They sent a few messages back and forth before he fell asleep on the motel bed. He did the same thing the next day, and the next, and the next. Soon it felt like his phone was constantly buzzing in his pocket. Then, one evening he called her.
One night, during what had become their nightly phone call, Mary asked him a question that made his heart beat faster. “Ty, my roommate is going out of town for the weekend. If you’re not busy, do you want to spend the weekend here?”
“Of course.”
The next Friday, he drove to her apartment directly from work. He arrived rather late in the evening. As he walked around the building from the parking lot, he noticed that the window that looked into her living room was thrown open and he could see her puttering around.
“Mary!” he called. She looked up and then turned towards the window. “Mary!” he said again.
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” he called up at the open window as she got closer. She stuck her head out of the window and looked down at him.
“Tyler?” She leaned out further, as if she was trying to get a better look at him, but it was hard with the lack of light.
“You’re going to fall out, silly.”
“I’m not! But come around to the front door. Why didn’t you just text me?”
“This seemed like a little more fun, Juliet.”
“If I was any less secure, I’d be worried that you didn’t remember my name.”
“How could I ever forget your name? Mary, Mary, quite contrary.”
“Stop joking around and get your butt up here!”
Tyler laughed and took a step back. “Do you want me to climb?”
“No! Go to the damn front door!” She leaned out further, bracing her hands on the window ledge. She was hanging halfway out the window. He was sure she was going to fall right out, and then their evening together would be a trip to the hospital. But she didn’t. She slid back inside. “Seriously. Go to the front door and I’ll buzz you up.” She disappeared and the window closed.
He walked around the building and at the front door he pressed her apartment call button. There was a loud buzzing noise and the click of a lock. He pulled the door open and entered the lobby. A tired-looking security guard barely raised his head from his newspaper.
The apartment building wasn’t in the best neighborhood. It was a mile or so off of main campus, and Mary had assured him that the area was mostly students, which was why it didn’t look the most appealing.
He made it up the stairs, the elevator was broken, and before he raised his hand to knock on the door, it flew open.
Mary had never taken so long to figure out what she was going to wear before. She was an adult. In grad school. She had a career track in psychology planned out for herself. And she spent an hour and a half trying on outfits that she had worn countless times before, on many dates, and still wasn’t thrilled with her final pick.
“You look beautiful.”
Okay, maybe it wasn’t so bad. The dress was better suited to warmer weather. It cut off at her knees, and hugged her waist before flaring at the hips. He took a step towards her and put his hands on her hips. He didn’t make another move. She liked that she had to meet him half way with things. He wasn’t pushy. He opened the door, she had to walk through it.
She stepped forward and stood on her tip toes. He was so much bigger than she was. Even bigger than Brett. She had always been taller than they were, even though she was younger, until they hit puberty. Then they both dwarfed her. She leaned in for a kiss but stopped an inch from his lips. “Remember when I was taller than you were?”
He laughed. “For like five minutes.”
“For like a whole year.”
She put one foot on the top of his heavy biker boot and tested it. It didn’t give. And then she stood on the other foot as well. Even with the extra help, she was still shorter. “Well, you aren’t any more.” He closed the gap between their lips and she wrapped her arms around him.
She balanced on his boots as she kissed him. She loved kissing him. He was somehow both rough and gentle at the same time. He slowly pulled away, and she frowned in disappointment. She had wanted to kiss him since she was thirteen, now that they were actually dating she felt like every moment she spent not kissing him was a moment wasted.
“We need to stop for right now,” he said throatily.
“Why?” she purred, leaning in again.
“Because kissing you makes me a little crazy. And we had actual real plans for tonight.”
They did. And she was excited. They were going to have a normal, boring evening a catch up. And eat pizza. She stepped off his boots. “I have pizza menus!”
“Menus? It’s pizza. Cheese and meat.”
She pursed her lips. “There is more to it than that.” She picked up a folded menu from the table top and handed it to him. He flipped it open and looked up at her.
“Cheese and meat.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll order.” She picked up her cell phone and dialed the number. She ordered two large pizzas (if what she remembered of meals when Tyler and Brett were teenagers, it was better to have left overs than to deal with a grumpy, hungry shifter). She could certainly eat too. Her friends always commented on her ability to eat so much, but shifting always took a lot of energy.
She hung up the phone. “It’ll be 45 minutes.”
“What ever will we do with the time?” Tyler leaned against the counter. He looked so funny in her small apartment, like he was in a doll house.
“I can think of a few things,” Mary winked.
“None of those things are happening. We need to pick a movie.”
Mary sighed. “Okay. Well, the world is your oyster. What do you want to watch?”
She picked her laptop up off the couch, and plugged in the cord that connected it to her television. “Something action-y?” Tyler asked.
“Sounds good.” She scrolled through the movie listings until she landed on something that they both wanted to see and then she hit play. They curled up on the couch together. It seemed like neither of them quite knew how to position themselves.
They were saved from some of the awkwardness by the pizza guy.
Mary set the pizzas on the counter and grabbed two plates. She handed him one and helped herself to a few slices.
They curled back up on the couch. This time, Tyler put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him. They polished off the pizzas and finished the movie. Mary put the two plates in the dish washer and then rubbed her arms. “Bed time?” she asked tentatively. She hadn’t figured out how to bring up sleeping arrangements, even though she had thought about it almost constantly since she invited Tyler over.
“Where do you want me to sleep? I’m happy to take the couch if that makes you more comfortable,” Tyler said, kindly.
“You can sleep in bed with me,” Mary said. “You just have to deal with me kicking you all night.”
“I think I can handle that.” She took his hand and led him to the bedroom. He went to the bathroom to change while she changed in her room. They climbed into bed, laying stiffly next to each other. Tyler turned over, pulled Mary into his arms and nuzzled his nose against her neck.
“Your nose is cold,” she whispered. She could feel the rumble of his chuckle.
“Sorry,” he whispered back. She let herself relax into his arms and she fell asleep.
“Did April invite you to dinner too?” Mary asked the second Tyler picked up his phone. It was two weeks after they had spent the weekend together and Tyler had driven up to see Mary every weekend since.
“Hello to you too. Yeah, she did. I was thinking about saying no.”
“No! Say yes. Because if I have to sit and listen to them go goo goo over cars then you have to too.”
“I don’t mind talking about cars,” Tyler reminded her. “I do belong to an MC.”
Mary rolled her eyes. “Whatever, at least if you’re there I’ll have something to look at while you guy
s talk.”
“Are you calling me eye candy?” Tyler asked, amused.
“Yes. Yes I am.”
A few days later Mary pulled into her brother’s driveway. She had a bag packed so she could stay the weekend. Otherwise it would be a bit pointless to drive five hours for dinner only to drive five hours back. April was thrilled that Mary was staying the weekend, it gave her time to get to know Brett’s sister. Mary was excited as well. She hadn’t been able to spend much time with April and she was excited to add another girl to the family.
Mary got out of her car and went to the door. Just as she rang the doorbell, Tyler pulled in. He got off his bike and jogged to the door. He grabbed Mary’s hand and squeezed it just as the door was opening. April stood there, grinning widely. Her eyes darted to their hands parting and then she looked back up at them.
“Welcome!” She pulled them both into a hug and ushered them inside. She sat them down at the small table in the breakfast nook, and Mary offered to help with dinner.
“Where’s Brett?” Mary asked.
“He got stuck at the shop late. He texted me just as you arrived saying he was on his way. Mary, could you help me set the table?”
“Sure thing.” April grabbed some plates and headed into the dining room, and Mary was about to follow with the utensils when Tyler grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. He kissed her lightly on the lips and she smiled up at him.
As she turned to head into the dining room, she realized April was in the doorway. Mary wasn’t sure how much she saw, but her brother’s fiancée didn’t say anything. Mary exited the kitchen to put the utensils on the table.
By the time Mary and April had finished cooking, and Tyler brought all the pots out to the table, Brett had arrived. They all sat down and began to chat as they served food. Tyler asked Brett about the shop, and Brett and April discussed the car they were restoring. The night was going exactly as Mary had thought it would go until April turned to Mary.
“Are you two dating?” April asked kindly, looking between Tyler and Mary. There was a long silence and then Brett spoke.
Brett snapped. “Of course they’re not.” Mary looked away from Brett and at April. She wasn’t sure what to say. Lying to her family seemed like an awful way to start out her relationship with Tyler.
Tyler looked down, away from Brett and April raised an eyebrow. “You guys just seemed cozy, sorry. I didn’t—“ April started.
Brett cut her off. “Tyler? Dude?”
Tyler was looking guiltier than Mary had ever seen him.
“You’ve been fucking my sister?” Brett screamed. His face was turning red.
“No!” Tyler yelled. “We haven’t—“
“But you’re not denying that you’ve been seeing her!” Brett stood up. Mary had never seen him so angry in her life.
“What is wrong with me dating Tyler?” Mary said, calmly. She wasn’t going to play into Brett’s hysteria.
“Because you’re my little sister and he’s my friend, so you’re off limits.”
“Brett, you can’t tell me who I can and can’t date. I’m not a child, and you’re not my mother.” Mary stood. “April, thanks for dinner. It was delicious. Brett, fuck off.” Mary stormed out of the dining room, and grabbed the keys to Brett’s motorcycle off of the table by the front door. She hopped on the bike and peeled out of the driveway.
She wanted Brett to sweat it out a bit when he discovered that his beloved bike was gone. It would be clear she took it, her car was in the driveway, but she was pissed and it seemed like a good way of getting back at him.
She turned onto a busier street and stopped at the traffic light. She heard the rumble of other bike engines and she looked around. Her heart sank as three bikers pulled up behind her. They were wearing the Tribe cuts.
“Marty! Isn’t that the Clan bitch who knocked over Lou’s bike the other day?”
Mary kept her head down, hoping that her hair obscured her face.
“It sure is,” one of the other men growled.
“Shit,” Mary muttered. The light turned and she gunned it down the street. Her heart pounded in her chest, sending fear through her. She wasn’t sure what crazy, pissed bikers would do but she had a sinking feeling that whatever it was, it wouldn’t be anything good.
Two of them sped up so they were neck in neck with her. She slammed on the brakes and made a fast turn onto another street, but the third biker pulled away from the other two and managed to follow her. Soon the other two were on her tail as well.
One biker pulled directly behind her, and the other two moved to her side, trying to edge her off the road. She sped up and so did they. There was no way that she could get away from them. One of them moved in closer, and Mary’s wheels skidded on the grass that bordered the road. She felt her grip slip away from her and the front of the bike turned, pitching her off of it. She turned herself and hit the ground shoulder first. She heard a crack and fire burned through her arm. The bike came behind her, and rolled over her right leg before falling over onto her leg. She screamed as pain shot through her. She had never experienced anything like it.
She heard the jeers of the Tribe bikers. They stopped, turned, and rode back to where she was laying in the grass. “That’s what you get bitch. Tell the Clan not to fuck with us. If you make it.”
The sound of their wheels on the road signaled their exit. With the arm that wasn’t injured, Mary tried to reach down to her pocket to grab her phone, but it wasn’t there. She turned her head and she saw it.
Her phone was a few feet away from her. It light up and began to buzz, Tyler’s name was displayed on the caller ID. She crawled forward. Everything hurt. She was pretty sure her right leg was broken. Brett’s bike was trashed. She reached for it, and she managed to swipe the take button. “Tyler,” she said, hoping he could hear her. “I crashed. The Tribe. Ran me off road. Help.”
She heard Tyler’s panicked voice, garbled from how far away the phone was, and then she knew no more.
She woke up in the hospital, and the first thing she felt was pain. She groaned. Her whole body ached. She turned her head to see Brett sleeping in the chair next to her hospital bed. “Brett,” she whispered. Her throat was dry.
He blinked and opened his eyes. He leapt up from his chair and leaned over her bed. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I’m in pain,” she muttered. “How long was I out?”
“About twelve hours. You’re healing quickly, all things considered. Two fractures in your right leg and a broken arm. They thought your clavicle was broken too, but you healed by the time they got you to the hospital. Hopefully we can get you discharged soon so we can go home and saw off your cast.” Mary had never been so thankful that being a shifter made her heal faster than the average person.
“Do you want to go tell a nurse or something that I’m awake so I can get out of here?”
“Can do, little sis.” Brett walked towards the door but before he left, Mary called his name.
“Just so you know,” she said. “I’m still pissed at you.”
“You can be pissed.”
“Where’s Tyler?”
“He’s home. He got you here, I took the next shift. We’re not talking.”
Mary rolled her eyes. “Go find a nurse.”
It took a few hours to get her discharge paperwork together. The doctors wanted to keep her longer but they couldn’t deny that she was healing rapidly and seemed to be doing very well. Brett drove her to his house and helped her into the guest room.
Spurred Bearback (BBW Shifter Cowboy Western Romance) (Bear Ranchers Book 4) Page 40