Page 39 of Steel

As if he’d just seen a ghost.

CHAPTER 8

Steel

Violet.

For God’s sake. Did her name need to be Violet? Of all names in the world, she had that one. I couldn’t get over it. Maybe it was a moment where destiny was shaking my ass. Maybe that’s why I’d had a near violent attack a couple of nights before.

And maybe that’s why the yard looked better than it had in a long time.

Sure, my brother Will had been gone for a year so I shouldn’t be so bothered by a woman’s name, but good golly, the coincidence was uncanny. I flew off the track, feeling the burn today.

Maybe because the day off hadn’t been so relaxing. I’d cleaned up the yard until dark.

Why?

Because of her. Because of the level of testosterone I had left in my body.

I’d almost kissed her. She’d bashed my head in and I’d thought about passion. More than that, I’d wanted to rip off her clothes. I’d had visions of pushing her down on the couch and thrusting my cock so deep inside her tight pussy that she screamed.

The salacious images and desires were unusual, especially after our less than illustrious meeting. She also had a kid, and people had told me I wasn’t kid friendly in the least.

“Did you hear the latest?” Axe asked as he barreled beside me from where we’d done a five-mile stint. He’d been my jogging buddy, although I hadn’t dared admit I’d met some chick. Thankfully, he hadn’t bothered me about the cut on my lip or the huge scratch on my face.

“What news?” I stopped long enough to bend over, stretching out my back. Damn it, either the runs were getting longer or I was getting older.

“Remember the photos?”

“What photos?” I took a few deep breaths and headed to where I’d put my bottle of water.

“The ones from the rodeo, doofus?” He laughed and yanked his Gatorade from the ground.

Half laughing, I sucked down half the bottle before pouring the rest over my head. “What about them?”

“I overheard the cap’n mentioning there’s been a few calls about them from the local media. One of them wants to do an interview.”

When I lifted my head, staring at him, he chuckled and twisted off the cap to his drink. “You’re shitting me.”

“I am not. We’re celebrities.”

“Like hell we are.” I grabbed my towel, wiping sweat from my face.

“But you’re such a pretty boy. That face could sell calendars.”

I acted like I was going to punch his face and he grinned, acting as if the shit a few days before hadn’t occurred.

His tease prompted me to threaten him with the towel. “Cut that crap,” I barked. “Besides, you’re the pretty boy of the family. If Kenzie doesn’t mind, go for it. A legacy for your kid.”

“Kenzie thinks it’s a hoot so she probably would save it for our baby. I was thinking,” he pressed while rubbing his jaw, which meant he was up to something. “Maybe it’s time for you to find a hot chick and settle down.”

“You sound like our mother.”

“Well, you’re not getting any younger. Or better looking either.”

“Very funny.” We started back toward the hangar, taking our time doing so. “You know how I feel about women.”

Axe chuckled. “Yep. I do. although you need to get over Tanya.”