As I pulled into the restaurant parking lot, I belatedly thought to ask my unexpected passenger if she had a preference. “Uh, is Mexican okay with you? We can go somewhere else if you want.”
In the truck, it was impossible have a private conversation. “Messican, Messican! I haffa kaysadeeeeeeuh!” the peanut gallery in the backseat piped in.
Luscious red lips I’d tried my damnedest not to stare at tipped up in the corner. Her murmured, “Mexican it is” had chills skating over my skin.
Shaking off the strange feeling, I jumped out of the truck to free the wee beast in the back seat. The door opening sent her into a fit of squealing happiness as she clapped her hands.
“Daddy!”
With a grin, I lifted her into the air after unbuckling her. Then I hugged her tight. “I love you.”
Chubby little fingers framed my face. “I wub you too, Daddy!”
That smile. That laughter. Worth everything in the world.
Turning toward the restaurant, I caught Raiven standing at the back corner of the truck. Her expression was hard to read, but the ruby-red lip held captive by her white teeth had my chest rattling and shaking with each beat of my heart.
My eyes raked her head to toe, and I realized she’d put that fluffy thing under her dress again. The thought of someone seeing those long legs as she put it back on had me clenching my jaw.
I felt possessive of someone I had no right to be, and that scared the shit out of me.
“Will all of this stuff be okay back here?” She motioned to her suitcase and the things in the bed of the truck. I’d covered it all in a cargo net. It wasn’t much, all things considered. Mostly Presley’s things and our clothes.
I’d wanted to start over with everything else.
“Yeah. No one will mess with it. Besides, parked here, we should be able to see it from inside.” Motioning, I said, “Ladies first.”
A dark eyebrow quirked before she preceded me into the restaurant. Every step had my jeans getting uncomfortable. It also gave me a perfect view of the smooth slope of her shoulder.
I had the insane urge to press my lips where her shoulder met the slender column of her throat.
Jesus fucking H. Christ. Why is my brain going haywire?
“Help Is On The Way”—Rise Against
I hadn’t given much thought to having kids. They weren’t on my radar. The fear thing was a big reason.
But watching this big, bad, tatted-up sex god interact with his little girl had my ovaries screaming. My twenty-six-year-old body acted like its biological clock was on the verge of expiring. It was so crazy, I didn’t know how to process it.
For years, I’d been happily building my clientele. I’d dated here and there, but nothing serious. Then Stefano had come into the shop, and I’d done a massive piece on his back of a wicked-looking Neptune.
It had taken several sittings. By the last one, he’d convinced me to go out with him. Thinking back to how I thought I’d won the lottery with him had my stomach churning.
“Pwincess Waiven?” The inquisitive little girl had asked me a million questions during the meal, so one more didn’t faze me.
“Yes, Princess Presley?” After telling her about twenty times that I wasn’t a princess, I gave up on that too. I was in the game now.
“You gonna go to duh zoo wiff me?” She’d finished her meal as best as I guessed she was going to and was climbing back in the chair.
I’d really thought Matlock was an asshole earlier, but he’d been growing on me throughout lunch, and it wasn’t only because of his ruggedly sexy looks. He’d eaten what had to be a cold lunch because he’d spent half of the time putting her back into her chair when she would get down to try to wander. Or she had to potty. Or she wanted to come see me. Or she wanted to look out the window. Or she had to potty again.
He was way more patient with her than I would’ve imagined.
Not that I didn’t catch agitation sneaking through every so often when she would do the exact opposite of what he told her. I’d had to fight giggling, because it was funny watching him try to wrangler her.
“I, uh, well….” Matlock was looking at me like he was bored and couldn’t care less what my answer was. Part of me wanted him to ask me again. Part of me wanted him to beg me.
I didn’t understand that part of me at all.
My life was in shambles.
Flattened by a tornado of epic proportions.
The last thing I should be thinking about was a man. No matter that he was easy to appreciate.
In the short period of time we’d been in that restaurant, I’d seen he was not only handsome, he was a good father. Which meant there was a mother somewhere.
I had no idea if she was already in Texas, if we were picking her up on the way, or if she was out of the picture completely. There was no way to ask without making things awkward as fuck. I could text Aunt Jean or Uncle Carlisle, but then they’d wonder why I was asking.
“Well, I’m kind of tired. How about if we see if I can take a nap at the hotel?”
Was that disappointment I saw flash in his unusual blue eyes? It had to have been my imagination.
“Naps awe yucky.” Presley scrunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue. While I tried not to laugh, her father rolled his eyes but fought a smile too.
I tried to pay for my food, and he wouldn’t let me. His rationale made sense but still made me feel like a mooch.
“Pops said he didn’t want you using any credit cards. You’re essentially off the grid. Okay?” Those stormy eyes had a mesmerizing hold over me. That was the only explanation I had for the cooperative nod I gave him.
“I was gonna pay cash.”
He continued as if I hadn’t said a word. “Speaking of, where is your phone? We should probably shut it off and remove the battery and SIM card if you can. If he has any connections, he may be able to track your phone.” He was speaking quietly enough that only I could hear as he wiped Presley’s hands.
“I already shut it off, but I doubt he’d do that.” Lord, I didn’t want to think that Stefano may have been tracking me. The beautiful little blonde girl gave me the biggest smile, and it made me sick that I could inadvertently be putting her in danger simply riding with them.
“If you don’t think he’d do that, then why shut off your phone?” His head tipped slightly, and he looked at me in question.
“He, um, my boyfriend kept texting me,” I finally admitted. “Ex,” I insisted. I didn’t want to give him any more than that. The less everyone knew, the safer they were from the chaos of my life.
Shrugging, I watched as he tied Presley’s shoes, then signed the lunch receipt.
His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything as he studied me. It was like I was a bug under a microscope and he could see my every detail and secret.
On the way back out to the truck, the man and his daughter walked hand in hand. Together they were like something off a painting or a greeting card. Her pale ringlets were haloed by the shining sun, and his dark blond hair seemed lighter as he towered over her and she looked up to him.
I wasn’t so sure a greeting card would have an ass that nice on it though.
Smacking myself on the forehead, I was ashamed of the direction my thoughts were taking. It was as if my brain was on a total disconnect from my current situation.
It didn’t take long to reach the loaded-down black Raptor. I stood back, watching like the intruder I was as he buckled her in to her car seat. Once she was secured, he pressed a kiss to his fingertips and reached in to hold it to her nose.
“Daddy kissed my nose!” she squealed as her contagious laughter pealed.
Shit. Their interactions were doing something to me. Making me rethink my life, my goals, and my desires.
We didn’t talk on the way to the hotel.
We didn’t talk when he went up to the desk with Presley lying on his shoulder almost sleeping and said it would be him, his wife, and his daughter in the room.
Hearing him say his wife would be in the room with him had my heart plummeting to my stomach, and I hated myself for feeling that way. Not that I expected to share a room, and not that I thought anything would happen between us.
God, no.
Okay, if I was honest with myself, I was attracted to him. Not at first, but after witnessing another side of him at lunch, I could admit he was an extremely attractive guy.
Discreetly, I counted up the cash I had in my purse. Thankfully, I’d had a cash box where I kept all my cash tips for an emergency fund. Then I’d drawn out the max I could from the ATM before leaving Chicago.
If we were only staying one night here and there, I’d be okay. The problem was, I’d heard him say he wasn’t in a rush to get to Texas. So that meant possibly several days of hotels, plus meals. Then I’d have costs when I got to Texas.
Biting my lip, I decided I’d be okay. I’d figure shit out. I always did.
“You ready, babe?” His question caught me off guard as he spun from the desk and handed me a card key. Dumbly, I looked at it like I’d never seen one.
“Um, what’s this?” I tried to ask quietly so the people sitting in the lobby didn’t hear. It was none of their business what was going on, but I wasn’t going to be part of some weird threesome. With his daughter in the room, no less!
Chuckling, he threw an arm around me as he held his daughter with his other arm. “Let’s go get our bags.”
Too confused to argue, I followed him out the door, biting my tongue until we got outside.
Before I could question him, he instructed me to sit on the bench. “Do you mind holding Presley while I park the truck? I’ll bring your suitcase up.”
“Uh, okay?” It came out more a question than an affirmative response. Had he gotten me my own room or was it for his room? I knew I didn’t hear him ask for two rooms. At least I didn’t think so.
By the time he’d parked the truck where the hotel’s cameras could see it to watch our shit and come back with the suitcases, Presley was wide awake. She’d been staring at me the entire time, touching my hair with a finger and feeling my dress.
I wasn’t sure what to do, so I just sat there. Waiting.
“You a vewy pretty pwincess,” she whispered in awe.
Taking a quick glance down at her, I smiled as her golden hair blew in front of her face before she grabbed it and held it back. “Thank you. So are you.” She was a beautiful child, and her eyes were the same gorgeous blue as her father’s, minus the brown spot.
Swallowing hard, I pulled one of my bobby pins from my hair and twisted her hair off to the side. Securing it with the pin, I looked up to see Matlock striding toward us.
Sweet baby Jesus, he’s hot.
Dark golden blond hair, long on top, blew wildly in the wind. With both hands full of our suitcases, he couldn’t hold it out of the way, so it swirled and whipped around his stern, beautiful face.
“Daddy gots my soocase,” the little girl in my lap announced, pleased as punch.
Not wasting any time, he nodded and brusquely instructed, “Let’s go. Can you hold her hand or do you mind pulling her suitcase?”
It was a cute little hot-pink-and-black case. Nothing I’d ever be ashamed of pulling, nor was it too heavy or a problem. Except for some inexplicable reason, I was loathe to give her up.
“I’ve got her.” No slouch, I stood with her in my arms and raised an eyebrow. “Lead the way.”
Belatedly, it dawned on me I still hadn’t asked him about the room situation. But by that time, we were already walking through the lobby.
The man’s long legs covered a lot of ground, so I was striding quickly to keep up.
When he paused at a room on the third floor and inserted the key, I had to know. “Um, which room is mine?”
He looked over his shoulder at me as he pushed the door open. “Uh, this one.”
He said it like I was crazy for asking.
“Oh. So how far away are you going to be?” Even though I didn’t really know him, I knew my uncle trusted him, and he made me feel safe. Knowing this room was mine, I didn’t set the sweet little girl down yet.
“Right here. I’ll sleep on the floor.” He said it like it was no big deal; an everyday occurrence.
I set Presley down and watched her with one eye while she ran over, looked out the window, and quietly chattered to herself.
“No. We are not sharing a room. Are you insane? What will your wife think about that? It’s bad enough that I rode down here with you and she doesn’t know me.” As I crossed my arms defiantly across my chest, the color drained from his face. At least the part not covered by that glorious beard. Then it flushed with anger as he took two quick steps my direction.
“I don’t have a wife. The only wife I had was years ago and a huge mistake of youth and loneliness. Don’t ever mention her again,” he bit out. His nostrils flared and his jaw flexed as he clenched his fists in front of me.
So close, I could smell the faintest whiff of his cologne. I couldn’t put my finger on the scent, but it was wild and deep, like the man who wore it.
“Look, don’t get an attitude with me.” I poked him in the chest. “I didn’t know. Uncle Carlisle said you’d agreed to take me to Texas. He didn’t get into your background. He didn’t even mention you had a kid. So forgive me if, after seeing you had a child, I assumed there was a Mrs. Matlock somewhere waiting for you or meeting up with you,” I lashed out in a fierce whisper.
He dropped his gaze to the finger that was still poking at his chest with each point of emphasis I needed to make.
“First of all, if your asshole boyfriend is still looking for you, he’d be looking for you, not a family. Husband, wife, and child?” His tone was condescending, and that pissed me off further.
My anger making me ballsy, I poked him again. “Ex. Ex-boyfriend. And what gives you the right to make all the decisions anyway? Maybe I wanted my own room. Maybe I don’t want to travel with you anymore.”
“Are you done?” His droll tone did nothing for my temper.
“No! I’m not! So why did you say you were getting a room for you and your wife if there was no wife? I hope you don’t think that I’m going to actually fuck you.” The last part had my eyes almost popping out of my head as I fought to keep my voice down.
“Jesus Christ, Raiven. My daughter is in the room. What the fuck do you take me for? I don’t even know you. I’m not sure I even like you.” Growling, he leaned closer to me.
The effect his nearness had on my senses sent my brainpower into a tailspin. I wasn’t thinking clearly, and it showed.
“Something tells me you don’t have to know or like someone particularly well to fuck them.” It irritated me that he had me acting like a spoiled fourteen-year-old girl. Except the thought of him not liking me hurt. My mouth was running away with me, as it was prone to do when I was uncomfortable or in defense mode.
Again he moved closer, until our noses were nearly touching, I could smell his minty gum, and his unique eyes revealed green and gray flecks scattered in the icy blue. “No, I don’t. But if that was a dig at Presley’s conception, tread carefully, because you don’t have a fucking clue what you’re taking about.”
I gasped.
“She had nothing to do with this! I didn’t mean anything of the sort, and I think you are fully aware of that. I would never malign her like that.” Chest heaving, I would’ve slapped him if his sweet daughter hadn’t been there. Then again, I also might have grabbed him by the T-shirt and pulled him closer.
Oh my God! Where did that thought come from?
Maybe I needed to find that Greyhound after all.
“Lost and Alone”—From Ashes to New
Goddammit, the woman was driving me fucking insane.
The thought of her talking shit about Presley or Letty had raised my hackles. Which was in direct conflict with the desire to rip that sexy-as-fuck dress off her and fuck her seven ways from Sunday to take the glare
off her face.
She had me so damn tied up and confused. As she’d removed that fluffy fucking thing from under her skirt earlier that day, I’d caught a peek of the large dragon tattoo on her thigh. It had me wanting to explore every inch of her.
I’d had an insane need to find every piece of ink and know everything about it.
After I ran my tongue over each and every line.
“Fuck, woman. You are the most infuriating woman I’ve ever met.” Shaken, I ran a hand through my hair, pushing it back. I hadn’t wanted another woman since Letty.
“I told you I wasn’t talking shit about your little girl!” she whisper-yelled as her gaze flickered to where Presley still watched cars driving by out of the window.
The problem was, I was pretty sure she wouldn’t, but I was protective and fierce when it came to Presley and Letty’s memory. “I’m sorry if I got a little shitty. I believe you. Okay? Now are you going to the zoo with us or are you staying here?”
Her white teeth chewed on her lush red bottom lip in indecision, and I was fascinated by the movement. It obviously was her go-to when she was uncertain.
“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”
“Well, for some reason my daughter seems to like you. Also, it would look strange if a ‘family’ didn’t go out together for as long as I’m going to be gone.” Not that anyone would question it, but for some crazy-ass fucking reason, I wanted her to go with us.
She sighed.
“Okay.” Resignation weighed heavy in her answer, and it bothered me that she was so against us hanging out. It shouldn’t. I shouldn’t care, and her thoughts or feelings shouldn’t matter to me.
“Well, then you better change your shoes, because we’re gonna be doing a lot of walking. While they may be sexy as fuck, I’m not sure those shoes will let you keep up all afternoon.” I gave a wry grin.
“Seriously? I could walk in these all day.” Her face turned a soft shade of pink, I assumed at my comment. “In fact, I could probably run a marathon in them,” she huffed, all cocky and sarcastic.
Lock and Load: A Demented Sons MC Texas Novel Page 5
