Booker (Bluff Creek Brotherhood MC: Nomads)

2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

T wist had texted he’d left for their Cider Creek Chapter. The weight that seemed to lift from Booker’s shoulders told him he needed to share with his brother. He looked in the mirror and tucked the white T-shirt into the dark black jeans that hugged his thighs. He trimmed up his beard, ruthlessly looking close to see if there were any more gray hairs. He’d found one last week.

Next week, he turned forty-three, and he wasn’t ready to go gray yet. He made sure he had the black gauges in his ears that he’d had the day of the shoot and then grabbed his black ball cap. He’d considered wearing a cut but decided he wouldn’t today. It was his first signing, and he wanted to get the lay of the land a little. He’d realized that being on the road might be a good thing. He always worked out, but the food he’d had at Bluff Creek had him worried his abs might not look as good as they used to in photos.

He slipped his wallet in his pocket along with his room key and headed out. He’d eaten one of the granola bars he’d picked up at the gas station. Now he needed some coffee to help him get through the day. He’d need to check in at the desk and then find out where he needed to be. Besides being at his author’s table, he’d also volunteered to do anything else that was needed.

He exited the elevator, and it looked like a line of readers was already forming. He headed toward the lobby to see about coffee. He walked around the corner and knocked into someone. He grasped her arm to keep her from falling but couldn’t help that her packages went flying.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you as I came around the corner,” he said.

“It’s okay. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

She had a deep, raspy voice along with shoulder-length blonde hair. He bent down and helped her pick up her packages. When she looked up at him, her dark blue eyes framed by thick lashes looked so familiar. He tried not to look like he was checking her out, but his eyes ran down her body. A full and curvy body was hidden from view by a pair of jeans and a V-neck navy T-shirt with ‘ I closed my book to be here’ which he found incredibly accurate. He loved people, but he loved staying home and reading a good book too.

“How about letting me buy you a coffee for the trouble?” he asked. He wasn’t quite ready to let her walk away. He was attracted to her, but there was something more.

“Umm, I have to get these to the book signing.”

“I’m heading there too. Tell me what you’d like, and I’ll get it, then meet you in there.”

She smiled and nodded. “I’m tired, and I’m going to say yes. The largest one they have with some type of caramel or vanilla creamer. Other than that, I don’t care.”

“All right. I’ll bring one in for both of us. See you as soon as I get through the line.”

He turned and headed toward the coffee shop. Standing in line, he was trying to figure out why she looked so familiar. He wondered if maybe he’d seen her picture on social media. She obviously was in the book world in some way—either an author, an assistant, a volunteer, or even possibly a cover model. Her curves, along with those dark eyes and lashes, would be striking on a cover.

He'd been so mesmerized by her eyes that he hadn’t even noticed if she wore a wedding ring. He wasn’t into cheaters, but there was something about her screaming at him to spend more time with her. He paid and thanked the sweet cashier because the douche in front of him had been a jerk.

He walked over and picked up his name tag, then headed in. He glanced around and saw a couple authors he chatted with online, but he didn’t stop to spend any extra time. He was looking for—well, fuck, he hadn’t even got her name. He’d walk up and down every aisle to find her if he had to, but then he saw her standing by one of the authors he’d done covers for. He headed over there, then got a look at the face of the woman she was talking to. He walked up and wondered if he was really that lucky.

“Ms. Maureen, what are you doing here?” he asked.

“Oh my goodness, Alex was just telling me about the hot guy she met who was bringing her coffee. Imagine my surprise when you walk up.”

Lexi, his childhood crush, all grown up, turned and looked at him. He would have figured it out eventually. The blonde hair had thrown him. She’d had dark brown hair in high school, and she’d filled out with womanly curves that would have him drooling if he let himself get distracted. But then he’d never imagined he’d run into her at a book signing. They’d both enjoyed reading in high school, but she’d planned on being a teacher when she was in high school.

“Lexi, it’s been a while. I have to say I’m thrilled to get to see you again.”

She broke into a big smile and took the coffees out of his hand, placing them on the table. She slid her arms around him, hugging him to her. Lexi had always been a hugger, as had her family, and it was something he’d missed when she left. His family wasn’t into displays of emotions or hugs. Who was he kidding? He missed everything about her. Besides being his girlfriend, she’d been his best friend too. She leaned close to his ear.

“Who knew the guy I liked in high school became a romance cover model!”

He leaned back and laughed.

“You know I love books. When I was serving, books were at a premium. I read any and everything. One of the guys in my unit got a box of romance books from his sister. She meant it as a joke, but honestly, reading about happily ever afters being in the worst of situations was a great escape. About six months ago, I fell in love with MC romance and Nat’s books. When I was chatting with her, she asked if I’d considered being a model, and suddenly, I was on covers. Now, I feel guilty not getting your mom coffee. What would you like?”

Ms. Maureen shook her head. “I need to run back to the room for something I forgot. I appreciate the offer, but I’ll grab some as I walk back. It was good to see you.”

He watched Ms. Maureen walk off, then turned to Lexi. Time had been good to the girl he’d known.

Lexi bit her lip, then laughed. “She didn’t forget anything. She’s trying to give us time to talk. I don’t know about you, but I have so many things to get done before readers walk in. Maybe we could get dinner?”

He nodded. He’d make it work.

“Sure. Let me see what we can work out. I’m supposed to have supper and check in with a brother. Would you be okay with my brothers and maybe your mom also joining us?”

Lexi tilted her head. “You’re an only child.”

He chuckled. “I meant my MC brothers. I’m a nomad with the Bluff Creek Brotherhood MC.”

“Okay, I’m definitely going to need to find out how that happened.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Supper tonight, anywhere, as long as I get to see you.”

“Let’s exchange numbers because I imagine things will be crazy today,” Booker said. He might have a couple other reasons he wanted her number, but this one sounded plausible.

Alex walked away from Drew. She’d never imagined they’d reconnect. He’d been the childhood crush that she’d dreamed about when she was fifteen and sixteen. They’d kissed and done some heavy petting but hadn’t gone all the way. She’d always regretted that because they’d had such big plans for their junior prom. Then her dad had gotten orders to relocate immediately. Since they were needed so quickly, she and her mom hadn’t gotten the option to stay and follow at a later date. Weeks before prom, she’d had two days to pack up and say goodbye.

Over the years, no one had ever lived up to the way he got her. She’d waited until college to lose her virginity and talk about an underwhelming experience. She hadn’t known penises came that small. Soft, it looked like a cocktail weenie, and hard hadn’t made that much of an increase. Maybe that’s why he’d had them keep their pants on until right before he turned the lights off.

She had a couple relationships over the years, but nothing too serious. No one she’d ever considered marrying. Since she wasn’t into indiscriminate sex, her battery-operated boyfriends had provided any relief she needed.

To be face to face with Drew now had her wondering, if nothing else, maybe she could finally have that prom night encounter she’d imagined. It couldn’t be any worse than her micro-penis experience.

She needed to quit daydreaming and get to work. Her authors depended on her, and today would be a busy day. But wow, Drew had only gotten better with age. His skin was still that gorgeous darker color. With the beard he’d sported, the tattoos on his arm, and his T-shirt stretched over his muscles, he’d matured in all the best ways. The boy had turned into a man she couldn’t keep her eyes off of.

She was going to spontaneously combust if Drew didn’t quit touching her. He’d made it a point of dropping by to check on her multiple times since the signing had started. She had been okay until he’d cupped her elbow, checking to see if she needed a drink. Or when he dropped by and whispered in her ear that he couldn’t wait to spend time with her tonight.

She’d never freaking considered the bend of her elbow an erogenous zone. But when Drew had touched her wrist while he was talking to her and then trailed his fingers to the inside of her elbow, she’d worked really hard not to squirm and squeeze her thighs together. She’d considered running to her room to change underwear if he checked on her anymore.

He’d even had her meet Nat Logan, the author who had him on the cover of her book. Lexi knew her books but hadn’t met her in person. Nat had said she had two author assistants but wanted to add a third to do a couple specific things. Nat had asked for Alex’s card. Then Drew had asked Nat to take a picture of the two of them with his phone. His arm around her and his subtle cologne had her wanting to say screw the signing and take him back to her room.

He was so sweet and so sexy, but he was in a motorcycle club. She was curious if it was a one percent club or not. She’d find it hard to believe if he was involved in illegal activities, but a lot of time had passed since high school. They’d both changed a lot. Drew was so much hotter, but Alex just felt older. Drew had been the only one to call her Lexi. Hearing his special name for her was another thing. Lexi was the younger her who had thought the world would be perfect. Alex knew that the world wasn’t perfect, and sometimes the nice girl didn’t get all she dreamed of.

Her phone beeped with a text message. Although Drew had exchanged phone numbers with her on the pretext of finding each other later, he’d been intermittently texting getting-to-know-you questions.

Drew: Favorite activity that isn’t reading or sex.

Alex chuckled. He obviously thought she got a lot more sex than she did.

Alex: Horseback riding at the ranch. The wind in my face and nothing but blue skies. What about you?

Drew: My favorite is riding too but mine is an iron steed with a lot more horsepower.

Alex smiled and then walked back to the author’s table. She’d run to get some more small bills. She’d underestimated the number of readers paying in cash. She opened the cash bag and slid the bills in. She had to admit her favorite text had been the first one. He’d told her that they’d missed dancing under the stars and he was going to make it up to her. Under The Stars had been the theme for their junior prom. She couldn’t believe he remembered that all these years later.

She always smiled at readers and authors at these events, but today, she was also nervous. What if she and Drew could reconnect and finally get their happily ever after? Or what if, when they sat down, Drew didn’t live up to her dreams?