Page 3 of Blade

Just then, Clutch pulls up beside me and glances between me and Emryn. “Brother, you’re a lucky guy,” he says, shaking his head before putting the tow truck in place and hooking up her car. Emryn stands by the driver’s side of the truck, waiting. I hand Clutch the keys to my bike.

“Make sure it gets back to the compound safe,” I tell him.

He raises his brows and looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “You’ve never let anyone ride your hog before.” He glances at Emryn. “Unbelievable.”

“Treat my bike with respect, bro,” I warn him. He’s correct; I’ve never let anyone on my ride, but if it means a few extra minutes with Emryn, I’ll risk it. He snatches the keys out of my hand.

“See ya back at the club.” Clutch moves fast, probably worried that I’ll change my mind about letting him ride my newly restored Harley that cost me a small fortune, but I’m too busy opening the door and helping Emryn into the warm truck.

It’s not a long drive into town, and with Emryn’s directions, I decide to drop her off at her house first. “Do you need anything from the trunk?” I ask as I pull up to her small cottage.

She shakes her head. “Not for tomorrow, but I have some photo shoots next week. Do you think I can get my car on Monday?” Seeing that it’s late Saturday night, correction, early Sunday morning, when I look down at my watch, I’m also thinking the best I can manage is Monday.

I already know the bay is full of cars that need my attention, but I nod anyway. “You’ll have it Monday afternoon.” I’ll go in Sunday and get the wheel changed for her and give her car a once-over. I don’t want her driving around in an unsafe vehicle.

“Thanks, Blade,” she says shyly, and her cheeks tinge pink. “I have a confession to make.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ve been terrified of running into a biker. I know your club is cool and all. Everyone in town says nothing but good things, but I also know there are bikers who terrorize people. I’m glad it was you who stopped to help me tonight.”

Emryn’s smart to be cautious. There is good and bad in every walk of life, and bikers tend to be notorious for their illegal activities. The Pride isn’t about that. Guard’s vision was to create a brotherhood where we’re all working together to better our place in life, including our community. It hasn’t always been easy, and we’ve had some nasty situations come up, but we’re still standing tall.

“Once you get to know us, babe, you’ll see we don’t bite. Unless you ask us to, that is,” I tease.

She giggles, then hops out of the truck. “See you Monday,” she says, waving goodbye.

“Thank God for flat tires and rusty jacks,” I mumble under my breath.

Two

Pumpkin Spice

Emryn

I barely get through the door before my makeshift bed, a.k.a. my sleeping bag, calls to me. It’s been a long day! The wedding I’d been driving back from was a hit, and being the photographer meant that I had to try to capture all the special moments of the couple’s day. We did plenty of posed photos to please the parents, but the bride and groom hired me because they wanted to capture the true essence of their wedding and the fun pics with their guests laughing and dancing. I did all that, but what I’m most proud of is the tender moments, like when the groom wiped a tear from his bride’s eye when they were first announced as husband and wife, and the look of joy on her face as he kissed her hand before slipping the wedding band on her finger.

The day was filled with these memories, and I wanted them to have them all. The last thing I expected was a flat tire on the way home. My feet hurt, and I was tired and achy from carrying all the equipment around on my own. I can’t afford an assistant. Yet! But that’s my hope, that soon I will.

My parents wanted an artist, and they got a family-and-special-occasion photographer. They think it’s too “common.” Mom’s word, not mine. I love my job. Sharing special moments with a family, a couple, new parents, or whatever may come is a gift. My father would have preferred I were on the other side of the camera, but I’m not a tall, willowy waif who would be a perfect model. I used to wish I were, because models are graceful and elegant, and regal like swans. I am none of that. How my dad could be upset that I’m barely five feet four inches, with brown eyes and brown hair, is beyond me. I didn’t choose my gene pool.

Now, my brother Ryan is the epitome of a male model. He started modeling at fourteen and has had a successful career. Unfortunately, you can’t stop the aging process, and as he’s getting older, other younger men are climbing the ranks. This isn’t going over well with my big brother, and he’s having trouble adjusting to the inevitable change. Ryan’s floundering, trying to find himself and decide what to do next in his life. It doesn’t help that Boy Wonder, who is the apple of my parents’ eye, is embracing his sulking nature and turning off even the closest connections he’s made in the modeling world. My parents have always given Ryan anything he’s ever wanted and have turned him into a spoiled brat.

I love my big brother, but he’s made life extremely difficult for me for the last several years, and part of the reason I’m moving away is to distance myself from my family. I love my parents, but most of the time, it’s like they only have one child and not two.

It almost takes too much energy to get undressed, but I manage and slip into my sleeping bag, throwing an extra blanket overtop of me. As I drift off, Blade’s warm smile fills my thoughts. When he first dismounted from his motorcycle, he looked dangerous, and instinctively, I reached for the closest weapon I could find. I must have looked ridiculous holding a tire iron in my hand. But he didn’t laugh at me and seemed to understand why I did it.

His eyes were as blue as the sky. And his strong jaw and features would have rivaled my brother’s for the cover of Vogue. His wavy, golden-blond hair made me want to run my fingers through its soft thickness. I curbed my desire and instead focused on the dilemma at hand.

Blade got me home safe, with the promise of having my car ready by Monday in plenty of time for my next shoot on Tuesday evening. I’m doing a starry-night engagement photo session for a couple. If all goes well, I’ll be booking another wedding, and that’s where the big money is.

Launching my business has been hard work, but it’s all I ever wanted. I’ve done really well throughout the summer months with weddings, and I’m filling up my calendar with baby photos, family photo shoots, and anything else I can get my hands on. I’m not afraid of hard work, and if need be, I’ll get a part-time job to supplement my income until I can make photography my full-time gig.

My eyes drift closed, but with the final picture of Blade sitting on his motorcycle with that sexy smile that makes me swoon. I wish I’d taken a photo of him.

Sometimes the best photos happen when you’re just walking around and taking in the atmosphere. Sunday morning church bells begin to ring, and people gather outside. Some rush off to their cars and on to their next stop, others hang around chatting, while the kids play tag. I aim my camera and begin shooting. I take photos of the church steeple, watching the old-fashioned bell sway back and forth. Then, I aim at those gathering, men and women huddled together, smiling and joking with one another, trying to capture the beauty of people meeting and uniting.

The children are the best subjects of all. A child’s laugh is a song, and getting that to show on film is an art in itself. A little girl with cherub cheeks, dressed in a pretty blue dress with daisies on it, tugs on what I assume is her older brother’s hand to push her on the swing. The older sibling acquiesces immediately, being careful not to push her too high and keeping his little sister safe.

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