by Boone Brux
“Yeah, I call that the golden handcuffs. They’re tough to break free from.” She leaned a hip against the table next to him. “But all that doesn’t matter if you’re not happy.”
“I know.” He straightened and smiled. “Anyway,” he said, smoothly steering the subject away from his father, “this is my man cave.”
“I like it.” She patted the shell of the bike. “And I like your motorcycles.”
“How much?”
Her gaze narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Want to go for a ride?” When her gaze darted to the unfinished bike, he added, “On my other bike. The one you frosted the other night?”
A rush of excitement shot through her. She did like riding motorcycles, but that also meant she’d get to wrap her arms around him and sit close. She schooled her expression. “Sure, that would be fun.”
“Come on.” As they exited the garage, he grabbed a helmet and then followed her out, sliding the door back in place. “We won’t go far.”
“Wherever you want to take me—I’m in.”
“Really?” His crooked smile was a mix of amusement and mischievousness.
“Why not?” She shrugged. “I’m living on the edge.”
“Good to know.” They walked to the front of the house where his bike was parked. “This one is for you.” He held the helmet out to her. “You can tighten the chin strap if you need to.”
“Thanks.” Of course she’d have to wear a helmet, but her fantasy had been sans protective headgear. At least there wasn’t a face shield. He fit the helmet onto her head and fiddled with the strap until it was tight. “How do I look?”
As he pulled on his helmet, he faced her. “Nice.” He took her head between his hands and adjusted it a fraction of an inch, then let his hands drift to her shoulder. “You look like a biker chick.”
“I doubt that.” She shifted under the weight of his hands. It would be so easy to wrap her arms around his waist and lean in. Every fiber of her being fought against the desire. She tugged at the strap under her chin, giving her hands something to do. “But I think I will manage to at least stay on the seat.”
…
He let his hands glide down her arms and then back to his sides. What he really wanted was to forget about the ride and gather her in his arms—without the helmet. For the past two days he’d caught himself thinking about Dani. The way her nose crinkled. How she laughed at his jokes and could take a joke. And how she made a simple T-shirt the sexiest thing on earth. He’d asked himself more times than he could count what he’d been thinking when he decided to go to Florida. Each time the answer was, their relationship would turn sour. He’d seen it with his parents, their relationship, and all the subsequent relationships. He cared about Dani too much to put her through the inevitable end.
“I’ll get on first.” He snapped the strap of his helmet and straddled the bike. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled at her. “Ready?”
“Oh yeah.” With little effort she lifted her leg over the bike and seated herself behind him. She slid forward an inch, her body pressing against his. “Do I hold on to you?”
“Only if you want to stay on the bike,” he teased, getting the response he hoped for. Her hands clutched his sides. He turned his head. “You can hold on tighter than that.”
She smirked at him but her hold tightened, her hands locking at his diaphragm. “Better?”
“Much.” Her body pressed to the length of his back felt right—not to mention stirred his barely contained lust. He started the bike and rolled slowly forward out of the driveway. “We’ll do a spin around the neighborhood.”
Her chin brushed against his shoulder when she nodded.
He pulled onto the street, and when they turned the corner, her hold tightened. It was a beautiful summer night, Dani’s arms were wrapped around him, and they were out for a ride on his motorcycle; life didn’t get much better than that. She shifted behind him and rested her chin against his shoulder. Yeah—not much better than this.
Though he’d said they wouldn’t go far, he ended up taking a few detours, not ready to let go of the moment, but he needed to feed her. After all, he had promised her dinner.
He pulled into the driveway and shut off the bike. Dani climbed off first, and he missed the feel of her arms around him. Despite the nearly overwhelming need to gather her and kiss her, he knew it wouldn’t be fair. They’d just rekindled their friendship, and he’d be a complete ass to jeopardize that by making a pass at her. Leaving the first time had been a selfish move; now he’d only do what was best for Dani, and that wasn’t seducing her.
“That was great.” She lifted off her helmet. “Why didn’t we ride more when we were dating?”
“We were busy working.” He tucked the headgear under his arms and gave her a shameless smile. “Or making love.” When her cheeks flushed, he chuckled. “Wow, you actually blushed.”
“No I didn’t.” When his grin widened, she punched him lightly on the arm. “Shut up and feed me.” She pivoted and headed up the front steps, holding the door for him. He followed, but stopped next to her. Before he could make another joke, she gave him a gentle but firm shove. “Don’t even.”
Deciding to be merciful, he strode into the house, but couldn’t stop smiling. She was adorable when she got flustered. Just another thing he loved—liked about her.
Conversation remained light as they prepared dinner, never venturing too deep into intimate topics, sticking mainly to work, books, and some of the plans Jamie had for his house.
When it grew dark, he lit two citronella torches at the corners of the patio. Flickering golden light dimly illuminated the deck, and the rest of the yard lay dark, creating an intimate space where nothing but the two of them existed. Occasionally, the glow of a firefly would flare, but other than that and a few vocal crickets, nothing intruded on their evening
At around eleven, she slid forward in her chair. “I need to get going. I’ve got to get up early tomorrow.”
“Another busy day of meetings and manuscripts?”
“Actually, no, Roxy has me running wedding errands. A lot of last-minute details.”
He stared at her for a few seconds, his mind battling over getting to spend more time with Dani and having to run errands. “Want some company?”
She cocked a brow at him. “You want to run errands with me?”
“Why not? I don’t have plans. It might be fun.”
“‘Fun’ is not the word I’d use.” She shook her head and stared at him as if trying to figure out his game. “Okay, you can come. I don’t know why you’d want to, but you’re more than welcome.”
When she stood, he rose with her. It was disappointing she had to leave, but that was tempered by the fact that he’d see her tomorrow. “What time?’
“Uh…” A heavy breath exhaled from her. “I’ve got a crazy long to-do list, so let’s say eight o’clock. I need to deliver the scriptures Roxy and Kyle are reading to the minister and—” Stopping in front of him, she leveled a stare at him, “I’ll need coffee.”
“Luckily, you’re in the right city for that.” He opened the back door and held it for her. “Leave the coffee to me. Cream, no sugar, right?”
She stopped. “You have a good memory.”
“I remember a lot of things about you.” A stray lock had come loose from her bun. He swept it away with a single caressing fingertip. “Like blue is your favorite color to wear, but you like yellow when it comes to decorating.” His finger ran along the contour of her jawline. “That you light up when you see a stationery store.”
“That’s—uhh—wow—” Her brow furrowed, and for a second he thought maybe she was as conflicted as he was. Instead of stepping away from his touch, which was what he’d expected, she leaned in, and he cupped her cheek. “You remembered some really obscure things.”
His head lowered an inch toward hers. It would be so easy to kiss her right now, but he waited, letting her take the lead. Their gazes locked
, and her breathing seemed shallow, but she didn’t follow through. Disappointment sifted through him when she stepped away. He let his hand fall to his side. The girl had some serious willpower.
She opened the screen door and closed it behind her. “I’ve gotta go.”
“Okay.” They stared at each other through the mesh barrier for a few seconds before he worked up the resolve to end the night. “So, I’ll see you at eight tomorrow?” It came out as more of a question than a statement.
She nodded and backed away. “Don’t forget the coffee, or I might not let you in my apartment.”
“I’ll get the biggest they have.” Jamie stayed on the other side of the door and absently flicked the lock to prevent himself from following her out.
“Thanks for the brats and beer. It was all delicious,” she said before turning and jogging down the steps.
“You’re welcome.” His forehead rested on the wooden frame of the screen. “Drive safely.”
“I will.” She gave a little wave.
His gaze followed her as she pulled out of the driveway and headed down the quiet street. Even then he stared a few seconds longer before closing the door. He deserved a trophy for the sheer strength it took not to kiss her. They’d be together again tomorrow—all day—alone. Man, he really needed to get his head on straight and stop torturing himself. Otherwise he couldn’t be held responsible for his actions.
Chapter Six
Several times that morning Jamie had questioned why he agreed to run errands with Dani instead of meeting Price and Lincoln at a sports bar for lunch. When she said she had to leave last night, he hadn’t wanted her to go. The offer to help out kind of blurted from him. He couldn’t even blame his rash decision on the beer. They’d each had two over the course of three and half hours. More likely his outburst had been because of how irresistible she’d been in her tight, little T-shirt and capris. Yeah, that was definitely it. He’d almost kissed her and, for a second, thought she was going to lean in and do the same. But she’d been the smart one and pulled away. That was the thing about Dani—she was always the clearer thinker.
Seeing her again was better than he’d thought it would be, and the past few days had been like old times. Whether that was good or bad, he didn’t know. More than likely it was bad. She’d said she loved him less than a year ago. Nobody got over that kind of heartache so easily. But she’d been gracious in the face of his quick departure, and he couldn’t help wondering if he’d made a colossal mistake by moving to Florida.
Balancing the two cups of coffee in a tray with one hand, he rang her doorbell with the other. Within seconds she answered, looking freshly showered and more awake than he felt. “Your coffee, ma’am.”
“Oh, good.” She grabbed the tray and walked to the kitchen counter, leaving him to shut the door.
“Don’t you have a coffeemaker?”
“Of course. What good Seattlite doesn’t?” She lifted the steaming java to her nose and inhaled. “But this is so much better than what I make here.” At the first taste, her eyelids slid shut. “God, that’s good.” There was that urge to kiss her again. Jamie clenched his jaw, resisting. She opened her eyes and smiled. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He pivoted and strode to the living room. Do not even go there. “Where to first?”
The rattle of a paper sounded behind him. “First is the church. Then I think the photographer, DJ, and finally the limo company.”
“That’s a lot of stops.” He lowered himself to the couch. “Why are you doing all these errands?”
“Because I’m the maid of honor and a very good friend.” Claiming the wide chair across from him, she sat, tucking her legs underneath her. “And this isn’t half of the things she wanted me to do. I doled the rest out to Kinni and Joya.”
“Sure is a lot of fuss for one wedding.” He took a sip. The warm liquid crept down his throat, fortifying him. “And a lot of money.”
“I don’t think money is an issue for either Kyle or Roxy.” She stared at her cup and ran her finger around the edge of the plastic top. “Shouldn’t they have the wedding they want?”
“I’m not the right person to ask.” He thought he saw her shoulders stiffen. “I’ve never understood the whole big wedding thing. Seems like a lot of people milking couples for money.”
“Very romantic.” Steadily gazing at him, she lifted her coffee and drank.
Obviously he’d said something wrong, but he couldn’t help the way he felt. The wedding business was a scam. “I’ll admit, I’m not the most romantic guy in the world, but I guarantee you, Kyle couldn’t care less if the tablecloths are buttercup yellow or blush.”
“Maybe not, but at least he’s an active partner. He cares because Roxy cares. I pity your future bride.”
A snort of laughter slipped from him. “There won’t be a future bride if I can help it.”
She was silent for a second and then nodded. “That’s probably best.”
Though he’d totally set himself up for that, her well-placed barb still stung. The smile she bestowed on him dripped with smugness. “Touché.”
“We should go.” She stood and picked up her purse. “The minister will only be there until nine o’clock.”
“Lead on.”
He followed her out of the house and snapped the door closed. His eyes traveled down her back and to her tight rear end when she jogged down the front steps. Desire stirred inside, tightening the nether region of his pants. God, he needed to get a grip or he was going to make a pass at her before they reached the church.
Once in the car, they buckled up, secured their coffees, and headed across town to the Divine Harvest Christian Church.
“I think the offices are in the back.” With her list clutched in her hand, she opened the door and got out. Not looking where she was walking, she riffled through the papers. “I need to give them Roxy and Kyle’s wedding vows.”
“All that honor and obey crap isn’t natural.” Before she tripped over the curb, Jamie grabbed her by the arm and guided her to the sidewalk. He smiled at her intensity. Of their little group of college friends, she had always been the one everybody could depend on. “They should just say they’ll do the best they can, take it or leave it.”
“Very romantic—as usual. Found it.” She waved the papers in the air. “Maybe Kinni is right about the whole organizational thing. Sure makes errand-running a lot easier when everything is in order.”
“Yeah, but Kinni could loosen up a bit.” Of the four women in their group, Kinni had always been the most uptight. She was the only person he knew who not only color-coded her class schedule with matching binders, but planned out her wardrobe a month in advance. At least that’s what Dani had told him once. “I think it would do her good.”
She grimaced. “She is wound pretty tight, isn’t she?”
“Just a little.”
Once at the door, he opened it, allowing her to enter first. Coincidentally, that gave him another sweet glimpse at her backside. His hand itched to palm it and squeeze. She’d always had a grab-worthy booty, especially when her legs were wrapped around him and he was buried deep inside her. He blew out a silent breath and dragged away his gaze. Pure, self-inflicted torture.
A door to the right stood open, and she made a beeline for it. A little old lady sitting behind a wide wooden desk looked up. Gold chains hung from the bows of her glasses and looped over her thin, sweater-clad shoulders. It must have been eighty degrees out, and even warmer in the un-air-conditioned office. Maybe old people couldn’t retain body heat or maybe there was some kind of old-lady code that said they had to wear a sweater at all times.
“May I help you?” She smiled, revealing a smudge of frosty pink lipstick on her front tooth.
“Hi, I’m here to deliver the scripture assignments for the Bennett-Honeycutt wedding to Pastor Don.” Dani held out the list.
“Oh, how wonderful.” Even though the woman stood, she didn’t top five feet. “You are going
to make a lovely bride.”
“Uh, no, I’m not the one getting married.” Her arm remained extended, waiting. “Roxy Honeycutt is the bride.”
“Roxy, what a beautiful name. You look like a Roxy.” With a gnarled, slightly shaking hand, she took the papers. “And your young man is so handsome.”
Dani furrowed her brow, her eyes sliding to him. She shrugged as if deciding the older woman was a few fries short of a Happy Meal.
“I remember when my Herbert asked me to marry him.” She shuffled across the office and placed the list in a basket next to another door. “Oh, he was so dapper.” A dreamy look lingered on the old woman’s wrinkled face when she turned around again. “I hope you two are as happy as we were. Sixty years.”
“Sixty years?” His eyes rounded. “That’s a really, really long time.”
Dani smiled at the woman, but acted as if she hadn’t heard him. “Okay then. If you could just make sure Pastor Don gets the vows, I’d greatly appreciate it.”
“I’ll make sure, dear.” She moved back to her chair and sat. “Congratulations to you both.”
“Thanks.” Dani hesitated a few seconds before shaking her head and turning. Without looking at Jamie, she headed out the door.
“One errand down.” He jogged a couple of steps to catch up with her. “What now?”
“Umm…” She stopped and looked at her master list. It took a couple of seconds for her to reply. “What did I say? The photographer, I think.”
“You okay?”
“Fine. That old lady just caught me off guard is all.” She shoved the paper into her purse and fished out her keys. “I mean, how crazy is it that she thought we were getting married?”
“Yeah, pretty crazy.” He eyed her, trying to gauge her reaction. “Probably just a little dementia.”
“Or something like that.” They got in the car, and she shoved the key into the ignition. “Okay, on to the next stop.”