tenuous control of Luke Daniels and it was no match for the temptation of her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
LUKE pushed open his car door and stood listening to the high pitched howl of hard-working motorcycle engines.
He was escaping. Just for the day.
At his mother’s behest, he’d left Allie with her for a girls’ day out. Shopping. His daughter was really excited about it. He smiled wryly, hard pressed to think of anything he’d like to do less.
He was also escaping from the lure of Terri. She had the day off but he had no good excuse to invade his colleague’s off-duty hours. Other than the fact that he wanted to.
With Allie gone for the day, he couldn’t casually suggest a walk on the beach…via Terri’s cottage on the off chance that she was around. Having her so close, at the bottom of the garden, was a refined form of torture.
He sighed. Rather than hang around home testing his self-discipline, he was going to face a personal demon. He’d loved hanging out at the racetrack with his cousin Kevin, and Terri’s brother Ryan. He hadn’t been back since Kevin’s accident.
Hadn’t been on a bike either. But that was something to tackle another day…perhaps. For now, being here was an accomplishment.
He’d talk to Mick Butler while he was here, too. An informal follow-up after the diabetic episode. He smiled wryly. Maybe he would earn himself some Brownie points with Terri.
He walked through the tunnel under the track to the pit area and watched the speeding bikes for a few moments. Just an initial tightening in his chest, he noted dispassionately. Nothing unmanageable.
He took a deep breath and looked at the people standing trackside. His lips curved when he spotted a familiar profile. Terri’s uncle.
‘G’day, Mick!’
The man turned. ‘Luke Daniels!’
Their palms smacked together as they used the handshake to draw into a quick, hard embrace of uncomplicated masculine friendship.
Mick stood back, his wide smile and dark eyes familiar and uncannily like Terri’s. ‘About time you showed your face around here!’
‘Yeah, I know.’ Luke shrugged. ‘Time gets away. You know how it is.’
‘I know.’ Mick patted his arm, the gesture awkward but the emotion behind it genuine. ‘I was sorry to hear about Sue-Ellen. She was a bonzer girl.’
Luke nodded. ‘Yes, she was. Thanks. I got your card.’
‘How’s that gorgeous daughter of yours?’
‘Giving me grey hairs.’ Luke smiled.
‘It gets worse.’ Mick chuckled. ‘I remember when my girls-’
He was interrupted by loud whoops and clapping from the men nearest them. Mick’s head whipped back to the course.
‘She’s just taken Russ,’ called one of the appreciative audience. ‘Boy, he’s going to be dirty about that.’
‘She?’ A corkscrew of unease twisted through Luke’s gut. No, it couldn’t be…could it?
‘Terri.’ Mick craned his neck, following the action. ‘She’s on the yellow Honda.’
Luke’s heart leapt into his throat. His eyes followed the motorcycle as it tipped into another sweeping bend in a blur of red leather and yellow bike.
‘That’s Terri?’
Desire and fear congealed into a solid lump of cold ice in his gut.
Leaning, leaning…Surely the bike must slide from under her. That long crouching form would be thrown, fragile bones crushed, gentle curves mutilated.
How dared she risk her precious life like this?
‘Yeah, good, isn’t she? Could’ve gone pro if she hadn’t been so set on medicine.’ Obviously unconcerned, Terri’s uncle turned away as one of the other riders came in.
Good!
Luke wanted to demand that she be called off the track, stat. He folded his arms, feeling the tightness pinch around his eyes and mouth. Acid churned in his stomach. He’d been watching the speeding riders with reasonable detachment, congratulating himself for managing that degree of calm. The accident which had killed his cousin had been years ago. Past time for him to let go his visceral antipathy to motorcycles.
But now…
Now he knew it was Terri on the track, he felt sick.
And angry.
Angrier by the minute.
Two circuits later, she slowed and pulled into the pit area. Oblivious to his glowering presence, she stopped to chat briefly to a couple of the mechanics further along the lane. Her long legs braced on either side of the machine. With a quick nod, she rode forward slowly. The machine’s throaty growl sounded a protest at the restrained speed as she turned into the empty garage.
Luke stalked across the tarmac, driven by the desire to give her a verbal blast. He turned into the wide door. Terri stood beside the bike, stripping off her gloves.
The skin-tight red leather suit moulded to her lithe body.
His gaze was drawn irresistibly down over each feminine curve.
Breast, waist, hip, thigh.
At the knee, the bright supple covering disappeared into long black boots.
Luke swallowed, his steps slowing as an unexpected shudder shook him.
His eyes made the return trip.
She was gorgeous, sensual.
Dangerous to his sanity.
As he watched, she unclipped her helmet and shook out waves of long dark hair.
Perfection.
And she would risk it all for a thrill, a momentary pleasure.
His daughter had made a confidante of this reckless creature. Allie wouldn’t be able to cope with another flood of grief in her young life. Terri needed to consider that when she indulged her whim for danger.
Bubbling anger dimmed a tiny internal alarm that sounded in his brain.
His entire system twitched with the need for an argument, even relished the prospect in a perverse way.
His feet moved purposefully until he was only a few feet from her. She turned. The radiant smile on her lips tilted higher. He could see the high of exhilaration was still pumping through her system.
‘Hi, Luke.’ Her buoyant greeting was the last straw.
‘I suppose you’re proud of that display out there,’ he said softly.
She tipped her head slightly to one side. ‘The riding?’
‘Yes, the riding,’ he grated.
‘Oh, yes. I suppose I am a bit. Did you see?’ She still hadn’t realised his dangerous state of mind. Enthusiasm shone through her voice. She stuffed her gloves into the hollow of the helmet and then stood with it dangling from one hand.
‘I saw,’ he said grimly. ‘What sort of example do you think you’re setting?’
‘Example? Well…a good one, I hope. I was in absolute control of the bike at all times,’ she said, her voice confused.
