Chapter Four

Maverick woke the next morning feeling refreshed, as if new life had poured into him. Walking down the street to grab some breakfast, he thought about the woman at the bar.

She was someone special. All the lust he had for women, the desire to flirt and play around had returned. Unlike Talli who did nothing for him, this woman boiled his blood in a wonderful way.

He’d almost lost control when she looked at him. Then her eyes had changed, and that had gotten him wondering about her even more. One thing was for sure, he knew where he was going tonight.

After eating breakfast, Maverick did more sightseeing. It didn’t take long, however, and he went down Wyoming Boulevard toward Kirkland Air Force Base. Showing his identification and the fact he had on a helmet and a reflective vest, he was allowed on. It was regulation to wear them while on motorcycles; even on bicycles, one had to be what the military considered safe and “visible” or they could refuse to let personnel on base.

He smiled as he rode, his mind drifting back to the stunning smile his vixen had on her face as she’d spoken with the waitress, Mili. Parking his bike, he took off the vest and helmet.

His phone rang as he swung his leg off the hog. “Maverick,” he said.

“Well, you sound tons better than when I talked to you last,” the masculine voice on the other end said.

“Hey, Hondo.” Maverick began walking to the front doors.

“How are you doing? Where are you?”

“I’m in New Mexico. At Kirkland Air Force Base about to hit their B/X.”

“New Mexico? Air Force Base? You not thinking of bailin’ on us, are you?”

“Hell no!” he blurted. “I was in Albuquerque driving around and ended up here. Just going shopping, seeing what these Flaps have at their exchange.”

A deep sigh of relief filled the line. “What are you doing in New Mexico?”

Pausing outside the exchange doors, Maverick leaned against the wall. “I had a vision that led me here. I can’t explain it man, but I know that I am in the right place.”

“Right place for what?’ Hondo questioned. He would never doubt Mav’s visions but Maverick knew he was curious.

“I’m not sure yet. But I felt restless at home; and when I began to drive, I was sent here. So I am going to stay here until I figure it out.”

Hondo paused for a brief minute. “Okay. I fully expect to see you and your wife-to-be at the end of this month downtime.”

Hondo’s words brought one face to mind. It took a moment before he could see anything past her beauty and respond, “I like being single, thank you very much.”

Hondo heard the long pause and chuckled, making Maverick silently curse. He, James Lonetree, had never hesitated to say that before; normally it was out before the statement about his future wife was fully in the air.

“So did I at one time,” the black man told Maverick.

“Well, Xaria would change my mind, too, but I don’t think you’d share.”

Silence reigned on the other end for a moment. “It’s good to hear you joking around again, Mav. I have to go. Keep in touch.”

“Bye, Hondo, give that wife of yours my best.” Maverick shut off his phone and walked inside, immediately cooled by the blasting air conditioning. Taking in the size of the place, he grabbed a cart and began to shop, ignoring all the appreciative looks the women gave him.

Maverick left the exchange, carrying his bags. He’d purchased some things that might come in handy. Stowing them in the saddlebags, he tossed on his vest and fastened his helmet. He hated riding with one, but military rules stated one had to have a brain bucket on along with the reflective vest if on a bike.

Putting his bike back on the road, he drove through the base. It never ceased to amaze him how nice an Air Force base was. Sure as shittin’ have a hard time finding a Navy base this nice.

He drove out the gate and up Wyoming Boulevard, looking at the mountains to his right. Instead of returning to his hotel right away, he journeyed through the city, getting more of the layout of the land.

That night around seven-thirty, Maverick walked back through the doors of B’s Quarry. It was not as busy as the previous night and he sat in a table towards the back, where it was darker than most places.

It didn’t take long for a waitress to approach. “What can I get for you, doll?”

Maverick smiled up at her. It wasn’t Mili but she was still very attractive. “I’ll take a beer; whatever is on tap’s fine.”

“You got it, handsome.” She winked and then sashayed off to the bar.

Where he sat, Maverick had a clear line of sight to the bar. At the moment, that young man was back there and took the order from the waitress. A side door opened by the women’s restroom and Maverick watched his gorgeous bartender walk through it.

He licked his lips as his obsidian eyes took in her appearance. She wore a pair of low-rider jeans that should have been outlawed, the way they cupped her lower body. A white dress shirt was tied off at her waist. Its sleeves were torn away and he could envision the bra that was beneath it.

Her manner of dress left her midsection bare and he eagerly lapped up the view. He noticed the white canvas shoes on her feet and no socks. Her hair was completely off her neck and face with the exception of the wisps plastered to her skin. She was delectable looking and he wanted to get to know her better. All of her.

She turned around at the door and reached in to lift out a big case of alcohol. He wanted to go help her, but the young man behind the counter beat him to it. The smile she bestowed upon that lad made Maverick sick.

Get a grip, Mav; you can’t be jealous over a woman who hasn’t said more than five words to you. Taking a deep breath, he tipped the waitress when she left his beer. Holding the cold mug in one strong hand, he observed the woman make trip after trip, carrying more boxes out of that room.

Wanting to go help her, Maverick had to force himself to remain in his seat. She didn’t look stressed; in fact, she seemed quite content with doing physical labor. When she was finished, her five-seven frame slid behind the counter just as a group of men came in the door. All of them hollered greetings to her.

“Tempest,” he muttered to himself while listening to her respond. “Her name is Tempest.”

It was a good thing Tempest didn’t have a box in her hands the first time she’d come up from the cellar for she would have dropped it when her dark eyes landed on the tall man sitting alone off to the side. He was back.

So in order to regain some semblance of control, she’d brought up the cases one by one as opposed to two at a time like she usually did. Tempest knew her son noticed but, bless his heart, had the brains to keep his mouth shut.

The trio of men that had come in through the door after she’d finished were part of her Wednesday night regulars. It didn’t take long for them to seat themselves around the bar.

“Evening, gentlemen,” Tempest said with a smile as she automatically began preparing their drinks for them.

“Hey, darling,” the largest of the three, Frank Witherspoon, said. “How are you doing?”

Tempest sent him a blinding smile. She slid his double shot of José Cuervo Gold across the shiny teak bar top. “Not bad. And yourself, how’s your wife doing?”

“Ready for you to come over for another dinner.” He flopped down a twenty and waited for the change.

“I’ll wait for the call.” Her hands mixed a Lynchburg Lemonade and pushed it across to another customer. “And you, Mr. Miles Homer? How are you doing?”

The pale, freckled-faced man grinned at her. “Very well, my dear. Going to ask my woman to marry me this weekend when she flies into town.”

Putting the change in front of her friend, she nodded. “Congrats! Let me know how it turns out.”

“Sweetheart, you will be handling the bachelor party and possibly the reception!”

Tempest arched a brow. “I will, will I? At his answering nod, she smiled. Without breaking her momentum she fixed Oscar Hewitt a single shot of Black Label with club soda and lemon twist.

“Excuse me!” a man shouted from down the bar after she handed Oscar his drink.

With ease, Tempest moved down the bar and talked to the man waving the bill. As the night progressed, the joint filled up and music played. Tonight’s selections were more country than anything else.