CHAPTER 4
RYKER
The Monroe County Fair is always busy on the first night. Honestly, it’s busy the entire time. That’s partially because of the tradition of heading to the fair every summer, but I’m sure it helps that there’s not a lot to keep you busy and out of trouble in Dogwood Ridge. The fair is a big deal.
And it usually is a lot of fun.
Sometimes you just need to lose money at a carnival game and indulge in all the fried food you could ever want while surrounded by too many people and the laughter of children.
My brothers are somewhere around here. I think more than a few of them were lured toward the food and it’s not like I can blame them. I’ll make my way over to the food soon enough, but I needed to do a walk around the fair first to get the lay of the land.
I always keep my eyes open to make sure my brothers and the people in town are safe. That means I rarely let my guard down, especially at places like this where there are so many fucking people.
Following the path, I walk around the bend and find Ezra’s tents and tables set up next to where the game booths, with their flashing lights and the prizes filling the rafters, are all set-up just waiting for their victims. Every year, I try my hand at the ring toss because I can’t help myself.
It’s the same game I always tried with my dad when I was growing up.
Fuck, maybe I’m more sentimental than I’m willing to admit to myself.
Across from Ezra’s school club, I let the shadows, which are just starting to find purchase, settle around me as dusk bleeds into night. I can’t help it. I’ve made it my mission to keep an eye on the woman.
Because of her dad.
I always told myself it was one of those keep your enemies closer kind of thing.
Lies.
The truth of it slams into me when she tips her head back and her blonde hair, which is hanging down past her shoulders, catches the lights from the booth next to her. One of her students is saying something while waving his hands around.
Her laughter hits me right in the middle of my chest. She’s so damn gorgeous.
Why have I never let myself really see it before?
The way Sheriff Lyons curls his lip whenever he sees me flashes in my mind. Right. That’s why.
Seeing how stunning Ezra Lyons is doesn’t mean a damn thing. Her father is who her father is. I am who I am.
It’s never going to fucking happen.
My gaze slides over her body slowly. Just because nothing can happen doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate her. It would be a shame not to.
Practically criminal.
I hope the kids she teaches, and the ones she devotes her time to because of her club, know how lucky they are. Teachers like her don’t come around all the time. I had one or two back in the day.
Maybe she had the same ones? The thought makes my heart do something funny in my chest.
Unable to keep my distance a moment longer, I swallow hard and step closer to her tent. As much as I want to walk right over to her, I don’t. I go toward where the silent auction is set up. The winners will be announced on the last night of the fair.
All of my club’s businesses are represented and see that has pride filling me. There’s no way we wouldn’t donate to the cause. It’s a damn good one. Not to mention, the kids are the ones responsible for visiting businesses to ask for donated auction items. Ezra doesn’t do the work for them.
If these are the kids who end up working for the government, at various levels, I think I might start giving a fuck again. They’re kind of impressive when they stop in and give their spiel. They’ve never assumed that by getting one of our businesses to participate means they all will.
You gotta respect the work they put in.
I make my way around the auction, bidding on everything. Not outrageously, but enough.
Fuck, I’d give Ezra the money to ensure all the kids in her club can go on their yearly trip. There’s no way she would take it. Honestly, I doubt even the kids would take it.
They like doing this. It’s written all over their faces. The kids engage with people who come near their table and explain what Youth in Government is and why they’re raising money. Like I said, impressive.
I can’t help but smirk as I look down at the weekend getaway to Chattanooga. I put in a bid for twice what the weekend is worth even though I’m the one who donated it. My mom could use a weekend away. I’m sure she’d take Patsy with her and get away from their husbands.
Dad would pout the entire time. I almost snort at the thought. The man doesn’t like being away from his woman.
It’s how they always were while I was growing up. It was interesting to see their relationship with the backdrop of the club, including the club whores who are just part of the lifestyle. I never saw Dad look at one of the whores twice.
When he did, it was for club business and nothing else. I don’t think the man’s even been tempted.
Mom was made to stand at Dad’s side. She was the heart the club needed, and she made sure to help create a family, one threaded together with chrome, wind, and loyalty.
I can’t imagine the woman made to stand by my side. My gaze darts to where Ezra was just standing, but she’s not there anymore. Why does it make my heart sink?
A gentle throat clearing next to me has me looking down. Right into the blue eyes of Ezra Lyons.
What the fuck? I freeze, totally taken apart by the sweet smile on her face. Up close, it’s hard not to notice how she only comes up to my shoulder as I tower over her. Fuck; my hands itch to reach for her, but I force them to stay at my sides.
“Hi,” her voice is soft and there’s an edge of uncertainty there that she’s trying to power through, “I just wanted to thank you, and the club, for helping the kids out so much. You all donated a lot, and I have no doubt that the kids will earn enough to pay for the trip at the end of the year. I appreciate it,” her words lose steam a little at the end.
Her blue eyes bounce back and forth between mine and she swallows hard. I should say something. Anything at this point.
Just when the silence between us stretches just a little too long, I rasp, “The kids earned all of the donations. They don’t come to me directly; they go to each business and ask each manager to participate.
” I cross my arms across my chest, mostly to stop myself from tucking a strand of her hair back behind her ear.
I know it’ll be soft. “Honestly, they’re pretty impressive with the whole thing.
Everyone is happy to donate to the cause. ”
The smile on her face makes my breath hitch before I remember I’m a fucking biker and the president of my fucking club. When she looks at the kids, her eyes soften, and they don’t change when she looks back up at me.
“Thank you,” the sincerity in those two words floor me, “really. I just try to do my best to channel the things that already make them special. I can only hope that when they do find themselves in politics that they pay teachers better,” she jokes.
Unexpectedly, I chuckle. Ezra blinks up at me, and I ignore the feeling of the back of my neck getting hot. And I’m certainly not turning red anywhere.
My eyes dart down to her shirt and one side of my mouth lifts into a smirk. Tonight, it’s the image of a huge ship and says, ‘Spilling the Tea since 1773’.
After she glances at her shirt, she blushes a delicious shade of pink. Her blue eyes study me and I know she’s going to try to get away from me. I don’t want to let her go.
I nod toward the ring toss booth. “You any good? How about a game? My treat.”
The words are out of my mouth before I even realize it.
I’m expecting her to refuse me and go back to her kids. I see the back of this woman’s head most of the time when I manage to get a glimpse of her. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she purposefully avoids me.
When she gnaws on her bottom lip, I can’t help but wonder if I’m right. Her eyes flit over my chest and then back to meet my gaze.
“You’re on,” her voice is full of sass.
As we move toward the front of the booth, I can’t help but ask, “You’re not worried about the kids?”
She glances back toward them, but they’re all engaged and talking to the people passing by. One side of her mouth tips up and she shakes her head. “Naw, Jessi’s over there.”
I have to look again because I didn’t see the mayor’s youngest daughter in the tent, but I find her easily now. She glances in our direction but turns away when she notices me looking at her.
“Well,” I crack my knuckles, “get ready. I play every year and usually nab a stuffed animal.”
Ezra arches an eyebrow, her eyes moving over my arms. I swear there’s appreciation in her gaze. The longer she looks at me, the more I want to squirm.
I’ve never had that reaction around a woman.
While I swipe a hand down my chest, I ask, “What?”
Her head tilts to the side as she says, “I’m just trying to picture you clearing away your stuffie collection every night before going to bed.
” She gasps as her eyes go wide as she clamps a hand over her mouth.
I can barely make out her mumbling, “I can’t believe I actually just said that out loud.
I swear that was meant to be an inside thought, even if it’s true. ”
With a bark of laughter, I can’t help but look at the woman in front of me in a slightly new light. I can’t believe she actually said it out loud either.
But I’m really glad she did.
“I give them away,” I tell her, leaning toward her and dropping my voice, “just to some random kid walking by.”
She sways slightly before she stands a little straighter. Even though she swallows hard, her voice is a gentle rasp, “That’s really sweet, Ryker.”
Words burn my throat, but I hold them back. I want to tell her to call me Titus. A desperate need is churning in my gut to hear my name come from her lips.
Not my road name.
“Wasn’t going to walk around with a unicorn under my arm for no reason,” I mumble.
When Ezra giggles, I find myself soaking it in. The way her lips part and the flash of her teeth. The way her cheeks pink a little more. The way her eyes brighten.