Chapter 2 Gingersnap

C hristmas Eve—

“They canceled our flight,” the woman sitting in the row of plastic chairs to my right complained to her companion, glaring at the monitor anchored above our heads, ticking through every airline with the same announcement. Her voice grew shrill, and I wondered if she thought that would get her any sympathy from the airline. I doubted it.

Not a soul in this airport would be leaving via the sky. Mother nature decided that for us. This was officially the vacation from hell. I should have flown out of Aspen instead of Denver International. Not that I had a choice.

My nose nearly pressed to the glass as I turned back to the long, rectangular pane, staring at the runway as thick flurries of snow fell heavily upon the ground. In less than twenty minutes, the snow began to pile and coated everything in a blanket of white. The sleek, silver planes no longer glistened in the sunlight, resembling bulky, lumpy masses that crouched in silent slumber.

Over the loudspeaker, a flight attendant from the airline began speaking, announcing what every passenger in attendance already knew. She stated inclement weather as the reason for the cancellation, adding that refunds would be issued within five to seven business days. That wouldn’t help us any today.

Inclement weather could indicate anything from fog to sleet to heavy snow. In this case, it meant the snowstorm brewing outdoors with wild gusts of wind. I watched as snowflakes swirled in a circular motion before slamming against the glass. The chilled pane made me shiver as I pulled my fingers from the surface. No amount of staring and hoping the storm would pass over us would change the outcome.

I was stuck. In an airport. On Christmas Eve.

Shit. I’m never going to make it home in time.

With a sigh, I lifted the handle on my carry-on luggage and rolled toward the line that formed from the rest of the passengers, waiting to retrieve the rest of our belongings and secure other transportation.

This trip was a nightmare from start to finish. I just wanted to get home to Las Vegas and see my mother and cousin before he shipped out, and we didn’t see him again for ten months.

Nathan couldn’t say where he’d be going or what the Marine Corps would ask of him while he was deployed. His orders came in right before the holidays. Nathan had to catch his flight on January 5th. I would barely have time to spend with him.

My cousin and I were close, more like siblings, since we were both the only children in our families in a single-parent household. His mom split when he was six. I lost my father at thirteen. Tragedy and necessity bound us together. My Uncle Trig and my mother moved in together to raise us.

Unconventional? Maybe. But for the four of us, it was all the family we needed.

My Uncle Trig was my father’s brother, and he promised to take of me and my mother when my father died. There wasn’t a discussion. Uncle Trig and Nathan moved in the same day we buried my dad. Those three people were my entire world.

And now, because of my stupid ex-boyfriend, I sat in an increasingly ghost-like airport, staring at barren terminals and missing Christmas with my family.

I never should have gone on that impromptu ski trip. It was a mistake I wouldn’t stop paying for as I stood in line, knowing there would be no available car rentals left when I reached the customer service personnel.

“Hi,” the young woman with a name tag that read Meredith greeted. “I’m so sorry. There aren’t any vehicles left.”

The person in front of me received the last one. Great.

“It’s okay.” It wasn’t. “I’ll be fine.” I wouldn’t be.

How could I be fine when I was ten hours from home?

“What about a cab? Do you know if anyone has had any luck with Lyft or Uber?”

“No. Sorry.”

Lifting my chin, I dragged my suitcases towards the women’s restroom. I could feel the emotion building inside me. A tidal wave of tears that threatened to fall at any second. The faster I walked, the stronger the urge to sob grew in my chest. I was about to fall apart in an airport and cry in the bathroom.

When a kid darted in front of me, I almost tripped. Tears flooded my eyes, and I rushed toward the entrance to the bathroom. My shoulder collided with an older woman, and I almost sent her sprawling to the ground.

Fuck!

“I’m so sorry.” Worried I hurt her, I dropped the handles to my bags and reached out, preventing her fall, only to watch in horror as a man wearing a dark coat grabbed the handle of my larger suitcase and started power walking away with it.

Inside, I had nearly a dozen wrapped presents for my uncle, mother, and cousin. He snatched the only bag out of the two that mattered.

“Hey!” I shouted, picking up my smaller suitcase and running after the thief. “Stop!” I screamed. Airport security shouted after us as I pointed to the guy ahead of me. “He stole my bag!”

The thief was already approaching the sliding glass doors of the airport’s front entrance, gaining ground as I huffed behind him. I’d never reach him in time. Neither would security. I ran faster than either of the guards who’d given chase.

As the doors slid open, two big men dressed in black leather vests and dark jeans stepped through, providing an impenetrable barrier I never would have expected. The young man who’d stolen my case collided with the taller of the two, bouncing off his solid chest before he slipped on the polished floor. The thief landed on his ass as my case landed a few feet away, intact.

Thank goodness for that. I didn’t need my underwear on display or the presents I bought damaged.

The bulkier of the two bikers, who happened to be the shorter of the two men, reached down and grabbed the guy by the collar. “You stealin’, kid?”

“That’s my case!” I shouted, skidding to a halt as my boots scraped the floor. I stared up at the tall biker, taking in his impossibly broad shoulders, tapered torso, and the tight black shirt he wore underneath his leather vest. He had a no-nonsense vibe coming off him but also concern.

“That yours?” he rumbled as I snatched the handle, dropped my other case, and held onto both as I tried to catch my breath.

I wasn’t out of shape, but I did just run half the length of the airport to catch the thief. “Yes.” Breathe, Ginny. “He almost got out the door with it.”

“Where the hell is security?”

Good question.

We all watched as the guards finally reached us. They breathed hard, too out of breath to speak for a full minute. I held my tongue, not wanting to be a bitch about their slow progress.

The stockier, shorter biker, who had to be at least six feet tall, held onto the young man who struggled against him, swinging his fist. “I wouldn’t do that, boy. You might want to pay attention to who’s holding your dumb ass.”

Kid? I realized the young man appeared to be a teenager. Where were his parents?

One of the security guards finally spoke up. “Thanks for the assist.”

The other ticked his chin at the bikers. “He would have gotten away with the lady’s luggage if you hadn’t been here.”

Yeah, that was obvious.

A blast of cold air and a gust of swirling snowflakes blew in as the automatic doors swished open behind the bikers. I shivered and stepped back, finally tugging on my coat that I had carried along with my smaller suitcase.

The tall biker noticed, and he moved further into the airport. His friend joined him, shoving the thief at security.

The guards nodded their thanks, gripping the young man’s jacket, before offering their apologies to me.

“I’m just happy he didn’t get away with the Christmas presents for my family.”

“We’ll make sure this is handled.”

I nodded and watched the security guards and their prisoner leave with a sigh. “I really appreciate the help.”

“Not a problem,” the shorter one answered.

The taller biker, who had to be closer to six and a half feet tall, answered in his gruff voice. “Glad we caught him.”

I glanced outdoors, catching the nearly white-out conditions outside. “Did you see any cabs outside?”

Both men shook their heads.

The stocky biker frowned. “No. We just heard on the radio it’s a level three snow emergency. No one is supposed to be out unless it’s necessary to drive.”

“Most of the city seems to be shut down,” Mr. Tall, Chiseled, and Handsome added.

Yeah, that was my new nickname for the taller biker. A tattooed, bearded hunk of a man with striking blue eyes who assessed me without apology or hesitation. His beard was peppered with a bit of gray, and the term silver fox popped into my head. Something about him felt protective but also wild, untamed, and virile.

Jesus. He was fucking eye candy.

“Shit,” I whispered. “I’m never getting out of here now.”

“Where ya headed?”

“Vegas. Home for Christmas.” Tears rushed to my eyes out of nowhere as I thought of missing the holiday with Nathan, my mom, and Uncle Trig. I quickly blinked them back. “I’m gonna miss seeing my cousin before he ships out.”

The bikers exchanged a glance.

Mr. Tall, Chiseled and Handsome, held out his hand as his gaze locked on mine. “I’m Brick.” He pointed to his friend. “That’s Dagger.”

I shook his hand, noticing how his bigger palm engulfed mine in warmth. “Ginger.”

Brick grinned. “Not hard to guess with that hair color.”

No, it wasn’t. I’d been born a redhead, and as I grew older, it became less coppery, deepening into a darker shade I loved. With the natural curl and silky texture, I felt blessed.

Brick continued to stare, still holding my hand. He had the sexiest, bluest eyes. Bold, but friendly. The color and how they sparkled under the airport lighting seemed almost familiar. Strange, but I couldn’t think where I had seen him before now. I didn’t know any bikers.

My gaze swept over Brick’s leather vest. I caught his name, Sergeant at Arms, and I knew there would be a patch on the back that would declare his club affiliation. My father belonged to a motorcycle club. Fifteen years earlier, he’d been gunned down and killed because of it. On my thirteenth birthday, to be exact.

I pulled my hand from Brick’s as he frowned, not missing the sudden change in my demeanor, especially after I glanced at both of their vests. They thought I made an assumption as they both stood a little taller, if possible and seemed alert.

The playfulness left both their expressions.

“We’re not dangerous,” Dagger replied.

“To you,” Brick added with honesty.

“I know that,” I answered with equal candor, “but this isn’t my first encounter with bikers.”

Dagger shook his head. “I hate that shit. Other clubs makin’ ours look bad.”

Brick’s focus remained on me. “You need to get home, right? For the holidays?”

“Yes.” What did that have to do with our discussion?

“Then let us prove that the colors we wear and the leather on our backs don’t mean we’re bad men.”

“And how do you propose I do that?” I could guess, but I wanted him to say it.

“Let me give you a ride to Vegas.”

A ten-hour drive with two strangers?

Dagger snorted, giving his friend a pointed look. I couldn’t begin to assess the meaning of it. “I won’t be goin’ that far. Drop me at Nan’s. Then she won’t be home alone for Christmas.”

Brick clapped him on the shoulder. “Appreciate that, Dag.”

“Ain’t goin’ anywhere with this storm. Shouldn’t have wasted our time by insisting we come to the airport.”

“We thought there might be a chance until we saw how bad it got,” Brick reminded him.

Dagger shrugged. “True. Now I get to eat at Nan’s. I’m not thinkin’ it’s a bad thing. Might even save you something if you drive right back.”

“Don’t make me rescind that invite and drop you off on the side of the road.”

Dagger chuckled.

“Who’s Nan?” I asked, completely lost.

“My ma,” Brick answered with a wink. He gestured to my coat. “Button that up and tuck in all that pretty hair, Doll. It’s cold as fuck out, and I don’t want you freezin’ before I get you in my truck.”

Doll? I blinked, staring into those humored blue eyes.

“I swear I’m not a creep.” He nudged Dagger. “Can’t say that about Dag, though.”

I didn’t know how to take that, but I realized he was joking and teasing me.

“I’ll get you home for Christmas, Ginger. It’s a promise.”

There wasn’t a choice. I didn’t have any other options.

“You comin’?”