but then you just called the meanest biker I know an idiot, so either you got a big pair hiding in those jeans or you’re an idiot.” He chuckled.
Oh shit. “Did I screw up?”
“Nope. You can’t go wrong being you, Red. See ya tomorrow.”
I let myself in the building without turning back to see if he’d headed for the bar. Some information I didn’t want to know, even if I’d already told him no. I’d just entered my place when I heard the familiar sound of his bike roar out of town. I didn’t know where he was going, but I took comfort in where he wasn’t.
Chapter Five: Lila
Thursdays were a slow day at the shop, and I’d gotten in the habit of opening and taking off until about five when things picked up. Today, I’d meet Rachel for lunch before she had to go in at four. We might do some shopping.
We met at the diner, which was only two doors from Marked Man, and it had the best food ever. Today I had a fried chicken salad, which Rachel swore by. We ordered two of them and two sweet teas.
She assessed me for a long time, like several seconds. “So how long have you been here?”
“Getting close to two months.” It was hard to believe. “It’s gone by in a flash.”
With a grin, she gave me a knowing look.
“What?”
“If I had Dare in my bed, I’d make time stop.”
“Um, well, I don’t. I mean have him in my bed.” I picked up my tea and drained a third of the glass.
“Why not? He’s totally sniffing you up, down and sideways. I was sure you two hooked up after the way he rushed you out of Blue’s.” Rachel frowned at me in this way that clearly said she thought me mental.
“Nope.” I blushed. “I’m trying to avoid men a while.”
The waitress dropped off the salads, which were smothered with ranch dressing. I forked up my first bite and fell in love. Hot chicken, cold cheese, lettuce and ranch—divine. Rachel hadn’t steered me wrong.
“Bad breakup.” She nodded, stuffing her mouth with salad.
“How’d you know that?”
“Rock told me.”
The gossiping... I couldn’t think of a word bad enough. I hadn’t planned for my business to be the town’s business.
“Honey, it’s no use.” Rachel laughed. “The town’s too small and we all gossip too much.”
“I could just as well wear my words, if my face is so damn obvious.”
With a pat to my hand, she dug into her salad. We ate in silence a few minutes as I contemplated how to ask what I most wanted to know.
“So you’ve been man-free, meaningless sex-free, almost two months.” Her tone was sad and a tad dramatic.
“It’s not like I’m headed for a convent,” I huffed, although two weeks had been my limit before, and that was the first two weeks I’d been on the run. Since then I’d jumped from guy to guy in a matter of days, always with the next lined up. Well, at least after my very first breakup. When Justin told me to get out, I’d spent two days alone, not knowing where I’d sleep or where I’d eat. After that, I always had one eye on the guy I was with and another on who might take his place. In the early years, it was a matter of survival, but then it had become habit.
“I’ve had men, and three relationships. I guess I’d call them that.” I snorted. “But this is my longest time, since I started to have times , with no sex.”
“Why are you resisting the biker god? Are you not into bikers?”
I wish. In fact, I was too into him. “He’s my boss, and I’ve made that mistake. My last guy, when I dumped him, well, that’s how I ended up here. No Tony, no job.”
“Ouch.” She chewed and considered my words.
“Your turn.” I poked my fork at her. “You getting any?”
She grinned. “Now and again, but I’m between people.”
The way she said people was odd. Why not lovers , guys , or was she into girls? Not that I cared, but she had pried into my business in every way she could.
“So that says you like a bit of the wild side—what is it, girls, guys, both?” I
Oh shit. “Did I screw up?”
“Nope. You can’t go wrong being you, Red. See ya tomorrow.”
I let myself in the building without turning back to see if he’d headed for the bar. Some information I didn’t want to know, even if I’d already told him no. I’d just entered my place when I heard the familiar sound of his bike roar out of town. I didn’t know where he was going, but I took comfort in where he wasn’t.
Chapter Five: Lila
Thursdays were a slow day at the shop, and I’d gotten in the habit of opening and taking off until about five when things picked up. Today, I’d meet Rachel for lunch before she had to go in at four. We might do some shopping.
We met at the diner, which was only two doors from Marked Man, and it had the best food ever. Today I had a fried chicken salad, which Rachel swore by. We ordered two of them and two sweet teas.
She assessed me for a long time, like several seconds. “So how long have you been here?”
“Getting close to two months.” It was hard to believe. “It’s gone by in a flash.”
With a grin, she gave me a knowing look.
“What?”
“If I had Dare in my bed, I’d make time stop.”
“Um, well, I don’t. I mean have him in my bed.” I picked up my tea and drained a third of the glass.
“Why not? He’s totally sniffing you up, down and sideways. I was sure you two hooked up after the way he rushed you out of Blue’s.” Rachel frowned at me in this way that clearly said she thought me mental.
“Nope.” I blushed. “I’m trying to avoid men a while.”
The waitress dropped off the salads, which were smothered with ranch dressing. I forked up my first bite and fell in love. Hot chicken, cold cheese, lettuce and ranch—divine. Rachel hadn’t steered me wrong.
“Bad breakup.” She nodded, stuffing her mouth with salad.
“How’d you know that?”
“Rock told me.”
The gossiping... I couldn’t think of a word bad enough. I hadn’t planned for my business to be the town’s business.
“Honey, it’s no use.” Rachel laughed. “The town’s too small and we all gossip too much.”
“I could just as well wear my words, if my face is so damn obvious.”
With a pat to my hand, she dug into her salad. We ate in silence a few minutes as I contemplated how to ask what I most wanted to know.
“So you’ve been man-free, meaningless sex-free, almost two months.” Her tone was sad and a tad dramatic.
“It’s not like I’m headed for a convent,” I huffed, although two weeks had been my limit before, and that was the first two weeks I’d been on the run. Since then I’d jumped from guy to guy in a matter of days, always with the next lined up. Well, at least after my very first breakup. When Justin told me to get out, I’d spent two days alone, not knowing where I’d sleep or where I’d eat. After that, I always had one eye on the guy I was with and another on who might take his place. In the early years, it was a matter of survival, but then it had become habit.
“I’ve had men, and three relationships. I guess I’d call them that.” I snorted. “But this is my longest time, since I started to have times , with no sex.”
“Why are you resisting the biker god? Are you not into bikers?”
I wish. In fact, I was too into him. “He’s my boss, and I’ve made that mistake. My last guy, when I dumped him, well, that’s how I ended up here. No Tony, no job.”
“Ouch.” She chewed and considered my words.
“Your turn.” I poked my fork at her. “You getting any?”
She grinned. “Now and again, but I’m between people.”
The way she said people was odd. Why not lovers , guys , or was she into girls? Not that I cared, but she had pried into my business in every way she could.
“So that says you like a bit of the wild side—what is it, girls, guys, both?” I
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