Lyon's Crew (4 page)

"This is Elena Lyon, we spoke earlier today."

"Oh hi."

Why the heck was Colton's mother calling me, please lady don't ask me any leading questions, please please please.

"I bet you're wondering why I'm calling when we've never even met.

I got your number from Jared, he's such a good boy, anyway I'm calling to invite you personally to our annual barbecue picnic on Monday, I know it's short notice but I didn't know about you until today so you can't refuse.

I won't take no for an answer, besides there's nothing else to do in this town on that day, everyone comes to my little get-togethers, you'll have a great time, great food, nice company what more can you ask, besides it'll be a great opportunity to meet the wives of the guys you work with, it'll be wonderful.

So I'll see you at about one, we like to start early, make a whole day and evening of it. If you need a ride that's okay too, I can certainly arrange that for you,so we're set then yes?"

"Uh, sure, okay."

Geez the lady's a steamroller.

I hurried her off before she had me agreeing to God knows what, and for some unknown reason, my heart was beating unusually fast.

"Mom can I talk to you later?"

"Sure baby, everything okay?"

"Yeah everything's fine, just have to do something."

I hung up with my mother and fell back against the bed, a barbecue picnic with people, from the sounds of it lots of people.

No wonder my heart was beating out of sync.

What a way to throw yourself into deep end Kat.

Oh well, you can't change your mind now and offend the boss's mother, so it's sink or swim time.

Ha, my son thinks he can outsmart me, good luck with that, the boy has always been a bit too brainy for his own good, but nothing beats a mother on the hunt for a daughter-in-law and grand babies.

Shoot, Stacy had already declared herself out of the running since her and Em had been trying for years without success and she refused to try artificial insemination, and Carol was nowhere near ready.

Anyway, my girl Char might be a crackpot but she knows her stuff.

My son had the nerve to lie to me repeatedly over dinner last night, he'll pay for that.

'No mom, I didn't meet any girls today.'

Ha, he's been telling that same lie for ten years now, I wonder how on earth he got his reputation as a cad if he wasn't meeting girls.

Of course he doesn't know that I know about such things, but women talk and some of the things I've heard about my one and only baby boy are not fit for mixed company.

He's his father's son after all.

Well according to Jared this Katarina is young in years but very smart,we'll just wait and see.

She sounded sweet as pie on the phone and I hope I'm not disappointed when we finally meet.

Chapter 5: Chapter 5

I went in the next day wondering if his mom had said anything to him about the invite, all night I tossed and turned like a crazy person, thinking about things I hadn't let cross my mind in quite some time, like what should I wear.

I got cold bumps just thinking about it, it had been a while since I'd worn anything other than a gunny sack, my protective shield.

I'm coming to realize that it's silly, in my head I know that, it's getting the rest of me to go along with it that's the problem.

Oh well, if push comes to shove I can always wear one of dad's old flannel shirts and some sweats.

Classy Kat.

Well if my biggest problem was what to wear then I'd say I was making progress, a few months ago just the thought of being out in public surrounded by all those people would've sent me into shock.

I heard voices coming from the game room, that's the room the guys hung out in and ate or played pool and video games when they were having down time.

There was even a kids' corner and when I'd asked Colton about it he'd told me in his gruff way 'bitches got shit to do sometimes so their old man brings the kid in and we take turns watching over the little tykes.'

I went down to the room to see what was going on since I'd done my morning's work and was bored out of my mind, I get into trouble when I'm bored.

The men were having some sort of pow wow it looked like because everyone was here. Colton stood in front of them giving out orders for some up coming riding event.

The way he stood with his arms folded across his muscular chest, legs braced apart as he looked down at his men like a king with his subjects did something to me.

It might sound weird but I wanted to worship at his feet, I'd never seen a more beautiful human being in my life. Too bad he would eat me for breakfast and keep going.

Men like him didn't fall for girls like me, if only.

He turned that piercing green gaze on me as if sensing my scrutiny, my inner turmoil.

His eyes travelled up and down my body before settling once more on my eyes.

"Something on your mind Sloan?"

Eeek, I just soiled my panties.

I should start charging him for those,a girl could only go through so many panties before she ran out.

"Well!"

He hardly speaks but he sure does get his point across, I think one of his hard glares is worse than a shout.

"Going back to work sir."

Oh shit, I remembered the sir thing too late as I made a bee line for the office.

I could hear the soft drone of his voice as he continued speaking to the men before there was a line of footsteps tromping back to the shop.

It wasn't long before the door was opened and you know who came in.

Working here, take your sexy eyes and bitable ass on down the hall thank you very much.

"What are you thinking about now?"

"Uh...excuse me?"

I hate this stupid bun, if I wore my hair down I could hide behind it, with my hair pulled back like this he could see my blush.

"You're blushing again, do I make you nervous or something?"

I was shaking my head before he was through, and why was that? I'd just realized that he didn't make me nervous at all, in fact this whole place made me feel safe, I had no doubt it was because he was here. Weird.

Funny, I hadn't even thought of it until now, but my dad and Jared were the only two males I'd been able to spend anytime around without going into panic mode.

The thought made me smile, maybe, just maybe, I was healing.

What the fuck is she smiling about now, I think Jake sold me a lemon, I just can't figure out what the hell is the issue.

When she isn't blushing like a medieval virgin, she's tearing into someone or smiling for no damn reason.

"Are you trying to make me crazy?"

"No sir...uh...uhm...nope."

She shook her head again.

"I'm going to start tallying up those sirs and hold them for future payment, now was there something you needed before?"

"No...ahem...no, nothing."

She was one strange duck, now her voice sounded like she was strangling.

Where the fuck is Jared, I'm gonna kick his ass, his 'little sister' was driving me nuts, kept me up all night wondering about her, the fuck, that's not my style.

Besides, I don't have time for some little wilting flower with split personality disorder or whatever the fuck.

"What's going on with you and Jared?"

Real smooth Lyon, why don't you just drag her by her hair into your lair.

"Jared, like what?"

Good, she didn't seem to pick up on the undertone of pissed off in my voice.

One of the reasons I'd been up all night was because of that little byplay I'd witnessed between those two yesterday.

"Forget it, I'm in the shop."

I turned and left before I made an even bigger ass of myself.

I don't know who she was getting to me, she wasn't even my type, except for those eyes of hers she didn't really have anything going for her, she wore her hair like an old school marm, her clothes were less than anything approaching attractive and she was nuts.

Not a very enticing combination, so why the fuck was she the only thing I could think of for the last twenty four hours?

Fucking Jared.

Instead of going to the shop I decided to go for a ride and clear my head, there was no point in staying around here with her so near, I wouldn't get anything done anyway.

I was gone for about an hour before I felt it was safe to return, I'd done some thinking while I was gone and realized that part of my problem was Char's stupid prediction which made no sense because I didn't believe in that shit anyway.

So there was really nothing like a blooming attraction or anything going on, just the power of suggestion I guess.

I turned the corner and almost had a heart attack, she was standing on the seat of a power bike holding onto the handle bars while my crew stood around watching her.

I didn't run or yell or make any fast movements, didn't want to scare her, make her fall.

She flipped herself over the bars and back into the seat in a seated position.

That's when I moved forward, well when my legs finally worked anyway.

The crew was whistling and applauding while she grinned the biggest fucking grin I had ever seen on her face behind the helmet.

Everyone grew quiet when they saw me coming and some of the men started to scatter.

"Off."

She climbed off the bike and removed her helmet, placing it under her arm, head down biting into her lip no doubt.

I'm sure she expected me to lash out at her, and though that had been my first inclination I wouldn't take her joy away like that, neither would I embarrass her in front of the men.

"Good job."

Fuck the smile on her face rivaled the sun for brightness.

"Don't you clowns have better things to do?"

"Yes boss." They grinned as they walked away, giving Kat more praise as they left.

"Come with me." I turned and headed to the office, Kat behind me chattering away like a magpie.

I held my shit together until we got to the office.

I opened the door, waited for her to precede me, closing it I pushed her back against it.

"You ever pull a stunt like that again I'll tan your little ass you hear me?"

"What...I...you, but you said."

"I know what I said, it was a nice stunt but not for you."

"But why, you don't say anything when the guys do it?"

How could I explain it to her when I couldn't explain it to myself, all I know is that the thought of her being hurt made my blood run cold.

"I'm really careful Colton promise you don't have to worry, and I wear all my protective gear see."

She showed me the arm and knee pads she wore over yet another ugly ass suit.

She seemed so fucking happy, unlike her usual withdrawn self, how could I take that away from her?

"Isn't there anything else you like as much, anything safer?"

I was caving but how could I put out that light in her eyes?

"No, not really."

There she goes with that soft little girl voice again.

I studied her for a moment, the kid had very little to make her happy it seemed like, it wouldn't be right to take this away from her too, but damn couldn't she find a safer hobby?

And why do you care Lyon, thought you weren't interested!

I ignored the annoying voice in my head as I looked at her.

"Okay I'll make you a deal, if you want to do these stunts you'll have to wait until I'm there to make sure you're safe, okay?"

"I don't want to take you away from stuff, I'll be careful I promise." She wouldn't look me in the eye as she blushed.

Damn this girl was some kinda shy.

"Take it or leave it katarina, either I'm there or you don't do them."

"Fine, I'll only do them when you're here."

She actually pouted, it was cute as hell.

I guess that ride was a waste of time because she was once again planted firmly in the forefront of my mind.

Chapter 6

The rest of the afternoon went by without my little daredevil pulling any more stunts, I stayed out of her way as much as possible because she was just confusing the hell out of me

I wanted to knock some of the guys' heads together for letting her do that shit but that would only raise a lot of questions and since there was no real boss, underling divide, these nosy fucks wouldn't think twice about sticking their noses in my damn business.

Don't let anyone fool you that women were the only ones who did that shit, men were some gossiping shit heads.

All I needed was for them to get wind of me sniffing around the flying nun and my life would be hell.

I still haven't cornered Jared as yet to give him a piece of my mind but I'll get to that soon enough.

At knock off time I made myself scarce, I certainly didn't need another replay of yesterday's little interlude between those two, little sister my ass.

The next couple days were uneventful thank God, I stayed away from the office as much as possible and no one was the wiser because we were knee deep in bikes.

Grimaldi, once he made up his mind was a no nonsense kind of guy, he'd already ordered ten bikes and that was just a drop in the pan so no one wondered why I was spending more time in the shop and less in the office.

As if having her plaguing my ass all the time wasn't enough, my mother was up to something and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it could be.

Whatever, it wouldn't be the first time she was being sneaky about some shit, but usually I'd have a hint because she couldn't keep a secret to save her life, this time, nothing, but she was all sugary sweet and smiling all the damn time, that shit scares the crap out of me.

Dad's answer was that her and the hen pack must be planning somebody's life for them, that's what he thinks her and her busy body hen pack as he calls them get up to.

He better not let her hear him or it will be his ass, mom takes her book clubs/ hen pecking sessions seriously.

I caught glimpses of Sloan here and there in another one of her horrendous get ups, seriously, each one was worst than the last if that were possible.

Friday's was puke green, I kid you not, I wanted to say something but refrained, the guys for some strange reason were taking it easy on her with the jokes, usually my boys would've picked her carcass clean like a condor on carrion but, nothing, I guess because of Storm.