Going downstairs, she went through the front door without a backward glance at Ginny’s recriminating face. She had nothing to feel guilty about.
The drive to Rosie’s was a short ten minutes, and the parking lot was filled with familiar motorcycles.
Bliss parked her car to the side before striding confidently into the busy bar. The Last Riders took up the first half of the establishment, sitting at the tables and at the bar. She walked past them as if they didn’t exist, going to the other side of the room to take a seat at the bar.
“What can I get you, Bliss?” Mick, the bar owner, greeted her with a friendly smile.
“I’ll take a beer.”
She ran an experienced eye over the men sitting nearby. There wasn’t much to choose from. In fact, the pickings were pretty slim. She hated fucking weak men, which they all were; she liked it when the men were strong enough to pick her up. She didn’t want coyote ugly, either.
“Here you go.” Mick placed her beer in front of her, and Bliss went to dig some cash out of her purse. “No charge.”
Bliss gave Mick a sweet smile. “Thanks, Mick.”
“No problem. You’re good for business.” He winked before moving along to wait on another customer.
“I was going to offer to buy you a beer, but Mick already took care of it.” The male voice caught her attention, and she turned to see Greer Porter take a stool next to hers.
Bliss lifted the bottle to her lips, taking a long drink. “You can buy me my second one.”
“That works for me.” Greer grinned before taking a sip of his own beer.
“You here with your brothers?”
“Nope. Tate is holed up with his new girlfriend, and Dustin’s working, trying to save up some money for Christmas presents.” The expression on his face made her laugh.
“You don’t like Christmas?”
“Don’t like spending hard-earned money for presents that aren’t going to be remembered the next day.”
“Depends on the present,” Bliss said suggestively.
Greer looked her over from head to toe, the sexual interest in his eyes increasing. “Yes, it does. I know I’d never forget anything you gave me.”
Bliss lifted her beer toward him. “Let’s make it a night neither one of us will ever forget.”
* * *
Drake was watching television when he heard the knock at his front door. Standing up, he hoped it was Bliss, who hadn’t answered his calls all day. He was going to give her another day to get over her anger before going by her house. He was glad she had stopped by to see him first.
When he opened the door to see his cousin Rachel, he tried to hide his disappointment. However, his perceptive cousin wasn’t easily fooled.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just thought you were someone else.” He should have known the little firecracker wasn’t going to get over him throwing The Last Riders at her. She might no longer be one of them, but her loyalty remained with the club.
“I’m sorry.” Despite her words, Rachel’s happiness shined through her beautiful eyes.
“Forget about it and come in. Tell me what has you so damn happy.”
Rachel walked inside, tugging off her thick coat. “Don’t be so grumpy. It’s not my fault Bliss isn’t here.”
Drake narrowed his eyes at her. “What makes you so sure it was Bliss I was hoping to see?”
“Well, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean you always have to be right,” Drake snapped.
“You’re in a terrible mood. I’ll come back when you’re in a better one.” Rachel began to put her coat back on, but Drake took it away before gently gripping her arm and leading her to the couch.
“Sit down and tell me why you’re at my house at nine o’clock at night.”
Rachel sat down, grinning up at him. “All right, you forced me!” Rachel quipped. “Cash and I are expecting.” She was practically bouncing on the couch cushions.
Drake bent down to lift her up, giving her a bear hug. “Congratulations, Rachel. I couldn’t be happier for you and Cash.”
His cousin had married the notorious ladies’ man of Treepoint after Cash had nearly managed to lose her following his blowout when he told practically the whole town he had slept with her. The Porter brothers had been so angry at her that Rachel had run off. If Cash hadn’t crashed his motorcycle, Drake didn’t think Rachel would be sitting next to him right then, glowing with contentment.
“Thank you. Cash wants a boy, but I want a little girl to drive him crazy.”
Drake agreed. Cash deserved a little payback for driving all the fathers in Treepoint crazy.
He released Rachel to take a seat next to her on the couch.
“How’s everything going with you?” she asked.
“Everything’s good. Business is great.”
“How about your personal life? Anyone you’re serious about?”
“What’s for me to tell? Seems you already know I’m seeing Bliss.”