Breaking Away [Smoky Mountain Motorcycles] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Grae McTavish Page B

strap on her helmet.
    Jake returned her smile as he took her helmet and tucked it into his saddlebag with his own. “Well, let’s go then.” He caught her hand in his as he helped her off the bike. She kept his hand tucked into hers as they followed the tantalizing smell toward the restaurant’s entrance. “They also have hush puppies that are to die for,” he said as he held the door for her. He spotted the hostess just to the inside of the door and called out to her. “Hey, Rosie, you got room for two?” The place was always busy on the weekends, especially when the bands were good, and from what he could hear, they weren’t going to be disappointed tonight.
    “Sure thing, darlin’,” the pretty redhead answered. “You know you always have a seat here. Now that rotten, no-good cousin of yours better not show hisself anywhere near here. I got a shotgun full of buckshot with his name on it.”
    Jake put his hands up in a placating gesture. “If I know Bo, he probably deserves it, but try not to do it when I’m around. I’d hate to have to haul you in.” Rosie didn’t seem the least bit worried to Jake, which was just as well. Rosie was a good kid, and knowing his cousin, she probably had cause to want a little of his ass, so he decided to let it go. “Rosie, this is Willa, my girlfriend. Willa, this is Rosie, an old friend of the family. Don’t let her scare you off. If I know my cousin Bo, he earned ever bit of her fire.”
    Rosie sent a big smile in Willa’s direction. “Well, hello, Willa, if you are the one who put that happy look on his face then thank you. Jake here takes life way too seriously.”
    “It’s very nice to meet you.” Willa returned the woman’s warm greeting, a look of relief on her face. Jake realized she’d been nervous, and it occurred to him that she might be as worried about fitting into his world as he was of fitting into hers.
    Rosie shook Willa’s hand enthusiastically before grabbing two laminated menus and escorting them to their table. “Y’all want to be up near the band, right? I’ve got two perfect seats, just to the right of the bass player, so you should have good seats but not be right in the middle of everything.”
    They took their seats at a small round table just as the band started on a new song. Jake mainly preferred southern rock, and this band sounded more country, but he could appreciate their talent, especially when they started singing about a sexy country girl shaking what God gave her. He could definitely appreciate that as the image of Willa shaking her luscious bottom filled his mind. That was an image he’d always treasure. Talk about lasting first impressions.
    “This is so cool!” Willa enthused as she began to bounce in her seat to the song’s strong beat. “I’ve never been anywhere like this before.” He almost expected her to clap her hands together in excitement. He felt his chest puff up with pride as he realized how good he felt that he’d been the one to put that look of joy on her face. He’d known he could please her in the bedroom, but there was more to a relationship than sex. And he wanted a relationship. She was his warm, safe place. Being with her made him feel like a better man. If bringing her to Big Daddy’s made her this happy then he’d bring her here every damn day!
    The waitress wound her way to their table, and they ordered two beers and a basket of hush puppies to get them started. “Just about everything’s good here, but their barbeque sandwich is what they are best known for. Their tater wedges are pretty good, too.”
    Willa was scanning the plastic-coated menu intently, and Jake felt a moment of apprehension. Hell, she was a gourmet chef, and he’d brought her to a barbeque joint, but then she looked up, and there was no mistaking the eagerness in her eyes. “Everything sounds good. But I think I’ll go with the sandwich, like you said. Next time I might try the ribs though.”
    The waitress was