at her.
“I–I’m off tomorrow.”
“Then how ’bout we pick you up tomorrow at seven and we’ll go have steak?” Kyle asked.
“Um, okay. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night then.”
“Wear jeans, Brandy.” West thought he might need to remind her that they were on bikes.
“Good night, Brandy. Go on inside and lock your door.” Kyle tapped the door drawing her attention.
“Oh, okay.” She fumbled with her keys, but managed to get the door unlocked and slipped inside.
West listened for the locks to turn. Once he heard them, he breathed easier. He didn’t trust that Jim wouldn’t come back. He should have put him down for the count. But they didn’t need attention. Who was to say they wouldn’t end up in jail over this as it was?
“She’s actually going out with us.” Kyle sounded amazed.
“I sure wouldn’t have believed it this soon.” West walked down the steps of the porch and followed Kyle toward their bikes. They’d parked close to the diner to follow her home so they would know where she lived.
“It was that damn kiss you gave her, West. What did you put on your lips tonight, a love potion?” Kyle teased him.
“Fuck you, Kyle.”
“We’d better tell Cole what we managed to get ourselves into tonight before the sheriff comes calling.” Kyle mounted his bike and started it up.
West grimaced. He hated to get Cole all up in arms about something. The man had a rotten temper. He could do without riling him. Following behind Kyle, he thought about the kiss and damn near ran a red light doing it. Kyle winked at him, and he shot him the bird.
They pulled into the parking lot of the hotel and met Ranger, Neal, and Shane walking toward their rooms.
“Where you been?” Neal asked.
“Courting,” Kyle told him with a grin.
“That pretty redhead from the diner?” Shane asked.
“Yeah, we’re taking her out tomorrow night,” West supplied.
“You’re fucking me. Really? Man, you guys worked fast.” Ranger shook his head.
“Cole in his room?” Kyle asked.
“Yeah, got back about an hour ago.”
West followed Kyle over to their room and carded in. Then Kyle knocked on the connecting door. Zack answered it.
“Where you dudes been?” he asked.
“Why?” West instantly didn’t like the question.
Kyle clapped him on the back as a warning to calm down.
“Out,” Kyle said. “Is Cole around?”
“Yeah, I’m here. You better get your asses in here and explain to me why the sheriff was over here earlier.”
Kyle dropped his head and Zack snickered. West growled at both of them. He didn’t see why he should have to explain shit to anyone.
Kyle looked over at him with a warning stare. “We ride together, we work together, and we answer to each other.”
He followed Kyle into the other room. Cole was laid back in the bed watching something on TV. He stretched his hands behind his head and leaned back against the wall.
“So?” he prompted.
“We were out riding and decided to catch Brandy, the waitress from the diner, as she was leaving to ask her out. We missed her, but heard her yelling at someone to let her go. We ran over there and found some guy with his arms around her. She was obviously not happy about it, either. West pulled him off of her, and we walked her home. End of story.” Kyle crossed his arms and planted his feet wide.
“So you didn’t break his fucking nose?” Cole asked West.
“I should have broken his fucking neck. She had bruises on her.”
“Hell, fine. The sheriff was friendly enough, but wanted to warn us to keep a low profile. Seems he knows the trouble this Jim guy causes.”
Cole pulled the chair from the desk out and straddled it backwards. “So, did you ask her out?”
“We’re taking her out to a steak house over in Searcy,” West told him.
“Never known you to work so fast before,” Cole said, looking at Kyle.
“She’s special. Don’t want to waste a minute of time that we could be spending with her.” Kyle