AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Can’t handle a few bags, old man?”
Chuckling, Rex grabbed a few bags from the back seat of his truck and headed for the door. “I paid. They can carry.”
When he got to the door, the boys stepped past Nevaeh and jogged to his truck. They may eat for ten, but they were good boys.
Rex bent his head down and kissed his daughter’s cheek. “Go preheat the oven. And I’ll get your favorite going.”
Nevaeh did a little shimmy as she threw her hands in the air. “Taco Lasagna!”
Jolene
When Jolene showed up at his front door on Monday evening, she was surprised at the look of the place. He was a biker with long hair, a long beard, and tattoos, but he lived in a nice two-story home that had a nice manicured lawn and actual porch decorations. Everything that screamed mild-mannered suburban dad.
Staring down at the elf statues that all had grumpy looks on their faces as they stacked small boxes around a four-foot-tall Christmas tree, Jolene tried to picture the rough man setting them up. Or was it his daughter who decorated? Either way, she didn’t see him as the type to have novelty items like that on his porch.
Staring into the glass pane of his door, she inspected herself to make sure nothing was out of whack. Her hair was fine and so was her makeup. Her royal blue blouse and charcoal gray slacks fit her well and complimented her eyes and her figure. Taking a deep breath, she told herself to knock it off. She was too old for the first date nerves, or at least to the extent she was feeling them.
Jolene hadn’t even knocked on his door yet, but it swung open, and he stood there staring at her through the screen door. The smile on his face was warm, and the look in his ice-blue eyes was inviting. He truly was a handsome specimen.
“Hey,” he said low and swung the screen door open. Holding it with one large hand as she stepped through.
“Hey,” she replied and started to pull off her jacket.
“Can I help?”
He lifted his hands up to her shoulders but didn’t go any further until she gave a nod. With permission granted, he helped her remove her jacket and hung it on the coat rack near his front door.
She looked around at the interior and was less surprised by the inside than she had been by the porch. There was a dark gray sectional in the living area to the right. On the wall above one side, there was a large black and chrome art piece in the shape of a motorcycle. It looked to be made out of metal scraps. It was gorgeous.
There were various photos, many of which she suspected were his daughter, in chrome or silver frames on the wall above the other side of the sectional. The young woman was gorgeous and had her father’s eyes.
Across from the couch was a large flat screen on the wall, with various electronics on a metal shelving unit underneath it. The coffee table and end tables were made of the same metal and style. Finishing off the space was a black and gray rug on the shiny wood floor.
The look was masculine and bold, but it was still stylish. She liked it, but it was obvious that a woman hadn’t lived there in a long time, if ever.
The decor continued into the dining and kitchen area to her left. The countertops were black, and the cupboards were a dark gray to complement the black and stainless-steel appliances. Even the stools that lined one side of the island matched the stove and refrigerator, black and stainless steel.
“Not a fan of color, I see,” she commented and turned to face him.
He shrugged. “This is just the first floor. Nevaeh’s room is pink and purpleeverything. The guest room is green and tan. So is the bathroom.”
She lifted a brow when he didn’t go on. “And your room?”
His smile grew into a grin. “Maybe if I impress you with my cooking skills, I’ll get the chance to show you.”
Those words coming from his lips conjured a vision of him following her up the stairs she spotted across from the front door. Heat flooded her system, but she didn’t let it show. Instead, she slowly scanned his body from head to toe.
Rex was wearing a plain white tee under his cut. The short sleeves hugged his biceps, making her want to reach up and give them each a squeeze herself. On his lower half, he had on a pair of dark blue jeans that weren’t tight, but fit him just well enough to give her a good idea of what was underneath them. The kicker was his bare feet. What was it about a man walking around without socks or shoes on? Why did it conjure so many scandalous thoughts?
On her way back up his body, she let out a deep sigh. When she met his gaze with her own, she replied, “It better be some damn good food.”
His quiet laugh settled in her lower stomach and told her just how much he had already earned from her. She would most definitely be seeing that bedroom before too long.
Six
Rex
Afterdishingouttheslices of taco lasagna, Rex carried the plates over to his dining table. He set one down in front of Doc and the other on the table in front of his chair before returning to the kitchen to grab the tray of toppings and drink choices.
