"I don't know, Talon. I asked a simple question and you got all weird on me. What am I supposed to think?" She swept her gaze down the expensive biker's outfit he wore. The man had a body to beat the band and was too bodacious to be real. That tended to make a woman go, hmmm…
"And you do wear a lot of leather."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
She gave him aduh stare. "I am an artist, you know. I tend to hang out with an awful lot of homosexual and bisexual guys."
If he had looked offended before, it was nothing compared to the look on his face now. "Now there's a stereotype I hadn't even considered. Thank you very much. For your information, I happen to like leather since it tends to protectmy hide on the occasions when I wreck my motorcycle and go skidding down asphalt."
"Well, that's true too. So why did you get all weird on me when I asked you where you live?"
"Because I figured if I told you where I lived, you'd getall weird on me."
She hesitated as a million scary locations came to her mind. He lived in a cemetery or crypt. A run-down shack. A cardboard box. A dock house. A broken-down camper or bus. Good Lord, in this city there was no telling where he might make his home. "Okay, you live somewhere freaky, don't you?"
"I live out in the bayou.
"
Relieved, she scoffed at his evasiveness over something so silly. "Oh please, I know several people who live out by the bayou.
"
"Notby the bayou, Sunshine. I livein the bayou.
"
Was he serious? Who in their right mind lived in the bayou with the snakes and gators and other things
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) she didn't want to even think about? Things that carried guns and did lots of illegal activities like feeding murdered bodies to gators.
"You livein the bayou?
"
He nodded. "It's really peaceful out there. No modern sounds to intrude on you. No neighbors. No traffic. You can almost feel like you're living centuries ago.
"
There was a wistful look to him as he said that. "That means a lot to you, doesn't it?
"
"Yes. It does.
"
She smiled. Yeah, she could see Talon out in the bayou all alone. He reminded her a lot of her father, who loved to spend hours outside just soaking up nature. They both shared that quiet kind of peace-with-the-universe attitude.
"How long have you lived there?
"
He avoided looking at her. "A reallylong time.
"
Sunshine nodded.
As they started for the door, she dropped her wicker tote and retrieved her Studiopack French Easel Backpack from the corner. She always kept it well stocked in case she decided on a whim to go some place else and paint.
"What is that?" he asked.
She winked at him. "An artist on the go, that's me. I never go anywhere without supplies.
"
He smiled as he took the backpack from her. "So, you're still feeling adventurous, huh?
"
"Always. Just bring the gator-be-gone spray and I'm all yours.
"
Talon stared at her as he felt another stupid urge to grin. His face was starting to ache from the effort it took to not expose his fangs to her. She was extremely funny and amusing.
If not, to an extent, insulting.
He was still chafing over her assumptions about his clothes. The things this woman got into her head…
But he liked that about her. She didn't play games with him, but spoke whatever thought, no matter how outrageous, was on her mind.
Sunshine locked the door, got halfway down the stairs, then stopped. "Oh man, I forgot my overnight bag." She made a disgusted sound before sprinting up the stairs and rushing back inside her loft.
She came out a few minutes later with her wicker bag, reached the top of the stairs, then remembered
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) she had no coat.
One more time, she went back inside before she rejoined him. "I swear I'd be wearing a pumpkin on my shoulders.
"
It took a second for her words to sink in—she'd lose her head if it ever came off her body.
Laughing, he paused on the stairs as she walked past him. "By the way, I don't look gay in leather.
"
Sunshine turned to look up at him. She passed a hot, lustful glance over his body that made him harden instantly. "No, baby, you don't. I honestly have to say you wear that outfit like nobody's business.
"
A slow smile spread across his face as he followed her the rest of the way out of the club.
Oh yeah, the two of them had some unfinished business to take care of once he got her home.
Business he shouldn't even be contemplating, but he had his reputation to uphold. Besides which, he owed her a payback. When she left his cabin, she'd never again doubt his sexual orientation or his attraction to her.
As they reached the outside doors, Sunshine led Talon away from the club.
"Are you going to tell your brother where you're going?
"
She shook her head. "I'll call him in a little bit and tell him. Believe me, it's not something I want to do face to face.
"
"Stern, is he?
"
"You've no idea.
"
Talon led her to his bike and pulled out a spare helmet from the saddlebags. "You want to put your backpack in here?
"