I would like to acknowledge the gratifying response my first story received, so spent more time on this one, taking what I learned, incorporating the kind remarks from you, the readers.
This story is written as a possible springboard for follow on tales based around the characters introduced here. The motorcycle club is left vague, as there are so many large and small, that I did not want to unintentionally borrow a name. More detail may come later.
I want to profoundly thank ChancesAre for looking this over, and providing advice that greatly improved the story. A lesson in the value of good editing I won't forget.
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Cat joins the family
It was a nice spring evening, and Carol had the windows and the sliding door to the large deck open, not needing the air conditioning on. This was her favorite time of the year, this and fall, with the accompanying Halloween party. The smells and colors of nature seemed more vibrant and full. Not to mention that the boys started making more Club runs. They didn't notice the vibe, not at all, but the runs mostly wound into the mountains on the lazy two-lanes.
She sat down on the couch next to Mike, taking a sip of her first beer of the evening. It was Friday, and Mike had chosen to stay home, rather than go to the club house. He had Sports Center on.
"Honey, I know it's Logan's and Cat's night, but I would have liked to be there to see him give her her cut. It's a big step for him, and I would have loved to see the look on her face when he slides it on."
Mike took a swig of his Jack and Coke, and looked over at Carol, his Lady for the last six years. He knew she had wanted to be there, and truth to tell, so had he. "Yeah, I know, but it's their night, and the guys need their space to party and welcome Cat in right. We'd just put a damper on it, besides, Gunner has it under control," he gave a wry smile, "of course Jules is another thing.
Mike slid an arm around Carol's shoulders, and drew her in close to him so he could nuzzle her earlobe. "I had a thought," he murmured.
Carol slid around a little, to give him better access to her neck, and gave him a sidelong roll of the eyes. "That could be dangerous, but let's hear it." If it was what she thought it was, she was already reviewing movie picks in her head.
"You know Logan's more level headed than most, so I figure he will be bringing Cathy home tonight. You'll have a chance to welcome her this weekend, more privately. By the same token, I don't plan on listening to the two of them howling at the moon all night, either. So I'm thinking we should party a little ourselves. You spent all day working me up, now it's time to pay the piper. Kills two birds with one stone. We won't hear, or care, when Logan seals the deal, and hell, they might learn something." Mike returned to kissing under Carol's ear, and around her throat. The hand not holding his drink was rubbing lightly over her breasts through the light sweater she was wearing.
"Hmmm, pay the piper, the man says." Carol pulled away from Mike, turning so she could fully face him. "Sounds more like you want me to play the pipe so you can lay some pipe. It's nice to know my feminine wiles still work!" She grabbed Mike's glass and her empty bottle and went to the small bar for refills. "You keep on convincing me while I consider your offer, but I think it is movie night."
Mike grinned, as he watched Carol sway as she assembled his drink. Carol was a special woman, and he loved everything about her. She was five feet seven inches tall, to his own five foot ten, and had the prettiest deep brown hair that she kept in a loose braid, for work and riding that fell to just below her shoulders. At thirty four years old, Carol's body was softening a little from the lean girl she had been, but that suited Mike just fine. Her D cup breasts were starting to lose the battle with gravity, but they were putting up a hell of a fight. Her eyes were a lighter shade of brown than her hair, with flecks of gold at the edges if the light was right. The five or so pounds extra she was carrying just filled in her curves, giving her butt that little extra that drove him crazy.
Carol worked at the Hospital, now as a charge nurse, and she liked it. She was trauma trained, as were most of the staff. Being a military heavy area, the civilian hospital was a designated trauma center. For the last twenty years, the facility had earned a well respected reputation for not only its trauma teams, but long term care for returning wounded warriors. That's how she and Mike had met.
Carol handed Mike his drink, and sat back down, putting her arms around him. She rubbed the small scar below his belly through his tee shirt. The bullet had hit the bottom of his armor vest, and tumbled through his guts. That had been his last tour, and he laughed now about riding a damn tank, and getting shot while collecting Iraqi prisoners. At the time, it had been serious, and she had been on the team that put him back together, then kept seeing him as he went through therapy. They hadn't dated then, as he was struggling to get his life back, and she was dealing (poorly) with her own trauma. Her husband of four years had been KIA in Afghanistan, and she had poured herself into her work, helping those that made it back, instead of dealing with her loss. She had admired the soldier who stoically dealt with the pain and surgeries, pushing himself through the rehab sessions. He was supportive of the other soldiers going through it with him; especially the young kids, now losing limbs from IEDs and such.
