“Okay, well, when we were growing up, my brothers always loved to play cops and robbers and use weapons—you know, typical boy stuff. But I was always terrified of guns. I swore one of them was going to shoot themselves or each other.”
“They had real guns?”
“No, BB guns.” She giggled. “Now they have real guns, but are trained in how to use them.”
“So you’ve never shot a gun?” he asked, trying to forget that she’d just told him she has two overly protective brothers who own guns.
“No, and I’ve always wondered what it would be like. I could never try it, though. I was always preaching to them the dangers. If they saw me with a gun…”
Nick jumped up off the couch and grabbed his coat from the nearby chair. “Let’s go, baby.”
“What? Where are we going?” She stood from the couch, but made no move towards the door.
“To the gun range. I’m gonna teach you how to shoot.”
“But, I can’t. What if someone sees me?”
“We won’t go to a range in Brookfield. I got a place in mind.” He stepped beside her and pulled her body against his. “We’ll take my bike out there. Go for a ride first. You like riding on my bike, don’t you, baby?”
She smiled as he felt her body relax. “You know I do.”
He leant down and gently brushed his lips against hers. “Good. Now grab your things and let’s go.”
“Why not?” She grabbed a light jacket and headed for the door. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Eight
After a wonderfully long ride, Nick parked his bike near what appeared to be an abandoned drive-in movie theatre. In the middle of the weed-infested parking lot sat a large concrete structure, much newer than any of its surroundings. It was unmarked and blatantly out of place. The only signs of life were a handful of cars parked nearby and the occasional popping sound heard in the distance.
“What is this?” Kelsey asked as she stood from his Harley.
“Gun range. What does it look like?”
She raised her eyebrows, certain he wouldn’t want to know what she really thought. “A gun range, of course. What else would it be?”
He laughed a wonderfully boisterous laugh and slid his leg over the side of his bike. Leaning casually against it, he tugged her hand, pulling her body to rest against his. “My friend turned me on to this place. It’s a little unconventional, but you didn’t want anyone you know to see you. I guarantee they won’t see you here.”
She lost track of his words the minute her body pressed against his. “Sounds perfect,” she whispered. She looked up at him while gently rubbing her hands across the span of his chest.
He stilled her caresses by grabbing her wrists, and gave her a quick peck on the lips before putting some distance between them. “Let’s go inside, baby.”
“Aren’t we missing something, Nick? You don’t have a gun.”
“Follow me, Bright Eyes. I’ve got it all under control.”
She watched him slide a card through a metal slot, immediately unlocking the heavy, steel door. “You have a key?”
“It’s kind of like a membership. Shooting helps me relax, so I visit here often. It’s a hobby of mine.”
She followed closely as he walked down a long hallway and into a room filled with oversized lockers. After hanging their coats on a rack, he approached one of the lockers and began twisting the dial to the combination lock securing it. Once he opened it she stared at the collection of weapons inside, stunned by how many there were. “Are those all yours?”
“Yeah. I told you it was a bit of a hobby.”
“A bit? How many guns do you own?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t really keep count. My buddy has the paperwork for each stowed in the office. I collect them and he keeps me legal.”
“May I?” she asked, pointing to one of the hand guns.
“Go ahead. It’s not loaded.” He made sure the safety was engaged and handed it to her.
Kelsey had never held a gun. She was terrified of them when she was younger, especially when watching her brothers shoot. Her fears of them hurting someone had waned, particularly after their training. Today, they were each required to carry one at all times. In place of fear, she had a curiosity about weapons that had grown through the years, but she could never admit that to them. They’d never let her hear the end of it considering the nagging she’d done as a child.
As she took the gun, barely holding on to the very end of the handle, she was surprised by its weight. “It’s heavy.”
“Here, baby. Hold it like this.” He adjusted her hand higher. “You don’t want to drop it.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Don’t worry, I’ll teach you.” His smile put her at ease. “You carry the gun just the way you have it, and I’ll grab some ammunition.”
She had to admit it thrilled her to hold something she’d always considered taboo. She should’ve been frightened, but just like other moments she’d had with him, his demeanour made her feel comfortable. There was nothing to worry about—he’d take care of her.
He grabbed a couple of boxes and secured his locker before leading her farther down the hall. When he handed her a set of headphones, he must have sensed her confusion. “What’s the matter?”
“How am I going to hear you if I’m wearing these?”
“You’ll still be able to hear me. These are hearing protection headphones. They dull loud noises, like the gunshots, but you can still hear voices.”
“Oh. Okay.” She set the gun on the counter and fluffed her hair before sliding the headphones on her ears. “Well? How do I look?”
“You look perfect. I can’t imagine you looking any different.”
He’s so sweet. “Are we ready?”
“Yeah.” He slid on his headphones. ”Let’s get on with the lesson.”
She followed him through the swinging doors and into a cavernous space. It was mostly quiet, but the occasional bang of a gunshot reminded her where she was. Before them was a long row of stalls, but there was no way to know how many others were there. Judging by the cars outside, it couldn’t have been more than a few.
“Over here,” Nick said, waving her towards him. He set the boxes under the small shelf and turned to her. “We’ll start with the gun, okay? This is a forty-five calibre semi-automatic. That means each time you pull the trigger it will fire. This switch here? That’s the safety. We’ll leave that locked in place until you’re ready to shoot it.”
Kelsey listened to his instructions carefully as he showed her every part of the gun, allowing her to get the feel and familiarity necessary to handle it properly. She was amazed by his knowledge and respect of the weapon, and with the ease of his teaching. Her trepidation dissolved, replaced with an eagerness she hadn’t expected. If my brothers could see me now.
“Okay, Bright Eyes, the moment of truth. You ready to load it?”
“Bring it on.”
He laughed at her enthusiasm. “You’re like a kid with a new toy at Christmas. Okay. Just like I showed you.” He handed her one of the boxes of ammunition. She carefully loaded the magazine, one bullet at a time, before snapping it firmly into the butt of the pistol.
“Not bad, baby. How does it feel?”
“It’s heavier than I expected.”
“Well, get ready, because it’s gonna get worse,” he chuckled. “Now, when you fire, it’s gonna want to kick back on you, so you have to brace yourself. You’re pretty small, so you’re going to need to use your whole body, okay?”
“How do I do that?”
“Here.” He stood behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist. With his foot between hers, he spread her legs slightly, and helped square her to the target hanging on the other end of the lane. He pressed the button on the side of the stall to bring the target closer. “Now lift your arms up together and hold the gun like I showed you.”
Her focus was waning. The distraction of his body pressing
against hers sent a rush of wetness between her legs. She could feel his firmness and strength, and despite the faint fragrance of her shampoo, his scent was pure masculinity. She cleared her throat to remind herself of the dangerous weapon in her hand. Concentrate, Kelsey. Concentrate.
“When you fire it, brace your arms and bend your knees to resist the kick back, but don’t lock them. I’ll stand behind you to help.”
She was grateful for his assistance, and with him standing so close, she couldn’t help but enjoy their date.
“Ready?”
She nodded and released the safety without instruction. “Okay. Here goes.”
He’d warned her, and she thought she’d properly braced herself, but when she finally squeezed the trigger and fired, the kickback was much harder than she’d imagined. If not for Nick standing behind her, she would’ve landed on her ass.
He let out a loud grunt when her body lurched into his, and he immediately grabbed both her arms as if she were falling. “Are you okay, baby?”
Kelsey carefully laid the gun down and burst out laughing. “Man, you weren’t kidding, were you?”
Her laughter was apparently infectious because he quickly joined in. “I tried to warn you.”
She wiped her eyes and tried to compose herself. “Oh, that was unreal. How can so much power be contained in such a little thing?”
“I was thinking the exact same thing about you,” Nick said before returning to their lesson. “Maybe we should try a different stance. Here, stand like this.” Instead of side by side, this time he guided one foot in front of the other.
His sweet words still echoing in her head, she adjusted her feet accordingly. Now that she knew what firing the weapon felt like, she was sure she would be more prepared this time. ”Okay, I got it.”
“Oh, I know you do,” he said with a quick kiss to her cheek. “Now lean into it a bit.”
She aimed the weapon and once again fired, her body only jerking a bit. She fired again, this time hitting the target. With every successive shot, she became a bit more confident, and a bit more exhilarated. Slightly disappointed when the gun clicked empty, she engaged the safety and ejected the magazine as if she’d done it a thousand times before.
“Wow. I’m impressed. You’re a natural.”
She pressed the button the same way he had, and the hum of the machine brought the target to them. ”Look! I hit it!” She was so excited she could hardly contain herself as she pointed to the three small holes on the edge.
“Very good. You’ll get better the more you practise.”
“Can I do it again?”
He laughed and slid the box of bullets to her. “Have at it.”
She spent the next hour shooting at various targets. With each new load, Nick moved the target farther and farther back. He seemed just as surprised as she was at her natural ability. Her aim was very good for a beginner, and even at full distance, she was able to hit the target, if not the bullseye itself.
“Not bad, baby, not bad.” He took the most recent target off the rack. “You’re getting better.”
“Your turn. I want to see you shoot.”
“Me? Nah… We’re here for you.”
“You’re not going to shoot? Oh, come on.”
“You wanna go one more time?”
“No, I want to watch you. What? Can’t you shoot? Are you afraid of embarrassing yourself?”
“Give me that.” He grabbed the gun with a small chuckle. She’d yet to meet the man who could resist proving himself when his manhood was challenged. Nick was no different.
Kelsey slid the target as far back as it would go as he loaded his gun. “Stand back.” He raised the weapon, aimed only briefly and began firing in a quick, but steady rhythm.
She watched as he emptied the gun and pressed the button to retrieve the target. She didn’t need to see it to know he’d hit his mark. His whole demeanour had changed. The power, the authority, the presence she saw the moment he’d raised that weapon was intoxicating. All she could do was stare in admiration.
He set the safety and released the magazine before pulling the target from the rack. “There ya go. Now what do you think?” He turned to her, showing her the shots all clustered towards the centre of the paper.
“I think you’re the hottest man I’ve ever seen,” she huffed, before quickly claiming his mouth in a heated kiss. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer as she slipped her tongue into his mouth, moaning when he offered his in return.
A moment later Nick pulled back, breathing heavily. “We can’t do this here, baby. We’re not alone.”
Kelsey buried her face against his neck and tried to contain her sudden rush of desire. She’d never had this problem before. She’d never had such a surge of lust for a man that she was unable to resist acting on it.
They clung to each other, breathing deeply, and trying to garner control. “Let’s get out of here. I want you alone. Now.”
She nodded and took quick steps towards the locker room. As he carefully secured his gun and remaining ammunition, she whispered, “I just have to use the restroom before we go.”
Nick leaned against the wall and watched her saunter to the ladies’ room, thinking how he’d really hit the jackpot with this one. He wondered how he was going to leave her, but soon he’d have to be on his way. He had a job to do and he certainly couldn’t do it in her bed, although that was the only place he wanted to be.
“Excuse me,” a man said as he passed.
Nick did a double-take and realised who the man was. ”What the hell are you doing here?” he whispered, glancing briefly to the door Kelsey had just entered.
“A little target practice. What else would I be doing?”
“Are you following me?”
“Do I need to be?”
“Don’t play with me,” Nick said, gritting his teeth. “You stay away from me.”
“I’m just here for recreation, Jensen. I’m not sure what the problem is.” The pleasant nature of his tone was obviously intended to unnerve. Nick said nothing, but continued to stare the man down. Anthony Portella’s reputation as a cold-hearted killer was well known. There was nothing the man wouldn’t do, especially if he thought it would get him ahead.
“I bet you’ll get your job done. You know what’s involved if you don’t,” Anthony said as he began to walk away. “Oh, and I’m sure the young lady you’re with won’t mind if you need to leave her. I know you wouldn’t allow her to get in the way.”
A cold chill travelled down Nick’s spine. ”I know what I’m doing,” he said calmly, not allowing the bastard to read anything in his reaction.
“Then I’ll leave you to it.”
After Anthony had disappeared down the hall, Nick took a few deep breaths. There was no way in hell he’d allow her to become involved in this. He was left with no other choice.
Chapter Nine
“What are we doing here?” Kelsey asked as Nick parked his bike in front of the restaurant across the street from The Rusty Spoke.
“We needed to get your car anyway, so I figured we could grab some lunch. Since this place is right across the street, it seemed convenient.”
“I thought we were going to go back to my place,” she whispered in his ear while leaning against him, her voice a mixture of disappointment and seduction.
He wanted more than anything to stay with her, but it was best he didn’t. He just wasn’t sure how to explain it to her. Instead, he turned slightly, allowing himself to pull away from her embrace. “Lunch is my treat. After all, you did buy dinner last night.”
“Okay,” she said as the smile left her face, “if that’s what you want to do.”
They each dismounted the bike and walked towards the restaurant. Her smile returned when he reached over and held her hand in his.
“Ever been in this place before, Bright Eyes?” Nick asked as he held open the door, allowing her to enter first.
“No, I haven’t had the pleasure. I
hadn’t been to The Rusty Spoke until last night, either, but I used to hear about it from my brother. He liked going there.”
“Looks like I picked the right time and place to hustle some pool.”
They sat in the dimly lit restaurant and surveyed the menu—classic American-type food such as burgers, chicken, pork, salads and pasta. He was curious to see what she’d pick. Did she go for what she really wanted or would she go the girly route and just order a salad?
“Hey, folks, what can I get you?” the young waitress asked as she approached their cosy booth in the corner.
Kelsey perked up and began to order her lunch. She began with a side salad, causing Nick to grin, but his mouth slacked when she went on to order a full rack of baby back ribs, corn, fries and coleslaw, and finished up by adding a cold, frosty beer.
She laughed when she looked his way. His expression must have shown his awe. “What? You know I like to eat.”
“You’re always full of surprises, baby. I’ll have the same,” he said to the young girl and handed her his menu.
She reached across the table, sliding her hand into his. “So have you been here before?”
“A few times when I’ve passed through town.”
“So, is that what you’re doing now? Just passing through?”
Nick had no idea how to answer her. He didn’t want to lie to her, but he couldn’t tell her his real reason for being in town. “I hadn’t decided…”
“Oh.” Her disappointment was clear.
“Let me finish.” He squeezed her hand. “I hadn’t decided until now. I think I just may stick around for a little while.”
“How long is a while?”
“I see no reason to leave any time soon. In fact, I have one pretty good reason to stay.”
She smiled. “That’s sweet.”
“Yeah, that’s me. I’m so sweet.” He tried to hide his embarrassment with a roll of his eyes.
“You certainly have been with me.”
“I’m gonna have to find a place to stay.”
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