Chapter 3 #2
Thing is, I’m not unhappy and I certainly don’t need a man to make me happy. What makes me happy right now is being with my best friend, the one person in my life who understands me, the one person I don’t have to be on my guard around and the walls I build around me can come down.
“I know, and I love you for it. But enough about me, how are you? How’s things with the biker boyfriend?” I ask, subtly changing the subject.
“Ugh, amazing!” she gushes. “Mac is the sweetest. You know he sent me flowers the other day? Nobody’s ever sent me flowers before. He acts all tough in front of the guys but when he’s alone with me he’s a teddy bear.”
I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Mac yet, given their relationship is still pretty new and from what she’s told me about him, he seems like a decent guy, for a biker that is.
“You’ll have to come out with me one night to one of Lawless’ get-togethers, I really want you to meet Mac. I’ve told him all about you.”
Lawless.
He pops into my head and my heart jumps.
I won’t lie, the idea of coming face to face with my mysterious stranger again is tempting, but the prospect of having to spend an entire evening surrounded by a bunch of rowdy bikers, doesn’t fill me with a lot of excitement.
I nod along like I always do when she suggests dragging me out of my comfort zone, and as always, Sofia sees straight through me.
She loops her arm through mine and gives me the look. “Babe, you’ve gotta get out of this bubble of yours sooner or later.”
“I did get out of my bubble, remember? And look how that turned out,” I remind her, my stomach bottoming out from the memory.
“Daniel was a grade-A asshole and he doesn’t count, doesn’t even deserve a mention in this conversation. I hope his little pencil-dick shrivels up and falls off.”
I force my ex-boyfriend out of my mind, not wanting to revisit that time in my life.
“Fuck!” Fi says, peering down at her watch. “I’ve gotta get back to work, babe.” She pecks me on the cheek before breaking into a jog in the direction we just came. “Text me, okay? Love you!” she calls over her shoulder, waving me goodbye with a hand in the air as she goes.
I decide to follow the narrow trail that leads around the outer edge of the park, enjoying the late autumn sun on my skin, soaking it up one final time before it disappears for the winter. When I eventually exit the park, I make my way back down Main Street.
My phone begins to ring in my bag. I unzip it and rummage around in there blindly, but of course, it’s slipped all the way to the bottom, and while I fumble through all the crap I’ve hoarded, I smack head-on into something solid with an oof and I’m knocked off balance.
I can feel myself tipping backwards but two huge, strong hands grip my biceps, preventing me from landing flat on my ass.
I’m met with a view of a wide, solid chest covered in a fitted black t-shirt that strains against the solid wall of muscle underneath. My eyes travel up and up and up until I lock onto a pair of warm brown eyes and a bolt of lightning strikes straight through my chest.
You know in movies when the insanely attractive male lead arrives on screen for the first time and everything descends into slow motion? The camera zoning in on every perfect tiny detail of him? Well for me, time seems to stop completely.
His head of thick dark hair is pulled into a bun at the back of his head, a strand of hair falling over his forehead in front of his left eye in a fifties heartthrob kind of way.
Something akin to recognition flashes across his features, the corners of his mouth twitching a fraction as he releases me.
He runs a hand through the short, well-groomed beard that covers his cheeks and jaw.
His broad shoulders taper into a narrow waist where a pair of ripped blue jeans hang low on his hips and huge boots cover his feet, easily double the size of mine.
When my eyes lift back up to his face, one corner of his mouth curved up into a smirk, not the least bit surprised to find a girl checking him out, like he’s used to it. “Keep looking at me like that, gorgeous, and I won’t be held accountable for what happens next.”
His words have me stiffening slightly and I can tell by the look on his face that they didn’t have the effect he was expecting.
His eyes widen as he rakes his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, I didn’t mean… I swear I’m not a creep. I’m far too pretty for that.”
I raise an eyebrow. “So was Ted Bundy, look how that turned out,” I point out.
“True,” he chuckles, pulling a small packet of cigarettes from his back pocket. “But I like my women with a little more life in them. Can’t make ‘em scream in pleasure if they’re not breathing.” He lights up a cigarette, the little cancer stick dangling between his lips.
“What makes you so sure it’s from pleasure they’re screaming?” I counter.
“Wanna find out first hand, sugar?” he asks through a puff of smoke.
My cheeks flame hot. “Are you always this forward with strangers?”
“Is it working?” he counters, his eyes sparkle with mischief and he kind of reminds me of my mystery biker from last night.
I think back to what Fi said earlier, about me finding a guy and having a little fun, and here it is, right in front of me.
Am I that person?
“Do you always answer a question with another question?”
“Do you?”
I fight back a smile. I’m about to answer him when I’m cut off.
“Is this her?” A tall-leggy blonde in skin-tight jeans and a low cut tank top that leaves nothing to the imagination marches towards us. If looks could kill, the man in front of me would be dead where he stands, as would I.
“What?” he asks with a bored roll of his eyes, as if he’s had this conversation a thousand times before.
“The reason why you never called me? You’ve been spending time with your new whore.”
“What did you just call me?” I ask her, my fists clenching at my sides ready to defend myself.
She gives me a disapproving look as it sweeps me head to toe. “Sweetheart, if you don’t mind this is between us. It doesn’t concern you.”
“I don’t mind at all, I’ll take that as my cue to leave.” I step closer to the man, patting his right peck. “Good luck,” I say before continuing on my way.
“How dare you treat me like this!” I hear the blonde ask behind me.
I laugh softly with a shake of my head, not helping myself from stealing one last look over my shoulder of that beautiful man and my heart jumps when I find his eyes on me too.