Our destination is Arches National Park, but first I want to stop off at the cabin just outside of town I was able to rent. They’d had a late cancellation and I lucked out because Moab is nuts during the rally. The place is modest, a two bedroom, but it’s right on the Colorado River and has beautiful views. We’ll drop off our stuff and freshen up a bit.
“This is so pretty!” Sophia yells in my ear when I turn onto the road that runs parallel to the river.
She’s quiet though when I pull up to the small cabin, and for a minute I worry I missed the mark with this one. Then she gets off the bike, takes her helmet off, and does a full spin before zooming in on me, a wide grin on her face.
“This is absolute perfection!”
I have to say; I’m feeling pretty good about myself when I let us into the place.
It’s basic, open concept living with a small kitchen, a rickety dining table with a couple of folding chairs, and an oversized couch facing the river. The sliding doors open onto a patio with a couple of chairs and a firepit.
I drop Sophia’s bag in the room with the queen-sized bed, while I claim the bottom bunk in the other room. We’ll have to share the bathroom. I can’t believe I’ll be sleeping under the same roof but in a different bed. I don’t think I’ve ever tried wooing a woman before, and if my brothers knew, I’d never hear the last of it, but I’m determined not to rush Sophia into something she’s not ready for.
Let’s hope I can scrounge up enough self-discipline to stick to that plan.
CHAPTER 8
Sophia
IT’S RIDICULOUS HOW excited I am.
My ass is still sore from the ride here and has had less than an hour to recover, but when I slip that cool helmet on my head and climb on behind Tse, I feel like I’m about to go on an adventure.
“Hold on to me, Fee,” he rumbles over his shoulder.
I wrap my arms around him, and this time I don’t hesitate to press myself against his back.
The ride is short—too short—and when we pull into the visitors’ center at the Arches National Park, I see we’re far from the first ones. A virtual sea of shiny bikes is lined up in tight rows taking up half of the parking lot. The other half is fenced off, holding six or seven pavilion-like tents, a mass of bodies, and eighties rock music streaming from a couple of speaker towers positioned around the perimeter.
As Tse cruises around to find a spot to park I scan the crowd, suddenly eager to see a familiar face.
“You okay?” Tse asks when I hand him my helmet to store in the seat.
“It’s a bit overwhelming,” I admit, checking out a couple of rough-looking guys appearing to admire a bike a few rows over.
“Hey,” he draws my attention before cupping my face in his hands. “This is all good fun, Fee. As rough as we look on the outside, most of us are here just to have a good time.”
“Most?”
I watch as his mouth stretches into a smile.
“Yeah. No different than any other crowd, there’s always gonna be a few assholes who like stirring up shit, just for the hell of it, but that rarely gets out of hand.”
“Rarely?”
I can’t help it, it’s like I’ve suddenly developed cold feet, feeling completely out of my depth. My earlier excitement has been replaced by anxiety now that I’m about to enter a world I don’t quite understand.
Without warning Tse’s mouth covers mine.
Not like the gentle, tentative kiss we shared in my office this past week, but one that empties my mind and steals my breath as his tongue slips past my lips and sweeps inside. My hands find purchase, fingers curling around the edges of his vest, as he crowds everything else from my awareness. The scent of man and sun-warmed leather, combined with the taste of hunger and Tse, overwhelms my senses until every cell in my body is consumed by him.
“Yo! Benny!”
I’m not prepared when Tse breaks the kiss abruptly, lifting his head to whoever called out. I have to remind myself to breathe and rest my forehead against his chest.
“Catch you later,” he yells back, the vibrations of his voice against my skin. Then softer, “Fee, baby, look at me.”
“Mmmm.”
I don’t want to leave this little bubble that includes only him and me.
“Time to mingle.”
Reluctantly I lift my head and tilt it back, looking up at him. His eyes are warm and smiling, deepening the lines on his face.
“Who’s Benny?”
I watch a shadow pass over his expression.
“Ben. That’s me, but I’m gonna need a quiet night, a beer, and you in my arms before I tell you about him.”
I note he talks about himself both in first and third person in the same sentence and I get the sense the separation is on purpose. As interested as I am to discover more, I recognize this may not be the place or time.
“Let’s go mingle,” I concede, slipping my hand in one of his as we start walking toward the crowd.
When we finally find Brick and Lisa, I’ve already been introduced to about two dozen people. I only vaguely remember a few names, but I do recall none of those people called Tse by his real name.
“You made it!” Lisa exclaims, wrapping me in a fierce hug that feels a little desperate.
“Are you okay?” I ask her softly while the men greet each other.
“Yeah. Nothing I ain’t used to or can’t handle.”
I set her back by the shoulders and dip my head to look in her eyes.
“What does that mean?” I have a sneaky suspicion I already know.
“A few rotten apples in an otherwise friendly bunch. Nothing to worry about. I’m just glad you’re here.”
I nod and turn to the guys, as I wrap an arm around her shoulders
