The hand holding her face traveled behind her head and tangled in her hair. He tugged a little and his tongue slid along her lower lip in a sinful caress that almost made her knees give out. She opened her mouth for him, welcomed his invasion, and found the contrasting feelings he created within her to be completely intoxicating. His arms were strong and comforting, a safe refuge, but his lips awoke an infernal, dangerous tsunami of passion within her that she knew could prove to be her undoing if she gave into it completely.
Everything about Hayden was addictive, and she was afraid of what effects that could leave on her when he picked up and went on to his next location. Was she just another experience to him? Another adventure and story to tell? When his rebel wind blew him onto the next place, would she only become a distant memory?
Reluctantly, she pulled away from his wonderful mouth and let out a soft sigh. He didn’t loosen his hold on her, and tightened his fingers in her hair slightly, as if he didn’t want to let her go. His gaze met hers and his eyes flashed with about as many questions as she felt.
“Gina,” he rasped. “All of this is making my head spin.”
The small measure of vulnerability she saw in him made her heart quiver and she reached up to run her palm across his cheek, loving the rough texture of his roguish stubble. “You don’t need to hunt down all your answers right now,” she murmured. “They’ll come to you in time.”
He didn’t answer, but feathered his thumb back and forth over her jaw line. His blue eyes darkened and a thousand things seemed to pass through them, troubled, confused things that she wished she could ease from his mind.
“Hey, guys, everything okay out here?” Shelby’s voice tore through Hayden and Gina’s personal moment—again—and Gina sighed softly as she removed herself from his arms. His hands lingered on her as he pulled away, and the fact that he so obviously wanted to remain close and connected warmed her. She couldn’t deny she liked the feel of his body against hers.
“We’re fine,” she answered. She glanced at Jackson, who had his hands shoved in his pockets, displaying his tattoos with a proud, almost cocky posturing. Gina stifled a smile and wondered how much less awkward he felt now that he wasn’t hiding and Shelby had realized he was actually a living, breathing man.
She glanced at the dynamic between Hayden and Jackson, and felt a twinge of sadness at the fact that they were looking everywhere but at each other.
“So, I saw this flyer on the door,” Jackson said suddenly. “A cover band that plays classic rock and some blues is going to be performing tonight at an old bar down here. I thought maybe we could grab some dinner in a bit and then go…if you want.” He shrugged, still keeping his gaze focused on the ground.
Gina glanced up at Hayden and grinned. “Do you dance, sir?” she teased.
His smile chased all the troubled shadows from his face. “When the mood strikes me.” He slipped his arm around her waist and tugged her close. “Sounds like a good plan, Jack. Let’s get our photos and get out of here.”
They all headed back into the studio and stopped short at seeing Troy sitting on the photographer’s desk, her straddling his lap, with his tongue shoved so far in her mouth Gina thought he was testing her gag reflex.
They all stared in shocked silence for a minute before Hayden shook his head and shot a glower toward Jack, who rolled his eyes and scooted protectively closer to Shelby.
“Wow,” Hayden grumbled. “Unbelievable.” He spotted their ready stack of pictures on the end of the desk, snatched them, and flung some cash on the desk. “That should cover it. Have a nice life, dude.” He handed the photos to Shelby, who tucked them into her enormous bag, then grabbed Gina’s hand and led the way back outside.
“I can’t believe what a jerk he’s been all day,” Hayden said. “I don’t remember him ever being that way.”
“I’m sorry,” Jackson said. “It was my idea to invite him.”
Hayden shook his head. “It’s not your fault. None of us knew he was gonna act like a complete A-hole. He can just go home whenever he wants, or back to her place. I don’t care. From this point on, he’s flying solo.”
“At least the picture was funny,” Gina said, glancing at Shelby and trying to gauge her reaction to the current situation. She was quiet, which was never a good sign, and had her eyes downcast. Gina didn’t like to see her sister look sad, especially over some lowlife guy.
Hayden reached down and squeezed her hand. He offered her an encouraging smile and a wink. “All right, let’s forget all this nonsense. I know Jack only has the sports bike, but what do you say we get a little bit of riding in? Check out the scenery? When we get back, we’ll grab some dinner and check out that band. Sound like a plan?”
Gina smiled at her sister. “You can ride with Hayden if you want. I don’t mind the sports bike.”
Shelby looked over at Jackson and shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I can deal. I’ll ride with Jack.” She flashed him a playful smile. Gina swore she watched Jack swell to twice his normal size. “Besides, somebody’s got to teach you how to ride that thing, and not like an eighty-year-old grandma.” She looped her arm through his, and even though he scowled, it was obvious he wasn’t seriously offended.
Gina glanced up at Hayden. He draped his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into his body as they headed back up the street. He felt comfortable next to her, and she knew she could get used to him in more ways than one. It was dangerous information to admit to herself. Especially when she knew there was no way he was going to stick around.
Chapter Seven
It was well past midnight when Hayden finally pulled into Gina’s driveway. Jackson was in charge of taking Shelby home, and Hayden was reluctant to remove himself from Gina’s company, not to mention her arms.
As a self-proclaimed nomad and adventure seeker, Hayden had seen a few things and had a few experiences, but something about dancing to classic rock all night in an old, rustic bar with Gina had left all previous experiences in the dust.
She was so quick to laugh, to flirt, and to tease. Her touch was a constant source of comfort and scorching desire. In all his wandering, he had never seen anyone as free-spirited as Gina, and he envied her ability to live that way without the restlessness that seemed to reside permanently in his soul.
Getting off of his bike, he removed his helmet, took Gina’s, set them aside, and walked her to her door. He watched her turn the key in her lock, then took her hand and gently turned her toward him. To his delight, she rested her hands on his waist and flashed him the grin that was going to be his undoing. His heart did a somersault and his arms went around her. She leaned into him and his lips found hers before he could even think about it.
He’d meant to talk to her, to tell her how wonderful of a day he’d had despite Troy’s antics and his blowout with Jackson. Instead, he monopolized her mouth, surrendering to the silken softness of her lips and losing himself in her taste. He pressed her back against the door and she held onto him tightly as she matched his passion.
“I want to see you again before I go back to Sacramento,” he whispered against her lips before kissing her again.
She pulled back and looked at him with a mischievous smile. “When do you go back?”
“Monday.”
She slid her palms up his chest. “Shelby will want to do something tomorrow. Street Vibrations is a weekend long party for her.”
“That’s great, but I want to see you alone. Just you and me. Maybe tomorrow night?”
She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. “Do you think Jack would take my sister out for a night on the town?”
He snorted. “I think your sister could tell him to lick her boots and he’d be happy to oblige.”
Gina giggled. “Have him ask her.”
“Okay, what do you want to do?”
The devilment in her eyes was killing him. She gave him a flippant shrug. “Surprise me.” She rose up to tease him with another kiss before she turned and esc
aped into her house, leaving him cold and wanting. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Call me in the morning.”
The smoldering yet teasing look in her eyes as she shut the door left him hot and bothered. Strange, how his body could be cold one minute then an inferno the next. This woman was going to be the end of him.
He ran his fingers through his hair several times before he finally vacated her porch.
Jackson was getting ready for bed when he finally got back to his house, and he had just enough time to propose Gina’s idea to him before he grunted what Hayden assumed was an affirmative reply and vanished into his bedroom.
Despite the fact that they had all had a nice time dancing and drinking, Hayden knew his brother was still troubled. He hated that he was the cause of it.
With a sigh, he escaped onto the back porch and sat down in one of the deck chairs. He looked out at the stars shining beyond the dark silhouette of the mountains and let the silent tranquility of the night soothe him.
Gina’s earlier words echoed in his mind and he contemplated them. Could he ever turn in his wandering nature and settle in one place because the people meant so much to him? He had stayed in Reno when he’d been younger because Jackson had needed him. He hadn’t thought twice. And he’d never felt lonely or restless until Jack had gone to college and he’d been by himself. Sure, he’d always wanted to travel, but that ache, that stuck feeling, hadn’t started troubling him until Jack had grown up. Could it be that all this time he’d been searching for peace, it had been here? Had he bailed because he missed the companionship of his brother and hadn’t been able to deal with the death of his parents? Had adulthood just hit him too fast and too hard and left him so empty he’d bolted?
There were so many unanswered questions, so many truths he was afraid to look at too deeply. If he found his answers, would they rob him of his identity in the end?
He sighed and leaned back in the chair. He closed his eyes and let the crickets and the warm desert air relax him. There was one thing he did know—an answer he could not escape. He had been a turd to his brother. It was about time he manned up and remembered that he still had a family, and that family needed him. While he was here, he was going to make his time count.
* * * *
Hayden really hoped Jackson’s neighbors were understanding. It was seven o’clock in the morning—earlier than he even liked to wake up—on a Sunday, and they were going to have to be subjected to Metallica’s And Justice For All album.
Deciding they would just have to deal, he cranked up the volume and turned it to “Harvester of Sorrow.” He then ran into the kitchen to stir the scrambled eggs before they burned.
He had just put the eggs on the plate and stirred the milk into the maple and brown sugar oatmeal when Jackson came stumbling into the living room in only his boxers. His hair was everywhere and his eyes were barely open.
“What is your problem?” he grumbled, rubbing his hands over his face. “It’s Sunday.” He half-sat, half-flopped onto a barstool at the kitchen counter and Hayden set the plate of eggs, bowl of oatmeal, and a glass of orange juice down in front of him.
Jackson blinked a few times down at the food before understanding dawned on him and he glanced up at Hayden in surprise.
Hayden braced his arms on the counter and smiled. “Eat your breakfast, little brother. You need your strength for your big date with Shelby.”
Jackson’s face reddened slightly and he motioned over to the Tabasco sauce sitting on the counter by the fridge. Hayden handed it to him and he started to douse his eggs. “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do with her.”
“Take her downtown. There’s all sorts of stuff down there to do during Street Vibes. She’ll love it.”
“What are you going to do with Gina?” He stuffed a generous helping of eggs into his mouth.
“I was thinking of cooking her dinner here. Just a low-key evening. I want to get to know her better, talk to her. Everything she has to say is fascinating.”
Jackson smirked and took another bite before shaking his head. “I swear on my life, Hayden. You make the best friggin’ eggs ever. I can never get them fluffy like this.”
Hayden grinned, somewhat surprised that Jackson’s compliment made him feel warm all over. “It’s the milk.”
Jackson looked up at him with a frown.
Hayden pointed to the plate. “In the egg mix. I put milk in there. That’s what makes them fluffy.”
Jackson arched an eyebrow. “Where did you learn that?”
Hayden averted his gaze as an unexpected pain stabbed through his heart and a lump formed in his throat. “Mom.”
Jackson grew quiet also and the silence stretched for several moments with only James Hetfield doing his thing in the background. “I don’t remember a whole lot of her cooking,” he finally admitted softly. “I don’t know why. For some reason, I only remember yours.”
“All of my cooking was Mom’s.” Hayden chuckled, the stabbing pain reducing to a dull, sorrowful ache.
Jackson snorted. “Yeah, okay. Mom may have taught you to cook, but she definitely did not teach you how to make that death chicken you used to force on me. I may not remember some things, but I do know that was all you.”
Hayden burst out laughing. “I was trying to get the right amount of spice in the coating. I had to keep trying.”
“I thought flames were gonna shoot out my mouth the first three times I ate it.”
Hayden laughed harder and found the moment strangely euphoric. Better than the laughter he received from his workmates or strangers he encountered.
Jackson stabbed another bite of eggs and waved it at Hayden. “One thing I’ve got to give you credit for, aside from the couple times your experiments went terribly awry, your culinary creations were always to die for. I’ve never been able to cook like you.”
Pride and warmth washed over Hayden in a wave and the satisfaction he felt at his brother’s praise was a heady sensation that rivaled his greatest adrenaline rushes.
“So, what do you want to do today before your big date?” Jackson asked as he pushed his plate away and started on the oatmeal.
Hayden smirked and waited for his brother to look up at him before he answered. “I thought maybe we could hit the skate park.”
Jackson’s eyebrows shot clear to his hairline. “The one in Golden Valley we used to go to every weekend as kids?”
Hayden grinned. “Do you still have a skateboard?”
Jackson chewed, swallowed, and then looked at him like he feared for his sanity. “In the garage…you do realize neither one of us has been on a skateboard in years, right?”
Hayden shrugged. “Like riding a bicycle, right? How hard could it be? Come on, bro, live a little.”
* * * *
“Hayden, seriously, you need to friggin’ sit down!” Jackson waved his arms in frustration and flung a pillow at Hayden as he hobbled into the kitchen to see if the water for the pasta was boiling. “You could have a concussion! You should go to the hospital!”
Adding the penne pasta to the water, Hayden turned down the heat and limped back into the living room. “I do not have a concussion, calm down,” he mumbled. “I just look like the Phantom of the Opera is all.” He flopped into the recliner and propped his leg on the ottoman, replacing the bag of frozen peas on his grapefruit-sized knee.
Jackson put his hands on his hips and gave Hayden a measured look. “The Phantom of the Opera? Really? Not dramatic at all, are you? You just have a little scrape.”
Yeah, like scraped off the whole left side of his face. It was a good thing he hadn’t shaved that morning. He was pretty sure his werewolf beard was what had kept his skin on. “I’m the dramatic one? You just told me to go to the hospital.”
“Dude, I can’t believe you ride around on a motorcycle twenty-four-seven, but the first time you get on a skateboard after ten years, you wipe out like a noob.”
“Gimme a break! I skated all day before I crashed! Give me some
credit!”
Jackson rolled his eyes. “You should really cancel your date. Gina is gonna take one look at your road-rashed face and run out the door. And you can’t even go after her because you blew out your knee!”
“Is this supposed to be making me feel better, Jack? ‘Cause, newsflash, it isn’t.”
Jackson chuckled and shook his head. “I will never get the image out of my mind of the way your legs went up backwards over your head. It was like a reverse somersault…or a handspring off your face. I didn’t think somebody’s spine could bend that way.”
Hayden threw the bag of peas at his brother and Jackson jaunted out of the line of fire with a hearty laugh.
To Hayden’s dismay, there was a knock on the door, and he groaned.
Jackson let out another peal of laughter and went to admit Gina. “Hey, Jack,” she said as she came in…wearing a knockout green dress that was short enough to make Hayden salivate. Her lustrous brown hair was hanging loose to her shoulders in lovely waves. “I thought you would have left to go get Shelby by now.”
“On my way,” Jack said. “I had to wait so that Gimpy over here didn’t kill himself. He’s on your watch now.”
Hayden squeezed his eyes shut and flopped his head back against the chair.
“Gimpy?” Gina questioned.
Jackson chuckled. “Yeah, I’ll let him tell you. Have fun. See you guys later.”
“Yeah, you too.”
Hayden heard the door close, but he couldn’t look up. How embarrassing was this anyway?
“What in the world happened to you?” Gina asked in a teasing voice. He heard her move across the room toward him and stop in front of the recliner. “Oh my gosh! What did you do to your face?”
Ride a Rebel Wind Page 6