Page 10 of Filthy and Dirty with the Bikers

He lifts his chin. “That your therapist rides a motorcycle?”

“No. I mean, yes. It’s weird that he rides a bike. He doesn’t seem like the type.”

Rhett laughs under his breath. “We call him Ghost because he checks out for months at a time. I think he gets preoccupied with work. I guess you two have that in common.”

“Whatever! I don’t get preoccupied with work. I work when work needs to be done.”

“And you disappear for months at a time.” He laughs and squeezes my shoulders closer to him. “I like it. You know what you want, and you do what it takes to make it happen.”

My working never bothered Tyler. I think he liked me busy. It meant there was less burden on him to show up for us. Maybe I should thank him for that because his lack of desire pushed me to open the flower shop in town that I’d wanted forever. My friend Rosie agreed to go in on it with me and we’ve since turned it into our passion project. I don’t know what I’d do without the place. Having the shop keeps me grounded insomething outside of myself. It gives me purpose. It’s become my life.

Red lights flash behind us, distracting me from my thoughts. I turn back to see a car taking a left turn, shining a spotlight on the fishing poles in the back of Rhett’s truck.

I drag in a deep breath. “You, ugh, you remember that day out on Glacier Lake? You pulled like three trout and everyone else went home empty-handed.”

He laughs and pulls into the long driveway of his cabin, parking at the side of a three-car garage before turning toward me and running his finger over the scar on my forehead. “And you slipped on the ice and went home with a set of redneck stitches. How could I forget?”

“You carried me home that day. You read me books and brought me snacks while the rest of your friends bitched about cutting the day short.”

He bites back the sweetest grin. “You were pathetic looking, and I was raised right. Besides, I thought your brother was going to kick my ass that day. I was supposed to be keeping an eye on you while he went back to grab the spud bar. When he came back, you were bleeding all over the ice.”

My gaze meets Rhett’s and there’s a spark, but this time it feels different. It starts at the base of my neck and tickles down my back, settling between my thighs with a heartbeat all its own. “Well, I’m not sure how you keep getting stuck with me, but thank you. Turns out, you’re a pretty hard worker yourself.”

His rough thumb lifts slowly and brushes against my cheek. “It’s never work taking care of you, trouble.”

My heart skips a beat, then two. I can’t let this go to my head. Rhett is like family. He’s a buddy. He’s helping his best friend’s little sister, just like Holden is a therapist who’s helping a client. These guys are just being nice.

That’s all this is.Kindness.

I suck in two quick beats of air, and reach to open the truck door, thankful vodka is in my near future.

Chapter Four

Rhett

Molly is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I’m not saying that like some bullshit throwaway because half a bottle of vodka is clouding my vision.

I mean it. I’ve always meant it. I’ve always thought it.

She’s tall and curvy with wide hips, thick thighs, and these pink pouty lips that’ve been screaming for attention since long before I should’ve noticed. Usually, her blonde hair lays carefully on the tops of her shoulders, though right now it’s a wild mess with strands flying in every direction as she leans back on the sofa and tips the bottle of vodka up for the millionth time.

“Ya know, what does anyone want with a relationship anyway?” She sits up and dries vodka off her face with the back of her sleeve. Why is this sloppy untamed version of her somehow more attractive? “I mean, even if a relationship is good, no one really wants what another person wants for eternity. That, and people change.” Her words are slurred but her smile is beaming. “What the world needs is harems. Harems of like-minded people who want to fuck all day and cuddle all night.”

“A harem? Like a vampire harem?” I laugh. “Yeah, that would be a fucking mess. One man should never have that many women. It’s asking for trouble.”

“No.” She laughs and spills to the side, letting the strap of her bra fall with her. “No. One woman with a load of dudes.”

I can’t help but smile. “That’s not a harem.”

“It’s a reverse harem. Look it up.”

“Is this a book concept?” Maverick chimes in before pulling back a drag of beer. “My baby sister loves reading that shit.”

“Oh, it’s not shit,” Molly announces as she sits up straight and runs her fingers back through her hair. “It’s this perfect place where no one man is responsible for every need a woman has. Instead, they all have their strengths, and she’s always satisfied.”

I wrinkle my brows and lean back in the recliner by the fireplace. “Sounds great for her.”

“Them too,” she calls back, her voice perking. “They get to do all their man stuff together and she takes care of all of them. They’re like one big happy family.”

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