Lance Read online

  “What kind of man am I exactly?” I retort, slightly annoyed with the snarky tone in which Mrs. Jones has carried herself with all evening.

  “Hard working, settled, and good looking.”

  “And why is it that you would think a hard-working, settled, and good looking man wouldn’t want to be with Candace? She’s a beautiful woman who happens to also be smart, hard-working, and independent.”

  She pauses. “How do I put this? Our Candy has always struggled with her weight, you see. She is hard-working and independent, but she’s not pretty enough. She’s not skinny enough. She’s got nothing more going for her than her job.”

  Ace squirms beside me, so I reach out and squeeze her hand before lacing our fingers together.

  “So, I can’t help but question why a man such as yourself would be interested in Candy. As you can see, she still carries her baby fat.”

  I am enraged. Pushing my chair back, I stand, pulling Ace up with me.

  “How can a woman such as you call herself a mother?” I turn to her father. “How can a man call himself a man when he sits back while his woman degrades his daughter, his own flesh and blood? Candace comes from your seed, and you sit here and let the monster next to you destroy what you created with her words.

  “How can I be with Ace, you ask? I can be with her, hands down, all day, every day, and in all ways because she is the total package.”

  Mr. Jones watches me, wide-eyed, while his wife shoots daggers with her stare, but I continue on, unfazed.

  “She’s a woman who is soft, sweet beauty. I don’t have to be something I’m not to please her. She takes me as I am, as I do her. She has her own career and isn’t held back by anything” —I turn to glare right back at her mother—“or anyone. She is strong, she is loving, and she is the most beautiful woman in any room she enters. She is more than enough.”

  Without another word, I turn and walk away, hand in hand with Ace. Her parents can go fuck themselves.

  Her dad calls out as we leave. I wait for Ace to tug back or hesitate, but she doesn’t, so together, we make our escape.

  Rather than go straight home, I take her for a ride. Back roads, open highway—just me, her and my bike. The stars overhead shine brightly as the night is clear. When I have cleared my head enough, I take her home.

  Stopping at the door, I don’t follow her inside like I have many times over the past couple of months we have been dating, and she looks up at me, her eyes glossy with unshed tears.

  “So, this is it?” she asks.

  I frown. Bingo. Tonight is exactly what I thought.

  “Do you want it to be?” I ask, honestly wondering.

  She doesn’t reply, and we stand in her doorway, neither of us moving or speaking.

  When the silence gets the best of her, she shifts on her feet. “Lance—”

  “Do you want us to be over?” I cut her off. “I don’t like games, Ace. I don’t play them with you or anyone. I’ve been honest and up front. I see something in you and want to have something shared between us, but you gotta be willing to let go and fall with me. You’re holding onto something, and it’s holding both of us in place. Eventually, one of us has to let go. If you aren’t going to trust me to catch you, then I gotta let you go to hold on to this baggage you keep carrying. This shit tonight, you gotta know doesn’t fly with me. Quit pushing all the bad at me, because I can’t give you the good if I’m always up against a battle.”

  “I’ve never been given good, Lance,” she whispers as a tear slides down her cheek.

  “Let me show you. Let me in. Stop playing games, Ace.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  ~Candace~

  “Do you trust me?” he asks.

  Do I? I bite my bottom lip.

  “Have I given you any reason not to trust me?”

  I shake my head.

  He hasn’t. In the last few months we have been together, he has been nothing short of amazing. We have talked. I have shared my history with men. He knows and he’s still patient and understanding. Yes, tonight I knew I was throwing us both into the lion’s den by having dinner with my parents. Yet, there was Lance, swooping in and saving me once again.

  He reaches out and grabs my hand, pulling me to him. “Ride with me?”

  I nod my head in agreement, unable to speak.

  When we get to the bike, he stops me from climbing on. After he settles, he flips a different set of pegs down. “Climb on and sit on the tank, Ace, facing me.”

  “Ummm…” I hesitate.

  “Trust me.” He raises an eyebrow.

  I do as he says as he leans back for me to have the room to swing my leg over and settle in on the tank. Then he leans forward, cupping my chin, and his lips press to mine.

  We don’t move at first; he just holds me there. His thumbs stroke my cheeks when his lips part with mine, and he sucks in my bottom lip. Again, he slows and holds me there, and with deliberate movements, he kisses me.

  His tongue finds mine and sweeps in as if we have all the time in the world. This kiss is soft. He doesn’t devour my mouth; he cherishes it. He kisses me with passion. He kisses me with confidence. He kisses me in a way that feels like he is giving himself to me. Then he nips at my lip before he pulls away with one final peck.

  “Trust me,” he whispers before starting the bike. He picks up my right leg first and wraps it around his back and then my left. My butt is placed firmly on top of his gas tank that has a flat cut out where I have seen him stand and ride in a headstand.

  Trust him. I do.

  He wraps my arms around his head and tucks my head into his neck.

  “Feel the rush, Ace. Feel me.”

  Without another word, he takes off. We ride for I don’t know how long before I allow myself to think. We have no helmets on; we have no safety measures. It’s just me wrapped around him for the ride. In this moment, I let go of my past.

  Lance likes me just as I am. He finds beauty in me. I find beauty in him. More than that, I find this beauty in us that I have never experienced before.

  He has shared his childhood with me in some of our talks. His mom was always going from one man to the next, searching, seeking something she still hasn’t found. I think of my future. After having just the smallest taste of him, of this, of something good, I don’t think I could ever be satisfied with anything less.

  In this moment, it hits me. I’m falling. I’ve fallen. It isn’t my past or my size that matter. It’s the moment. It’s the emotion. It’s the rush.

  “I’ve fallen,” I say more to myself than to Lance.

  Just as the words escape my mouth, the bike comes to a stop, and looking up, I see we are back at my house.

  “You mean it, Ace?”

  I nod my head as I wipe away the tears. Before I can move, his lips crash onto mine. He is no longer tasting me; he is devouring me whole. He kisses me as if he is breathing me in.

  The rush builds and I pull him to me, aching for him. I long for something I have never had before, but more so, something I know I have found in him.

  It’s a blur as we somehow move from the bike to inside my living room with only a few moments of separation. Once inside, I am pulling him to me faster than he can regain control of the situation. I want him. I need him. I am going to have him.

  I pull on his shirt, and he backs away to remove it for me. Then he kicks off his shoes as I do mine. When he reaches for the hem of my shirt, I flinch, and he backs away sharply.

  “If you’re not ready, Ace, I’ll stop.”

  Rather than answer, I take him by the hand and lead him to my bedroom. When he reaches for the bedside lamp, I freeze, shaking my head, and he smiles before kissing my nose.

  “Let me see you, Ace, every part of you. Inside and out, let me see you.” He taps my chest at the end.

  I look up at him, and dare I say, there is love in his eyes. No matter the feelings, there is a rich depth in his dark eyes that is calling to me, telling me to once again trust.
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  Finally, I bite my bottom lip as I nod my permission, and with the light on, he slowly undresses me. When I am on the bed in front of him, I fight the urge to cover up.

  He lies beside me as he kisses me senseless. Then I am lost in sensation as his rough hands roam my body while he trails kisses down my jaw to my neck. He grazes his hands over my budding nipples before cupping my breast.

  He growls in my ear, his hot breath hitting my neck. “More than enough.”

  I arch up into his grasp involuntarily. My body is on fire; my mind is crazy with need; and I feel like he has awakened every part of me.

  He trails kisses from my neck across my collarbone. Taking my nipple in his mouth, he sucks, and I feel the desire burn from deep within. His hand slides under my breast, coming to rest on my belly, and I try to shut my mind off. I try not to think of my fat in his hands, but it hits me.

  “Ace,” he whispers, sensing something is off.

  I move his hand back to my breast, and he drops his head to my stomach, kissing under my breast.

  “More than enough,” he growls. He kisses a spot beside the last one. “More than enough. I want a woman with soft curves.” Another kiss in another spot. “I want a woman who will eat with me and not hold back in anything.” Another kiss in another spot. “More than enough.” Another kiss. “Always soft, always enough for me.” He continues to worship my stomach as he kisses every inch.

  My brain disconnects when he reaches the juncture between my legs, his thumb rubbing my folds. His breath is hot against my sensitive skin while his tongue flicks out as he parts my pussy lips, and I am gone.

  I see fireworks. I see stars. I swear I see the moon rotate around the earth.

  I tremble, I shake, and I scream out his name as he licks, laps, sucks, teases, and adores my pussy.

  Experience is not something I have a lot of. I certainly have never had an orgasm and most definitely not one so fast and before he even penetrates me with a finger or his penis.

  Talk about a rush.

  If sex had always been like this, insecurities be damned, I would have it all the time.

  Eventually, the roaring in my ears calms, the quaking subsides, and he slides a finger in me. My greedy body clinches around the single digit as if it were starved for attention. He kisses his way back up as his finger slides slowly in and out of me. Before I can stop myself, before I can allow myself to think about what he may think, I buck up, increasing his pace.

  He hums against my nipple before he sucks and then changes from one finger to two.

  Wild abandon takes over, and I rise up to meet his hand. Need fills me as he makes his way to my neck, and I reach down to him and unbutton his pants. He takes my cue and removes his fingers to slide off his jeans while I bite my lip as my body aches for more.

  No underwear. I never thought commando could be hot until now.

  As I scissor my legs, trying to relieve some of the tension, he pulls a condom out of his wallet before he is naked and lying over me.

  “Ace, you sure?”

  I love that he is looking out for me, but right now, I need him inside me.

  Reaching down, I stroke the impressive length of his erection, giving him all the answer he needs. He covers himself with the condom and settles between my legs. Then his hand finds my sweet spot again, and he slowly works his way inside me.

  Greed fills me, and before he can move, I buck under him, driving him balls deep into me.

  “Slow down, Ace, or this is gonna be over before it starts.”

  I smile at him and work my inner muscles, making him groan. He is fighting his release, and I love the fact that I can make this handsome man that turned on.

  He begins to move in a steady pace as he works me to the edge once again. Our tongues dance in rhythm while our bodies work together. His hand comes up and pinches my nipple as I moan my climax into his mouth. He continues to speed up as I feel him tense with his own orgasm on the edge.

  Breaking out of our kiss, I whisper, “I’ve fallen; now fall with me.”

  The simple statement sends him over as he pumps three times and stills inside me. We both are covered in a sheen of sweat as he pulls out slowly and rolls over to catch his breath.

  “With you, Ace. I’ve fallen with you.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  8 Months Later

  ~Lance~

  Things happen when we least expect them to. People come into our lives, and when it is meant to be, it finds a way to happen. Life is good for us all.

  Pavement Pushers is here again, and Ace is along for the ride this time. As I expected, it isn’t long before we run into Wade. He has another Barbie girl on his arm, this one is a bottle blonde.

  “Wow, surprised to see you with her, Rush.”

  I laugh in his face. “Ever heard the term Ace’s wild?”

  He looks at me with confusion on his face.

  “Well, buddy, you lost out, cuz Ace here is wild.” Without giving him a chance to respond, I walk away, hand in hand with my girl.

  The speakers crackle, announcing our partner stunt line is up. I make my way to my bike, and Ace rides with me to the start where I nod to Reese.

  “Ride with me, Ace?”

  “In the show?” When I nod in answer, she starts to climb on behind me; only, I stop her. “Gas tank,” I instruct.

  She gives me a wicked grin as she takes her place wrapped around me. She reaches to put on her helmet, and I place it on the ground beside mine. Questions dance in her eyes.

  “Trust me?”

  “Always.”

  “Fall with me?” I ask, hoping she knows I don’t plan on the bike falling.

  “Always.”

  At her answer, I pop the clutch, hit the throttle, and take off. Leaning back, I pull us up into a wheelie. She is forced against me just like I want. I come down from the trick and count in my head for Reese to finish his stoppie show on the side.

  The hum of his bike comes over as he circles in a burnout around us. The smoke fills the air, causing Ace to drop her head into my neck farther, so she doesn’t see me reach out to Reese.

  We remain still as Reese pulls away. Then, reaching out, I untangle Ace from me, and the small black box sits between us as I open it.

  “Do you feel the rush?”

  She nods as tears fill her eyes.

  “Ace, you’re always more than enough for me. I love you from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet and to the depths of your soul. Fall with me?”

  She nods and kisses me before finally sliding the ring on her finger.

  The whoops and hollers go on around us in a blur.

  My woman, my ride, my rush—she is always more than enough. I will fall for her every second of every day for the rest of my life because she makes it better just by being her.

  ~The End~

  Note from the Author

  I don’t know of any woman who doesn’t face insecurities at some point in her life. This book is for everyone who has ever doubted themselves.

  Opening yourself up to someone is a risk. Falling in love is an even greater risk, but letting go and living in the rush can bring the greatest reward.

  Love the ones who lift you up and release yourself from the ones holding you down.

  This series is one that gives hope to what sometimes feels like hopeless situations.

  The Roughneck Shorts series came to be when Maverick was written for a charity anthology. After a few close friends asked me for more, Heath and LoraLeigh came to be. In the midst of this, I ‘met’ a dear friend on social media, and she inspired Lance’s story. This is the end of the Roughneck Shorts series, but it’s not over by a long shot. More will come as we follow the journey of healing for Wendol and the man mixing beats as Reese finds the woman his own heart can beat for.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Chelsea Camaron was born and raised in coastal North Carolina. She currently resides in southern Louisiana with her husband and two children, but her heart
is forever Carolina day dreaming. Chelsea always wanted to be a writer, but like most of us, let fear of the unknown grab ahold of her dream. Finally, she realized that, if she was going to tell her daughter to go for her dreams, it was time to follow her own advice. When she’s not spending her days writing, you can find her playing with her kids, attending car shows, going on motorcycle rides on the back of her husband’s Harley, snuggling down with her new favorite book, or watching any movie that Vin Diesel might happen to be in.

  Chelsea can be found on social media at:

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorchelseacamaron

  Twitter: @chelseacamaron

  Email: [email protected]

  Other works by Chelsea Camaron

  Love and Repair Series:

  Crash and Burn

  Restore My Heart

  Salvaged

  Full Throttle

  Beyond Repair

  Stalled

  Hellions Ride Series:

  One Ride

  Forever Ride

  Merciless Ride

  Eternal Ride

  Innocent Ride

  Simple Ride (coming Summer 2015)

  Heated Ride (coming Winter 2015)

  Originals Ride (coming 2016)

  Final Ride (coming 2016)

  Roughnecks Series:

  Maverick

  Heath

  Lance

  The Fire Inside Series:

  Co-written by Theresa Marguerite Hewitt:

  Kale

  Mason (coming 2015)

  Ryan (coming 2016)

  Regulators MC Series:

  Co-written by Jessie Lane:

  Ice

  Hammer (coming 2015)

  Coal (coming 2015)

  Caldwell Brothers Series:

  Co-written by MJ Fields:

  Hendrix

  Morrison (coming December 2015)

  Jagger (coming 2016)