Page 14

Smoke

Having Dani on the back of my bike was fucking perfect.

The guys had always said having an ol’ lady to warm your back on rides was where it was at. They were right.

We drove for over an hour and just enjoyed the wind and the road beneath me. Ever since the whole Gibbs and Boone shit had started, I hadn’t been able to ride like this. I was still looking over my shoulder and making sure we weren’t in danger, but for the first time in a while, I was enjoying a bit of freedom from worry.

I pulled into the parking lot of Carter’s Steakhouse and weaved between the rows of parked cars with practiced ease. I spotted a small open space near the front that was too tight for anything but a bike. I slid in smoothly and killed the engine. I felt Dani shift behind me.

“I see the perk of driving a motorcycle. Anywhere can be a parking spot,” she laughed.

I glanced down at the white lines I’d just ignored and smirked. “Whatever works, angel.”

Dani swung her leg over and handed me the helmet. I took it and hung it on the handlebars before getting off myself.

She looked damn fine windblown from the ride. Her hair was all tousled, cheeks flushed, and there was a shine in her eyes that made my chest tighten. She had felt even better pressed up against me the entire ride.

“Are we in Oklahoma?” she asked, looking around.

I nodded and tipped my head toward the Carter’s Steakhouse sign. “Yeah, Broken Bow. You’re about to have the best steak of your life.”

She wrinkled her nose and made my stomach drop to my damn feet. “I’m a vegetarian.”

My jaw damn near hit the pavement. “Oh, shit.”

She waited just long enough for me to panic before a big smile spread across her face. “Kidding,” she laughed.

Relief flooded through me, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Jesus, woman.” I pushed my sunglasses up on top of my head and reached for her hand. “You about gave me a heart attack.”

I pulled her into my arms, and she came willingly. She fit against me like she belonged there.

“You should have seen your face,” she laughed. “You went white as snow.” She placed her hand on my chest and looked up at me with her eyes dancing with amusement.

The world around us faded. The distant hum of traffic, the chatter of people coming and going from the restaurant—none of it mattered. It was just me and Dani.

I wrapped my arm tighter around her waist. “You don’t play fair, angel.”

She smiled softly with a teasing glint in her eyes. “Yeah, well, you’re too smooth. You are Casanova, after all.”

I frowned slightly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about with that.”

She tapped her fingers against my chest. “And that is what makes me know this isn’t a game or something with you.”

I pulled her even closer. So close I could feel her heartbeat against my chest. “I never play games, angel.”

The air between us thickened and charged with something I couldn’t quite put into words.

“Are you going to kiss me?” Dani asked. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“Do you want me to?”

“Pretty sure I’ll die if you don’t,” she confessed.

“Can’t let that happen.”

I leaned in, and she rose up on her toes to meet me. Our lips met in a slow, deliberate kiss. She tasted like something sweet and addictive. The feel of her soft mouth moved against mine and made my blood heat. I slid my hand up to cup the back of her neck and held her there. I deepened the kiss just enough to leave her breathless.

A loud horn blared from the street and shattered the moment. I opened my eyes to find her looking up at me with her cheeks flushed and her lips parted.

“Wow,” she murmured.

Wow was right.

“Let’s get some dinner,” I suggested and stepped back reluctantly. As much as I wanted to take her right then and there, I didn’t think the parking lot was the best place.

I took her hand and led her inside the steakhouse. The place was buzzing with conversation, and the smell of sizzling steaks filled the air. Leather and cowhide decorated the walls and gave the place a rugged charm. A long bar stretched across one side while secluded booths lined the opposite wall, offering privacy. Tables filled the center and were packed with hungry customers.

We approached the hostess station.

“Welcome to Carter’s,” the hostess chirped and flashed a bright smile. “Just the two of you?”

I nodded.

“Would you like a booth or a table?”

“Booth,” I requested without hesitation.

She tapped on her tablet. “It’s going to be about a five-minute wait while we clear a table. What’s the name I can put down?”

“Smoke.”

The woman glanced up at me, surprised. “Okay. You guys can wait here or grab a drink at the bar.”

I looked at Dani. “Want a drink?”

She nodded. “Sure.”

I led her to the bar, which was crowded but manageable. I managed to wedge myself in, maneuvered her into the open space, and stood behind her. My front pressed against her back as I wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “What do you want to drink, angel?”

She tilted her head slightly, and her gaze met mine. “I’ll just have a glass of Pinot Noir.”

I signaled the bartender. “Pinot Noir for the lady and a beer for me.”

The bartender nodded and set to work. Dani turned in my arms and leaned back against the bar as her eyes scanned the place. “This place is nice. I’ve never been here before.”

“Broken Bow is nice. Small town, but still things to do.” I didn’t need to look around the restaurant. I just wanted to watch her.

She eyed me curiously. “You know that how?”

I hesitated for a beat before answering. “I was raised here.”

Before she could ask more, the bartender returned with our drinks. I handed her the wine, and she accepted it with a small smile. “Thank you.”

The hostess appeared at our side. “I have your booth all ready for you two.”

I stepped to the side and took Dani’s hand in mine as we followed the hostess through the restaurant. She led us to a booth tucked in the corner that offered a perfect vantage point of the entire dining area. Dani slid in first, and I followed on the other side with a clear view of the restaurant.

“Your waitress will be over in a minute. Enjoy your meal.” The hostess left us alone.

Dani sipped her wine and watched me curiously. “Tell me more about this being your hometown.”

I shrugged and took a sip of my beer. “Not much to tell. Born and raised here. Had a few run-ins with the local police before I took off at eighteen. My parents left a couple of years after I did. They’re in Maine now.”

“Are you close with them?” she asked.

I shrugged again. “I call them a couple of times a month. Try to visit when I can. Things have been pretty busy with the club lately, though.”

She nodded thoughtfully.

My eyes scanned the restaurant as my old habits kicked in. Dani and I may have slipped away from Mt. Pleasant, but I still needed to keep an eye out. We really didn’t know when or how Boone and Gibbs would strike again.

“Everything okay?” she asked as she noticed my shift in focus.

I nodded and took another sip of my beer. “Just keeping an eye on things.”

She followed my gaze and laughed softly. “What are we keeping an eye out for? We’re in a restaurant.”

I smirked. “You never know who might walk through that door.”

Dani rolled her eyes. “You’re always on edge, aren’t you?”

I leaned back against the booth and looked at her. “Comes with the territory, angel.”

Before she could respond, the waitress arrived with a notepad in hand. “Hey there, folks. What can I get you tonight?”

I glanced at Dani. “You ready? We didn’t even look at the menus.”

She nodded and smiled at the waitress. “It’s a steakhouse, right? I’ll have the sirloin, medium, with a baked potato and a side salad.”

The waitress turned to me. “And for you?”

“Ribeye, rare, fries on the side.”

“Salad?” the waitress asked.

I shook my head. “Not into rabbit food. You got Brussels sprouts?”

The waitress nodded. “Parmesan garlic ones.”

I nodded. “I’ll take those, too.”

“Got it. Drinks okay for now?”

We both nodded, and the waitress left us alone.

Dani leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand. “You don’t eat rabbit food, but you eat Brussels sprouts?” she laughed. “That’s a bit of a contradiction.”

I shrugged. “I like them, and when you cover them with parmesan cheese, anything is good.”

She laughed. “I will remember that. So, what made you come back here after all these years?”

I studied her for a moment before answering. “The club. It was all by chance. Met Yarder and Compass, and then decided to go on the ride of being a part of the club.” I leaned back and spread my arms across the back of the booth. “It seems to be working out so far, minus a few hiccups.”

“Hiccups like being blown up?” she laughed.

I shrugged. “I mean, that even seems to be working out for me. Landed in front of your shop, and now I’m here with you, aren’t I?”

She nodded. “I suppose, though I do tend to wonder why you and the club were blown up. That’s not really a normal thing that happens, Smoke,” she pointed out.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

She tipped her head to the side. “That’s all you have to say?”

“There’s not much I can say, angel. You’re asking about club business.”

She furrowed her brow. “What does that mean?”

“It means I’m part of the Iron Fiends, and things that happen with the club stay with the club.”

“You were literally blown up, Smoke, and that wasn’t the first time from what you guys said. That is insane.” She looked around the restaurant. “Is that why you’re constantly looking around? Are we going to get blown up?”

“Shh, shh,” I whispered. I didn’t need her freaking out in the middle of the restaurant. “We’re not going to be blown up, angel. Nothing is going to happen to us tonight,” I promised.

“I’m trying not to let my mind run crazy here, Smoke, but you’re kind of freaking me out here.”

The waitress came up to the table with Dani’s salad. “House salad,” she declared. “Anything else I can get you before your mains come out?”

Dani looked like she was ready to bolt.

“No, we’re good right now.” I needed to calm Dani down.

The waitress left.

She looked at me expectantly.

“I don’t know what is going through your mind right now, angel. Part of you looks like you want to run, but you’re still sitting here.”

“Don’t be suave with me, Smoke. I’m not stupid, and you can trust me. The only person I talk to really is Stan, and you’ve got another thing coming if you think I am going to tell him anything you say to me. I can keep a secret.”

“Tell me what you want to know, and I’ll see what I can tell you.” I did trust Dani, but I wasn’t sure she was ready for the whole crazy story.

She looked around the restaurant. If she wanted to leave, we would leave right now. I didn’t want to mess up whatever was happening between Dani and me.

Eventually, Boone and Gibbs would be out of the picture, and I wanted her to stay in the picture.

“Who tried to kill you?” she asked.

I leaned toward her. “Lower your voice, angel.”

Her eyes darted around. “Sorry.”

“Eat, and I’ll talk.”

“I have a lot of questions, Smoke.”

I nodded and pushed her salad toward her. “And I will give you the answers you can have.”

She rolled her eyes but picked up her fork. “I don’t start eating until you start talking.”

“You’re a feisty one, angel.”

She leveled her gaze on me.

“Fine, fine,” I chuckled. “Start eating, and I will tell you a story.”

“True story, right?” She wasn’t going to let anything by her.

I nodded. “A true story.”