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“You know, it is okay for you to be happy. It’s what Ryan would—”
“Don’t.” I prevent her from finishing that sentence, it’s the last thing I wanna talk about right now.
Instead, I grab myself a bottle of vodka and watch as the guy relaxes around my brother and the people I call family. I allow myself to wonder how it might have felt to have him make love to me because now I’m seeing him in my world, it really makes me want to keep him here.
He eventually comes over to the table where I’m sitting, and I notice the way my brother stares me a warning.
“Time for me to say goodnight, Mia.” He smiles at me, and when I realize he said my name I frown curiously.
“How did you…?”
“Your brother thanked me for helping him, then told me if I laid one hand onMia, I’d be stitching up my own throat after he slit it. Since there ain’t no other women I can see here who I’d wanna put my hand on, I take it he meant you.”
“Pleased to meet you…” I hold out my hand, and he turns his head to look at my brother, then waits for his nod of approval before he takes it.
“Jamie, and for the record…” He leans in a little closer.
“I think you’d be worth the risk.” He lowers his voice before placing a kiss on my cheek, and I watch my brother throw his good arm into Skinner’s chest to stop him from marching over.
“Goodnight, Mia.” I watch the handsome stranger walk out the bar and when the door closes behind him, despite being in a room full of people, I suddenly feel very lonely
It’s been a week, and I still can’t get Jaime out of my head. When I look at Levi and Beth now, there’s a hint of jealousy and, despite how pathetic it is that he made such an impact on me in such a short time, I can’t help feeling sorry for myself.
I pull up outside the garage and prepare myself for what’s coming. Skinner texted me this morning and asked me to stop by so he can check my tire pressure and I know he’s going to ask me out. I made my brother a promise and now I guess it’s time for me to see it through. I’m agreeing to a date, it’s not like I’m going to marry the man.
Getting out of the car, I paste on a smile and cloak myself with my bravado.
“Morning,” I call out over the noise of the stereo, and when Skinner pops his head up from under the hood he grins at me awkwardly.
“I wasn’t expecting you so early.” He picks up a rag and wipes off his hands, then heads straight towards my car.
“You know, I am capable of checking my own tire pressure,” I point out, watching him move from wheel to wheel and check each one with his machine.
“Yeah, I know that, but I like to know you're safe for my own peace of mind.” His eyes linger on mine for a little too long when he says that, and I quickly look away and change the subject.
“So, you got much booked in?” I glance over the appointment book that’s open on the workbench beside me, willing for this to be over.
“Yeah, heaps and I’ve got a suspicion Joel’s not gonna be around much longer to help out.”
He lifts the hood and checks my oil next.
“What makes you say that?” He's got me curious now, Joel’s a good kid, he seems to be doing okay.
“Things have been going missing around here. The cash tray was fifty short last week and since he’s the one who helps out most around here, I figure it’s him.”
“You don’t know that just because he’s new doesn’t mean—”
“I wanna take ya out.” Skinner blurts out the words, and although I knew they were coming they still take me by surprise. “Like, just the two of us kinda out. I squared it with your brother and he’s cool with it. So, you wanna get a drink tonight?” The big, bad biker has clearly gone shy on me, he can’t even look me in the eye, and I can’t help smiling to myself,
“Sure, we can get a drink,” I reply casually and Skinner looks shocked by my response,
“I’ll pick you up around seven.” He’s smiling when he closes my hood and he keeps the grin on his face as he rubs those hands in his rag again.
I can’t imagine those hands ever touching me, and I don’t care how big or mean-looking Skinner is, if he tries to be anything less than a gentleman tonight, he’ll choke on that fucking rag.
“I’ll meet you at the bar,” I tell him, before getting behind the wheel and reversing out of there.
Skinner isn’t bad to look at and he’s never given me a reason not to like him. But I have no attraction to him, and I have no idea why my brother would encourage us together. But maybe I’m the one getting it wrong here.
