by Linzi Basset
“Is there a problem, Sage?”
His voice yanked her back to the present and she promptly forgot to breathe as she glanced back at him. He was already straddling the Harley with his hands resting on the handlebars; his widespread legs balanced the bike. Heaven help her, he looked the epitome of a bad boy and a devil combined. Raw, rough, and debonair all entwined into one gorgeous Herculean frame. It was a picture that engraved itself behind her eyelids. One she had no doubt would hound her into eternity and set her libido on fire every time she closed them.
How the devil can any woman stay sane in the presence of this man? Freaking hell … I’m in so much shit!
“Out with it. What’s bothering you?”
“I’ve never been on a bike. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do.” Sage fiddled with the zipper in an effort to gather the courage to get on behind him. She should never have listened to him. She should’ve masturbated last night. Now, here she was, as strung up as tight as a piano string and on the edge of a climax. Just one rub against his hard ass and she’d be a goner. Freaking hell … that would be a huge embarrassment!
“This will be your first pillion ride. The most important thing is to keep your weight centered and hold onto my waist. Riding long distances, even with a comfortable seat, protective clothing, and someone with over twenty years of experience driving, you’ll find it’s a raw affair, although exciting and enervating at the same time. Just try to relax and maintain your balance. I’m buffeting the wind, so all you need to do is lean into turns with me.” He reached out and pinched her nose. “Trust me, little one. I’ll navigate us safely through traffic and around curves and bends.” He closed the visor of the helmet and patted the seat behind him. “Hop on, Ms. Porter. It’s time to let go of your inhibitions.”
Sage stepped onto the footrest and swung over her leg to settle on the seat, careful to maintain a space between their bodies.
His chuckle sounded hollow in the confines of the helmet but it was all it took to spark the dormant fires in her loins. She bit back the groan she could feel rumbling in her throat.
“This bike is a powerful beast, Sage. Tuck in against my back and wrap your arms around my waist. We don’t want you to fall off the moment I pull away, right?”
Not wishing to make a complete ass of herself, Sage knew she had no choice. She would just have to reach deep and keep her overeager ovaries in control. She leaned forward and pressed against his back as she clamped her hands at the sides of his waist. Surely, it’d be enough to keep her seat? Wrapping her arms all the way around him … hell no. It was too much to ask. At the same time, she coveted the strength and power he exuded through the layers of leather separating them. A tremor pulsed down her spine as he started the engine and she felt the vibration under her. For the first time since her arrival at the university that morning, she felt excited. Granted, a bit scared, but the thrill of the powerful engine awakened the rebel inside her.
Come hell or high water, I’m going to have fun on this trip!
“Hold fast, Sage.” His voice rasped through her headset.
She did as instructed and tucked in behind him as he snapped open the throttle. The modified V Twin answered with a loud roar as the big Harley Davidson rocketed forward, emitting a surprised shriek from her as the power blasted them into the sunlit middle lane of the main street. It was all it took for her to frantically encircle his waist and clamp her hands together over his stomach. She could hear the roar of the other bikes following them. The initial fear didn’t last long and soon she was left feeling exhilarated, alive and filled with anticipation.
Four hours later, Sage was ready to jump off the bike mid-ride. She ached all over. Her legs were numb and her back felt like it had been whipped for hours, courtesy of the attempt to keep her upper body from making too much contact with Cole. Once they’d settled into an easy speed, she’d relaxed the stranglehold she’d had on him, which she’d realized belatedly had been a mistake. Not being pressed so tightly against him meant every movement he made, scraped against her front bits, setting her body into a slow burn. One that was on the verge of combusting.
She cursed herself for the hundredth time since they’d left New Orleans. Notwithstanding his threat the previous night, she should’ve masturbated. At least then she wouldn’t be caught in spasms of need from her throbbing clit and pulsing loins that had sporadically flushed her pussy with juices.
I’m so freaking wet, there’s probably a noticeable patch between my legs, for heaven’s sake!
“When are we stopping? I can’t sit anymore and my legs are starting to cramp.” She winced as she noticed the whiney tone in her voice but shrugged it off. He knew she was a novice rider and should expect complaints from her. Besides, she’d warned him, more than once that she wasn’t one to rough it.
“Ten more minutes. I know you must be tired but please stop fidgeting and keep your weight centered. I don’t want you falling off around the next bend.” He reached for her knee and gently squeezed it. “You're doing great, love. I’m proud of you.”
Sage basked in the praise, or maybe she was caught unaware by the easy way with which the endearment fell from his lips. Either way, she was still in a daze at the turn her life had taken since he arrived on her doorstep the previous night. She still couldn’t believe that she’d signed a two-year Dom/sub agreement with him. To be honest, the fact that she was now officially his submissive still hadn’t sunk in.
“Oh, thank goodness,” she sighed in relief as Cole turned off the road and parked the Harley in front of a seaside restaurant, Pompano Joe’s. “Aww, shit.”
“What’s wrong?” Cole turned his upper body to glance at her. His lips thinned as he noticed the pained expression on her face. He kicked the stand in place and got off the bike, taking care not to push her off the seat.
“I can’t move. Damn, it hurts,” she moaned as she rubbed her thighs.
“Here, let me.”
Cole carefully lifted her leg over and shifted her sideways before he gently massaged her legs, starting at her ankles and systematically worked his way up to her thighs. Sage could feel her muscles relax and ease from the strain under his expert touch. She resolutely buried the annoyed thought that he must’ve done it for numerous women in the past. He was a gorgeous man and she’d have to accept that he had his fair share of partners over the years. Being jealous of what was, served no purpose. She had a feeling it would only piss him off if she made a snarky remark about it.
“Better?”
Sage looked up, startled to find his face so close to hers. It was an automatic reaction to rear backwards. A flash of anger sparked darkened spots around his irises.
“Ehm … yes, thank you. It feels amazing. You have very gentle hands.”
She gasped as he caught her chin between his fingers. Her eyes widened as he leaned in, so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her mouth.
“Don’t ever turn away from me, Sage.”
Her eyes flitted sideways, embarrassingly aware that they had become the center of the group’s attention.
“What are you doing? Everyone is watching for heaven’s sake!”
“So? We’re in a committed relationship, Sage. Or did you think I intended to crawl around in the dark with you?” His gaze sharpened. “Are you ashamed of us?”
“No!” Her response was immediate and vehement. It might have happened suddenly and unexpectedly but it was something she’d secretly been fantasizing about for years. No way in hell would she ever be ashamed to be in a relationship with this man. “It’s just … no one knows and you’re my boss. Can you imagine the stories?”
“I suppose you’re right. So, let’s just nip this in the bud right away, shall we?” He planted a hard kiss on her lips and ignoring her surprised gasp, he lifted her off the bike and hugged her against him. “You’re mine, Sage, and I for one have no intention of hiding it from anyone—students and staff included.”
He turned to face the g
roup, holding her at his side with a hard arm around her waist. He chuckled at the gaping expression watching them.
“Seeing as we’re about to spend the next month together, you might just as well know. Ms. Porter and I are in a committed relationship.” His smile broadened as Sage’s cheeks turned red under the rowdy whistles and excited shrieks of the girls. “It’s relatively new, so I’d appreciate everyone to respect that.”
“No problem, Dean Sawyer. I have to say, you chose the perfect one for you. We’ve always said you and Ms. Porter would make a perfect match.” The glee in Brenna’s voice was testimony to her having called it, as the students always said.
“I’m sure everyone is hungry.” Cole effectively changed the subject, aware of Sage’s discomfort at being the center of attention. “We’ve got tables reserved on the outside.”
He started walking toward the restaurant as he gestured around. “For those of you who don’t know, this is Panama City Beach in Florida. Pompano Joe’s is famous for its seafood dishes.” He looked over his shoulder at the group. “Seeing as the first stretch of our trip was so long, lunch is on me.”
They walked inside amidst cheers from the students, who were supposed to pay for their own meals at stops in between.
“Excuse us, Dean, but the ladies’ room is calling.” Talia hooked her arm into Sage’s and dragged her to the restroom in the far corner. Sage didn’t resist, mainly because she had to go … and fast. Talia huffed as she headed for the first open stall the moment the door closed behind them, clearly more interested in the new developments than relieving herself. She stood waiting with her foot tapping on the floor when Sage was done.
“Come on, out with it. How the heck did you go from not going on the trip to being in a relationship with Dean Sawyer?” Talia watched impatiently as Sage washed her hands.
“Believe me, I’m still in as much shock as you are.”
“Are you saying this happened only this morning?” Talia dragged in a deep breath. “The relationship he’s referring to … is it a Dom/sub agreement?”
“Partly.”
Talia snorted, clearly impatient. “Elaborate please.”
Sage looked around and noticed the covert glances from the students who were waiting for stalls to open.
“Not here. I definitely don’t need all kinds of stories to start doing the rounds. I’m sure Cole would appreciate it even less.”
“Very well, outside then.” Talia herded her to the front of the restaurant.
“Goodness, Talia. One would swear you’re my mother,” Sage protested as she stared expectantly at her.
“I’m your friend and you know as well as I do that neither of us would ever take such a step without discussing it with each other. That you have …” She frowned darkly. “Did he force you into this? Is he blackmailing you because of what happened in the club?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Talia. Does Cole Sawyer strike you as the kind of man that would ever need to resort to something like that?”
“Well, no, but I didn’t expect you to just fall at his feet the first time he snapped his fingers either.”
“I didn’t fall at his feet. Anything but.”
“Then what?”
Sage sighed as she stared out over the ocean, trying to gather her thoughts … which since this morning were still in scrambles.
“You know I’ve had a crush on him for years. I’ve dreamed of being with him and after Saturday … I have to tell you, Talia, he might have punished me, but there was so much more to it. Sensations, emotions, and feelings that I still find hard to describe. There’s a connection between us that goes deeper than what is between a Dom and his sub. It’s difficult to describe but he felt it too and he settled all my concerns this morning. Besides …” Her cheeks turned rosy. “It’s a long-term agreement.”
“Long term as in?”
“Two years with the aim to …”
“Yes? Dammit, Sage. Must I drag everything out of you?”
“Well, he’s talking about marriage.”
Talia gaped at her and Sage reached out to push up her chin. Talia’s mouth snapped shut.
“Slap me with a wet fish, why don’t cha? That was the last thing I expected.” She looked at Sage with concern in her eyes. “It doesn’t bother you that he’s ten years older than you?”
“That’s the last thing I worry about. Besides, he doesn’t look or act a day over thirty-five. Relax, Talia. I didn’t make the decision lightly and the agreement we signed has a clause for getting out of it. Not that I’d want to. He’s offered me what I’ve dreamed of for so long … more, since he’s exactly the kind of Dom I’ve unknowingly been searching for.”
“Ladies, you better get outside. The Dean is getting restless that you’re dallying so long,” Steve said from the doorway. He gestured inside. “Come on, hustle. I don’t know about you but I sure as hell don’t want to anger him this early in the trip.”
Cole was known for his stellar control and he hardly lost his temper but those who had witnessed his anger, stepped lightly around him. Sage was one of them.
“Let’s go. I didn’t have breakfast and my belly has been growling for the past two hours.” Sage led the way through the restaurant. Cole’s big body was hard to miss as she looked around and headed his way. It didn’t cross her mind once not to join him at the table in the corner where he was chatting with the other four professors already seated.
“Hungry?” he asked with an indulgent smile as she slipped into the booth.
“Starving. I’m surprised you didn’t hear my stomach growling on the way.”
“Ah, is that what it was? I was worried the Harley’s exhaust had a … hey!” He laughed and caught her fist in his hand as she pumped it against his shoulder. He placed her hand on his thigh and covered it with his. “Let’s feed you then.”
“Any suggestions, Dean Sawyer? Everything on the menu looks delicious.” Ally Neil batted her eyelids at him. He squeezed Sage’s hand as he felt her body grow taut against his. He cast a sideways smile of assurance at her.
“They won awards with their gumbo, which is a personal favorite of mine. The garlic crusted grouper with lobster is also a winner or if you prefer something meaty, try the blackened ribeye. Whatever you choose, you won’t be disappointed.”
Once their orders were placed, they soon settled into a pleasant conversation about the route of the trip and the places they were going to visit. Sage realized that her perception of what a road trip on bikes entailed was vastly different from the one Cole had planned. For one thing, they weren’t going to rough it like she’d thought; they were staying over in luxury hotels and lodges.
“You look surprised?” Ally said with a smirk on her face.
Sage studied her silently. The earlier warning bell chimed in her mind once again. She had a suspicion Ally wasn’t as sincere as she appeared to be and intended to make trouble at some point during the trip … with Sage at the center.
“I am.” Sage shrugged. “I’ve never been on a bike trip and the ones I read about were all about staying close to nature and camping out.” She dimpled as she looked around the table. “Something I’m very happy to know we’re not doing. I am not a camp kind of girl.”
“This trip has been in the making for three years. You can imagine it’s not a cheap excursion, so Dean Sawyer announced it just before you started at the university. These students have been saving up for it since.” Ally sniffed the air regally. “I’d have thought you were aware of it.”
Sage refused to be drawn into a mindless debate with a woman whose intention was to belittle her in front of everyone … or more accurately, Cole. She ignored her in favor of a blinding smile at him. “Where are we staying tonight?”
“About an hour or two’s ride from here at a luxury resort, Luna’s Lodge, on the banks of West Bay. Once there, everyone can decide how to spend the rest of the afternoon. There are fantastic hiking trails around the Bay, fishing, sailing or just relaxing and s
oaking in the sun.”
“A hike sounds wonderful. How about it Dean Sawyer, are you going to show us the sights?” Again, Ally continued to vie for Cole’s attention. Sage was slowly losing her cool but forced herself not to react.
“I already made plans with Sage for the afternoon. Maybe another time. Ah, our food.” Cole sniffed the aroma of the plates of gumbo the server placed in front of him and Sage. He broke off a piece of bread and soaked up the broth. “Hmm … heaven.” He gestured to the students who were all being served. “Eat up everyone and enjoy.”
Ally turned silent after Cole’s rebuff but the pinched look on her face warned Sage that she had no intention of letting up. The searing looks she slanted at Sage throughout the meal were as sharp as a rapier. If looks could kill, she’d be dead.
Sage reasoned that she’d probably been preparing herself to seduce Cole on this trip for years, and from her actions, she wasn’t going to let the fact that he was in a committed relationship get in her way.
A ripple of unease traveled down Sage’s spine at another chilled look.
I’d better tread carefully. She’s a snake and from all looks, a poisonous one at that.
Sage tilted back her chin and stared at her until she lowered her eyes. She might have known Cole longer but he was hers now and Ally Neil would soon realize she’d fight like a wild tiger to keep him.
Chapter Eight
“We can’t share a room! Can you imagine what the students will think?” Sage whispered furiously as Cole signed the register and took the room card from the smiling owner, Luna Walters.
“Enjoy your stay, Cole.” She smiled as she turned to assist the waiting students. It was evident from the familiarity between them that he was a regular customer of the lodge.
Cole ignored Sage’s protests as he guided her toward the stairs with a hand clamped around her elbow.
“That we’re grownups who have a healthy adult relationship.” He glanced at her as she continued to slag behind. “I’m not about to slink around in the dark to your room once everyone is asleep, Sage. They all know we’re in a relationship and I, for one, have no intention of pretending sleeping together and fucking each other aren’t part of it.”