Chapter 3
Three
BUBBA
I pushed the eggs around in the pan and flipped the bacon, trying to focus on what I was doing instead of where my mind wanted to go. It wasn’t working, though, as I waited for the most gorgeous woman I’d ever seen to enter the kitchen.
Darcie was everything I wanted in a woman and someone I could never have. She was almost twenty years younger than me to start. It didn’t help that she was Lennox’s best friend and placed in my care to protect. I’d never forsake their trust like that by crossing a line.
No, Darcie would have to stay in my dreams where she’d been ever since I’d first laid eyes on her.
“What’s cooking, good looking?” she sang as she entered the kitchen.
Her voice jolted me, causing me to splash bacon grease on my hand. Cursing, I jumped back and moved to the sink to rinse it.
“Shit. You okay?” she asked, moving toward me at the sink.
The smell of sunshine engulfed me, and I stopped breathing, not wanting it to leave my nostrils. Her hand touched mine, and I remembered I needed to let the air out in order to let more in.
“It’s fine,” I grunted and pulled my hand away.
I hadn’t planned to sound so mean, but her touch hurt worse than the burn. It made me want her to touch me all over, something I couldn’t entertain, or the part of me that didn’t care about any of my reservations would make itself known.
“Anything I can do to help?” she asked, appearing to ignore my gruffness.
I counted to ten in my head, holding my hand to my chest as I moved back to the stove. I didn’t ever want this woman to have to do anything again, but if it helped get her out of my presence for a few seconds, then it would be worth it.
“Plates are in that cabinet.” I nodded toward the one on the left as I picked up the spatula. The eggs were overdone, and most of the bacon was burned, but it would have to suffice.
She hummed a song as she waltzed her cowboy boots over to the cabinet. I watched her out of the side of my eyes as she reached up and then stopped.
“How many?” she asked, turning toward me.
“Three. Brooks isn’t here at the moment.”
She pulled down three, then opened drawers until she found the silverware. I could’ve told her, but watching her was more fun. She grabbed a few paper towels off the roll before walking to the breakfast bar and placing them down. It was sweet in a way I hadn’t been prepared for.
“Drinks?” she asked, looking up at me when she was done.
“Coffee in the pot and juice in the fridge.”
“Oh, you’re my hero for the day. I need more coffee after Lennox woke me up at this forsaken hour.”
A smile crept over my face, but I stopped it before she caught it. It would be better if she thought I barely tolerated her. It would help me keep my distance.
I grabbed the pan of eggs and dumped them onto the three plates, and followed with the bacon. I began scooping some off when I realized I’d given her as much as the other two plates.
“Don’t you dare,” she hissed. “I’m starved.”
“You can eat all that?” I asked, looking at her directly. Which was a mistake I regretted immediately. Darcie’s pale blue eyes stole my breath, and I had to remember how to breathe. Her round face looked up at me, a grin on her face. With her hair in pigtails and the cowboy hat on her head, I had difficulty remembering my name.
“Damn straight I can,” she huffed, taking a seat at the bar.
I lifted my hands, leaving her to the food, knowing better than to come between a woman and her bacon.
“Sorry.” I smiled, placing the pans in the sink.
“Pretty Boy!” I hollered, walking over and slapping the wall.
“I’m coming, grandpa!” he yelled back, stepping out of his room. His honey brown hair was messy as he rubbed his eyes, stubble covering his face. Thankfully, he wore pants since I’d forgotten to mention we had a guest.
I took the seat furthest from Darcie, leaving the one in the middle open. I didn’t say anything, wanting to watch the show as Grayson spotted Darcie.
He stopped to grab a mug of coffee, filling it and taking a sip before he moved toward the bar. He was a few feet from it when he stopped, blinking.
“You’re not Brooks,” he mumbled.
“Nope,” Darcie said, smiling. “What kind of name is Pretty Boy?” she asked, shoving a forkful of eggs into her mouth.
Grayson looked at me, searching my face for answers. I nodded, letting him know it was okay. He swallowed another gulp of coffee, his swagger waking up.
“Well, pretty lady, it’s my road name. Do you know what that is?”
He leaned against the bar, giving her his best smile. When he wasn’t working in the auto shop, he used that same smile to grace magazines and ads. It was why we’d given him the name “Pretty Boy” because he was too pretty to be a biker.
“A road name, huh?” Darcie stopped chewing, looking him up and down. I both hoped and dreaded what I knew would happen next. There wasn’t a woman on the planet that could ignore Grayson’s smile. “I take it you lost a bet then?”
A snort left my lips before I could stop it. I covered my mouth, hiding my smile as I smothered the rest of my laugh. Grayson’s mouth hung open as Darcie giggled, eating her bacon like she hadn’t stunned the man speechless.
“Better eat, Pretty Boy . You need to leave in twenty.”
That broke the spell, and he moved around the bar, taking his seat between the two of us. “So, I guess my usual tactics won’t work on you. How about we start over? I’m Grayson Lawson. People call me Grayson, Lawson, or Pretty Boy. You can take your pick. Now, do tell, who are you, and how long will you be here?”
I finished my plate and looked over, wondering what Darcie would share. Surprisingly, she was finishing her own, making me realize she hadn’t been lying about her appetite. It made me like her more, which wasn’t a good sign for how this was going to end.
“Hmm, I’ll have to see which one fits you, I guess. For now, I’ll stick with Grayson. I’m Darcie.” She stuck out her hand, offering it to him. Grayson took it, bringing it to his lips to kiss.
“Pleasure’s all mine, Darcie.”
“Oh boy, you’re a big flirt, aren’t you?” She shook her head, smiling at him.
“We all have our talents,” Grayson said, scooping the food into his mouth. “You didn’t mention why you were here or how long.”
“Ah, yes. You’re more clever than I gave you credit for, then.” She wiped her mouth and got up. Walking around Grayson, she motioned toward my plate, taking it when I nodded. She placed them both in the sink and turned on the water. Grayson looked at me, but I shook my head, leaving her to tell him what she wanted. Once she’d rinsed the plates and placed them in the drying rack, she turned, facing us both.
“Short version for now. I needed a place to lie low. Lennox suggested here since she was leaving town. And I promise to not wear out my welcome or interfere with whatever you have going on. I just need some time to figure out my next move.”
“That sounds like there’s a lot more of a story there,” Grayson said, placing the last of the bacon in his mouth. Darcie moved forward and added his plate to the water she’d started.
“It’s enough for now,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. He sighed but nodded. “Ten minutes.”
Grayson took my warning and got up, heading to the bathroom. The shower turned on a few seconds later, and Darcie placed the other dishes onto the rack. I hadn’t even realized she’d done the pans as well.
“You don’t have to do that,” I said, standing.
“I know. I wanted to. Thanks for breakfast.” She dried her hands and turned toward me. “Lennox mentioned I could go to the shop with you and help out there.”
I nodded, swallowing. I’d hoped she wouldn’t want to just yet. “Yeah. I’m heading out soon if you want to join me.”
“If it’s okay, I think I’ll stay back today. I have some things I need to look into.”
I sighed in relief, knowing I’d have a few hours out of her presence. “Yes, of course. Here, I’ll show you the spare room.” I picked up the boxes and walked down the hallway opposite where Grayson went. There were two spare rooms in the house, but I was putting her in the one the furthest away from me.
I opened the door and stepped in, setting the boxes on the bed. Some sunlight filtered through the windows, showcasing the dust that had been disturbed by my entrance. Darcie flipped the light switch when she entered, taking in the room.
It was a modest bedroom with a bed, desk, and closet. It had been another club member's a few years back, but it had stayed empty once he left.
“There’s a bathroom across the hall. There should be towels in the closet. You’ll share it with Brooks when he’s back. Grayson and I are on the other end.”
She nodded, taking in the space. “Thank you, Bubba.”
“No problem. If you need anything, my number’s on the fridge.”
“Is there a place close by to get a phone?” she asked, turning toward me.
I rubbed the back of my head, wanting to give her everything and knowing I needed to keep some space.
“There are a few places in town, but nothing in walking distance. I’ll take my bike in today and leave the keys for the truck if you want.”
“You wouldn’t mind me driving it?” she asked. Her eyelashes fluttered, and I wasn’t sure if she was doing it on purpose.
“It sticks a little on second, but you should be good for the places you need to go. Assuming can you drive a stick,” I asked, raising my eyebrow in challenge.
Her jaw ticked, and she took a deep breath, her eyes lighting up. “Better than you’ll ever know.”
I gulped, my tease had backfired big time on me and my face reddened. She winked, sitting on the bed and crossing her legs.
“I really do appreciate everything you’re doing for me, Bubba.”
“No problem. Lennox is like a little sister to me. If she says you need help, I’ll do what I can.”
“You know, you’re different than I thought you’d be,” she said, assessing me.
“How so?” I asked, despite telling myself not to.
“The way Lennox described you, I basically pictured you as an overgrown teddy bear. Like there wasn’t anything menacing about you. I figured I’d be the one killing the spiders and whatnot.”
Snorting for the second time in a matter of minutes, I couldn’t stop the smile this time. Shaking my head, I gave her a look I knew I’d regret later, but nothing at that moment could stop me. I moved closer, towering over her until her back hit the wall. My hands braced against the wall, and I stared down at the blonde beauty.
“There’s so much you don’t know about me, little girl. If you’re good, maybe you’ll find out.”
She sucked in a breath, her breasts heaving as she tried to slow her heart rate. Licking my lips, I forced myself to move away from the wall and out the door. I marched down the hall, debating if I had time to take a second shower, so I could get rid of the raging hard-on I now had.
In the end, I threw on some clothes, tossed the truck keys onto the counter with my cell phone number, and hopped onto my bike.
Grayson gave me a funny look as he climbed on his, but I shook my head, unable to talk. As the wind whipped around me on the way to the shop, I listed all the reasons why getting involved with Darcie was wrong.
The problem was that when I arrived at Tattooed Hearts, I couldn’t remember why any of them were flaws.
This blonde bombshell was going to turn my world upside down. And something told me I was going to enjoy every minute of it.