I gave a skeptical hum.
“We’ll see about that.”
As much as I enjoyed some playful banter, I still didn’t know what being in love was like. Of course all the attention was flattering. But I had only ever developed feelings for one person. And he was completely off-limits.
After finishing up Dad’s order, I stacked the coffees into cardboard carriers. Together, we took them out to the fire truck, waiting at the curb. I shivered in the icy air. A few flurries swirled in the bright sunlight, promising more snow later today.
“Thanks for the coffee, pumpkin,” Dad said, wrapping me in a bear hug. “I’ll see you at home tonight, yeah? Unless you have a date I don’t know about.”
“Nope,” I chirped. “No date tonight. You have me all to yourself.”
His eyes sparkled.
“That’s what I like to hear. I’ll pick up something to eat after my shift so we don’t have to cook.”
Huddled in the cold, I waved as the fire truck drove off, disappearing around the corner. Moving back in with Dad was supposed to be temporary. Six months later, I still hadn’t made any effort toward hunting down a place of my own.
I used to rent an apartment with my best friend, Sierra. Since she got married last year, then bought a house with her husband, I was forced to find another roommate in order to pay rent.
That’s when Dad suggested I should just stay at his big, empty house. He spent so much time working at the fire station that he was rarely there. I had to admit that it was nice to live in a real house again instead of an apartment.
And secretly, I was grateful to hang out with my dad more often. After moving out years ago, we didn’t get to see each other that much anymore.
Just as I turned to hurry back into the warmth of the coffee shop, a familiar masculine voice stopped me dead in my tracks.
“Well, I’ll be damned. You’re all grown up, honeybee.”
With a gasp of recognition, I whirled around.
Pulling up to the curb was a biker on a massive jet black motorcycle with a purr as smooth as silk. His helmet covered his face, but I didn’t need to see what he looked like to recognize him.
There was only one biker in this world who called me honeybee because of my energy. The only man in the world I had ever fallen in love with.
Dean “Titan” Ellison, my dad’s best friend.
But he was twice my age, and I was just a silly girl with a silly crush. Maybe that’s why I flirted with all those other boys—attempting to forget Dean. Desperately seeking someone else to make me feel the same way he did.
Climbing off his bike, Dean removed his helmet and spread his arms wide.
“Get over here and give me a hug already. Or did you outgrow that while I was gone?”
My heart swelled. God, I missed him so much. It felt amazing to hear his voice again, to see the gleam in his gray eyes.
Hurrying as fast as I dared on the snowy sidewalk, I ran into Dean’s waiting arms. He laughed, squeezing me so tightly that my toes left the ground. The scent of his insulated leather jacket filled my lungs when I breathed him in.
“Fucking hell, honeybee. It’s good to see you.”
I buried my face in Dean’s neck as I did a quick mental calculation in my head. How long had it been? Three years? No, closer to five by now.
He used to be part of the local motorcycle club, The Reckless Order. He even held an officer’s position for a while as Vice President.
And then he got restless, itchy. Life in a small town was too small for him. He wanted something better, something fresh and new.
So, he hit the road and left it all behind. Including me. And Dad.
At last, I reluctantly pulled away from Dean’s embrace and looked up at him.
“What are you doing back in town? I didn’t know you were coming. Does Dad know you’re here? How long are you staying?”
