“I’m not sore. I feel good, actually. Nothing to worry about. I’m feeling like a brand-new kind of woman.”

“Brand new?”

“Yep. This is what I’ve been wanting for a long time now.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” he asked.

“Why didn’t you?”

“I asked first.”

She giggled. “Okay, I honestly don’t know. There’s Bishop, and I guess I felt I was supposed to be nervous around you. I don’t know. There was something expected of me, and I tried to live up to it, but failed miserably. Does that in any way answer your question?”

“A little bit, but not a whole lot.” He stroked her arm.

“Why didn’t you?” she asked, repeating her question.

“You were my son’s girl, and besides, I don’t know how traumatic the first time had been for you. You held yourself together really well, never letting anyone in.”

“You really believe that? I felt I was falling apart.”

“Not once did you show it. I had to respect that, and I did. You’re a strong woman, Robin. More than you think.”

She touched his cheek. “You make me feel strong.”

He took her hand, pressing a kiss to the inside of her wrist. He went to say something but was stopped by the ringing of his cell phone.

“Shit, I’ve got to take this.”

He pulled away from her, and she watched him as he grabbed his phone, accepting the call.

“What?”

Silence but she heard some mumbling across the line. She sat up as Preacher got up.

“When? … Shit. Okay. I’ll be right there. Don’t do anything.” Preacher hung up. “I’ve got to head out. I’ve got shit I need to do.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Yeah, stay here. If Bishop comes just hang out with him.” He already had on a pair of jeans, a shirt, and his boots, which were still open. “Don’t talk to him without me.”

She wasn’t inclined to know what club business was.

He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I’m sorry I’ve got to leave.”

“Club business. I recall my parents screaming a lot of the time about him always leaving and putting the club first. It’s fine.”

“You have no idea what is first to me.” He cupped her face, kissing her hard. “Don’t overwork yourself today.”

Within seconds he was gone, and she stared at the empty space where he’d been.

Pushing the blankets off her body, she padded across the bathroom and climbed into the shower. Her body still felt so alive from last night. She closed her eyes, and still felt the way his hands touched her body. Caressing over her breasts, down between her thighs, until she got to her pussy.