Page 8 of Gentleman Wanted
Chapter Four
Gent
It was almost like I had never left.
Almost.
As we were swept apart, I couldn’t help but look for her. After all of these months of looking out for her, it was second nature for me to try and find her, and as I was pulled into the main room of the clubhouse by my brothers and a frosty beer was handed to me, I found myself sweeping the room for any sign of her.
There was none, and it instantly put me on edge.
I needed to see her before I could relax. Leaning forward to put the untouched bottle back on the table, my fingertips skimmed the thigh of one of the club girls. One I didn’t know. Not that it seemed to matter to her. She stopped instantly, her pretty young face turning down to me expectantly. Her black-rimmed eyes searching my face.
“Hello.”
“Hi.” I gave her a smile. Obviously, she liked what she was seeing, and I should have been used to that. In the past, I would have been on her instantly. But now?
Behind the curve of her hip, I watched as Gem made her way into the room. Bobby was cradled in her arms, wrapped tightly in the blue teddy bear blanket that I had bought him when he was born.
Our eyes collided, and for a moment, her steps faltered.
Something unreadable flickered in her eyes.
I knew what she saw. We had only been back minutes, and already I had a club girl all over me. Well, not all over, but Gem would assume I had gone back to my old ways.
The hand that had been on the girl’s thigh dropped guiltily.
It was stupid. I had nothing to feel guilty about. I had never been with Gemma. There was nothing romantic about our relationship.
Hell. It had been almost a year since I had even been near a woman. Let alone felt the pleasure one could give me. I hadn’t even looked at another woman the whole time we had been on the run because I didn’t want to disrespect Gem.
So she had no right to make me feel bad now with her accusing eyes.
“Hello.” The club girl spoke again, and this time I did look at her.
Gemma hadn’t made me feel guilty, I realised with a start. I felt guilty because after so long looking after her, of sharing a home, I didn’t want her to see me with another woman.
I wasn’t even sure I wanted to be with another woman.
Being home was so much more confusing than I thought it would be. I expected everything to just go back to the way it was.
Five minutes in this room, and I knew it could never go back to the way it was because Gemma and I would never be the same.
“He’s not interested, love.” Wicked flung himself on to the sofa opposite me. His eyes narrowed as he studied me. “Move on.” With a laugh, he flung his long legs out. But he didn’t say another word until she had sauntered off. The old me would have watched her ass shake as she walked away. The new me? The new me couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Gemma and the group of old ladies she was with. They were all smiles as they cooed over the baby,
“It’s good to have you back, brother.”
Tearing my eyes away, I met Wicked’s gaze. “It’s good to be back,” I admitted, and it was. Strange but good. “But a lot has changed.”
Ruin had filled me in on all the major changes that had taken place since I had left.
“I can’t believe you and Chelsea.” I shook my head. Out of all the things I had heard, that one was the most shocking. “I thought at first Truth must be lying, and then I saw Ruin’s face ….”
Wicked’s mouth broke into a wide grin. He looked genuinely happy. The smile made his eyes dance, or it could have been the liquor. I wasn’t too sure.
“Out of everything, that’s the thing you want to talk about?” Throwing back his head, he laughed loudly. “Nothing about me becoming president?”
“Everyone knew you would one day.” I shrugged. “So no, that isn’t a shock.”
