Chapter Twelve
Hailey watched Goldieride away before she closed and locked the door. Sadness enveloped her as she trudged upstairs to her bedroom. Every ounce of strength she possessed fought hard to keep her from inviting Goldie in and letting him have his way with her. From the first time she’d seen him at the tattoo shop, she was smitten. There was no denying the electrifying sizzle between them, and she knew he experienced it too. And when she found out he was Garth, she took it as a sign.
But you ran away scared. Pushed him away. And it wasn’t because of Ryan.The truth was she was scared out of her mind. When Goldie wasn’t around, she thought about him a lot—and her panties dampened, her nipples ached, and her sex throbbed like hell. It was unbelievable. And when she was with him, her whole body was in a frenzy.
She slipped into the cool sheets and turned off the lamp. Lying on her back, she looked up at the custom ceiling with ornate floral patterns and tried to imagine what it would feel like to have a fling with Goldie.It would be awesome and devastating.Since she was a young girl, she’d had a crush on the blond, blue-eyed Garth, and if they came together now, she knew she’d flip completely for him.Look how worked up I get justbeingwith him. Imagine having sex with him.No, it would be a disaster because he was nothing but a womanizer. For him, it would be just a wild night of sex while for her it would mean everything.
No, it would never work. She didn’t actively seek getting a broken heart. And he would break her heart terribly; she was sure of that.
Closing her eyes, she hoped sleep would stop the twirling of her thoughts.
***
Rory picked upher piña colada margarita—it was the summer special at Alfonso’s—and ran her tongue over the rim. “This is the best margarita I’ve ever had. Good choice for dinner, Hay.”
“I know we all like Mexican food, and the first time I came here I almost died the food and drinks were so good.” Hailey took a sip of her pineapple margarita.
“I can’t believe you’re just having your usual white wine when there are so many yummy drinks on the menu,” Rory said to Claudia.
“A glass of stellar chardonnay suits me just fine.”
The waiter came over with three steaming dishes. “Will there be anything else?” he asked.
“I ordered corn tortillas,” Claudia said.
“I’ll be right back with them.” The server rushed away.
“Are you going to be able to eat all of those?” Rory said, pointing to the pile of clams on Claudia’s plate.
Picking up the salt shaker and a lemon wedge, she nodded. “You bet. I love this dish so much.”
Hailey laughed and picked up her fork, digging into herchile relleno con camarones—a large poblano pepper lightly fried and stuffed with cheese and shrimp. Popping a piece in her mouth, she leaned back and savored the burst of fresh flavors from the cilantro and peppers. “This is so damn good. I’m officially hooked.”
“Mine’s to die for too. How’s your chicken enchilada?” she asked Rory.
“Good, but I’d be just as happy to drink my dinner and forgo the eating. I’ve got to have another one of these margaritas.”
As the women ate their food, drank, and talked, a loud rumble traveled through the restaurant. “Is that thunder?” Claudia said.
Craning her neck, Rory looked up. “It can’t be. There isn’t a cloud in the sky.”
“You’re right, and it’s clear over the mountains too. I wonder what it is.”
Before Hailey could voice a guess, eight motorcycles roared by the eatery. Several diners covered their ears and many more directed their attention to the street, clearly annoyed. A shiver climbed up Hailey’s spine as her stomach fluttered.I’m turned on over a motorcycle? How stupid is that?The truth was her body was reacting to the possibility of seeing Goldie again. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since she’d seen him and she already missed him. Earlier that day, she’d hoped he would’ve called her, but she wasn’t all that surprised he didn’t because the bad boys always wanted the women to chase them.
“Did you see all those motorcycles? I bet the guys are in the Night Rebels,” Rory said as she gestured to the waiter for another round of drinks.
“Probably. I’ve seen some of them and they’re damn good-looking. Real buffed and firm.” Claudia giggled.
Rory’s eyes widened. “Oh shit. They’re coming in here.”
Hailey’s stomach turned over, and she slowly looked over her shoulder. Amid all the people, her gaze found his penetrating one—the one that was striking yet soft and made her insides dance. Goldie turned to a guy next to him and said something, then approached her, his shimmering gaze fixed on her. Mesmerized by his powerful legs encased in blue denim and his toned arms in a sleeveless T-shirt, she gawked at him as he came closer. The way his biceps bulged as he walked made her clench her legs together. A long silver earring dangled in his left ear, picking up the sun’s rays, gleaming against his tanned skin. She’d never seen him wear an earring and she found it incredibly sexy, even more so than the colorful ink that moved with him across the room. Every muscle in his body rippled, and her body ached for his touch. His raw maleness didn’t go unnoticed by several of the female patrons, who ogled him as he passed their tables.
“Hey, isn’t that the guy who gave you the tattoo on your butt?” Claudia said, breaking the spell. Hailey turned around and nodded. “He’s coming over here. He must’ve remembered us.”
“Great. Why can’t a good-looking guy in something other than denim and leather come over here?” Rory hiccupped loudly.
“Hey, Hailey.” His baritone voice landed right between her legs.
