She blinked and stepped back, not sure what to say.He had so much going on right now, and he still wanted to make sure she knew that he wanted her.
He wanted her.
He wanted to do things right so Daddy would respect him.She leaned against the side of the truck and wondered for a moment at how she’d managed to find someone who cared so much about her and how it had happened so fast.She hadn’t even been looking, especially not that day when Daddy had taken her to the hospital.
She watched as Spider pulled his crutches out again, got out of the truck, and made his way to where her father stood, about thirty feet away, still marveling at the man.
“He’s gone on you, you know that right?I hope you’re not messing with him.”Dax’s voice behind her startled her, making her turn around.
“I’m not messing with him.I’m not sure I’d say I’m gone on him, but I could be.I can see spending the rest of my life with him.”She glanced over her shoulder, checking on Spider and found that he and Daddy had moved to the porch.She was glad.There were chairs there that would get them both off their feet.
“I’m glad to hear that, but you need to know our life is different.We all live on one big piece of land.Mostly in the clubhouse right now but we’re building houses and it can be dangerous sometimes but we’re a family and we protect each other.”
She watched Dax as he spoke, then waited for a few seconds before responding to him.“Why does it feel like you’re trying to scare me off?”
Dax held up both hands in front of his torso.“Not trying to scare you off, just prepare you.He doesn’t know it but they’re building him a house, moved him to the top of the list because of the accident.Don’t tell him.They want it to be a surprise.”
“Why?”she asked with a frown.“Are they trying to distance him?”
“No, not at all.Raven and the others are doing everything they can to make it easier for him.All the bedrooms at the clubhouse are on the second floor.We could have converted a room on the bottom floor—we’ve got several guys moving out, mostly those with old ladies but they decided that he should be next.And they’re making the whole house accessible, so he’ll be able to get around with just his crutches or even in a chair.They’re doing it to make life easier for him.I shouldn’t have told you, though, so please don’t ruin the surprise.”
She turned around and looked toward the house at where Spider and Daddy sat in the two rockers where Daddy and Mama often sat on summer evenings, enjoying the night.It was long past time for her to move out, but she’d been content here.And without any motivation to leave, other than her age, she’d just stayed on and helped out.She wondered for a moment how her folks would feel about it if she left to be closer to Spider?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Spider sat in the rockeracross from Clint.His heart seemed to be galloping in his chest as he stacked his crutches and leaned them against the wall beside the chair.
“I wanted to talk to you man to man,” Spider said after a moment.He met Clint’s gaze.“I want to be completely up front with you.I’ve fallen hard for your daughter.We’ve had a lot going on recently and I get that it might not be a good time to start something, but we don’t always get to choose when the right person walks into our lives.”
“I understand.”Clint turned and stared off into the distance.Spider tracked where he was looking and realized he was watching Jordon.“I get the idea that’s not all that’s on your mind.”
“It’s not.”Spider tilted his head as he watched Jordon standing beside the truck.She seemed engrossed in whatever Dax was saying to her.“I don’t know if she’s told you, but we were talking a few weeks back, and I told her I’d always dreamed of riding to Alaska, camping along the way, but that I’d probably never get to do it now.Even if I ride again, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to spend hours on end, day after day on a bike like a trip like that would require.”He turned back to her father.“She suggested that we take it together.She said she knows someone with a teardrop trailer that she can borrow that we can sleep in.She said we’ll take her Jeep, and we can camp or find a motel when we want.I would love to do it.It’s given me a goal to work toward.Something I can do at kind of a midpoint to getting back on my bike.But I want your blessing.”He met the older cowboy’s gaze.
Clint frowned.“Jordon’s a grown woman.She doesn’t need my permission to live her life as she sees fit.”
“I know that, sir.And I’m not saying I need your permission, but that I want your blessing.I want to take her to Craven’s Creek to meet my club.We’ll probably have some of my brothers ride with us if you’re worried about a couple of people alone on the road, and I want to let them know the woman who’s captured my heart.”He looked out at the truck where Dax stood with one arm resting on the edge of the bed.Jordon had turned and was watching him and her father.He was a little too far away to see and know for sure, but he could picture the confused frown she likely wore.If she were here with him, he would use one thumb to smooth the creases between her brow and tease her about getting wrinkles there if she wasn’t careful.
