He had the money thanks to the success of his choppers.
But it felt good to get his hands dirty.
Normal.
The thought struck and he pushed it away. He was anything but, and he had a burnt mess back at his shop to prove it.
No, he wasn’t normal.
He might never be normal again. He saw the proof in the glittering black eyes of the nearest horse. Delilah. The rich, sweet smell of hay filled the air, and her nostrils flared. She took a few steps toward him, only to draw up short several feet away.
Garret walked back to the cab and pulled a bag of apple slices from the dashboard. He pulled out a slice and held it out to her. The animal drew another step closer, her nose twitching, her hunger battling with her survival instincts.
A knowing light gleamed in her eyes as she stared at Garret.
“It’s okay,” he murmured, but the animal wasn’t the least bit fooled.
Garret’s fingers itched to cross the space between them and stroke the animal’s soft fur. It had been so long since he’d felt the silky horsehair.
Too long.
He knelt and set the apple slice on the ground, and then he turned and climbed back into the truck. Behind the wheel, he pulled out his cell and thumbed through his messages.
He had three, but none of them were from Dalton McGregor. Not that he’d expected one this soon. The man had given him a respectable timetable, and Garret had done enough reference checks to know that he kept his word. By Saturday MacGregor would have the information Garret so desperately needed to reclaim his humanity.
Two days, he reminded himself. Two days, and he would be one step closer to the man he’d once been.
The notion didn’t excite him half as much as the thought of seeing Viv again.
Understandable, of course. He was so damned hungry, so fucking desperate for a woman, that he couldn’t think straight. It wasn’t her.
It never had been.
The hunger clawed inside of him, and his fingers went stiff as he pocketed the cell phone. All he had to do was head for the interstate and the nearest bar. He could take his pick of any woman there and forget all about Viv Darland.
He shifted the pick-up into gear, gunned the engine and headed for the far gate. Once out on the main road, he idled for a split-second, indecision pushing and pulling inside of him. Finally, he hung a right onto the dirt trail that led back to the ranch house.
As much as he hurt, he wasn’t acting on it. He didn’t have time. The sun was already creeping over the horizon which meant he was bagging it today.
And tomorrow.
And the next day.
Because he’d made a promise to himself. One he didn’t intend to break, no matter how hungry Viv made him.
The next time Garret climbed into bed with a woman, it would be because he wanted to. Not because he had to. Because he craved the feel of her body and the smell of her skin and the dizzying energy as she came apart in his arms.
An image slid into his head, and his stomach muscles bunched. Heat spiraled through him, making him harder and hotter.
He cranked up the air conditioner, gathered his resolve and forced Viv out of his head.
He was keeping his priorities straight and his distance where she was concerned. Even more, he wasn’t getting stuck under the same roof with her while she leaned this way and bent that way and worked him into a sexually frustrated frenzy.
Never, ever again.
“FORGET THE EQUIPMENT BAG,” Garret said when he met Viv in the parking lot of Skull Creek Choppers on Wednesday evening. “We’re traveling light.”
Viv eyed the black and silver motorcycle with the skull and crossbones motif that now sat parked near the doorway. “A ride?”
“A road trip. I’ve got to test out this bike and make sure she performs up to spec before I send her out. The only way to do that is to take her out and open her up.”
Excitement flared in her gaze for a split-second before she seemed to tamp down on it long enough to give him a calm, controlled, “Sounds good.” She pulled out her camera before tossing her bag into the car, then slammed and locked the door. “So,” she said, turning back to the bike and hooking the camera strap over her shoulder. “How do we do this? Do I get on first or last?”
“First.”
When she started to straddle the chopper, he caught her arm. Skin met skin and the air around them seemed to crackle. She stalled, and her gaze locked with his. For just the smallest moment, the past seemed to fade. The hurt. The betrayal.
Suddenly it was just the two of them standing beneath the stars, staring into each other’s eyes the way they’d done so long ago.
When he’d been a man, and she’d been just a woman.
Or so he’d thought.
He stiffened and let his hand fall away. “Not that one.” He pointed to another chopper parked a few feet away near the back door. It was a silver and pink number he’d just completed for a runway model from New York. “That one. I’m shipping it out next week, and I want to do some final tweaks. You’re about the same size as the client, so you can give me a feel for how she’ll handle.”
“But I can’t ride.” For a split-second, there was more than simply dismay in her gaze. He saw a glimmer of uncertainty. Fear. And something softened inside of him.
“You can ride a horse, can’t you?”
“Sure. About a hundred years ago before I grew vampire cooties.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “It doesn’t matter. Once you’ve done it, you never forget how. Just stash your camera in that compartment beneath the seat, climb on, keep your knees locked and your hands steady, and you’ll be fine.”
She looked hesitant, but finally she walked over, stashed her camera and straddled the bike. Her fingers tightened on the hand grips. “I hope you have good insurance.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because if I fall off this thing, I’m going to sue.” When he started to remind her that her injuries would heal faster than he could call 911 or pull out a first aid kit, she added, “For the emotional duress I’m going to suffer when I fall on my ass in front of everyone and make a complete idiot of myself.”
“We’re taking the backroads, so the only one likely to see you on your ass will be me. I’ve busted my own more than once, so you’ll be in good company.”
She looked doubtful. “You’ve really fallen off one of these things?”
“One or two times.” He shrugged. “Or forty-three.”
“You’re not making me feel any better.” She eyed him.
“I was popping wheelies or racing or doing something equally stupid when I bit the dust. You won’t have that problem because we’re going to go nice and slow.”
She eyed the bike again, and disappointment glimmered before diving into the deep blue depths of her eyes. “I guess I don’t really have a choice, do I? If I want to ride, it’s this or nothing.”
“This or you can take pictures inside and wait for Jake and Dillon. I’m sure one of them would double up and give you a tour of the town when they come in.”
“But not you?”
“I’ve got my own bike to evaluate. I need an accurate ride,” he added, suddenly eager to convince himself. “Two people throw the balance off. I need to make shock and alignment adjustments. If you climb on, my readings will be messed up.” And so would his control.
Already, he could feel his body temperature rising. His hands trembled, and it was all he could do not to reach out and pull her close.
He wanted to taste her again.
To feel her.
“I’m crunched for time on this. The bike has to go out tomorrow.”
She sat there for a long moment as if trying to make up her mind. Stay or go. With him or without him. “It’s heavier than it looks,” she finally said, turning the handlebars from side to side.
“Only because it’s stationary. Once we start moving, she’ll loosen up.”
Indecision faded into
serious intent. “I really could use some firsthand experience,” she admitted. Then, eyeing the bike as if she were a bullfighter about to climb into the ring, she asked, “What do I do first?”
13
IT WAS NOTHING like riding a horse.
The cold metal against the insides of her bare knees. The hot exhaust blowing around her ankles. The soft, cushiony seat pillowing her bottom. The steady vibration between her legs.
A horse wasn’t nearly this exciting.
This stirring.
This decadent.
The wind whipped at her face and lifted the neckline of her blouse. Air teased her nipples, stirring them to a full, throbbing awareness. Electricity rippled up her spine and she chanced a glance to the side to see Garret staring back at her.
Again.
As reassuring as he’d been about her ability to ride, he seemed intent on keeping a close eye on her.
A strange warmth blossomed in her chest. A crazy feeling because the last thing she wanted from him was his concern.
Her nipples pebbled, and she shifted on the seat. A bad move even though she’d worn panties tonight. They were thin enough to be non-existent, and desire spurted through her, along with a rush of anxiety.
“How much longer until we get where we’re going?” she asked. Where the wind would have masked her voice to the normal human, Garret heard her loud and clear.
“It’s not about getting somewhere. It’s about the ride, sugar. Just relax.”
Sugar.
The sentiment stuck in her head, and the warmth spread from her chest throughout the rest of her body. Need spiraled through her, dive-bombing several erogenous zones and making her that much more uncomfortable. And desperate.
She tightened her grip on the handlebars and did her damndest not to shift on the seat. No problem when they were on the main highway. But when Garret turned off onto an old dirt path, Viv knew she was in big trouble.
Sure enough, she bounced this way and slid that way and rubbed up and down and—
Easy.
Yeah, right. By the time they came to a stop by the edge of a sprawling river, she was this close to going up in flames.
She killed the engine and sat there for a few seconds trying to gather her control. Just one teensy, tiny move and she was going to—
She bit down on her bottom lip and fought back the burst of dizzying pleasure. Her vision clouded, and she clamped her eyes shut. Her ears rang. She could feel her fangs sharp against her tongue. Her hands tightened on the handlebars, and she braced herself.
Not yet. Not like—
“Are you okay?”
Garret’s voice pushed past the roar in her head, and she forced her eyes open to find him staring back at her.
He sat a few feet away on the black and chrome chopper. His hands rested atop his thighs. He looked as relaxed as ever except for the tense set to his jaw. As if he knew the turmoil her body was caught in, and it took all of his strength not to climb off the motorcycle and help her out.
“I…” She swallowed against the tightness in her throat and summoned her control. “I’m just feeling a little dizzy. It was a rough ride.” And not nearly satisfying enough. “I…Just let me sit here for a minute and catch my bearings.”
She waited for him to remind her that she was a vampire who wasn’t susceptible to motion sickness. She could leap tall buildings and levitate and walk on water, for Pete’s sake. Motion sickness? Forget about it.
He didn’t say a word. Instead, he gave her a thoughtful look before he finally shrugged and climbed off the bike.
He walked over to the edge of the water and hunkered down. Pulling out a shiny black PDA, he started keying in notes. He seemed oblivious to Viv, and she sent up a silent thank-you.
She spent the next few minutes telling herself every reason why she shouldn’t climb off the bike, march over to him and jump his bones.
Slow, she reminded herself. Easy. She needed him to be the aggressor. That’s why she’d had an orgasm in the first place. Because he’d seduced her. He’d turned the tables on her and taken control. That’s what had sent her over the edge.
If she took the lead, she wouldn’t be any more satisfied than she’d been with any other man. She had to wait on him.
She eyed his broad back outlined by the moonlight reflecting off the calm water. Her tummy tingled and her knees shook and desperation coiled low in her belly.
No, she wasn’t going to jump him.
At the same time, she wasn’t going to sit here and just wait. She had to do something.
“Shimmy, shake, shazam.” Winona’s crackling voice echoed through her head.
It had been the woman’s last piece of advice when Viv had called her on the way to Skull Creek Choppers that evening.
“If the drop and retrieve didn’t send him over the edge, you have to get more aggressive. You got to send a crystal-clear message that says you’re ready for sex, and nothing does that better than stripping buck naked smack dab in front of him.”
“Isn’t that a little too aggressive?”
“Not if you don’t say the words. See, telling a man you want to have sex with him takes all the guesswork out of it, which takes away the challenge. Every man wants what he can’t have. So the key here is to let him see what it is he can’t have. Sort of like dangling the carrot in front of him. Then when he makes like Bugs Bunny and tries to grab you, you back off.”
“Why would I back off if he tries to grab me?”
“’Cause you’re dangling, darlin’. Trust me, if you strip naked and employ my infamous Triple S, he’ll make another move. And then another. My rule of thumb is three moves minimum. Then you can give in. Just remember to shimmy and shake every time you take off something.”
“What about the shazam? How do I do that?”
“It’s not something you do, darlin’.” The old woman laughed. “That’s what happens when that man finally gets ahold of you. Shazam!”
Viv gathered her courage and turned on the state-of-the-art sound system built into the chopper’s dash. A frantic heavy metal song blasted from the speakers, and she punched the buttons until she found a soft, slow country song with just enough beat for what she had in mind.
She climbed off the bike. “Nice sound system,” she commented. “Is it standard on all your bikes?”
“We don’t have a ‘standard.’ We cater to each customer.” He didn’t spare her a glance. “Some want more power than others. Some want CD only. Some want XM. Some want it all. We give them what they want.”
“It’s nice.” She fingered the edge of the red sequined tank top she’d bought today just minutes before the boutique had closed. Actually, they’d already turned off the sign, but she’d used her persuasive gaze to get the salesclerk to open up for one final purchase—a blue jean mini-skirt, strappy tank and a pair of killer red heels. “So, um, how did your bike handle?”
“Fine, with the exception of a few suspension problems. But they’re easy to fix.” He still didn’t turn her way.
“So,” she came up next to him on the riverbank, “where exactly are we?”
“The river.”
“I know that. What river?”
“It’s really deep, so the folks around here call it the Bottomless Pit.”
“That sort of kills the mood.”
A warm chuckle vibrated on the air. “Black Bottom River is the official name.”
“Oh.” She went silent for a few moments as the night’s sounds closed in on her. The occasional hooting of an owl, the faint ripple of water, the click of his fingers on the PDA, the distant drone of the highway miles away. Wind rippled, sneaking beneath the edge of her skirt to tickle her thighs and the tender flesh between her legs.
She shifted. “Garret?”
“Yeah?”
“Could you look here for a second? I’ve got something to show you.”
He didn’t budge. “I really need to finish these adjustments for the suspension system in case
I forget something.”
She would lay money down that he never forgot a thing, whether keyed in or not. She tamped down on her disappointment and gathered her courage.
“Boy, it’s hot out here.” She slid a hand under her hair and lifted it. Her back arched and her breasts pushed up and out, but he didn’t spare her a glance. “Maybe I’ll just cool off.” She knelt near the water and splashed some onto her face, careful to let it drip down into her cleavage. “Uh-oh. I’m all wet now.”
In more ways than one.
He still didn’t look at her. “I’ve got an extra T-shirt under the seat on my bike if you need to dry off.”
“Thanks, but I’m fine.” She pushed to her feet and barely resisted kicking him in the side. That would get his attention.
And cause major damage. She wanted him in her bed, not the hospital. “It’s a really nice night. Would you look at that moon?”
He didn’t, and she re-evaluated her earlier decision. The toe of her shoe caught him in the ribs.
Hey, he was a vampire. He would heal.
“Ouch!” His head whipped around, and his ice-blue gaze stared up at her. “What the hell was that for?”
She shrugged. “Sorry.” She gave him an innocent smile. “I guess I lost my balance.”
He didn’t look the least bit convinced, but at least he was looking at her.
Before she could reach for the strap of her tank top, however, he turned back to his PDA.
“My front drive shaft was a little shaky,” he commented, as if trying to get his thoughts back on business. “I’ll have to make some tweaks to it.”
“This place is really great,” she tried for more conversation. “Do you come here often?”
“I live here.”
She glanced toward the opposite bank and the lush green grass that stretched toward a distant wall of trees. “Unless you’re pitching a tent over there every night—one with Kryptonite walls—I doubt you live here.”
A grin tugged at his mouth. “Kryptonite’s for super-heroes, sugar, not vampires, and I didn’t mean here at the river. I meant here on the property.” He motioned to the north. “I’ve got a place just beyond those trees over there.”
Love at First Bite Bundle Page 48