Old Ghosts: Gypsy Riders MC (7 page)

“I would love another cookie!”

I laughed as she grabbed the entire box from across the table and buried her hand in it.

“Okay, but don’t over do it, I don’t want your dad to get mad at me,” I said, wondering how often a man like Mike Montgomery actually got angry.

He didn’t seem like that type of guy, despite the way he looked. His calm demeanor was sure and steady, but I figured I probably didn’t know him very well. Hell, I had only been in his presence less than ten minutes total, the last thing I needed to be doing was trying to psychoanalyze the man.

Once again, that serene smile spread across Rosie’s face as soon as we heard the roar of her father’s bike outside. The vibrations of my windows stopped as he turned the bike off, and they were quickly followed by hurried footsteps up the stairs, and a loud, urgent knock.

I opened the door, bracing myself for the onslaught of insane handsomeness that was about to be flung at me.

It didn’t help a bit. When my eyes landed on him - leaning against my threshold, his black hair tangled by the wind and hanging disheveled around his strong jaw, his piercing brown eyes once again holding mine like glue, and that slow, lazy smile spreading across his face - I couldn’t have controlled my racing pulse if I tried.

He waited a beat, stealing a quick moment to gaze at me, before he began speaking.

“Hey,” he said, that flirtatious smile stabbing me right in the center of my chest.

“Hey,” I echoed.

“Daddy!” Rosie ran past me and flew into his arms, just like she did every time. They hugged and kissed before he put her down next to him.

“Please, come in, Mike,” I said, moving over so that they could walk past me into the apartment.

“Sorry I’m a few minutes late. I got held up. How did the tutoring go?” he asked Rosie.

“Great! I just need a little more help, and Ms. Daisy said I will be one of the best students in the class!”

“Is that so? That’s great, baby. Did you thank Ms. Daisy for her help and her time?”

Rosie looked pensive for a moment, her brow wrinkling slightly as she thought about it.

“Well, I did thank her for her help, but not for her time, Daddy. I didn’t think about that,” she said, her big eyes turned up to him, before she looked over at me.

“Thank you for your time, Ms. Daisy!” She ran over and threw her arms around me.

“Oh, that’s not necessary at all. I didn’t have anything else to do anyway,” I said. I didn’t think about how desperate that sounded until the words had left my mouth.

Mike looked at me curiously for a moment before he started quizzing me.

“Well, thank you for your time anyway, Daisy. I noticed you’re new to Rosie’s school. Are you also new in town?”

“Yes, I…um…yes. I moved here a few months ago,” I said, quietly. I hated when people started asking questions about my past. As far as I was concerned, the less people knew about it, the better. Plus, it was the last thing I wanted to revisit. I would have been happy to erase it all completely if I could.

“From where?” he asked. He was looking at me with his kind eyes, and as much as I didn’t want to answer, I knew I would answer anything he asked me, as long as he kept looking at me like that.

“Where? Oh, just a small town in east Texas.” I was hoping he would be happy with my vague answer.

“Texas, huh?” he asked, breaking my gaze and trailing his eyes up and down my flowery cotton dress and cowboy boots. “That makes sense. So why did you leave?”

Fuck. This question was going to haunt me for life, just like Todd.

“Oh, I guess I was just looking for a change,” I would answer him, but I wouldn’t tell him everything. I had just met him, for god’s sake, and plus, Rosie was standing right there hanging on our every word.

“I see,” he said, knowingly. It was then that I felt for the first time that this man could see right through me. I looked at him, and the kind, knowing look in his eyes told me that whatever it was, he understood. That he wouldn’t press. That he wouldn’t make me talk about anything I didn’t want to.

Instead, he changed the subject, and began looking around the apartment. I watched him as he wandered out to the balcony after calling over his shoulder to Rosie.

“Rosie, why don’t you get your things together and we’ll get going, okay, honey?”

“Sure, Daddy,” she obeyed, running down the hallway to my tiny office we had been working in earlier.

Mike leaned over the railing on my balcony, looking down at the garden in the courtyard below. I took this time to memorize him again, collecting images that would run endlessly through my mind later.

His hair flowed to his shoulders, and once again, I had the intense urge to bury my face in it. His shoulders were wide and strong, his leather cut stretched across it, the patches on the back dirty and worn. His jeans fit him perfectly, outlining his muscular ass and thighs.

I bet he’s such a powerful lover.

I reminded myself I shouldn’t have thoughts like that, as I looked as his huge, bulging, tattooed biceps leading down to his ripped forearms and huge hands.

His hands are so big, I’d bet my last dollar the rest of him is.

I smiled when I noticed the way his hair blew in the breeze, the sunlight shining through it.

I bet he’s an amazing kisser. With lips like that, how could he not be?

He looked back over his shoulder, catching me staring at him. I jumped, and blushed as he called my name, urging me to join him with a wave of his hand and that smile, that incredible fucking melt-your-heart smile.

My feet starting moving before my mind did, and before I knew it I was standing on the balcony with him, the sun shining down on the two of us as we stood surrounded by potted plants and tomatoes.

“How’s Rosie really doing, Daisy?” He was back to being the concerned father, and it melted my heart even more.

“She’s doing great. She’s very eager to learn, and that’s half the battle. She was just a little behind in her multiplication skills, but I think with just a few more sessions, she’ll be completely up to speed with the other kids. If not better,” I said, smiling up at him, my chest rising and falling as I struggled to breath again.

I wished he didn’t have that effect on me. I liked breathing, and it continuously proved difficult when he was standing in front of me.

“That’s wonderful. Thanks so much for taking her under your wing, Daisy.”

“You’re welcome, it’s my pleasure, actually. Like I said, I didn’t really have anything else to do.” Why did I keep saying that? I clamped my mouth shut, determined to stop from making a fool of myself any more.

“So, if you just moved here, does that mean you don’t know anyone? Is that why you don’t have anything else to do?”

“Well, yes, I suppose so. I’ve been keeping to myself a lot. Getting settled, and all that…you know, getting ready for school.”

“Sure, but don’t you need some adult time?” he asked with a wink.

I felt the blush creep across my face.

“Well, um…” I stammered. “Adults can be complicated.”

He laughed, embarrassing me even further.

“They sure can, can’t they?”

“Y-yes.” Todd’s eyes flashed in my mind for a second, and I quickly pushed him to the back of my mind. The last thing I wanted to do was think about Todd when this delicious man was standing in front of me.

“Well, would you like to go out with me tomorrow night for a very uncomplicated drink?”

Did he just ask me on a date?!

His question caught me off guard, and before I had a chance to answer, Rosie came bounding down the hallway.

“I’m ready, Daddy!” she yelled, joining us on the balcony.

“Excellent, sweetheart. Your helmet is on the bike. Go on down, and I’ll be there in two seconds.”

“Okay!” Rosie ran over to me, her hug against my knees strong and lingering.

“Rosie,” I said, leaning down and looking in her eyes. “You did great today, sweetheart! I’m really proud of you.”

Her face lit up, reminding me of why I had become a teacher in the first place.

“Thank you, Ms. Daisy!” She hugged me again, turned and ran out the door, the sound of her footsteps echoing behind her.

I turned back to Mike, and caught him staring at me intently again.

“So?” he asked.

“So, what?”

“Let’s go out. Just us. I’ll have Reaper watch Rosie, and we can go out and have a drink.”

“I - um - I don’t know —,” I stammered, all the while my heart was screaming at me to accept.

“Say yes.” He said it so simply, so quietly, just two little words, but the look in his eyes told me he wouldn’t take no for an answer. His strong, silent confidence was intoxicating, and I felt dizzy when I looked back at him, his interest and intention clearly displayed there and directed right at me.

“Yes.” I whispered breathlessly.

I swallowed as he leaned in close to me, the same way he had the last two times before he left.

I inhaled him this time, wanting to commit his smell to memory, as well. I wanted the most vivid memories of this man I could create, and as I breathed him in, his face and lips and hair so close I could lick them if I leaned into him slightly, I closed my eyes and burned this moment into my brain.

“Daisy,” he said, after pulling away slightly. Only I didn’t realize he pulled away, and I stood there with my eyes closed and my nostrils flaring like a crazy woman.

I jumped and opened my eyes, feeling flushed with embarrassment.

But then, in the way that only he could, he made time stop all around us. His hand reached out, warmly cradling my jaw, his thumb rubbing my cheek sensuously as he looked deeply into my eyes.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow at eight, okay darlin’?” His voice was deep and thick with desire and I could do nothing but nod in silent agreement as his eyes darkened and he pulled away suddenly.

I thought for half a second there that he was going to kiss me. I wanted him to kiss me. My lips were yearning to be kissed by him, as much as I knew it was all a bad idea, and yet it was all so uncontrollable and happening so quickly, that I felt the only thing I could do was watch and hold on for the ride.

But he pulled away like he was on fire.

As I watched him quickly walk away and out of my apartment like he couldn’t get out fast enough, my heart sank.

What the hell had just happened? I had a date, apparently. With a man that I couldn’t stop thinking about, a man that made me feel like a woman again, a man that had somehow planted some tiny seed of hope in my soul that I could maybe have a whole life again, and yet he was the same man that had apparently just decided that kissing me was a bad idea.

Lovely. Just fucking lovely.

I heard the click of my front door close as I stood on the balcony, and waited until I heard the two of them roar away on his bike before walking back in and throwing myself across my bed in frustration.

☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼

“Come on, old boy.”  I put lil’ Mike’s leash on him, and we walked down the steps of our porch to go out for a walk the next morning.

Now that yesterday was behind me, now that I had washed every trace of Kelly off of my body, I could go about the business of starting a new day, and pretending yesterday didn’t happen.