Rusty climbed the stairs to the cottage and scooped up the mail, flicking through it. As usual, over half of it was from real-estate agents wanting to sell their place for them, all with buyers waiting and willing to pay top dollar. Being the last residential property on Axle Alley, the land was worth a lot and highly sought after. It was getting ridiculous. No matter how many times they said they weren’t selling, would never sell, the letters kept on coming. The bastards were relentless.
Distracted, she opened the front door and let out a shriek when a shrill sound blasted from the house. “Holy shit!”
Covering her ears, she stumbled back a step. The sound cut off abruptly, and Cole Black, her big brother Deacon’s best friend, poked his head out the door, gave her a chin lift and a rough, “Sorry,” then disappeared back inside.
Rusty followed him in, eyes landing on her sister sitting on the couch, feet propped on the coffee table, painting her toes. “What the hell?”
Piper shook her head, scowled over at Cole, then carried on doing her nails. “Deacon decided to follow through with his threat, and no matter how many times I tell Cole to stop what he’s doing because we don’t need all this security, he won’t listen.”
Cole didn’t stop what he was doing or even turn in their direction, which Rusty noted made her sister grit her teeth. They hadn’t seen Cole much over the last few years, not after he joined the police force and moved away, and not after the accident that destroyed his dreams, taking away the only job he’d ever wanted.
Now he was back, but it seemed her sister didn’t give a crap about any of that, or the years that had passed. She decided instead to pick up where she left off…which meant trying desperately to get Cole’s attention and getting pissed off when it didn’t happen.
“Is it really such a bad thing?”
Piper looked at her liked she’d killed her kitten, then jerked her head in Cole’s direction, no doubt expecting her to read her narrow-eyed look. “Don’t you think this is a little over the top?” Then her eyes went all wide, and Rusty knew if she didn’t agree, her sweet sister would kick her ass.
“Um…yes?”
Piper stood and sent Cole an I-told-you-so glare, only to scowl harder when she realized he was still ignoring her.
“So, are you seeing Reid tonight?” Piper asked.
He’d called her every night for five days straight, and besides their accidental sort-of date after the Speedway—which wasn’t really a date because Piper and Dom had been there—she hadn’t seen him again, and he hadn’t suggested anything more.
“No. He said he’d call, though.” God she sounded pathetic.
You’ll have to let me catch you to find out.
Those words had been on repeat in her head every day since he said them. Well, now she was ready to be caught, but…nothing.
“Well, next time you speak to him, would you ask if Law’s single? I’m thinking of asking him out.”
Rusty did not miss the glance she shot Cole’s way. “Sure…I can do that. But you know he’s a biker, a member of an outlaw motorcycle club, right?”
“Yep, and thanks.” Then Piper spun on her heel and started toward her bedroom.
“Wait,” Cole’s rough, damaged voice rumbled from across the room. Ever since his accident, the guy sounded like he was gargling gravel. Piper stopped in her tracks instantly, slowly turning to face him.
“You want something?” Pipe stammered out, hope in her eyes.
“You need to know how to work this.” He pointed to the security keypad.
Piper deflated. “I don’t really care.”
He shook his head, mumbled something under his breath, rattled off how to use their new system and the codes to turn it on and off, then packed up his stuff and, without a backward glance, limped out.
Piper started after him. “What a jerk.”
“You don’t really want to ask Law out, do you?” Her sister was as transparent as a sheet of glass.
“I could. I’m sure he’s a nice guy.”
“Piper.” She crossed her arms.
“Am I that obvious?”
“Only to me, but only because I know you’ve been hung up on Cole since junior high.”
Piper planted it on the couch. “I was just surprised to see him, you know? I got momentarily sucked back in a time warp. I’m over it now.”
Rusty got them each a beer and settled in beside her. “You sure?”
“Absolutely.” Piper turned her bright smile Rusty’s way, then took a sip of her drink. “Tell me about Reid. You two going out soon or what?”
She inwardly cringed. She had no idea where they stood. He’d kissed her twice, thoroughly. The best kisses she’d ever had in her life, granted, she hadn’t had many…okay, hardly any, but she knew instinctively she’d be hard-pressed to find better. They had chemistry in spades, in truck loads—so why hadn’t he asked her out? Maybe he was one of those rich guys that got bored once the chase was over. Guys like him, that had everything, how else did they amuse themselves? Guilt squirmed in her belly. She felt bad for even thinking it. Reid wasn’t like that, despite the money, the privilege he’d more than likely been surrounded with growing up.
Rusty took a pull of her own beer. “No idea. The man’s an enigma.”
“I think you should ask him. What can it hurt? I’m sick of waiting for guys to make the first move. I refuse to do it anymore. From now on, if I want something, I’m going for it.” Piper took another swig of her beer, a terrifyingly determined expression moving across her face.
“Okay, are we still talking about me and Reid here?”
“Of course. I’m just saying, women as a whole tend to wait for the guy to call, wait for him to ask her out, wait for him to make the first move. Wait, wait, wait. Well, I’m done waiting, and you should be, too. In fact, I’m in the mood to go out tonight. Maybe I’ll meet someone new, someone hot. What do you say?”
Why the hell not? It wasn’t like she’d gotten a better offer. “Call Alex and tell her to meet us. I’m gonna grab a quick shower.”
A few hours later, they were in the club. The place was full, the music pumping. Alex and Piper were laughing their asses off about something across the table, and Deacon sat beside her, sipping his orange juice, waiting to drive his intoxicated fiancée home. They’d only come out for a couple of quiet drinks, but a couple had turned into five, and Rusty was feeling it. Work would be hell in the morning, but right now she didn’t give a crap. They’d been working hard, all of them. They deserved this.
She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and fished it out. Reid’s name flashed on the screen, and she grinned. Blocking one ear, she held it to the other and answered. “Helloooo!”
Silence. “Rusty?”
“Yup. How’s it hanging, big guy?” How’s it hanging? Big guy? Did she really just say that? Oh God. No more beers for her.
More silence. “You drunk?”
“Yup.” She giggled. Why in the hell was she giggling? She never giggled, like ever.
“How drunk?”
“Um, kinda…quite a bit drunk?”
“Why’re you kinda, quite a bit drunk, baby?”
He sounded amused. She liked it when he sounded amused. She liked the sound of his voice period. “Because Piper and me decided we’re not waiting anymore.”
“That’s right!” Piper shouted across the table, apparently listening, or lip reading her side of the conversation over the music.
“What aren’t you waiting for, Foxy?”
Her belly fluttered. She loved it when he called her that. At first it pissed her off, but the way he said it…well, now she liked that, too. A lot. “What aren’t we waiting for again, Pipe?”
“Men!” Piper yelled.
“Men? Oh that’s right! We’re not waiting on a man to call us and ask us out. We’re gonna go out and go after what we want.”