“Do you think he’d mind if I tinker with it? I am in marketing.”
Raven drew a hand down his clean-shaven chin. “Let me speak to the beast.” She had to laugh at his nickname. “He’s a bit touchy about change.”
She didn’t doubt that statement. Raven shifted his feet. He probably wanted to get back to work. “I don’t want to keep you, but I need to buy some clothes in town.”
Raven fished a set of keys from his pocket. “Take the Jeep. It’s a bit worn, but she won’t break down.”
Without thinking, she hugged him. “You are a doll.”
“Just be sure to come back and be careful.” He clenched his hand for a moment. “Aw, hell. I’m going with you.”
“No, you don’t have to. I know you want to work on your drawings.”
“I do, but if your bodyguard comes sniffing around town and anything happened to you, it would be my head.”
His sincerity and loyalty to Hawk touched her. “Thanks, but bring some drawings with you so you won’t be bored.”
“The papers are kind of hard to work with.”
“You don’t have a CAD program?” The program would allow him to make his designs on the computer instead of having to draw them by hand. Making changes would be easy.
His eyes flashed bright then dimmed. “Nah. I wish I did. Before I met Hawk, I worked at a manufacturing plant doing computer programming. We used AutoCAD, and I loved it, but we can’t afford a copy.”
Her firm used it. Even for multiple copies it cost a few thousand apiece. “Were you an engineer?”
Raven stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Yes. Don’t act so surprised.”
She’d been guilty. “Sorry.”
“There is one thing you’re going to have to learn. Don’t judge people by their covers, so to speak. I may look like a long-haired hippy, and my tattoos might indicate I’m into gangs, but I don’t do drugs, I have a master’s degree in physics, and I love to use my hands, whether it be to fix bikes or make love to a beautiful woman.” He held her gaze.
Her face heated up. “I’m so sorry that I misjudged you.”
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “That’s okay. It happens all the time. Before you ask, I like who I am, and that’s why I got out of the rat race. I do miss my technology though. At least we have Wi-Fi in the house, but that’s mostly due to Clete.”
“Where is the mysterious older brother?”
Raven shrugged. “If you’re speaking of Clete, he called and said to expect him tonight. But Hawk’s older by fourteen months.” He stepped away. “You ready to get some real clothes?”
That put Hawk at thirty-six. He’d held up well for his age. “You bet.”
* * * *
All Raven could say was wow. Not only was Bella great to look at, but she also seemed to care about his work. When Rebecca lived with them, she might have rocked in the bedroom, but the woman had never heard of a CAD program to save her life, and she certainly wasn’t impressed he’d been a physicist. Hell, she wouldn’t know the difference between angular momentum and kinetic energy. The thought Rebecca might get her feet or hands dirty kept her out of the workshop.
The woman may have started out as Clete’s girl, but Hawk was the first to give his heart to her. And she’d trampled him. Being an easygoing guy himself, Raven was willing to fuck her, but she’d never gotten under his skin like she had with the others. Bella, however, might be a different sort.
She came out of the dressing room wearing a pair of nice boots, jeans that hugged her curves perfectly, and a sweater that showed off her tits.
She grinned and twirled around. “What do you think?”
“You look hot.”
“You don’t think these jeans make my ass look big?”
Did she have any idea that all he’d been thinking about since he saw her was her ass? His cock thickened, dreaming about how he’d give away one of his Harleys if he could take her in the back door just once.
“Raven?”
“Ah, no. You look great.”
She spun around and headed back into the dressing room. The more outfits she tried on, the harder he got. It wasn’t just her body that turned him on. It was her excitement. He’d been guilty of pre-judging her, too. Her mega-expensive rings implied she was used to being given gifts. While that might still be true, she seemed to appreciate what she had.
When she finished picking just two outfits, she paid in cash. He helped bring her new wardrobe to the car.
“Now where to?” he asked.
She rubbed a hand down his arm. “You sure you don’t mind? I know you have stuff to do.”
“That’s true, but I don’t mind spending time with you. It’s time for lunch, and I’d like something to eat.” He patted his stomach. “Gotta keep fuel in the belly.”
She laughed, stirring something deep inside him he’d long thought dead. “I’m starving, too.”
They walked over to the Mountain View Bar & Grill. The lunch crowd was gone, but a few of the locals remained. He introduced her to the two owners, Luke and Preston Caulfield. When Sheriff Justin Bradford came in, he told the man about the bodyguard who was after her.
The sheriff asked her some good questions. “We’ll keep an eye out for him.”
Once Justin left, she leaned over the table. “Is it a good idea to let everyone know I’m kind of on the lam?”
He took her hand and massaged her palm. That seemed to calm her. “Normally, no, but in Pleasure, the people here will do their best to help you. We’re like a big neighborhood watch group. If anyone sees a stranger in town that fits this Aldo’s description, they’ll warn us.”
She blew out a breath. “I had no idea a town like this existed.”
Wait until she finds out about its other attributes. She might change her mind about how wonderful it truly was.
She finished her glass of iced tea. “Can you tell me where I might be able to sell some jewelry?”
He glanced at her rings. “You gonna sell those?”
“I have to. I need cash. Bill, or maybe my father, has enough connections that he can trace my credit card. Besides, I don’t want any reminders of that life.”
He shrugged. “Why don’t we finish up, and I’ll take you to Billings.”
“That’s far away, isn’t it?”
“Three hours, take or give a bit.”
“I don’t want to impose.”
He appreciated that she understood his time was valuable, too. “Bozeman is closer, but I don’t think they’ll have someone big enough to buy what you have. Besides, you need to go. I might as well take you.”
Her brows rose. “Thank you.” She glanced at her phone. “Hawk told me to get a new phone.”
“I think Hawk plans on getting one in his name to prevent any connection to you.”
“That’s very generous of him.”
Raven drank his coffee. “Hawk’s a hard man to get to know, but he has a good heart.”
“I know.” She seemed to be doing calculations in her head. “Will the jewelers be open when we get there?”
“If we leave now, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Raven insisted he pay. “You can get dinner if you sell a ring.”
“That works for me. Even if we leave now, that’ll put us back here really late.”
“That’s why we’ll need to spend the night.” He probably shouldn’t have sounded so excited, but the brain between his legs was doing all the thinking.
Chapter Five
Bella wasn’t too keen about the possibility of spending the night with Raven, but she could insist on getting two rooms, or at least one room with two beds. If he was anything like Hawk, he’d respect her wishes and keep his distance.
Truth was, the more she got to know him, the more she liked him. Raven was so open and easy to talk to compared to Hawk. Not to mention the dark-haired man was a mega hottie. She wasn’t used to her men having tattoos or long hair, but his locks were cle
an, and she liked the way it looked when he tied it back. Given his hair curled a bit around the edges, she bet if he took it down, he might look like a much younger Fabio.
Another thing she liked about him was that Raven wasn’t like most of the men she’d met in Miami. Too often the movers and shakers had a hidden agenda. Not so with Raven. He told her what he was thinking. So far, she hadn’t needed a decoder ring to understand what he wanted. Hawk, however, was a different matter.
On the way out of town to Billings, they stopped at the ranch to pick up her toiletries. She hadn’t wanted to waste Raven’s time underwear shopping.
Once she packed her few items in her bag, she met Raven out front.
“I left Hawk a note where we’d be,” he said.
“He’d worry if I didn’t come home?”
Raven laughed. “Darlin’, he’d freak if you didn’t come home.”
She doubted Hawk was that attached to her. “I doubt that. He put up a good front last night pretending to be my protector. I’m sure he’d be a much happier man if I hadn’t climbed on the back of his motorcycle.”
“At first, maybe.”
She waited for him to finish, but he seemed to concentrate on the road. The silence was nice for a while, but soon, she wanted to find out more. “You said Clete was coming home tonight. What’s he like?” She twisted in her seat, waiting for the juicy gossip.
“Not much to tell. He’s Hawk’s younger brother.”
She ran a finger down his arm. “Come on.”
He glanced at her. “You know touching comes with a reciprocal agreement?”
She had to think about that for a second and twisted around front. “I’ll find out myself tomorrow.”
“Don’t be that way, darlin’. I was only kidding, though I will admit, I’d love to get my hands on your juicy body. I can make you sing in places you never knew existed.”
Her damn pussy shot into overdrive thinking about what he could do, but she wasn’t planning on giving him the chance to try out his theory. “Back to Clete. Tell me something he might not divulge.”
Raven kept quiet for a moment. “He started Java Juice in Boston about six years back.”
Her mind reeled. “You’re kidding. There must be a hundred branches up and down the East Coast.”
“Yup. That’s him.”
She racked her brain for who owned it now. That start-up company was often held up as the gold standard for small businesses. “Cliff Ramsey runs it now.”
“Clete sold ninety percent of his shares a while back to Cliff.”
“Wow.” It was no wonder the cycle shop had everything state-of-the-art. “I’m surprised he’s not married.” How had that slipped out?
Raven laughed. “That’ll be the day. Clete likes to play the field. In fact, he’s in New York visiting one of his favorite women.”
“I appreciate the warning.”
“Don’t get me wrong. He’d love to settle down, but the women he picks up are gold diggers. Besides, we all like to share.”
“As in a ménage?”
He cocked a brow. “Don’t tell me you’re willing?”
She slapped a hand over her chest. “Dear Lord, no. I like my men one at a time. Even then, I’ve never dated two men simultaneously.”
“A shame.”
Realizing that discussing any of the men seemed to bring up the topic of sex, she tried another tactic. “How did you and Hawk meet?” That seemed a safe enough topic.
“We grew up together in Pleasure. I loved to fix everything and Hawk liked to break things. It was a match made in heaven.”
Laughter bubbled up. “It seems like you two get along well.”
“We do.”
Before she knew it, they’d arrived in Billings. During the three-hour drive, they’d discussed everything from the Alaskan pipeline to the Federal Reserve’s ability to save the debt crisis. Raven had a good handle on all the topics. What an interesting man.
“Do you know where we can sell the rings?”
“I’ve got a few options, but I want to stop by a hog shop and see what they recommend.”
What did motorcycle repairmen know about jewelers? There you go again, judging first.
She could see the town in the distance, but before they got there, he made a few turns and pulled to a stop in front of a garage.
“Stay here.”
“You think it’s safe enough?” The buildings had graffiti on the walls, and the streets were littered with trash.
“A lot safer than going inside. I can take down a few men, but it only takes one with a knife to get through me.”
Her body froze. He might never get her out of the car. She should have stopped him, told him finding the best jeweler wasn’t necessary, but he’d hopped out before she got the chance. Thank goodness he returned a few minutes later.
“We’re all set.”
“What did you find out?”
“I discovered which jewelers are on the take and which ones are honest.”
“Great.” When they got to his first choice, the shop looked high-end.
“Let me check to see if the man is willing to purchase rings.” A minute later Raven came out and pulled open her door. “He’s cool. Come on.” Raven looked both ways before escorting her inside.
She loved how he watched out for her. She took off the three rings she wanted to sell. The jeweler took his time with them all. “I’ll give you eight thousand dollars.”
While she was a little disappointed, she couldn’t be choosy. Her life was at stake.
He lifted her ring finger. “Are you willing to part with that?”
Her engagement ring was gaudy but lovely. She’d hope it would buy a car. “Perhaps.”
“May I see it?”
She removed the ring. She expected to feel some remorse, but instead a bit of freedom surfaced.
“I’ll give you thirty-five thousand.”
That was more than she could hope for. That amount would buy her way to Seattle. “It’s a deal, but can I get a thousand in cash and the rest in a check?”
“Sure.”
It took the jeweler quite a while before he returned with the money. She figured he’d want to verify the gems weren’t stolen. With the check and a lot of cash in hand, they left. She could push the issue and ask Raven to drive home now, but that might be imposing.
“I will need to buy a car at some point.”
“We can check for one here, but I’m betting we can get a better deal in Pleasure.”
“That’s fine.” If she had purchased a car here, she’d have to drive it back herself. She liked being in Raven’s company.
He checked the time. “The zoo and botanical gardens are open late tonight. You want to see the sights?”
After a long day dealing with the stress of finding a good deal on the rings, a nice stroll through a zoo might be what she needed. “I’d love to.”
While she figured this wasn’t a real date, it kind of felt like one. Too bad, in a month or so, she’d be headed to the big city, and she’d never see either him or Hawk again. Her stomach lurched at the thought, but she wasn’t cut out to live in a small city.
The zoo was quite crowded. They’d done a nice job creating habitats for the animals.
He walked her over to the pride and joy of Billings. “What do you think?”
“I’ve never seen a Siberian tiger before,” Bella said. The tiger was particularly exotic and beautiful.
“And here you thought Miami was special.”
She laughed, enjoying herself more than she had in a long time. She didn’t remember when it happened, but Raven took hold of her hand as they toured the zoo. Being next to him felt comfortable. He pointed out special eating habits of the animals, acting like a wildlife guide. If she didn’t know better, she’d have thought they’d been a couple for years. He had a way of making her laugh and see the good in everything.
He shielded her eyes. “What is it?” she asked. Something at the zoo
made him want to protect her.
He leaned close. “The animals are getting it on.”
She pulled down his hand and laughed. “I’m not a virgin.”
“Oh, yeah?” Before she could respond, he leaned in and kissed her.
Her first instinct was to pull away. He wasn’t Bill, nor was he Hawk. When his hands cupped her face and softened the kiss, she forgot every excuse to stop him. She melted into his body, and her mind exploded with new sensations. Tingles shot down her arms and her pussy reacted like never before.
He leaned back. “Maybe I should have asked first.”
“No. It was nice.” It was a lot more than nice. He was right. The kiss did wake up parts of her body she wasn’t aware existed.
“Come on. I want you to see the flowers. It’s my favorite part.”
Who was this guy? From what he told her about his former job, he created simulation modules for airplane pilots. His passion, he said, was quantum physics, but there wasn’t as much work in that field since he didn’t have his PhD.
“What’s your favorite flower?” she asked. She had no idea what he’d say.
“That’s impossible to answer. I like so many. Maybe it’s the Venus flytrap. It’s beautiful yet practical at the same time.”
By the time they got through seeing everything, the place was closing. “I know of a great place for dinner. You up for sushi?”
“Absolutely. I love sushi, but we’re hardly dressed for a night on the town.”
“Don’t worry. This is Montana, remember. Besides, I know the owner.”
Did he worry she wouldn’t want to be seen with him because he was dressed in all leather? “I was more worried about my wearing jeans.”
“You’d look good in a sack. Maybe tomorrow morning we can shop for some leather gear for you.”
“You think I’ll be riding a motorcycle anytime soon?”
He grinned. “I guarantee it.”
True to his word, the sushi restaurant had wonderful ambiance and excellent food. She couldn’t remember when she’d been more relaxed.
When the check came, she pulled out her wallet.
“The man pays.”
Monroe, Melody Snow - Bella's Bad Bikers [Pleasure, Montana 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 5