A touch on her arm had her freezing in place, not far from where one of her female students was standing. Carmen was leaning against a tree with her boyfriend standing next to her and they appeared to be arguing. Winter was about to interrupt them when Carmen caught her eye, shaking her head. A small family arrived, distracting her attention from the arguing couple.
“Hi, Jenny.” Winter greeted the parents of nine-month-old twin boys. Dressed in matching blue jean overalls, they were adorable. Her hands were reaching out for one of them before she had finished her greeting.
“Hello, Winter.” Laughing, Jenny released her child into Winter’s grasp.
Lily was already snagging the other twin from the proud father.
“I remember when everyone was glad to see us, now it’s all about the boys,” Jenny mocked reproachfully to the two baby thieves.
“That’s what happens when you have two adorable babies,” Winter complimented. “Why don’t you let Lily and I watch them while you two go eat?”
“Are you sure, they can be a handful?” Dan replied.
“Don’t question our luck,” Jenny laughed.
“Go ahead,” Lily agreed.
“All right, if you’re sure.” Dan questioned before taking his wife’s hand, leading her towards the buffet table.
Winter and Lily grinned at each other with their prizes in hand. The other children quickly regained their attention, both of them running with a baby balanced on their hip. Their laughter sounded sweetly through the yard, drawing attention to the women.
Lily’s boyfriend approached and Winter watched him hand her a drink. Lily looked at him with a grateful smile. Winter’s heart lurched at the emotion evident in Charles eyes. He had always loved the girl, and everyone in town knew it. Winter had experience being around hormone crazy young adults and knew when the chemistry was there. With them it wasn’t. Something was missing and it was missing on Lily’s part. The passion was plainly visible in Charles’ face and body language; Lily treated him like a friend. They had dated since high school and now that Lily was in college, she didn’t see them together as often. It hurt Winter to see someone make her own mistake of caring for someone who would never return their feelings. She had a feeling Charles would one day learn his own painful lesson.
Lily handed Charles the cup and as he took it, he reached out to place his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to his side. The two with the baby between them gave a false image of a small happy family. Winter could almost imagine them one day looking just as they did now, with their own family.
A sudden movement from across the yard where the Last Riders were standing drew Winter’s attention. The guy with all the tattoos was flipping out. He was headed towards Lily with an expression of lethal intent and it was focused on Charles. Charles had never been in a physical altercation in his life.
Razer tried to hold him back and Winter gasped as he was punched in the face. Viper moved forward and tattoo guy’s boot flew out and nailed him in the balls. Winter fell in love. She was unable to keep the smirk from her lips as Viper lay on the ground in a crumbled mess. Two of the other bikers ran forward to stop him and were promptly smashed together. They were just infuriating him even more. Winter looked for Beth and not seeing her, knew she was going to have to take charge.
“Charles, I left a couple bags of clothes in my car for the rummage sale. Could you get them and take them to Pastor Dean’s office for me?”
“No problem. I’ll be right back,” Charles told Lily before moving towards the parking lot.
Lily went back to playing with the kids while Winter wasn’t able to stop herself from looking back at the Last Riders. The four men who were holding tattoo guy released him and quickly backed away. Winter felt the questioning gazes of the group on her, wondering why she had interfered and truthfully, Winter didn’t know. Giving them her back, she began rounding the children up to play horseshoes.
The game was fun and the excited pleasure from the children made Winter forget that Viper was nearby.
“The little hellions are going to wear us out,” Winter said, out of breath.
Lily laughed. “I know.”
The sound of an argument was drawing the attention of those close by to Carmen and her boyfriend. He had her pinned against the tree with his hand at her throat. Winter moved forward, but remembered the baby on her hip. Motioning for Emily, who had seen her signal and was hurrying towards her, Winter was unable to believe what was happening before her eyes. A metal horseshoe was flying across the yard, striking Jake in the back. Surprised into releasing Carmen, he turned to see Lily glaring in his face.
“Don’t touch her,” the girl hissed. Winter couldn’t believe it was Lily standing up to the young man. There she stood with the baby on her hip, demanding that he didn’t lay a hand on a cringing Carmen. Quickly, Winter passed the baby to Emily and hurried to Lily’s side.
“What business is it of yours?” Jake tried to intimidate the young girl.
“I am making it my business. You were hurting her,” Lily replied.
“Perhaps Jake, you could take a breather until you calm down,” Winter interrupted, using her authoritative principal voice.
“You two cunts need to back off.”
Winter stiffened. Jake had dropped out of school last year. She had done everything she could to persuade him not to leave school. He had a hostile attitude then and now it was even worse. She was smart enough to know that there were situations better left for someone else to handle and this was definitely one of them. The problem was extracting Carmen and Lily from the volatile situation safely.
“We can do that. Lily and I were just going to get the kids a drink and we could use some help. Carmen would you mind?”
“She isn’t going anywhere. We’re leaving.” Jerking Carmen to his side, he shoved Winter out of his way. Almost losing her balance, she felt an arm go around her waist, holding her steady until she was able to regain her balance. Jake and the women found themselves surrounded by the Last Riders.
Stiffening, Winter didn’t need to turn around to see who was behind her.
“That was a mistake,” Viper said at her back. Winter quickly moved away from him, finding a place to stand to the side of the group.
“You need to let the girl go and take a walk with me.” The cold voice of tattoo guy drew everyone’s eyes as he stood directly in front of Lily, blocking her from view.
“What’s going on?” Pastor Dean hurried toward the group with Beth at his side. She immediately went to her sister, while thankfully Dan and Jenny came to retrieve their baby from Lily. They had drawn a crowd around the couple, preventing Jake from leaving with a frightened Carmen.
Winter moved forward, taking Carmen’s hand in hers, tugging her away from Jake. For a second he looked like he was going to explode, but even as furious as he was, Jake knew he was outnumbered. Gratefully, Carmen let herself be led away from her boyfriend. Winter left the Last Riders to handle Jake.
“Can I get you a drink?” She asked Carmen.
“Yes, please.” Winter went to the cooler and took a soda, placing it before Carmen as she sat down next to her.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, it’s not the first time Jake has lost his temper with me. He will cool down and apologize,” Carmen excused her boyfriend’s behavior.
“Of course he will honey, but Carmen he shouldn’t be laying his hands on you when he’s angry.”
“He doesn’t mean anything,” Carmen argued.
“Carmen, he could hurt you. Does he lose his temper often?” The girl instantly became guarded. Winter took that as a definite yes.
“He was just mad because he caught me staring at those bikers, he was jealous.”
“It doesn’t matter what the reason was, he doesn’t have the right to hurt you.”
“Look Ms. Simmons, Jake was just angry at me for doing something I shouldn’t be doing. I made a mistake. Where is he?”
Winte
r saw her trying to find him in the crowd, but she wanted to get Carmen out of there before he returned. She didn’t have as much faith as Carmen that his temper had calmed down.
“Why don’t I take you home and he can call you later?” The girl did not want to leave, but Winter ushered Carmen to her car despite her protests of leaving Jake behind. She only lived a block away from her, so she was able to reach the small house without asking for directions.
Following her to the door of her house, she could tell Carmen just wanted her to leave. “Are your parents home?” Winter asked.
The girl thought about lying. All the years of experience of dealing with teenagers enabled Winter to push the doorbell with confidence that her parents were home.
“I was going to go in,” Carmen lied.
Before Winter could answer, Carmen’s mother answered the door.
“Carmen? Ms. Simmons?” The woman was obviously surprised to find her daughter’s principal on her front porch.
“Mrs. Jones, can I come in and speak to you and your husband for a few minutes?” Winter requested politely.
The door opened wider, allowing her entrance with a sullen Carmen following reluctantly behind.
Winter tactfully explained what had happened at the church picnic once both parents were present. Carmen’s parents were understandably upset when Winter explained what had occurred between the young couple. Winter left soon afterwards, feeling it best if she left the family to deal with Carmen privately, praying they would be more successful in convincing the girl that Jake had a serious problem.
Winter could only hope that the girl would wise up before someone was hurt.
***
Winter shut off the vacuum, pulling the plug from the wall. She was about to put it back in the closet when she heard the doorbell ring. She opened the door without thinking and was immediately sorry.
“Go away.” She tried to slam the door in Viper’s face, but his hand caught the door, forcing it to open wider and he brushed past her as he walked inside. Winter was getting tired of Viper thinking he could just barge his way into her home.
“Don’t you check before you open the door?”
“I will from now on. Get out.”
“I want to talk to you.”
“As I told you the last time, we have nothing to talk about.”
Viper’s face-hardened, he was angry already and she was making him angrier by refusing to listen to what he had to say.
“What were you thinking to confront that punk?”
“I was thinking I might save Lily from getting hurt.”
“He was never going to get a hand on Lily.”
“Really? I have news for you, tattoo guy wasn’t going to reach her in time. Jake was about to punch her for throwing that horseshoe and he didn’t care she was holding a baby.”
“Shade?”
“Is he the one covered in tattoos?”
“Yes.”
Winter shrugged, “Anyway, it worked out. I took Carmen home, had a talk with her parents who were unaware their sixteen year old daughter was dating a scumbag who lays his hands on her when he gets angry. It’s now their problem to solve. Now will you leave?”
“You’re wrong if you think it’s over. That punk has a real problem. Make sure you stay out of it and let the family deal with him.” Winter’s jaw tightened. Viper stood in her living room, ordering her around, and not listening, just like old times. She turned her back and went to the phone, dialing the Sheriff’s office.
“Maggie, this is Winter Simmons. I have an intruder at my home.”
Viper’s eyebrows rose as he listened. His arms folded across his chest.
“Thank you.” Winter hung up the phone. “Now will you leave?”
“What, and have the red lights chasing after me. No thanks.” Viper went to sit on the couch and came to a stop. Turning around in a circle, he noticed all the changes. Winter stood there silently, she had completely redecorated her home. The stiff formal living room furniture had been donated to charity and a large overstuffed tan sofa had replaced it. All the flowery prints were gone; they were instead replaced with neutral colors with hints of coral and turquoise. The hard wood floors had been covered in thick lush carpet and panels of white sheers fluttered in the early evening breeze.
Redecorating the house had given her something to occupy her mind and time the last few months, but more importantly, it had allowed her to erase all the memories of Viper being in her home. The memories of them sitting on the couch or having dinner at the table had been wiped clean with the precision of a surgeon using a scalpel. Now he was back inside her house, wearing sexy leather pants and a Harley t-shirt, stamping his presence in her memory with her new things.
He had to leave because she could not afford to redecorate again.
“What in the hell did you do to your house?”
“I redecorated.” Viper had not cared for the flowery furniture that Winter’s mother had obviously picked, but this was the complete opposite. Anything homey had been removed, all the personal touches, all the knick-knacks that she loved to collect, several of which he had bought her himself. It looked like it came out of a decorating magazine. Anyone could live here, no personal photographs of her growing up with her parents, or even the picture of her at an award banquet with him. That was when it hit him. She had cut anything that hurt her out of her life. She had made a sanctuary for herself. Viper felt his gut clench.
“I can fucking see that.” That wasn’t all he was seeing. He became aware that she was standing there in blue jean shorts that barely covered her curvy ass he hadn’t been aware she had, and a pink top that showed her midriff that was toned and flat.
“I can understand you trashing my picture but Sue’s also, why?”
“Don’t you dare mention my mother. You are not allowed to have her name in your lying mouth.” Winter lost it. “Get out now.” She went to him and began shoving him toward the door. Viper didn’t move, instead taking her arms and pulling her towards him. Her shrieks of anger were going to draw every nosy neighbor in the neighborhood. Viper lowered his head and caught her mouth with his in an attempt to shut her up. It was as if lightning struck his balls, her mouth was open and sweet tasting like the strawberries and cream gum she loved to chew. Viper had made sure never to kiss her open mouthed while they had been seeing each other, but he gave himself leeway now that she knew exactly who he was. He kissed her, no holds barred, as her struggles ceased, letting him kiss her as she lay limply against his chest.
Winter felt overwhelmed as Viper kissed her as she had fantasied of him doing. Passionately and without restraint, his tongue explored her mouth, releasing her hands while his hand gripped her jaw, tilting her head to the side so that he could deepen the kiss. Winter tried to take a step back and break contact, but his other hand grabbed her ass, pulling her into his body. His fingers splayed out until they lay against the bottom flesh of her ass to hold her in place.
Fire raced through her as her bare belly came into contact with his cock behind his leather pants. He tightened his grip on her ass, fitting her snug against him. Winter moaned into his mouth as she felt him swell…
“Humph….” The clearing throat had her tearing out of Viper’s arms.
Before she could make explanations the Sheriff spoke. “I had a report of an intruder entering your home.”
“He was getting ready to enter something,” the deputy at his side said crudely.
“That was uncalled for,” Winter snapped, angry enough at herself without some jackass of a deputy making her feel worse.
The Sheriff frowned at his deputy. “Yes it was Deputy Moore. Apologize and wait in the car.” The Sheriff’s commanding tone left the deputy no choice but to do what he was told.
The deputy apologized, leaving without another word when Viper glared at the smug bastard.
“Sorry Winter, Viper. Mayor’s nephew, I am stuck with him until I can get enough write ups to fire his ass; this incident wi
ll go into my file. Now back to why I was called, what’s going on?”
“I told Viper not to come in and he forced his way in.”
The Sheriff’s brow rose. “That true, Viper?”
He shrugged. “Yes.”
“You want to press charges?” He turned back to Winter.
“Yes,” Winter answered.
“All right.” He pulled his notebook out of his pocket beginning to write. “Of course, it will make the newspaper. You’ll have to go to court and testify. I will have to testify that I walked in and found you two being intimate.”
Winter’s mouth dropped open. “Is this the good ole boy system at work?”
The Sheriff eyes grew cold. “Actually, I was trying to save you some embarrassment.”
“How exactly was that Sheriff? Your deputy comes in here, insults me to my face, gives a half-ass apology that he didn’t mean and didn’t care that I knew. To add insult to injury, you tell me that even though Viper admitted to coming in without my permission, I will be the one made a fool of, which was probably why he grabbed and kissed me. Why don’t you both just leave? Can you at least accomplish that for me?” Winter demanded.
“Yes I can. Let’s go Viper.”
Viper stared intently at Winter, but went out the door with the waiting Sheriff without an argument. Winter locked the door behind them before going into the kitchen to make a drink for herself. Pulling a soda out of the refrigerator, she went to the table and sat down, burying her face in her hands. Her mind kept replaying the kiss with Viper. After several minutes, she straightened her shoulders and dragged her mind back to the present, opening her computer to bury herself in work. Keeping busy was the only way she had learned to drive Viper out of her mind.
***
Viper slammed the door to the clubhouse; the members were sitting around the living room relaxing. Some were talking and a few were sitting back drinking a cold beer after being out in the hot sun of the picnic. He went to the bar, selected a glass, and poured himself a glass of whiskey before taking the bottle and sitting on one of the stools.