Free Single and Searching by Rita Herron Page A

confused.
    Casey's soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "Gabe, thank you for the gift. It... it'll always be special to me."
    He swallowed hard against his emotions. Even if Casey walked away from him, he was glad he'd brought her the present. Her face had lit up like a child's, and the surprise in her eyes made him wonder about her past.
    Had someone hurt her? Henry S.'s father? But if Henry S. was Brick's son and he'd hurt Casey, how could Casey stand here and act so civil to him?
    It didn't make sense. Of course, nothing had since he'd met Casey. For the life of him, he didn't have a clue as to why he'd decided to pursue her with a vengeance. She didn't fit any of the characteristics on his list for the ideal woman. So much for his neat, organized list.
    "Goodbye," Casey said.
    Words lodged in Gabe's throat. He had no idea how to stop her. He didn't even have a right to stop her. She'd made it clear she wanted him to leave her alone, but something in her eyes said otherwise.
    Mike tugged at Casey's hand. "Come on, baby."
    Gabe broke out in a sweat as she followed Mike, and he cursed when Mike brushed her hair away from her face to strap the helmet on. Before climbing on the bike, Casey hiked up her skirt, revealing her luscious, creamy thighs. That was the final straw.
    Mike's eyes lingered on Casey's exposed legs, then he rested the palm of his hand on her leg.
    Gabe's hands fisted by his side and he silently willed Casey to get off the bike and come back to him.
    She didn't.
    In fact, Casey looked everywhere in the yard but at him. She waved to Brick and Henry S., then blew her son a kiss. She even waved to her monster dog and blew him a kiss.
    But Gabe received nothing. She purposely avoided looking at him, fueling his anger more.
    Then she wrapped her dainty little hands around Mike's hulking waist and they roared off on their adventure.
    Was she crazy? She didn't even know this man. What if he was a mass murderer? The damn guy probably belonged to one of those motorcycle gangs. He probably had ten tattoos on his butt. He probably knew the tattoo artist intimately.
    Hell, he probably stirred all his vegetables into one big mountain and wolfed them down in one gulp like an animal. Casey would probably like that.
    Sullen, he stalked to his car and climbed inside. His stomach rolled. He'd have to stop and get some antacids. Casey was giving him an ulcer.
    What if the guy tried to seduce Casey? His stomach rolled again. Worse yet, what if Casey let him?
    * * *
    A motorcycle ride.
    Chili dogs.
    And mud wrestling.
    Mike's idea of a fun date differed considerably from Casey's. One hour into the evening, and she'd contemplated a dozen different excuses to go home. Ever since Henry S. had come to live with her, she'd used him as her reason not to date. What a crock. Now she remembered the real reason.
    As Jenna had said, most men were scumbags.
    "You wanna try it, baby?" Mike whispered.
    Casey froze at Mike's words. "Try what?"
    Mike slipped his arm around her. "Mud wrestling. It's amateur night. They have sign ups after the show."
    Casey stared at Mike in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"
    "Naw, baby. It's kind of fun. Nothing's sexier than watching two babes in bikinis crawl around and grab each other. Just look."
    Casey peeked through downcast eyes. She'd avoided watching the "show" as Mike called it, ever since they'd walked in. Mike pointed to the arena where two women rolled and slipped in the thick vat of mud. Hair pulling, mud slinging, fighting, screaming, and dunking initiated catcalls and hoots from dozens of men. Testosterone oozed through the room.
    Loud whistles and offensive gestures pierced the air. The smell of cigarettes and cigars hung thick around her. Worse, the man sitting next to her wearing a flannel shirt and overalls kept spitting something black and stringy into a small cup. At least most of the time, he hit the cup. A tiny stream ran down his jaw and he swiped it with one sleeve.
    Casey wound her