CHAPTER SIX #2
Her eyes watch for any sign of pain or discomfort. I know Wyatt knows she is paying attention because he is not being gentle. He does the job quickly and throws a clean shirt onto my lap.
“Do you want me to patch up your motorcycle, too?”
“If I have your permission to use your station, I can take care of my motorcycle.”
“The entire shop is yours. I’m the one opening tomorrow, so Peyton is not gonna see you unless you want her to.”
“No, thank you. I don’t need her to kick my ass for showing up here.”
“Okay. Have a good night. Text me if you can’t find something.”
I nod and watch him leave through their office. I put the clean shirt on and hiss at the cut.
“You should have let him repair your bike,” Rosalie says.
I shake my head. “There’s two things in my life that I’m the only one in the world who can take care of them.”
“What are those things?” She asks.
“My woman and my bike.” I grab her chin and lean close. I feel her breathing quicken. Her eyes go up and down; from my eyes to my lips. I want to kiss her so badly, but I want her to want me the same way.
I want to see how much she can hold on. I want to see how much I can tease. How much foreplay I can do before she melts under my hands and lips?
I let go of her chin and point at a chair. “You can wait there.”
“Don’t you need help?”
“I know my way around my motorcycle better than anyone else. I don’t need help.”
“But you are hurt.”
“I didn’t lose a limb.”
“Why don’t you let me help you? I learn fast. I remember anything I see once. You show me what to do and I will do it exactly as you showed me on the first try. Let me help you, Cooper. Please.”
I close my eyes and nod. In such a short time, this woman can make me agree to anything she wants as long as she pleads for it.
There is something in the way she says please that is so satisfying.
I wonder if she would plead in bed. Would she moan please more or please harder ?
I blink the desire out of my head and focus on the task.
I have her running around the shop, grabbing tools for me.
It is less painful to stay in one position.
There were a few moments I had to help her reach to grab something that’s way too high for her, but other than that, she gets me anything and everything I need.
I’m almost done patching up the bike. I hate is not completely black, but that’s something I can fix when I get back to Cross Hollow.
Once I’m done, Rosalie sits beside me and smiles at my bike. “You’re really an expert. Why didn’t you fix my van as soon as we reached Saddleback?” Rosalie asks.
“My brothers and I’ve been preoccupied by other affairs regarding the town we live in, the surrounding areas we own, and the Crows. Getting you guys to Saddleback is not a huge detour for us and Caleb thought I should stay behind and make sure you guys were taken care of before I leave.”
“Why you were the one staying with us?”
“I know most people in Saddleback. I don’t know everyone in Heartstone, but I know enough to get by.
They know I’m familiar and friendly with Saddleback residents.
I’m the right person to stay behind and make sure you guys were as okay as we could let you.
I’m gonna be honest Rosalie; I was annoyed.
I didn’t have time to babysit four grown women, but I also know that Caleb’s intuition is never wrong.
I’m glad I stayed.” I look at her and cradle her face.
“I’m glad in more ways that I could spell out. ”
“So what I hear is that I need to thank Caleb and not you?” She grins. “You could have ignored your brother, though, so I’m glad you didn’t. I don’t even want to imagine how many of those things they would have forced me to do.”
“You and your friends should learn some self-defense.”
“I did. Well, my parents enrolled me in classes and when my manager tried to pull me out, they threaten to sue for endangering my life. My sweet parents couldn’t do much for me, but they paid for self-defense classes. If needed be, I can defense myself.”
“Show me.”
“Show you? You are injured, Cooper.”
“Are you going to hit me that hard?”
“I will do nothing to you. Your torso is cover in bruises, and you have an open wound on your side. Trust I can defend myself.”
“Was that why you thought you could leave alone?”
“Yeah. I knew little about Los Cuervos de Plata; that’s the cartel name, right?”
“Yes, that’s the group’s name,” I confirm.
“Okay. Well, I didn’t think they would be that bad. Never in a million years I would think people are out here selling women and children. I guess I’ve been shelter to some horrible crimes.”
I frown again. There is that phrasing of things, as if she has witnessed of other equally devious crimes and maybe even forced to take part. What VERA’s Rosie could hide that while being scared at what the Crows can do, she also reminds herself that she shouldn’t be that surprised?
“Since you don’t want to show me your self-defense move so I can breathe better and maybe sleep better, let’s head out of here before Wyatt’s sister sees me through the cameras.”
I stand up from where I’ve been sitting and I grab one handle when she holds the sleeve of my shirt.
“Wait.”