NINE
“You do realize that Walker Texas Ranger dates you,” Ginger commented as she poured herself another bowl of Rice Krispies and added the milk. The satisfying hiss and pop brought about another one of Garrick’s trademark scowls that amused her far more than words could ever say.
When she’d been tied to his bed, she’d come to realize that very little could get under the skin of a man who spent his life not caring, not feeling. That wasn’t to say that Garrick was a cold-hearted bastard, even though every shred of evidence she had suggested he was. In actuality, he was a sweet guy. He just didn’t allow much past that barbed wire, steel enforced exterior.
But as she’d mentioned before, she knew the Spartans. She knew what made them tick. She knew their worries and doubts, and yes, even some of their most closely guarded secrets. Men liked to say that women were gossips? Give them an orgasm and use a soft enough voice and their jaws came unhinged just. Like. That.
It was like taking candy from a baby.
So yeah, she knew exactly where the chinks in Garrick’s armor were, and the first chance she had, she took it. Worked like a charm.
Garrick Stone, hard-as-nails killer and VP of the Spartans from back in their heyday when they raised all kinds of hell and followed zero rules, was a sensitive soul when it came to his age. He was one of the oldest members in the club, a one-percenter who would eventually age out once the day came when he could no longer ride.
That day was very far away, but she knew it weighed on him. There was nothing quite like watching young, fresh blood continually being introduced to drive the point home that you were getting older by the day. Garrick was a victim of his own mortality, an awareness that everyone faced at some point in their lives.
Which made Ginger wonder if maybe the reason for him latching onto this asinine idea that she was somehow his property, or should be, had something to do with that. Was he in the midst of a mid-life crisis? Feeling the pull to give his life meaning before he bit the dust?
If he was in that mindset, then he was crazy, no matter how much she understood where he was coming from. Garrick Stone was easily one of the sexiest, most beautiful men she’d ever known. He was honest and true to his word, even when that truth could gut you. He didn’t believe in mincing words or sparing feelings. He told it to you straight, every time. He was loyal to a fault. Sweet when he wanted to be, which was rare, but that made it all the sweeter when it did happen. He was also wise, which was hard to come by in a man, at least in her experience. The best thing about Garrick was his moral compass was rock solid. He had a standard of living and never wavered from it. If something didn’t fit his standard, he ended it on the spot or walked away. It was that simple.
She admired so much about him, and yet he was hung up on something as silly as age. Well, even though she might rib him about it, she didn’t think he was old at all. And all that white hair? It made him appear distinguished…and made her weak in the knees.
Back when Ginger was eighteen, she’d had the biggest crush on him. A friend had made her come along to one of their notorious parties, and even though she’d been uneasy, the instant she’d laid eyes on Repo, every intelligent thought flew out the window. It hadn’t mattered that she’d once dated Blake, Repo’s president’s son, or that she’d taken his virginity or that he’d thought he was in love with her. All she’d known in that instant was an undeniable attraction to the towering man dressed in head-to-toe leather with a killing look in his eye drinking his beer. He’d glanced her way, and the natural predatory look in his eyes enraptured her.
Nothing had ever been the same for Ginger, from that moment on. She’d done everything in her power to make herself known to him—hanging around a lot, flirting, wearing next to nothing—until he’d finally approached her one night. The party was out of control, made her nervous, but he was her main focus, always was. He’d saved her that night, then without a word, just a silent exchange in the meeting of their eyes, he’d pulled her inside the clubhouse and taken her to bed.
He’d changed her life that night. Meaning, his subsequent rejection and her guilt over hurting Blake sent Ginger careening in the wrong direction. Hawke had seemed to appear out of nowhere, and she’d leaped onto that crazy train heedless of the direction it was headed as an escape. Total disaster, as it’d turned out.
Funny how one night could change everything.
Well, Ginger wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. There was a reason for everything, of that she was certain. That Garrick had disregarded her like yesterday’s trash when she’d valued their connection far more than it was apparently worth said a lot. It said that she would be a lunatic to ever make herself vulnerable to him like that again.
So, he’d finally come across time for her? Well, sorry, Kyle Fucking Reese, but this wasn’t a movie, and no one but her was her savior. Much like Sara Conner was by the second Terminator movie, she’d more than learned how to watch out for her own ass, and she would be damned if she ever weakened herself for another man.
Garrick could tie her to every bed in the state, he could rock her world from here to Timbuktu, issue every command in the book and hold her prisoner indefinitely, but she’d still never agree to wear his patch. There were just some compromises she wasn’t willing to make, and being an ol’ lady was at the very top of that list.
Garrick, clearly unamused by her comment, stared at the television as if it had insulted his mother. He was just as tough and rugged as she remembered from that first night they met, but, like a fine wine, he was somehow even better now than back then. Time had been very good to Garrick.
And that train of thought was exactly what was going to get her into trouble.
Shoveling another spoonful of cereal into her mouth, Ginger actively set about annoying the shit out of him. Her theory? If she could really, thoroughly piss him off, maybe he’d do them both a favor and cut the crazy, return her to her life, and they could laugh this off as temporary insanity.
“You know, I really love this show. You could say that Walker roundhouse kicked his way into my heart.”
“Is that supposed to be funny?”
Ginger shrugged. “I’m just saying that Walker could roundhouse his way around my house any time,” she said, adding a suggestive wink that didn’t make Garrick smile in the slightest. But she did. “Did you know that he once brought a lamb back to life only to roundhouse kick it back to death, because the good Chuck giveth and the good Chuck taketh away.”
“Are you finished?”
Ginger looked at her empty bowl thoughtfully. “I could probably use another bowl. Then again, the amount of sugar I put in it is going to end up going straight to my thighs…”
“Did you consider not dumping so much in? I’m surprised you don’t have diabetes with the way you consume that shit.”
Ginger looked at him, aghast. “Have you ever eaten this stuff without sugar? Bleh! No flavor whatsoever.”
Eyebrows popping up, Garrick said, “Then why the hell did you eat two bowls?”
“Why does the sun shine? Why is the sky blue?” she asked rhetorically.
“That’s not an answer.”
“Are you sure?”
He glared. Really and truly glared. Which pleased her more than words could ever describe. Ginger gave him a flirtatious smile. At this rate, he’d be taking her home by morning. Earlier if she could swing it.
And she had the perfect motivator for him.
As the end credits rolled for the show, she snatched the remote from the table before he could reach for it.
“What are you doing?”
“Finding something good to watch.” Pulling up an app on his very nice, very large flat screen, Ginger scrolled through the list of available movies. When she found what she was looking for, she hit play.
“What is this?”
“If you don’t know what it is, then I’m not going to blow the surprise.”
“Is it a chick flick? Because I don’t do those and that’s what this looks like.”
“Oh, honey,” she said with a tilt of her head, “by the time this is over, you’re going to be asking yourself why you waited so long to watch it. It’s gonna change your life.”
“Is there action in it?”
“Sure, why not.” She focused on the screen now, silently laughing to herself and hoping he didn’t notice.
“Why don’t I believe you?”
“I don’t know, Garrick. Why don’t you?”
He didn’t have a ready response, for which she was grateful. The last thing Ginger wanted from him was another cutting remark. Whenever he issued one her way, which was rare, it hurt more than it should.
Which was exactly why she was going to enjoy this.