Page 16 of Faking it with the Bad Boy Bikers

“This is amazing.” I looked up and saw Sugar nodding eagerly. “I was worried no one would want me here. This is the nicest thing anyone’s done for me in ages. Thank you. All of you.”

Vera waved my gratitude away. “Of course, you’re wanted.”

“It’s just… Virginia, the woman who took me in after I left, she passed a few months ago and I had no one else. I’ve been freaking out because a few weeks ago, Waylan poked me in the boob and asked me what they were for. I froze. It’s not like we had a sex ed course here when I was young. I don’t know what to say to her. What about when it’s time for the sex talk? That’s not too far away, knowing Way.” I took a deep, shuddering breath. “And now, you’re all here, open and welcoming me in. I’m not going to cry but only because if I start, I’m not sure I’ll stop.”

Bianca Shawn wrapped her arm around me. “I went to medical school and the idea of having that talk still makes me want to jump off a cliff. Despite that, we’ll all be here for you when you need us.”

I took a few seconds to compose myself and sat up. “Enough with the mushy shit. I need to know everything about everyone.My sister has three men? Does anyone else have more than their fair share of men?”

“Don’t look at me. I’m with Meredith.” Bianca winked at the other woman. “Those one-woman-multiple-men relationships seem to be in the water on your family ranch, though. Gray, Owen, and Keaton share one woman, too.”

Vera nodded. “Mills, Tate, and West are beside themselves. They don’t understand. They were pissy when the guys did it but now that I’m doing it, too? Mills won’t have any hair left by the end of the year at this rate.”

An image of my male neighbors popped into my head and I blushed. “Good to know, in case I need to piss Mills off more than I already do just by existing.”

“We all saw him show his ass at the shower.” Meredith sent me a warm smile. “I think I speak for everyone here when I say that you should definitely fuck with him.”

Vera nodded. “Seriously. Plus, they’d stop obsessing over me.”

Again, my neighbors popped into my head, unwelcome and unwanted. I cleared my throat and shrugged. “We’ll see.”

The meeting was over too fast but I easily made the promise to return the next week. I had people. It seemed like neither Vera nor me were ready to end our time together so we lingered on the sidewalk long after everyone else went home.

“I can’t believe you’re really here, Nellie.” She hugged me tight. “You and Waylan could come stay with us, if you want. The house is big enough and I’d love to have you closer.”

Before I could answer, a big shadow fell over us and I stepped forward, putting myself between Vera and the man. Frowning up at his scowling face, I made myself as big as I could.

“Nellie, this is Reed. Reed, this is Nellie, my sister. This is why you don’t creep out of the shadows like that.” Vera moved around me and wrapped herself around the man. I watched him soften as he held her and rubbed his hand over her belly.

“You were late.” He kissed her and then turned to me. “Did you think you were going to fight off a man twice your size?”

I shrugged. “I figured I didn’t have to win the fight, I just had to slow you down so Vera could get away.”

“I like you.” He reached out and awkwardly patted my shoulder. “Vera’s right. You should move in with us. It’ll be safer.”

I saw his eyes go to my wrist and slipped it behind my back. “As much as I appreciate the offer, I like it at Vivian’s. It’s good for Way to be around people who aren’t big, tough alpha men. She was quicker to hug the Sheriff guys than she was Vivian.”

“Oh, you mean Henry, Woodrow, and Seth?” Vera sighed dreamily. “If I didn’t have the three hottest men in the world, those guys would inspire fantasies for me. I’m using them as motivations for my newest characters, as it is.”

Reed growled under his breath. “I don’t like it.”

“But you won’t complain too much because those guys helped save my life, too.” She turned back to me and nodded. “I’ll tell you everything soon. Those hunks were undercover as bikers and they saved my butt.”

“Then I owe them. I’m glad you’re okay.” I screamed when another giant figure appeared from the shadows. As soon as I recognized Henry, I bent over with my hand pressed to my chest. “If men could stop coming out of the shadows, that’d be great!”

Reed nodded to Henry. “Nice.”

Henry’s stoic face was back in place. He’d seemed softer for a while with Waylan earlier that day but as he stared down at me, I realized just how hard he was to read. “Figured I’d walk you home.”

“Yes! Walk her home. Tuck her into bed, if you’d like. We have to go. Thanks, Henry!” Vera tugged Reed away as fast as her belly really allowed.

I sighed and looked up at Henry. “I guess this is my life now. Honestly, it’s my fault. How dare I close in on twenty-seven-years-old and not have a man? I suggest you walk five feet in front of or behind me if you want to avoid more interactions like that one.”

His right eyebrow quirked. “If I have to choose, behind.”

I hesitated, wondering if he realized how that sounded. When he didn’t react, though, I figured he didn’t and moved on. “I like your nose ring.”

He walked beside me, both of us moving slowly towards Vivian’s. Glancing over at me, he looked me over. The hoop in his nose caught the light and drew my attention. I’d never liked a man with a pierced nose before but Henry made it work. With his long hair and broody face, he could’ve been a model. If models had more tattoos than a tattoo convention.

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