Page 1 of Stranded With the Biker

Piper Purcell

WatchingWinston drive off in a hurry kept a smile on my face the entire twenty-minute drive from my place to where I would be working for the next two weeks.

I was happy for Allie. My best friend deserved someone good who loved her with his whole heart.

Not only that, I was really dang glad that my gut instinct about something not adding up when it came to Winston Nash had been right. I had seen him around her, and it never really added up why from one minute to the next, he turned all cold and indifferent. Not that I knew all that much about relationships. I was hardly an expert. But I knew people. And I’d known Winston Nash was in love with my best friend. The whole sitting in a different car every day across the street thing also clued me in.

The smile I was sporting quickly disappeared the moment I walked toward my booth space at the Los Angeles Arts and Crafts Winter Market. Damn, he was back. Not only was he back, but he seemed to have restocked everything he had sold out of the day before. His booth was already set up and ready to go. I glanced at my watch to make sure I didn’t somehow arrive at thefair late. Nope. I still had an hour and a half to replenish what I’d sold, spiff up my booth, turn my twinkle lights on, and grab myself a coffee from one of the vendors at the market.

I stood straighter and as tall as I could, which wasn’t much when I was four ten, and made my way toward my booth. It wasn’t that the guy was competition or anything. We sold very different wares. Not that I thought a guy like him knew how to hold a crochet needle.

The tall, seriously gorgeous guy’s booth was all about natural bee wax and honey products.Bees.My brows bunched tighter.A man like him with bees?It still didn’t make sense. Not that I had a problem with bees or honey or wax. I loved natural products; that wasn’t what rubbed me the wrong way.

Hugo Gomez was seriously rude. I had my fair share of experiences with rude people and family, but he was on a whole other level.

From the moment I arrived that very first day, he had glared at me like I somehow offended him. On the third day of dirty looks, I tried to make a peace offering, bringing him coffee. One he didn’t accept. After that and still having no clue what I’d done to the guy, I was done trying. I only had a week left until I wouldn’t have to see his grouchy seriously hot face again.Liar, a little way to wise voice perked up before I frowned. Damn, why did the rude, mean ones always have to be my weak spot? My ex had been the king of rudeness, and it had been extremely hard for me to kick him like a bad habit. So much so, Allie and I no longer even mentioned his name anymore.

But Hugo Gomez? The tall, pissed-off-looking guy who looked like he belonged on a big gleaming Harley? He looked like he could demolish me with one kiss.

And nope, no way, no how was I going down that road again.

Hugo Gomez

My knee bouncedwhile I looked around the fair, my eyes focused on the reserved spot that was still sitting empty. A spot I shouldn’t care about. The holiday market was almost over and done with.Finally.My arms crossed in front of me as different vendors started to trickle in.

I’d never thought about what working a holiday craft fair would be like. If I was honest, the only reason I knew they even existed was because my little sister mentioned she had started to work them to help boost her bee business.

Bees.I rubbed the back of my neck.

My sister and her bees.

My lips twitched at Karol’s crazy ideas. But maybe they weren’t as crazy as I thought, considering I had to head to her place every single night after working this thing to replenish stock. Not that I worked for her. Nope. I was semi-retired. I’d served my time in the Marines and now worked on bikes and cars when the mood moved me.

My hands itched to work on an engine in my garage after being around all these people the last week. Especially a littleredhead with way too much energy and a smile I not only felt in my dick but all through me.

A little red-headed vixen I would have never in my life met had it not been for the fact that Karo had broken her arm in two places and begrudgingly needed someone’s help with her farm and covering the spot she had already paid for at this damn fair. Our brother Vic had jumped at the opportunity to work on the farm, taking care of the bees and helping her out with making candles, balms, and other shit.

I had a feeling my ex-Navy Seal brother found it peaceful to help Kari on her small farm. He also found Karol’s pretty, best friend and business partner intriguing, judging by the way I caught him look at her when I went over to pick up shit to replenish her stock.

One more week,I thought to myself. One more week, and I would be done and over with all this shit. I could go back up to my cabin in Sugarloaf and tinker around in my garage. Maybe I would start looking into getting a new project? Some junker to restore and bring back to life.

One more week.

My eyes skirted back to the table. They widened at the sight of her. My hands clenched at my sides. Jesus, she was pretty. That was always the first thought that popped into my head. Pretty didn’t even cover it. Piper Purcell and her bright red curls and soft, curvy body were fucking breathtaking.

The thought of more week suddenly made my gut twist up in knots.What will happen after that?It wasn’t like she liked me enough to see me again.

And whose fault is that, you big idiot?a voice in my head mumbled.Mine. One hundred percent mine.

But I had a plan.

I walked, but being my size, it sounded like I stomped over to her table that sat right in front of mine. But not before picking upthe extra-large, sugary, over-caffeinated drink I had bought for her.

“Here.” I handed it to her the moment I stood in front of her and tried not to wince at the roughness in my voice. I kept my distance, making sure I wasn’t too close to touch her yet not too far, because fuck me, she made my brain fritz out.

“Here?” she repeated, looking at the lidded cup like it was filled with snakes. “What’s that?” She dropped her gorgeous blue eyes down to the cup again and blinked.

“It’s that sugary shit you’ve been drinking every day,” I mumbled, all while making sure not to show an ounce of emotion. Usually, it wasn’t hard for me. Any one of my four siblings would tell you I was a man of few words. But I felt different around her. Being in her space made me want to tell her everything and then have her tell me everything back.

---