Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
“I hoped you’d be brave and come for a ride with me. We can take your car if you’d rather,” he suggested.
“I’ve never ridden on a bike. As I remember, you’d never take me for a ride when I was a kid. Are you a safe driver?” she questioned, trying to convince herself she wasn’t getting on behind him regardless of how he answered.
“Your folks would have never allowed that. And now? I’d never risk such precious cargo. Want to live on the wild side?”
She nodded before she realized what she was doing.
“Good girl.” With a flick of his fingers, Rio turned off the engine. After pressing the kickstand into place, he swung one leg over the bike and set his helmet on the seat before unbuckling one of the saddlebags. “I have an extra helmet I carry in case I have a passenger.”
Instant jealousy flared through her. “I’m not one of your floozies, Rio.”
He whirled around to pace toward her. Stopping in front of her, Rio hooked his fingers into his front pockets. “I didn’t plan to talk about this here. But let’s get it out in the open. Have you been celibate since you left for college?”
“It’s been twenty years since I saw you last. I didn’t think I would ever see you again,” Amber answered in shock.
“I’ll take that as a no. I also didn’t think fate would bring us together again. Did I screw a never-ending parade of other women? No. I kept looking for someone special to pretend was you. Anyone I found wasn’t… You.”
She swallowed hard.
“Do you have any questions you need me to answer before breakfast?” he asked quietly.
“No. I’m sorry. I jumped to conclusions.”
He nodded, accepting her apology as he unbuckled the chin strap. “Let me try this again. Back in Kansas City, my two-hundred-pound male buddy usually bummed a ride home after work. This helmet might be a bit big, but it will work for today.”
“Oh! Okay,” she nodded, appalled at how wrong she had been. Amber reached for the helmet and tugged it into place.
Rio brushed her hands away and fastened the strap himself. Tugging experimentally, he nodded. “It’s not a bad fit. I always thought Eric had a little head on that enormous body.”
A snort of laughter escaped from her lips at the image of some hulking guy with a teeny head. His dancing eyes revealed he had enjoyed her unladylike gust of amusement. “Take me to breakfast. I’m obviously growing faint with hunger.”
“As you wish, Little girl.” He flipped her face shield into place.
“Are we going to talk about that?” she asked, referring to his endearment.
“Yes. Let me get on the bike to stabilize it before you climb on.” Rio moved with ease to flick down a small metal post on each side of the bike before straddling the bike and moving the kickstand out of the way.
Shifting forward a bit on the seat to give her extra room, he instructed, “Swing your foot over the seat and slide into place.”
“That sounds so much easier than this looks,” she answered, intimidated. Lifting one foot, Amber awkwardly followed his directions and clumsily ended up cozied up to his butt on the seat.
“Oh, sorry. I’m crowding you,” she apologized.
“There’s only so much room here, Ella. You’re going to be closer to me in a minute. Don’t worry. I’ll enjoy it,” he assured her, looking over his shoulder to grin at her.
That devastating smile made the heat inside her flare hotter. Amber nodded. What else could she do?
“Safety, Little girl. Don’t move your legs backward. The pipes behind you are hot and will burn your legs, even in those jeans.”
Rio paused to pull on his helmet and fasten the buckle. “Hold on to me,” he called over his shoulder as he started the motor.
Vibration roared to life between her legs. Amber could feel the throb of the motor. Remembering his words, she wrapped her hands gently around his waist.
“Hold on, Amberella.” Rio tugged her arms around his body until she hugged him tightly. “That’s it. We move as one unit. When I lean, you lean with me. We won’t tip over—the momentum keeps us up. Can you find the foot pegs?”
“Foot pegs?” she echoed and lifted her feet onto the metal supports she remembered him lowering. “Oh! Got it.”
“Hold on. Here we go.” Rio carefully backed the bike into the street and eased the machine forward.
Grabbing hold of his T-shirt as they rolled forward, Amber tried to pretend she didn’t feel the taut muscles under the thin cotton. A few twitching curtains in the neighbors’ windows told her she’d hear from her parents when those living close by reported her activities. Amber pushed that idea out of her mind. She was past the age when her mom and dad could tell her how to live her life—well, past the time she had to listen to them.