Taken Hard (The Hard Boys Book 2)

by Sam Crescent

  I’m a fucking idiot.

  Brick went back inside the building center. Callie was at a desk behind the counter. When she saw him enter, she got up and approached the front.

  “Was the order all right?”

  “Everything was fine,” he said.

  Why did he suddenly feel like he was twelve years old, his mouth dry, and nerves on fire? He was completely out of character, and the guys at the club would laugh their asses off if they could see him now.

  “Did you want to order something else?”

  He ground his teeth together, his jaw clenched. “What time do you get off work?”

  “Five. Why?”

  “I wanted to thank you for your help. Maybe take you out to dinner or something.”

  She remained quiet, and he regretted opening his mouth in the first place.

  “Or not,” he said. “It was just an idea.”

  “No, I’d love to go to dinner.”

  He nodded. “I better drop this shit off and get ready then. I’ll pick you up at five.”

  ****

  Callie was still in a state of shock after the hot guy left. And she hadn’t even asked for his name. It was difficult to think straight when he wasn’t wearing a shirt. His body was golden and ripped like a gladiator. The ink on his arms was unlike anything she’d ever seen. She probably should have refused his offer. He was a classic bad boy, she had no doubt about it. But he didn’t act like an asshole, and for some reason, she felt comfortable around him when she was normally quite shy around men.

  It was difficult to focus on work for the rest of the afternoon. None of the men in the yard had shoulders and biceps like her guy. When they’d talked to each other, she’d had to remind herself to make eye contact and not keep checking him out. She liked everything about him, from the gruff tone of his voice to his impossibly dark eyes.

  What would he think of the real her?

  He’d only seen her from behind the counter. Once he saw her fat ass, he’d probably regret asking her out. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans. He was picking her up in a couple of hours, right after work, so she’d have no time to fix herself up. In an ideal situation, she’d take a shower and change into something pretty.

  Jeff came in and sat at his desk. “Any new orders?”

  “A few online. No more walk-ins.”

  “That guy give you any trouble?” Jeff asked. “He looked like trouble.”

  “He’s just a chicken farmer. Relax.”

  She didn’t want any more questions and didn’t like her mystery man being judged.

  “A farmer covered in ink?”

  She shrugged.

  Honestly, Callie didn’t want to dig deeper. She just wanted to enjoy the moment. He’d asked her out on a date, so she was still on cloud nine.

  She’d been so focused on working and surviving that she had little time to worry about herself, her love life, or her future.

  So many thoughts crowded her head. What would happen when he dropped her off? She didn’t want him to see the shithole where she lived. Or what if he wasn’t what he seemed to be at all and he ended up dumping her body in a ditch somewhere?

  The minutes ticked on until only ten minutes remained until her shift ended.

  Her heart raced. What if he didn’t even show up? What if he did?

  Callie shut down her station and gathered up her belongings.

  She used the staff bathroom to fix herself up. After pulling the elastic from her ponytail, she ran her fingers through her hair the best she could. When she looked beyond the glass, she still couldn’t see the white pick-up truck in the yard. Her heart sank. She didn’t realize how much she’d wanted this to work out.

  Callie usually walked a mile to the town, then took the bus to her apartment at the far east end. One day, she’d have enough saved up for a little car, but until then, it was a tedious routine that wasn’t optional. And much worse in this heat.

  She began her trek through the dusty yard, checking her watch again. Maybe she should wait a few more minutes in case he was just late. Her life was so full of disappointments that she doubted he’d show up. It had only been about five months since her grandmother passed away. That pain was still fresh. She’d raised Callie alone, giving her some semblance of normalcy in her childhood years. Her parents and cousins were all messed up on hard drugs, stealing and conning people to support their habit. Her grandmother tried to shield her from the worst of it, but they were mostly MIA, and she wasn’t so naïve.

  Her mother showed up out of nowhere to claim her grandmother’s trailer after the funeral, effectively leaving Callie homeless for a couple of weeks until she got her current bachelor apartment. They hadn’t spoken since.

  The roar of a motorcycle made her heart race. She always feared running into a biker on her lonely walk to town. She’d been lucky so far. Callie was well aware there were at least two big clubs in the vicinity. One of them was currently building a new clubhouse, and they came in for supplies frequently. She wasn’t allowed to handle those invoices, so she knew something wasn’t right about their orders but kept her mouth shut. It wasn’t her business.

  When the bike slowed down behind her, she began to panic. Why hadn’t she invested in some pepper spray? She turned her head to her side when the bike crawled next to her.

  It was him … her mystery man.

  He cut the engine and swung his leg off the bike. “Canceling our date?”

  She swallowed hard, alternatively glancing at him and then the bike. He looked so different than earlier. Well, he had clothes on for one—a fitted black t-shirt and blue jeans, his hair slightly damp. She wanted to run her fingers along the ink and muscles.

  “I didn’t think you’d show.”

  “You’ve got to give me a chance,” he said.

  She noticed him less than discreetly looking her up and down. Was he grossed out? She was known for her curves, and often the brunt of jokes around the yard. It was something she was used to but hated nonetheless.

  “You ride a motorcycle?”

  “You’re not afraid to get on back, are you?”

  “Oh, you want me to ride on that?”

  Callie had never been on a motorcycle. The thought scared her, but she did like the idea of wrapping her arms around his waist.

  “It’s not so bad. You may even like it.” He reached out and ran a section of her hair between his fingers. She was glad she let it down.

  “I don’t even know your name,” she said.

  “Brick.”

  He used a nickname? She wasn’t going to complain. It did suit him.

  Brick got back on the bike, started it up, then nodded behind him. She may be twenty-six, but she was still innocent when it came to men. This was all new to her.

  She used the excuse to touch him, resting her hand on his shoulder as she straddled the bike. He was hard, and something stirred inside her from the simple touch.

  “Hold on tight. These roads aren’t friendly.”

  She slid her arms around him. Her pussy tingled, and it wasn’t just from the vibration of the engine. He hit the gas and they were off, the wind whipping through her hair. The breeze felt like heaven, and she closed her eyes, savoring all the new sensations.

  Town wasn’t far off, so they were soon driving slowly through the streets, finally pulling into one of the strip malls. He parked in front of a restaurant.

  “How was it?” he asked once they were both standing on solid ground again.

  “Fun and terrifying.” She smiled. Growing up in a dysfunctional family made her a good judge of character. Her intuition was usually right, and all the vibes she got from Brick made her feel comfortable.

  She tried to pull her t-shirt down farther, to cover her hips. He noticed what she was doing.

  “What are you trying to do?”

  Callie’s cheeks heated. “Cover up? I didn’t have time to change.”

  He shook his head. “Don’t try to hide yourself from me. If I didn�
��t like what I saw, I wouldn’t have asked you to dinner.”

  “But—”

  “Callie, you have a big, juicy ass. What more could a man want?” He held out his hand and she took it. It felt like the most intimate thing in the world. Brick was completely no holds barred, and she doubted he even realized what he said was inappropriate. She loved that he wasn’t trying to play games or put on an act. He was real, confident, and the sexiest man she’d ever met.

  They entered the restaurant, and everyone seemed to glance in their direction. Were they that much of an odd couple? Her insecurities got the better of her. Maybe they thought he was too good for her. She bit her lower lip, trying to keep herself together. Dating was new to her, so she had to follow his lead.

  Their table was small, near the back of the restaurant with a view of the street.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  She was starving. Most of the time, she didn’t eat lunch. She was on a very tight budget.

  Callie shrugged.

  He exhaled, a disapproving sound. “Why won’t you answer? Are you afraid of me now?”

  She shook her head.

  “I won’t bite.”

  “Sorry, I’m not used to dating. This is all new to me.”

  “Well, that makes two of us. Just be yourself. I want to get to know you, Callie.”

  Silly fairy tale fantasies took over her thoughts. Could he be the one?

  “Where should we start?” she asked.

  The waitress set down two glasses of water, and she noted the way he glared at her. It was only there for a split second, but it sent a warning the waitress heard loud and clear, and she rushed off, leaving them alone.

  It turned her on. What was wrong with her?

  His presence was so commanding. He made her feel safe and grounded.

  Brick took one of her hands, cupping it between both of his. The way he stared at her took her breath away. He was so intense. “Your eyes, they’re so fucking beautiful.”

  She began blushing again. He was rough around the edges, but he sounded completely sincere.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “How old are you?”

  “Are guys supposed to ask that?” She felt surprisingly comfortable talking with him.

  “I just did.”

  “Twenty-sex.”

  He raised an eyebrow.

  “Twenty-sex. Sorry. Twenty-six.”

  Callie wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole.

  “Just a baby,” he said, amusement in his eyes. “I shouldn’t be here, but I couldn’t keep away.”

  End of sample chapter

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