She sat up. He had? “To visit other friends or to see me?”
His blue eyes snared hers. “What do you think, Del? The first time I saw you having lunch with your sisters at an outdoor cafe. Another time I watched you meet a man outside your apartment—you were wearing an evening gown and he was in a tux. You looked radiant. Both times I stopped by to visit your father, but I asked him not to mention it.”
“I never knew.”
“I know.” He sighed, sitting down beside her, drawing her close as if he couldn’t help himself. “I’m a good man, Delilah.”
She pulled back in confusion. “I know you are.”
He shook his head. “Let me get this out. I’m a good man. A good friend. I am unbelievable with machines. Motorcycle or toaster, it really doesn’t matter, though you know which one I prefer. Over the last few years I’ve taken some business classes, made a few investments, and I’ve learned that if I wanted to, I could hold my own in that arena. I’m not bad in bed, not the jealous type and, well, kids and dogs don’t hate me, so I feel like that says something good about me too.”
He paused and she wasn’t sure where he was going.
“I’m good, but I’m not perfect. I have insecurities like every other human on the planet. I have a criminal past, no degree, and I do okay but I doubt I’ll ever be a millionaire unless I win one of those scratch-offs Angel and the Major like to bring me.” She opened her mouth but he held up his hand. “I wouldn’t want the hassle anyway. I’m not a fan of change. I like the old bikes over the new, and when I find a favorite restaurant I will keep going until the place closes down. Some women might find that boring.”
She wasn’t one of them. “You overcame your past and you are an amazing friend. Loyal to my father. To the Major and Angel. Even to Sebastian, since you could just let him crash and burn.”
He smirked. “But it’s so much fun showing him up.”
“Don’t change the subject.” She placed her hand on his thigh. “So you didn’t come visit me, didn’t give me any indication that you’d even thought about it because…?”
“There’s no easy answer to that.” Asa hesitated. “I’ve thought about it a lot. I think I just wanted to make sure you…” He paused again, running a hand through his hair. “Did I ever tell you about my mother? She was sixteen and forced to marry her jackass of a boyfriend when he got her pregnant with me. She had no idea who she was going to be or what she wanted, but she’d been smart and she had a talent for painting. Her regrets made her bitter. Led her to one bad decision after another until she made one with fatal consequences. I was fourteen.”
Delilah frowned. “You never told me.”
“It’s not something I like to talk about.”
“I understand.”
“I know you do.”
“It’s a little different for me.” Delilah insisted. “My mother wasn’t sixteen or forced to get married. She wasn’t bitter because life beat her down. She was just selfish. She always wanted whatever it was she didn’t have. At least yours had an excuse.”
She paused, wondering how they’d gotten on the topic of mothers when she’d asked why he hadn’t come to see her. “Is that why? Did you stay away because you thought I was anything like Valerie? After what Dad went through? Did you think I was someone who couldn’t be satisfied with a mechanic?”
“No, damn it, no—this isn’t coming out right.”
“I hope not.” She needed space. She stood and walked around gathering her clothes from the floor. Her underwear was destroyed, so she slipped into her jeans without them. “Look, it doesn’t matter. It was a stupid question. You had your reasons for staying away, just like I did. And now…well now either you or your buddy Sebastian will buy the garage and all my reasons for coming back will be…”
She couldn’t finish. She was trying to sound casual. Let him off the hook. She wasn’t one of those women who spent the night having mind-blowing sex with the only man they’d ever loved and then expected a happily ever after.
Loved. Her hands covered her mouth as the realization struck her.
“Delilah?”
She shook her head. “I saw the old service truck in the parking lot. Does it still run?”
“What?” Asa looked confused. “Of course it does. Delilah what—”
“I need the keys.” She pulled her top over her head and grabbed her bra, shoving it in the pocket of her jacket as she slipped it on. “Give me the keys, Asa. I’m fine I just need to get back to the hotel.”
And she couldn’t imagine getting back on his bike. Not now, not after everything they’d just done.
/> “Delilah stop.” Asa took her shoulders in his hands and held her still. “This is crazy. This is not something we’re doing.”
“It’s not? Because it kind of feels like we’re doing it.”
He shook his head. “I need to explain what I meant.”