Chapter Four
Tank
Five days. It’s been five days since he had seen her and she was still invading his head space. No matter what he did, he couldn’t shake her.
Sapphire Kimber...
Tank wanted her. The woman was gorgeous. The moment she had walked into the waiting room at the clinic, he had immediately been drawn to her. Nobody had ever affected him like that, not even Trisha. Sapphire Kimber was a living, breathing dream. She was tall for a woman, only a few inches shorter than his own six feet; long dark hair and the brightest blue eyes that Tank had ever seen. So bright, they almost seemed to glow.
“Keep rubbing that glass and it’s going to get a hole in it,” Tank turned at the sound of his bar-back’s voice. “Daydreaming, again?”
“I just can’t get her out of my damn head.”
“Well, that bottle isn’t going to help you much either.”
Tank looked to the half empty bottle sitting in front of him. If he were honest, he had barely touched the stuff since meeting Sapphire.
“No, it isn’t. I’ll be back later, before we open.” Tank dropped the hand towel on the bar and made for the exit.
He needed to ride.
Mounting his bike, Tank fired it up and with a quick shift into gear, he was leaving The Brickyard.
He had no idea where he was going. All he knew was he needed air. He needed to find a way to get Sapphire Kimber out of his head.
How could you want another woman? How could you betray Trisha?
His thoughts whirled as his bike flew through the outskirts of town. Twisting and turning, the road took him further away from his home, but no matter how fast or far he rode, the ghosts of his past were never far from him. They never left him alone.
Feeling like the walls were closing in, Tank twisted back the throttle and immediately felt his Harley respond. The land around him was a blur. He rode until darkness was all that surrounded him, all that filled him. Darkness and silence.
Finally slowing his bike, Tank took a right turn that would lead him to an overlook area of the city. Following the narrow lane, he pulled to a stop and noticed another bike was parked near a picnic table; a beautiful, custom chrome and bright yellow Harley. It was a bike he had never seen before, but would definitely never forget.
Like a dream, he watched as the owner of the beast walked out of a hidden trail. His mouth went dry. A nervous fluttered started in his gut.
What the fuck was wrong with him? Since when did he get butterflies around a woman?
But it wasn’t just any woman. The owner of the other bike was none other than Sapphire Kimber.
What the hell was she doing in Dallas? Almost four hours from home.
“Oh!” She seemed surprise to see him. “Hello, Tank.”
“What are you doing here?”
Tank could have beat his own ass for the rude tone that came out of his mouth. He knew Sapphire heard it, too. The smile that was present on her face at the sight of him quickly vanished.
“Not that it is any of your concern, but I am here to work with Rachel.”
“I’m sorry,” Tank sighed. “It’s been a long few days.”
“Yeah,” Sapphire replied. “Whatever.”
“No, seriously, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so rude.”
“Don’t mention it,” Sapphire answered.
Tank watched as she walked over to the beautiful, shiny beast. His heart rate increased at the thought of her leaving. He didn’t want her to go.
Let her go! What about Trisha?
Trisha is gone. It’s time to move on.
No!
The words and thoughts warred in his head until he was ready to scream. Grabbing his temples, he rubbed vigorously.
“Are you okay?” Sapphire asked, concern evident in her tone.
Tank looked up to see her moving in his direction. Again, his heart rate increased. He wanted her close. Needed it. Craved it.
No!
Shut the fuck up!
The war continued. His head was starting to pound. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think he was going crazy. Or maybe he was. Fuck! He had no clue.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Just been a long...”
“Few days?” Sapphire interrupted. “You already said that.”
“Yeah, I did,” Tank sighed.
Tank watched as she reached her hands up and with experienced fingers massaged the tension from his shoulders. Within minutes, the pounding in his head seemed to vanish.
“You don’t have to leave on my account,” Tank said, staring into her eyes.
“I should probably be getting over to Rachel’s house anyway,” Sapphire replied, meeting his gaze.
“Are you just here for the night?”
And why hadn’t Rachel told him that Sapphire was coming to town?
“No, I’ll be here for about a week,” Sapphire answered. “It’s easier for me to travel than Rachel. Plus, I needed the vacation.”
“Vacation?” Tank asked. “You came here to work and you call that a vacation? Girl, you need to refresh your dictionary skills.”
“Probably,” Sapphire laughed.
Finally climbing off his bike, Tank placed a hand on Sapphire’s hip.
“Find anything interesting down the trail?” he asked quietly, not wanting to break the mood.
“Not really,” she answered.
“Follow me,” Tank replied, walking in the opposite direction of where Sapphire emerged.
“Follow a stranger into the dark woods? Hmm,” Sapphire retorted with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh, come on,” Tank chuckled. “I’m not a stranger. Plus, the view from the outlook is amazing.”
“You are definitely a stranger. After all, I know virtually nothing about you. That alone equals — stranger danger.”
“Stranger danger?” Tank stopped. “What? Are we five now?”
“Maybe,” Sapphire replied, unable to hide the smile on her face.
“Let’s go, woman,” Tank reached behind him and grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him along the path.
Reaching the overlook, Tank led Sapphire over to a picnic table that sat along the edge. It was one of his favorite spots. The view was something that could never truly be described, a person really had to see it to understand its beauty. Even at night, with darkness surrounding them, the lights of Dallas shone brightly.
“Wow!” Sapphire breathed.
“Beautiful, huh?”
“It’s amazing.”
“I told ya.”
“Yeah, you did,” Sapphire smiled.
Walking over to the table, Tank took a seat on its top and pulled out his phone, opening his music app, he hit play and listened as music fill the night around them.
“Really?” Sapphire asked.
“What?” Tank replied. “You don’t like my music?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“No judging!” Tank demanded.
“Not judging, at all.”
“Uh huh,” Tank replied sarcastically.
“Seriously!” Sapphire assured. “I promise. I’m definitely not judging. It’s actually a good tune.”
“Fuck yeah it is! My music is the shit.”
Tank watched as Sapphire made her way over to the table and sat down next to him. Again, he felt the nervous energy.
What was wrong with him?
He had never been nervous around anyone, especially not a woman. Being a Marine, he had lived in some of the most dangerous places on the planet and seen more combat than the average soldier. None of that ever caused him to be edgy.
Nope! But put him in the same vicinity with Sapphire Kimber, and suddenly he’s a scared, anxious ninny.
Yep, he had officially lost his fucking mind.
“So...” Sapphire said, bring him back to the present. “Tell me about yourself. I assume your real name isn’t actually Tank.”
“My real name is actually Michael Williams,” he answered. “I’m a Marine. I also own The Brickyard.
“The Brickyard?” Sapphire asked.
“It’s a bar. And I live in the apartment above it.”
“Oh.”
“I’ve had it for about eight years. It was my dad’s place before I took it over.”
“Oh, okay. That’s kind of cool.”
“I enjoy it. And it gave me something to do after I retired.”
“Being a Henchmen doesn’t keep you busy? I know they are always going on missions and helping down around the border. Fighting off the cartel doesn’t keep you busy?”
“I’m not technically a Henchmen.”
“Really?”
Tank could hear the genuine surprise in Sapphire’s voice.
“Yep. I mean, I guess you can say I’m an honorary member, but I’ve never pledged to the Henchmen. I help them when they need it, but I am not an actual member of the club.”
“I thought you were,” Sapphire admitted. “I mean, the way Rachel talks, you are involved in a lot of club business.”
“So you’ve been asking Rachel about me, huh?”
That bit of news brought a smile to Tank’s face. The idea that Sapphire Kimber had been digging up information on him, flattered the fuck out of him.
“I was not,” Sapphire answered adamantly. “She and I were talking about the group and you were mentioned. That’s all.”
“Mmhmm,” Tank mumbled.
“I’m serious!”
“Sure. I believe you,” Tank chuckled.
Tank stared at Sapphire as she climbed off the table and made her way to the edge of the cliff, leaning against the metal fencing that prevented anyone from falling.
“It really is beautiful out here.”
“It’s one of my favorite places. You can see the entire city from here.”
“Yeah, you can.”
Music filled the night around them, neither saying a word. Song after song played. It felt like minutes had passed when Sapphire spoke above the current tune.
“Shit! It’s already three in the morning.”
“Is it really?” Tank asked, looking at his watch. “Fuck! I told Kat I would be back in time to open the bar.”
Climbing off the table, Tank waited for Sapphire to walk towards him.
“Come on, you have to get to Rachel’s and I better get back to the Yard.”
The walk back to the bikes was quick. Again, neither said a word until they had reached Sapphire’s bike.
“It was good seeing you again,” Tank said.
“You, too.”
“Listen,” Tank started, but he couldn’t seem to get the words out of his mouth.
“What?”
“Be careful.”
That is not what he wanted to say. He felt like a total idiot. Since when could he not ask a girl out? When did he turn shy? First nerves, now this. Yep, he was royally fucked. Screwed.
“You, too,” Sapphire repeated.
Tank stepped back as she fired up her bike. The beast sounded as mean as it looked. It fit the women on its back. Beautiful. Eye-catching. Tough. Bike and owner definitely mixed well.
Tank watched as, with a final wave, Sapphire rode off down the single lane road.