by Chiah Wilder
The house was quiet, and she relished the mornings when she didn’t have to evaluate all of her husband’s words or figure out his shifting moods. Sofia went over to her chest of drawers, pulled out the third drawer, and buried her hand into her scarves. Smiling, she felt the necklace Wheelie had given her for Christmas and gripped it in her hand. She walked over to the mirror on top of the long dresser and held up the sterling silver chain against her neck. The open ring pendant lay flat on her skin, shining in the morning light. It’s so beautiful. She clasped it around her neck, her fingers skimming the bottom of it.
Wearing the necklace on mornings when Tigger left early had become a ritual for Sofia. It made her feel like Wheelie was there with her, and it allowed her to dream about all the possibilities of having a life with him. Not sure where Tigger went or when he’d be home, she took off the necklace and ran her fingertip along the engraved words on the back of the pendant “You have a friend in me.”
“Is that all I am to you? A friend?” she said out loud. “I want to be with you, Wheelie.” She shook her head, wiping the threat of a falling tear from the corner of her eye. Bringing the gift to her lips, she kissed it then buried it again among her scarves.
The sound of the garage door made her jump, and she closed the drawer and scrambled out of the room just as Tigger came in.
“Did you go for a ride?” she asked, ignoring the thumping of her heart.
“No. I thought you’d be out planting the flowers we bought yesterday.”
“I’m planning to do it later when the sun isn’t so hot.”
He quirked his lips and stared at her. “Just make sure dinner is ready at six. I’m going to the club tonight.”
Sofia swallowed. “It’ll be ready.” Tigger had been going to the clubhouse every night for the past week. Whenever he’d come home, she’d smell the scents of jasmine, orange, fresh linen, and a slew of other perfumes, depending on the night. In the past, evidence of his infidelity used to make her feel like she couldn’t please him, which in turn would open up her wounds of self-doubt, but since she’d kissed Wheelie the December before, she didn’t care if Tigger spent all night at the club screwing women. In fact, she preferred when he was gone, then she could watch what she wanted on the television and relax.
“Did you want me to help you?”
“I’m good. I like working in the garden. Thanks for asking.”
Tigger threw a set of keys on the kitchen table. “Take the truck to Wheelie’s car wash and have him clean it. The bed’s full of dirt from what we bought yesterday.” Butterflies somersaulted in her stomach. “I’ll call and see if he’s there, if not, I’ll have him tell one of the guys to clean it.”
He has to be there. “I thought he was there every day.” Watch it. Don’t make it sound like you want to see him. Don’t make him suspicious … or mad.
Tigger laughed. “That’s his plan, but he may have a chick he’s fucking. The guy’s a player. Remember how I used to tell you what a party animal he was? He’s got a ton of citizens who want to fuck him.”
“I didn’t know he was still that way,” she said softly, kicking herself the minute the words came out of her mouth and Tigger’s eyes narrowed.
“What the hell does that mean? Dudes don’t change, sweetcakes.” He smiled and Sofia relaxed a bit. “Anyway, let me give him a call.” He took out his phone and went into the family room. “Bring me one of your breakfast burritos and a cup of coffee.”
As Sofia fried the potatoes, she strained to listen to Tigger’s conversation with Wheelie, but all she heard was the murmur of his voice; the television was up too loud. I wonder if he’s with one of the club girls. Picturing him with any woman bothered her more than it should have. I care more about Wheelie being with a woman than I do about my own husband. How fucked up is that?
She broke three eggs into the potatoes and peppers simmering in the pan and wished she could hear what Tigger and Wheelie were talking about. Tigger’s laughter made her wonder if they were talking about women, and she turned the burner to low and crept closer to the family room.
“You should ride with us. They’ll be plenty of chicks at each of the stops. Skeet and Cruiser can’t shut the fuck up about it. I heard Crow, Army, and Chains from the Night Rebels are gonna be on the same run.” There was a pause then Tigger guffawed. “Anyway, I can’t wait to get the fuck away for a few days. You need to come. It’ll do you good.”
Wheelie can’t go. He’s taking me to Hanging Lake. I’m going to make a nice dinner for him. We have plans. A bitter scent filled her nostrils, and she ran back to the stove. Pieces of chopped scallions were black and her heart sank. If I fucked up his breakfast, Tigger’s gonna lose it. She fished out the charred pieces and tasted the egg mixture; it didn’t taste burnt. Giddiness filled her. Knowing he’d obsess about the darkened pieces of onion, she dosed the mixture with chunky salsa and sour cream then placed a generous helping on a large tortilla and rolled it up.
As she came into the family room with a plate and coffee mug in hand, Tigger looked over at her. “Gotta go. My woman’s bringing me my chow. Later, bro.” He placed the phone down on the table and stared at the TV. “Smells good. You gonna have some?”
“I’m not that hungry.” Sofia picked at the polish on her index finger. “Am I still taking the truck in to be washed?” She held her breath.
“Yeah. Wheelie’s gonna be there. I told him you’d be coming by.”
Adrenaline surged through her and she tried to keep from jumping up and down. “Do you want me to bring it over now?”
“No. Sit with me. After I’m done eating, Skeet and I have some shit to do. You can go after you clean up the house.”
The next hour was pure torture; she didn’t think Tigger would ever stop drinking coffee. As she finished drying the frying pan, he came up behind her and snaked his hand around her waist, yanking her against him. “Do you miss me fucking you?” he said in a low voice.
“Yeah,” she lied.
“Maybe I’ll let you enjoy me. Would you like that?”
No. I’ve got to get ready. I’m going to see Wheelie. “Hmmm …”
Tigger’s phone rang and he let go of her. “Yo, Skeet, what’s up?” He walked into the other room, and Sofia let out a sigh of relief. It’d been months since they’d been together, but with Wheelie always in her thoughts, she didn’t mind it at all. She pretended she did because Tigger seemed to enjoy keeping sex from her. For a long time it made her feel like total crap, but now she just wanted him to leave her alone all the time. Sofia sniggered softly: The club women she’d once hated, she now was grateful to for keeping Tigger well pleased and away from her.
“I gotta go,” Tigger said, walking toward the back door. “Remember to have dinner ready by six.”
Then he was gone.
Sofia dashed to the window and waited for fifteen minutes after seeing Tigger’s Harley disappear before she went into the bedroom and changed her clothes. She spent some extra time applying mascara and eyeliner to her green eyes, making sure not to put too much on in case Tigger was home when she returned.
After she checked to see if she had all the ingredients for the beef noodle casserole Tigger loved, she picked up the truck keys and headed out.
As she approached the car wash, the jitteriness she’d been able to manage since learning she’d see Wheelie again got the better of her, and she pulled over to the side of the street and breathed in and out deeply in an attempt to calm her nerves. For several minutes she stared at the building, watching dirty cars turn in and clean ones come out. Finally, she pulled away from the curb and merged back into the traffic.
“Full wash? You wanna wax?” a man in his thirties asked her—a pen and pad in his hand.
“Yes on the full wash, and no on the wax.” She glanced around but there was no sign of Wheelie.
“Here you go,” the man said, handing her a yellow slip of paper. “Just go inside and take it to the cashier.”
The
back doors opened and two men started vacuuming the carpet. She jumped out of the pickup and walked into the building. The aroma of rubber, soap, and pine permeated the air, and she passed racks of car mats, deodorizers, ice scrapers, windshield wipers, and greeting cards as she made her way to the cashier. Again she looked around for Wheelie, but there was no sign of him. Sadness began to descend over her.
“Do you got your ticket? The yellow piece of paper Ron gave you?” the dark-haired cashier asked.
Sofia gave her the bill and wondered how the young woman could do anything with her long fingernails. She guessed them to be about two inches long and were painted different colors with a multitude of designs and crystals on them.
“That’ll be fifteen dollars,” the woman said.
“Sofia, I didn’t think you were coming until this afternoon,” Wheelie’s voice said behind her. “And why the fuck are you paying?”
She whirled around and her stomach did a flip-flop when she saw him walking toward her. He wore a sleeveless T-shirt, his hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and the silver hoop in his right ear shone under the overhead florescent lights. The dark five o’clock shadow he sported made his smiling face more handsome.
“I decided to come earlier,” she said, securing her purse on her shoulder. “I didn’t want you to think I was taking advantage by not paying.”
Wheelie shook his head. “Miranda, this is a comp.”
“Thanks,” Sofia said softly. “There’s a lot of dirt in the truck’s bed.”
Wheelie craned his neck toward glass windows that revealed machines washing the vehicles. “Let me see if I can catch the truck before it goes in for a washing. Be right back.”
Sofia watched him walk away, noticing how firm his butt was in his snug blue jeans. A flutter of arousal skated from the tips of her breasts, down her stomach, and straight to the ache between her legs.
“So, are you paying or not?” the young woman asked.
Sofia took out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to her. “Can you give me the change in singles, please?”
The woman handed her five one-dollar bills then looked over Sofia’s shoulders at the man behind her. “Do you have the yellow piece of paper Ron gave you?”
Sofia moved aside then walked over to the windows and stared at a blue car as the machines sprayed soap all over it before moving around it in circles.
“Caught it in time,” Wheelie said. “With that much dirt in it, it’s better to vacuum it out otherwise it can be a muddy mess.”
She jumped at his voice. “That’s good. It looks really different in here from when old man Jenkins had the place. It looks so bright and modern.”
“I like the way it turned out. I sent photos to Diesel and he thinks it looks like something that should be in Denver.”
“I forgot he’s part owner. When’s he getting out?”
“It was supposed to be in August, but he got in a fight with some fuck, so it bought him a few months more on his sentence.” Wheelie laughed. “Should be out around the end of the year. You wanna Coke or something? We can go to my office.” With an outstretched arm, he gestured to a room on the left. She went inside and he came in behind her, closing the door.
The scent of him filled her senses. He smelled purely male: leather, motor oil, and fresh air. And … something she couldn’t identify; it was earthy and erotic and spoke to her of the forbidden.
With shaky legs, she walked over to the chair in front of his desk, her fingers gripping the arms as she sat down. The pop from the can made her jump, and Wheelie’s deep chuckle wrapped around her.
“Here you go,” he said, placing the can in front of her. He walked around and sat down, facing her. “I’m glad you’re here.” His gaze locked in on her, and she shifted in the chair. “What’ve you been up to?”
Sofia ran her hand over her dark brown hair, smoothing it down. “Not much. I’m going to plant a garden in the back. Flowers and some vegetables like zucchini and peppers. Maybe tomatoes. Also herbs like cilantro and basil.” She took a gulp of Coke and pressed her lips together, suppressing a burp. All the while, Wheelie’s gaze penetrated her. “I’ll give you some zucchini once they come. Peppers too. If you like. Do you even eat vegetables?” Another large gulp of soda.
“Yeah, I do. That would be nice. The only thing is I don’t really cook. You’ll have to come over and teach me what to do with them.” His eyes moved from hers and traveled down her face, lingering on her mouth then moving down to her breasts.
She’d worn her tight lavender T-shirt—the one Tigger wouldn’t let her wear out in public. A strain of satisfaction in defying her husband wove through her when she’d slipped it on before coming to the car wash, but the way Wheelie was staring at her made her second guess her choice.
Silence descended between them. She was mesmerized by the hunger she saw reflected in his fiercely heated eyes. Her cheeks flushed and without thinking, she folded her arms across her chest. Wheelie’s gaze snapped back to her face and he blinked at her. A muscle tensed then loosened in his jaw.
“Did Tigger talk you into going on the poker run with him?” she asked softly.
Slowly, he shook his head. “I can’t. You and I have a date to go to Hanging Lake. You didn’t forget, did you?”
Warmth swept through her. “No.” She smiled at him.
The chair hit the back of the wall with a soft thud as Wheelie stood up, his eyes burning into hers. Captivated by their intensity, she watched with bated breath as he approached her. Standing next to her chair, he tangled his fingers in her hair and tugged it back then cupped her face with his hands as he continued staring into her eyes. With one hand, he ran his fingers through her long hair that hung loosely down her back.
“You’re so beautiful.” He dragged a thumb across the bottom of her lip, and without thinking, she slid her tongue over it. His skin tasted salty with a hint of soap. Wheelie bent down and kissed her, tenderly at first, and then deeply and passionately as if the world was about to end. Sensations crawled wild through her veins, and tingles zinged up her spine as she let the kiss take her over completely. He pulled back, licking at her mouth. “So fuckin’ beautiful,” he whispered.
Sofia moaned into his mouth, returning the kiss as she looped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Their tongues met, tangling and teasing and she loved the way the kiss grew in intensity as if he were branding her with his mouth.
Wheelie slinked his arm around her waist and lifted her up and she fell against him feeling every inch of his hard, muscular body. She tightened her grip on his neck and pushed her tongue deeper into his mouth. His hands caressed a fiery trail down her back and cupped her butt, holding her firmly as he pressed his hard dick against her. She wriggled and a low grunt rose up from his throat.
“You’re so fuckin’ tempting,” he growled then yanked her head back and drove his tongue deeper into her mouth.
A wave of fierce heat rushed through her as she leaned further into him, dissolving into his heat, her whole body shivering with excited anticipation. Sofia hadn’t felt this alive for a very long time and she relished it. She wanted to feel his skin against hers, and him inside her, thrusting in and out. For the first time in eight years, she craved another man, and even though she knew she should pull away before she lost herself, she couldn’t … she didn’t want to. Wrapped in Wheelie’s arms felt right and so very good, and Sofia wanted to stay in them forever. It had been such a long time since—
Wheelie tore his mouth away and placed his forehead against hers, panting raggedly.
Sofia missed his lips immediately. “Is something wrong?” she whispered, her pulse roaring in her ears. Shaking his head, he pulled away, his hand stroking the side of her face. “Then what? You didn’t like it?” She bit the inside of her cheek.
Wheelie leaned in and quieted her with a quick kiss. “The kiss was fuckin’ awesome. It’s just …” His hand dropped away from her and he stepped back, regret etched over his face.
“What? You’re sorry you kissed me? I’m not.” Sofia touched her fingers to her slightly swollen lips.
“Me neither, but if I don’t stop now then I won’t be able to at all.” He went over to the door and opened it.
“Maybe I don’t want you to stop.”
The corner of his lips twitched, and he rubbed the back of his neck while his gaze locked on hers. “This isn’t the right time or place. You need to get straight on who you want in your life.”
“I want you,” she whispered. And she did, but she was afraid of what Tigger would do to her if she left him. A deep grunt came from Wheelie’s throat, and he grasped the door knob until his knuckles turned white. She picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder. “I better get going.” As she walked past him, he pulled her back and softly kissed her on the forehead. She smiled weakly and walked out of the room.
Chapter Four
Wheelie sat staring at the front of the room watching Banger’s mouth move, but he couldn’t make out the words since Sofia invaded all his thoughts. The memory of their kiss the day before looped around his mind like a film stuck on replay. When she’d been in his arms, her soft body pressed against him, want and need had clawed at him, and he knew if he hadn’t moved away, he’d have taken her fiercely right on his desk. It took every ounce of willpower for him to have pushed her away, and from the way Sofia had looked at him, his rebuff caught her off guard. Wheelie glanced over at Tigger. This whole thing is so fucked up. A small beep drew his attention to his phone, and he looked down. Putting his phone under the table, he leaned back and opened the text.
Sofia: R u mad @ me?
Wheelie darted his eyes to Tigger again then back to the text.
Wheelie: No. Why?
Sofia: I thought maybe because of what happened yesterday.
Wheelie ran his fingers through his hair. I should tell her that us kissing was a mistake, and we need to stay away from each other until she decides what the fuck she wants to do. But he wouldn’t do it. The truth was: He couldn’t stay away. There was something about Sofia that made him feel different in an exhilarating way. He’d never experienced that with any other woman before, and even though it confused and pissed him off, it also made him want more. He craved her presence, her scent, her laugh … her everything.