No one had ever looked at Leah that way before.
“Yeah, that’s so.” He glanced at his cut. “I’m a biker, a Devil’s Barbarian. All you see is a violent thug skirting with the law and—”
“I never said—”
“You didn’t need to.” He turned her hand over, used the tip of his index finger to trace the lifeline on her palm. Golden light flashed off a big signet ring on his middle finger. “Your life, Ms. White, has given you a set of pre-judgments, but that’s okay. I don’t think less of you for that. What I would think less of you for is not being willing to see if those judgments are founded.”
“So, tell me,” she said as a zing of sensation went up her arm. “What should I see when I look at you?”
He smiled, and it held a twitch of victory, as though she’d said exactly the right thing.
“I’m loyal,” he said, “Fiercely so, I’m a damn good rider, and surfer, and mechanic. I love my ma, support her best I can, and I’ve never hit a woman.”
“Gotta have standards.” She pulled her hand away and cupped her cold glass of wine to cool the heat his touch had created.
“And I’d never see a woman in trouble. Women are for cherishing, adoring, pleasuring.”
Oh, fuck, the way he’d saidpleasuringall throaty and deep.
“I’m hard-working,” he went on, “I earn my money, I don’t steal it.”
“Yeah, right.” Why was a flush going up her chest, spreading to her neck, her cheeks?
“Yeah, right,” he repeated and downturned his mouth. “It might not always be a … what shall we say … conventional way of earning a buck, but hey, it’s earned. And…” He held up one finger. “I’ve got healthcare.”
“Healthcare?” That surprised her. “Really?”
He grinned suddenly. “Yeah, our president’s cousin is a doctor, she’s our healthcare policy.” He chuckled.
“Not exactly … conventional,” Willow said.
“No, but it works.” Carter rubbed a fresh scar on his tattooed forearm and kept his attention on Leah. “Our lifestyle works, we look out for each other. We’re brothers, a community, kids are raised not just by their parents but by the whole club.”
“Like you were?” Leah asked.
“Too damn right.” He reached for his drink. “You should come for a visit. You’d be surprised.”
“By what?”
“By how normal we are. Leathers and ink don’t change the fact we like to grill meat, put on music, laugh, and be a family.”
Leah was quiet for a moment, thinking of Carter by a barbeque tossing steaks, kids around, music playing, the surf rolling in behind. Was that really how it was back at the club compound?
He leaned closer as though trying to hear her thoughts. “So, it’s there,” he said.
“What is?” She breathed deep, inhaling his cologne. It was dark and delicious and damn unpredictable.
“The invitation. Anytime you want to get the hell out of Pierce, all you gotta do is call. You can ride into the sunset on the back of my bike anytime, Ms. White. We’ll go all the way to Clement and I’ll show you the time of your life.” He paused. “Hell, you won’t want to come back north, not for anything, not by the time I’ve finished with you.”
Suddenly, he stood. He plucked out a wallet and dropped a fifty on the table. He added a scrap of paper with a scribbled number scrawled across it. “Willow has my cell,” he said, shoving his wallet away, “but in case you didn’t want to ask her for it, here you go.”
Leah stared at the money and the scrap of paper. But then Carter turned and her attention went to his tight butt. Yep, she could bounce a dime off of it.
As he walked away, a sudden loss went through her. Where he’d sat was now a gaping empty space that missed his presence.
Damn it.
When he’d left the bar, Willow wafted his number in the air. “You should call him.” She grinned.