Chapter One
Garrett Kayrs settled his bulk in the booth, reaching for a glass of beer from the iced pitcher on the table. Raucous laughter poured throughout the diner as motorcycle clubs converged on the way to a festival. Not one he and his brothers were attending, but they were along for the first part of the ride to camp for a weekend.
“Would you stop frowning?” Sam Kyllwood snapped from across the booth, his green eyes showing irritation.
“I’m not,” Garrett growled, frowning at his friend.
Honor Kyllwood, Sam’s mate, slapped him on the arm. They’d been mated for over three years, and she was definitely one of the best-natured people Garrett had ever met. “You two behave. Garrett, I’m sure you’ll find somebody to play with when we get to the campground and, Sam, give him a break. It’s the first time we’ve gone on a ride in years that he hasn’t had a female on the back of his bike. He’s lonely.”
Sam cut the pretty woman a look, his powerful body protecting her since he’d positioned her next to the window. “The last woman he dated tried to rob you—at knifepoint.”
Honor chortled. “Yeah, but I kicked her ass. Those training sessions have gone well.”
Garrett hid his grin. She was correct. He’d been searching for the right female to ride behind him for years, consumed by the quest, and he hadn’t found her. Prophecy claimed she’d be dangerous, even deadly, and would probably try to kill him. It was time to get on with it.
The beast inside him, one that had slumbered beneath the surface for so long, was now stretching awake. Pissed off and ready to kill. At least now he had a job to do when they arrived at the campground.
The outside door opened, and a vision walked in. Well, more like the girl next door. She wore a frilly green blouse, white capri jeans, and sexy tan wedges that showed off her dainty pink toenails. It was autumn, and she should have been wearing a jacket. A slouchy bag looked heavy over her fragile shoulder. Her auburn hair curled down her back, and an air of pure irritation emanated from her.
Looking like an indignant kitten, she stomped right into the middle of the diner, next to Garrett’s table, not seeming to realize she’d walked into a den of wolves.
The man behind her definitely noticed. Young, slick brown hair, pressed beige pants, and thousand-dollar loafers on his feet. He looked around at the various motorcycle club members sitting in different areas of the diner, all hungry, all possibly dangerous. “Let’s get out of here,” he muttered.
The kitten turned, her hands going to her waist. The scent of something fresh and sweet wafted from her. What was that? “You just don’t get it.” She leaned toward the man, anger turning her peaches-and-cream complexion into cherry-blossom pink. “The answerwasno.” She swept out her arms. “The answerisno.” She clapped her hands. “The answer will always and forever, until thetime of the rapture, be no.” She threw her arms up. Then she shook her head. “I quit.”
The man reared back. “You can’t quit.”
“I just did,” she sighed. “I’m out. I’m not finding what I need in this job anyway.” She nodded, her shoulders stiff in the flimsy blouse. “I’ll send your father a nice email later today tendering my resignation. Please extend my gratitude to him for the employment opportunity.” She turned away from him.
The man made the mistake of grabbing her arm.
Garrett was up in a second, towering over them both. “Let. Go.”
The man jerked back as if he’d been punched in the gut.
A slight gasp came from the kitten.
Probably one of pure terror. Oh, Garrett knew what she saw. He was six and a half feet of raw muscle in a torn and dirty black motorcycle club jacket, with shaggy hair to his shoulders, a couple of bruises across his jaw, and cracked knuckles he hadn’t bothered to heal after a fight the night before.
He cut her a look and then rocked back on his heels.
Her crystal-clear blue eyes were full of delight…and wonder. “You,” she whispered, reaching out to touch his whiskered jaw. Her tongue darted out to lick her luscious bottom lip. “It’s you.” She tilted her head, adoration in her liquid gaze.
The touch shot straight to his balls, making him throb in a way he hadn’t in years. He growled low.
Then she withdrew.
“No.” He didn’t know what he was denying, but he didn’t want her to stop looking at him like that. Nobody in his entire life had looked at him like that. With adoration, need, and…hope? More than anything, he wanted that touch again.
The blush blossomed into full-on rose, and she clapped her hand against her bag. “I, ah, um, I’m sorry.” She frowned. “That was, well, that was…” She looked around, no doubt noticing that every gaze was focused on her. She shrugged delicate shoulders and looked up at him as if forcing herself to meet his gaze. Black lashes, natural and thick, enhanced those incredible eyes. “I apologize.”
“Let’s go,” the man said, backpedaling toward the door.
She frowned at him. “No. Go away, Aster. I’ll find my own way home.”
Aster looked around, paling. Then the asshole left the kitten in the den of wolves.
Her hands fluttered together. “Oh. Well.” She caught sight of the empty row of barstools at the counter and started to move that way.
