Page 40 of Sweet Harmony

Addison gaspedand stared wordlessly at the man standing beside her.

“No touchingthe bike, sweetheart,” he said.

He looked herup and down from her auburn coloured hair to her pink Conversesneakers, his gaze lingering on her breasts for a moment longerthan appropriate, before he studied her now red face.

He dropped herwrist, then reached out and gave Kira’s ponytail a light tug.“Hey.”

“Hello,Preacher. How are you?”

“Good. Justfinished watching your brother play. Heard you were dating adentist.”

She sighed.Preacher was Gideon’s best friend, of course her brother had toldhim about Kira and Connor. “I am.”

“You let meknow if he isn’t good to you. All right?”

“He’s a goodguy,” she said.

Great. Not onlydid she have to worry about Gideon, now she had to worry aboutPreacher too.

Preacher hadmoved to their small town about a year after Gideon returned home.He and Gideon had met in New Cassel and while she had no idea howthey had become friends, neither of them would talk about it, theywere as close as she and Grace were.

The sheriff andthe tattoo artist were the unlikeliest of friends, and theirfriendship had been the subject of town gossip for months.

Preacher didn’ttalk much and although she’d spent plenty of time with him andGideon, Kira still really didn’t have a clue about him other thanthat he was the only man in town bigger than her brother, he wascovered in tattoos, he ran a successful tattoo and piercing shop,and he’d pretty much adopted her like she was his own kid sister.She didn’t even know his real name.

“Yeah, well,just give me the word if you need me to fuck him up.”

“Preacher,let’s go. I’m bored.” A bleach blonde, her slender body clad inskin tight jeans and a shirt that hugged her, Kira suspected,surgery-enhanced breasts, gave him a pouty look. Kira didn’t knowwho she was, but she knew for certain she wasn’t from their smalltown. Preacher didn’t date anyone from Harmony Falls.

Addison backedaway as Preacher swung one jean-clad leg over his bike and sat onthe seat. The woman climbed on behind him and slung her arms aroundhis waist. Preacher gave Addison one final look, this time his gazelingering first on the pearls around her throat before moving toher mouth.

Addison turnedscarlet and backed up again until she was standing next to Kira.She took Kira’s hand, squeezing it compulsively as Preacher’s bikestarted with a low roar.

“See youaround, Kira,” Preacher said before, with one big hand resting onthe blonde’s thigh, he drove out of the parking lot.

Beside her,Addison let out a shuddering breath and Kira said, “Hey? Youokay?”

“Fine.” Addieswallowed hard. “Preacher is, um… he’s a little scary looking.”

Kira grinned.“Yeah, I know, but he’s not really that scary.”

“Of course, heisn’t. The giant tattooed biker isn’t at all dangerous orscary.”

This time Kiralaughed. “You can’t judge a book by its cover, Addie. He’s got agood heart and he maybe doesn’t talk much, but he’s sweet in hisown way.”

“Oh yes,offering to ‘fuck up’ your boyfriend for you, is very sweet.”

Kira’s mouthdropped open. “Oh my God, Addie. I think that might be the firsttime I’ve ever heard you use the f-word.”

“Harrison saysa man doesn’t like it when a woman cusses. It makes her look andsound coarse.”

Kira rolled hereyes. “Whatever. Harrison won’t be happy until you’re a damnStepford wife.”

Addison gaveher a hurt look and Kira sighed. “Sorry, that was a stupid thing tosay. But Harrison doesn’t have the right to tell you how to act ortalk. He’s your fiancé, not your friggin’ owner.”

“He doesn’t,”Addison said. “He gives me suggestions, that’s all. And I thinkit’s sweet that he wants me to be the best I can be. He loves me,Kira and I love him.”

“I know,” Kirasaid. “Come on, let’s hit the canteen and head back.”

---