Page 53 of Biker's Baby

“And I don’t have anything against you, either,” I quickly assured him. “It makes no difference to me where you spend your free time if you’re a decent neighbor.”

He laughed and extended his hand. With a smile that was warmer than I had initially felt, I shook his hand, hoping that he didn’t suspect the apprehension that was running through me as I did.

“I think I chose the right place to call home,” he said. “What about you? Do you have a family? Must be nice to have a single-family home all to yourself.”

“It’s pretty nice not having neighbors that I share walls or floors with.” I nodded. “I’m not married though. Not yet anyway.”

He laughed. “Always time for that later, right? I’m not married either, but I’m getting pretty serious with this girl. Maybe by this time next year if things go well for us. Who knows?”

“Best of luck to you,” I told him. “Welcome to the neighborhood.”

“Thanks.” Trey gave me a small wave as we parted, and once I got into the house, Iris all but ambushed me at the door.

“Who was that guy?” she demanded.

“New neighbor, I guess.” I shrugged. “Name’s Trey, seems nice enough.”

“Is he part of your club?” she asked.

“Nope,” I said. She was silent for a moment.

“Isn’t that going to cause problems?” she asked. “I mean, I don’t know much about MCs, but I do know enough to know that they don’t seem to like it when other clubs move in without being invited.”

“I’m sure Tad’s going to throw a royal fit when it comes down to it,” I admitted. “I really don’t want to think about that one to be honest.”

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“He’s made it clear that we are to run out any rival MCs who try to come into town,” I explained. “I wasn’t planning on having one moving in right next door. Not sure how this is going to pan out, or how I’m going to smooth it over with Tad when he does figure it out.”

“Shit.” She shook her head. “I wish there was something I could do to help.”

“I just know that someone’s going to leak it to him, and when that happens, he’s going to come down on me and ask why I didn’t do shit about it when I live right next door.” I shook my head.

“Do you want me to be crazy?” she offered. “I have some experience with being the crazy neighbors. I mean, it was never me who was the crazy one, but considering the people I’ve lived with, I can do crazy if that’s what you need to get rid of this guy.”

I laughed, pulling her in close to me. I didn’t know why I did it, or why it felt so natural to me when I did. I just knew that hugging her, holding her even, felt so right in that moment, I didn’t hold back. I wanted her connection, and that brief physical touch was enough to make me feel like we were in this together.

In what, I wasn’t sure. But then, I didn’t really care, either.

The fact that she was still here, the fact that she didn’t seem to be making very big strides into finding another place to live and that it didn’t bother me in the slightest had to mean something. I knew I wanted her out as soon as possible when she first moved in, but now I wanted her to stay as long as possible.

There was a part of me that hoped this new neighbor would distract anyone who might have caught her being at the house. He might take precedence over what would have been the issue of Iris. I didn’t know if that was the case, or if her being here would just make it worse with him, or vice versa.

All I knew was that I was in no hurry for her to move on, and if she stayed because of Joel, I really hoped Joel took his sweet time in trying to find her. Even if he knew where she was, I hoped that he’d take his time in forcing my hand to make a move against him.

I wasn’t going to let him harass her. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to let her get hurt in any of this. But the longer she was here, the more I felt we were coming together as a team. It felt like the two of us were meant to be together, and perhaps she was finally seeing with her own eyes that it could work.

The two of us were so natural together. Nothing had to ever be forced. I felt like she had been here forever, and the thought of her leaving was enough to make my stomach tie itself into a knot. As much as I said I wasn’t going to get attached, I knew Glenn was right.

I was more attached now than I thought possible, and there wasn’t any walking away from this one without some level of being hurt by it. I could tell myself that it was planned the whole time and I hadn’t let myself get that emotionally invested, but I knew that was a lie.

I wanted her to stay. I wanted her to commit to being with me. I wanted to be the father in Tris’s life. And I wanted to be the man Iris needed in hers. I could be all those things. I just wanted her to give me the chance to do it.

As she turned to head back to the living room, I smiled.

She already made this evening better, and she hadn’t even done anything but lighten the situation with a bit of humor.

I was falling for this girl.

It wasn’t that I could, or that she would be easy to love. It was that I was already there. I wanted her.

I hoped against all hope there was that chance she wanted me as well.

That she wanted me enough to stay this time.

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