“I don’t know. Zach hired him, probably because he offered the lowest bid. Anyway, he’s a little strange, and he makes me feel uncomfortable.”
“When’s he coming over again?”
“I told him to call me on Monday to set up an appointment for him and his sidekick, Gabe, to finish up with the house. I can’t wait until I don’t have to deal with either of them. Gabe is pretty quiet, but he’s always looking at me when he’s over. Whenever I’ve seen him around town, though, he acts like he doesn’t even recognize me.” Shrugging, she added, “They’re a couple of looneys, that’s for sure.”
“Zach’s a fuckin’ cheapskate. Text me their names and I’ll check them out. I’ll be with you at the next appointment. And if there’s anything more to be done at the house, my crew will take care of it. I’ll deal with Zach on that.”
The concern on his face made Ashley feel warm, cozy, and safe. “Thanks for caring,” she whispered.
He squirmed in his seat. “Of course I care.”
He’s uncomfortable talking about how he feels. The thought made her giddy.
“We’re going to Willy’s,” he said, changing the subject.
“Who’s Willy?”
“The dude who saved my life and is like a dad to me. He’d be a good person to talk to about having some of the teens from the shelter work on his farm. He’d be good for them, especially Gavin.”
She smiled. “You have a soft spot for Gavin, don’t you?”
“He’s an okay kid who needs some direction, and Willy can give it to him.”
“Are you speaking from personal experience?”
He slid out of the booth. “Yeah.”
She took his hand and stood up. “Are you going to share it with me?”
“Not now, but I will. We have to get going.”
After Smokey paid the bill, he put his arm around her and led her out of the diner.
16
The red brick farmhouse was set back from the dirt road, surrounded by large oaks and evergreens. An old weathered barn sat several yards away from the main house where a few black and white striped chickens roamed about.
To the side of the house, six Harley-Davidson motorcycles gleamed in the early afternoon sun. Parking next to a cobalt blue bike, Smokey switched off the engine and Ashley jumped off, then opened the saddlebag to retrieve her purse. Pulling out a hair brush, she bent at the waist, flipped her head over, and ran it through her long, dark hair. As she straightened, she tossed it back, letting it fall over her shoulders, and put the brush away.
Hooking his sunglasses to the collar of his T-shirt, he strode toward her. “That was sexy.”
“Seriously?” She dropped the brush in her purse.
Burying his hands in her hair, he whispered, “Seriously,” then claimed her mouth.
“Smokey!” someone called out.
Groaning in frustration, he pulled away and shouted, “In a minute!” He looked back at Ashley and kissed her again. “Fuck, woman. I can’t stop kissing you.”
Leaning against him, her nipples grew taut, pushing against the fabric of her bra.
Suddenly, the pungent, almost sweet scent of gasoline and the loud rumble of engines filled the air. Tearing her lips away from Smokey’s, she watched as five motorcycles bounded up the road at a good clip, throwing around brown clouds of dirt and rocks in their wake. The riders were robust men, clad in sleeveless denim vests that showed off strong arms covered in skulls, lightning bolts, busty women, and a multitude of other tattoo designs.
Smokey held up his fist as they drove around to the back of the farmhouse. “Some of Willy’s friends,” he said to her.
“So Willy’s an Insurgent?”
“Nope. Willy and his buddies there are free riders, meaning they don’t belong to any club. They ride together, go to rallies, and even poker runs, but they’re not members of any club.”
“It’s kind of confusing.”
“It can be to citizens. It’s clear to us.”
“And I’m a ‘citizen’?”
He laughed. “You and most of the population, but I’m not holding that against you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Thanks for that, I guess.”
He pointed to the bikes parked next to his. “Some Insurgent members are here.”
“Is that a good or bad thing?” she asked, gently poking him in the ribs.
“Good. You can meet the President and VP. Before we go in, though, I want to tell you what’s up since you’re not used to the MC world. First of all, don’t talk to any of the Insurgents unless they speak to you. Second, don’t be offended if they act