Page 38 of Barker
Barker
I’m folding the last piece of laundry when my phone goes off. I look over and see a text from Annistyn, letting me know that she’ll meet me at the drag races since she’s running later at work than she expected. A stomach bug has hit Los Angeles with a vengeance, which means the clinic that Annistyn now works at has been packed. They’ve been staying open until almost nine every night just to doctor all the walk-ins.
The past few months have been like a dream to me. Annistyn graduated from her nursing program and stepped in as a full-time nurse at the clinic. A few weeks later, I convinced her to move in with me. It seemed kind of crazy, but it was exactly what I wanted and I knew it. When she said yes, I was over the moon. We managed to find a small two-bedroom house for rent and it was perfect for us and Augustus.
I’m pretty sure I shocked my brothers of the MC by becoming so domesticated. I often make dinner for Annistyn, since her job requires her during the day. Then there are times like this past week when she’s worked twelve-hour days that I’ll step up and take care of laundry and cleaning. My brothers give me hell about it, but I know Annistyn appreciates it and I do it for her.
I put the laundry away and grab the keys to my car. I run out to the backyard and move Augustus to the inside of the garage so he won’t be out in the weather. Autumn is in the air and the nights can get pretty chilly. Once he’s situated, I hop behind the wheel of my Camaro and head to the clubhouse. As I’m pulling up, I spot Annistyn’s Civic. I park and head over to where she and Talon are talking. I wrap my arms around her waist. “Hi, darlin’.”
She smiles and sighs. “Hey, you.”
“How was your day?” I ask.
Talon rolls his eyes. “You two are sickening. I’m going to leave now,” he teases us with a smile before he heads over to where Stryker, Arbor and Vienna are standing.
Annistyn turns around in my arms and wraps hers around my neck. “It was long, but I think most of the people have suffered from the bug so it should start slowing down. How was your day?”
“Well, I did the laundry, washed the bikes and filled them up with gas, and cleaned up around the house and yard.”
Annistyn laughs. “Barker Tobin, the badass cleaner. Who knew you could be the wifey?”
I tickle her sides. “Hey now, I’m all man, which you know,” I remind her, with a devious smirk and a wink. “I’m just man enough to help out around the house while my love goes to work to do what she loves.”
Annistyn smiles. “I really do love what I do.”
“I know,” I tell her, as I press a kiss to her lips. I take a moment to appreciate how amazing she looks. Her hair hangs around her shoulders now. She cut it some once she graduated from college. She said it was easier to wear it back, out of her face, at work than to have long hair falling over onto the patient all the time. The golden streaks she added last week dance in the moonlight. Her makeup is light, which is how it looks most days now. Her jeans hug her just right along with her black knee-high boots. Her long-sleeved brown t-shirt is simple, but it’s on Annistyn so it’s perfect. “Are you ready to race?” She nods.
We line up and I watch as she easily crosses the finish line before her rival. She gets out and shakes his hand. The guys still have a hard time with their pride when Annistyn beats them, but I couldn’t be more damn proud.
I easily cross the finish line as well, but when I get out of the car the crowd is giving me hell. Wilder laughs. “Why don’t you and Annistyn race against each other?”
I shake my head. “I think I know better than to race against the woman I love.”
Annistyn smirks. “I think he’s scared of getting his ass handed to him again.”
“Oh, is that how you think this will go?” I ask her, raising my eyebrows in challenge.
Annistyn’s head falls back in laughter. “I don’t even have to think about it. I already know.”
I step up to her and meet her eyes. I take her face between my hands and bring my mouth down to hers. I know the moment she gets lost in the kiss, because her nails bite into my biceps. I pull away. “It’s on, darlin’.” I hop back into my car and Annistyn follows. Although, based on the flush covering her cheeks, her mind is elsewhere.
We pull up to the starting line and I holler over to her, “Darlin’.”
She turns to look at me and I notice that fire of determination in her eyes. “Yeah?”
“Bring the hell,” I tell her.
She leans over. “Already done,” she tells me, with her voice lower before blowing me a kiss and speeding away from the starting line with my heart right with her. Damn, I love that girl.