Hawk
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“FUCK!” I BELLOWED. It had been three weeks since I’d met Payton and I still hadn’t been able to find her. I slammed my hand against the steering wheel, grateful Lily wasn’t in the truck with me.
Payton had been right. I couldn’t find her. Well, I could if Booker would give me any information, but he refused to, so I was fucked. She was officially a ghost. I didn’t even have a last name. Booker wouldn’t provide that either.
“Fuck!” I snapped again.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to deal with the elusive Payton. I had three hours before I needed to relieve my sister from watching Lily, and I had a shit ton of work to do. I was currently in a Fred Meyer parking lot in Vancouver waiting to meet with my contact.
“Hawk, come in, over,” Tammy’s voice came over the radio.
“I’m here, over.”
“Kenny’s sitting outside Starbucks. He’s in a red hoodie, over.”
“Copy, over.”
I guided my truck to the spaces across from the coffee store and parked far enough away that I’d be somewhat obscured. As I climbed out of the cab and locked the doors, my eyes caught a glimpse of someone very familiar. My heart stuttered momentarily as I closed my eyes and opened them again to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. Payton was walking out the south door, one hand holding a grande coffee, the other her cell phone and purse. Her long, straight hair was pulled into a ponytail and she wore jeans, knee–high boots and a tight, cream turtleneck sweater that did incredible things for her tits.
I stepped closer to my truck and watched her as she climbed into her car and pulled out of her space. I grinned as I took down the license plate, along with the make and model of the car.
My little ghost had just materialized.
Payton
I pulled into my parents‘ driveway and turned off my car. After hitting Starbucks, I’d met Macey at Jantzen Beach and shopped for my nephew’s birthday present. Billy was turning seven in a week and I had finally found him the video game he’d been begging for. I couldn’t help but grin… I was going to be firmly in the favorite aunt category.
Popping the trunk, I stepped out of the car, my eyes on my purse as I dropped my keys into it and slung it over my shoulder.
“Hey, babe.”
I squeaked, my phone dropping to the ground as I looked up to see Alex walking toward me. He wore jeans, motorcycle boots, his vest and signature thermal. Lordy, lordy, he was gorgeous.
“Wha–what are you doing here?”
He picked up my phone and handed it to me. “I told you I’d find you.”
“And, uh, how… how did you do that exactly?” Again with the squeaking. Holy crap, I needed to get it together.
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“Babe.” Alex chuckled. “I did it and that’s all you need to know.”
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“Okay,” I said, and crossed my arms. “So, you’ve found me. Congratulations, you deserve a major award. But now that you’ve ‘won,‘ what’s the plan, handsome? Because I’m not really interested in a one–night stand, and you’re hell–bent on getting me out of your system, so you can see how this might be a conflict of interest, right?”
He smiled and I forced myself not to let out a sigh. “You and I are gonna get to know each other.”
“We are?”
Alex nodded.
“And if I don’t want to? Then what?”
He leaned against my car and raised an eyebrow. “You want to.”
I took a deep breath, stuffing both the feeling of arousal and irritation. “Alex-”
“I fuckin‘ love it when
you
call me that.”
“Hawk,” I corrected.
“Don’t do that, baby.” Alex cupped my cheek. “Although, it’s almost as sexy.”
I stepped away from his touch. “Where’s Lily?”
“She’s with my sister.”
“You have a sister?”
He nodded. “And a mother.”
“You’re close?”
“With my sister, yeah.” He crossed his arms. “She’s stayin‘ with me while she sorts shit out with her ex.”
“Where’s Lily’s mother?”
Something scary crossed his face. Rage was far too simple to describe his expression.
“Sorry,” I rushed to say. “It’s none of my business.”
“It’s part of getting to know me,” he said, although, he sounded irritated. “I don’t know where her mother is. Honestly, I hope she’s dead.”
“Harsh.”
“The whore is the biggest bitch on the planet, so, no, babe, it’s not harsh enough.”
I bit my lip. “Okay, right there is why I’m not sure this is a good lea.”
Alex ran his thumb across my lip, tugging it from my teeth. “Break it down for me.”
“You hate the woman who gave birth to your beautiful little girl. You don’t seem interested in giving her the credit of at least gifting you with something incredible. Instead, you wish her dead. This doesn’t bode well for someone like me who couldn’t be less suited for you than any other woman on the planet. If you can’t find even the tiniest bit of compassion for her, what happens to me when I do something you don’t like? Will you wish me dead?”
“I’m not having this conversation with you in your parents‘ driveway.”
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“I don’t think there’s any point in having this conversation, period. I think you and I are ill suited to be anything other than acquaintances, so I wish you well, Alex James, but I think it’s a good idea that we part ways.”
He frowned. “Fuck, Payton. You’re givin‘ up before we’ve even started!”
“Better now than to end up hurting each other later.”
“I didn’t peg you for a coward.”
I knew he said this to goad me, but I wasn’t particularly liking the emotions running through me, so I wasn’t going to bite. I needed to stay strong, not allow the sadness of never seeing him again rule my actions. “Yep, I’m a coward. And if you knew anything about me, you’d pick up on that pretty quickly.”
“What I’m pickin‘ up on, baby, is you’re a shit liar.” He smiled. “So, how about you come with me and we’ll talk some more.”
I let out an irritated groan. “Have you not heard a word I’ve said?”
“Have you eaten?”
“Alex.”
He pushed away from the car, closing the distance between us. “Babe, have you eaten?”
My traitorous stomach rumbled. “No. But I’m just a step away from a food source, so I’m all good.”
“Come eat with me.” Alex took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “We’ll talk.”
“I don’t do this, Alex.”
“Pickin‘ up on that, Payton.”
“Why are you pushing?” I demanded, but of course I still stood there holding his hand.
“Can’t tell you why, babe, just know I have to.”
I studied him. Wrong choice. He was far too gorgeous for his own good and staring at him just made me want to get naked, so I looked at my feet. But that brought into view his muscular legs and sexy as hell motorcycle boots, so I moved my eyes away, catching a glimpse of our hands entwined, a silver dog skull ring on his finger, and that just about had me kneeling before him. Gah! I was far too easy.
“Fine. Dinner,” I said, and pulled out my cell phone. I texted my mom to let her know I wouldn’t be home for a few hours, even though my car was in the driveway. My parents were out anyway, so it’s not like they would be peeking out of the front room window to see who I was with, so I didn’t give them any further information.
After locking up my car, I let Alex lead me to his truck. It wasn’t old, but it was certainly beat up. He held the passenger door open for me and I had to climb into it, it was so high. As he made his way around the front of the truck, I took in the CB radio, grate between the front and back seats, and general disarray of the cab.
He climbed in beside me and started the engine.
“What do you do?” I glanced around the cab. “Assuming you do something outside of the club.”
“Bounty hunter.”
“Of course you are,” I muttered under my breath.
Alex laughed. “I get better looking by the second, admit it.”
“Wow,” I said. “Cocky much?”
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He didn’t answer as he grinned and pulled away from the curb.
As we drove toward I–5, my phone rang and I pulled it out to find Macey calling. “Hey, Mace.”
“Hey. Did I leave one of my bags in your trunk?”
“I have no idea,” I said. “I’m actually not home right now, but I can check when I’m back.”
“Where are you?”
“With Alex.”
“Shut the front door. How did that happen?”
“No clue. He just showed up at home as I pulled in.”
“Are you okay with that?” she asked. “‘Cause I’ll get Dallas to track you and pick you up if you want.”
I glanced at Alex who raised an eyebrow at me before focusing back on the road.
“I’m fine, Mace. But I’ll keep that in mind if he gets out of hand.”
“I want details.”
“It’s just dinner.”
“Still want details when you can talk,” she said.
“Yeah, yeah.” I smiled. “I’ll call you later.”
“Bye,” she said, and hung up.
I dropped my phone back in my purse and glanced at Alex again “Why are you called Hawk?”
“I was a sharp shooter in the marines.”
“Did you do any tours?”
“Two. Iraq.”
“Wow,” I whispered. “Thank you.”
He took my hand, linking his fingers with mine. “You’re welcome”
“Where are we going?”
“What do you feel like?”
“Typically on a first date, I’d say somewhere I can get a salad.”
“But?” he countered.
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“But, that’s because I usually eat beforehand in an effort to keep the fact that I eat like a four–hundred pound man a secret for a while. And since I didn’t do that, I’m in the mood for burgers, fries, and a big ass chocolate shake.” I admitted. “You wanted to get to know me. Welcome to the show.”
Alex laughed. “Burgerville it is.”
He drove to the Salmon Creek location and pulled into the drive thru.
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“We’re not going in?” I asked.
“Got a better place to eat.”
“Let me guess. Some hidden and perfect place to hide a body?”
Alex laughed again. “Or fuck.”
“Oh my god,” I said, and pulled my hand away. “Don’t be disgusting”
“Nothing about that is disgusting, Payton. Trust me. You’re gonna love it.”
“I’m not having sex with you, Alex,” I snapped. “Did you actually think I would?”
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“Don’t get your panties in a wad, babe. I’m not expecting anything tonight except food and conversation.” He smiled. “Besides, when I get you into bed, it’ll be somewhere warm and very, very private. Somewhere I can take my time.”
I shivered at the thought, swallowing several times before I found my voice. “You’re not getting me into bed, Alex.”
“We’ll see.”
We pulled up and I ordered a Colossal, fries, and Chocolate Monkey. Alex ordered the pepper bacon burger and fries, along with a pop, and then we drove out of the parking lot. Alex headed down I–5 and exited at Jantzen Beach, but headed to the Marina rather than the mall.
He pulled into the parking lot and turned off the engine. “You got a coat?”
I shook my head.
“No problem,” he said, and jumped out of the truck, opening the back door, and grabbing a leather jacket.
“We’re eating here?”
“Yeah, babe.”
I opened my door and gathered up the food, but before I could climb down from the cab, Alex was in front of me, taking my burdens from me and helping me out. He settled a ridiculously large leather jacket over my shoulders and then took my hand and the food and pulled me toward the pier.
“How do you have access to all of this?” I asked.
“I own a boat.”
“You do not.”
He smiled. “I do.”
“What’s the name of your boat?”
“Gravy,”
I choked as I swallowed a laugh. “It is not.”
He chuckled. “It is.”
“That’s probably the best thing I’ve ever heard.”
Alex grinned again.
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“My dad always says the only thing better than owning a boat is having a friend who owns one,” I said.
Alex laughed. “There’s a third option.”
“There is?”
“Owning a boat and having recruits who have to pay their dues to look after the boat.”
I giggled. “You’re smarter than you look, Alex James.”
“Well, thank you, Payton Williams.”
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“Wow,” I whispered as he pulled me to a stop in front of the prettiest (and largest) boat I’d ever seen. Granted, I wasn’t well versed in boats, and had never personally been on one, other than one that pulled me when water skiing, but seriously, this was pretty. “Is this a yacht?“.
“Yeah, babe. Technically it’s a yacht.” He smiled. “But I got it for a dinghy price.”
“Permission to come aboard?” I retorted, and then blushed. “I heard that you’re supposed to say that somewhere.” Alex laughed as he stepped onto the boat and reached his hand out to me. “You are fuckin‘ adorable.”
AD
