“It’s going to be after lunch before I can get to it.”
“Is there another shop in town?” he asked. He suddenly felt anxious again to put more miles behind him.
“No. This is St. Claire. We’ve got one of everything. You’ll have to drive to the next town, but it looks like you’re not going to be doing any driving.” He pointed to the puddle of oil forming by the front tire.
“Shit.” Wyatt stared at the oil.
“Go grab some lunch. There’s a place across the street. I’ll try to take a look and give you an idea of what you’re dealing with here, Army.” Glen smiled, pleased with himself at the new nickname.
Wyatt felt the irritation start to subside. He never finished breakfast and he was still hungry. Lunch wasn’t a bad idea.
“All right. Thanks. I appreciate it.”
He walked toward the restaurant the mechanic had pointed out. He waited for a slow moving car to pass before crossing the street. St. Claire was a picturesque town. The kind you see on the front of a postcard. Nestled in a valley, the giant mountains rose around it, making it seem sheltered and safe.
He pushed open the door to The Skillet, quickly adjusting to the dimness of the small room surrounded by dark wood paneling. According to the sign on the door it was open for breakfast and lunch.
By habit, his eyes instantly darted to the back doors, trying to assess how many exits there were. His hands balled into fists at his side. His eyes shot to the patrons, sizing them up. There were two couples, and in the back a noisy construction crew took up two large tables.
“How many?” a tall woman with thin wired glasses asked.
Wyatt glared at her, but saw the look in her eyes before realizing how she had reacted to him.
“One,” he grumbled.
“Right this way.” She quickly jumped in front of him and sped to the back of the restaurant.
He was about to protest that he couldn’t see the door from here, but realized he had already made her uncomfortable. He expelled a heavy breath and dropped into the seat she offered. He hadn’t meant to scare her.
“Thank you.”
“Your server will be right out.” She scurried away and Wyatt realized how gruff he must seem. He hadn’t shaved in days. He was hungry, and he was annoyed his only mode of transportation was being worked on by a complete stranger.
He ate lunch quickly, tipped generously, and walked back to the garage behind the gas station. He couldn’t stay still. He needed his bike running so he could get back on the road.
Glen was right where he had left him. Only this time he was covered in more grease.
“What’s the verdict?” he asked the mechanic.
“Pretty simple fix. We need to order a few parts and she’ll be good as new.” He said as he pulled an oil stained rag out of his back pocket.
Wyatt peered at the bike. The muffler was lying on the ground. “And how long will that take?”
Wiping his brow, Glen looked at a calendar hanging on the wall behind him. “If I put in the order this afternoon, we might get it by tomorrow.”
He didn’t want to spend the night in St. Claire. He wasn’t sure where he was going to stop, but it wasn’t a town like this. He had planned on driving all night.
“Tomorrow?”
“That’s best case scenario.” The mechanic spit again. “I’ll do my best.”
“All right. Fine.” Wyatt realized he was out of options. “Order what you need to.”
“I’ll call right now.” Glen turned for the office door, which looked like it was the entrance to the gas station. “What’s your name, Army?”
“Call me Wyatt.” Wyatt looked around. “Wait. Is there a motel in this town?”
“We’ve got one. Take a right and head down two blocks. You’ll see it. The Long Pine Inn.”
“Thanks.” Wyatt picked up his pack off the bike and walked out of the garage, following Glen’s instructions.
Chapter Four
Aly
Aly looked at her cell phone. Mitchell promised he would call on his lunch break, but it was after two now and she hadn’t received any messages.
She resisted the urge to send her forgetful fiancé a text. He was busy. She knew that. Although, according to Mitchell he was always busy. He had been too busy to taste wedding cake samples. He had been too busy to meet with the florist. And he was too busy to listen to the bands that had sent in demo CDs for the reception.
Aly knew it wouldn’t always be like this. It couldn't be. After the wedding he would have more time for her. He worked for a demanding pharmaceutical sales company and his job kept him on the road majority of the time. He had to travel across half of Washington. St. Claire certainly didn’t have enough doctors to keep a thriving client list. If she wanted to stay and run the inn the only way was for Mitchell to travel.
She stared at the gorgeous ring on her left hand, the diamond glinted in the light. The night he had proposed she thought her life was finally complete, she had felt...relief. But things didn’t change then. The next day, he was on the road again at the crack of dawn as if nothing was different. Things would change after the wedding. She knew it.
Aly didn’t hear the chime ring over the front door, signaling a visitor. She was too transfixed looking at invitation fonts and save-the-date ideas online.
But she heard the distinct sound of someone clearing their throat and jumped.
At first she thought she had imagined him. Men like that didn’t walk into the Long Pine. Holy shit. He was tall and built like one of the massive mountains bordering town. She tried not to gawk at his wide shoulders and broad chest. He had a close cropped haircut, but the stubble on his jaw filled in with a rough shadow. His dark blue eyes swirled with shades of cobalt.
“Can I help you?” Aly quickly closed the screen of the laptop.
He seemed confused or lost. Possibly both. He stared at her, his eyes narrowing and sparking all the bits of blue. She noticed how his chest shuddered with each breath he took.
“S-sir?” she stammered. Why was she so nervous.
“Yeah?” He looked almost wild as if he was trying to escape from something, but she couldn’t imagine what.
“Do you need something? A reservation?” She knew she was engaged, and Mitchell was the only man for her, but she couldn’t stop staring at the stranger. She hadn’t decided yet if there was anything wrong with looking at him.
“I do.” He took a step closer to the counter. “I need a room for the night.”
“All right.” She scanned the list of available suites. “Only one night?”
He nodded as if in slow motion. “I’m waiting on my bike to be repaired.”
“Ahh, Glen’s working on it for you?”
“How did you know?”
She smiled. “There’s only one mechanic in St. Claire and everyone knows Glen.”
“Oh right.” He stepped closer to the desk.
“What’s wrong with your bike?” she asked.
“I’m not sure exactly. There was smoke and a definite oil leak.” He rubbed the side of his face.
“He’ll figure it out. He’s the best mechanic in town.” She smiled at him, turning for the box where the room keys were stored. “Here you go.”
He took the key from her, but she noticed his eyes darken even more as they locked on her engagement ring. She could have sworn she heard a rumble come from his chest. It was the closest thing to a growl she’d ever heard from a man.
“Something wrong?” she asked. She realized she was practically breathless.
He snatched the key, shoving it into his pocket. “What’s the room number?”
“You are on the top floor. It’s room 401.” She didn’t know why she felt the sudden urge to cover up the diamond ring. She tucked her hand behind her back. She’d never done anything like that before. If anything, she loved to show it off any chance she got.
He slid a credit card across the counter. “How much?”
Aly punch
ed in the room number into the system to reserve it. “Wyatt Lincoln,” she murmured while she typed. She saw the flag in the corner of the card. “Are you in the military?”
“Why?” His voice was gruff and low. It was the sexiest voice she had ever heard.
“We offer a military discount, that’s all.”
“I don’t need a hand out.”
Her cheeks flushed as she explained. “It’s not a hand out. It’s only 10%, but it’s something we like to do for our service members.” She felt the hair at the base of her neck starting to prickle. The longer he stared at her, the more she was starting to react.
“I’ll pass.” He reached for the credit card, stuffing it back in his wallet.
“I already applied it.” She smiled.
“That’s wasn’t necessary.”
“My uncle was in the Army and my grandfather always gave discounts, so did my father. And so do I.”
She processed the reservation and printed a receipt for him. It was the first time she could think of someone arguing about a discount at the inn. Most customers came in with coupons or codes they wanted scanned from their smart phones and they usually tried to negotiate for an even higher discount than what was offered.
“We have a delicious continental breakfast that starts at seven, It’s complimentary for all guests. And if you need anything else, just let me know. I’m Aly.”
“Aly?”
She nodded, unsure of why he said her name the way he did, as if he were practicing how it would sound on his tongue. It shot an unexpected wave of sensation through her.
“The elevators are over there.” She pointed to the small bay directly across from the desk.
“Thank you.” He gave her a nod and then slung his battered pack over his large shoulder and walked toward the brass doors.
She couldn’t stop staring. It was as much involuntary as it was necessary. His shoulders almost touched each of the doors as he stepped inside.
The doors closed behind him and for a moment Aly forgot she was trying to choose invites and save-the-dates. She blinked hard then opened her screen again.
“Mitchell, Mitchell, Mitchell.” she whispered to herself. Saying his name reminded her there was another man she should be thinking about.
5
Wyatt
In the elevator he exhaled loudly and pressed the button quickly to shut the heavy doors. Her name was Aly and she was incredible. He repeated her name over and over in his head until the soft ping indicated he had arrived to the fourth floor. He distractedly slid the metal key in the lock and turned the handle.
He took another deep breath, trying to steady his sudden need to go back down to the front desk and see her again.
In one instant, his body felt like it had came back to life at the sight of her. Her beautiful long waves of auburn hair. Her soft chestnut eyes. Her genuine smile. He felt warmth and an immediate want to connect with her. His entire body had seized when she looked in his eyes. Aly was gorgeous, sexy, and fucking engaged. Of course she was.
The instant he saw the ring, he had been seized with another feeling. One of surprisingly strong jealousy. Someone else had claimed his newly found treasure. Someone else had been lucky enough to meet her first.
He picked up a glass from the drink tray and threw it against the wall. It crashed, shattering against the wallpaper.
He knew he was being ridiculous. He didn’t know anything about her. He didn’t know why she was in St. Claire, or why she was working at the front desk. He didn’t know why his damn bike broke down here, and why Glen had sent him to this inn. He did know that he didn't believe in fate or anything crazy like that.
There were guys in the desert who held on to ideologies that go them through the worst times. Dark times. When life was hanging on by a thread. That had to find a reason and a purpose, but Wyatt didn’t. He never believed in anything. Life just happened. So he wasn’t about to try to attach meaning to Aly. It was pointless.
He sat on the edge of the bed, folding his hands together.
Two hours ago he had been riding, putting miles behind him and the career he had just left. He had been searching, restless and tired. He wanted something to quiet his soul. Still the ghosts he saw when he closed his eyes. They were always there, reminding him he had survived. The ghosts filled his nightmares, haunting his sleep.
He awakened in a cold sweat. The fear chilling his spine. The ghosts whirling through his dreams even when he was awake.
He didn’t deserve peace. He didn’t deserve happiness. And he sure as hell didn’t deserve to live happily ever after with a woman like Aly.
He buried his head in his hands. Damn it. He shouldn’t even be alive. He had escaped death. Maybe this was the price he had to pay for it. A life without peace. A life without solace. A life without a partner.
Being a Green Beret had prepared him to survive unimaginable tests and overcome extreme obstacles. He could go without food, water, and little to no sleep. He could tolerate 125 degrees of dry desert heat, and the negative degree winds of polar cold. He had been trained to handle everything. Except meeting her.
Climbing on his bike tomorrow and riding away from this woman he didn’t even know wouldn’t be harder than the torture he had been through. He didn’t deserve her and it looked like she had already found someone that did.
Chapter Five
Aly
Everything seemed quiet in the inn. Too quiet. It wasn’t a busy time of year, and with her dad out of town she couldn’t shake the loneliness starting to settle in. There was a time when Aly could remember when rooms at the inn were in high demand. It was becoming more and more of a faint memory, however.
St. Claire wasn’t much of a destination anymore. Most of the shops downtown had closed. There weren’t many restaurants other than the Skillet. They didn’t even have a movie theater. One of her favorite memories from when she was a little girl was going to the ice cream shop with her father. They would walk down every Saturday afternoon in the summer once the guests had all been checked in. She loved the feel of the cool air hitting her face as they walked through the door. Mr. Elliot, the owner of the shop, always greeted her by saying “Hello Ms. Aly. What’ll be, today?” Even though he knew her order by heart, one scoop of vanilla and one scoop of strawberry in a waffle cone with sprinkles on top, she would play along and pretend to contemplate all the choices. Her father loved the butter pecan and together they would sit and eat their treats at a two top table by the large window overlooking the street. Sadly the ice cream shop had closed a few years ago when the economy tanked and Mr. Elliot decided to move closer to his grandchildren in Seattle.
She sighed, feeling the cool air push through her nose. She turned off the dimming light under the counter and closed her laptop. She retrieved the marble sign that said the desk was closed for the night, and placed it at the edge of the counter.
She heard the familiar creak of the foyer stairs and turned to see Wyatt Lincoln making his way down the staircase. She had almost forgotten about him for the past few hours. Almost.
“Hi.” She waved, but his intense dark blue stare made it seem as if he had no interest in speaking to her. She shook her head. Why should she expect otherwise? They had spoken for less than ten minutes earlier.
He ducked out the front door and walked toward the Lucky Coin bar. Aly drifted closer to the window, watching his large form disappear inside. Something about him made her think dangerous thoughts. The kind she could never and would never admit out loud, like how hard his body looked even covered in clothes. How she would love to feel his muscles wrapped around her. How tiny she would surely feel in his arms.
She jumped when she felt the vibration against her back pocket.
“Mitchell, I was getting worried.” She held the phone closer to her ear. It was noisy wherever he was.
“I’m headed to dinner with a group of doctors. I can’t really talk, hon. It’s been crazy busy.”
Aly sighed, slumping
into a nearby wingback chair. “Did you at least have a good day?”
“I’d say so. I landed five new accounts.” She could hear him smile through the phone.
“That’s incredible! We should celebrate when you get home.”
There was an awkward silence.
“So, how is the weather there”? She winced at how lame she sounded.
“What? Oh. It’s fine. Rainy.” He seemed to cover the phone and there was muffled voices.
“Were you able to see Jake, yet?” Speaking of his college roomate. “I know you said he was in town too.”
“Uh, no not yet. Maybe later tonight.”
She was really struggling to make conversation but he certainly wasn’t helping. She waited another second to see if he was going to ask about how things were going at home. No such luck.
“Well wait until you hear about-”
He cut her off. There was a garbled sound in the background as Mitchell started speaking in a rush. “Look, I gotta go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“All right, but my dad—” The line went silent and Aly stared at the dark phone in her hand.
She had wanted to tell him her father was in the city for a few days, and was going on a first date. She still hadn’t sorted through how she felt about that. She also wanted to ask him if he had a preference on navy or black lettering for the save-the-dates. It might encourage him to finalize something on the calendar. She knew he was busy, but maybe when he was back home they’d have a chance to talk.
She glanced at the empty lobby and heard the distinct grumble of her stomach. Checking her watch she made a quick decision. There was only one place other than the pizza restaurant on the edge of town that was open at night. She grabbed her coat and walked outside toward the Lucky Coin.
Chapter Six
Wyatt
Wyatt dug his elbows into the bar, pressing the smooth black varnish until his skin was red. It was dark inside the Lucky Coin. Just how he liked it. There was a row of booths along the back wall and three sides of the bar lined with stools.
Her Pleasure Warrior_A Military Romance Page 2