"Are you sure I look okay, Happy?" I twisted around and looked at my butt in the mirror and then moved my eyes up to him. It was obvious that he was growing less amused and more aggravated. I closed the closet door before he even had the chance to answer yes, again.
"You act like you ain't ever met my Ma before, Kat. She saw you with a black eye, I'm sure she won't mind you wearing jeans and the sixth shirt you've tried on. This one shows off your crow though. I like it." He kissed my chest and smiled up at me. I looked down and had to agree. This shirt was off the shoulder and it did in fact have my crow on full display. I cupped his freshly shaven face in my hands and kissed his lips softly.
"No kissing on the bed or you won't get me off it." He growled, picking me up by my thighs and putting me down a few feet closer to the door. I stopped and rubbed Harley's cheeks as we headed to the door. Tig was dog sitting today and had already texted me a whole schedule of what he had planned. It was sad that he put more effort into planning a date with our dog than with any woman.
Happy held his hand out for my keys as soon as he closed the front door. I snarled and turned my head away as I dangled them just inside his reach. He scoffed and I caught him shaking his head after I'd yet again relinquished the control of my car to someone else. Luckily, I trusted Happy's ability to drive more than anyone else and he was too used to his sex privileges to fuck my car up.
"Do you want kids, Kat?" We'd been on the road for about an hour in mostly silence, save the radio that was playing classic rock. I snapped my head around and noticed he was in full concentration, even his toothpick wasn't moving.
"Hap, why are you asking me?" He cut his eyes over at me and scowled.
"Cause I want you to fucking answer, not ask me another question. I'll give you whatever you want, Katerina. If you want fucking kids we can pull over and I'll fuck you on the side of the rode and we can have one nine months from now." Happy's grip on my steering wheel loosened as his voice softened. I peeled one of his hands off and held it in my own.
"Right now, no. I don't see myself ever wanting kids. If that ever changes then you'll be the first to know." I felt him relax as he nodded. I smirked and took a chance at poking the bear. "Besides, your fantasy of fucking me on the side of the road wouldn't get me a kid. The shot doesn't work that way."
"Smartass. Ma will probably ask about it. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't blindsided." He smirked as I smacked him on the shoulder. I loved when Happy and I were alone. It was the only time he would really relax and joke around.
"What?" He had caught me biting my lip and watching his muscles move as he drove the car. He moved from glancing at me to turning his head from the road and staring at me, forcing me to answer for the safety of my car.
"I want you to fuck me on the side of the road now." I smiled and bat my eyelashes at him. He hung his head in amusement and laughed.
"I will on the way back. That way it's dark and perverts can't watch." He kissed my hand and grinned at me.
"Oh, I didn't know Tig was following us." I turned around in my seat and pretended to look for Tig's bike. Happy chuckled and nodded.
"Yeah, that's the type I'm talking about." I nodded proudly since we were on the same wavelength, although it was a little dark and disturbing. I pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes and leaned my head back for the rest of the ride. I'd planned on being asleep when he got in last night, but he and that mouth of his had other plans that delightfully woke me up.
I woke to the sound of my car scraping on his ma's driveway. It was unavoidable and didn't hurt anything, but I still couldn't take the noise. He flipped the mirror down and looked in to it for a minute, sending me into a frenzy of laughter.
"You got a hair out of place back there." I choked out as he slammed the visor back up towards the roof. He did his best to keep a straight face.
"That fucking mouth of yours, woman. I swear." On his swear, his face cracked into a smile and I could see the laughter in his eyes. I went to reach for the door handle and he shook his head, so instead I waited impatiently for him to get out and revive the lost art of chivalry, right after talking about my fucking mouth.
"Happy! Oh, my boy is finally home!" Ma wrapped her arms around Happy and I felt the need to look away and give these two some privacy. She kept a hold of him for a solid three minutes before pushing him back to arms length and looking him over.
"Katerina, you've done a good job of keeping him healthy. He always said how the food in that prison was so awful." She hugged me tightly and pecked both of my cheeks before ushering us inside. Happy walked beside me with his hand resting gently on my lower back.
"Sit, sit! Where's my furry grandson?" She smiled brightly as we sat down on the couch across from her rocker. Happy laughed and shook his head.
"Too big for a two seater car, Ma. How are you feeling?" He pulled my hand over to his thigh, rubbing small, slow circles with his thumb. I could feel his mother watching our actions as she smiled.
"You know he shaves his head because of all the gray hairs he gets from worrying." She gave me a wink and I utterly failed at suppressing a smile. I had seen his hair grow out a little in Stockton, and it did in fact have quite a bit of gray. He scowled and shook his head.
"Ma, I told you not to cook. We could have gone out somewhere." I sucked my bottom lip and snickered as she motioned towards her hair. Happy pinched my side in the ticklish spot.
"You two keep laughing it up." He was smiling even though he was obviously pouting. His ma stood up and walked over to me.
"This is beautiful, kids. Forever, For Always, and No Matter What. I love it. Why a blue heart?" She looked over at Happy and I nudged him, having already told Lauren the story, it was Happy's turn now. Even though he was short and to the point, his Ma's eyes welled with tears at the romantic gesture. Happy pulled me closer and planted a kiss in my hair.
"I never thought my Happy would get married. When he called me to tell me of his plans, I thought I had already crossed over into the light." Maria gave us both kisses and patted my ring gently before moving back to her rocker. I learned she had in fact helped him pick the ring out.
I felt my phone vibrate between our legs and frowned in confusion as Happy and his ma talked about his aunt and her latest date. I checked my phone quickly; making sure it wasn't anything urgent from Lauren. It was far from important. Happy glanced down after I nudged him gently with the phone.
"Stupid prick." Happy growled as he handed the phone back to me. Wright had sent me a message, asking if I was trying to make him jealous. I tucked the phone back in my pocket, refusing to warrant the message with a response.
We ate a wonderful meal of Carne Asada, which Maria paired with a wonderful white wine for the two of us and I watched Happy drink a Dos Equis beer for the first time. I felt at home with Happy and Maria, so I hoped we would start making a habit of weekly dinners. I insisted that she teach me some recipes and let me help next time.
"Ma, you seem tired." Happy said after we'd caught her yawning at least half a dozen times within the last few minutes. She had a sheepish smile as she nodded and rose from her rocker. Happy pulled her in to a hug and kissed her on the cheek before stepping back and letting me tell her goodbye.
"Keep him in line, niña. You have to call me as soon as you two set a date." I promised her and gave her a hug and kiss before Happy and I headed out to the car. He paused at the door to make sure she locked it securely before getting in the car.
"Hap, I don't want a big wedding. I really just want it to be family and us. No croweaters and no gangs of every color." I said with a smile as I remembered how many people came to Opie and Lyla's wedding. He nodded and traced my palm with his thumb.
"Sounds good. The fewer people there, the less I have to watch." He rested against the headrest and yawned, immediately causing me to do the same.
"Side of the road sex can wait, Hap. We're both exhausted." I tried to stifle another yawn as he nodded. He picked up the speed in order to get us back home to Harley and our bed.
SOASOASOASOASOASOASOASOASOA SOASOASOASOASOASOASOA
"Hey Happy!" Lauren smiled as she opened the door to the bar. She peered around me and caught sight of Juice and Chibs. I'd forgotten to tell Katerina they were coming.
"Ya could have asked me, Lauren." Juice and I shared a look before picking up the pace to give Chibs and his old lady some privacy. He'd been irritated about Lauren not asking for his help all morning.
Katerina showed up from the back of the bar and greeted me with a kiss. Her lips tasted like strawberries. I tried to pull my eyes away from her cleavage and used Juice as a distraction.
"Juice is doing background checks before you hire anybody." Katerina's eyes widened a little but she nodded and smiled as she gave Juice a hug. He grinned brightly as she thanked him. I rolled my eyes at his enthusiasm, but I trusted them both.
"The first guy is supposed to be here in fifteen minutes. We're doing the interviews out here so they don't know the whole layout unless they're hired." Katerina said as she led Juice and I over to the new lounge areas that had been set up. I glanced back and saw that Chibs and Lauren were still fighting.
"Were you always paranoid or is it Hap's fault?" Juice asked with a laugh as he set his computer stuff up on the bar. Katerina laughed and shook her head as she handed him copies of the applicant's resumes.
"I'm just being careful. I won't be here as much as Lauren and I don't want her in danger." She glanced past me to see the ongoing argument and frowned.
"Should have made her ask him, Kat." She nodded and pursed her lips as the two expecting parents made their way over. Chibs wasn't red and Lauren wasn't crying, so they must have settled their shit.
"Okay, so I guess you can sit between Happy and Chibs and I'll sit on the end." Katerina shrugged at Lauren's direction and shoved me towards the seat. I pushed her back gently before sitting down. I strummed my thumbs on the table and laughed.
"What?" Lauren spat as Katerina sat down next to me. I cocked a brow at her attitude.
"Never interviewed somebody without drawing blood." Lauren's eyes widened and Katerina snapped her head around and glared at me. Chibs and Juice laughed. I hitched my shoulder and smirked at Katerina. I tensed at the sound of someone knocking on the door. Lauren stood up to go get the door, but Juice beat her to it. We weren't wearing kuttes, but the girl walking inside still looked a little scared by Juice.
"I'm sorry, I know I'm early. I'm Casey." She smiled a little and shook Lauren's hand. I leaned back and started wondering why I'd agreed to this shit.
"Hi, Casey. I'm Lauren, we spoke on the phone yesterday. That's Katerina. You can go ahead and take a seat, doll." The young girl nodded and sat down across from Katerina. After a few minutes of questions, Katerina finally nodded and smiled. Lauren let the girl know they would call her in a few days and walked her to the door.
"I don't like her." Katerina said when Lauren walked back to us. Her friend narrowed her eyes a little and shook her head in disbelief.
"K, she's got five years of experience and can always be a backup bartender. Why don't you like her?" Lauren stared at Katerina and waited for an answer as Juice went to get the door.
"She was eye fucking Happy. I'm not dealing with croweaters here." She growled as Lauren rolled her eyes. Chibs smirked at Kat's possessiveness as Juice arrived with the first bouncer applicant. I didn't even let Lauren introduce herself.
"You're late." I growled without actually knowing what time it was. The guy looked down at his watch and back at me.
"Right on time, brother. I'm Robby." He shook Lauren's hand and smiled. I grinded my teeth into my toothpick and stared at him.
"Thanks for coming in, Robby. I'm Lauren and that's Katerina. You can take a seat. What type of experience do you have, Robby?" Lauren asked as the prick sat down. He grinned and put his elbows up on the table.
"I was a bouncer up at a bar in Lodi for about a year. The owners were happy because whenever I was there, people didn't cause trouble. They walked in and saw me and thought better of it I guess." He laughed at his own joke and I wanted to strangle him. Katerina nodded and leaned forward.
"Do you have any fighting experience or training? Boxing, MMA, wrestling?" The guy nodded and pointed at Katerina.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. You'd be safe with me." He winked and Katerina leaned back, putting her hand on my knee. She must have known I was planning on stabbing him in the same fucking eye he winked at her with.
"Aye, but ya didn't answer tha lady." Chibs pointed out, tapping his rings on the table impatiently. Robby's smile faded and he looked over at Katerina again.
"I'm not trained like that, but I'm a big guy. I know how to take care of trouble makers." He glanced over at me and I raised my brow. Katerina nodded and I leaned forward.
"You ready to bet on that?" I stood up and waved my fingers for him to stand up and come at me. He looked from me to Lauren and swallowed.
"Seriously? This is a bar, not a fight club." Robby's voice went up a little and I laughed.
"No, Kat." She nodded at me and hitched a shoulder. Juice hopped down from the bar.
"We'll be in touch, Robby. We have a few more interviews and then we'll make our calls." Katerina smiled and leaned back. The guy looked confused but followed Juice out to the door. Lauren sighed and shook her head.
"What was wrong with him?" I sat down next to Katerina and looked over at Lauren.
"He was scared and I didn't even pull a gun." Katerina moved her hand higher up on my thigh and squeezed. Lauren sighed and shrugged. We went through four more interviews for bouncers and were waiting on the last guy when Jax called.
"We've got ta be there in an hour, brother." Chibs closed his phone and relayed the message to me. I nodded and Juice headed to answer the door again. The guy that walked in was about my height and a little stockier.
"Hi, you must be Jason. I'm Lauren and that's Katerina." Lauren was obviously tired of introducing herself. Jason nodded and shook her hand. Then he shook Chibs' hand before doing the same with Katerina and I. He was the first one to do that.
Katerina and Lauren hit him with the same questions and scenarios before letting him go on his way about fifteen minutes later. I stayed silent and watched him the whole time. He didn't stare at either of the girls and made eye contact with me, but not for too long.
I stood up once he was out of the bar. Katerina raised her brow at me as she stood as well.
"Hire him." I said, bending down and kissing her briefly. She nodded and hugged me tightly.
"What? Why? He's never been a bouncer before." Lauren said over Chibs' shoulder as he hugged her. I was about to explain when I caught something moving outside the window. I drew my Glock and pushed Katerina behind me.
"Hap, what the hell?" She hissed. I moved towards the window and watched as Wright got into a red pickup truck in a hurry. I snarled and holstered my gun, pissed that we had to deal with the Mayan meet instead of that asshole. Katerina was waiting for an explanation when I turned around.
"Miles is going to make sure both of you get home. Kat, lock the doors and keep Harley inside." I kissed her roughly and headed out of the bar with Chibs and Juice right behind me. I knew she would be pissed that I didn't tell her what was going on, but I didn't have time.