Whisky State of Mind (7 page)

“What was so important you felt a need to come by tonight to bother me with?”

“I’m curious as to why you’d be hanging around a cop.”

Just like that, he came out with it. No preamble, no hedging, stammering
, or apology. “I’m curious as to why you could possibly think it’s any of your damn business?” she countered.

“At the moment everything about you is my
damn
business.”

“Are you insane? Do you even hear yourself? You can’t just barge into someone’s life and follow them around. I don’t care if my father gave you some code of the highway order to spy on me and report back to him—it’s illegal and it’s creepy. Go back and tell him I’m not changing my mind about coming to see him and if this doesn’t stop, I’m going to report you
and him
to the police.”

“You done?” he asked after a brief moment of silence followed her outburst.

Sky bit back the growl of frustration she felt rising and glared at him.

“Firstly, this isn’t about your father and he didn’t order me to follow you. I decided to do that when you made a decision to go out with some strange guy you just met. I wanted to get a good look at him.”

“Well, did he pass your inspection? You done playing over-protective big brother now?” she asked sarcastically, but took a hasty step back, encountering the wall behind her when he suddenly leaned in close.

“I think I better clear up that little misconception right here and now…playin’ big brother is the last thing I got in mind when it comes to you darlin
’. So don’t
ever
confuse my motives for being brotherly. Got it?”

Sky shut her mouth abruptly but for the life of her couldn’t stop staring at the sudden predatory look in his eye. She thought she might be coming down with some kind of virus the way her temperature seemed to be fluctuating between hot and cold and back to hot again in the space of mere seconds and her throat felt as though it had closed up completely. He was so close she could smell the leather of his jacket, tobacco
, and the warmed spice of whatever he wore on his skin…or maybe it was just him—the way he smelled. It was a heady combination and it swirled around her making her feel slightly giddy.

“Does your cop make your heart race as fast as it’s going right now?” he asked softly as he traced one large callused finger along the side of her neck and trailed it down to the tip of her collarbone.

Sweet baby Jesus she wasn’t sure if she was sliding down the wall or melting in a puddle of pure unadulterated lust.

“Does he make you ache to kiss him?” he whispered softly, and she felt the warmth of his breath against her lips and her mouth watered as a streak of longing stabbed at her very core.  “Does he kiss you like this?”

All rational thought stopped as Sawyer proceeded to quite literally kiss her senseless. This was no sweet, tentative kiss. This was an assault on her senses. This was desire—raw and hot and needy. This was…
wrong!

Sky broke away and stared up at him warily. “Don’t ever do that again,” she said and wished she didn’t sound as though she’d just
run a marathon.

“Kiss you the way it should be done?”
he asked, watching her without a hint of regret.

“Yes. I mean—no.”
Oh for goodness sake, pull yourself together woman!
“Just mind your own business!” she ignored the slight twitch of his lips as he seemed to bite back a smile.

“You
are
my business. Like it or not you’re still part of the club. We’re
still
family. We take care of what’s ours. If you’re making a mistake, it’s my job to point that out to you,” he shrugged.

“I. Am. Not. Part of the Black Mustangs,” she enunciated slowly so he was clear. “And you tell my father he can call off his watch dog. I’m not his property anymore…or anyone else’s for that matter,” she added
, holding his narrowed gaze bravely.

“You really want to keep denying that, Whisk?” he asked softly. “Even after that little demonstration?”

Sky jerked the door open. “Get out, Sawyer,” she snapped, holding it open and staring at him pointedly.

For a moment she thought he wasn’t going to move, but then slowly he pushed himself away from where he’d been leaning against the wall. When he got level with her he stopped and Sky held her breath, refusing to let the intoxicating smell of leather, soap
, and blatant sex appeal swamp and weaken her resolve
. He. Is. Trouble!
she reminded herself firmly.

“Watch yourself around the cop.”

“If you’re as clean as you’re trying to tell me you are—then what do you care if Caleb’s a cop or not? Or is it because you might have something to hide after all?”

For a moment, he stared at her long and hard, before he eventually shook his head and a frown creased between his brows. “Call it an ingrained distrust. We weren’t the only ones who crossed the line back then—there were just as many dirty cops puttin’ a hand out for a cut of the profits too.”

Sky straightened her shoulders, holding his hard gaze. “It’s not Caleb I need to worry about.”

Sawyer gave a faint shake of his head as he watched her. “Night, Whisk. I’ll be seein’ you later.”

She refused to give him the satisfaction of replying, her answer instead was to close the door on that slow, sexy smile she caught spreading across his face, before slumping against it, releasing a shaky sigh.

Chapter
6

The message light on her message machine was blinking when she walked into the kitchen.

“Are you home yet? Hello? Damn it, you better be having hot and sweaty cop-sex, because that’s the only reason you shouldn’t be calling me right now and filling me in on your date. What time is it anyway? Isn’t it rather late for you to still be out? Oh, and thanks for turning your cell off…I’ve left you a few messages on there as well. CALL ME.”

Sky poured herself a glass of water and picked up the phone, dialing Bella’s number. It barely had time to connect and ring before Bella answered.

“Well it’s about time.”

“Seriously, Bell. You need to get a life. You’re starting to freak me out.”

“Whatever. Spill.
Now
.”

“It was…fine.”

“Fine.” Bella’s flat tone echoed cynically. “
Fine?
That’s all I get?”

“He’s…great. He’s got his whole future mapped out.”

“That’s good right? I mean at least he’s not some no-hoper?”

“Yeah, it’s great. I don’t know…I’m just still in shock I guess. I mean
why me?”

“Why the hell
not
you? Take a look in the mirror, you’re gorgeous. Stunning even. What guy wouldn’t want you?”

“You have to say that—you love me.”

“I
don’t
have to say that. Although you’re lucky I
do
love you. If you were any other person I’d have to hate you. That hotness is completely wasted on you, just for your information.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know your thoughts on my wardrobe and hairstyle; I don’t need to hear them again.”

“At least we fixed your hairstyle before I left—that much I’m grateful for. Now at least you
have
some kinda’ style. I’m working on the wardrobe as soon as I come home.”

She’d never admit it to Bella, but she actually loved her new haircut. In a moment of weakness, maybe because she was already missing Bella before she’d even left, she gave in and let her talk her into booking into a ridiculously expensive hairdresser and having her hair highlighted, shaped
, and razored to within an inch of its life. Now it fell in a gentle frame around her face and lightly touched her shoulders. Of course she still yanked it back in a ponytail for work and she hadn’t used any of the overpriced products or bothered with the straightener since Bell had left but she thought it best not to mention that right now.

“So paranoia and over thinking aside—you had a great time?”

“Yeah. I did. I really like him,” Sky admitted with a smile.

“When are you going out again?”

“I don’t know. I want to deal with this whole Dad thing before I see him again. I had a visit from Sawyer a bit earlier. They’re not taking no for an answer.”

“Ah ha! I
knew
there was something odd about you tonight. It’s not just about
Mr. Mysterious
being a cop…there’s something going on with you and the biker.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”
How the hell did she do that?
The woman could be freakishly clairvoyant when she set her mind to it.

“Every time you mention that guy you sound…weird.”

“I sound
weird
because he keeps showing up everywhere demanding I see my father.”

“Nope. It’s more than that. You still have some kind of connection to this guy.”

“I was a kid when I knew him,” Sky tried to keep the exasperation from her tone, but strangely it felt good to be able to voice how crazy this thing was with Sawyer.

“So? Relationships we forge as kids are some of the strongest bonds we have. Something in you trusted him as a kid…it’s only natural as a grown up you’d still have some of those feelings left behind.”

“I’m thinking your skills of psychology are going to be wasted in fashion design.”

“Scoff all you like, but it’s true. You need to go see your father and maybe that will put whatever this thing is you got going
with the biker to rest.”

Long into the early hours of the morning, Bella’s words echoed through her head. At six, she punched in Sawyer
’s number and took a moment to snigger that she’d woke him up. It was short lived when his gravelly voice hummed in her ear and an image of him, lying in bed with a sheet riding low on his lean hips crossed her mind, making her momentarily forget why she called.

“Sky?” he prompted, sounding a little more awake.

Sky cleared her throat. “I’ll come and see him.”

“I’ll pick you up.” The phone disconnected in her ear and she gave a mumbled curse. She didn’t want him coming to get her, but he’d hung up before she could even protest. Flopping back down on the bed, Sky stared up at the ceiling and let out a long sigh. For better or worse, she’d made her decision. A moment of panic mixed with a tinge of excitement flowed through her. Was she
really
ready to face the man who’d abandoned her all those years ago?

****

They pulled off the road and drove into a large circular car park in front of the club house. While the building itself was the same, it was obvious there had been quite a few improvements made around the place since she’d last been here. A sign above the doorway read
The Black Mustang Bar and Grill
and the club insignia had been branded just below it. Two massive cacti framed the doorway in bright-colored pots and the whole place had a Santa Fe feel about it.

Sawyer opened the door for her and stepped back as she walked inside.

Sky looked around in mute fascination. What had once been a somewhat dark and dingy private bikers’ bar had been completely renovated. The massive open room featured a brand new bar, with tables scattered throughout. A jukebox pumped out country music in the corner and a stage had been added at the far end of the room. 

Sixties memorabilia made up the décor and more potted desert plants added an authentic touch. It should not, by any stretch of the imagination work, and yet, somehow it just did.
This was a really cool bar,
she thought with more than a little surprise and whole lot of impressed.

It was unbelievable. The entire place had a makeover…a major makeover. It looked like a
real
business premises. It looked…nothing like the Black Mustangs club house!

Even at this late hour of the afternoon more than a third of the tables were occupied. A low murmur filled the place, intersprinkled with the clatter of cutlery and dinnerware mixed with the clink of wine glasses and laughter.

“Looks like you’re busy,” she said, turning her gaze upon Sawyer as he stood, hands on his hips and looking just a tiny bit smug as he watched her surveying the premises. “This is a quiet afternoon. You wait until you see the lunch hour rush.” He hitched his head toward a side door, standing back to let her walk past him and down a long corridor. Doors lined the hallway they walked down, some marked as restrooms others not marked at all, until finally they came to one marked private.

They walked inside and Sky discovered a reception desk, complete with a middle
-aged receptionist wearing a bright pink dress and sporting a beehive hairdo. Sawyer greeted the woman with a nod, murmuring for her ears only a brief, ‘Don’t ask,’ before heading toward a door off to the right. It was like a damn rabbit warren, she thought shaking her head. She barely even recognized the place.

Sawyer rapped his knuckles briefly against a closed door, until a muffled voice called out to enter and once again he stood back to allow her to pass by him.