Love, Always and Forever

by Alexis Morgan

  The perfect way to spend her afternoon.

  Chapter 4

  “I don’t know about you, but I’ve pounded in enough nails for one day.”

  Well, “pounded” was an exaggeration. He’d borrowed one of Jack’s nail guns to use. Regardless, Mikhail was ready to be done. Stretching his arms over his head, he swayed side to side to ease some stiffness in his back while he waited to see what Amy would say about calling it quits. The fact that his pretty neighbor watched his every move with hungry eyes didn’t have anything to do with his sudden urge to flex a few muscles. That brought back memories of his brothers and nephew striking stupid poses the other day and had his mouth tugging up in a brief grin. Jerks.

  “I could keep working a little longer.”

  And if she did, the first stiff breeze would blow her over. They’d made good progress. Enough that he wouldn’t feel guilty if they knocked off earlier than he’d originally planned. If she’d quit or at least take a long break, he would be only too glad to keep working. But she looked tired, and he didn’t have the heart to let her keep slogging along holding up the boards while he put in the first couple of nails. Those cedar boards were heavier than they looked.

  Damn it, there she went picking up another one and carrying it over to the next spot in the fence. “Aw, come on, Amy. Can’t we quit now?”

  Doing his best to look pitiful, he added, “Pretty please.”

  She laughed at him as she leaned the board against the finished portion of the fence. “Have you forgotten I have four older brothers? I’m immune to puppy dog eyes, even pretty baby blues like yours.”

  Okay, she thought his eyes were pretty. Good to know. He held up his hands in surrender. “All right, you got me. I’m hungry, and I’m in the mood for some barbecue. There’s this place I know that has outdoor seating and a nice view of the mountains.”

  Amy sighed as she carefully carried the board back over to the pile and then covered the stack of wood with a plastic tarp. As she tugged off her work gloves, she smiled at him. “Sounds nice. Let me know when you’ve got time to work on the fence again.”

  Obviously his message wasn’t getting through. “I meant for both of us to go. You’ve worked as hard as I have this afternoon.”

  Damn, now she looked a bit skittish. Had he come on too hard or maybe too soon? Considering how long it had been since he’d had much interest in dating, maybe his skills were rustier than he’d thought. Not that he was asking her out, not exactly anyway. But he couldn’t relax and enjoy a rack of ribs if he thought there was any chance she’d be right back out there working on the fence by herself as soon as he left.

  “It would be like two coworkers stopping off for a cold one on the way home from work. Although, in this case, the cold one will be lemonade. I don’t drink and drive, especially not when I’m out on my Harley.”

  Amy’s expressive face lit up. “You have a motorcycle? Why haven’t I seen you riding it?”

  Okay, she was nibbling at the bait. Time to reel her in. “It’s parked in the garage. I don’t ride it to work or for running errands, but it’s a great way to unwind after a long day. I even have an extra helmet that should fit you. Want to go?”

  She worried at her lower lip as she considered his invitation. What was there to ponder? Either she liked barbecue or she didn’t. Well, he supposed it could be that she’d had enough of one Mikhail Wanjek for the day.

  “I should probably tell you now that I’ve never been on a motorcycle.”

  With four brothers? Seriously? “No one in your family has ever owned a bike?”

  Her cheeks flushed a bit pink. “The twins have had bikes for years, but they never let me near them.”

  Why the hell not? From the way she kept glancing toward the garage, she was interested. Would it have killed them to give their kid sister a quick ride around the block? She must have picked up on some of what he was thinking, because she shook her head.

  “Don’t blame them. My folks didn’t think it would’ve been a good idea for me to go riding with them, especially when they first got their bikes. Looking back, they probably made the right decision.”

  There was something in her voice that made him think she wasn’t entirely sure about that. However, if she wasn’t mad about it, then who was he to second-guess her family’s dynamics?

  “I’ll tell you what. We can take a couple of loops around the neighborhood to see if you like riding on the Harley before we head out on the highway. If it’s too scary, we’ll come back and take my SUV. How does that sound?”

  Her smile lit up her entire face. “Perfect. Can I grab a quick shower and change clothes first?”

  Images of her lithe body lathered up with soap bubbles in the shower exploded into his brain. Too bad they couldn’t save water and take one together. He’d love to wash her back for her and then—

  Whoops, she was still waiting for his answer. “Sure thing. I need one, too. I’ll meet you by the garage in half an hour.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  “Make sure you wear jeans and a heavy jacket. Leather would be best if you have one. Sturdy shoes, too.”

  “I will.”

  They made quick work of putting away the tools and anchoring the tarp down with bricks before heading into their respective houses. He glanced back over his shoulder just in time to see her grin and do a little dance step before disappearing into her front door. Okay, then. She was definitely up for a bit of adventure. If he had to guess, the lady was going to love ripping down the road on the back of his bike.

  Had she given any thought to how close she’d have to sit to him? He had. He could hardly wait to have her arms clenched around his waist and those perky breasts pressed right up against his back.

  As he climbed into the shower, he studied the dial before cranking it toward the colder end of the spectrum. Chances were even frigid water wouldn’t cool the effect thinking about Amy with her long legs straddling his bike and snuggled up against him had on his body. It didn’t help that he could barely remember the last time he’d gotten laid. He was reasonably sure the woman had been a blonde. Probably, anyway. His conscience nudged him a bit, even if both of them had headed into that wild weekend with no illusions of a happily-ever-after together.

  Regardless, he felt a little bad that he couldn’t at least remember her name.

  He sure as hell couldn’t risk that kind of encounter with Amy. She deserved better, and it wasn’t like they could easily avoid each other if everything went south. Make that when everything went south. He’d never had the best of luck with women.

  Besides, he wasn’t in the market for any kind of long-term relationship, no matter how often his mother tried to convince him differently. After more than ten years in the Corps, he was still trying to find his place in the civilian world. Yeah, he had a job, a house, and an extended family to help fill up the hours of his day. He might have even successfully convinced his mom and brothers that he was doing fine most of the time.

  Even if he wasn’t.

  There were too many dark memories mixed in with an equal number of regrets for him to feel satisfied with how his life had played out so far. Keeping busy helped, so he pulled the occasional extra shift at the fire department or spent hours working on his house. Anything to fill up the empty spaces in his mind.

  He finally turned off the water and reached for a towel. How long had he been in there? A glance at the clock on the dresser answered that question—too long. That happened sometimes when his past poked its ugly head into his present. If he hauled ass, he’d be only a couple of minutes late. Clean jeans, a fresh shirt, and his biker boots completed his outfit. He probably should’ve shaved, too, but that would only delay him even further.

  It wasn’t as if this was a real date, even if it sure as hell felt like one. Halfway to the front door he spun around and marched right back into his bedroom. After a few quick swipes with his cordless razor, he ran out the door toward the garage.

  Amy mu
st have been watching for him, because she stepped out on her front porch before he’d gone more than a handful of steps. Her smile hadn’t faded at all since he’d offered to take her out on the bike. There was a hint of nervousness around her eyes, but that was to be expected.

  He hit the button that opened the garage door. “You can wait out here. I’ll grab the helmets and then bring the bike out so we can talk about safety and all that stuff.”

  “Are these clothes all right?”

  Jeans, check; heavy denim jacket, check; hiking boots, check. She’d also brushed her dark hair back into a ponytail.

  “They’re perfect.”

  Especially the way those jeans hugged her long legs, which should be outlawed for the sanity of the male population. He got his spare helmet down off the shelf and carried it out to Amy. After a couple of quick adjustments, it fit her fine. “You can take it back off until after we talk about the bike.”

  Next, he straddled the Harley and started it up. Amy was watching from the doorway and jumped a little when the engine roared to life. He rolled the bike out into the bright sunshine and then shut the engine off again. No use in yelling over the noise.

  It didn’t take long to go over the rules and precautions with her. After she put her helmet back on and tightened the strap, he guided her up onto the seat behind him. When she put her hands on the sides of his waist, he tugged them farther forward. “Hang on tight. We’ll take a couple of easy laps around the neighborhood first. If you decide it’s too scary, just let me know.”

  “Okay.”

  He started the bike again and drove out of the driveway a lot more sedately than he would have normally. Just as he expected, her grip on him tightened up considerably by the end of the first block. By their second lap, though, she was riding like a pro, her posture already more relaxed. When they reached the front of his house again, he stopped and yelled back over his shoulder, “You okay to take the bike or would you prefer to take the SUV?”

  He loved that her answer was immediate and happy. “Definitely the bike.”

  This time he tore off down the street sending up a spray of gravel. Amy gasped, but then her laughter rang out even over the rumble of the engine. Yeah, this was going to be fun. He drove out of the neighborhood and headed for the highway that would take them toward the mountains.

  —

  Could life get any better than this? Yeah, having all those cars and trucks whizzing by them at sixty miles an hour or more took a bit of getting used to, but she loved clinging to Mikhail on his bike. Even through the leather of his jacket, she could feel the flex and play of his muscles as he guided the bike in and out of traffic. As the highway led them closer and closer to the Cascades, the air grew cooler, making her grateful that Mikhail had warned her to wear a heavy jacket.

  Would Chad be proud of her for doing this? Too bad he couldn’t be trusted to keep his mouth shut if she were to ask him. She hated keeping secrets from her family, but sometimes it was for the best. She could only imagine how her other brothers, not to mention her parents, would react if they found out. They’d never understand how much she was loving this…this adventure, ripping down the highway with the wind in her face and the scenery flying by in a blur. She’d driven this same route many times, but it was as if she were seeing it clearly for the first time.

  Funny, she’d never realized how much a car insulated her from the world. But tearing up the highway while holding on to a sexy guy was a brand-new kind of freedom. She’d experienced so many amazing firsts in the short time she’d known Mikhail—setting a fence post, measuring a rail, using a power saw, and now this.

  What other wonders would he be willing to introduce her to? Not that she’d ask. Better to see where this new friendship took them without her asking him for more than he might be willing to give. Most of the time, Mikhail smiled easily and teased her whenever he got a chance. But there were times when his blue eyes darkened and his smile took on a hard edge. Clearly, he had his own share of secrets that caused him pain. Maybe she was wrong about that, but she didn’t think so.

  It was easy to recognize the symptoms, especially when she had the same problems even if the causes were different.

  Mikhail glanced over his right shoulder and then changed lanes. From there, he steered the Harley off the highway at the next exit, slowing to a stop at the top of the ramp.

  Mikhail turned his head. “Doing okay back there?”

  She leaned in closer so he could hear her better over the street noise. “I’m doing fine. This is great fun.”

  He shot her a quick grin, his teeth a flash of white against his tanned skin. “We’re almost there.”

  When there was a break in traffic, Mikhail revved the engine before shooting across the intersection. Halfway down the block, he pulled into a parking lot and stopped in front of a ramshackle building. The sign over the door read BIG TOM’S BARBECUE, and the surrounding air smelled of wood smoke and spicy barbecue.

  Her stomach rumbled, a reminder that it had been a long time since lunch. It was too much to hope that Mikhail hadn’t heard. After they both climbed off the bike, he held out his hand to take her helmet and gave her abdomen a pointed glance. “Glad you brought your appetite.”

  Pretending to be offended, she sniffed and gave him her most haughty look. “A gentleman would’ve pretended not to have noticed.”

  His expression had been teasing, but now there was a hint of heat in those ice blue eyes. “Whoever said anything about me being a gentleman?”

  Before she could think of a suitable response, he swooped in to kiss her. It didn’t last long, just a quick brush of his lips across hers, but she felt the impact all the way to her toes. Yeah, she was still vibrating a bit from sitting on the motorcycle, but this sensation was different. Better. Hotter. And, oh boy, was she in trouble. She didn’t know what expression she had on her face right now, but evidently it was sending mixed signals to the man standing in front of her.

  “Look, I was kidding about the whole gentleman thing. If you want to slug me for taking liberties, go ahead.”

  Deciding actions would speak louder than words, or at least more coherently, she grabbed a fistful of Mikhail’s leather jacket and dragged his worried face down and kissed him right back.

  This time, the kiss was neither quick nor gentle. In her hurry to reassure him that she’d enjoyed his kiss, her mouth hit his hard enough to knock his lips back against his teeth. She started to apologize, but he stopped her by immediately taking control of the situation—and her. Their helmets hit the ground, freeing up his hands to capture the back of her neck and angle her head more to his liking.

  At the same time, his tongue swept past her lips to give her a quick taste. The odd thought crossed her mind that she now knew how all those heroines in historical romances felt when they were about to swoon. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been kissed before, but she’d never been kissed like this, not with such fierce intent and purpose. She liked it. A lot.

  And she wanted more of the same.

  But a car full of teenage boys roared by, honking and hooting, “Get a room!”

  Mikhail broke off kissing her long enough to glare at the car disappearing down the street. “They’re idiots.”

  Then he stared down at her, his eyes still full of hot promise. “But they’re jealous idiots.”

  She’d never been caught kissing in public before, another first she could add to her list. It left her a little unsure how to proceed. “Um, should we go inside?”

  The corners of Mikhail’s mouth quirked up just a bit. “That’s probably a good idea unless you want to wait and give them a real show if they come back this way.”

  Thinking about what that might entail had her cheeks heating up and her head slowly shaking from side to side.

  “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Let’s go see what Big Tom has on the menu today.”

  He picked up their helmets in one hand, slung his arm around her shoulders, and led her into the dim
ly lit interior of the restaurant.

  Chapter 5

  Mikhail figured he needed his ass kicked for pulling a stunt like that out there in the parking lot. Maybe he’d call Jack later and ask him to perform the honors. Or better yet, Tino. The runt would be only too happy to accommodate him and a little more likely to keep his mouth shut. But only a little. Neither of his brothers would ever pass on an opportunity to hassle him. He understood that, because he did the same to them.

  Besides, he didn’t regret kissing Amy. She tasted so damn sweet, but there was no mistaking her slight awkwardness out there for anything other than what it was—innocence. Or at the very least, inexperience. He had no business messing with that. Not when he had no intention of being anything other than friends with her, and he wasn’t enough of a bastard to hope she’d settle for being friends with benefits. She deserved better, and he knew it.

  Luckily, a familiar bellow rang out from across the room, giving him someone else to focus his attention on.

  “Hey, you dumb jarhead, where the hell have you been lately? I was beginning to think you’d forgotten the way to my door.”

  A behemoth of a man came charging out from behind the counter, wiping his hands on his apron. It had probably started off the morning white and neatly ironed, but by this time of day it was stained with a little bit of everything on the menu. Mikhail had told him more than once that he could save time writing the specials on the chalkboard over in the corner if he just nailed one of his aprons up there instead. Customers could simply point at whatever splotch looked tasty.

  Big Tom wrapped him in a bone-crushing hug. He was one of the few men Mikhail had ever met who made him feel small.

  “Glad to see you, man. You’re looking…”—Tom hesitated to give Mikhail the once-over before adding, “better. That’s good to see. Damn good, in fact.”