by L. Wilder
Goliath made love to his wife, again and again, until she was completely satisfied and sound asleep in his arms. The next morning, they were still in the bed together when he called Maverick.
Lily listened as Goliath said, “Yeah, she’s just gotta change the sheets, and then we’ll be all set.” There was a pause and then he continued, “I already told her that. But you know how women are about stuff like that.” Shaking her head, Lily threw the covers back and pulled herself out of the bed. Goliath continued to talk as he watched Lily get dressed. “Good. I’ll plan on you being here. Just let me know if something changes.”
Once the arrangements had been made, he took a hot shower and then helped Lily get the kids ready for breakfast. Once they were settled, he got on his bike and headed over to the garage. As he pulled through the gate, he spotted Gavin kneeling at Sunny’s car. He pulled his bike up next to him and after killing the engine, he asked, “Whatcha got going there, Knuckles?”
Gavin’s focus remained on Sunny’s back tire as Goliath got off his bike and walked over to him. “Her tire was a little low, so I thought I’d check it out.”
“She know what you’re doin’?”
“Nah. She’s in there working on her paper, and I didn’t want to bother her.”
“Um-hmm.” Goliath remembered doing the same kind of thing when Lily first came to town. He was always trying to help her out, showing in his own way that he cared for her without actually saying the words. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.”
“Just trying to make sure she’s safe when she’s out on the road. Was thinking of asking Bobby to check out her security system.”
“He’ll give it a look. Just let him know.”
“I’ll talk to him when I finish this.” He stood up, lifting the tire off the axle and into his hands. “Y’all get Lily’s truck up and running?”
“We’ve just about got it. A few finishing touches and she’ll be set to go.”
“You’ve outdone yourself with that one, brother. It’s something else.”
“Yeah, it’s coming along. You need a hand with this?” Goliath offered.
“Thanks, but I’ve got it.”
Goliath followed Gavin to the garage and set to work on finishing up Lily’s truck. He hadn’t been working long when Sheppard walked up. Tension rolled off him as he walked over to the hood of the truck and peered inside. “Got the coil replaced?”
Goliath didn’t miss the bite in his tone and asked, “Something got your panties in a twist?”
With a frown on his face, Sheppard turned to his brother. “Ana’s having a hard time with one of her patients, and she’s taking it pretty hard.”
“What’s going on?”
“There was an accident the other night. A family was hit by a drunk driver and their youngest is pretty bad off. He’s been in a coma for days, and she’s worried they’re going to lose him. She’s always had a soft spot where kids are concerned, and I’m not sure how she’s going to handle losing this one.”
“And you want to fix it for her, but you can’t.”
“Well, yeah. That’s my job. When my girl has a problem, I do what I can to make it right.”
“Not much you can do about this, brother. You just gotta be there to listen.”
Shep sighed with understanding. He leaned under the hood of the truck, checking all the plugs and the new coil. “Let’s start her up.”
Goliath opened the driver’s side door and got inside. As soon as he turned the key in the ignition, she fired up and purred like a kitten. “Sounding good. Let’s take her out on the road and test her out.”
He closed the hood as he walked over and got inside the truck. Seconds later, Gavin watched as they pulled through the gate. He’d just finished putting a new tire on Sunny’s car and was about to go get started on the new order that Bull and Otis had brought in, but he stopped cold when Sunny came rushing out the back door. Her hands were loaded down with books and her laptop, and she was obviously in a hurry as she scurried towards her car.
She kept walking, but suddenly stopped when she spotted Gavin standing by her car with a jack in his hand. While they never really talked, he didn’t feel like a stranger to her. He was just one of the brothers, but that didn’t keep the butterflies from dancing in the pit of her stomach whenever he was around. She told herself that it was just her nerves, and that it had nothing to do with how extremely handsome he was, but deep down she knew exactly why those butterflies were there. Her eyes slowly raised from his broad chest to his piercing gaze. “Uh… what are you doing?”
Over the past few months, she’d become accustomed to Gavin and all his little projects. There was always something he was working on: a rattle in her engine, a flickering light in her hallway, or a leaking faucet in the bathroom. The list was endless. She thought he’d done it all because he was ordered to, assuming that prospects just did that sort of thing, but Gavin had done it all on his own.
“Tire was low.” A tingle crept down her spine as she noticed an intensity in his eyes that she wasn’t expecting. She couldn’t understand why he was always so quiet, and she wanted desperately to know what was going on in his mind, but he wasn’t giving anything away. Finally, she let out a sigh and turned her attention back to the tire. “I wanted to make sure it was safe for you to drive.”
“So, it’s all good now? I can drive it?”
“Yeah. You’re good to go.” He walked over and took some of the books from her hands, helping silently as she opened her car door. Once she was seated inside, he asked, “You got your tagalong?”
She and Bishop felt better knowing there was someone keeping an eye on her so that Sunny didn’t go anywhere without one of the prospects following. “Yeah, Conner is coming.”
He carefully handed her each of her books. Just as he was about to close her door, she looked up at him and said, “Thanks for the tire, Gavin.”
With a slight nod, he eased the door shut and turned for the garage. She watched with wonder as he walked out of her line of sight. There was something about him that got to her, but she knew it didn’t matter. She was still dealing with her own demons, and the last thing she needed was to take on his. Even with all the things she’d gone through over the past two years, there was no denying that she was attracted to him. No girl in her right mind could ignore those gorgeous, dark-green eyes and that ruggedly handsome face. It didn’t help matters that he was built like some kind of Adonis and wore tight-fitting t-shirts that showed off his rippling muscles. She cursed herself anytime she caught herself fantasizing about him. She’d sworn off men, but she couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to be wrapped in Gavin’s protective arms and know that sense of security that she hadn’t felt in so long. Trying to shake off her hormonal lapse, she pulled out of the lot and headed to class.
Later after class dismissed, she decided to go by the house and check on her mother. The last time they’d talked, her mom mentioned that she wasn’t feeling well, so she wanted to go by to see if she was feeling any better.
When she got to the house, she found Myles and her brother, Tyler, sitting on the front porch swing next to her mom. With Conner waiting out by the curb, she got out of her car and walked over to them.
When she started up the steps, Tyler smiled proudly and said, “Hey, Sunny. Myles and I made the basketball team.”
“That’s awesome, dude.” She leaned against the rail of the porch as she thought about the times they’d all played in her driveway. Tyler was always a great shot, and as he got older, he’d even managed to beat her—more times than she cared to admit. “They’d be crazy not to add you both to the team.”
“Yeah, we’re pretty awesome,” Myles boasted. “Did you see that shot I made during tryouts, Ms. Glenda?”
“I did,” Sunny’s mother answered. “It was quite impressive.”
Sunny could see that she was feeling well and smiled. “You doing better?”
“I am. I think it was just my al
lergies acting up. You know how the fall weather gets to me. How did you do on that English paper?”
“Good. Made an A. Now, I have two more to get done by Monday. It’s going to be a long weekend.”
“You could always come here for a few days. It might be quieter. Tyler is going to spend the night with Myles tomorrow night, so it’ll just be me here.”
“Maybe. I’ll think about it.”
Since she’d recovered from the attack, Sunny had been staying at the clubhouse under club protection. Bishop and the guys had set her up in one of the empty rooms and made sure she had everything she needed to feel at home. She loved it there and no one blamed her, especially her mother. After everything that had happened with Drew, she knew her daughter felt safer under the watchful eye of Bishop and the boys. Being at the clubhouse gave her the sense of security she needed to move forward. Sunny was doing better, but that didn’t mean her mother didn’t worry. It was doubtful that there would ever come a time when she didn’t. Her precious child had been through so much, and there was always the fear that her past would come crashing into her future. She just prayed that in time, her daughter would have the strength to face whatever came knocking at her door.
“You’re always welcome, Honey. Just come and go as you like.”
“Well, speaking of going, I’d better head out. I’ve got work to do.” She walked over and gave her mother a quick hug before starting down the steps. As she got in her car, she turned to the boys and shouted, “Congrats on the team, guys. Proud of you.”
Her mother wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she watched Sunny pull out of the driveway. She loved her daughter, and her heart filled with pride seeing that she was doing so well. Life had thrown her some nasty punches, but she was still standing strong. She had a long road ahead of her, and only time would tell if she’d be able to find her way home.
Fall break had come and gone, and Thanksgiving was quickly approaching, bringing unpredictable weather along with it. Sunny was curled up in her bed studying for a big test when a bad storm rolled in. Lightning danced across the night sky, making the lights flicker above her head. There were some people who loved the loud rumble of thunder, but Sunny was not one of them – not in the least. In fact, she hated them. They freaked her out, especially when she was alone. A flash of lightning tore across her window, and she found herself counting silently to herself until she heard the loud roar of thunder. When it finally crashed outside of her window, she was done. She jumped out of bed and threw on a pair of jeans. While most of the guys had gone home for the night, she knew that Levi and Conner were around. She’d heard them talking earlier and knew they were pumped about playing some new video game that had just come out. Hoping that they hadn’t changed their minds, she set out for the family room.
As soon as she opened her door, she could hear their shouts echoing down the hall as they cursed at each other over their game. She smiled and followed the sounds of their voices down the long hallway. When she walked into the room, she found them both sitting on the sofa, their elbows on their knees and controllers in their hands as they leaned towards the television. They were completely focused on their game, and neither of them seemed to notice as she walked over to the end of the sofa.
“You really suck at this. You know that, right?” Conner asked without looking at Levi.
“Fuck you. You suck.”
If she didn’t know better, she’d think they were both total gaming nerds with no life. But she’d seen them outside that room and knew without a doubt that they were far from nerds. They’d had a long stint in the military, and they’d both struggled to find a sense of peace since they’d returned. The games were just an outlet, giving them a way to forget they’d been to hell and back. They worked hard, spent hours on end in the garage and around the clubhouse doing what they could to help. She liked them, felt comfortable around them, and figured they’d be great company during the storm.
As she sat down next to Levi, he turned to her and smiled. “Hey there, Sunnybee. Want to play a round? Kick Conner’s ass? It won’t be hard. He sucks at this game.”
Conner just shook his head. “Levi is the one who sucks. Just look at the damn score.”
“I’ll leave the ass kicking to you guys and just watch.”
The lights flickered again, but neither of them seemed to notice. She rested her head on the arm of the sofa and listened to them banter back and forth. It didn’t take long for her to get her fill of the gaming world and their incessant shouting. When she stood to leave, Conner looked over and asked, “Where ya running off to?”
“I’m gonna go grab a snack and get back to studying. You guys have fun.”
As she walked towards the door, Levi called out, “Holler if you need anything.”
Trying her best to ignore the constant roll of thunder, she headed down the hall towards the kitchen. When she walked in, she found Gavin sitting at the table. Sunny smiled when she noticed he was eating her favorite: fruity kid’s cereal with marshmallows—not exactly the kind she’d expect him to eat. To her, he seemed more like a hearty, corn flake kind of guy. She walked to the cabinet and got herself a bowl before she went over and sat down next to him. Gavin watched as she took the box in her hand and poured herself a large helping.
Just before she took her first bite, she said, “Pretty bad storm tonight.”
“Cold front is coming in.”
Those beautiful green eyes locked on hers, and she suddenly found it difficult to breathe. There was something about the way he looked at her, like she was the first drop of rain after a long, summer drought. The intensity in his eyes made her heart pound against her chest.
But then it was gone. His eyes dropped to his bowl of cereal as he scooped up his next bite. He continued to eat without saying a word, and Sunny quickly became frustrated. She just didn’t get it. The other guys were so nice to her, always talking and cutting up with her, but Gavin was just the opposite. He would joke around and laugh with everyone else—just not her. He’d never said more than a couple of words to her, and it was really getting under her skin. She hated that she even cared. It shouldn’t matter what he thought, but it did.
Just as Sunny worked herself into a tizzy, Gavin stood up from the table and took his empty bowl to the sink. Without saying a word, he started for the door.
Feeling angry and hurt, Sunny looked over at him and asked, “Why don’t you like me?”
A puzzled look crossed his face as he turned towards her. “What?”
“Why don’t you like me? It’s a simple question. I just want to know.”
He took a step towards her and crossed his arms. “What makes you think I don’t like you?”
“It’s pretty obvious, Gavin. You never have more than two words to say to me, and you get this weird look on your face whenever I walk into the room. I just want to know why.”
He ran his hands over his face and sighed. “You’ve got it all wrong, Sunny.”
She leaned back against her chair. “Okay. So, tell me. How am I wrong? Explain it to me.”
His jaw clenched tight as he stood there staring at her, contemplating what answer he could give that would explain his strange behavior, but nothing came to him. What could he say? There was no way in hell he could say how he felt about her. He couldn’t tell her that he was completely captivated, that he was drawn to her for reasons he couldn’t even begin to explain. Thankfully, the storm raging outside came to his rescue. With a loud and thunderous clap, the room plunged into darkness.
“Gavin?” Sunny shrieked as she shot up out of her chair.
Before she could call for him again, he was at her side. “I’m right here. I’ve got you.”
She latched onto his arm, curling into him as another bolt of lightning flickered outside the kitchen window. Neither of them moved. Sunny’s racing heart slowly began to calm under the protection of Gavin’s hold. She felt safe with him, like nothing could harm her. Without releasing her grip, she asked
, “Do you think the lights will come back on?”
“Maybe. The storm’s getting pretty bad. I’ll try to find a flashlight.”
She wasn’t ready to let him go, but she knew they couldn’t just stand there in the dark. “I think there might be some candles and matches in the cabinet over the sink.”
“I’ll see what I can find. You stay put.” Reluctantly, she loosened her hold. Relief washed over her when he said, “Found them.”
Seconds later, the room filled with a soft, comforting glow. With a candle in his hand, he walked over to Sunny and asked, “You okay?”
“I’m fine. A little embarrassed for freaking out, but I’m okay.”
He lifted his hand to the side of her face, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “No need to be embarrassed. Not with me.”
She looked up at him, seeing that familiar look in his eye, and her breath caught in her throat. He was so close. His mouth was just inches away, and she couldn’t help but imagine how his lips would feel pressed against her own. She was enchanted by him. Being so close to him made her forget about the hell she’d been through, all the sleepless nights and the heartache she’d felt for so long.