Kaylie had finished her shift later than usual. There had been a lot of ice cream bowls to clean. Jack had waited while Donnie went back for her with Dev's SUV.
There was a nervous knot in the pit of his stomach as she walked toward him through the crowd of bikers. They all smiled at her as she passed. She was one of them now.
They loved her as much as he did.
Love. There it was again. No point fighting it now. He loved his woman. He was hers, hook, line and sinker.
Finally she stood in front of him. She didn't smile or kiss him. She just raised her chin and stared him right in the eye.
"I didn't know if I wanted this kind of life."
His chest felt like it might explode but he forced his voice to remain steady.
"I understand. I won't be mad if this isn't what you want Kaylie.”
He felt tears in his eyes as he faced her, but he had to say it. He had to give her an out.
“I could never be mad at you."
She looked down as if she were embarrassed or nervous. Like the words didn't come easy. He held his breath, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn't say they were through.
"I said I didn't know. But now I do."
When she looked up again he was shocked at the triumphant look blazing out of her eyes. It was strong and sure and confident. It was full of love. For him.
"I'm yours Devlin. For as long as you want me."
He almost laughed but he felt emotion choking his throat, making it tough to even talk. He cupped her face and stared into her eyes.
"Forever, Kaylie. Is that long enough?"
She nodded as he watched tears fill her beautiful eyes. He clasped her to him harder and bent his lips to hers.
"Forever."
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Thank you so much for understanding, Pincushion Press
Hunter
A Joanna Blake Single
About This Book
This is a brand new edition of one of my earliest stories The Biker Next Door, a series of shorter stories entitled 'Joanna Blake Singles'. I've expanded the story and included a brand new epilogue!
I hope you enjoy!
Xoxox,
Joanna
Chapter One
Callie
I twisted to the side, trying to crack my back. I had never been so tired in my life. A long day of travel yesterday and then doing the grocery shopping for Gran and I. Then the chore of unpacking and cleaning it up before I finally sank gratefully into the worn in chair in the living room.
Home. I was finally home. No more cramped apartment filled with nursing student. One of which had the unpleasant habit of bringing home every guy she met.
Not that I was judging. I just came home to eat, sleep and study. Instead I spent quit a few nights staring at the ceiling, trying to muffle out the sounds of all the sex I wasn't having.
Silence. Blissfull, peacful silence. I closed my eyes and felt myself start to drift…
ZOOM ZOOM
"What the-"
I sat up and looked around. I had been home less than five minutes when I heard the unwelcome sound. It took me a minute to figure out what it was: the persistent rumble of a motorcycle.
A big one from the sounds of it.
It was close. Really close.
I ran to the window and looked out. Oh no. There was a large, muscular man in worn in denim and leather climbing off a bike in the driveway next door. Calling it 'a bike' was laughable. It was hell on wheels. Literally.
Suddenly I wanted to cry.
The thing was huge and looked terrifying. Kind of like the man who was standing next to it. Some maniac had actually customized the thing so that it looked like it had wings. Boney, black wings coming out of the front.
They'd made the bike bigger too somehow. To suit the rider. The man was menacing to say the least. He stood well over six feet, with long lean legs and thick, tattooed shoulders that looked wider than four feet.
I shook my head wildly. My eyes were playing tricks on me. That wasn't possible was it? I'd never heard of someone that broad, not even in anatomy class.
I gasped when he pulled off his helmet a moment later. Long dark hair poured out over his shoulders, making him look like an avenging angel. His sunglasses were on but his face was chiseled and handsome, with a full pouty mouth below it.
A smiling mouth. What the heck did a monster like him have to smile at? It was a predatory smile, making him look hungry.
In fact, it looked like he was smiling at his next meal.
He was staring right at me.
I jumped back from the window, nearly knocking over a lamp in the process. I righted it and casually strolled into the kitchen, where Gran was baking a full tin's worth of bran muffins. I stared at her, wondering if that monster next door had made her life a living hell. She hadn't said a word about it.
Gran carefully stacked the muffins on a plate covered with a napkin. Funny… she didn't look like she was being terrorized by bikers. She looked healthy and happy, with rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes. I frowned at the number of muffins she'd made. Not only was it a full tin, but she'd made lemonade from scratch. We must be expecting company. Usually she only made half a tin.
Gran was big on healthy eating and had raised me to be mindful of what I put into my body. That was a big reason I had decided to go into helping sick people. Even though the nursing program was challenging to say the least.
"Gran you didn't tell me that we had new neighbors."
"Neighbor. It's just Hunter over there."
Her grandmother looked at me shrewdly.
"He's single, though there has been a stream of pretty women coming and going. Why? Do you like him?"
"Ew, Gran! He looks like a criminal!"
"Well then, he must be. If he looks like one, right?"
I gave Gran a look. I knew what she was doing. I'd heard the 'don't judge a book by it's cover' lesson a hundred times. Normally I didn't. But this guy-well, there was no mistaking him for what he was.
A first degree bad ass.
"All the same, I expect you to be polite when he stops by."
I stared at Gran in shock. What was my sweet old grandmother doing inviting that cretin over for muffins?
"When he WHAT?"
"Go fix your hair dear. He'll be here any minute."
"Gran!"
My grandmother looked at me with an arched eyebrow. It was the look that said 'don't you sass your elders young lady.' That look had kept me on my toes since I was two years old.
"I promised him muffins after he fixed the front door for me a few days ago. Doesn't squeak any more in case you didn't notice. Added some extra security too."
My Grandmother grinned at me cheekily.
"Those criminal types know all about that sort of thing. Now, go freshen up."