Page 6 of Magnetic Temptations
A few of the others that I haven’t met yet come up and introduce themselves, as they go to help me grab my luggage, an SUV comes rolling down the dirt path that leads to the parking area. The chestnut hair on Mane’s head can be seen through the windshield and my smile broadens.
“Excuse me,” I tell the others as I step around them and jog over to her vehicle. Once she’s put it in park and turns off the engine, I rip her door open and lean over her. I plant a long, succulent kiss on her lips as I simultaneously release her seat belt so I can help her out of the car.
“Hey,” she sheepishly says as she places her hand in mine as I help lift her out of her seat.
“Hey back,” I reply with an ear-splitting smile. “It’s so damn good to put my eyes on you, beauty.”
A slight blush paints her cheeks as I draw her into me and wrap my arms around her shoulders. I don’t give a fuck about personal displays of affection as I bury my head in her neck and the feeling of home swamps me. All the time spent away from my family and when I had to go into hiding doesn’t measure to the loss I’ve felt every time she came for a visit and had to leave. Being left behind by the woman that has all but stolen your heart and soul is a feeling unlike any other. The helplessness a man feels watching his woman drive away or board a plane weighs him down.
But thankfully, that time has come to a close and I’ll no longer live my life looking over my shoulder or being wary of leaving my house. I can ride my bike and let the freedom of the open road soothe me and be my therapy. Even when I had a new identity I wasn’t comfortable being out in the open because that’s how she got me last time. I was minding my own business and the next thing I knew I was swerving around a car and ended up plunging into the creek to avoid an accident that could’ve and most likely would’ve killed me.
Pulling myself out of that dreadful mental path, I lean back and watch her eyes water. Lifting up my thumbs, I wipe the stray tear with the pads and kiss the trail left behind from her drops. “This is a good thing, beauty. Don’t cry.”
“It’s so damn good to have you home, Mason. I can’t help it,” she hiccups as she buries her face into my chest. My eyes meet Gunner’s for a moment and the grin on his face as he watches his daughter melt into me has me sending him a slight nod which he returns. He and I have an understanding—I don’t hurt his daughter, love her like she deserves, and I have a future that consists of me living on this side of the grass.
“I know, sweet girl, I know,” I murmur as I hold her close. While everyone continues to mill around, my focus is on her. I don’t care that I’ll be up against her uncles and cousins, as well as her father, because I’ve already gotten their seal of approval. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s mine, plain and simple. And if she needs to cry out her emotions into my T-shirt, so be it.
When she has herself under control, she leans back and smiles. “Come on, Mason, it’s time for you to meet my dad.”
“You’re late to the ballgame, girl,” Gunner says, joining us. “I’ve already had that pleasure.”
“Were you nice?” she asks, her words hissed through gritted teeth as she squints her eyes at her dad..
“Me?” he asks, appearing to be aghast. “I’m always nice.”
“You most certainly are not!” she argues. “Remember Crane?”
“Crane was a moron. And speaking of, who names their kid Crane anyway? His parents set him up for failure. No father alive would approve of their daughter dating a man with that name attached to him.”
“Dad! You pulled out a shotgun and told him you needed a crane to join your bird collection!” Mane yells.
“It was a good line,” Gunner excuses. “I thought it was fitting.”
“If you had a bird collection, which you don’t, it might have been slightly funny. But you inferred that you were going to stuff him and hang him on your wall! Who does that?” I burst out in laughter because during the time I’ve had to get to know Gunner, I don’t think he was inferring anything, he was dead serious. “Hey, it wasn’t funny, mister.” She turns her glare onto me before slapping my shoulder with the back of her hand.
“It is,” I demand. “If I had a daughter, he’d have had a buckeye in his ass without any forewarning. I have to agree with your dad here, Mane. Why would you even bring a boy home with a name like that?”
“Don’t take his side, Mason. He’s always looking for a new sidekick to get into trouble with and I’d rather you weren’t that person,” she warns, narrowing her eyes at me. “And Crane was the captain of the football team, he was popular, and he wanted to date me. Me!” she says, emphatically pointing her finger at herself.
Gunner leans over and whispers, “He was a pussy. His mannerisms were more girly than Mane’s. Plus, I think he pissed himself a little when I pulled out my shotgun.”
“Dad!” Mane says, stomping her foot. “What’s wrong with you! Weren’t you the one always preaching to me about judging people?”
I hang my head to hide my amusement from the duo because Mane is the furthest from being a girly-girl than anyone I’ve ever met. She’s down-to-earth and dresses for comfort, not to impress. It sounds like this douche canoe was the kind of guy who put product in his hair. He probably even pressed his jeans.
“People, yes. Boys with the name Crane, no.” I glance up at Gunner and have to choke down the second round of laughter that tried to escape because he looks disgusted, as if he swallowed a lemon. His face is that sour looking.
“It wasn’t his fault that his parents had no tact when picking out his name. He was a good person and he made me happy,” Mane defends this boy, which has my shoulders squaring in response. Jealousy isn’t an attribute I have normally, but for some damn reason when she sticks up for this fucker, my hackles rise.
“Mane, he wanted to date you for one reason only,” Gunner retorts. “He wanted an in with the club. How do I know this? Because he was talking to Bruiser about what it took to become a member. He figured if he was dating you, he’d have an easy in. Except… he didn’t ride and he had a pussy name, so no, you’re worth more than being used, daughter of mine.”
I have to agree with him. What kind of asshole does that to a girl? While I’m not happy that she’s been so defensive of him, and of course, I’m not a female, I know that when the captain of the football team shows an interest, girls usually go gaga for them. She is worth more than a stepping stone into the club, in my opinion.
With the way Mane has tightened up, I decide there and then that this topic needs to have a swift change before father and daughter come to blows in the parking lot. But first, Gunner needs to understand that he should’ve been more tactful or should’ve kept that information to himself. “Gunner, do you really think telling her that earned you any points in your favor? That should’ve been a private conversation between the two of you when there wasn’t an audience in attendance.” Gunner sighs before he hangs his head. I doubt that he’s put in his place often, and never in front of his brothers.
“You’re embarrassing our daughter again?” Cameron asks, having come up while I was speaking. “Gunner, if you keep that shit up, she’s going to leave, head to another country, and I’ll never see my girl again. She’s an adult, try treating her like one!”
“She’s my baby girl,” he mutters. “It’s my responsibility to keep her safe and protected.”
