Chapter Sixteen
Hailey turned off the lights and locked the door to the flower shop. She’d stayed way past closing hour, trying desperately to stop thinking about Goldie. The way he’d practically dragged her out of Cuervos still made her cheeks burn. He still thinks of me as Ryan’s little sister. I need to just forget about him. He’s not interested.
But he did keep giving her mixed signals. Sometimes she’d catch him staring at her, desire heating his gaze, and then once in a while, she’d see something mixed with the desire. Affection? Stop it. You’re making too much of this. Anyway, he just wants to screw women, not date them. At times she’d tell herself that she was fine with them being friends with benefits, but she knew she wasn’t that type of woman. Though she wasn’t exactly the waiting-for-your-prince type either. She’d hoped to find something in-between. Goldie was the extreme all-male type of guy. And it surprised her how attractive she found his take-charge personality. It gave her a charge the way he took care of business, not apologizing for his actions. Like the way he handled that creepy Kevin. Her aunt had complained about him to her. She’d hated the way he’d look at her, try and brush against her, and make excuses for having to be in her room. Laughing, she slung her tote over her shoulder. Aunt Patty’s going to laugh her ass off tomorrow when I tell her what Goldie did to Kevin.
The clack of her heels echoed in the empty street. Hailey had forgotten how quickly life folded up on a weeknight in the town, especially when it was past ten o’clock. That night, the street was quieter and darker than usual. The amber streetlights were dimmer and the town lights ebbed to a mere twinkling. Looking up, she noticed the clouds were blackened shadows that shifted with the wind that had kicked up. They blotted out the stars and the moon, making the street like an old-fashioned photograph—everything a shade of gray. She clutched her tote tighter and made her way to her car.
When she’d returned to the store that evening, the only parking space she could find was by the small park. The white iron benches and bright green leaves appeared ominous amid the blackness of the night. In the shadows, the trees’ branches resembled grotesque caricatures of arms and fingers as they swayed and moaned. As she fumbled in her bag for her keys, a rustling behind the thick bushes made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Where the hell are my car keys? She swore under her breath that she’d bought the tote without any compartments as her fingers kept grabbing at everything but her keys.
Rustling. Silence. The wind groaning. More rustling.
Where the fuck are my keys? Someone was behind the bushes. She could feel him. Nolan? Oh God. I hope not. Glancing around, there wasn’t a person in sight.
A crunch on the dirt. A snap of a twig. Rustling.
Hailey normally liked the quiet and darkness of night, but at that moment, it seemed to press on her like an awful weight. Someone is here. I can feel him watching me. I hear him. Heart pounding, she pasted her body to her car as if that would offer her any protection. Balancing the tote on her upraised knee, she clawed and shoved the items aside until her fingers curled around her remote entry. Pushing the button, the car’s headlights were two beacons offering her some comfort.
The rustling grew louder. She pulled at the door, flung herself onto the driver seat, slammed the door, and locked it. Rushing blood to her temples made her head feel like it was about to explode.
A burst of movement frightened her, and she cried out just before she saw the white tip of a tail peeking out from the bushes. Glowing honey-colored eyes stared at her as the fox scurried across the street, disappearing into the darkness in a flash. Nervous giggles erupted from her as she loosened her grip on the steering wheel. It was only a fox. It must be the wind that’s spooking me. Gulping in and releasing a couple of deep breaths, she turned on the ignition and pulled away from the curb. As she made a U-turn, a smudgy outline of a man stepping from the bushes filled her peripheral vision.
After clearing the turn, she stopped her car and looked at the bushes across the street. No one was there. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? I could’ve sworn I saw someone coming out of the bushes. Icy chills spread through her as she slowly drove away. Someone was there; her gut told her as much. But who? Nolan? The guy was shorter than Nolan. Why was he there watching me? He was probably a perv. The thought of a stranger staring at her from behind the greenery made her stomach twist.
When she reached the house, the wind had picked up substantially, howling around the darkened neighborhood. Shadows she never noticed before at night loomed everywhere, taunting, teasing, and scaring the hell out of her. Even the Victorian, which she loved, appeared gloomy and foreboding that night.
Taking out her phone, she dialed Goldie’s number.
“Hey.” He sounded surprised it was her; detachment laced his voice.
She didn’t care. “I’m like super spooked right now.”
Immediately his tone changed to concern. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. Nothing, probably, but I’m in my car in front of my house, and I’m petrified to get out and walk to the front door. I wish my aunt would’ve added a garage.”
“Okay. Is it the wind that’s freaking you out?”
“Maybe. But that man watching me from the bushes started all of this.”
“Whoa. What man? What bushes? I’m on my way. Keep talking.”
“I was super busy at the floral shop and ended up staying later than I normally would. When I was trying to find my car keys, I heard a lot of noise and stuff from the park. I had a real strong sense someone was watching me. It creeped me out. As I was getting ready to leave, this fox ran out from the bushes, and I thought that was the end of it. I hung a U and then I saw a man standing by the bushes as I passed the park. It totally freaked me out. When I turned to get a better look, he wasn’t there, but I know I didn’t imagine it.”
“Did it look like your ex-asshole?”
“No. Nolan is really tall, like over six feet. This guy looked about five nine or so.” The rumble of his motorcycle broke through the groaning wind and washed over her, bringing comfort. She jumped from the car and rushed over to Goldie, throwing herself into his waiting arms.
He rubbed her back and held her close. “Fuck. You’re shaking like a leaf. Did you get a good luck at the fucker?” She shook her head and buried it into his chest. “Let’s go inside. I felt a couple of drops on me.” He led her up the stairs and she opened the door.
Sitting on the couch, she watched him as he walked around the main floor, tugging at the windows. “What’re you doing?”
“Making sure everything’s locked up.” When he pulled at the side window in the dining room, she gasped as it flew open. He turned around. “You left this one unlocked.”
“I didn’t. I always check before I leave. I kind of got in that habit when I lived alone in Albuquerque. I could swear the window was locked this morning.” Her mind reeled backward to that morning. She’d been in a big rush since she’d overslept and had to meet a bride-to-be and her mother. Did I check the windows this morning? She couldn’t remember. Stretching out her legs on the couch, she said, “Maybe I forgot to do it this morning. I was in a hurry. But even so, I never open that window, and I know it’s been locked every time I check it.”
“Do you know how easy it is to break into this old house? I could get in here in less than a minute. I’ll send Army, Skull, and Chains over in the morning to help me change all the locks on the windows and doors. You really need an alarm, but I know that’s your aunt’s call. Talk to her about it. In the meantime, we’ll make it hard to break in here. I bet the windows in the basement are for shit. I’ll run down and check.”
“Don’t go down there,” she said, goose bumps carpeting her skin.
He jerked his head back. “Why not?”
She pulled at a loose thread on the couch. “I don’t know. I guess I watch too many horror movies, but whenever someone goes in the basement on a windy, dark night, something always happens.”
He came over to her and leaned down, tipping her head back with his finger. “You’re too damn cute. Nothing’s gonna happen to me. If the bogeyman’s down there, he better be scared of me.” He brushed his lips across hers. “I’ll be right back.”
She watched him go, nervousness and fear crackling around her. After what seemed like a very long time, Goldie came back into the living room. “All secure in the basement and here. I’ll check upstairs.” He rushed up, then came back about ten minutes later. “Seems like the only one unlocked was the window in the dining room. You feeling better?” He went over to the window and glanced out.
“Do you see something?” she whispered.
“No. The rain’s coming down hard. You got any beer?”
“I’ll get you one.”
When she came back into the living room, Goldie had a fire sparking in the fireplace. She smiled and handed him the beer. “I love a good fire. And tonight I’m chilled to the bone. I’ll be right back. Make yourself comfortable.”
“I haven’t been in here since you guys moved to New Mexico.” He went over to the couch, kicked off his boots, and plopped his feet on the coffee table.
Aunt Patty would freak out if she saw him. She went upstairs, peeled off her clothes, and took a quick shower. She slipped a long fuzzy nightshirt on and padded down the stairs. She loved seeing him in her space. He made her feel comfortable, safe, and breathless all at the same time. Hailey sat on the couch and tucked her feet underneath her.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
She nodded. “I really did think I saw someone. Though the streetlights were so dim that it was hard to see much.”
“There’s been power outages all over town. Every time we get a bad storm, the streetlights start acting up. It’s so weird. And I’m positive you saw someone. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that you gotta listen to your gut. You know, that inner voice that tells you when things aren’t right. The question is who was it? Was it just some damn perv who gets off on watching women, was it someone who was going to harm you, or was it someone you know?”
She rubbed her arms up and down. “I only know one thing—it wasn’t Nolan. Whoever it was made my blood run cold. I got a real bad vibe about him. I don’t know.” She shuddered.
He grasped her arm and tugged her to him. She willingly went, and he cocooned her in his embrace. She nestled into him, inhaling the scent of leather, wind, and antiseptic. Her hand fell loosely around his waist. She couldn’t believe how taut his muscles were. “Were you working when I called?”
“Yeah.” He kissed the top of her head.
“I’m sorry if I interrupted you.”
“You don’t need to ever apologize for my help. I told Ryan I’d watch out for you.”
See? You’re making his kindness to be much more than it is. Again. When are you going to learn? Him being here is all about Ryan and their friendship.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She froze. There was no way he could read her thoughts. “Nothing. Why?”
“You stiffened up on me.”
“Oh. I was just thinking that it’s probably a drag for you to keep watch over me. I mean, I don’t hold you to your agreement with Ryan.”
“Did I say it was a drag?”
“No… but I’m sure there are women you’d rather be with right now. You don’t have to stay. I’ll be fine.”
“I want to be with you. I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”
“Just to make sure I’m safe, right? Of course. That’s why you’re here.”
He tangled his fingers in her hair and pulled her head back so she was looking straight into his smoldering gaze. “You know that’s not the whole reason.”
The intensity of his stare sent shock waves straight to her core. “It isn’t?” she breathed.
An intense heat sizzled between them. “No. It isn’t.” He pressed his mouth on hers, his kiss searing her lips. Letting go, she fell into the kiss, parting her lips, coaxing his tongue to invade. Whimpering in anticipation, she trailed her hands around his body, feeling each line, each ripple of his perfect physique. He delved his tongue inside her mouth, tangling it with hers in a fiery, passionate, and demanding dance. Running her fingers down his spine, she drew him closer until there was no space left between them.
“Hailey,” he said against her mouth, the sound of her name on his lips unfurling a desire deep inside her. She savored every letter as he rasped her name over and over, her heart fluttering and the ache between her legs throbbing.
It was magical the way his lips connected with hers. Even though they’d kissed before, she hadn’t known who he really was then. At that moment, the world fell away. The way he held and kissed her was comforting in a way words never would be. Amid the hunger, the lust, and the desire, there was softness and understanding, and it was that naughty and nice combination that drove her insane with want for him.
The phone ringing pierced through their desire, and Hailey cursed its interruption. By the frown on Goldie’s face, she suspected some choice words were running through his head. Glancing at the screen, she sucked in her breath: it was Ryan. Not wanting to break the connection she and Goldie were sharing, she decided not to tell him who it was.
“Hello?”
“Hailey. How’re you doing?”
“Fine. You?”
“Okay. Did I interrupt something?”
“No, not really.” Just an awesome kiss. She glanced at Goldie, who stared at the fire.
“Have you seen Garth? I asked him to keep an eye on you. I worry about you. When I heard that ex-creep may be in Alina, I called Garth right away.”
“Things are fine. They really are.”
“Have you seen Garth?”
“Yeah. I’ve been so busy running the floral shop. Most of the time I’m either there or at home.” She wanted to get him off the subject of her and Goldie.
“How’s Aunt Patty doing?”
“Good.”
“Watch out for Garth. Even though he’s my best buddy and he’s doing me a favor, I wouldn’t put it past him to make a play for you. He’s a womanizer at heart. Make sure you keep him at a distance. Speaking of guys, have you met anyone worth talking about?”
“No. Like I said, I’m super busy. When am I going to see you?”
“Working on it. I’ll let you know. I gotta go. Take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
When silence replaced Ryan’s voice, an emptiness filled her. She missed him and wished he’d be sent stateside so they could see each other and talk more often.
“That was Ryan on the phone.” It was a statement, not a question. She nodded, her heart sinking when he sighed and stood up. “I should go. You gonna be okay?”
“Of course. You secured everything.”
“I’ll be back in the morning with my brothers. If you need or want anything, call me. I could stretch out on the couch and crash if you want me to.”
“It’s pouring out there.”
“I have my rain jacket in my saddlebags. I’ve ridden in worse. If you’re worried about me, don’t be. If you want me to stay, I can do that.”
She wanted him to stay so she could be back in his arms, kissing his warm, smooth lips. “You don’t have to. I’ll be fine.”
Nodding, he walked over to the door and unlocked it. Without another word, he slipped out into the darkness and headed to his bike. She closed the door and heard the rumble of his Harley.
And just like that, he was gone.