by Rye Hart
“So will you and Monk still come on Friday?”
“I’ll try my best, but I can’t promise for Monk.” She smiled at my answer and gave me a fist bump.
***
Thirty minutes, after I dropped her off at school. I stopped back off at home for my bike and drove into work. When I arrived, I found that Monk had beaten me in. “You’re here early.”
“Yeah, I figured I’d get the coffee brewing.” He poured himself a cup and turned to lean against the counter in our break area. “The place next door was open. They have donuts.”
He held up a classic glazed and took a bite while offering me one from a pink box. I shook my head. “I didn’t know they were opening so soon. I’m not sure if they are going to like us much with our noise and the shady looking fuckers that hang around. I hope not because the sooner they leave the better.”
“She didn’t seem to mind me and I’m a shady looking fucker myself. Besides, we eat like anyone else.”
“She? You mean the owner?”
“Hell yeah, you should see the body on that one. She’s bangin’.” He gulped his coffee to wash down his bite. “Beautiful too.”
I thought about the sexy woman who was washing the windows compared to the one I’d seen out back. Both were pretty women, but only one was what I’d consider banging - with a big rack. I gave him a sideways glance and went to the window as if she’d still be there washing in my fantasized bikini.
“She said her name was Sarah, like the shop’s sign. You should go on over and say hello.”
Sarah. “I’ve got enough problems with the women in my life. Tani wants to me scare some punk named Danny, Heather was around again on Friday, and I don’t have to remind you of Satan’s twin, Nancy and her trick of the week.” I walked out to the shop and he followed. I had left the mess of tools scattered on the floor from Heather’s little fit, so I went to work putting things back in their place.
“Your temper must have gotten pretty bad to make such a mess.” Monk leaned over and picked up a wrench.
“You mean Heather’s. She doesn’t take rejection well.” His hand came up to my forehead – as if to check my temperature. He was a damned comedian, and a good one.
“Were you ill, man? You actually turned her down?” He knew all about mine and Heather’s association and even had the misfortune of walking in on us once.
“She’s got to stop coming around.”
“So, go say hello to sweet Sarah next door. Maybe she’ll run her off for you.” His eyes met mine with a challenging glare. “I dare you.”
“I would like to meet a nice girl for a change. Someone Tani could meet, even.” I took one last swig of my coffee and headed to the door. I also never lost a dare in my life and I wasn’t about to let this be the first. “Challenge accepted.”
I pulled the door closed behind me and stopped to see what was going on over at the bakery. I walked over and looked up at the sign on the front window I’d seen her washing. Sarah’s Sweet Shoppe.
The bells on the door chimed as I walked in and Sarah was busy bent over behind the counter serving some old timer an eyeful of cleavage with his order. I cleared my throat and the old man looked away as if waking from a trance.
“I’ll be with you in a moment, sir.” The tag on her shirt confirmed that she was indeed Sarah and my cock even stood up a little to say hello.
“No rush.” We exchanged smiles and she rang up the old man, who wished us both good day and hurried out.
The place was decked out in pink and black and the front counter was filled with trays of the prettiest pastries I’d ever seen. Atop the counter were several different pies under glass domes and there was a large section of cookies and cakes. Tani would love it. I made a mental note to bring her by sometime.
“What can I get for you?” She leaned against the counter and I took a moment to slide my gaze downward. She was wearing a pink, fitted top and tight, black jeans that matched the rest of her theme. Across her front her shirt read: Sarah’s Sweet Shoppe, the sweetest spot in town.
I couldn’t help but wonder what Sarah’s sweet spot was like and with any luck she’d let me find out. “I’ll have a slice of apple pie.”
She smiled up at me with her big brown eyes sparkling. “I was wondering who would be the first to try my pie.” As I let that comment sink in, she pulled off the dome and took the pie to another counter. “For here or to go?”
I glanced over to the empty tables and decided to stick around a minute while she was alone. “Here’s fine. I actually wanted to come introduce myself. I’m Hunter Miller. I own the shop next door.” I nodded toward my place as she slid the pie onto a plate and grabbed a fork.
“Oh…hi Hunter. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Sarah Tillerman. Would you like a free cup of coffee? It’s my opening week special.” I nodded and she grabbed a cup and served me. After I paid and settled into one of the dainty chairs at her little round tables, she came around and glanced out the front window.
I took a bite of the pie and made a sound of approval. “This is some good pie.” I was really impressed.
“Thank you. It’s my grandmother’s recipe. She won awards for it at the South Texas State Fair years ago, back when they still had competitions for baking.”
“I bet she’s proud of you.”
“She’s gone now, but I like to think so. You own the motorcycle shop? I met one of your employees earlier. He said his name was Monk?” She gave me a sideward look as if she weren’t so sure about the name.
“Yeah, he’s my only employee right now and we stay pretty busy. I’m sure you’ll get an overflow of hungry bikers popping in pretty often.” I thought again about my expansion project and tried not to sound so bitter.
A noise rang out from the kitchen and she hurried around the counter. The buzzer kept going off and finally it stopped but I heard her curse and the sound of metal crashing to the floor. It was loud enough to make me worry and I hurried around her counter and to the back.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, but my oven’s falling apart.” Her brows were furrowed and she held what appeared to be the handle to the oven door in her hand.
***
End of Sneak Peak. Would you like to know how this continues?
Click Here: Rock Hard Fake Groom
The HOT owner of the bakery next door is serving her special cream pie - and I want a taste.
They say a mechanic with a bad past can't be a good Dad. It's pure bullsh*t, because I'd do anything for my baby girl.
Now, my ex took me to court - and she was granted full custody.
Judge says she'll reconsider her decision, but I've got to find a wife ASAP.
Good thing the gorgeous new owner of the bakery next to my bike shop has been checking me out.
And how can I not notice her rack as she bends over the counter - asking me if I'd like a slice of her pie?
I see what she's thinking behind her pretty blue eyes - and it gets me hard.
She's dealing with financial troubles of her own.
Maybe we can help each other out.
Maybe we can be friends with benefits.
She can heat things up in the kitchen- let's see if I can bring the heat to her bedroom.
Only problem is she's sworn off bad boys & I've sworn off marriage. Looks like I'll have to fake this marriage thing - I just hope she'll join me for the ride.
Rock Hard Fake Groom
Rock Hard SEAL: Sneak Peak
Rock Hard SEAL: A Navy SEAL & A Virgin Romance
CHAPTER ONE –ABIGAIL
“Hold on to your panties! This trip will be one to remember, and if all goes as planned you’re going to come back a whole new woman, Abigail Carter. I can promise you that. Heck you’ll probably have a hard time even walking straight after Madrid is through with you.”
“Stop it, Libby.” A blush stained my cheeks when I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one around us had overheard. Luckily, the lunch crowd was lou
d enough to drown out most of our conversation. I turned back to look at Libby who shrugged her tanned shoulders. “What is wrong with you? Don’t say things like that out loud. You never know who's listening to us.”
Libby rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Chillax’ girl! I think your Dad has made you a bit too paranoid and sheltered from all those bodyguards with sticks up their you know what. I’m just saying I want you to prepare yourself to let loose for once in your life and what better time than this trip to Madrid with your best friend?” Libby asked. She grinned at me. “Think of it this way. This trip is your first real trip unsupervised. We are going to have a damn good time, Abi. I’m telling you.”
“I have no doubts that we will,” I replied with a grin. Excitement bubbled inside of me just thinking of it. Ever since I was five, I could remember a bodyguard always walking alongside me. Having a Dad who prosecuted terrorists on behalf of the United States government had a tendency to attract threats. Being the protective man my had always been, he took no chances when it came to the safety of my Mom and I. The bodyguards were always there.
It wasn’t until I hit college that I realized, with aggravation, that most of these guards had a tendency to relay information about every small detail of my life back to my Dad. It made dating a bit complicated, since most of the male population at Harvard knew exactly who my Dad was. From day one, guys were terrified to even go anywhere near me. The burly and big muscled bodyguards didn’t exactly make for attractive accessories for a petite gal like myself to flaunt around. All I’ve ever wanted was to be normal for a change.
Don’t get me wrong. I was always grateful for the hard work my Dad put into his career and constant efforts to ensure the safety and security of Mom and me; though, I would have given anything to just breathe a little. Growing up, that never really happened for me.
Not this time though. A jittery feeling filled me thinking of it. This time, I was on my own finally. It was liberating.
“Our postponed spring break,” Libby said, taking a sip of water. “At least we can do this before our jobs start up here in Manhattan.”
“Thankfully,” I said. “I know my Dad too. He’ll give me cases that keep me too occupied to think of anything else.”
“That’s why I’m telling you we are going to find a sexy Spanish man to please you over the next three months.” Libby sighed dreamily as she twirled a golden curl around her finger. “Three months in Spain is terribly romantic. Maybe I’ll find a Spanish lover too. Oh… what if we found brothers? How cool would that be?”
“You will, but who knows about me. We know I’m not exactly a natural,” I said and gave Libby an envious look. She had killer tanned legs, long blonde curls, and looked fresh and put together no matter what time of the day it was. “You won’t have any problems attracting a Spanish man or any man for that matter. You don’t have problems in that department at all.”
“Neither do you,” Libby said. “You’re gorgeous, Abi. They are going to eat you up over there. Literally!!” Her laugh was contagious, but it was lost on me. My thought threatened to consume me.
I played with the ends of my hair nervously. I was the only one out of my circle of friends who had zero experience when it came to men. The last guy I had kissed was after a study session for my English Lit sophomore final. Naturally, the bodyguard at the time who followed me around reported that back to my parents. It was the awkward lecture afterward that deterred me from ever trying something again, though I thought about it all of the time.
And now, at twenty-two years old, I was still a virgin and fucking terrified of sex. The only things I’d been exposed to came from living vicariously through Libby who gladly filled me in on tricks and such.
I longed for it though— desperately. I was such a romantic nerd when it came to imagining my first time. Maybe on a bed covered in rose petals? I shook my head at the ridiculous thought. That wasn’t real. Most men, according to Libby, would do it anywhere you offered it. A bathroom? A closet? The back of a movie theater? Done.
I smirked at the thought. What would it be like to give myself over to the heat of passion? Not giving two shits about where we were because I absolutely had to have him and he wasn’t willing to take no for an answer? My pulse sped up at the very thought.
“We’ll see about that. That’s not my priority because this trip is all about our time together before we have to enter into the real world,” I said breathily, trying to pull my head out of the gutter and put myself together enough not to give away my secret desires. The real world sounded rather terrifying if I were being honest with myself. My father had moved and shifted every area of my life since I was a little girl, and now I would soon be on my own.
An odd sense of relief raced through me, decimating the lingering fear. Where my father went after terrorists and horrible men in his practice, I wanted to do something totally different. I wanted to help bring justice to those who were hurt by an abusive parent or spouse, or maybe help set up protection for those who couldn’t do it themselves. Being in the legal system with my degree and my father’s last name was going to get me far in life, but not in the way he wanted it to.
Where he was focused on rising to the top and stomping out crime, I wanted to offer my services to those that needed it the most but rarely had the ability to find it. He was going to shit bricks when the time came for us finally to sit down and talk about my future plans. No matter what though, I was heading in the direction of my heart. Money be damned.
“Hey. You still with me?” Libby gave me a quirky smile.
“Hmm? Oh yeah. Just thinking about our trip.” I ran my fingers through my hair and forced myself to focus back on her. “We’re going to go sight seeing right?”
“Yes. Tons of that as well! I bought a polaroid camera to bring with us since neither one of us plan on using our phones, right?”
“Right,” I said, nodding. “No Facebook, Twitter, or Instagramming our moments in Madrid. We are there to enjoy it. We’ll create memories in our minds.”
“You got it,” Libby said. “Now, let’s—”
My cell phone buzzed on the table between us, interrupting Libby. I glanced down at the caller ID. Groaning at the number, I looked back up at Libby apologetically. “I’m sorry, Libs. I’ve got to take this. You know how my Dad gets if I don’t.”
“I know. He freaks out.” Libby rolled her eyes with a sigh. “I think he’s where you got all your paranoia.”
I rose from our table with my phone in hand. “Just give me a minute. Order a chicken salad with no croutons and dressing on the side for me if our waiter comes before I’m back.”
The small restaurant and patio were packed, but I managed to somehow squeeze my way out past the hostess station. While it was tempting to let my Dad’s call go straight to voicemail, I knew that he’d repeatedly call until I answered, or better yet, he’d send someone to look for me. That was always a fun encounter seeing that I was in my early twenties now. Everything suffered due to my Dad’s overprotective attitude. Especially my pathetic love life.
“Hi, Dad,” I said, leaning up against a light pole. “What’s up? I’m out eating lunch with Libby right now, so—”
“I’m glad I caught you both then,” he said, smoothly. “I need you to come into the office today. There is something that we need to talk about.”
Suspicion filled me as chill bumps raced across my skin. Nothing ever good came from my Dad wanting to see me at his office. “About what?”
“We’ll talk about it once you are here. Where are you exactly?” His tone was filled with a tension I’d become quite accustomed to.
I rattled off the furthest restaurant I knew from my Dad’s office in Manhattan to spare myself some time with Libby.
“I’ll expect you in an hour then,” he said. “See you in an hour.”
Not phased by his shortness, I slid my phone back into the pocket of my pants. My Dad was never the type of person to waste any time on the phone with chit cha
t. His job made him curt and cold at times, but I knew my Dad loved both my Mom and I more than anything in the world. The money he spent on our protection was one of the many signs.
I had no idea what my Dad wanted, but I didn’t plan on rushing over there to find out. I didn’t want to think about the dread growing in my stomach either.
“What’d your Dad want?” Libby asked when I sat back down across from her.
“I have no idea.” I shrugged and grabbed my water glass, taking a quick sip before pulling myself back up to the table. “I told him I was across Manhattan, so we have an hour to do some shopping after lunch.”
Libby grinned at me. “See,” she said, swatting my hand playfully. “You’re going to do fine over in Spain. You know how to keep certain things a secret.”
“I’ve had a friend to teach me a thing or two,” I replied with a grin on my face.
We spent the next hour finishing up our lunch before hitting two stores. Libby hugged me goodbye through the shopping bags on her arm before hopping into her own cab. I told the cab driver to take the long way to Carter & Law. I needed the time to prepare for what my Dad wanted to talk to me about in the middle of the afternoon. He never called during the work days unless it was an emergency.
Whatever it was, it wasn’t good, and I had a gut feeling the conversation wouldn’t end happily either.
But at least I had my trip to Spain to look forward to, and nothing could get in the way of that.
CHAPTER TWO - HARLEY
It still felt fucked up to be in a crowd full of people going about their work days. After four months of retirement, I still couldn’t shake off the surreal feeling that it was over. All of those years being a killer, a death-dealer when needed, and here I was - a free man. Funny enough, being back in the real world left me feeling like a shit-storm was going to smack into me any minute. I felt like I was completely out of place.