Possession(Sons of Odin MC)(25)
Heat surged through her body, and she didn’t understand her physical response. Maybe because she got flustered when he flirted with her? “Thank you.”
“Are you blushing?” He claimed the bench across from her. “We’ve known each other long enough to be comfortable, right?”
She gave her coffee an extra stir, then met his eyes. “That’s a question I think you need to answer, Vincent.” Good, she’d found her confidence again.
He rubbed his chin. “Fair enough.”
A server placed a glass of ice water in front of him. “Can I take your order?”
“Want a sandwich?” he asked Tina.
“Sure,” she answered. “I’ll have the Reuben with a salad and ranch dressing.”
“Two Reubens, one with salad, the other with sweet potato fries.” Vincent looked at Tina’s coffee. “And whatever she’s drinking.”
The waitress wrote down their order, then headed for the kitchen.
“Hear from Kline today?”
Tina shook her head. “Not a peep. But I took a walk after you left, so who knows, maybe there’s a message waiting for me.”
Vincent looked under the table. “You’re wearing sandals. No more swelling?”
“A little. I popped some Motrin and braved the beach. I haven’t gone seashell hunting in a long time. Guess I owe you another thank you for taking me to Sunset Lake. I get so busy at work, I forget why I love it here.”
He grunted in approval. “Easy to do. Another reason I don’t miss the bank. My blood pressure and heart rate improved dramatically a couple weeks after I quit my job.”
“Hard to believe a thirty-year-old in perfect physical condition had high blood pressure.”
“That’s part of the life lesson Lang gave me. What really matters?”
Tina kicked the question around in her head a few times before she answered. “Family. Friends. Career.”
“Agreed. But you should enjoy what you do.”
“You love being the treasurer of the Sons of Odin?” She’d always wanted to ask.
“Absolutely,” he said without hesitation. “I love my Brothers.”
She traced the rim of her cup with her index finger. “You don’t miss your old life?”
He chuckled. “Maybe the military—knowing I had a dozen guys willing to die for me or with me. You can’t find that kind of camaraderie in the real world. Maybe that’s why I chose leather over a suit. Half my Brothers are veterans; just seems to fill whatever voids we have after we separate. Once you’ve experienced a war front, the world never looks the same when you get home. It took some time, but I finally realized fifty hours a week dealing with civilians begging for money in the bank was slowly killing me. Wearing a tie and dress shoes and doing the same thing every day for the rest of my life…Fuck no, I don’t miss it.”
“I’m happy for you, Vincent.”
He grasped her hand, tickling her palm. “Can you say the same?”
“Most of the time. I followed in my father’s footsteps. Went to the same law school, even picked the same specialty. I realize how privileged I am. Money can’t buy happiness, but it makes life a lot easier.”
“So does freedom.”
Tina wished she knew what he was thinking. Sure, he gave away bits and pieces, but she wanted so much more. “Freedom is another luxury we often take for granted.”
“I live it. No rules, no bullshit, just the open road.”
She gazed out the window at his bike. “She’s beautiful.”
“Therapy,” he added and squeezed her hand. “Completely customized Fat Boy Lo, 110 horsepower, like an old-school machine.”
“With enough room on the back for me to wrap my arms around your waist and hold on tight.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. A nervous tic or something else? “Have you ever ridden a bike?”
Tina gave him a what-do-you-think look. “Dirt bikes every summer.”
“So you lied the other night when you said no more surprises.” His expression was playful.
“Guilty again,” she admitted.
The server returned with their food. “Can I get you anything else?”
“No, thank you,” Tina said. She immediately picked up her sandwich and bit into the hot corned beef and Swiss cheese. “Oh. My. God.” Vincent ignored his food, obviously intrigued by the way she chewed. She licked her lips seductively, then took a second bite. “Is something wrong?”
“Nothing.” He picked up his sandwich. “Just hungry.”
For what? she thought. Not the kind of woman to back down from a challenge, she’d find another way to get him to open up more, to admit how much he wanted to kiss and touch her again. But for now it seemed best to change the subject.