Page 4 of Wheelie's Challenge
Whoosh!A warm gust of wind blew around her as she heard Rags say, “Dude.”
“Hey,” a deep voice replied.
Sofia froze, excitement weaving through her.Wheelie!She’d know his voice anywhere. She glanced up just as the entry door closed and he walked in. At the table next to her, the women gasped, their gazes fixed on him. Sofia couldn’t blame them: The biker oozed sex in his black leather cut, gray muscle shirt, and blue jeans. His T-shirt molded over a well-defined chest and a hard, flat stomach, and static charges jumped through her body as she stared at him. His dark hair had grown longer since she’d last seen him, and now it was almost down to his shoulders. How she wished she could run her fingers through it.
She held her breath when two sweeping dark brows above the most mesmerizing eyes she’d ever seen looked her way. They were gray, but not a dull, unremarkable gray like that of concrete or stone. They were the color of the ocean an instant before dawn’s first rays struck the water, and they were entirely focused on her. A tiny smile teased the corner of his full lips, then he turned away and swaggered over to Throttle and Rags.
“O.M.G! Did you see him? He’s so fucking hot,” one of the women at the next table said.
“I’d like to try him out,” her friend added.
“Don’t look now, Tiff, but he’s looking over here,” the woman said.
Sofia darted her eyes to the women and then to Wheelie; his gaze was not on the citizens, it was on her. A flush of heat rushed through her, and she picked up her glass of wine and sipped it, trying to cool down.
She saw Throttle say something to Wheelie, and his brows furrowed right before he broke eye contact with her. She glanced at Tigger, but he seemed oblivious to the exchange that had taken place between her and Wheelie. The old ladies did not. They smiled at her and chuckled.
“Wheelie sure has eyes for you,” Cara said as she brought a salsa laden chip to her mouth.
“According to Jax, he hasn’t been going out with any women, not even the club girls, in quite a while,” Cherri added.
“He’s such a sweetheart,” Belle said, picking up her margarita. “Whenever Banger needs something done, Wheelie’s always one of the first to volunteer. He’ll make a special woman very happy.”
“I’m not sure he’s into settling down,” Sofia said softly. “Tigger tells me that a lot of the Insurgents are commitment shy.”
“That doesn’t mean crap.” Cara picked up another chip. “Hawk had no intention of ever settling down, and here he is with a wife and two kids. They all think they don’t want it until a woman comes along and tells them they do.” The old ladies laughed.
“I couldn’t have said it better,” Addie said, raising her glass and clinking all the others.
“Just don’t rule Wheelie out,” Cara said softly.
Sofia felt the heat on her cheeks. “We’re just friends. I’m married.”
“That can always be fixed.” Cara glanced over at the men.
Belle laughed and gently tapped Cara’s upper arm. “You’re so bad.”
“Don’t let Hawk hear you talking like that,” Cherri said, motioning the waitress for another drink.
Sofia shifted in her chair. The conversation made her nervous because ever since she and Wheelie had kissed, she’d fantasized about what it would be like to be with him… to have Tigger out of her life. The thought terrified and scintillated her at the same time, and she knew imagining a life without her husband was dangerous.
“Leave Sofia alone,” Addie said, moving the plate of nachos toward her.
“What’s going on here?” Tigger asked, his hand grasping Sofia’s stiffening shoulder.
“Nothing,” she said in a barely audible voice.
“We’re just teasing her,” Cara said, fixing her gaze on Tigger’s.
“Really? What about?” Steeliness had crept into his voice. “Tell me.” He gripped Sofia’s shoulder harder.
Before she could answer, Belle laughed. “About how she’s having salad and we’re all pigging out. Your beautiful wife is putting us all to shame.”
Tigger’s hand relaxed and Sofia exhaled. “She’s a good girl. She knows what makes me happy.” The smugness in his voice made her want to throw up, and she held in a giggle when she saw the flashes of anger darting in all of the old ladies’ eyes.
“Tigger, get your ass over here. Banger’s showing pics of the bike he’s gonna buy. Hawk’s gonna customize the hell out of it,” Jax said.
Tigger jerked his head. “Ladies.” Then he leaned down and kissed Sofia’s cheek. “I’m glad you just ordered salad. You don’t want to look dowdy like Belle and Addie,” he whispered in her ear. He strode away just as the waitress came over with a large tray of food.
