Rake's Redemption (Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club) (14 page)

And then, it will destroy us both once more.

H
E’S
leaning against his four-wheel drive, waiting for me as I walk through the school parking lot, my black pumps clicking on the asphalt with each step. I try to hide my amused grin but fail, because flanking Rake are Cara and Rhett, both craning their necks to look up at the imposing man. He doesn’t look uncomfortable though—no, he looks in control. As I get closer I can hear laughter from the two children, and I try to ignore the pain in my chest at seeing what once upon a time could have been my future.

“Sorry I’m a little late,” I tell them, leaning down to kiss Cara on her cheek and then doing the same to Rhett.

I look up at Rake. “Thanks for getting them from their classes.”

“No problem,” he says, opening the door for the kids to get in the car and then opening the passenger-side door for me.

“Umm, thanks,” I mumble, sliding into the car and wondering how we went from hating the sight of each other to him opening doors for me.

“You want to stop anywhere on the way?” he asks as he pulls onto the main road.

I look into the backseat at the two eager faces staring at me with hopeful eyes. “What do you guys want?”

“Ice cream!” Cara shouts, while Rhett says, “Burgers!”

“Okay.” I grin, turning around and facing Rake. “Maybe we could stop somewhere that has burgers and ice cream. That diner maybe?”

“Okay.”

“So,” I start. “Just how long is this going to go on for?”

“As long as it takes,” he replies simply.

“You don’t think this is a little . . . awkward?” I ask, checking to see if the kids are listening, but they’re engrossed in Rhett’s tablet.

“I don’t think it’s awkward at all.”

“It’s just weird how things have turned out, you know? At first, with what happened at Rift that first night, then . . . ? I don’t know. . . .” I trail off, looking straight ahead.

“Stop overthinking everything, Bailey, and just go with it,” he says, turning up the radio a little bit. “I didn’t think you’d ever be back in my life, but you are, so now we deal. Whatever happens, happens.”

It isn’t as simple as he’s making it out to be, but I don’t bother pointing that out.

I guess I’ll just have to “go with it.”

Living with my high school sweetheart.

Who broke my heart.

Wonderful.

*   *   *

“Every time I start thinking highly of you, you keep talking,” I hear Tia tell Rake in the kitchen.

Rake chuckles, opening the oven and peering inside. “I’m just honest. It’s a trait that’s hard to find nowadays.”

“You told me that the guy I’m going on another date with isn’t into me,” she says, hands on her hips. “You don’t even know him!”

Rake closes the oven and leans back against the countertop. “One, he didn’t bother coming to the door when he picked you up, nor did he open the car door for you. I was watching. Two, you yourself say that he hardly messages you, and three, you haven’t seen him in a few days, so has he even called you? You fucked him on the first night, didn’t you?”

There was no judgment in his voice, just curiosity.

Tia groans and covers her face with her hands. “I didn’t fuck him. I might have given him . . . a little something though.”

Rake raises an eyebrow. “Head on the first date?”

“No,” Tia snaps. “I kind of liked this one, so I was hoping we’d go on a few more dates before we slept together. I was trying a new approach.”

Rake tries to keep his face straight, but he fails, and starts laughing, holding his stomach. “A blow job on the first date is a new approach? Fuckin’ hell woman, make the guy work for it or he won’t value it.”

“I said I didn’t give him head! We just kissed! Okay, Dr. Phil,” she says, her tone more sarcastic than I’ve ever heard it. “You’ve fucked half the female population. But what do you know about keeping a woman?”

I don’t miss the way Rake’s eyes flash at that comment before he masks it. “I don’t want to keep a woman. But they all want to keep me, so I must be doing something right.”

Tia sighs and gives in. “Okay, what do I do?”

I walk into the room and sit down at the dining table. “I’d like to hear this advice too.”

Rake’s mouth tightens. “I’ll have to tell you some other time.”

“I’m just going to tell Bailey anyway,” Tia mutters. “What? Afraid she’ll use your advice to land a new man?”

Rake scowls at my best friend. “I take it back, no man will put up with a woman with your mouth.”

Smirking, I go to the oven to check on my brownies.

“Are they ready?” Rake asks from behind me.

I nod and pull the tray out with the oven mitts on. “Yeah, they look good.”

“They smell fuckin’ good.” He groans, the sound making me want to do the same.

“I’ll go tell the kids dessert is ready,” Tia says, exiting the room with haste.

“You had to pick her for your best friend, didn’t you?” Rake says, sighing dramatically.

I hide my grin. “She’s my neighbor. Fate chose her for me.”

I take the brownies out of the tray and onto a plate. Rake stands a little too close behind me for my liking, and when he speaks, his breath is warm and sweet on my neck. “You smell nice.”

I clear my throat. “Thanks, it’s uhhh, a body-mist thing I use.”

“Whatever it is, it’s good,” he rumbles into my ear. “It makes me hungry; it’s delicious.”

I edge away from him and take a few steps away. “Well. Brownies are ready; I’ll ice them when they cool down.”

“I can do it,” he offers, licking his lips. My eyes zoom in on his lip ring.

“When did you get that done?” I find myself asking.

He touches it with his index finger. “I was about twenty, I think. I got my eyebrow first, then the lip.”

“Why?” I ask him, our eyes connecting.

He stills, studying me, then finally shrugs. “I was looking for distractions, I guess, and I used any I could come across.”

I don’t ask him to explain further. “I like them.”

He nods, eyes now roaming down my body. “Good, I like them too.”

He is lingering on my breasts, which are bigger than the last time he saw them.

“Ummm, good,” I mumble, not knowing what to say but not wanting to be intimidated by him. I don’t lower my gaze, even though I can feel my cheeks start to heat as the look in his eyes does.

Finally, when I can’t take any more, I lower my gaze to his lips.

His lips quirk, in a familiar way.

I puff out a breath. “Well. I have . . . stuff to do.”

“Do you need any help?” he asks, flashing me an innocent look.

I purse my lips. “I didn’t think you did housework. I’m pretty sure Anna said you have women picking up after you.”

He shrugs, eyes dancing with amusement. “Doesn’t mean I don’t know how.”

I open my mouth and then close it. It really irks me that he turned into such a man-whore. And he doesn’t even deny it. He just accepts my digs and acts like he doesn’t care in the least what I think about it. He makes no apologies. At least I was his first, and that’s something that no one can change, no matter how stupid that sounds. I’d never even admit it out loud.

“It’s fine,” I tell him. “You can leave if you like. Tia is here and nothing will happen to us in the middle of the day.”

Rake scowls, his mouth tightening. “Pretty sure that fucker approached you in the middle of the day last time.”

I hate that he’s right.

I look around the room. “It’s just weird you . . . hanging around here.”

“I said I’d help. Put my ass to work,” he says simply, like he isn’t a big, bad biker, dressed in all black, like he does car pools every day. I study him. He really is a handsome man. More than that, electric. Sensual. The stubble on his cheeks gives him a rugged look, while the glint in his eyes tells you that he would definitely give you a good time. He oozes sex appeal, confidence, but there’s also a goofiness around him that I haven’t seen much of since being back in his presence. I don’t know if that’s because of me or because he’s changed over the years. Maybe this life has made him harder. Or maybe he’s just guarded and moody around me.

“How handy are you?” I ask, already knowing the answer. Growing up without a father, Rake was born the man of the house, so he was always the one fixing shit around the house.

He tilts his head and raises an eyebrow, knowing the question doesn’t even justify an answer.

I push my hair back behind my ear. “I have a list of a few things that need fixing. I was going to call a handyman in.”

“Give me the list,” he demands softly. “And from now on, you need anything fixed, you call me. No point wasting your money when I can do it for you.”

“You don’t need to—”

“Give me the list, Bailey.”

I walk to the fridge and pull down a piece of paper from the top of it. I can feel my T-shirt rise and quickly pull it down, then turn to face him. “Here.”

He takes the list from my hand, our fingers touching. I pretend I don’t feel the shock wave from such a simple touch, and rub my fingers together as he reads over it and nods his head. “No problem. I’ll have all this done by tomorrow for you.”

He walks by me, then stops.

I can smell him.

His cologne is delicious, a mixture of spice and citrus that has me wanting to melt into him.

But I stand still.

He looks like he wants to say something, but then he shakes his head and leaves the room.

I release the breath I’m holding.

S
O,”
I say a little awkwardly. How does one make small talk with a biker? It’s easy with Rake and Tracker, but the rest of them are a little trickier. I don’t really know anything about Wolf, or Vinnie, which is what all the women call him, other than the fact that he looks pretty young, has a shaved head, is handsome in a masculine way, and has dark eyes.

He glances my way but doesn’t say anything. He’s probably still angry I told him I wanted to drive and didn’t give in to him no matter how much he tried to intimidate me with his scowl, large size, and narrowed gaze.

“I’m sorry you were stuck tagging along for my errands. I had no idea that Rake was going to make you come with me when he said he’d fix up a few things at the house,” I say, nervously babbling to fill up the silence. “I don’t really know anything about you.”

He sighs and shakes his head. “Not much to tell. Club is my life; the men are my family. I don’t mind doing whatever needs to be done. I like to be useful.”

“Oh,” I say, thinking of something else I could ask to break the ice a little more. “What’s your favorite meal?”

He chuckles, and I find myself both liking the sound and relaxing a little.

“You gonna cook for me?” he asks, now sounding amused.

I shrug. “Sure. I mean, I’m thankful for everything you all do for me. I’d love to cook something for you.”

“I don’t think Rake will like that,” I hear him mutter under his breath, followed by a few more deep chuckles.

“He will have to deal,” I say quickly, making him laugh some more.

“My favorite meal is lasagna with breaded chicken,” he finally says. “I don’t like the tomato bits in the lasagna though.”

I make a face. “Lasagna with breaded chicken breast? Isn’t that a little weird?”

He sighs, but I see his lips twitching. “Typical woman. Ask me a question, then complain about the answer.”

I smile at that.

A few minutes later, when I drive past my house and see a few of the neighbors on my front lawn, I have to wonder what the hell is going on.

“What’s this about?” I ask Vinnie.

He lowers his head to look out the window. “I have no fuckin’ clue, let’s go and find out.”

He gets out of the car but grabs my arm when I try to walk ahead of him. Rolling my eyes, I walk behind him to the right, until we stop dead.

“What the fuck?” I hear him mutter, but his voice is filled with humor.

He lets go of my arm and I peer around him. What I see has my jaw dropping open. Rake is on a ladder, shirtless, cleaning out the gutters. All he has on is a pair of dark track pants, outlining his perfect ass. I look from Rake to the women, and then back to Rake. Does he not care that he’s being ogled by women double his age right now?