Bishop shoved his phone back into the pocket of his cut and headed for the ramada.He liked living in the desert, but you couldn’t stand in the sun too long even in early November.Blade and Viper were already sitting on the vinyl-coated pulled steel picnic table, booted feet resting on one of the seats.
“What’s up?”Viper asked as Bishop approached.
“Bulldog’s checking on some things.We’re good.We’ll hang out here for a while and see if Fuckwad shows up.Then make plans from there.She may just want to go home so she feels safe again.We’ll have to take her back to her car at some point.”He didn’t say that if the fuckwad stalking her didn’t show up here, he’d find a reason to search her car and see if he could find a device that told him where she was.
“You know, if he’s tracking her, he’ll know where she lives,” Blade put in.
“Fuck.We’ll have to find out where she is so we can be sure she’s protected.”He didn’t tell them he hoped to spend more time with her.Whether it was under the guise of protecting her or not, he’d take any time he could get.
“Got any more of that?”He motioned to the bottle in Viper’s hand.Viper didn’t say anything but reached into the zippered bag sitting on the bench between him and Blade and pulled out another bottle of water.
“Always, you know me.”
“Thanks.Toss me another one and I’ll go find Winter.She’s not from around here and probably isn’t used to how much water you need in the desert.”He caught the second bottle Viper tossed him.“Any idea where she went?”
“She was headed that way a few minutes ago.”Blade tilted his head toward one of the scenic outlook spots.“Warlock tagged behind her but I don’t think she realizes he’s following her.”
Bishop nodded and headed in that direction.When he spotted Warlock, he caught his brother’s eye and jerked his head toward the ramada.Warlock nodded and headed for the others.Bishop scanned the area, spotting Winter almost immediately.
“Hey, Spitfire,” he said as he approached her.“Brought you something.”
“What?”She turned toward him.“Oh, thank you.”She took the bottle he offered but didn’t open it, instead she held it while she turned and looked out across the valley.“It’s huge,” she said after a moment.
“What?”He frowned at her wondering what she was talking about.
“The city.It’s huge.”She flung one arm out, motioning to the horizon.“It’s not just over here but all the way around us.”
“I know.The metro area is huge, something like fifteen thousand square miles.But if you’re looking for something, you can probably find it somewhere in town.”
She shook her head slowly.“I’m still getting used to it.Craven’s Creek might have two thousand people.”She shook her head again.“I don’t even want to think about how many people are out there.”She motioned to the city below them again.
He bit his lip to keep from telling her there had been more kids in his high school than in her hometown.She was feeling lost and pointing out how out of her depth she was wouldn’t help.
“You need to drink that, not just hold it.”He motioned to the water in her hand.
“Oh.”She looked at it.“I’m not thirsty.I just finished that other bottle.”
“It’s a desert thing.Drink before you’re thirsty.”He tilted his chin toward her.“it’s cooled off some but it’s still warmer than you’re used to.Trust me.”
“If you say so.”She cracked the seal, tipped the bottle back, and downed several swallows.“Do I need to down it or can I take my time?”
“Take your time.We’ll be here a while.Tell me, though, what kind of car does that fuckwad drive?”
One corner of her mouth lifted.“A white fucking Prius.One of the all-electric ones.I was willing to overlook that, until he started bitching about my truck.”She shook her head and turned toward the city again.“What is that saying?You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.I’m not giving up my truck.Not for some stuffed suit with more money than brains.”
“Tell me how you really feel, Spitfire.”He liked that she wasn’t willing to compromise who she was for someone else’s opinion.
Winter glared at him.After a moment he took a step closer, then another, not wanting to spook her but finding it hard to keep his distance.After a moment, he stood behind her, close enough he felt the heat from her body.He wanted to pull her into his arms.Hold her.Kiss and taste her.To sink deep inside her.Instead, he forced himself to be content with his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her.
“I take it you were a bit of a daddy’s girl.”He wanted to distract her.Sure, they were up here waiting to see if that fuckwad showed up, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy the place and he couldn’t get to know her better.
She snorted, surprising him.She’d talked about her dad and that he was part of the Fallen Angels, but she’d not even mentioned her mother.
“I thought maybe, from the way you talked about him...”he trailed off, hoping she’d fill in some gaps.
“I loved my father with everything in me, but I am definitely not a daddy’s girl.I’m more of my father’s daughter.”
Bishop frowned.
