“No. Not even a speeding ticket.”
Not wanting to press him any further, she repositioned herself. His hands-off approach with his children didn’t make sense. Maybe he didn’t want to spend more time with them. “Can we stop for a cup of coffee?”
“Read my mind,” he said.
As he pulled into the parking lot of the nearest café, her cell chimed. She checked caller ID. “It’s Lily,” she told him, picking up.
“Tina?”
“How are you?” Tina asked, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.
“Wonderful. Guess where I’m at?”
“France.”
“Very funny, smart-ass,” Lily said. “Standing near the Eiffel Tower. Thought of you and all those travel magazines you used to make me read in our dorm room.”
Tina laughed. “I do believe Paris was one of my favorite dream destinations.”
“Yes. And you couldn’t have been more right. It’s beautiful—the food is decadent, the shops are exhausting, and Lang rented a Harley for tomorrow. We’re leaving the girls with Rosa and touring the countryside for two days. Are you keeping busy?”
“That’s a very interesting question.” Tina eyeballed Vincent. “You’ll never guess where I’m at.”
“A bar?”
“Try again.”
“The mall?”
Tina laughed. “Portland.”
“Maine?”
“No. Texas.”
“Why?” Lily asked.
“Vincent is taking me bird-watching at Sunset Lake.”
Lily paused. “A Vincent or the Vincent?”
“The Vincent,” Tina clarified, gazing at her companion, who appeared beside himself because they were talking about him.
“Oh. My. God. How did you reconnect with him?”
“Long story.”
“Don’t be cryptic,” Lily said.
“Yeah, Tina,” Vincent commented. “Don’t be so secretive.”
“Hold on, Lily.” She lowered the phone from her ear. “You can hear what she’s saying?”
“Everything,” he confessed.
Tina felt her face flush as she got back on the phone. “I miss you, Lily.”
“Miss you, too. Want me to call tomorrow night, after Vincent’s bedtime?”
He smirked.
“Perfect. Hug the girls and Lang.” Tina disconnected.
“A Vincent or the Vincent?” he repeated. “What’s that about?”
“Oh, girly stuff.” She waved her hand dismissively.
“Nope, not getting off that easily. So I’m the Vincent?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes.”
He nodded, his roguish grin infectious. “I like it.”
“Wait…” Tina leaned close, holding her hand to her ear as if she were struggling to hear something. “Did I catch a hint of humor?”
“Your daddy didn’t spank you, did he?”
“No,” she answered proudly. “I’m completely overindulged and spoiled rotten.”
“Keep misbehaving and I’ll be forced to introduce your ass to my hand.”
She admired the sheer size of his palm. “What makes you think I’d be averse to something that enticing?” She’d take advantage of every opportunity she found to bombard him with that sexual innuendo he’d complained about so long ago.
He opened his door. “Not even sure how to respond to that.”
Tina giggled. Spankings were only one of the kinky things she enjoyed. If he only knew…but at this rate, he’d never find out. She used the time alone to text Lily: Not sure how to seduce this man.
The response was immediate: Be yourself.
I am.
Lang suggests getting drunk.
Failed the first time, remember?
Get naked? Lily shot back.
Spent the night at the clubhouse—nothing happened.
Blame it on global warming. LOL. Gotta go. Hugs.
Tina realized all good things took time. Though she wanted to fall carelessly into bed with Vincent, she appreciated his hesitation somewhat. It meant he had a conscience and didn’t view sex as a casual thing. But how could she get him to relax more and stop running away? Biker boy needed some convincing. Biker boy needed a steady girlfriend to help work out some of his painfully visible frustration.
He returned with two coffees and a bag of pastries. “Ready?”
She nodded.
Ten minutes later they arrived at the park. Tina could see the Harbor Bridge and downtown across Corpus Christi Bay. The city of Portland must have invested a lot of money on improvements. The nature trail stretched as far as she could see, almost camouflaged by scrub brush and wildflowers. The occasional palm tree shot up from an otherwise flat landscape, but she appreciated the natural beauty of the sanctuary. Gulls screeched overhead, gliding on the steady breeze.
“So peaceful.”
“I’m glad you like it. One of the only places I can close my eyes and actually forget about life for a while,” Vincent said.
He disembarked first, grabbing a backpack from the bed of the truck, then helped her out. They walked a fair distance before reaching a floating pier that granted better access to the marshes.
“There’s a couple benches at the end,” he said.
“How far out does it go?”
“A hundred yards. It makes all the difference when you’re trying to spot species that nest in the reeds. For some reason people are more interested in the nature trail and water sports, so I rarely find anyone out here.”
Careful not to trip over the uneven planks on the walkway, Tina followed Vincent. By the time they reached the end, she was a little breathless and ready to retire the crutches.
“Now I know why I hate crutches.” She sat on the closest bench.
“Are you in pain?”
“My underarms ache from leaning on those hard pads, but my ankle feels better.”
“Good.” He started to unload the backpack. “You’ll probably want this.” He handed her the Audubon guidebook. “I’ve tabbed the pages with birds from South Texas. Considering the time of year and mild weather conditions, we might get lucky today.”
His enthusiasm still surprised Tina. She’d never met a dedicated bird-watcher before, much less one that wore patches from a 1%er MC. “I hope we find a great blue heron.”
“What about brown pelicans?” he asked.
“I’ve never seen one. Why?”
He pointed. “Four or five of them floating on the water.”
Tina immediately joined him near the railing. She squinted against the bright sunshine. “Can I use the binoculars?”
“Yes.”
She zoomed in. “Silly creatures—the kind of face only a mother could love.”
“Skilled predators.”
She lowered the binoculars and turned to Vincent. “Where else have you bird-watched?”
“New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, and England.”
“Military?”
“Two years in the Marines fresh out of high school. I was stationed in Japan for a few months, then transferred to England. The others were personal vacation choices.”
“New Zealand is gorgeous,” she observed.
“Best birding destination in the world. I spent three weeks traveling between North, South, and Stewart Islands, mostly camping and hiking.”
“Nothing so adventurous for me. I split my time between Christchurch and Auckland for an international law symposium.”
“Did you get to explore or were you chained to a conference table the whole time?” he asked.
“I attended the Beef and Lamb New Zealand Steak of Origin Competition and gorged myself with samples from all the farms and sponsoring restaurants. Best meat I’ve ever tasted.” She batted her eyelashes, turning on the charm.
Vincent couldn’t hide his amusement. “I’m not afraid of stiff competition, Tina.”
Finally—he let go and countered with something naughty. But how did he ke
ep a straight face? Movement nearby caught her attention. Another bird. “What’s that?”
“An egret.”
She explored every direction with the binoculars, spotting loons and sandpipers, which were common enough around town. A few ducks splashed by and even a canoe. But then she discovered something she couldn’t identify with dull gray feathers on its lower body and reddish feathers up top, crowned by crazy bed head. She couldn’t believe how exciting it felt. “I’m an avian explorer now,” she laughed, handing Vincent the lenses. “I need your expertise again. What’s that?” She showed him where to look.
“A rare find actually. The reddish egret is currently listed as a threatened species in Texas.”
He lingered, obviously captivated. Tina sucked in a breath, prepared to heat things up again. “What’s this?” She caressed his stomach with the back of her hand. Even through his clothes she could feel his rock-hard abs.
Good manners had never infected Tina the way they had other women in her family. Her mother would have a heart attack if she knew how sexually charged Tina’s words and actions were. But if Tina didn’t act, the chance to connect with this man might slip away. Verbal teasing provided entertainment, but she wanted more. Was pretty damn close to demanding it.
Vincent exhaled and laid the binoculars on the bench, then encircled her wrist with his hand. “Didn’t you take physiology in college? Solar plexus.”
“And this?” She dipped her fingertip into his belly button.
His eyes met hers. “Umbilicus.”
“Here?” She gently cupped the spot between his legs.
“A fucking erection.” He leaned in, tugging her against his steely body. “But you already knew that.”
She shook her head, at a loss for words. Finally, something ignited heat inside him.
“Do you want to know why I won’t do relationships? Or shall we leave it so this little cat-and-mouse game can continue?”
The intense blue of his eyes drew her in like bait. She stretched upward, snaking her arms around his neck, then planted a firm kiss on his lips. “It’s not a game.”
Chapter 6
If he didn’t follow his own rules, everything could go to shit in a matter of seconds. His life revolved around bylaws, discipline, and setting an example for his young sons and Prospects. If he couldn’t control his dick and his heart, what did that make him? He gripped Tina by the arms and gently set her away from him. “I think an explanation is in order.”
“Okay.” She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting.
Would any of it make sense to her? He’d never explained his deepest reservations or fears to a woman before. Only to Lang and a couple of the Brothers who wondered why he didn’t choose an old lady. “I’m twenty-nine and twice divorced. Doesn’t that set off warning bells?”
“Sure,” she admitted. “But that doesn’t make it any easier to deny our mutual attraction. We’ve faced this before, Vincent. Last night only proves it—you can pretend there’s nothing between us, but I know better. You do, too.”
“That’s the problem.” He paced back and forth a few times before facing her again. “Once bitten, twice shy. I lost my faith in women a long time ago. Married my high school sweetheart a week after graduation and joined the military, and by spring, filed for divorce. Three years later, Laura got pregnant and I was obligated to marry her. I did the right thing, only to get screwed over. Left me bitter and broken, Tina—I won’t lie.”
“What happened with your first marriage?”
“We were young and stupid—thought we were in love. We both strayed and mutually agreed to end it.”
“Doesn’t sound too painful.”
“It wasn’t,” he said. “But the seeds of doubt were planted.”
“And Laura?”
“A train wreck waiting to happen.” Memories surfaced he fought to keep out of his mind. Painful ones. “The idea of fatherhood pleased me. I come from a big family—two sisters and three brothers. My parents married young and still love each other. So I grew up in an idealistic world. Imagine how it feels to wake up one day and realize it’s all a lie, that people outside weren’t the same as my family.”
Tina’s expression softened immediately. “What happened?”
“I think what didn’t happen is a more accurate question.”
She sighed and sat on the bench, her gaze never leaving his face. “I’m a great listener, Vincent. You can trust me with anything.”
“For some reason I believe you. Maybe because we hit it off a year ago.”
“I know, we did,” she stressed. “I’ve really missed you.”
“The feelings are mutual.” He gazed into her eyes, happiness replacing the sadness for a split second. But he wanted to finish his story. “The first pregnancy went well—no complications and a quick delivery. After we brought Michael home, our family and friends kept us busy for weeks. Laura enjoyed the constant attention and gifts. But once the excitement ended and she was left at home changing diapers and keeping house while I worked sixty hours a week, something snapped inside her. Subtle changes at first. She became more argumentative, obsessive about me having affairs, complained about the weight she’d gained. I remained supportive, suspecting postpartum depression. We did everything right, even attended couples therapy so we could deal with the issues properly.”
“Unfortunately, this happens more often than you think.”
“I know,” he agreed. “All the more reason I remained dedicated to my wife. I knew we’d get through it. Hoped the medication the doctor prescribed would fix her hormonal imbalance and help her relax. But the antidepressants had the opposite effect.”
“No…”
“I credit divine intervention for my choosing to go home for lunch that day. As soon as I stepped inside I instinctively knew something was wrong. The house was too quiet. I found Michael safe and asleep in his room, but Laura…” He didn’t want to finish the thought. The more he explained, the more he remembered. And over the last couple of years, relegating those memories as nothing more than nightmares had kept him sane. “She slit her wrists and collapsed on the bathroom floor from blood loss.”
“Dear Lord. I’m so sorry.”
“We got pregnant again six months later. She attacked me the night we found out—apparently she didn’t want to have another baby.”
Absorbed in his own world, he didn’t notice when Tina grabbed his hand at first. With it cupped between both of her tiny ones, the warmth of her touch and the compassionate look on her face made it impossible to reject her comfort and attention.
“It’s not your fault, Vincent. I understand now. If there’s anything I can do to help…”
If she were anyone else, he’d walk away. He despised pity, hated looking weak. “For two months I slept with one eye open. Believe me, I wanted to leave her, but I couldn’t rationalize abandoning my son. So I stayed until Tristan was born. A few weeks later she stabbed my leg in the middle of the night. That’s when I knew I had to go.”
“Thank God,” Tina said. “Did you file charges?”
“Of course not,” he spit. “Family is family. I dealt with it privately. She checked herself into a long-term rehabilitation program for four months. My mother moved in and provided care for my boys while I worked my ass off to pay the medical bills. The rest is easy to figure out. She met the judge’s son in the facility. I filed for divorce and custody of the kids. It didn’t end well.”
“Is that why you joined the Sons of Odin?”
Vincent met her green eyes. So very perceptive and too damned beautiful for her own good. Dangerous in his world. And if he didn’t keep a safe distance, he’d get trapped, caught up in everything Tina. “Let’s just say I needed to refocus my energy before I ended up destroying my life. Lang had been trying to recruit me for years. I turned him down every time. It took a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and a beat-down before I realized how reckless I’d become.”
She swallowed hard, obviously analyzing h
is words. “And have you found what you’re looking for?”
“If relative peace and a structured environment counts for anything, fuck yeah. I left the corporate world, dedicated myself to the club, and reached a tentative agreement with my ex. We don’t rehash our past. She provides quarterly medical updates to me; her ongoing therapy is one of the private agreements we made in order for her to maintain custody of the boys. In spite of everything, she’s a great mother.”
“I still think…”
“Don’t think, Tina—we’ll both regret it in the long run.”
“But…”
“Up front it may appear I don’t have control of my sons. Trust me when I say she’s under constant surveillance.”
“I didn’t mean to imply that you were a negligent parent. I’m concerned you’re missing out on the most important moments in your children’s lives. Like that birthday party. How could she deny you the right to see him?”
“Tina.” Might take another kiss to shut her up. He appreciated her concern, knew she wanted to help. But Vincent blamed himself for following his heart where women were concerned. He’d never make the same mistake again.
“You deserve to attend that party,” she finished, defending his honor, inadvertently reminding him how inadequate he felt where his family was concerned.
He moved quickly, lifting her off the bench. Tina wrapped her legs around his waist, burying her fingers in his hair. She tasted so good, her sweet tongue rolled against his, seeking what he sought, a temporary reprieve from reality. A stolen moment of pleasure with a girl he knew he didn’t deserve. He groaned into her mouth, squeezing her ass cheeks firmly. If his dick got any harder, he’d scream out in frustrated pain. And if he could live out any fantasy, he’d sink inside her and fuck her so hard and long, neither one of them would be able to walk for a week.
One breath-stealing kiss turned into three. She heaved for air when he finally released her. “This can’t keep happening,” he warned.
Still comfortably cradled in his arms, she hugged his neck, then squeezed his middle with her thighs. “You need lots of kisses, Vincent. There’s nothing wrong with giving in once in a while. We both know what we’re getting into. And if we set rules from the beginning, doesn’t that keep us safe? No emotional entanglements.”
Possession Page 4
