Page 9 of Protected By the Bikers Next Door
“Sure, Jenny is usually up by six, so whenever suits you.”
“Okay, great.”
Harper notices that the coffee has brewed, and she bustles around making us our cups. She also places some homemade cookies on a plate for us. From the other room, Jenny calls out, “What’s taking so long?” she whines.
“I guess we’d better go see the little madam,” Harper says with an indulgent smile.
Harper and I don’t get much chance to talk with Jenny chattering away, but I don’t mind. I enjoy the little girl’s energy and just being in Harper’s presence, getting to know her a bit better. All too soon, I hear the sound of Wolf and Hawk’s bikes rumbling down the road toward our house.
“And I’m afraid that’s my cue to leave,” I say reluctantly as I stand up. “The guys and I have business to discuss.”
“Of course,” Jenny says, getting up too. “Thanks for stopping in to check on Jenny, and for the gift. Jenny, what do you say?”
“Thank you, Bear,” she beams. “I love him,” she adds, squeezing the teddy tight to prove it.
“You’re welcome,” I say, ruffling her hair, which makes her giggle.
Harper walks me to the front door, opening it for me. I turn to look at her as I leave. “Thanks for the coffee and the delicious cookies. We’ll come round tomorrow morning, around seven, to do the repairs.”
“Thank you, have a good evening,” she replies with a smile that is the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen.
“You too,” I reply, forcing myself to turn and leave. I could have stayed there all night.
One thing’s becoming very obvious to me. I think I’m falling for our sexy new neighbor.
Chapter 5
Harper
With the new truce between us, there are no more late-night parties and no more early morning counterattacks. Not only that, but the guys have turned into model neighbors. They’ve insisted on helping me fix up our new home. In just two short days, the place has undergone a complete transformation. Jenny’s obsessed with our handsome new neighbors, to the point where I’ve had to take her out both days so the guys can get anything done. Because of this, I’ve barely had a chance to speak to the guys other than the usual small talk or discussing the house. Jenny immediately warming to the men is something that amuses and worries me in equal parts. Not that I don’t see the appeal. If I’m honest, I’m pretty infatuated myself, but I don’t want her to get too attached. She’s been let down enough by the men in her life. We both have.
It’s hard not to fantasize when three drop-dead gorgeous men live right next door. I’m not ashamed to admit that my vibrator has been getting a lot of use lately. The number one fantasy is currently when I soaked Bear with the hose, only this time, all three of the men get blasted before taking me inside and fucking me senseless as punishment. I don’t even know where that came from as I’ve never fantasized about a threesome before—let alone multiple men. But it’s just a fantasy, it’s not as if even one of them would be interested in an overweight single mom when they have tons of beautiful biker groupies throwing themselves at them.
I have to remind myself of that when I discover a bouquet of roses on my porch this morning, after I return from dropping Jenny at her new school. It was her first day, and I was expecting tantrums, but instead she rushed off to play with the other kids without so much as a backward glance. With the roses is a note that says,‘Miss me, beautiful?’I immediately glance up and down the road to see if there’s any sign of who dropped these off. The road is empty, and there’s no sign of movement next door. Whoever left them is long gone.
With a smile on my face, I head inside and place the flowers in a vase that I discover in one of the boxes I’ve yet to unpack. For a moment I wonder if it’s one of my hot, new neighbors. However, none of them strikes me as the shy, romantic type that would leave an anonymous love note on my doorstep. If any of them were interested, they’d tell me. And why would they ask if I missed them, seeing as I see them every day? I need to get real. There’s no way men like that would be interested in a woman like me. It’s probably a mistake; some delivery company dropped them at the wrong house. The note certainly suggests that. Why would guys whom I just met ask if I missed them?
I decide to ask them about it this weekend, they’re having a cookout and have invited Jenny and me.
***
I spent far too long picking out an outfit for the cookout. I was aiming for sexy yet casual, as if I’d just thrown it on. Of course, nothing was quite right, anything remotely sexy I own hasn’t fit me in a long time. Eventually, I discover an old summer dress that I haven’t worn since before Jenny was born—a sky-blue dress that hugs my breasts and skims out into a loose skirt, hiding my stomach, and has enough stretch in it to fit. I’mstanding in the mirror, wondering if there’s a little too much cleavage on display when Jenny comes running into the room.
“Come on, Mommy, can we go, please?” she begs, her voice wheedling. “Everyone’s already there, even Sammy!”
Sammy is her new friend from school that she hasn’t stopped talking about all week. I was surprised to discover the cookout was a family-friendly event and that the guys knew other parents. They strike me as typical bachelors, yet another way they’ve managed to change my opinion.
“Alright then, sweetie,” I reply, slicking on some lip gloss and grabbing my purse before throwing on some wedges and following Jenny.
I almost forgot the cupcakes I baked, so I have to rush back inside for them. Leaving Jenny dancing on the spot, restless in her excitement.
I’m grateful for her little hand in mine, pulling me along, otherwise, I may have chickened out and gone straight home. My heart is hammering in my chest, and I feel like I’m back at school, the new girl invited to the party as a joke. We enter through the side gate, which leads directly into the large backyard already filled with people. Immediately, I wish the ground would swallow me up as I’m massively overdressed. Most people are dressed in denim and tank tops, mostly in black. There’s a definite alternative rocker vibe that makes me feel uncool by comparison. Jenny immediately wriggles from my grasp and runs off to see her friend, leaving me alone, clutching the tray of cupcakes like a life raft. I try to act nonchalant, frozen to the spot, unsure of what to do.
Closest to the house is a large, tiered deck area where the infamous hot tub sits. I shan’t be going in after what I saw. Ugh.On the next level, there’s the biggest grill I’ve ever seen. Hawk is operating it, he’s shirtless, and I try not to stare at his glistening chest, forcing myself to look away. In the main yard, there’s a swimming pool as well as swings where a few other children are playing, and I know Jenny is going to have a great day.
“Harper, you made it. We were beginning to worry you weren’t going to come,” a familiar voice says, and I turn around to see Wolf coming out of the house.
“I made cupcakes,” I reply, feeling about as stupid as if I’d said ‘I carried a watermelon’ like Baby inDirty Dancing.
