“What about your mom?”
“She did, too, but my dad was better at it. Then…”
He waited.
“Then he was gone.” She frowned as she stared out off into the back tree line. “It took me a while to recover.”
Ozzy didn’t think she fully recovered. Her father’s loss made a major impact on her life.
Just like his mother’s loss did for him. So, he got it.
However, unlike her, he got closure, she didn’t. He might be different right now if he never got that.
But also unlike her, he saw what happened to his mother firsthand. The way his mother looked lying on that floor. A nightmare that took a long time to fade away. While it might have faded, it never disappeared completely.
She squeezed the hand he had curled around her thigh. “Are you going to make me breakfast?”
No doubt she wanted to change the subject.
“What d’you want?”
“I know what I don’t want.”
“What’s that?”
“Burnt toast with a spoonful of expired peanut butter.” She rolled her lips inward.
“Then you better make it this time.”
“Or… You can practice and get better at making a real breakfast.”
“Guess you ain’t that hungry, then.”
“Think how impressed a woman would be if you brought her a delicious breakfast in bed.”
He grabbed his crotch. “Got somethin’ else for her to eat.”
Fuck. No matter how hard he tried to avoid it, sometimes shit just slipped out.
Fuck it, he might as well go with it.
He traced his fingertip along her skin where the hem of her shorts stopped. “Also, can think of somethin’ else I can eat this mornin’ besides toast. Before I brush my teeth.”
“We were up half the night.”
“Okay, and?”
She laughed and dropped her head, her hair falling around her face.
“Shay.”
Just him saying her name reminded her that her laugh belonged to him and he wanted it. No fucking ifs, ands or buts.
She reached out and cupped his cheek. “You remind me a lot of my father.”
Ozzy grimaced.
“No!” she shouted. “Yuck! Not like that. I mean by reminding me when I forget. Reminding me to let myself shine and not allow anyone else to dim that light.”
“Can’t believe he never walked right the fuck through the front doors of that school and kicked their fuckin’ little bully asses.”
“He wanted to. My mother made him promise not to do it. She didn’t want to see him end up in jail.”
“Woulda been worth it.”
“To be taken away from the family you were trying to protect? No.”
Good point. But she lost her father, anyway.
“Anyway, today we’re headin’ over to Dutch’s so you can take your photos and notes for the garage. Reilly’s gonna be there and you can also talk to her about Shelter from the Storm.”
“That’s such a fascinating business. It’s genius, actually.”
“The club kinda fell into it when Cage needed a place to live with his baby girl.” Surprise baby girl.
“Have I met him yet?”
“Cage? Not yet. He’ll be at the garage today. He’s Dutch’s youngest son. He’s one of the mechanics there.” He pushed her laptop closed. “Now we got that business outta the way, you’re done workin’ for now. Here’s this mornin’s menu choices… Fuck, food and shower? Or food, fuck and shower? Which one you orderin’?”
“I’ve discovered something…”
She was about to discover more things very fucking soon. But it was too hot to do that outside on the deck. Even as early as it was. He also didn’t mind getting bit on the ass during sex, but not by a mosquito. “What?”
“You really like sex.”
No shit. “With you, can’t get enough of it.” Not one of those words was a lie.
“Well, good thing I won’t be here long enough for you to get bored.”
“Wouldn’t get bored even if you woke up next to me every day for the rest of my fuckin’ life.”
Wait. What?
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
He didn’t mean for that to come out the way it sounded. Did he?
No. No. Fuck no.
It was bad enough to be tied down to the motel and the club right now, but to be tied down to the same woman for the rest of his life?
No.
Mainly it was because he loved sex as much as he did. Lots of sex in a variety of ways with a variety of people.
Not because he’d get bored with the same woman…
No, not true. He’d get bored with a lot of women. Or they’d eventually annoy the fuck out of him until he jumped on his sled and rode off to never return.
But he couldn’t imagine getting bored with Shay.
Not even for a damn minute.
Why? What was it about her?
Was it because she was so opposite of him?
Was it because his instinct was to protect and take care of her?
He scratched the back of his neck and stared at her.
She stared back.
Was he supposed to say something? Explain that shit he spouted out?
Fuck.
He couldn’t say it was a mistake.