Wild Heart- Extended Edition (The Wild Heart Series) (8 page)

“Horses again hopefully,” she answered. He stood in front of her, contemplating before he spoke again.

“Let me get this big bastard out to your truck. Unlock your door and I’ll put it in the back,” he said as he grabbed the box and headed out the door.

She laughed as she hit the unlock button and they watched as he tried fitting it in one way and then another. Eventually moving the other items in the back of her truck out of the way and shoving it in quite forcefully.

“Bless his heart. He’s such a good boy. He’s been here almost every day this week. I hardly ever get anyone in here now days, so it’s been nice to have the company. You were the last person to come in. It makes for a very long day being here all by myself,” she smiled as she took Ani’s card.

“I could imagine.”

He’d been in everyday?
Damn how many doors did he have to fix?
She leaned down to sign the receipt when the familiar burn of his eyes fell over her once more. She smiled to herself before standing back up to see the blush on Mrs. Bell’s face.

“Alright, dear. If you or your dad need anything else you just call ok?” Mrs. Bell smiled as she nervously escaped to the back of the store.

“Ok. Thank you,” Ani said toward the older woman as she shuffled off toward the back. When she was no longer in sight, Ani’s eyes came back to Knox’s.

“That skirt is going to kill me.” Knox stepped closer to her.

Her breathing practically ceased and her heart began to beat erratically.
I swear if I keep this up, I’m going to have to have my ticker checked.
Maybe if she passed out he would perform CPR, she wouldn’t mind his lips pressed against her own.

“Well I guess I need to get home and take it off then,” she countered.

“Would you by chance need help with that?” He stood so close that she could feel his warmth. He smelled of leather and gasoline; all she wanted to do was bury her face into his chest and breathe him in.
Jesus, Ani you don’t even know this man. Slut.

“Not to ruin the moment, but my dad will be there,” she leaned her hands back against the desk and propped herself up on it.
Look sexy and don’t fall off.

“Doesn’t ruin anything for me, but I don’t think your pops would want to know the things I have intended for his daughter.” His hand grazed down her thigh toward the end of her skirt leaving a trail of fire. “How about I get your number and give you a call?”

“That might be possible.” She leaned over, grabbing the small notepad and pen next to the register. She wrote down her number and ripped off the piece of paper. Slowly she folded it and slipped it into the front pocket of his cut.

“Sure you don’t need help with that skirt? I’d love to see it hiked up and you on the back of my bike.”

She hopped down from the counter and leaned up to his ear, letting her breath blow gently against his skin, “Not this time, Sparky. I think I’ll handle it on my own,” she whispered as she peeked over into his eyes. Fully dilated with sexual frustration ablaze in them, he slowly turned toward her with a devious smile. “I’ll be looking forward to your call, Knox,” her words were breathless and heavy as she spoke his name.

“As always, Aiyana, it was a pleasure seeing you.” His dark eyes lingered with her own until she turned.

She tried to keep herself from running and as much as she wanted, she didn’t allow herself to look back at him. She hoped into her truck and took off down the road. Her hands were still shaking with adrenaline as she pulled up to her house. What it was about that man that made her feel so fierce, she didn’t know. She could feel every inhibition fly out of the window with every step he’d taken toward her. The anticipation of the weekend grew inside of her. For the first time she was thoroughly looking forward to what was to come.

KNOX

Knox mounted his bike, grabbing his erection and shifting it in his pants in an attempt to subdue the thoughts coursing through his veins. He had been in the hardware store every day for the past week, waiting, hoping that she’d come in. She was like a siren calling to him, and no different than the lowly sailors adrift at sea he conceded to her song. She was temptation in the flesh, a beautiful seductress, and he would devour her body, mind, and soul at the first chance he got.

As his bike came to life, he let out a deep breath. He knew, deep in his being, that a woman like her didn’t come around often. If you were fated to have someone like that cross your path, you owed it to yourself and destiny to follow the path to see where it led. He gripped the throttle, letting his engine growl out as he raced down the road toward the cabin, becoming one again with the road and exhaling the rest of the world.

CHAPTER SIX

FORGET, FORGIVE, AND BEGIN AGAIN

“Yes, sir,” Ani tried to keep her voice from reverberating off of the walls of her new office. “You can bring that in this afternoon.” She peeked over at Kate, who was cheerful and smiling as she helped the customer sitting at her desk. “Ok, Mr. Johnson, I’ll see you soon; thank you.” Ani hung up the phone as she checked off another item from her to-do list.

She tried to not be obvious as she watched Kate walk the customer to the lobby, smiling before handing them their receipt. The last few days at work had been slightly awkward. Every attempt Ani had made to talk to Kate had been an epic failure. Aside from certain business documents she’d had to sign for Ani, Kate had avoided her as much as possible

Ani shuffled through the papers on her desk, grabbing Mr. Johnson’s regulation form and signing it. She noticed Kate’s name as the personal banker and decided to make another attempt to strike up a conversation. Grabbing the paper, Ani made her way toward Kate’s office. She could see Kate let out a deep sigh before Ani had even made it to her door. She wasn’t positive, but she’d thought Kate had let out a low growl as well.

“Hey, Kate. I need to get your signature on this please,” Ani stood at her door, waiting for Kate to invite her in.

“Sure. Come on in,” Kate huffed as she took the paper from Ani.

Ani looked down at the empty seat in front of Kate’s desk; it was now or never. Without hesitation she sat quickly in the seat, plopping down so hard the chair slid a few inches across the floor. Ani looked up at Kate with embarrassment and tried hard not to laugh, but as Kate’s face softened Ani released a loud chuckle. Ani covered her mouth, but it was too late; both of their laughter was now bellowing out through the lobby from Kate’s office.

“You have never been graceful.” Kate clutched at her stomach, “I wish you could have seen your face when the chair moved. I thought it was going down and taking you with it!”

“You’re not the only one!” Ani took a deep breath to try and calm her laughter.

As the two relaxed an awkward silence filled the room. Ani twisted her hands in her lap trying to think of something to say, but she kept coming up short on conversation starters. As Kate slid the paper back across her desk, Ani decided that she would just have to give it time. When Kate was ready to talk she would. This was the point in Ani’s life where she was learning whether it was best to walk away or try harder. Though, no matter how hard she’d tried, Kate had been reluctant to open back up; but who could blame her.

“Thanks, Kate.” Ani took the paper and made her way out of the door.

“Wait, Ani,” Kate called after her as she stepped out of the door, “Listen, I’m sorry. I’ve been an ass. I should’ve given you a chance to talk or apologize, or whatever it is you have been stalking me for.” Kate’s smirk was spreading rapidly across her face as she peered back down at the papers in her hand.

“Kate, you have absolutely nothing to apologize for. I was completely wrong in how I left things between us. I should’ve been a better friend and I wasn’t.” Ani stepped back into her office and slowly sat back down into the vacant chair.

“Yeah, you did owe me a goodbye in the least.” Kate’s eyes were sarcastic.

“I know, and I’m sorry. So sorry, Kate. If I could go back and do it all over again I would have done so many things differently. After everything happened between Cash and me, all I wanted to do was just get the hell out of here and never look back at that heartache ever again. I told myself I would get to New York and I would have so much fun that it wouldn’t matter anymore, but I was all wrong.” Ani knew this was her moment to grovel and she would be damned if she held back; she had years to apologize for.

“I thought the whole time I was in New York that nothing back home mattered. That I was going to make something of myself and go far in life away from everyone and this town, and man was I wrong. The only thing I could think of while I was gone was you and my parents, all of my friends, and the beauty of the mountains. It was like all of it was calling for me, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.”

“Eventually, I just felt like I was stuck, unable to leave for fear that I’d look like a failure.” Ani let out a deep sigh, “I waited five years for a reason to come back and as soon as I had one I came home.” Ani stared out Kate’s window at the mountain peaks in the distance.

“To be honest, Ani, I think I was more jealous than hurt,” Kate’s eyes were heavy and sullen, “I wanted to get out of here so badly and you were getting that opportunity. Not only that, but you were so excited to go with Cash instead of me and then he let you down. I guess I kept waiting and hoping that you’d ask me to go with you and then you didn’t, and it made me feel left out.”

“I’m sorry, Kate. I wish that it had been you and I taking over the world, I really do. I can’t believe I let myself get so caught up in the fairy tale that was Cash Roberts.”

“Well, he is a good looking son of a bitch. It happens,” Kate smiled over at her and for the first time since she’d left for New York, Ani’s life was beginning to feel normal again.

She was beginning to think that maybe the path she had wanted and fought so hard for wasn’t actually the path that she was supposed to have been on. More and more the idea that this was where she was supposed to have been all along solidified in her mind. She wasn’t sure what God had intended for her here, but she was sure that she would be finding out soon.

“So, I hear you were out at the hill this past weekend,” Kate teased.

“Talk about old times, it felt like high school all over again.”

“I think ol’ Cash Roberts still thinks you’re pretty,” Kate mocked.

“Lord, I can’t get him to leave me alone!”

“Girl, he has been waiting for you to come back for years. I give it two months and he’ll be proposing. After you left he was so tore up, he wouldn’t even look at another girl for years.” Kate relaxed back in her chair. “Hell, I still don’t think he looks at anyone other than you.”

“He’s just going to have to get over it. He can’t expect to call dibs on me just because we used to be an item,” Ani’s voice was matching the irritation spreading throughout her body.

“I am surprised he hasn’t peed on your leg already,” Kate laughed.

“That’s disgusting, Kate.”

“Just give it some time and I’m sure he’ll ease up. Maybe go on a date with someone new and let him know that you aren’t playing around,” Kate suggested.

“Well…” Ani’s voice trailed off as excitement began taking over the irritation. “What’s the story with the bikers?” Ani asked.

“Why?” Kate looked at her coyly; she knew where Ani was going with her question.

“I’m just wondering,” Ani tried to be convincing.

“Lawd help me!” Kate leaned forward onto her desk and whispered, “You have it for one of those bikers don’t you?”

“No!” Ani protested, trying to wipe the shit-eating grin off of her face. “Ok, I might have met one and he may have piqued my interest.”

“Piqued your interest? Jesus, Ani, you’re gonna start wearing leather panties aren’t you? Riding motorcycles and smoking cigarettes too,” Kate smiled proudly over at her. “Shit, do you have a tattoo yet?”

“Kate! I do not have a tattoo,” Ani crossed her arms tightly across her chest.

“You look like the kind that would have a heart or a butterfly right smack on her ass cheek.”

If there was one thing Kate was not, it was a prude. Kate had been a free spirit since before she and Ani had become friends. She had always lived her life to the fullest, practicing the play first and ask for forgiveness later motto. Kate had lived and dealt with things in her life, most people wouldn’t be strong enough to even think about. There was a reason she was who she was and Ani would have never asked her to be any different. Honestly, from the bottom of her heart, Kate just didn’t give a fuck about any ones opinions.

“I’ve only talked to him a few times and I don’t even know if he’ll call me.”

“You gave him your number?” Kate’s face livened up and exuded the shock in her voice, “This is not the Ani I used to know. Where is she and what have you done to her?”

“She’s forever locked away in the shy and reserved closet she belongs in,” Ani smiled.

“I like this new Ani. I think she and I could get along great,” Kate’s eyes were devious, “So if he does call, are you going to go out with your new sweet meat?”

“I don’t know. Cash wanted to do something this weekend, so I’ll have to find an excuse to get out of that.” The guilt of blowing him off began settling in her stomach. Ani knew Cash meant well, and lord knows she still had a slight hard on for him, but she had to test out other waters before she just settled right back down into the same ol’ thing.

“Tell him that you and I are going out and if you need to back up that story, then just let me know when Knight Rider is going to pick us up.” She smiled playfully as her eyes glanced toward the door and Jill’s head came leaning into the door frame.

“Ani, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I have a customer here that I need help with,” Jill smiled apologetically between her and Kate.

“Sure, let’s walk to my office.” Ani stood, “This conversation isn’t over, Kate Benson.”

“I look forward to finishing it.” The devious smile spread across her face once more before turning back to her computer.