Desire Had A Name: The Bad Baker Boys: Matt's Story

by Tonya Brooks

  “Dammit, Harley, don't ever do that to me again,” Matt breathed harshly and released her to lean against the car he'd been working on, his entire body weak with relief. “What happened?”

  “He got in a fight with a boy at the park. Eddie Simms,” she frowned. “Why is that name familiar?”

  “Charlie Simms kid,” Matt said as he bent to retrieve the wrench and toss it in the open toolbox.

  Her nose wrinkled in distaste. “No wonder the boy is a little monster.” His father was a complete ass.

  “The fight, Harley,” Matt reminded her impatiently. She never had been easy to converse with. Her mind seemed to jump from one thing to another and by the time they were finished, he'd forget what they'd been arguing about in the first place.

  “Oh. That horrid child picked a fight with Jed because you beat up his father last night,” she accused and had no doubt what the outcome had been. Matthew had never lost a fight in his life, no matter what Charlie said.

  “Damn straight.” Matt agreed without remorse.

  “Dammit, Matthew, what kind of an example are you setting for Jed?” She demanded hotly. “He can't just go around beating up other children.”

  “Did he win?” Matt asked with a grin of pure pride.

  “Yes, but that's not the point,” she said in exasperation and placed her hands on her hips. “And what were you doing fighting with Charlie?”

  “He insulted you.”

  “Oh.” That managed to cool her temper again. It was ironic that Matthew had always been fiercely protective of her even though he was the only one that had ever been able to really hurt her. “Well, don't do it again. Jed's so impressionable right now. He needs you to set a good example, not teach him how to be a hellion.”

  “I don't have to teach him how to raise hell, Harley.” Matt informed her dryly. “Jed's a Baker. It comes naturally.”

  “Dammit, Matthew, that's exactly what I mean,” she complained hotly. “With an attitude like that...”

  “I'll talk to Jed,” he cut in before she went off in a full blown tirade again.

  “'Bout what, Dad?” The boy asked as he entered the garage with his grandfather.

  Matt tipped his son's face up to get a better look at the black eye. “Why were you fighting with Eddie?” He asked with more patience than he felt.

  “He was tellin' lies about you and mom, so I shut him up.”

  “What kind of lies?” Matt frowned.

  Their son stared at the ground as he reluctantly repeated what the boy had told him. “He said you and mom are still married, but you don't live together 'cause you hate each other. He said the only reason you got married was 'cause Mom was pregnant with me and you didn't wanna go to jail. He said you didn't know if I was your son or not. He said...”

  “That's enough.” Matt said quietly as he stared at Harley's stricken expression and knew that every word had stabbed her as deeply as it had him. The past had come back to haunt them and their son had been hurt because of their foolishness. He gave the boy a level look and said, “Your mom and I don't hate each other, Jed, and we thought we were divorced. Your mom just found out that we weren't and she came back home to tell me.”

  When the stunned expression left his sons face and it looked like the boy was going to start asking questions that he didn't know how to answer, Matt hastily added, “We did get married because of you, but that was the right thing to do, no matter how Eddie made it sound. As for the rest of it, you only have to look in a mirror to know you're a Baker. I know you're my son and that's all that matters.”

  The boy met the eyes so like his own and asked, “Why'd you get in a fight with Eddie's dad?”

  “He insulted your mom and I defended her. Just like you did,” Matt admitted heavily. “But that doesn't mean it was right and fighting isn't something you should do except as a last resort. Understand?”

  “Yes, sir,” Jed agreed amiably. Then his expression became mutinous as he warned in a tone that left no one in doubt that he was indeed his father's son, “But I'm not gonna let anybody tell lies about mom. It's my responsibility to protect her.”

  All the times that she had defended her own mother came back to slap Harley in the face because she realized her son had been forced to do the same thing. “And you do it very well.” Harley said tremulously as she stepped forward and kissed his cheek.

  Jed wiped his cheek because kisses were gross and heard his dad laugh. “Dad defended you, too, Mom,” he pointed out mischievously. “So you gotta kiss him, too.”

  Grateful to Matthew for the way he had explained the past to Jed without any recriminations or lies, and unable to come up with a plausible reason not to, Harley walked over to her husband and kissed his cheek to please their son.

  There was no way in hell he was gonna let an opportunity like this pass without taking advantage of it. “You call that a kiss?” Matt complained and slid an arm around her waist to pull an unsuspecting Harley flush against the length of him. “This is a kiss,” he informed their son and lowered his head to claim her slightly parted lips.

  He'd meant to just tease her lips with his, but once he had her where he wanted her, the desire he'd never been able to prevent took over. Raw unquenchable need surged through him with hurricane force, and helpless to resist it, Matt devoured her mouth as if he were starved for her. Which he was.

  “Dad, that's gross!” Their son complained even as he grinned at the sight of his parents kissing. The last of his concerns about them hating each other, gone in an instant.

  “Won't be long till you're kissin' girls yourself,” Jedidiah informed his grandson with glee as he watched the couple doing what they should have been doing all along.

  Harley's pulse was racing wildly when Matthew released her and she held onto him because her knees were too weak to move away. Dammit! Why did this man have such a powerful effect on her that no one else had ever been able to compete with? She couldn't believe that he had just kissed her and even more shocking, she had returned the kiss just as hungrily. She couldn't even raise hell about it with Jed grinning happily at them.

  Matt's pulse was racing as well and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again, but knew better than to press his luck. The only reason that Harley hadn't raised hell was because their son was there. That realization gave him an idea. “Jed, what do you say we invite your Mom over for dinner tonight?” Matt asked innocently as he kept his arm around her waist. Yeah, he was shamelessly using the boy to get to her, but a desperate man would use any means at his disposal.

  Matt Baker was a desperate man.

  “Wanna come, Mom?” Jed asked hopefully. “Grandpa's cookin' is the best.”

  “Well...” she hedged and tried to think of an excuse not to. Any excuse would do.

  “Please, Mom.” Jed implored. “I've never had dinner with both of my parents before.”

  Guilt was hell on a mother's conscience. “I'd like that.” Harley lied with a smile as she stepped away from her soon to be ex-husband.

  “It's a date then.” Matt said with a bland expression even though his brain was doing a victory dance at the thought. “I'll pick you up at six.”

  “You guys are goin' on a date?” Jed asked, the obsidian eyes round with excitement.

  “It's not a real date, Sweetie.” Harley demurred, not willing to give the boy the wrong impression. Especially now that he knew they were still married.

  “Sure it is.” Matt countered with a wink at their son. “I'm gonna pick her up, we'll eat dinner and then I'll take her home. That's what a date is.”

  Jed didn't have to be told about dating. He'd already heard all about that from the uncles. He flashed his own bad boy grin and asked devilishly, “You gonna have sex?”

  Harley gasped and stared at her son in astonishment that he would ask something so outrageous. Matt grinned at him in approval because his son definitely had the right idea.

  “A gentleman doesn't discuss such things, Jed.” Jedidiah informed his gr
andson in amusement.

  “Why not?”

  “Because if he does, people will talk about his girl and then he'll have to defend her,” the older man explained. “But all of that can be avoided if he keeps his mouth shut to begin with.”

  “You mean like mom and dad,” the boy said with a mature reasoning that belied his years.

  “Just like that,” his grandfather agreed.

  ~~~~

  Harley went home and informed her mother and sister that she was having dinner with the Baker's, which pleased her mother and amused her sister. Ignoring their smiles and knowing glances, she went to her room to rifle through the clothes that she had brought with her. There was nothing suitable for dinner with the family, so she ran to the mall and bought a simple little white knit sundress that was casual and comfortable.

  Once she arrived back at the house she was in a panic to get ready because it was almost six. “Mom, if Matthew gets here before I'm ready, for God's sake, don't let Stella say anything embarrassing about us still being married,” she pleaded and headed to her room.

  Stella poked her head in the door and asked with a knowing smile, “Matt's picking you up?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why didn't you tell us it was a date?”

  “It's not a date,” she denied as she touched up her makeup.

  “Uh, huh.”

  Harley threw a hairbrush at her sister who laughed as she closed the door. This is ridiculous, she told herself as she raced into the bedroom to take her clothes off and pull the dress on over her head. You're getting all wound up, and for what? Dinner with the family. You've had dinner with them hundreds of times. Tonight is nothing special.

  They'd probably eat outside and wind up being eaten alive by mosquitoes, she assured herself as she picked the brush up from the floor and ran it through her hair. The sound of the doorbell galvanized her into action and she began digging through the plastic that still covered everything looking for her other sandal. Dammit, where was that shoe?

  “Your dates here,” Stella said as she stuck her head in the door.

  “It's not a date.” Harley denied again as she pulled the shoe out from under the bed.

  “If you say so,” her sister laughed and closed the door.

  Harley walked into the living room and apologized, “Sorry it took so long, Matthew. I couldn't find my sandal.”

  “It was worth the wait. I like the dress.” Matt complimented as his eyes roved appreciatively over her curves and the ample amount of flesh on display. Now this looked like something the old Harley would have worn. It was a hell of a lot more casual than what she'd had on the night before and hugged every glorious inch that his hands ached to touch.

  “This old thing?” She derided and wished the floor would open up and swallow her when her sister reached over and pulled the price tag off.

  “Y'all have a good time.” Stella said knowingly. “And don't do anything I wouldn't do.”

  “I didn't realize there was anything you wouldn't do.” Harley shot back dryly.

  “You know me so well,” her sister admitted with a saucy wink at Matt.

  “She hasn't changed a bit since high school.” Matt laughed as he led Harley to the car and opened the door for her.

  “Stella had a huge crush on you back then.” Harley commented.

  Matthew and Stella had been in the same class and her sister had talked about him all the time. Oddly enough, Stella was one of the few women in town that Matthew had never dated. But her sister had dated damn near every other man in town, married or single. Stella had the same wild streak as their father and had never really grown up. To her, life was one continuous party, in spite of the fact that she had a daughter to take care of.

  “She always scared the hell out of me.” Matt admitted. “Your sister is one crazy woman.”

  “Try living with her.” Harley said with feeling and slid into the passenger seat. Her eyes roved over the car’s interior and she felt an odd sense of familiarity. Once Matthew got in, she asked, “Didn't you used to drive a car like this?”

  “This is it.”

  “You're kidding!” She exclaimed as she looked it over. “It looks brand new.” When they were teenagers it had looked like a piece of junk even if it had been the fastest hod rod in town.

  “I completely restored her,” he said proudly. “It took years, but she's worth it. I plan to give her to Jed when he's old enough to drive.”

  “Matthew Baker, you will not put that innocent child in this... this... 'Bed on Wheels'!” She refused adamantly.

  “But it's a great car,” he protested in amusement at her use of the old nickname he hadn't heard in years.

  “With a huge back seat,” she reminded him bluntly.

  “Our son was conceived in this car, Harley.” Matt agreed proudly. “It's only fitting that he should drive it.”

  “He's also arrogant enough to believe he'd be carrying on a family tradition if he got a girl pregnant in it,” she said indignantly.

  That was a sobering thought and entirely probable. “He can have a two seater.”

  “No hatchbacks.”

  “A van is definitely out of the question.”

  “Definitely.”

  “How about a motorcycle?”

  “Are you kidding?”

  “It's practically impossible to fool around on one.”

  “Doesn't matter. All that horsepower and freedom is a huge turn on. They'd just find someplace else to fool around.”

  “You're serious,” he realized. “Women really get turned on by bikes?”

  “How do you think I got my name?” Harley asked dryly. “Mom was so hot for my dad's bike that she named me after the damn thing.”

  That revelation bore some serious thought. “You know, I saw a really nice one for sale the other day,” he mused aloud.

  “Jed is not getting a motorcycle!”

  “Hell, no,” Matt readily agreed. “I was thinking about getting it for me.”

  Matthew Baker on a motorcycle. She shivered at the thought. He was too sexy to begin with, but on a bike... lord help the female population. “Just make damn sure that Jed never drives it or the car,” she warned and then it occurred to her that Jed was only twelve. It would be years before he could drive and any of this was even relevant. Harley began to laugh at the ridiculous conversation they'd just had. “Would you listen to us? We sound like real parents.”

  “We are real parents.”

  “I meant married ones.”

  “We are married.” Matt said quietly and neither of them could think of another word to say after that.

  ~~~~

  Luke and John welcomed Harley as exuberantly as Mark had and within minutes it began to feel as if she'd never left. Matt had known how much his brothers loved Harley and it was never more evident that she was indeed a member of the family than right now. The only fly in the ointment was the knowledge that she and Mark had been lovers, and he couldn't completely suppress the jealousy that threatened to flare up when they were together.

  “Welcome home, Sis.” John grinned happily as he picked her up and swung her around in the middle of the kitchen.

  “John, you cut your hair!” Harley exclaimed in surprise. The last time she had seen him, his hair had been almost as long as hers. Now he sported a short spiky haircut and a goatee that made him look deliciously wicked. Oh, yeah, he had definitely grown into the bad boy reputation.

  “He got a damn earring.” Jedidiah grumbled as he passed them carrying a platter of food.

  “I love a man with an earring. It's sexy as hell.” Harley grinned and received another hug for the compliment.

  “God, I've missed you.” John laughed mischievously. “You always were the only one with enough balls to disagree with the old man and get away with it.”

  “The prodigal has returned more beautiful than when she left.” Luke said as he picked her up and hugged her fiercely.

  “Luke, you handsome devil. Did t
hey teach you how to flatter a woman at Harvard?” She teased as she looked him over. Yeah, he was just as handsome as his brothers but something about him was different. He had an air of confidence that he hadn't had before, and there was something else that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Something almost dangerous that definitely qualified him for bad boy status.

  “My sister taught me that,” he grinned and hugged her again. “It's good to have you home, Harley.”

  “It's good to see you,” she said fondly and shook her head as she looked up at the two of them. “I can't call you guys little brother any more. You're both taller than I am.”

  “I guess that makes you the runt of the litter.” Mark joked as he hugged her. “And you know what happens to the runt.”

  “The big dog protects her.” Matt said pointedly and his brother released her. “Pop says dinner's ready.”

  “Then let's eat.” John said as he took Harley's arm and led her outside to the picnic table.

  Dinner at the Baker's had always been a rowdy affair and tonight was no exception. As she had expected, they ate outside on the rear veranda as they usually did when the weather permitted, and it was almost like old times. The only thing that had changed was the atmosphere. Matt and Harley were actually laughing and joking with each other much to his families surprise and his father's delight. Jed just thought it was cool to have his parents together for dinner since he had never experienced it before.

  Too curious to pass up the opportunity to find out what he could, Luke asked, “So, what makes you think the annulment wasn't legitimate, Harley?”

  “The whole thing is confusing to me,” she admitted as she passed a basket of rolls to Mark. Harley really didn't want to discuss it in front of Jed, but she knew Luke would be curious since law was his field of expertise.

  “Fortunately, Donald is very meticulous when it comes to details or I would have wound up a bigamist. He checked the annulment just to make sure there were no problems and discovered there was no record of it ever being filed,” she shrugged in dismay. “I can't imagine how it happened. Judge Daniels assured me that everything would be finalized once Matthew and I signed the documents.”