Wild Heart (The Wild Heart Series)

by Culbreth, Jennifer

  Ok, I thought I was the one wanting to stalk your life, not the other way around.

  “I do. I actually just moved back; I grew up here. How long have you been around town?”

  “We started the new charter here about a year back. Been enjoying the scenery ever since.” His eyes drifted down her body and back up, her body lit up in flames as the livewire set off inside of her stomach.

  She turned trying to hide the blush on her cheeks, “Well I hope I see you around, Knox. It was nice meeting you.”

  He stepped closer for just a moment, causing her breath to hitch before he turned and put on his helmet and got back on his motorcycle. “I hope I see you too, Aiyana; and the pleasure was all mine.” His dark eyes didn’t leave hers as his bike rumbled to life. Just as quickly as he had shown up, he was gone again. The pipes of his motorcycle growled out, sending vibrations through Ani’s body as he headed down the road.

  What the fuck just happened?

  Chapter five

  Out with the old, in with the new

  By the time Tuesday had rolled around, Ani had almost decided to turn off her cell phone completely. If it hadn’t been for the worry that Mrs. Thomas would need to get in touch with her before her interview today, she would have already called and canceled her service. It had been easier to dodge Cash’s calls when he had only been calling the house phone. She was able to run out the door before her dad could call out for her. But then her father had gone and given Cash her cell number and it hadn’t stopped ringing since.

  She brushed her hands down her skirt to smooth out the wrinkles. One last glimpse in the side mirror of her truck and she was headed into the bank. The building had been updated since the last time she had been in it. They had added a second story and the dingy old paint was now restored back to its former glory. She walked through the glass doors and took in the neatly placed desks that sat around the lobby. She smiled toward the petite girl that sat behind the first desk before looking for Mrs. Thomas.

  “Can I help you, ma’am?” the small blonde smiled up at her from behind her desk.

  “I have a meeting with Mrs. Thomas. Is she in?” Ani answered.

  “She sure is, let me call her office.” She picked up the phone and called over to Mrs. Thomas’ desk, “What’s your name, sweetie?”

  “Aiyana.”

  “Yes, ma’am it’s her,” the blonde said into the phone before smiling up at Ani once more. “Sure thing. I’ll bring her back now.” As she hung up the phone, the blonde stood. “You can follow me this way.” She motioned toward the hallway leading to the back of the bank.

  Ani followed closely behind her as she passed in between the desks. She let her eyes stray around the lobby as she walked toward Mrs. Thomas’ office. Before she could pass fully into the hallway, her eyes caught a familiar set that stared at her from one of the far offices near the teller line.

  Kate.

  Ani remembered the girls mentioning that Kate worked at the bank, but she wasn’t positive if was here or a different branch. In the split second before she walked back into the hallway, she saw the shocked wide mouth look on Kate’s face. Ani could only hope that she would be able to make things right with Kate. She had a lot to explain and apologize for, that she knew. Kate had never been the kind to forgive and forget easily, but Ani knew that if there was one person out there that had the same kindred spirit as her own, it was Kate.

  They had been as thick as thieves growing up. Ani had thought at first that Kate had only wanted to be her friend because Cash was around so often. Though she’d never outright said it, Ani knew Kate had a crush on Cash when they were young. But over time they had formed a bond that was indescribable. Ani could tell Kate anything and she’d never judged her, reprimanded her for doing something stupid, and had always had Ani’s back during grade school when the kids picked on her. Kate hadn’t deserved how Ani had treated her after she’d left and she was already rehearsing the groveling that it would take to get her back.

  First things first. Ani smiled as she walked in Mrs. Thomas’ office door. The petite blonde waved her in through the door and then turned and closed the door behind her. Mrs. Thomas’ office was spacious and a light shade of blue that matched the fragrant flowers at the edge of her desk.

  She smiled as she stood and shook Ani’s hand, “I am so glad you could make it, Ani. How are you?”

  “I’m good, Mrs. Thomas. How have you been since I saw you this weekend?”

  “As good as always. I know that I was your mother’s friend, but you don’t have to call me Mrs. Thomas. You’re a grown woman now, so no need for formalities. Just call me Lisa,” she smiled across the desk at her as she shuffled through some folders.

  “Ok. I can do that. Thank you.”

  “Now as I’m sure you know, I wanted you to come in for an interview, but mostly because I want to scoop you up before someone else does. I’m in dire need of a Risk Management Officer for the bank. I don’t have the time to run various interviews and to be honest, I don’t want to. Of course formally I have to interview you. But before we go further, do you think you’d be interested in the position?”

  It was similar to the work she had done at the Federal Reserve. She would weed through accounts, find any red flags, verify deposits, and file certain paperwork that was needed for deposits of certain amounts. Of course, her work had been on a grander scale there, but she felt certain she would enjoy the job here.

  “Yes I would. That’s very similar to the position I had with the Federal Reserve. I would love to come on board if you’d like to have me on your team.”

  She could see Lisa let out a deep breath, she’d obviously been unsure if Ani would have said yes or no. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear you say that. Now let’s hop right into the interview and then I can get your hiring paperwork started before you leave.” Ani couldn’t help but smile back at Lisa as her excitement flooded into the room.

  For the next hour, the two went over various interview questions, taking time in between to chat about the town and how it had changed since Ani had left. For the first time Ani felt as though she was having a normal conversation with someone other than her dad. No hidden agenda, just a normal conversation about life. She’d tried to have that with Cash but he’d either brought up the past or something about their future. She didn’t need that weight on her shoulders, she’d only just moved back.

  “Ok my dear. I think we have everything we need. Before you go, how about I introduce you around the office?” Lisa stood and straightened her black suit jacket.

  “Sure. That sounds great.” Ani followed her out and back toward the lobby.

  They stopped first at the office just at the end of the hallway, the one directly across from Kate’s. Ani glanced over toward Kate’s office only to find her chair empty.

  “This will be your office. Feel free to decorate it however you’d like. I will order your name tags and desk plate this afternoon.” Lisa inspected the office to make sure she had everything she needed and they headed back toward the lobby. “I don’t know if you were introduced when you came in; Ani this is Jill,” Lisa introduced her formally to the petite blonde that had shown her into the office.

  “Hi, Jill. I’m Ani,” Ani reached out and shook the blonde’s hand.

  “It’s nice to meet you. So, are you going to be joining the team?” she asked.

  “Yes, she’ll be our new Risk Management Officer,” Lisa answered excitedly, “Jill is one of our Personal Bankers. She works alongside Kate who,” Lisa looked around Kate’s vacant office before continuing, “Looks like she has already gone to lunch.”

  “That’s ok. I’m sure I’ll see her tomorrow,” Ani tried to hide the disappointment in her voice; she’d really hoped to talk to Kate before she’d left today.

  “Yes, though I’m sure you two girls have plenty to catch up on besides bank stuff,” Lisa said, patting Ani on her back. “Let’s head on over to the teller line.”

  Ani met
the various women behind the teller line and the handful of loan officers that resided in the offices upstairs, before she confirmed her schedule for the week and headed out to her truck. As she climbed up into the driver’s seat, she let out a deep breath. She would be starting a job tomorrow and even for a small town bank, she would be making pretty good money. She figured she would have had to give up her salary when she took this position, but Lisa had explained the bank had been merged with a larger corporation that ran out of Gatlinburg. And though she would be working here permanently, she would actually be an employee of the main financial corporation; meaning a higher salary and better benefits.

  As she cranked her truck she paused, a familiar rumble came flooding in through her windows. She froze as a handful of bikers came rolling into the bank parking lot. Not concerned enough to park in an actual parking spot, they pulled directly in front of the main walkway of the bank. Her heart started to beat faster as they got off their motorcycles and removed their helmets. Her eyes passed from biker to biker in search of one in particular; but as she took in the “Renegades” insignia stretched across the back of their leather cuts, she assumed he wasn’t with them. As one of the men headed into the bank with a large canvas bag, the other four propped up on or against their motorcycles and waited.

  Her heart slowed back to a normal pace as she pulled out of her parking spot, glancing over just enough to see one of the men staring at her. She smiled weakly as she took off from the parking lot and toward the main part of town. She needed to stop by Mrs. Bell’s shop to pick up the mower blades she’d ordered. As she sped off down the road, she turned up her radio and tuned the rest of the world out; that was until she heard the sirens blasting from behind her truck.

  “You gotta be kidding me! I’m not even speeding,” she said out loud before she realized who it was.

  Cash fucking Roberts.

  “Can I see your license and registration, ma’am?” Cash said as he strolled up to her car window.

  “What do you want, Cash?” She cut her eyes toward him in aggravation.

  “I wanted to make sure you were ok. You haven’t returned any of my calls; I’ve been trying to get in touch with you all weekend.”

  “Yeah, I know,” she said through gritted teeth.

  She chanced a glimpse down at his uniform. Fuck. She quickly turned her head as he leaned into her window with an award-winning smile.

  “Let me take you out this weekend. Just the two of us.”

  “No.”

  “Oh come on, Ani. Just as friends,” he said, trying to convince her.

  She looked back over at him, being careful as to not look down at his uniform. One more glimpse at it and her clothes would fall off. Her mind started flickering through images of her ripping that uniform off him. His handcuffs around her wrists and hooked to the bed as his lips explored her body.

  “I’ll think about it,” she said, shifting in her seat in an effort to ease the sensation between her thighs. Baseball, ham sandwiches, grass growing. How the hell do guys do this so easily? She tried to focus on something other than the need growing inside of her.

  “How about you answer your phone this time,” he smiled as he strolled back toward his Bronco.

  She didn’t look back as she sped off toward downtown. What a dick. I bet I could call his boss and get him in trouble for pulling me over just to ask me on a date. She let out a deep growl as she gripped the steering wheel harder. Never before had she been so mixed up. When she was in New York men didn’t even cross her mind; she had been so busy with school and work that the few dates she’d actually gone on had ended after dinner without so much as a kiss. Now she found herself hating Cash in one breath and then wanting to eat him alive in the next.

  It was slim pickings for men in this town, and who knows, maybe one day she would give Cash an honest chance. However for now, she had to get the frustration toward him completely out of her system and something was keeping her from doing that. As much as she knew she needed to, she couldn’t just give in and let her wall down.

  She pulled up in front of the hardware store with her mind anywhere but on where she was at or what she was doing, unaware of the deep vibrations passing behind her truck. As she hopped down and straightened her skirt once more, she heard a low whistle come from a few spots down. She cut her eyes angrily in the direction it had come from. Her heart stopped as she took in the familiar dark eyes of the man leaning against his motorcycle.

  Knox.

  She giggled in embarrassment, sending an apologetic smile over toward him. She felt nervous and giddy as she took a few steps toward him before his deep Irish accent stopped her dead in her tracks.

  “Damn, woman, you sure do clean up nice.” He smiled over at her, exposing the gleam of his gold tooth as he tucked his long hair behind his ear.

  “Job interview,” she explained, closing in the remaining distance between them.

  “Aye. Even sexier, a woman who works. So where am I gonna to have to start going to see you now?”

  “What, you don’t want to keep meeting in the parking lots across town?” she said sarcastically.

  “I wouldn’t care if it was a parking lot or a burger joint.” His eyes traveled down to her hips and back up to her eyes, “Especially if you’re gonna wear that.”

  She felt the blush spreading across her body as the same hunger she’d had in her own eyes flashed in his eyes. There was something about this man that lured her in. He was different and new and she wanted that; it was something she couldn’t resist.

  “So what brings you out and about today, Knox?”

  “Just picking up a few things for the clubhouse. The boys have been doing a number on it with all of the parties. Stupid bastards can’t shut a damn door without pulling the hinges off.” He stood from his motorcycle and opened the shop door for her.

  He was much taller than Ani. Even with her heels on, he was a good foot taller than she was. And through his loose fitting clothing, she could tell that he was solid. The sleeves of his shirt were pushed up showing the chiseled muscle of his arms. She wasn’t sure if she was in this same league as he was, but she’d do whatever she could to make an impression.

  “Sounds like a lot of fun,” she smiled up at him as she swayed into the store, strutting in front of him hard enough to break a hip.

  She glanced back at his sudden silence to find his eyes devouring her backside. Mission accomplished.

  “Yeah, if there’s one thing we know how to do well, it’s get piss drunk,” he followed her up to the counter.

  “Well hello, kids,” Mrs. Bell’s sweet voice came from behind the counter, “What can I help you two with today?”

  “I just wanted to pick up the mower blades you ordered for me,” Ani smiled over at her.

  “Oh yes. I have those in the back. Let me go get them.” She stood from her stool and made her way around the counter.

  “Mrs. Bell, let me help you with those.” Knox followed her toward the back of the store.

  What is with this guy? She was in awe of how quick he was to help Mrs. Bell. She didn’t expect a rough and tough biker to be so kind to old ladies. The fact that the assholes at the bank earlier had no thought of anyone other than themselves helped to confirm that. She hadn’t had much interaction with bikers before, but the ones she had didn’t give two shits about anyone other than themselves and their motorcycles. This guy however seemed, nice.

  “Shite, woman, what are you going to cut with this?” Knox carried the large box from the back.

  “I have to get the pasture cut this afternoon,” she laughed as he peeked around the side of the large box.

  “The pasture? You got cows or something?” He placed the box on the ground in front of her.

  “Horses again hopefully,” she answered. He stood in front of her, contemplating before he spoke again.

  “Let me get this big bastard out to your truck. Unlock your door and I’ll put it in the back,” he said as he grabbed the box
and headed out the door.

  She laughed as she hit the unlock button and they watched as he tried fitting it in one way and then another. Eventually moving the other items in the back of her truck out of the way and shoving it in quite forcefully.

  “Bless his heart. He’s such a good boy. He’s been here almost every day this week. I hardly ever get anyone in here now days, so it’s been nice to have the company. You were the last person to come in. It makes for a very long day being here all by myself,” she smiled as she took Ani’s card.

  “I could imagine.”

  He’d been in everyday? Damn how many doors did he have to fix? She leaned down to sign the receipt when the familiar burn of his eyes fell over her once more. She smiled to herself before standing back up to see the blush on Mrs. Bell’s face.

  “Alright, dear. If you or your dad need anything else you just call ok?” Mrs. Bell smiled as she nervously escaped to the back of the store.

  “Ok. Thank you,” Ani said toward the older woman as she shuffled off toward the back. When she was no longer in sight, Ani’s eyes came back to Knox’s.

  “That skirt is going to kill me.” Knox stepped closer to her.

  Her breathing practically ceased and her heart began to beat erratically. I swear if I keep this up, I’m going to have to have my ticker checked. Maybe if she passed out he would perform CPR, she wouldn’t mind his lips pressed against her own.

  “Well I guess I need to get home and take it off then,” she countered.

  “Would you by chance need help with that?” He stood so close that she could feel his warmth. He smelled of leather and gasoline; all she wanted to do was bury her face into his chest and breathe him in. Jesus, Ani you don’t even know this man. Slut.

  “Not to ruin the moment, but my dad will be there,” she leaned her hands back against the desk and propped herself up on it. Look sexy and don’t fall off.

  “Doesn’t ruin anything for me, but I don’t think your pops would want to know the things I have intended for his daughter.” His hand grazed down her thigh toward the end of her skirt leaving a trail of fire. “How about I get your number and give you a call?”