Wilde Ride
A novel by
Maegan Lynn Moores
.
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2012 Maegan Lynn Moores
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An embarrassing run-in leaves her wanting more.
Ella Scott, ready for a change and the chance to escape family tragedy, heads to familiar Del Mar, California, after her college graduation.
No one could prepare her for what she’d find.
After starting her new job as a high school teacher, a scary encounter with some local thugs and a co-worker’s unwanted advances and attention send Ella into the arms of local bar owner Ryder Wilde. But Ryder comes with his own complications. As president of his motorcycle club, Mayhem, Ryder must choose between his biker family’s plans and whatever chance of a future he has with Ella.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Graduation
Chapter 2 - First Sighting
Chapter 3 - The Wilde Ride
Chapter 4 - Ryder’s Place
Chapter 5 - A Long Day
Chapter 6 - A Longer Night
Chapter 7 - Plan B
Chapter 8 - Oatmeal
Chapter 9 - Break and Enter
Chapter 10 - Brent the Creep
Chapter 11 - Party Hard
Chapter 12 - Confessions
Chapter 13 - Flowers
Chapter 14 - Issues
Chapter 15 - Going for a Run
Chapter 16 - Teacher’s Pet
Chapter 17 - Double Ds and Text Messages
Chapter 18 - Night on the Town
Chapter 19 - Party at Wilde Ride
Chapter 20 - Birthday Boy
Chapter 21 - Victoria’s Secret
Chapter 22 - Wanna go for a Ride?
Chapter 23 - The Attack
Chapter 24 - The Aftermath
Chapter 25 - Going Home
Chapter 26 - Gotta Leave
Chapter 27 - Devon
Chapter 28 - Choices
Chapter 29 - Remembering
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Graduation
After four years, it is finally my last day at Northeastern University. I’m graduating with a teaching degree and will soon be leaving Boston, Massachusetts, and be on my way to beautiful Del Mar, California, where I accepted a position as a literature teacher at Del Mar Regional High School.
Every summer when I was a child, my mother and father would take me and my younger brother to the town of Del Mar for two weeks. I loved it there, and it was all I looked forward to throughout the school year.
It all ended the summer before my senior year of high school, when my family and I were in a serious car accident that changed my life forever. Everyone said that I was lucky, even though I was the sole survivor. I don’t know how lucky I feel, considering my family’s dead and my lower torso is now covered with scars from the accident.
My best friend Payton and her family took me in for my senior year of high school. They loved me as much as I loved them. Most teenagers would’ve loved to be living with their best friend, but for me it was a constant reminder that I had no actual family left.
Payton Clare’s family, were wonderful. Her mother and stepfather helped me get into University and arranged my living situation and tuition, with help from my parent’s estate. Even though they lived in the same town, Payton’s mom Karen wanted me to experience a ‘true’ college experience.
Now it’s my graduation day, and I am valedictorian of my class. In just a short while, I will be giving my valedictorian speech. The only thing that could make me happier is to have everyone that mattered to me be here to share this special moment.
“I am so proud of you Ella, and I know your mother, father and brother would’ve been too,” Karen says, interrupting my thoughts.
“I know, I just wish they could be here with me,” I confide, tears threatening to form in my eyes.
“They are here, Ella. They are always here with you no matter what you do or where you go and I can assure you that they would be so proud of you for all that you’ve accomplished. I’ve always thought you take after your mother. You are a beautiful, smart, strong and independent woman. She is living within you and will for as long as you live,” she says, tucking loose hairs behind my ears.
“I wish you and Payton were going with me to California.”
“We’re going for a few days to help you move. After that, we are only a phone call away sweetie.”
She has a way of making me feel as if I was her own child. Which really, I guess, I became over the last few years.
“Hey Ella, This is so exciting!!!!” Payton squeals, running up to us.
“I know! I am freaking out. I don’t think I can do this. I hate speaking in front of people.”
“Yes, you can. What are you going to do when you’re in front of a class room full of teenagers?” Karen asks.
“It is completely different, I am the adult there and it will be my job. Totally different situation than making a speech,” I say, pointing out the obvious.
“Just pretend everyone’s naked,” Payton says, gesturing to the crowd, grinning. “Especially, that guy,” she purrs, pointing at some random guy while winking at me at the same time.
“Um. I think that would make me even more nervous,” I shoot back, taking in all the people in the room, especially the guy Payton is pointing out. Oh Great! I’m probably going to picture him naked now. Thanks a lot, Payton!
“The only thing people will be thinking is ‘I wish I could be as beautiful and smart as her,’” Payton says.
I wish it was that easy. She didn’t grow up being the one always hidden behind the beautiful, popular girls in high school and University. I mean, I’m not unattractive or anything, but I’m not a drop to your knees knockout either. My wavy hair is a dark chestnut and falls just past my shoulders. I have alabaster skin and chocolate brown eyes. I don’t wear very revealing clothes because of my scars, but if it wasn’t for them, I suppose I would have a rocking body.
“I’m sure that’s what they’ll be thinking, Payton,” I snort.
“God, you have no confidence in yourself. Where’s Matt? Maybe, he can talk some sense into you,” Payton says, rolling her eyes.
“He’s around here, somewhere,” I answer. Matt’s my boyfriend and fellow graduate. “But, I don’t think there’s anything he could say either, that would make me any less nervous about getting up on that stage,” I sigh.
Suddenly, the officials announce the Valedictorian’s name and invite her to the stage for her presentation. Oh Shit! That’s me. How was I going to get through this?
I step up onto the stage, lean against the podium and grip the edge so hard that my knuckles turn white. You can do this Ella. Stay strong, I think to myself. Taking a deep breath, I look out at the audience, avoiding the guy that Payton pointed
out to me, and begin my speech.
Midway through I make eye contact with three people: Payton, Karen and Matt. My girls are looking at me with expressions of pride and joy. When I meet Matt’s gaze, he winks and shouts out, “That’s my girl. You’re doing awesome, Ella!” I instantly blush and look away, continuing on with my speech.
Before I know it, I’m coming to the conclusion of my speech. To be honest, I was so nervous up there, I could have said anything. It couldn’t have been that bad because everyone applauds. I sit back down with my fellow graduates and wait to have our names called to accept our diplomas.
While I wait for my name to be called, I watch as Matt accepts his diploma and my thoughts drift to my past and present love life, if you can call it that. I have only ever had two boyfriends.
When the accident occurred, I was dating the quarterback of our high school’s football team. Jason broke up with me a couple of weeks after I was released from the hospital, claiming he couldn’t deal with the doom and gloom of the situation. Nice, huh? I’m glad I didn’t give my virginity away to that idiot.
I met my current boyfriend, Matthew Hoffe, during my second year of studies. He kind of has that whole ‘boy next door’ kind of look going on. He’s got short dark brown hair, brown eyes, perfect smile and is fairly well built, without looking like a total meathead. I mean he’s gorgeous and all, but I kind of like the whole bad boy look, if you know what I mean.
Although we were in the same class that first year, we never actually met until the following year. I was in the library studying one evening, when Matt strolled in and laid his books on the table and asked if he could join me. Most of the girls in school found him absolutely gorgeous and would die to get the chance to go out with him, but that night he chose to ask me out on a date for that coming weekend. Beginning that first date, we became inseparable, never left each other’s sides. If you saw Matt, I was close behind or vice versa.
Unfortunately, things haven’t been quite the same in the past year. We only see each other once or twice a week, outside of classes. The initial excitement that was in our relationship doesn’t seem to exist anymore.
I don’t really know what is going to happen over the summer, when I leave for California. Matt has taken a position at a private school in New York City. I love Matt, but not in the way that I should. I do know that I will not miss our relationship, but I will miss him when we part ways. Whatever happens, I hope that we can remain friends.
Even as close as we were, Matt and I haven’t had sex. I am still a twenty-two-year-old virgin. I know, you’re thinking, how pathetic, right? I was afraid that once he saw the scarred freak that I am, he’d never want anything to do with me.
Or maybe, the real reason was that Matt isn’t the one. The one person who could get me so worked up with desire that I would totally forget about what my body looks like and surrender to passion. I didn’t think that I would ever find the one for me, until I went to Del Mar for a week last summer.
Chapter 2
First Sighting
I will never forget the day that I first saw him.
I was out for my usual morning run, jogging along the main street in town listening to Miranda Lambert’s “Fastest Girl in Town” on my iPod, when I heard and felt it over my music. I didn’t know what to make of it, but it was loud and rumbled through my entire body. The vibrations sent sweet sensations from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. When I turned around out of curiosity, there was a group of around sixteen motorcycles roaring towards me. I swear it was just like you would see in one of those badass biker shows.
I turned my head back to the road in front of me after I was done staring and ran head first into the big light pole that was sticking out of the ground. I mean how in the fuck could you miss something like that?
Everything went black.
When I opened my eyes I thought I was in heaven. The most beautiful man I have ever seen was right in front of my face saying something I couldn’t make out. I was finally able to understand what he was saying when he pulled the headphones out of my ears.
“Are you ok?” Holding up two fingers, he asked, “How many fingers?”
“Two,” I replied.
God, he was gorgeous. He had shaggy, chin length dark brown hair that fell into the most beautiful blue eyes. I could see a tattoo on his neck peeking out of the collar of his leather jacket that said ‘Only God Can Judge Me’. It was totally badass and hot. My fingers itched to reach out and trace the letters inked on his skin. I was so mesmerized by him that I didn’t realize he was still speaking to me, so I asked him to repeat what he was saying.
“Do you think you can sit up or do we need to bring you to a hospital?”
He had the most sensual voice I had ever heard. He must have girls falling at his feet and out of their panties.
“I think I’ll be ok,” I said.
When I went to stand up, he held onto my arm to help steady me. I could feel the electricity from his fingers where he was holding me.
“I’m more than okay,” I stammered.
He gave me a funny look and finally let go of my arm, it still tingled where he had touched me. I felt a little light-headed and knew I was swaying when I noticed the buildings in front of me going side to side.
“Ah!” I cried when I almost landed back on the ground, but never made it there. Instead I found myself holding on tight to the hardest body I have ever felt or laid eyes on.
The next words out of hottie biker dude’s mouth were, “Whoa babe, you’re really fallin’ for me hard, aren’t you?”
Even though I was pretty sure I had a concussion, or suffering from brain damage and not quite thinking right, I knew he was being a smug, arrogant ass.
The next words out of my mouth were, “WHAT THE FUCK?! I could have killed myself and you’re giving me lame pick-up lines!”
I’m pretty sure that Jax Teller would not do that on Sons of Anarchy (which is one of my favorite television shows). I mean really? He is hot and all, but all he had on his mind was getting him some.
“Seemed like a real good idea at the fuckin’ time,” he said, followed with a sexy, crooked grin.
“I suppose you’re going to tell me next that there’s a mirror in my pocket because you can see yourself in my pants.”
He leaned towards me, with his mouth brushing against my ear and said, “I was actually gonna invite you to a party, beautiful.”
“Really?” I asked, a little too enthusiastically.
“Yep…a party in my pants,” he chuckled out loud. Even though he was being a jackass, it still seemed to make me hot and bothered.
I shoved him as hard as I could and continued to run in the direction of the rental home I was staying in. I heard him yell out to me, “See you around babe!” and I heard all the other biker guys laugh.
“In your dreams, go fuck yourself!” I said while giving him the finger, which led to the guys laughing even harder.
Even though it wasn’t the most romantic encounter (nothing like you’d see in the movies), there was just something about this guy that I couldn’t get out of my head. To my disappointment, I never saw the mysterious biker the rest of my trip.
I never did forget him. In fact I pretty much obsessed over him for the next year.
Chapter 3
The Wilde Ride
After graduation, I had a couple of months to spend time with Payton and her family, and I broke things off with Matt. He was surprised when I told him that I felt we were more friends than boyfriend/girlfriend. I told him that I would miss and always care for him and I would love to remain friends. It was not a look of happiness that I saw on his face when I was explaining myself to him.
I also had to point out that he would be living on the east coast and I would be on the west coast. How would we ever make a long-distance relationship work? Let’s just say that he did not like the fact that I was breaking up with him. If I mattered that much to him, he would have made more of an eff
ort while we were going out.
Maybe, it didn’t help that I couldn’t get a certain badass biker off of my mind.
****
It’s now the middle of August and I am finally in sunny Del Mar. Payton and Karen helped me move and stayed with me for a couple of days. While they were here, I showed them some of the places I love going to in town. They also helped me unpack all my things and decorated my apartment. My apartment is so cozy now that I just wanted to curl up on the sofa with my eReader and never leave.
Unfortunately, I had to leave my cozy little apartment because I started my new job at Del Mar Regional High School today. I am sitting in my classroom going over the lesson plan for this morning before the students show up for classes, when Brent Walker, the Physical Education teacher, walks through the door. He is attractive with messy, light blonde hair, green eyes and amazing dimples.
Brent shoots me a dimpled smile. “Hey Ella, how’s your first day going?”
“So far, pretty good. I’ve looked over some of my student files to get familiar with where they are with their abilities and met with some of the other teachers, as well. Now, I’m just going over my lesson plans for this morning.”
“Sheesh, woman. What time did you get here to accomplish all of that already?”
“About an hour ago, I guess.”
“I think I was still in bed an hour ago. Not hard to tell it’s your first day because you seem eager and way too excited. Give it a few days and that’ll pass.”
“I’m sure it will once I’ve gotten used to it.”
“So, I was wondering. Would you like to grab a drink with me this afternoon, after work?” he asks, nervously.
“Sure, I’d love to Brent.” He was hot, why not? “Okay, I’ll meet you in the teachers lounge at four o’clock,” he says, shooting me a grin and walking out of my classroom.
It’s just after four o’clock in the afternoon. Brent offered to drive me to the bar, which is about a five-minute drive from the school. When we reach our destination, I can’t help but think to myself ‘Really, this is where we’re having a drink?’
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