I cut her off. “My name is Link. What’s yours?”
She paused. “The hell kind of name is ‘Link?’”
I snickered. “It’s a nickname. But it’s what everyone calls me.”
She stared up at me. “Joanna.”
“Joanna. It’s nice to meet you. I’m going to save you some time, okay? You’ve got a good ruse going on here, but I’ve lived in this town my entire life. I know everyone. I see everything. You’re new. I’d venture to say you haven't even been here a year yet.”
“You don’t know a thing about me, Sausage Link.”
I grinned. “I know you’re making your way back home from work. Which means you’ve opened up a new business around here if you’re working this late on a Sunday. I know you’ve probably got a lot of bills to pay, which is why you’re traveling around in this heap of junk instead of getting yourself a reliable vehicle.”
I watched her eye twitch as I continued.
“I’m pretty sure you’re renting around here. It’s cheaper than buying, and if you’ve just opened up a business around here you probably don’t have a lot of extra money to toss around buying one of these expensive homes. So, I’m going to pull a guess out of thin air and say that you don’t have friends around here. Or family. Or anyone you can rely on. Which is why you’re very squeamish about getting on the back of my bike.”
She swallowed hard. “What are you, some kind of mind reader?”
“It’s my job to be able to read people in an instant. It keeps me and my men safe.”
“You a cop or something?”
I chuckled. “Or something.”
She nodded slowly. “I don’t know if I’d feel safe with you. No offense.”
I held up my hands. “None taken. I know what I look like. But you’ve got a choice. You either stay out here in the country on the side of the road or you take a ride with me. And since I know you don’t have anyone around here, you should take me up on the ride so you can get home and get some rest. I promise you, no one’s stealing your car anytime soon.”
She snickered. “Shame. I could use the insurance claim.”
I laughed. I actually laughed at that comment before I stifled it down to a chuckle. And seeing her smile up at me warmed my gut.
“If it’ll make you feel better, I can drop you off within a block or two of your place. I don’t have to pull right into your driveway if that’s what’s making you nervous. But if you were close to your destination? You would’ve already walked. At least let me get you a curb you recognize.”
She stared at me for a long time, but her eyes grew unfocused. I knew that look. I’d seen it on the faces of my men various times. She was lost in the recesses of her mind. Considering my words and turning over her options. I admired that in someone. I admired her spunk. Her want to keep herself safe. So many people did stupid shit nowadays when it wasn’t necessary. And that kind of thing always pissed me off.
“I’ve never been on a bike before,” Joanna said.
I grinned. “Guess tonight’s your lucky night, then.”
“Don’t know if ‘lucky’ is the word I’d use.”
I chuckled. “Then, it’s my lucky night.”
Her eyebrows rose. “I take it you’re a hit with the ladies.”
I shrugged. “Wouldn't know. Haven’t pursued anyone in a while.”
“This is you not pursuing anyone?”
“Who said I wasn’t pursuing you?”
She shook her head. “You're a piece of work, Sausage.”
“Takes one to know one, JoJo.”
She giggled, and the sound washed over me like water in a babbling brook.
Then, she sighed. “I’ve got a lot of stuff that needs to come with me.”
I shook my head. “Not a problem. I’ve got a saddlebag on my bike.”
“And I was hoping to get food on the way home. Is there any place open at this time of night?”
“There’s one place I can think of, but it’s not drive-thru or anything. There’s a diner in the middle of town that stays open until about three.”
She shook her head. “Nah. I don’t feel like fighting back heartburn tonight.”
“They’ve got great salads, if you’re into that kind of thing.”
She paused. “Salads?”
I nodded. “Mhm. Big ones, too. You’ll need four dressing containers to cover the entire thing.”
“Can I get meat on my salads there?”
“You can get anything on anything else there. You practically get to build your own meal from the ground up.”
She drew in a deep breath. “But they don’t have a drive-thru.”
I shrugged. “Won’t take us long to place the order and get you the salad. I don’t mind taking you there, if you’re hungry.”
“I don’t want to sit down or anything. I just want to get it and go home.”
“I’m fine with that. Gives me an excuse to get one of their milkshakes. They make my favorite.”
“What’s your favorite?”
I smiled. “Their waffle milkshake.”
She blinked. “Their what?”
I walked toward my bike. “You can have a sip of mine. Come on!”
“Wait! I just—let me get my—I’ve got stuff!”
I reached for my helmet. “I know. Get your stuff and come on!”
I watched her rummage around her for things and couldn't stop staring at her ass. I pulled the extra helmet I had out of the back compartment on my bike and readied it for her. The globe of her ass called to me. The thickness of her hair made my fingertips tingle. But the way her hips swayed while she walked made my mouth water. There wasn’t a damn thing about this woman that wasn’t sexy as hell. And my body fervently protested my want to get her home.
Because my body wanted her back at my home.
I held the helmet out for her. “Better safe than sorry.”
She dropped her things. “Thanks.”
“You get that on, and I’ll get your stuff stored away.”
“Just be careful. I’ve got a lot of important things in there I’d like to not ruin.”
I snickered. “I might look like a brute, but I don’t conduct myself like one. I’ve got it. You get that helmet on and I’ll help you onto the bike.”
“I don’t need help getting onto your bike.”
“You will if you don’t want to flash the world your underwear.”
She paused. “Good point.”
I grinned as I packed her stuff away, and she wasn’t joking. She had some stuff. She had her purse, a larger bag, a briefcase, and a stack of folders she hadn’t put anywhere. I kept my promise, though. I didn’t shove anything into anything else. I made sure everything fit snug as a bug in my saddlebags so they wouldn’t jostle, wrinkle, or tear as we rode to the diner. I was excited to introduce her to this place. Everyone needed to know about it.
Especially because of their damn milkshakes.
“All right, I’m ready,” Joanna said.
“All right. Come here.”
She backed up. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing?”
I paused. “Picking you up to put you on my bike.”
“Oh, no, no. All I need is your hand.”
I snickered. “You can hardly spread your legs in that skirt of yours. You’re not going to be able to hike your leg over my bike.”
“Try me.”
“Seriously. Will you just trust me for a few seconds?”
She blinked. “I don’t trust anyone. Ever.”
Her voice hurt my heart. “Well, try something different for a change. You might find it to be a pleasant change of pace.”
She swallowed hard, but she didn't fight me. My hands slid along her waist, and that heat sizzling up my arms. My hands settled perfectly into the crook of her waist and I could have sworn she gasped lightly. My eyes found hers as I gripped her body, then dipped myself at the knees.
“Oh!” she squealed.
I lifted her wit
h ease. “Scissor your legs apart and bend your knees.”
She did as I asked, and I settled her effortlessly onto the guest seat of my motorcycle.
“Now, I’m going to get on in front of you and you’ve got two things you can do. You can hold onto these handlebars right here while we ride,” I said as I showed them to her, “or you can hold onto me.”
She grinned. “You’d like that, wouldn't you?”
“What man wouldn’t? We don’t get passenger seats on our bikes to ride other guys around, that’s for sure.”
She barked with laughter. “I’ll figure it out once you get on. I don’t know how stable I’m going to feel just hanging onto some bars.”
“Fair enough.”
I hiked my leg over my bike and kicked up the stand. But the second the bike moved, she yelped. Her arms wrapped around me instantaneously. As if that were her natural, knee-jerk reaction to something. The warmth of her arms tightened around me. I swallowed down a growl as my ass touched down onto the leather seat. Her arms released me before I cranked the engine up. And the second my bike roared to life, she tightened her grip once more.
“Sorry,” she said, her voice coming in clear over my ear intercom.
“It’s fine. I promise.”
She snickered. “Microphones in the helmet. Fancy.”
I shrugged. “I like listening to music while I ride. Got a station you care for?”
“Not country.”
I chuckled. “No worries. I can do that just fine.”
4
Joanna
I shoved my fork into the behemoth salad and brought it to my lips. My eyes cascaded over the impeccable files I had stacked together, looking as if they had never been touched. The unforgiving wooden kitchen chair I sat in reminded me of the comfort of home. Well, as much of a home as I’d had in a few years now.
“Mmph. So good,” I murmured.
Every bite of that salad I took, the thing kept getting better. I wasn’t sure how that was possible, but it was glorious. I dipped my fork into the container of dressing before shoving it back into my salad. The steak smelled divine. The blue cheese crumbles added a tartness that complimented the sweet vinaigrette nicely. And as the taste of red bell peppers and olives filled my mouth, my eyes grew heavy.
He was nice.
After taking me to the diner to get some food, he brought me home. Not just to the curb, but all the way up my driveway. I wasn’t sure what possessed me to do that. To show this strange man where I lived. But for some reason, I felt safe with him.
I felt safe knowing that he knew where I lived.
“You’re an idiot,” I murmured.
It was counterintuitive to everything I’d ever learned. Everything I’d ever come across in my studies or in my own line of work. Every time I worked a case where a man had taken advantage of a woman because she trusted him too quickly, it reinforced the idea that I couldn't trust anyone. That I shouldn't trust anyone, no matter what. My job is what outlined the rules for my life. Because I saw first-hand what happened to victims who didn’t play by the rules. Who didn’t take necessary precautions. I saw what happened even when victims did take necessary precautions but had no way to defend themselves.
I peered over at my gun sitting on my kitchen table. At least I remembered to grab it. I sighed as I took another massive bite of my salad, filling my stomach even further. The meat in this thing didn’t seem to stop. How many steaks had they actually put in this damn thing?
Because I was pretty sure I’d already eaten one, and the meat still kept on coming.
Sleep, Joanna. You need sleep.
What I needed was to figure out my transportation situation. What I needed was to find a reliable vehicle or to look up taxi services in the area. What I needed was to do a plethora of other things I didn’t get to tonight. But my body cried out for my bed and my eyes grew so heavy that I had to close them for a few seconds.
Before my head bobbed itself awake.
“All right, all right. I can continue tomorrow,” I murmured.
I looked down at my salad and giggled. It didn’t even look like I had touched the thing. And I was as full as I’d ever been from eating a salad! I took one more bite I knew I’d regret and closed the container. I put everything up, including the dressing, and gathered my papers into my briefcase. I couldn't continue tomorrow, especially since Mondays were my late day into the office. I didn’t technically have days off right now. But Sundays and Mondays were “late open” days. While I usually had the office unlocked and open by eight, I gave myself until eleven on those two days. Plus, I closed early.
Eleven to four. You can do this.
I dragged myself upstairs, only to be met with the memory of Link. The way his leather jacket felt in the palms of my hands called to me as I collapsed into bed. I fell asleep almost immediately, but I dreamt of him all night. Of the smoothness of his voice and the comfort of his broad shoulders and that cheeky little grin of his that lit up those gorgeous blue eyes.
He stayed with me all night up there. In my dreams. Showing me around town, taking me on bike rides, and continuing to call me “beautiful.”
Until my alarm went off at seven.
“Fuck,” I groaned.
I forgot to turn off my damn alarm.
I rolled over and slammed my hand against my phone. I wasn’t sure if I snoozed the alarm or turned it off, but I rolled back over onto my stomach anyway. I had to figure out a way to set a later alarm on my phone for these two days. It wasn't hard to fall back asleep though.
Except, ten minutes later? My damn alarm went off again.
“Fuck!” I exclaimed.
I ripped my phone off my bedside table and sat up in bed. I dismissed the alarm before trying to figure out how the hell to set a later alarm for just two days a week. After playing around with my phone and finally figuring it out, though, I was already wide awake. Ready for a day I wasn’t ready to greet yet.
“Wonderful,” I grumbled.
I started my morning with a long, hot shower. Then, I wrapped myself up in a robe and walked my wet ass downstairs. I put on a pot of coffee and pulled out the rest of that salad. I wanted to finish it up for breakfast before the lettuce wilted too much and wasn’t fit for eating. I drew in a deep breath as I gazed out the kitchen window. The small fenced-in backyard of the place I currently rented made me smile. Though, I wished it had some patio furniture so I could go sit out there.
One day, when you have your own place.
The coffee pot stopped brewing and I poured myself a mug. Black as night and bitter, to boot. Exactly the way I liked it. Most people called me crazy because of it. But I always enjoyed the bitter aftertaste of coffee. Sure, maybe I was a bit crazy. It helped wake me up, though. It gave me the swift kick in the ass I needed in order to make it through the rest of my day.
“I think I’ll sit on the porch,” I murmured.
I abandoned my salad on the kitchen table and made my way out the front door. I didn’t sit down, though. Because when I saw my old beat-up red Subaru in the driveway, I froze. How the fuck did that car get here? Where the hell had it come from? I slowly set my coffee down on the porch table out front. I made my way to the car, eyeing the note left underneath the windshield wiper. I looked around, trying to see if anyone was watching me. Then, I picked up the note.
Got it up and running for you. Spark plugs shouldn't be an issue now. I also switched out your battery as well as the tires. They were practically bald. If you want to thank me, come by the Iron Horse anytime. I own the place.
Link
I walked around to the driver’s side and saw the keys hanging in the ignition. I opened the car door and slid in, almost fearful of cranking it up. But once I reached my hand out and turned the key? The car struck up as if nothing had been wrong with it. The engine hummed softly. The windshield had been replaced with one that wasn’t cracked. The damn thing even smelled nice.
Did he vacuum this thing out?
/> I shook my head as a smile crossed my face. Holy hell, this man had really cleaned this car up nicely. He must’ve worked all night on it! I had to thank him for that. There was no way I was letting this go without some sort of a “thank you” in return. I lifted the note and read those two words again. Iron Horse.
I need my phone.
After rushing back inside and figuring out that the Iron Horse was a bar in town, I made plans to be there when it opened, which wasn’t until seven o’clock anyway. I heard my car’s engine still running outside, so I walked back out there and killed the engine. I smiled as I shook my head, tossing my keys up into the air. I reached for my abandoned mug of coffee that now had a few bugs floating around in it and I closed the front door behind me.
Tonight, I had plans.
As I got ready for work and headed into the office, all I thought about was my anxiousness. I couldn't wait to see Link again. Especially after thinking about him all night. Having him in my dreams. Feeling as if he were there when I first woke up. I wondered if he had thought of me, too. If I had been on his mind like he’d been on mine. The five hours in my office crawled by at a snail’s pace. But once the clock struck four o’clock, I was out the door. I locked everything up and rushed to my car. I raced back to the house, determined to change into something a bit less professional for the evening. I tore through four different outfits before deciding on a pair of skinny jeans and a flowing shirt that fell softly off my shoulder. I piled my hair high, slid on some hoop earrings to make me feel like a boss lady, then redid my makeup before heading back out.
Iron Horse, here I come.
I pulled into the parking lot a little bit before seven. So, I sat there and tortured myself with exactly how I wanted to thank Link. Several speeches tumbled around in my mind. Did I want to be professional about it? Did I want to offer him something in return? Did I want to be more friendly? Or maybe more flirty?
Can I even flirt?
“It’s been so long,” I whispered.
A knock at my side window made me jump. And when my head whipped over, I saw a kind lady standing there with a smile on her face. She motioned for me to roll down the window, so I did.
Link (Dragon Riders MC Book 1) Page 3