This biker is definitely checking me out in front of my kid.
“Well, that’s just great for me and a shame for you because she never mentioned you,” I point out straight-faced.
Eyes narrowing, he stands there staring at me, not saying a thing. Ring covered fingers lift to rub aimlessly on the dark scruff of his jaw when I don’t drop my own.
What will it be like to touch a rough chiseled face like his? It has been a while since I’ve felt a man’s rough skin against my fingertips.
There’s no reason why I deprive myself of something I could have so quickly. Maybe it’s because I had it, and I allowed myself to get sidetracked by it.
Or solely because I spent so many years trying to please a man that didn’t want me. Truth is, there is no reason, I had sex with two guys after Landon. I felt nothing then as I opened my legs to those men.
Yet, as I look at the biker who remains staring at me as if I am some casual girl, he would forget come tomorrow morning, I feel more, so much more than when I reached a climax at the end of a meaningless one nightstand.
I know nothing about this man; besides a simple fact, he brings a whole new definition to the word rough.
I’d be a fool to not notice the golden tones of his skin that once upon a time turned deep shades of red after a few minutes in the Southern sun, but has long since lost its virgin glow.
Now, his flesh, marked by years under the sun, scarred by paths of his life and aged by the outcome of his choices.
“Knowing Daisy Jane, I bet she didn’t,” He muse’s way too loud, “Might wanna remember the heads up I gave ya.”
“Huh?” My voice sounds as surprised as I feel.
“What heads up?”
My girl starts twisting her neck, and I hold on a bit tighter.
Thankful, my eyes are shielded by the big tree a few feet away from the motorbikes ’cause I don’t have to move my hands from Caden and Jo and risk my kid running back to the biker.
I’m not sure how that makes me feel.
“That I’ll be stayin’ next door for a coupla weeks,” His deep voice states in a matter-of-fact.
“Might wanna ask Daisy Jane ’bout me then, seein’ as we gonna be neighbors and all.” The tug on the right side of his mouth doesn’t go unnoticed, and I find my gaze fixed on his sensual lips instead of what comes out of it.
Why do I have to be attracted to an asshole? Didn’t my body learn its lesson?
Doesn’t it know an asshole when it sees one?
“Momma, can Caden and I go change the Popsicles?” Jo interrupts my drooling. I bend my head, staring into her pleading gaze.
I reluctantly let the two of them go, and they don’t waste time running into the house, traitors.
Once I see they’re inside, I turn back to look at the biker and see the silent biker he was with is now across the road.
I swear the guy was right there seconds ago. I shake my head at how I didn’t even notice the biker crossing the street.
I’m usually an observant person, more so after Jo was born, but I also have to admit that I wasn’t always that observant.
I didn’t notice when Landon was banging a woman ten years older than me. I didn’t pay attention when I was signing an anti-nuptial agreement that screwed me over in the end.
When I practically gave up my entire family for a man who couldn’t even keep it in his pants long enough to get home? I wasn’t even thinking then.
The only thing I observed was my cycles and how great my sex life needed to be, so my husband didn’t get bored while he planted his seed in me.
I will never make that mistake.
“Never again,” I mumble, knowing that it’s a lie as I digest what the biker standing in front of me just said before Jo and Caden left.
As I do this, my insides twist and the flesh beneath my skin tingles, making me want to rip the top part out and inflict pain because it feels way too good. And we all know what happened the last time I felt remotely good.
Not to say that I would’ve walked a different path, Jesus is my witness that I wouldn’t.
I walked through the tunnel and saw the light when I stared into my baby’s eyes for the first time. Doesn’t mean I’m going to walk through it again. I already have enough light.
I’m not feeling greedy enough to want more, then I’ll just be asking to get burned. And this hot biker staring at me with nothing more than a keen interest of a one-night stand will burn me so bad I’ll never see the light, even once I’m out of the tunnel.
“I’ll be sure to get all the nitty grits about my new neighbor biker-guy the next time I see Daisy Jane. Guess I’ll be seein’ you around then.”
I’m proud of myself for keeping this conversation short when my body is wanting to have all kinds of long talks with this biker.
He has a charming smile; I see this when his cheeks stretch taut. A small, barely noticeable dimple pops up on the left side. His face lights up as I wait for the courtesy goodbye.
“River,” He says, and again, I’m like,
“Huh?”
“My name, it’s River.”
“Really?” I widen my eyes as a look of disbelief paints my face.
“Really. You got a problem with my name Hannah Banana?”
“Not you too,” I groan.
“Name made sense after I watched your ten-second video, quite a show there.”
“You lie,” I say, already knowing that he most certainly did. He doesn’t say a thing.
Taking a deep breath of hot air, I try hard to compose myself as I declare,
“I’m going to kill DJ.”
The low chuckle coming from his throat brings nervous flutters that tickle me in welcomed places.
My stomach turns with knowledge that this hot, dangerous biker knows something so stupid, yet personal about me. River has heard and seen way too much about me. Standing outside my house leaning in toward me, his feet stretches open. Muscular arms cross over his chest like he plans to hold his position all day talking to me. So close, but too far.
It’s then I register something I didn’t think about. What is he doing in front of my property in the first place?
River’s sight tracks behind me, and I don’t have to turn around to know he is staring at Jo and Caden. Shaking his head with a speculative stare that I’m sure will make any weaker man tremble. Lucky for me, I’m not a man, nor am I weak.
“You have one hell-of-a kid there. Might wanna keep her temper under control, though. Abusing strangers bikes in the middle of Kanla or anywhere else is dangerous. It ain’t gonna earn her any brownie points with the locals.”
I wisely choose to ignore the ‘locals’ comment and focus on the rest as I glare at him, all pleasantries forgotten,
“Are you insulting my kid?” I’m aware my loud voice has dropped, and the calm facade is now in its place.