8. Tabitha
8
TABITHA
“W hat about you?” Preacher’s dark eyes remained focused solely on me as he spoke. “Do you think you’re bullheaded?”
“To a degree.” I shrugged. “But only because I have to be. I’m the mother of three boys, remember?”
“I get it. I have two of my own and…” His words trailed off, and regret flashed through his eyes as he said, “Well, I had two. I lost one of my boys last year, but they both gave me a hell of a time when they were kids.”
“I’m sorry about your son. I’m sure that was tough for you.”
“It was. Hell, it still is, but the world keeps turning and all that.”
“Yes, it does.”
I went back to brushing Titan, but my focus wasn’t on the horse. It was on him. Preacher had a presence that couldn’t be ignored. I could see him still standing there, looking every bit the man he was—rugged and self-assured, and it was hard not to stare. I pretended not to notice him watching me as he said, “Good looking horse you got there.”
“He is a beauty.” I ran my hand along Titan’s neck. “He’s been fighting a bout of colic, but he’s holding his own.”
“You got a soft spot for him.”
“I do.”
Preacher’s lips quirked. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“And why’s that?”
“Just seems like you’d appreciate a fighter.”
Something about the way he spoke, low and self-assured, sent a shiver down my spine. It was strange. I’d spent years around a man who made me nervous, but it was a different kind of nervous with Dimitri. That was fear.
This was something else entirely.
I motioned my head towards Titan. “Do you ride?”
“Back when I was a kid,” he admitted. “I wasn’t all that good at it. It took a level of trust I wasn’t used to.”
“I get it. It’s hard to put your faith in an animal, but you should consider giving it another go. It’s great therapy. I’ve never found a better way to clear my head.”
“I feel the same way about my Harley.” He crossed his arms, and his lips curled into a sexy smile. “Have you ever considered straddling a bike?”
“I’d trust myself more on a wild Mustang than one of those things.” I shook my head. “I’m just not built for it.”
“Oh, you’re built for it. No doubt about that. You just haven’t had the right person to ride with.”
“And you think you’re the right one.”
“Won’t know unless you agree to go on a ride with me.”
“I don’t know. I um…”
“Don’t go getting in your head about it.” I could still feel the weight of his eyes on me, and it was making my pulse race. His grin didn’t falter as he said, “It’s just a ride. It can be as long or as short as you want it to be.”
It seemed simple enough. It was just a ride. No expectations. No pressure. And a piece of me found the idea thrilling. I’d never done anything like it before. In all honesty, I’d never really spent time with a man because I wanted to.
Dimitri had never taken me on dates or whisked me away for a long weekend. Our time was structured and controlled. He never cared what I wanted. It was always on his terms.
This was different.He wasn’t telling me. He was asking me.
And that had my heart nearly beating out of my chest.
Because the choice was mine.
All mine. And God help me, Iwantedto say yes.
I tried my best to keep my emotions hidden as I looked back over to him and asked, “And when would we go on this ride?”
“That’d be your call.” He gave me a slight shrug. “Cause if it was up to me, I’d say we go right now.”
“But isn’t Sergei waiting on you?”
“He is, and if I had to guess, I’d say he’s biting at the bit.”
“I’m sure he is,” I giggled. “If my son is anything, it’s impatient.”
“Then, maybe I can teach him a little grace.”
“By making him wait even longer.”
“Oh, I’m not the one making him wait.”
It took me a second to understand what he meant, but when he raised his eyebrows, I knew. “Woah, how is this on me?”
“You’re the one who hasn’t told me when we’re going on that ride. As soon as you do, I’ll head inside.”
“That sounds a little blackmailish .”
“I like to think of it as a negotiation tactic.”
“Oh, you’re good.”
He grinned wider and cocked his head, but he didn’t say anything. He was waiting for me to give him an answer, so I gave him one. “Okay, then. Let’s negotiate.”
“Okay. I’m all ears.”
“I could really use a hand around here, so you come help me out and for every hour you work, I’ll spend one out riding with you on your motorcycle.”
“So, a trade?”
“Yeah, you could call it that.”
“Okay, but I’m not shoveling shit.”
“Not the kind of help I need.”
“Alright, then. I’d say you got yourself a deal.”
“Great.” I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and it both excited and terrified me at the same time. “Can you be here around noon tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I can make that work.” He gave me one last smile, then turned and started back up to the house. “See ya tomorrow, Tabitha.”
“See ya tomorrow!”
I stood there and watched as Preacher walked back up to the house. He walked like he had all the time in the world. Once he made it over to his friend, I forced my attention back to Titan. I gave him a few more strokes with the brush before I led him back out to the pasture.
He trotted off, leaving me alone to deal with the crazy in my head.
I needed something to do, something to distract me, so I headed inside to start cleaning stalls. I figured busy hands would lead to a quiet mind. It seemed like a good plan, but no matter how hard I tried to keep my focus on the task at hand, my thoughts kept drifting back tohim.
Tomorrow, I would be spending the better part of the day with him, and the thought of being near him for hours on end sent a rush through me.
I was being ridiculous. I was a grown woman. I had no business getting worked up over some man’s attention. But no matter how much I tried to ignore it, I could feel the anticipation building in the pit of my stomach.
By morning, it was a full-blown knot, and I was a nervous wreck.
I told myself I was being silly, but that didn’t stop me from taking a little extra time getting ready. I tried on at least three pairs of jeans before I found the ones that fit just right. I put on a black t-shirt and my boots, then I took a few extra minutes to style my hair. I had no business styling my hair.
I was going to be working in the barn with horses and manure. After chastising myself, I tossed my brush on the counter and went to the kitchen for some coffee. By the time I made it down to the stalls, I was starting to regret ever making this silly deal with Preacher.
I had no business getting involved with him or any man. I was too old for this nonsense. The doubts continued to riddle my every thought as I busied myself with putting out fresh hay and having a lengthy talk with Faith. The pregnant mare didn’t give me any grand advice, but she was a great listener. I was telling her all about our little bargain when I heard it.
The low rumble of his motorcycle coming down the drive.
A thrill shot through me.
I shouldn’t be this excited.
It was silly.
I knew better.
But as that rumble drew closer, I felt a slow, traitorous smile tug at my lips. I was in trouble.
I wiped my hands on my jeans, then stepped out of the stall and watched him park near the barn. I felt like I was going to jump out of my own skin, but I managed to hold myself together as I made my way out to the front gate. Preacher swung his leg over his bike and removed his helmet. He took a quick moment to stretch out his shoulders before making his way over to me.
He looked a little different from the day before.
There was no biker vest. No Satan’s Fury emblem on his pocket. He was just wearing a plain t-shirt and a pair of worn jeans that had clearly seen their fair share of hard days. As he got closer, I crossed my arms and smiled. “I can’t believe it. You actually came.”
“Of course I did.” His lips curled in a confident smirk that made my stomach tighten. “You really think I’d back out?”
“I had my doubts.” I lifted a brow. “I figured something would come up. An issue with the club, a sudden injury, bad weather, or flat tire.”
“You underestimate me, Tabitha.” He gave me a wink. “When I say I’ll do something, I do it.”
“Guess we’ll see about that.”
“You’re killing me with all these doubts.”
“Not doubting. Just reserving judgment.” I shot him a teasing smile before nodding toward the barn. “You haven’t seen what I have in store for you yet.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“It’s nothing a man like you can’t handle.”
“Guess we’ll see about that.”
“Yes, we will.” I led him inside and stopped at the first troubled stall. I ran my fingers over the loose hinge on the door, jiggling it so he could see just how unstable it was. “These are a little loose.”
Preacher reached over and gave it a harder shake, testing it for himself. He grimaced when he saw how loose it really was. “I’d say that’s more than a little loose.”
“It’s gotten worse. Some of the horses, especially the new ones, get anxious when we first bring them in. They push and kick against the doors. I’ve already had two nearly work their way loose.”
“Yeah, I don’t think a simple tightening is gonna cut it. Could be dangerous if one of ‘em busts out.”
“So, they have to be replaced.”
“It would be the safest option.”
“Can you do it?”
“Absolutely.”
“Great.” I moved down the row to one of the older stalls, gesturing toward a cracked board along the lower half. “There’s more… This one’s splintering and it’s not going to take much for it to completely break.”
“I see that. Looks like someone did a real number on it.”
“Yeah, it took a few kicks from a nervous mare.”
Preacher crouched down and ran his hand along the break. “Where are your tools?”
“I have a screwdriver and a hammer out front. Might have some nails, too.”
“Gonna need more than just a hammer and a couple of nails for this.”
He pushed up to stand and reached into his pocket for his phone. He scrolled through his contacts, then brought his phone up to his ear. “I need you to get over to the Volkov place. Bring the tools and a couple of prospects.”
He paused for a moment, then nodded and said, “Yeah, and there’s some scrap lumber out back. Bring that, too.”
Preacher nodded, then chuckled, “Yeah, bring it all. We’ve got some work to do.”
He ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket. When he turned his attention back to me, I asked, “Prospects? You calling in all the reinforcements, huh?”
“You want it done right, don’t you?”
I had underestimated him, and clearly, that was something you didn’t do when it came to Preacher. I stood near the entrance of the barn and watched silently as he moved through each stall. He tested all the hinges and checked all the boards, knocking against the wood to check for weak spots. He wasn’t just glancing things over.
He was beingthorough and making a mental list of everything that needed to be fixed. He approached this whole work thing like it mattered to him, like it wasn’t just a favor or an obligation. I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off him.
I told myself it was just my way of making sure he didn’t miss anything and that it had nothing to do with the way his broad shoulders flexed beneath his t-shirt as he moved.
He was still looking things over when a black SUV pulled up the drive. They parked down by the back entrance of the barn, and seconds later, a group of young men jumped out. They were all dressed in jeans and worn t-shirts, and they looked both eager and curious as they made their way over to their president.
Preacher barely had to say a word.
He gave a few short directions, and they all got to work.
There was no hesitation.
No questioning or complaints. They just did as they were told, and they did it without him yelling or making threats. They respected him. I could see it in the way they listened and kept full eye contact when he spoke. They gave each task their all, and they waited for his approval before moving on to the next.
I was in complete awe.
Not with just the boys, but with Preacher.
He didn’t just give orders. He worked right alongside them. He pulled off the broken boards, hammered in new ones, and tested all the hinges after they were replaced. He was precise, methodical, and strong.
He was a true leader, and damn if it wasn’t one of the most attractive things I’d ever seen.
It was a dangerous thought. One I had no business having. I shook it off, exhaling as I turned away and busied myself with a nearby stack of brushes. I tried telling myself that this wasn’t a big deal. It was just a few repairs. A favor. Nothing more.
But deep down, I knew it was much more than that.