Full Throttle

by Adriana Hunter

  Full Throttle

  New Adult Biker Romance

  Copyright © 2014, Adriana Hunter

  All Rights Reserved.

  Published by Tangled Press

  http://www.AdrianaHunter.com

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  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations and places are solely the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, including events, areas, locations and situations is entirely coincidental.

  Table Of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  About The Author

  Also By Adriana Hunter

  Newsletter

  Chapter One

  “Hey, Aubrey. Wait up!”

  Aubrey Rhodes reluctantly hesitated, considered ignoring the voice calling her name, but knew she couldn’t. Finally, she sighed and turned, watching impatiently as Paul White ran down the steps of the Peabody-Walker School of Music. She’d just left practice with him; what could he possibly want now?

  Aubrey was in the home stretch of auditioning for a chair in the Madison-Parkway Symphony, the goal she’d been working toward for most of her life. Of course, it would take her away from her home and family, but she’d have the opportunity to travel, see the world, and play music. And it was what everyone expected of her; or more accurately, it was what her parents expected of her.

  As a result, her life was currently an endless series of practice sessions combined with struggling through her final year at university. Her parents demanded regular updates of her progress even though they were never quite satisfied with what she told them. It seemed like she was always one step behind and couldn’t possibly do enough to please everyone. Sometimes all she really wanted was to just abandon it all and run away, to be given the opportunity to enjoy her twenties rather than spend every moment living a life that didn’t even feel like her own.

  The pressure had gotten so bad lately that she’d begun fantasizing about her violin being stolen just so she could take a break from it all. But she knew someone would just buy her a replacement, and the whole situation would continue uninterrupted.

  “Paul, I’m late for dinner with my parents. If you want to talk to me, you’re going to have to walk along. Sorry.” Aubrey turned away from him and continued down the sidewalk, her violin case bumping against her leg as she dodged pedestrians and wished there were more hours in the day.

  “Yeah, no problem.” His lean legs maintained his stride, matching Aubrey’s movement. “I’ve been thinking about a couple of the passages in my audition piece and I wanted you to listen to them.”

  Aubrey blew air through her lips, annoyed. “I’d love to, but you know how crazy everything is for me right now. I barely have enough time to do my laundry. I’m late for dinner tonight with my parents and I have a final in the morning I haven’t even begun to study for. That pretty much kills the rest of my day.” She let out a deep sigh. “And then there’s practice again tomorrow. And Paul, why are you questioning your audition piece now? You can’t start making changes so close to the audition.”

  “Huh? Well, I don’t know. I just want it to be perfect.”

  She bit her tongue, knowing how sensitive Paul was to criticism. Having dated him back in high school, she had quickly discovered how fragile his ego was and how serious he was about his music. Despite his obvious interest in her, they’d agreed now wasn’t the time for anything serious. Aubrey had been relieved; while he was really a great guy and a good friend, she’d discovered after a few dates that she really wasn’t that into him. He was just too…nice.

  “I’d love to, Paul, but I just don’t have…”

  In mid-sentence, someone crashed into her, pushing her to the sidewalk. She landed painfully on her hands and knees, the wind knocked out of her. Before she even had a chance to draw a breath, she felt her purse wrenched from her shoulder. Looking up from her vantage point on the dirty concrete, she saw a man running off down the sidewalk, weaving through the crowd, the broken strap of her purse trailing behind him.

  Before she could even take in what had happened, there were shouts and the loud, revving sound of a motorcycle. She looked up frantically, saw a woman point in the direction where the man had gone, and then watched in amazement as a guy in a black leather biker jacket drove his motorcycle up on the sidewalk, taking off after the man with her purse. Suddenly there were blaring car horns, but from her position on the sidewalk, she really couldn’t get a good view of what was happening.

  At least she still had her violin. Aubrey glanced down and then blanched in horror. All she held in her hand was the broken handle of her case. She sat up, dazed, and noticed the rest of the case lying on the sidewalk a few feet away. She crawled over to it, pulling it to her, cradling it in her lap, suddenly overcome with sadness.

  Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see the man in dark black leather looming over her.

  “Are you okay?” He knelt beside her. She was startled, at first by the soft voice and then by the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. From the stubble, the leathers, and his size, Aubrey thought she should be hearing a growl rather than the soft rumble that came from his sinfully perfect lips.

  “Um, I think so.” She looked down at her violin case, hardly daring to think about what her parents would say if the instrument was damaged. A rogue thought played through her mind; maybe her dark wish had finally come true. She’d be free of the thing and all the pressure that came with it. She shook her head. That’s not how she was supposed to be thinking.

  “Here, we need to get you out of the way.” They were blocking the sidewalk, pedestrians moving around them. He carefully helped Aubrey to her feet and she wavered a moment, the world spinning in front of her eyes.

  “Whoa, there. Take it easy.”

  Aubrey looked up at him, vaguely confused by the genuine look of concern on his face.

  “I’m fine. Really. Just…my purse.”

  “Right here.” He handed it to her and she took it, automatically hoisting the strap over her shoulder. But it fell to the sidewalk, the broken strap coiling on top of the purse.

  “Come on, I think you’re in shock or something.” The man scooped up the purse then took her arm, guiding her across the sidewalk to the steps of the school.

  “You know, I usually don’t run down purse snatchers on my bike,” the man said, smiling. “This is a definitely a first.”

  Aubrey barely heard the words. She couldn’t get her bearings, couldn’t seem to get her mind and body to cooperate. She stood indecisively, blinking in the sun. There was a tug on her arm and she realized that the man was pulling her toward the school steps.

  “Thank you. I just…well…it happened so fast and, well, then there was you…on the bike, and...” Aubrey’s words spilled out in a rush, making no sense at all. She began to shake uncontrollably and took a step forward, still clutching her violin case. And then everything went dark.

  * * *

  Aubrey’s first thought was that she must have taken a nap. But she was lying on something hard and she could hear people talking around her in whispered tones. She wanted to sit up, but something was holding her down. Opening her eyes, she looked up and saw him staring down at her, his eyes filled with concern. It finally dawned on her that she was lying with her head in a strange man’s lap, his leather
jacket as a pillow propped beneath her head. She tried to sit up again.

  The stranger spoke. “I’d stay still for a minute more if I were you. I don’t think you hit your head, but you look a little pale. How do you feel?” He was trying to gently keep her from sitting up.

  “What happened? Wait, where’s my violin?” Aubrey sat up on the cool cement steps, shrugging off the man’s hand.

  “It’s right here.” He reached behind them and picked up the case. She took it, finally working up the nerve to open the lid. A cursory look showed no obvious signs of damage; the bridge was still intact, the tailpiece straight, and none of the strings were broken. She ran a hand softly over the polished wood of the instrument.

  “Do you want your purse, too?”

  Aubrey’s attention was focused on her violin, but the teasing tone of his voice wasn’t lost on her. She closed the case and looked at him.

  “Yes. But all that stuff’s replaceable. The violin isn’t.” Aubrey rubbed her hand over the fabric of the case. She thought she must come across as totally obsessed, or at least mildly crazy. Most people who knew her were used to her intense nature; the term “high-strung” was used frequently and without irony.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude. Thank you again for getting it back.”

  For the second time that day, he handed her the purse.

  “I don’t think you ever told me your name,” she said.

  “Caleb,” he replied with a smile. “Caleb West.” Again, Aubrey was struck by his soft-spoken voice. She noticed his tattoos running up both arms and disappearing beneath the short sleeves of his black t-shirt. She also noticed those arms were very muscular and that his t-shirt was stretched across what looked like a very masculine chest. Her breath caught in her throat and she blinked hard, trying not to stare and barely succeeding.

  “I’m Aubrey Rhodes. It’s nice to meet you…Caleb.” She held out her hand and when he accepted it, she felt a frisson of electricity shoot up her arm, warming her body with just his touch. She looked into his eyes and swore she saw an answering flicker in their impossibly blue depths, the hint of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth. He held her hand a little longer and the world, for just that moment, faded for her. It was as though nothing existed but him and her. The sudden blaring of a car horn jolted her back to reality and the spell was broken.

  “What time is it?” Aubrey scrambled to her feet, gathering her belongings. Caleb rose, shrugging on his jacket. “I need to catch the bus...” She looked at her watch. “Oh my God, I missed it. Damn. Now I’m really late.”

  Caleb laughed. She looked up at him, scowling. “It’s not funny. I’m running late for dinner with my parents and you don’t know how serious they are about my being on time.”

  He took a step back, hands up. “I get it…sorry.”

  Aubrey sighed. “I’m the one who should be apologizing to you.”

  “Listen, Aubrey…if you like, I can give you a ride to your parents’ house. It’s no trouble, really.” He smiled and she felt her heart flutter in her chest.

  She was struck again by his bright blue eyes and how incredibly handsome he was in a rough and dangerous way. There was nothing pretty about him at all; he was all man. The classic bad boy look hid behind a gentle nature that she was drawn to. That little frisson of excitement started up again, sending a shiver through her. He was so different from anyone she had ever met, certainly different from Paul.

  “I’d really like that.” Her cheeks grew warm. “I mean, yes, it would be great. Thank you.”

  “I’ll get my bike and be right back.” He reached out, unexpectedly brushing a strand of hair away from her face before he turned away.

  “Oh, wait.” With a guilty pang she thought about Paul, remembering that he’d been pushed aside by the purse-snatcher as well.

  Caleb turned back, one eyebrow raised.

  “Did you see the guy that was with me?”

  “If you mean the skinny kid with the head cut, yeah, he’s inside.” He gestured toward the big front doors.

  Aubrey hesitated only briefly. “I’ll be right back. Wait for me?”

  Chapter Two

  Caleb watched Aubrey run up the stairs. She disappeared inside the building and he decided he’d wait for her as long as she wanted him to.

  He turned, walking down the sidewalk to where he’d parked his bike at the curb. With the warren of one-way streets surrounding the school, it was far too complicated to ride the bike, so he bumped it back over the curb onto the sidewalk and walked it back to the front of the school, to the consternation of those walking on the sidewalk.

  This was the last thing he’d thought he’d be doing on this sunny Thursday afternoon. He’d been out for a ride and enjoying the weather, thinking about heading to Andy’s Tattoo parlor even though it was his day off, hanging out with the guys at the shop, maybe doing a walk-in or two while he was there.

  At the light he’d stopped, turned, and saw her walking along the sidewalk, a beautiful girl with long brown hair. She’d flipped it over her shoulder and he was mesmerized by that simple gesture. He’d watched her, taking in the way her jeans hugged her curves, the sway of her hips as she walked away from him. Then suddenly some jerk knocked her down and grabbed her purse.

  Without thinking, he rode his bike over the curb and down the sidewalk after the guy. It took only seconds to catch up to the thief and the instant the skinny kid saw Caleb was after him, he dropped the purse and darted into traffic, almost getting hit by a cab in the process.

  Caleb had grabbed the purse, parked his motorcycle at the curb, and ran back to where the girl sat on the sidewalk. She was no less beautiful up close and he’d been momentarily speechless. Then she’d fainted and he’d caught her and carried her up the steps, gently settling her head on his lap.

  While he waited—prayed—for her to wake up, he’d softly brushed the hair away from her face. It slid through his fingers like silk. Her face was pale but he wasn’t sure if that was because she’d fainted or if her skin really was that fair, that delicate.

  She’d finally opened her eyes and looked up at him. A flush of color rose in her cheeks. He’d tried to get her to lie still, but she’d insisted on checking her violin. He’d tried to think of a subtle—or not so subtle—way to get to see her again.

  It was fate when she’d said she was late for dinner and missed her bus. He didn’t think twice about offering her a ride. It had been a long time since he’d had a girl on his bike, and his heart beat a little faster at the thought of her sitting close behind him, her arms wrapped around his waist, her body pressed tightly against his back.

  Even if it was just for a short ride, it gave him an opening. That was the only thing that mattered.

  ***

  Aubrey found Paul in one of the practice rooms, holding a cloth-wrapped ice pack to his head.

  “Aubrey, are you okay?” Paul looked up at her, his forehead creased with a frown. “I’ve been asking about you. The last anyone saw, you’d passed out and were being carried up the steps by some guy in leather. He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Paul’s voice rose in panic.

  “Why would you think he hurt me? He got my purse back and took care of me when I fainted.” Aubrey gently took the ice pack away from Paul’s forehead. She saw a tiny cut, with barely any blood on the cloth.

  “This doesn’t look too bad. I think you were lucky.” Aubrey replaced the ice pack and Paul winced dramatically.

  “Well, it bled like crazy and it hurts like hell.” He adjusted the pack and sat back in the chair. “I think I should go to the emergency room, don’t you? I may need stitches.” He looked up at Aubrey. “Will you take me? I could have a concussion.”

  Aubrey frowned at Paul, shaking her head. “Dinner with the parents, remember? Caleb’s giving me a ride. I think you’re fine, Paul.” She waved her hand in front of his face, smiling. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

  Paul brushed her hand away. “This isn�
��t funny. Why are you going with him…with this ‘Caleb’?” Aubrey realized Paul was actually pouting.

  “Oh, well, he offered to take me and I need a ride. I’ll see you later, Paul.” She turned and strode out of the practice room. On her way out she found Becky, one of the student teachers, and handed off her violin with a brief explanation of its trauma. Becky promised to have someone give it a good going over for damage.

  Aubrey felt suddenly free, both of the physical constraints of her violin and the responsibilities attached to it. She wanted to enjoy this unexpected opportunity…and this unexpectedly sexy man. She’d never ridden on a motorcycle before and found herself very excited at the idea.

  Caleb was parked outside the school, leaning against his bike, long legs stretched out in front of him. He looked up and smiled as she came down the steps, and she was struck again by his rugged good looks, his black hair contrasting sharply with his piercing blue eyes. Her breath caught at the thought that this guy dressed in biker leather leaning casually against his motorcycle was there for her, plain old Aubrey, the music geek. She tried not to picture herself as the nerdy girl, with the same old mousy brown hair and pale skin. Instead, she tried to imagine Anne Hathaway or Emma Watson, obviously before they cut their hair, skipping down the steps to the handsome guy with a motorcycle waiting for her.

  A not so subtle wave of heat flashed through her body at the thought of getting her arms around him. This was so out of the norm for her, but right now she craved something wild, anything to take her out of her normal routine. And Caleb seemed pretty much tailor made for that. One thing stood in her way.

  “I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before.”

  Caleb straightened, his smile deepening. “Not a problem. You’ll be fine.”

  He climbed on, long legs straddling the bike, jeans pulled tight against his muscular thighs. Aubrey tried hard not to stare but was unsuccessful. She briefly met his eyes before glancing away, her face flaming.