I could respond, Nick took my hand
and tugged me towards the loud little outdoors restaurant. He found
us a picnic table then waited until I sat down before sitting
across from me.
    “ I’ve been trying to bulk
up,” he said, glancing over the menu. “Eating a lot of protein
helps.”
    “ For your fighting?” I
asked, wanting him to look at me.
    Nick nodded, but his gaze never found mine.
“Hurts less when I have bulk between their fists and my bones.”
    “ Do you like
fighting?”
    “ I like making money,” Nick
said, looking up at our waitress. “Can I get a Bud and a
Coke?”
    She wrote down his order then looked at me.
“Sprite.”
    As the chick walked away, I nearly grabbed
Nick’s face and forced his eyes on me. He studied the menu again,
ignoring me. Every ounce of self-control kept me from kicking him
under the table.
    “ I heard you were dating a
girl from town,” I said, setting aside my menu. “Anyone I know? I
don’t want a pissed off bitch showing up and punching me in the
face.”
    Nick finally looked at me. His gaze was
soft, tired maybe. Giving me a little grin, he returned his gaze to
the menu.
    “ People say she’s a stuck
up bitch, but I think she’s funny.”
    “ What’s her name?” I
muttered, tearing my napkin under the table.
    Suddenly, Nick stared right at me and I
could barely breathe. “Did you know I’m a hot commodity now?” he
asked before focusing on the returning waitress. After delivering
our drinks and taking our orders, she left us alone and Nick
finally looked at me again.
    “ Ever since I started
fighting, girls think I’m a stud,” he said, winking at me. “Some of
the girls now throwing themselves at me used to think I was a
loser. One of them even called me a trailer trash
douche.”
    “ What’s