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)
“You’d listen to your Daddy,” a little voice told her.
Amber was pleased to have the distraction of stopping for the first time on the bike. She held her breath at the neighborhood entrance as Rio braked and her pelvis scooted forward on the leather seat. Immediately, she tried to wiggle backward to put some distance between them. His hand clamped over her thigh, stopping her movement as the bike moved underneath them.
“Shift as you need to while we’re moving. When we’re still, your motion can throw off our balance if I’m not anticipating it,” he called over his shoulder. “You’re doing great. Just relax. I’ve got you.”
“Sorry.”
He patted her thigh before placing his hand back on the grips and turning into an opening in the traffic. She remembered to lean with him even though it felt like they’d topple over.
“Good girl,” drifted back to her, and she grinned over his shoulder and tried to relax. His approval shouldn’t mean so much, but it did.
Amber quickly gave up her attempts to maintain even a slight distance between their bodies. She hugged Rio tight and enjoyed the excuse to be close to him. Between the vibration under her and his heat and scent filling her senses, Amber’s mind was on overload. She did the only thing she could and abandoned herself completely to the experience.
Before she knew it, Rio turned into a parking lot at a new diner she’d never tried. She stayed perfectly still until he pulled to a stop and dropped his feet to brace the bike.
“You did great, Ella,” he cheered, turning back to look at her.
“I recovered from my terror,” she joked as she tried to dismount gracefully. Her movements were a bit choppy, but she didn’t tumble to the ground.
“Were you terrified?” he asked. “I could only see you smiling.”
“You could see me?” she squeaked, flipping her face plate up.
Rio pointed to his side-view mirrors. “I can catch glimpses of you as we ride.”
“That’s embarrassing.”
“Not at all. You were having a great time. That’s what I wanted to see. If you’d been terrified, I would have returned to your house to take your car,” he shared, stepping off the bike with the ease of someone who’d done it a million times.
“It was fun. I liked it.” Amber squeezed her inner thighs together, still feeling an echo of the vibration she’d enjoyed intimately. He didn’t have to know how much she enjoyed it.
“Good. Let’s go have some breakfast.” Rio helped her take her helmet off before stripping his off as well.
With both stored in the saddlebags, Rio took her hand. Amber tried to be cool. When his hand squeezed hers, she peeked up at him.
“I’m glad you’re home,” he told her softly.
That simple statement went straight to her heart. A question popped into her brain. What if she hadn’t come home for the reunion? She’d missed her friends, but she hadn’t known he was waiting.
CHAPTER 8
Rolling that thought over in her head, Amber allowed him to guide her into the diner. As they followed the server to their table, she was aware of the number of admiring looks that followed Rio—both female and male. She didn’t blame them. Staring at such a handsome man was natural. Much to her surprise, it made her feel jealous.
When they reached a far booth, the server set their menus on the table and waved them into seats. Amber slid onto one of the bench seats. “Oh,” she said in surprise as he joined her on the same side. Quickly, Amber scooted over as Rio settled next to her.
Busying herself by looking at the menu, Amber couldn’t stop the question that burst from her lips. “What if I’d never come back here?”
“Then I would have come to find you. That’s actually how I reconnected with your father. I visited Murphy’s to chat with him about you.”
“What would you like to drink?” the server’s voice interrupted them.
“Coffee and water, please,” Amber requested.
“I’ll take the same,” Rio echoed, before anticipating the next question. “Cream and sugar for the lady, please.”
“Of course. Our special today is cinnamon roll pancakes. You can order one, two, or three,” the waitress suggested.
“One for me.” Amber accepted the easiest way to order with relief. She wouldn’t have to pretend to focus on the menu.
“Chicken and waffles, please,” Rio ordered.
When the server departed, he turned back to wrap his arm across the back of the bench seat so he could look at Amber. “Your dad wasn’t comfortable telling me your address. He did tell me you were coming back for the reunion.”
“And somehow you ended up buying the bar?” she asked, incredulous.
“When your father mentioned you’d be working at the hospital, I mentioned I was interested in starting a small bar and settling down. I think he surprised himself when he offered to sell Murphy’s to me.”