A hand flew over her mouth as she took him in, her stomach twisting in knots. Goldie's Garth? The guy I kissed last night is Garth! "I had no idea. You've really changed."
"I fuckin' hope so. You grew up nicely." His gaze dropped from her eyes to her shoulders, then to her breasts.
An unwelcome surge of excitement coursed through her, and she moved farther away from him. "I can't believe you're Garth. I mean, you gave me a tattoo."
"On your ass. And an incredible kiss on your lips."
She groaned and threw her head back. "I can't believe this. Did you know it was me?"
"When you came into the tattoo parlor, I had no clue it was you. I thought you were just another hot-looking chick. Ryan never mentioned you moved back to Alina. When did you get here?"
"About eight months ago. My aunt Patty shattered her left femur and needed help with the shop. She's here for rehab. That's why I'm here. I was visiting her earlier. I just happened to see your grandma's name on the door. I don't know why I didn't notice it before."
"They just put them on the door. Before, they were just on the charts inside the rooms. This is a small world. I wonder why Ryan didn't tell me you're in town."
"I think he was trying to protect me. He did tell me you joined a biker gang-I mean club. I don't know. Sometimes he acts like I'm still a child."
Cocking his head to the side, he slid his gaze over her again. "He knows me too well."
"This is kinda awkward." Hailey rubbed the back of her neck.
"Why's that?"
"Because of last night and the tattoo and all that."
"I bet you wouldn't have done any of that if you knew it was me."
"No, I wouldn't have."
"But you were attracted to me."
"Yeah, but I didn't know it was you, Garth. I mean, the whole thing is weird. You're my brother's best friend. We've known each other since I can remember."
His face hardened. "You're right. Ryan would be pissed, and we can't do that shit to him. We'll forget last night ever happened, and I'll try to forget your cute ass."
Before she could answer, several personnel ran past. She poked her head out into the hallway and saw a bunch of people go into one of the rooms. A few residents stood in the hall trying to peek inside.
"I wonder what's going on," she said.
He came up behind her, pressing against her back as he looked over her head and down the hallway. Static charges jumped through her as the heat radiating from him hugged her. Her body became alert and she felt his heat radiating off him. When he placed his hand on her shoulder, it set off an inferno inside her, and she leaned back against his solid chest. A subtle scent of leather, pine, and earth infused her senses, and her arousal screamed for his touch, for his lips on her skin.
"Looks like a problem in Mrs. Heller's room." His breath fanned over her shoulders and she fell farther back into him. His finger caressed her cheek. "Be careful what you're doing. You might wake the beast in me, and he doesn't play nice." The way he ground his hips forward, rubbing his hard dick against her, made her want to wake up the beast and more.
Shelly ran by, then stopped and came back to the door. Tension etched her face, and she glared at Hailey before looking at Goldie. "I didn't know you'd come in."
"What's going on down there?"
"Mrs. Heller's passed."
"Damn. That's too bad."
"Yeah. She was old. When you get past eighty, you never know."
"Age doesn't matter to her family. It still fuckin' sucks." Goldie's hand slipped under Hailey's hair and he swept his fingers over the base of her neck. Goose bumps freckled her skin as she shivered from desire.
"True." Shelly looked back down the hall. "I have to go. Are you going to stick around for a while?" She smiled widely at him.
She's got the hots for him. Hell, I've got the hots for him. I can't believe how sexy he turned out to be. But he's a womanizer. Remember, Ryan told you that. You're so out of his league.
"I'll be here for a bit."
"Sweet." Shelly scampered down the hall as the administrator of the facility tried to move the residents away from Mrs. Heller's room.
The exchange with Shelly must have brought him back to reality, because he stepped back from Hailey and cool air replaced his warmth as he went back over to his grandmother. Hailey pivoted around and watched him wipe Helen's nose. That single act made her heart melt. She wanted to tell him that she'd always had a huge crush on him, that the kiss they'd shared the night before was the best one she'd ever had. That he did something to her-always had-and that she wanted to get to know Garth the man. But she just stood mutely in the doorway, watching him share a tender moment with his grandmother.
He threw the tissue in the trash, then went into the connecting bathroom and turned on the water. When he came back out, drying his hands with a paper towel, he gave her a half smile. All of a sudden, she felt like an intruder. She smiled back and went over to the chair to pick up her purse.
"I better get back to the shop," she said.
"Okay." There was a spark of some indefinable emotion in his eyes.
She spun around and walked out of the room. Outside, the hot, dry air bore down on her as she cut across the parking lot. It was an inferno inside her car, and she turned up the air conditioning to high and rolled down the windows to let the heat escape. Her mind was still spinning over the discovery that the man she'd been lusting after since he'd given her a tattoo was Garth. What were the chances of that? She didn't think he'd contact her again. Since he was a player, he probably figured he could fuck her a couple times and then move on. Discovering who she was must have put a major kink in his plans of seduction.
Her phone vibrated and she hoped it was him. With slumping shoulders, she read Rory's text.
Rory: What's going on? Brent said u haven't returned his call.
With a heavy sigh, she frowned while she shook her head slowly. Not in the mood for this, Rory.
Hailey: Been 2 busy 2 think. Slammed @ the shop.
Rory: I feel 4 u, but u have 2 get out. What about Sat?
Hailey: Not sure. Brent doesn't do anything 4 me.
In anticipation of Rory's response, she pressed her lips together and looked out the window. In front of her, a silver metallic motorcycle shone under the glaring sun. The artwork on the bike drew her in-a zombie apocalypse. She'd never seen anything like it, and her gut told her it was Goldie's bike.
Rory: Y not? Please don't tell me u're into the tattoo guy.
Hailey: K, I won't.
Rory: R u serious? Brent's handsome, smart, witty, and a NICE GUY.
Hailey: Then u go out with him. Gotta run. Later.
She chuckled as she started the engine. What could she say? Brent just didn't do it for her. She was serious about Rory going out with him. He was a million times better than that pessimist Troy. Anyway, she was seriously attracted to Goldie. The funny thing was that she saw the sexy tattoo artist as Goldie, not Garth. Garth was still a teenager locked in her memory. Plus, thinking of him as Goldie made her not mind so much that he was Ryan's best friend.
The tires squealed as she turned too sharply onto the main road. Maybe she'd come back the following day and see if she happened to run into Goldie. Maybe she'd turn into a stalker or something. One thing she knew for sure: she would see him again, even if it meant her seeking him out.
She wanted to get to know him all over again. Ryan wouldn't be happy about it, but he was halfway across the world. Goldie was just across town. Besides, people were always running into each other in small towns. It was inevitable.
She'd make sure to make the unavoidable happen.
Chapter Seven
When Goldie entered the clubhouse, he saw Steel sitting at a table with Paco and Sangre. He walked over to the table and Patches placed a bottle of Coors on it, then went back to the bar.
"Hey," he said to his brothers as he sat down.
"How's the poker run coming along?" Steel asked.
"Good. I've got all the travel routes set up, and I'm planning the club's basic itinerary. A lot of the brothers signed up for it, and I got a bunch of other bikers who are down. It should pull in some bucks." Being the club's road captain, he was responsible for organizing all the runs and tours, leading the formation on rides, and enforcing rules and procedures for group rides. Goldie also had to supervise the maintenance of all club vehicles, but he usually designated that to Shotgun, who ran the club's bike and auto repair shop.
"We could use some pocket change for the upcoming rally," Sangre said. He was the treasurer of the club and always looking for ways to bring in more money. The club's businesses brought in a steady stream of income, but it was the marijuana dispensary that was killing it for the Night Rebels.
"You gonna go on the ride with the Fallen Slayers this weekend? Afterward they're gonna have a helluva hog fest. They're even having women wrestling in barbecue sauce. I gotta fuckin' see that." Paco laughed.