Lissy drops my hand while Manda’s grip tightens, her eyes bugging out at the owner of the familiar voice coming from behind me. Something about it resonates within me but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I take another deep breath and discreetly try to wipe my eyes.

“Hi.” Lissy extends her hand across the table first, and from the corner of my eye, a tanned arm reaches out and takes hers.

“Are you enjoying yourselves tonight, ladies?” Mystery Voice asks and I watch my friends’ faces light up at his question. I could just turn around and see where I know it from, but I know my face will be red from my rant only a few moments ago.

“Well, it’s our girl’s birthday.” Manda points to me and my body slides down in my chair. They are about to throw me under the bus with this guy, and I’m so not ready for this.

“Oh, is it?” Mystery Voice asks, his voice unbelievably sexy, and I force myself not to turn from pure stubbornness. My friends all nod, smiling up at him. Jesus, I can’t believe these girls. “And does the birthday girl have a name?” His hand rests on the back of my chair, and I feel his warmth teasing my skin. I refuse to look, even if my body wants to turn, but after a nudge from Manda, and an enthusiastic nod from Lissy, I slowly turn and catch the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. Bluest eyes I have seen before.

“You.” I slump in my chair when his grin takes over his face. Why did it have to be him? Jesse Carter. Knights Rebels MC crew member. Sexy, dangerous, and if I’m being honest, funny as all hell. I barely know the man, but he gets under my skin like no other.

“I knew it was you, Nurse Bell.” He winks then pulls up a chair next to me, inviting himself into our circle.

“You know each other?” Kate asks, looking from me to Jesse.

“No,” I reply, folding my arms over my chest. I mean I know him, but not know him, know him.

“Yes.” Jesse knocks my shoulder with his larger frame and I nearly fall out of my chair. “Oh, shit, sorry.” His fingers wrap around my arm, pulling me back and stopping me from falling. I try to tug out of his grasp when he rights me in my chair, but his hold is too strong.

“Let go,” I hiss, searching for a spot on his face I can dislike. It’s a hard task when the man is this damn good looking.

Too good looking.

His disheveled blond hair is a long, overgrown mess, but somehow, he still makes it look good. Maybe it’s the tanned skin, or the smile that always takes over his face, but if you were to look at him from his shoulders up, he looks like he belongs in a magazine. But then he has to go and open his mouth and ruin my lust filled craze.

Jesse Carter is crass, foul mouthed and paired with his dangerous body and the fact he is in a biker gang, the man is serious bad-boy territory. From his tactless lines, to the way he wears his Rebels’ cut, Jesse spells trouble. Trouble I don’t need, especially when just looking at him has my cheeks flaring with warmth. I’m a fumbling child when I’m around him and after the few times I have been in his presence, I seem to get worse.

“Come on, Nurse Bell, you know me. Hell, you saw my ass last time.” He throws my girls his devilish grin, one that obviously works going by their expressions. Heat floods my face, and down the front of me, and I don’t need to look down at my chest to see a blush start to form. Damn it, why do I have to be so awkward?

“You’ve seen him naked?” Lissy spits out her drink and looks at me like I’ve grown a second head.

“Umm, well, not technically,” I fumble to explain as everyone waits, while staring holes into my face. “Mr. Carter here was a patient at the hospital a couple of months back,” I explain, but I don’t think they are listening, still caught on the word naked and visions of Jesse.

“What does ‘not technically’ mean?” Manda pushes, proving my point. Instead of answering, I look to the troublemaker for some help. I have no idea why; he’s the one who just put me in this spot.

“I think she means, when she saw my naked ass, she closed those big, green eyes of hers and refused to look.” Jesse laughs and I feel my face burn again, this time in embarrassment. Great, just what I need, them knowing I acted like some inexperienced virgin.

The first time I ever met Jesse was last year. His club took over the hospital when two of their women came in badly injured. It was touch and go for both, Holly and Kadence. Holly came in with a gunshot wound, and Kadence with a punctured lung. At first I was taken back by Jesse’s inappropriate lines and dangerous smile. I mean his friends were in hospital recovering from some serious injuries and he was trying to hit on me. I soon came to realize it’s just who he is.

My second encounter with Jesse went down the same way. He was admitted after being in a bar fight that ended with twenty-four stitches and a busted up foot that needed surgery. From what I’ve gathered, he stepped in and helped Holly from being attacked by a crazed man. Holly suffered a fall, but Jesse took the brunt of it all. Still didn’t stop him from hitting on me.

“Oh, my God why the hell would you close your eyes, Bell?” Lissy asks pulling me out of the memory. Jesse turns and fires a smile at her question and I die a little more. If only he knew I peeked. A little.

“What?” I shake my head, trying to get myself together. Having Jesse in my space, outside of work, is messing with me.

“Yes, much to my disappointment, Nurse Bell doesn’t appreciate a fine ass when one is staring her in the face,” Jesse further jokes, and I can tell he’s enjoying this way too much. I might not know the man very well, but what I do know is he likes to push the boundaries. With the handful of times I’ve been around him, I know he thrives off pushing everyone’s buttons.

“Well, who said it was fine?” I counter, even shocking myself as the words leave my mouth. It’s all lies. His well-defined ass is an image that flashes in my mind on a regular basis. I just don’t need him to know that.

“Ahhh, there she is,” he replies, and I groan knowing my slip has only stirred the bad boy in this man. I reach for Manda’s vodka and throw it back. My body instantly warms as I ignore not only the burning sensation coating my throat, but Jesse as well. This is the last thing I need tonight, him messing with me, so I decide to go back to ignoring him. My friends were already on my back about my mom, but now… now their eyes are growing wide, that me, simple, quiet Bell knows a man like Jesse.

“Umm, that wasn’t lemonade.” Manda smirks, knowing I don’t drink, but I don’t respond. I keep my face blank, pretending the taste of the alcohol is fine and I’m not secretly wishing I could wash away the taste of the vile liquid with water.

“How’s your ankle?” I turn back to Jesse, forgetting my plan to ignore him. His face shuts down at the question, his body tense under my stare.

“Wanna dance?” he answers with his own question, leaning into my space. As much as I want to turn and not get lost in his presence, I can’t take my eyes off him.

“I don’t dance.” I swallow hard past my dry throat.

“You don’t dance?” Jesse laughs not believing me. “Everyone dances, Bell.”

“Oh, she doesn’t do a lot of things,” Manda answers for me. I try to kick her under the table but somehow end up kicking Lissy. Shit.

“Why the hell did you kick me?” Lissy complains, leaning forward and rubbing her shin.

“I’m sorry.” I look down at my lap, half wanting the floor to open up and swallow me, and half wanting to break out in laughter. Could this get any more awkward?

I don’t even know what’s wrong with me. I hardly know this man, and I feel like I’m back in high school, and Kyle Granger just came and sat down at our table.

“You playing hard to get makes me want to get you a whole lot more.” Jesse stands, moving closer to me. I force myself not to look up and be drawn into his dangerous charm. But my efforts are lost when he leans down closer into my space and whispers in my ear, “I’m all for a game, Bell, but I gotta know what I’m playing for.” A shiver runs through me as his lips slightly graze the shell of my ear. “That’s it, sweetheart, you feel it too. Be a whole lot easier if you just surrendered now.” His hot breath warms my skin, and for reasons unknown to me, a small, pained moan leaves my lips. He steps back and smirks down at me, like he’s proud of his accomplishment, while my heart beats rapidly in my chest. What is happening here?