here. She was on the last form in the Kung Fu dragon sequence. He marveled at her grace and power. She was an astonishing woman, beautiful beyond belief and also amazingly talented. She was an enigma. He grinned at the thought of her temper, her fierce glares and sharp tongue. And then she’d smile that shy smile and look up at him her eyes as wide as a doe in the woods startled by an unseen hunter. Watching her graceful movements, he was struck that her body was all soft sexy woman on the surface with lithe taut muscles beneath. He smiled. An upside down metaphor for Lexie: tough as nails on the surface, soft and vulnerable underneath.
He waited until she finished, then came up beside her.
“Hey. Impressive practice.”
She whirled to see Jake standing a few feet away. A rush of heat flooded her. She knew from the twinkle in his eyes that he saw her reaction. Staring at the tall broad shouldered man with the smoldering blue eyes, she groaned. He was entirely too good looking. From the cocky grin on his face, he knew it, knew how he affected her. She would have loved to think of some smart remark to take him down a peg, but the only word that popped out was a soft, “Hey.”
He smiled at her.
“You weren’t at the house and didn’t return any of my calls. I figured you were likely here. How about a ride home?”
Glancing at the clock, she shoved down her immediate impulse to say no.
“Actually, after a four hour practice, a ride home sounds good.”
“Since you agreed so quickly, how about I up the ante? If I know you and I’m beginning to think I do, you haven’t had anything to eat today. Right?”
She shrugged.
“I don’t like to eat before I practice.”
“Hmm. Or much after, right? That settles it, sugar. How about I take you to a great truck stop I know that makes the best breakfast outside of my Aunt Maud’s and they serve it twenty four hours a day.”
Her guard immediately went up. That would mean riding on his bike, being close to him.
“I…I…can’t, Jake. I need to shower. I’m all sweaty.”
A flash of amusement flickered in his eyes. He stroked her cheek and drawled, “Darlin’, I can’t think of a better combination. Pancakes, bacon and sausage and a hot sweaty woman. Yum!”
Lexie laughed in spite of herself. As if her wayward body wanted to join the conversation, her stomach gave a noisy growl.
He grabbed for her duffle bag,
“That does it, Lexie. You need to be fed, woman. Let’s go!”
She hesitated, then nodded.
“But only if I can grab a quick shower here before we go.”
He frowned in mock dismay and gave her a wicked wink. “Okay. I’ll forego the hot sweaty woman for the moment, as long as you promise there’ll be one in the future.”
She groaned in mock dismay.
“You’re impossible, Jake.”
He chucked her under her chin.
“Yeah, I am. And I’m also impatient as hell. A gorgeous woman, the hottest bike made by man, and the promise of more food than you’ve eaten in a week? Damn, sugar, life doesn’t get any better than that!”
~~~
Jake smiled at her across the formica covered table in the crowded truck stop. Her cheeks were flushed from the ride. Wispy tendrils of blond hair escaped her ponytail, curving alluringly around her face and neck. Her eyes sparkled, dancing with excitement. He grinned in appreciation.
“I have a feeling your next purchase might be an Electra Glide.”
She laughed.
“No, I don’t think I can afford a boy toy like that, but I have to admit, I love riding on it.”
“That’s good, because I wouldn’t let you buy one.”
She frowned.
“Why not? I thought all you macho men liked women in leather.”
“Ah, sugar, we do. But we like them better when they’re wrapped around our backs hanging on tight.” He added with a wink, “Preferably in handcuffs.”
His jeans tightened at the thought. The flood of heat that pinked her cheeks didn’t help. Damn, just looking at her flushed and starry eyed was an aphrodisiac his unruly cock didn’t need. Thank God for the tabletop. Not that it was likely he’d settle down before they had to leave.
At that moment, the waitress arrived with their food. Lexie’s eye widened like saucers at the platter of food the woman plunked in front of her. Given that Jake had done the ordering, the woman winked at him. Her laugh was as brash as her bright red hair.
“I dunno, honey. I don’t think she’s eaten that much food in her life, let alone one meal.”
Reading the nametag pinned to her ample chest, Jake agreed. “I think you’re right about that, Trixie.”
~~~
Several hours later, Jake dropped her off at the house. He hopped off the bike and lifted her off before she could get down. He picked her up like she weighed nothing. He proceeded to take off her helmet and strapped it to the back of the bike.
He smiled down at her.
“Thanks, Lexie, for indulging me.” He stroked her cheek. “It was a great afternoon.”
She choked back a gasp at her flutter of excitement at his touch. She backed away quickly, needing distance.
“It…it was great, Jake. Thank you.”
His eyes narrowed, then he nodded as if he understood.
“Yeah, it was, darlin’.” He gazed at her for a long moment then added, “Brady’s going to come and get you tonight. I’m taking a different tack. But I’ll be waiting here for you when you are done.”
She nodded and almost ran up the steps. When she turned back to wave at him, he was watching her, a knowing smile quirking his lips.
Watching him ride off, Lexie struggled with her feelings. She had loved being with him. They’d laughed and talked as though they’d known each other for years. And she’d eaten more than she could remember ever eating at one time. The problem was the motorcycle. Pressed against him, drinking in his scent of leather and strong male almost did her in. From the way he’d taken her hands in his and pressed them against his taut belly, she knew he was on to her. She wanted to think she hadn’t given herself away, but his quizzical grin when he lifted her off the bike and the way he’d stroked her cheek confirmed if it was a secret, it was one they shared.
~~~
As they’d agreed, she met Bella at the club precisely at 7 p.m. It was virtually empty. Without the strobe lights and pounding music, it looked like a large dining hall. Hard to believe that at nine o’clock it would be filled with raucous laughter and hundreds of men and women out for a night of high stakes entertainment.
Bella ushered her in to the ante room to the back office. Lexie hoped her need for privacy meant that Bella was ready to talk. She decided to keep the conversation light to see if Bella was forthcoming.
“Hey, are we supposed to be back here? Isn’t this the boss’s office?”
Bella gave her a satisfied smile.
“Sergio doesn’t mind if I’m here. I spend a lot of time in this office.”
“Cool. Is he a good boss?”
Bella laughed. “I think so.”
Lexie grinned at her. “Sounds like you’ve got something going on with the big boss.”
“Hmm. You might say that.”
Lexie tugged on the brief panties to her outfit.
“I gotta tell you. I’ve worn some indecent costumes in my life, but this one beats them all. How the heck do you keep this thing from this thing from riding up your butt? “
“Honey, that’s the idea!”
“Who designed this thing anyhow?”
