Читать книгу Looking for Trouble - Victoria Dahl - Страница 10

CHAPTER THREE

HE SAW HER again, four hours later, walking down the sidewalk near the center of town as if she’d left his mother’s front yard and never stopped moving. But it was late now and cooler as dusk set in, and she wore a black sweater over that modest green dress.

Alex slowed. He’d gone for a long ride to clear his head, but the clarity had only made him more reluctant to return to his mom’s. She wanted to suck him back into her obsession, and he wanted nothing but distance. Relieved at the prospect of a delay, Alex pulled the bike up next to the redhead and put his boot on the curb.

She stopped and took one step back, uncertainty wrinkling her brow, but at least she didn’t look furious anymore. Alex took off his helmet, just in case she didn’t recognize him with his shaved head covered, but the uncertainty on her face didn’t budge.

“Hey,” he offered as he killed the motor.

“Hello,” she said carefully, as if the weight of the word might change the energy of the air.

“The flyers,” he reminded her. “This afternoon.”

Her chin dipped to let him know that she remembered.

“I wanted to apologize. I gather she’s been bothering you. I can’t say I know anything about it, since I just got into town this morning, but I’m damn clear on how dogged she can be. Do you want me to talk to her?”

She relaxed a little, finally. And he could see more of the real her, now. A mouth that looked naturally happy on a sweet little pixie face. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, but the rest of her pretty red hair was still smooth, twisted into a roll at the base of her neck like something from the 1940s.

She shook her head. “I’ve talked to her plenty of times. Do you think she’d really listen to you?”

“Ha.” He managed a quick smile at that. “No. She doesn’t listen to anyone. Ever. I’m Alex, by the way.” He kicked down the stand and dismounted. “Alex Bishop,” he added, holding out a hand. “I assume you’re a neighbor of my mom’s?”

She blinked a couple of times. Maybe she’d heard of his long absence or maybe she was realizing that he was the crazy woman’s son. But she took his hand and shook it. “I’m Sophie. It’s nice to meet you.”

She looked right up at him now, her brown eyes friendly behind the little black glasses. She was a slight thing, but not short. Five-six, he’d guess, in her delicate black heels, shorter without them. His eyes swept down to admire the little black straps over the arches of her feet. She had a style. He liked it.

“Have you been walking all day in those shoes? I could give you a lift.”

“I’ve been working.”

“The town museum?” he ventured. She certainly didn’t work in one of the bike-rental places or T-shirt shops.

Her laugh skipped over his skin, and he realized he was still holding her hand.

“The museum, huh?” She slipped her hand from his grip, but she did it slowly.

Was this little thing flirting with him? The slide of her fingertips over his palm left him feeling decidedly inclined to flirt back.

“Do I look like I work at a museum, Mr. Bishop?”

He used her question as an excuse to look her up and down again. The little button-down dress kept her all covered up, but the black sweater hugged her narrow waist, emphasizing that there were hips beneath it. Very nice female hips that made the skirt flare out a little. “Yeah. You do. But a museum I’d really love to come visit.”

Yes, she was definitely flirting. Her mouth stretched to a pleased smile. “Really? What about visiting the library? I try not to judge, but you don’t look like the kind of guy who hangs out in libraries too often.”

A librarian? Shit. An honest-to-goodness small-town librarian? Alex had to tamp down the wolfish grin that wanted to take over his face. This girl was adorable. And her gaze was now touching brightly on his bike. She’d probably never been on a motorcycle. Maybe she wanted to find out what it was like.

He quickly checked her ring finger and saw no evidence of commitment. “Want a ride?”

Her eyes sparkled as they moved over the bike again, but she shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Come on. The bike’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Her eyes still roamed over the gleaming chrome frame before they moved right over to him and all the way up his body. She studied his face for a moment, looking straight into his eyes without any shyness at all. Then she sighed with what sounded like genuine regret. “No. I can’t. A strange man inviting me for a ride? What kind of girl do you think I am?”

Damn. Alex had no idea what kind of girl she was...except that she was the kind of girl who said something like that with a tiny smile on her face. Jesus.

“Sophie...” he started, but she shook her head.

“It was a pleasure to meet you.” She slipped her hand into his again and shook it.

“Meet me somewhere for a drink? Dinner? I owe you something to make up for the rest of my family.”

“Oh, you owe me?” One eyebrow arched in an enticing challenge.

“Obviously. I don’t know what she’s done, but you’re clearly fed up. And if you meet me somewhere, you won’t have to worry about getting on the back of a bike with a strange man.”

Her eyes flickered to the bike again. She wanted a ride. Badly.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. “No. People will talk.”

“People will talk?” This girl really was living in a time warp.

“Yes, they’ll...” She seemed to catch herself and crossed her arms, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.

Alex ran a hand over his shaved head. “You mean because of how I look? The bike and the tattoos and—?”

“The tattoos?” She looked him over quickly, a flick of the eyes, as if she could see beneath his jacket if she looked hard enough. Hell, all she had to do was ask nicely. But she hadn’t asked. Yet.

He watched her swallow as if her mouth had gone dry. Lust crawled down his belly.

He’d asked her to dinner out of curiosity, but now... Now he really wanted to take this girl out. “We’ll go someplace quiet,” he said, leaning a little closer. “And I promise not to tell.”

She looked away, gazing down the street. He was sure she was about to offer a cool “No,” but then she looked up the street, as well. She wasn’t avoiding his gaze, she was checking to see who was watching.

“I’m meeting my girlfriends for dinner.”

“And after?” he dared, hearing a hint of acquiescence in her voice.

“After,” she murmured, then her eyes rose to meet his. “There’s a big tourist place up the block. The Bucking Bronco.”

“I know it,” he said quickly.

“I’ll meet you for one drink. At the upstairs bar.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. She was serious about not being seen. No local would ever set foot in that overpriced, mediocre tourist trap of a restaurant. “When?”

“Around ten-thirty?” she suggested.

“Sure,” he said, thinking even as he said it that she wouldn’t show. She’d chicken out. And that was fine. Because she couldn’t take away the sight of her cute green skirt swinging around her ass as she walked away.

A little librarian to take his mind off his family and their bullshit. Sometimes life was damn surprising.