Thorn's Challenge

by Brenda Jackson

  “Yes, I’m fine, just a little nervous. This bike is huge.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, and I prefer building them that way.”

  “I’m truly amazed.”

  “About what?”

  “The skill and craftsmanship that went into building this bike. You truly have gifted hands.”

  A pleased smile curved the corners of his lips. He was glad she thought so and intended that she find out real soon just how gifted his hands were. But at the moment his main thoughts were on her hands. “Place your arms around me and hold on tight with your hands. And don’t hesitate to lean into me for an easier ride. Okay?”

  “Why would leaning into you provide an easier ride?” she asked, in a confused tone of voice.

  “You’ll see.”

  Tara nodded, preferring to try and sit up straight with her arms around Thorn’s waist. But when he turned on the engine to a low, rumbling purr that escalated to a much louder growl, she automatically leaned forward, tightened her grip around him and pressed her body against the wide expanse of his back. His leather bomber jacket felt warm, cushiony, and so much a part of him. Pressing her face against his solid back, she breathed in the scent of leather and the scent of man. It was masculine and a mixture of shaving cream and a real nice-smelling cologne. This wasn’t the first time she had been aware of his scent. That first time he had kissed her at Dare’s wedding she had gone to bed later that night with his scent embedded in her nostrils. It had been both alluring and arousing.

  It still was.

  “Ready?” she heard him ask her over his shoulder.

  She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. “Yes, I’m ready.” The next thing she knew he shifted gears and the two of them went flying into the wind.

  * * *

  Tara opened her eyes as her nervousness began easing away. It was plain to see that in addition to being a gifted craftsman, Thorn was also a skilled biker. He took the sharp curves with ease as he expertly controlled the large and powerful machine.

  Her breasts felt tight and achy, so she leaned forward and pressed her body even more to his. He’d been right. This was the best position. She wondered if, with her sitting so close, he could feel the frantic pounding of her heart. But that question and others were suddenly zapped from her mind when she took a look at the countryside they passed. Instead of traveling on the busy interstate, Thorn had maneuvered the bike onto a scenic two-lane road that had very few cars. She liked the view. And she liked the feel of the man she was clutching for dear life.

  “Am I holding you too tight?” she decided to ask. She wondered if he heard her question or if the sound of her voice had been swept away with the wind.

  “No.”

  She smiled. He had heard her, and she was glad she hadn’t caused him any discomfort.

  Thorn tried to keep his concentration on the road ahead of him and not on the woman behind him, but her breasts were pressing against his back and arousing him no end. Everything about her was arousing. He had ridden other women on his bike but never had he felt such excitement and exhilaration before. Riding with Tara was seduction at its best, temptation at its finest.

  He pulled his concentration back in as he maneuvered the bike around a curvy mountain road. This was the part of Atlanta that he loved seeing on his bike and he wanted to share the view with Tara. It was a part of the city that had escaped the developer’s bulldozer. The Westmoreland family intended to keep it that way.

  He slowed the bike as he left the highway and steered to a single-lane gravel road that led to a huge lake in a wooded area surrounded by large overhanging trees. Moments later, he brought the motorcycle to a stop and shut off the engine. Before she could ask, he said. “I think this is one of the most beautiful spots in Atlanta and thought you might enjoy seeing it.”

  Tara glanced around and her breath caught. He was right. It was breathtaking. She gazed back at him. She would never have guessed that he was a man in sync with nature, but from the look in his eyes as he glanced around, she could tell that he was.

  “You come here often,” she said. It wasn’t a question but a statement. She could detect deep appreciation in his gaze as he viewed his surroundings.

  “Yes. This is Westmoreland land. The ruins of my grandparents’ house isn’t far from here and we visited this place a lot while growing up. My father’s youngest brother, the one who has never been married, Corey Westmoreland, spent a lot of his time teaching us to appreciate the natural world and its environment here. I believe you’ve met my uncle.”

  Tara nodded. “Yes, twice—at both Laney’s and Dare’s weddings. He’s the one who’s a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park. Right?”

  Thorn nodded. “Yes, and so is my cousin Durango. In fact when Durango finished high school he decided to move to Montana to attend college to be near our uncle. Now I doubt you could get either of them to return here to live. They’re Montana men through and through.”

  He kicked down the motorcycle stand and removed his helmet. “Come on, let’s take a walk.”

  Tara slowly slid off the bike and had to steady herself so she wouldn’t lose her balance. Thorn appeared at her side to assist and to help her take off her helmet. He stared down at her when he held her helmet in his hand.

  “What?” she asked, wondering if she had something on her face since he was looking at her so intently.

  “Nothing. I’d been wondering why your hair hadn’t been blowing in the wind. I had forgotten that the helmet would hold it in place.”

  She lifted a brow. He had been thinking of her hair blowing in the wind? Before she could think about that further, he took her hand in his. “Come on, let me show you around.”

  * * *

  Tara knew she was seeing another side of Thorn Westmoreland. For some reason he wasn’t his usual grumpy self, and she decided to take full advantage of his current kinder and gentler disposition. She knew it would probably be best for the both of them if they were to continue to avoid each other, but then she thought of Mrs. Chadwick’s request. Somehow and someway she had to get Thorn to agree to pose for that calendar.

  Together they silently walked the surrounding land. She saw more wild animals than she had ever seen before. There was a family of deer, numerous rabbits and wild turkeys. There was even a fox skirting across the overbrush. In soft tones Thorn pointed out to her the spot where he had learned to ride his first motorcycle. His grandparents had bought it for him when he was twelve years old. It had been a dirt bike, one not meant for the road.

  “Ready to go?” he finally asked her.

  Tara glanced up at him. “Yes, I’m ready.”

  Thorn leaned toward her to place her helmet back on her head and suddenly he stopped. He traced her jawline with the tip of his finger and met her gaze. She took a slow, deep breath to calm the erratic beating of her heart when it became crystal-clear what he was about to do. He was going to kiss her and she couldn’t form the words to tell him not to.

  Instead, a need, a hunger, flared to life inside her when her gaze settled on his lips as his gaze had settled on hers. Memories filled her mind of the last two kisses they had shared. Hot. Mind-boggling kisses.

  She quickly decided that she would question the sensibility of her actions later, but for now she needed this kiss as much as she needed her next breath.

  She shuddered when she thought of the intensity of that need and felt a quickening in her stomach when he lowered his mouth to hers. Her lips automatically parted the second their mouths touched, and she breathed a sigh of pleasure as her arms reached out to hold him.

  As it had been the other times, his mouth was skillful, and another soft sigh escaped her lips when he deepened the kiss and thoroughly explored the warm recesses of her mouth with his tongue. Then he captured hers and gently mated with it, the sensations rocking her all the way to her toes.

  She knew the taste of him, had never forgotten it and refused to consider the possibility it was becoming addictive. However, she
did concede that this kiss, the hunger behind it and all the enticements in front of it, were causing a deep ache between her legs. This open-mouthed exploration of tongues and teeth was flooding her with sensations she had never felt before. She heard one of them whimper and moan and realized the sounds were coming from her. She shouldn’t expect any less when the blood was running so hot and heavy in her veins.

  She felt his hand run provocatively down her back to settle on her hips, then slowly to her backside, and she moved her body closer to the fit of his. Her belly was pressed against his front and she could feel an incredible hardness straining against the crotch of his jeans. For the moment, she didn’t care. The only thing she did care about was the fact that she was enjoying kissing him. Their tongues continued to tangle and their breaths steadily mingled.

  Reluctantly, he ended the kiss, struggling for control. She saw his jaw tense and knew he was regretting kissing her already. Without saying anything he placed her helmet back on her head, adjusted the straps and help her straddle the bike.

  He had gone from tender to moody in just that instant and she didn’t like it. When he got back on the bike and had his own helmet in place, she asked, in a fairly angry voice. “Why did you kiss me if you’re going to get all huffy and puffy about it? Next time keep your mouth to yourself, Thorn Westmoreland.”

  For the longest moment he didn’t say anything, then finally he turned to her on the bike and said. “That’s the problem, Tara. When it comes to you I don’t think I can keep my mouth to myself. It seems to always wants to find its way to yours.”

  He sighed deeply and added. “My brothers think you’re my challenge, but now I’m beginning to think you’re something else all together.”

  She lifted a brow. “What?”

  “My sweetest temptation.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “So what did you want to talk to me about?”

  Tara nervously nibbled on her bottom lip. She and Thorn had just finished the best chili she had ever eaten. The building that housed the restaurant was rustic, made of logs with tall, moss-covered oak trees surrounding it. The place resembled a roadside café more than a restaurant and was positioned almost in seclusion off the two-lane highway.

  Due to its lack of visibility, Tara could only assume that those who frequented the restaurant were regular customers since the place was taking in a high degree of business. It also appeared that a lot of those customers were bikers. She found the atmosphere comfortable and had almost forgotten the discussion she needed to have with Thorn.

  “I want to ask a favor of you.”

  He met her gaze over his cup of coffee. “What kind of favor?”

  She sighed. “Have you ever heard of Lori Chadwick?”

  He frowned as if searching his brain, then moments later said, “No.”

  Tara nodded. “Well, she is well-known around the city for her charity work. Mrs. Chadwick has come up with this great idea for a project to raise funds for Kids’ World. You have heard of Kids’ World haven’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, she has decided what she wants to do to raise money for that particular charity this year. She wants to do a calendar of good-looking men from different professions, and would like you to be one of the models. She wanted me to ask you about it.”

  He placed his coffee cup down. “You can go back and let her know that you asked me.”

  She met his gaze. “And?”

  “And that I turned you down.”

  Tara narrowed her eyes. “I think it was wonderful that you were one of the men she wanted.”

  “Then I’m flattered.”

  “From what I understand, they will pay you.”

  “It’s not about the money.”

  “Then what is it about, Thorn? I know for a fact you’re involved with a number of charities for children. Why not this one?”

  He leaned back in his chair. “I don’t like having my picture taken.”

  She frowned. “That’s a crock and you know it, considering the number of times newspaper photographers have taken your picture when you’ve won a motorcycle race or built a bike for some celebrity.”

  He shrugged. “Newspapers reporters are different. I don’t like having my picture taken in a private session, in a studio or anything like that.”

  “In that case you won’t have anything to worry about. It’s my understanding they want to capture you in your element—probably outside standing next to your bike.”

  “The answer is still no, Tara.”

  She glared at him. “Why are you being so difficult, Thorn?”

  “I have my reasons,” he said, glaring back at her as he threw money on the table for their meal. “It’s getting late so we should head back.”

  Tara sighed. He had to be the most stubborn man she had ever met. “I need to make a pit stop at the ladies’ room before we leave,” she said softly, disappointed that he had flatly refused to do the calendar.

  Moments later, when she walked outside to where he stood next to the bike, she couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t want to be photographed by a professional photographer. “I’m ready now.”

  Without saying anything, he helped put her helmet on again and adjusted the straps. She swung her legs across the huge bike without his help and glared up at him. “I said I was ready, Thorn.”

  He stood there and looked at her for a few moments before finally getting on the bike in front of her, revving the engine and riding off.

  * * *

  Tara was mad and he knew it, but there was nothing he could do about it since he would not be doing the calendar. The sooner she accepted that the better.

  “You’re in la-la land again, Thorn. Are you in this game or not?”

  Thorn glared at Chase. “Yes, I’m in.”

  Chase chuckled as he studied his hand. “Yes, you may be in this game but from what I hear you’re definitely out with Tara since you turned her down for that calendar.”

  Thorn tossed out a card. “She’ll get over it.”

  “Possibly. However, it may take a while since she feels she let someone down.”

  Thorn decided not to ask, but curiosity got the best of Storm and he did the asking. “Who did Tara let down?”

  “The children.”

  “Oh.” Storm glared at Thorn after throwing out a card. “I’d forgotten about Kids’ World. So I guess that also means I’m going to lose the bet. Thorn will never make any points with Tara by pissing her off.”

  Thorn decided he needed a break and placed his cards face-down on the table. “Where is Shelly, Dare? I need a drink of water.”

  Dare didn’t look up from studying his hand. “She’s probably upstairs watching a movie or something, but you know where the refrigerator is. Help yourself. There’s beer and soda in there as well.”

  Thorn stood up from the dining room table as all of the brothers except for Dare glared at him. He walked into the kitchen and pulled out a pitcher of water from the refrigerator. He’d reached the max for beers he could consume and still ride his bike.

  After reaching into the cabinet for a glass, he filled it with cold water and glanced across the way at a framed photograph that was on Dare and Shelly’s living-room table. It was a photograph of Shelly, Tara and Delaney taken during a shopping trip the three women had taken to New York a few months ago.

  Tara.

  He hadn’t seen her or talked to her since the day of their bike ride almost a week ago, but there hadn’t been a day that passed when she hadn’t crossed his mind. He had called her and left her a couple of messages, but she hadn’t returned his calls, not that he had really expected her to. He hated admitting it, but Storm was right. It would be hard for him to garner any points with her because she was totally pissed off with him. But still, the thought of standing in front of a camera, posing for a photographer—as he’d done for Patrice—was something he was hell-bent against doing.

  “Thorn! If you’re still in the game, we need you o
ut here!”

  He recognized Stone’s voice. “Keep your underwear on. I’m coming.”

  As he went back to the card game, Thorn returned his brothers’ glares.

  “I don’t like losing, Thorn,” Storm said as he watched him intently.

  Thorn knew Storm was talking about the bet his brothers had made and not about the card game. He sighed. He knew what Tara wanted from him, and he knew what he wanted from her. Suddenly, he had an idea how they could both get what they wanted. Satisfied he had come up with a workable plan, one he thought was strategically sound, he met Storm’s intense stare. “Don’t give up on me yet, bro.”

  Storm’s lips eased into a relieved smile. “Thanks, Thorn. I knew I could count on you.”

  * * *

  Thorn pulled his bike to a stop in front of Tara’s apartment. A number of lights were still on inside which must mean she hadn’t gone to bed yet. He quickly shut off the bike’s engine and made his way to her door, wondering if she would agree to the offer he intended to make.

  He rang her doorbell and waited for her to answer. He didn’t wait long. First he registered her surprise and then her frown. “Thorn. What are you doing here?”

  He leaned against the doorjamb. “I needed to talk to you about something.”

  He saw the lifting of her brow. He also noticed that although she hadn’t gone to bed, she was wearing a white velour bathrobe. He couldn’t help but wonder what, if anything, she wore underneath the robe.

  “Talk to me about what?”

  “The possibility of me doing that calendar.”

  She met his gaze and he saw uncertainty. “You’ve changed your mind about doing it?”

  He shook his head. “No, not yet. However, I think the two of us can work something out where I might be able to swing it.”

  The uncertainty in her gaze changed to hope. “All right. Come in,” she invited, opening the door to him and standing back.

  He entered and closed the door behind him. More than anything, he wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her senseless. He had missed her taste, her scent and every damn thing about her. But he didn’t think she would appreciate him touching her just yet.