Switchback

Home > Other > Switchback > Page 3
Switchback Page 3

by S. W. Andersen


  “I know you don’t give up easily, but it’s probably for the best. You travel a lot and you promised yourself no distractions this season. So, don’t get all emo on me. I need you focused, killer,” Ronni said with a pumped fist as a sign of strength. “Find some chick here tonight that can scratch that itch and then get ready for the next event.”

  With a laugh and a nod, Sierra sipped her beer and returned to enjoying the party. Ronni was probably right. Hell, she usually was anyway. Tonight, Sierra would wallow in self-pity and indulge in her friend’s victory celebration. Tomorrow, it was back to business.

  ***

  As she set the last box of medical supplies down beside the back door, Dr. Davies overheard several staff members talking about the brewery. Seemed it was a ritual of sorts. She had worked many other events and couldn’t recall a time when a group had spoken so adoringly about a place of business, but those events had been much larger and more commercial. Maybe it was due to the close-knit biking community that everyone sounded so familial. Either way, she was intrigued, though she had no plan to see it for herself. At least, not tonight.

  When she turned to gather her belongings, the racing association director, Martin Dearborn, smiled and waved her over. The director was a distinguished-looking, forty-year-old with slicked back salt and pepper hair who towered over everyone with his lanky six-foot-seven frame. “Doctor, thank you for your work today. I hope it was enjoyable.”

  “Very much so. Thank you for having me.” She always enjoyed the challenge of working on-site, but one rider had made her day more interesting than usual.

  “We’re all done now.” He set his large hand gently on her shoulder. “You should come join us for a drink. It would be a terrific way to get to know everyone since you’ll be with us now on a regular basis.”

  Kara was tempted by the offer, even more so by the possibility of seeing Sierra Cody once again. The woman was a pure seductress on two wheels. She toed the line between butch and femme and carried herself with a swagger that surely left many ladies swooning. As much as Kara would love to see her again, she was in no place to entertain such thoughts. Heading home and burying herself in work would be the smart thing to do.

  “Thank you for the invitation, but it’s been a long weekend and I have an early morning.” Hoping to smooth over any hard feelings for declining she added, "I’ve enjoyed working with everyone here. What a great group of people. Everything flows so smoothly. Really a pleasure. I look forward to many more events with you all."

  “Come now, Doctor Davies, I won’t take no for an answer. Your talents may be in demand by many, but you must eat and take some time to relax. It’s my treat.” He lifted his bag over his shoulder and with a confident smile, he motioned to the door. “Shall we?”

  With no way out, she nodded and grabbed her jacket. “Very well then. I suppose it would be good to relax. Thank you,” Kara replied, although she was certain the evening would be anything but relaxing. She had maintained her resolve against Sierra’s earlier onslaught, but wasn’t so sure she’d survive a second wave.

  Maybe she’d be able to steal a few glances without being seen or find out a bit more about the rider from the staff through casual conversation. Yes, just some easy, emotionally unattached conversation, like a patient exam. One thing she was good at was getting information. Questions were the key to piecing together any puzzle. But there was one important question she couldn’t honestly answer herself. Was Sierra Cody a puzzle she wanted to solve?

  The ride to Taco’d was filled with her own thoughts. She enjoyed the scenery and pretended to listen as Martin spoke of epic battles and champions. He loved the sport and was passionate about his role in shaping its future. She wished she was more interested in listening, but all she could think about was the feel of Sierra’s smooth, creamy skin beneath her finger tips and how she hadn’t been able to take her hands or eyes off her the entire exam. She was frustrated by how unprofessional she had been, but there was something magnetic about the woman.

  That behavior would never fly in her office.

  Kara scolded herself again for being so reckless and begged her inner desires to go back into hibernation. Still, she couldn’t help but feel excited, and nervous, and a thousand other feelings, at the possibility of seeing Sierra again.

  She couldn’t seem to stop her knee from bouncing or her usually steady-as-steel hands from fidgeting. She needed to get out of the car and have a drink. “How much farther?” Kara asked, unknowingly cutting off Martin mid-sentence. “Oh, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She covered her face in embarrassment.

  Martin laughed. “It’s ok. I’ve been known to spout off at the mouth. Not sure I’ve ever had anyone ready to bail out of the car before.” He glanced over at the red-faced doctor and laughed some more. “Although, I may have been told a time or two that my ramblings make people want to jump ship.” He chuckled again.

  Relaxing back into her seat, Kara forced her knee into stillness and gave him a gentle smile in thanks for dismissing her rudeness. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually like that. I think the exhaustion of the last few weeks has set in. I don’t usually take time to relax. Thank you for freeing me from myself for a few hours.”

  “I’m glad I could persuade you to join us then. It’s just up ahead.”

  A deep exhale of relief flowed through her lips, but her stomach was still twisted like a towel with a loose thread caught in the washing machine. Having no idea how the night would play out was as exciting as it was nerve-racking. Kara was used to being in control of everything all the time. A strict schedule with specific goals, she had learned, was the secret to success. Her chiropractic office, sport science research, and meticulous patient care plans were all organized and well planned down to the smallest detail. Even her day was timed to within a fifteen minute window—breakfast, lunch, dinner, patient slots, work outs, experiments, bed time…everything.

  Running through her daily schedule, she came to the realization that there was never a spot for relaxation. My god I’ve gotten boring, she mused as she stared at a bent bicycle rim sign adorning the rooftop of the brewery. Of course, her ex-girlfriends had always underlined her rigid routine and lack of playtime as primary reasons for breaking up with her, but until now, she hadn’t taken stock of the fact that she was truly all work and no play. She wasn’t even sure how to socialize anymore.

  Feeling out of her element, the reserved doctor took a deep breath as she exited the car, forcing the most natural smile she could muster. It’s only drinks and conversation for crying out loud. Pretend you’re talking to patients. She steadied herself and followed Martin inside. He pointed to a table near the bar, directing Kara to the rest of their group. She nodded and followed slowly behind as her eyes scanned the room for a certain intriguing rider. To her dismay, her efforts proved futile. The bar was beyond packed.

  Shoving her hands down deep into her pants pockets, Kara repeatedly coiled and uncoiled her fingers, releasing the pent up nervous energy that coursed through her veins. Why am I so interested anyway? Something about Sierra Cody had gotten under her skin and while she might be emotionally unavailable, she couldn’t deny the physical attraction to the cocky, yet beautiful, rider.

  Sierra’s free-spirited confidence had piqued her curiosity. There was definitely more to her than a burning need to get an adrenaline fix. As her thoughts continued to swirl, a light smile replaced the tight-pursed lips she had worn mere moments ago. Although socializing wasn’t in her list of favorite activities, Sierra was one person she wouldn’t mind chatting up. Seemed Sierra was a puzzle she did want to solve after all.

  She was even curious about the tattoo on her right calf, a crankset with a heart in the center. Such a unique design, obviously inspired by her love for biking, but how did the idea come about? Were there more tattoos besides the calf and wrist? She longed for any little detail that hinted at what made the woman tick. But her quest for knowledge would have to wait. Unfortuna
tely, it was Martin and the rest of the staff she would be mingling with tonight, instead of the mysterious woman who had captured her attention.

  Kara was pulled from her thoughts by Martin’s hand on her arm. He pointed to the end of the table. “They saved us seats over there,” he said, speaking above the bustle of the crowd.

  As they weaved through the swarm of bodies on the way to their group, Kara’s hopes fell flat as another quick survey of the room came up empty. At least there will be more races. The attempt at soothing her disappointment was not as effective as she had hoped. Her eyes narrowed as it occurred to her that she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so curious about someone.

  “What would you like to drink?” Martin asked, cutting off the search through her memory banks.

  A drink would surely help her relax. Three or four would help her forget, but she wasn’t lying when she had said she was tired and had an early day tomorrow. “A glass of Riesling, thank you.” Kara greeted the others with a friendly smile and claimed one of the empty chairs. Sitting back with one ear on the conversation, she couldn’t resist the urge to search out the woman with streaks of red burning trails through wild, long, dark hair.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Sierra’s spine tingled with a sixth sense. Whipping around, she expected to find someone sneaking up from behind, but there was no one. Something was off. She could feel it. Her gaze skimmed across the crowd and around Martin Dearborn standing near the doorway, finally landing on a familiar and extremely welcomed face. Those pressed pants and tightly tucked shirt made Dr. Davies stand out as sorely as a sleek, sporty road bike among a trailer full of rugged, knobby tired downhill frames.

  The beat in her chest picked up speed, pounding hard against her sternum. A wickedly seductive grin commanded her lips at the sight of the doctor and she whispered to herself, “It is so on.”

  She slipped behind her group of friends to watch from afar, studying every nuance as the doctor made her way toward the crowd—the uncomfortable fidget of hands, the shift in weight, and the subtle smile that disappeared almost as soon as it had appeared. What had brought about the brief moment of happiness? A small glimmer of hope had Sierra wishing it was the thought of seeing her. Not a second later, she mulled what could’ve possibly wiped the smile away. Did the doctor not like Martin, or perhaps the staff? Did she not want to be here? Was the place beneath her standards?

  The straight-laced professional looked even more out of place jostling amid the bodies of tattooed, endorsement covered, adrenaline junkies than she had standing alone in the doorway. Like a tiger awaiting its chance to pounce, Sierra stood stock still, barely managing a breath, until Martin had led the doctor to their seats. Her gaze never wavered from her mark, even when Martin headed to the bar, obviously on a mission to secure drinks. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as Dr. Davies attempted a casual glance around.

  Sierra was on to her now. The doctor was most definitely searching for her. Her gloating was rudely interrupted by Martin’s return, extending a glass of white wine to the doctor. Sierra chuckled and shook her head. Oh yeah. She definitely looks like the wine bar type.

  “Hey, Wiley? Why ya hiding back there? I never took you for a wallflower. And why aren’t you out ‘getting to know’ Doc McHottie?” Ronni had blown past tipsy and was on her way to plastered. At least those episodes were few and far between these days. Even drunk though, she never missed a thing.

  Receiving no answer, Ronni slapped Sierra on the leg and said, “Earth to Sierra. Get your ass over there already. She looks bored anyway. Or maybe that’s how she always looks. Who knows.” She continued to ramble, “It’s not like you to wait so long to pounce. You sure she likes women? You’re ogling her like you’re already in love. Geeze, you don’t even know this chick. I need another shot.” She spun around and nearly fell over as she called out, “Bartender!”

  “Ron!” Sierra scolded her best friend while taking care to steady her. There were three things Ronni was good at—drinking, downhill, and running off at the mouth. “Good god, will you relax? I’m not in love. I’m just scouting. You know, making a plan.” She nodded as if to convince herself of her own reasoning.

  “She’s not the type I usually pick up and I seriously doubt I’m what she usually looks for. I mean, look at her. I can’t go over there with some cheesy pick up line. She’s too sophisticated for that. She’s drinking white wine for goodness sakes! And I don’t want to wham-bam thank you ma’am her either. I have to do this right.” Sierra exhaled and took another sip of her beer. This was indeed new territory for her, but she was never afraid of trying. After all, nothing good ever happened if you never left the starting gate.

  Ronni pretended to gag, then rolled her eyes and shrugged. “Whatever. Just be careful with that one. She seems frigid. She’s already turned down two potential suitors and isn’t doing much talking. If you need me to help break through—”

  “No! Thank you.” Sierra’s hand shot up in protest. “I’ll handle this myself. The last time you helped me you started a brawl.” Sierra side-eyed her best friend.

  “Yeah. Good times, bestie, good times.” Ronni slapped her on the back and staggered to her feet. “Well, if you change your mind, I’ll be with Blake and Harley getting my drink on.” She chucked her thumb up over her shoulder.

  Blake Volden, the owner of Team Traxx, raised his beer to her. He was a well-dressed, meticulously-groomed gentleman with light brown hair and a drop-dead gorgeous smile. Sierra’s ex, the dirty blonde spitfire named Harley, waved them both over.

  On many a night, Sierra would’ve accepted the offer, but tonight she preferred to continue her pursuit of the doctor who had already turned down several drink offers. That was one of the reasons she had to do this right. Another reason was that the doctor deserved better than some ridiculous, overused pick-up line. A plan took shape in her mind. Now, all she had to do was figure out how to get her alone so she could make her move.

  As soon as the question was posed, an answer presented itself. The doctor excused herself from the table and headed toward the ladies room. Sierra was quick on her feet, searching out a willing accomplice to help get her foot in the door. After a stop at the bar for two bottles of beer, she approached one of the male rookies on the tour, Rob. He was handsome, with dusty blonde hair and crisp blue eyes and had enough of a buzz going to agree to a favor for a free beer. When the doctor returned, Sierra pointed her out and Rob set out to intercept his target.

  Anticipation bubbled in Sierra’s chest. “Perfect,” she whispered as she followed a few feet behind him, but was careful to remain hidden.

  Thanks to the crowd, the doctor was held up at the far end of the bar. Rob approached from behind and when she was forced to stop, he leaned in and said, “Excuse me. I’m Mr. Right. Someone said you were looking for me.”

  Not again. Kara rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. Never one to be rude, she had a polite turn down on the tip of her tongue as she faked a smile and spun around.

  “Thank you but…Sierra?” Startled to find the object of her infatuation rather than a mystery man, she quickly glanced right and left in confusion. “I didn’t expect to see you there. I mean…there was just a guy…”

  Sierra smiled seductively and took a step closer. In a husky tone, she replied, “Yeah well, I told him if anyone was buying the smoking hot doctor a drink tonight it was me. I hope that was all right.” She looked down and picked at the label on her bottle before meeting Kara’s shell-shocked stare once again. “But…” She shrugged. “If he’s more your type, then I can get him right back here.”

  Long, dark lashes framed Sierra’s light amber eyes which shimmered like gold. The touch of black eyeliner accented them to perfection. Mesmerized by the way they sparkled back at her, Kara stood speechless, motionless, frozen in an imaginary tractor beam that kept pulling her closer to the other woman until Sierra’s warm breath tiptoed across her skin. Goosebumps blazed a trail from her collar bone
to her scalp. A shiver swept over her. Unable to form words, Kara finally gathered the strength to look away, dipping her head and blushing furiously. Sierra Cody had the power to render her speechless and it was unsettling.

  With the stunning woman out of her field of vision, Kara’s short-circuited nerve endings began to fire anew, allowing her to put syllables together in a coherent manner. “That won’t be necessary, but thank you,” she said with a shy smile. She was no stranger to being on the receiving end of flirtation—which she always declined with ease—but with little to no effort, Sierra had managed to put everyone else she had ever encountered to shame. Saying no to her was about as easy as fighting gravity.

  When two men vacated the stools beside them, Kara wasted no time claiming one and inviting Sierra to join her on the other. Realizing she had finally gotten her wish, Kara now had no idea what to do next. She truly had no intention of hooking up—that wasn’t her style—and she wasn’t in the market for a relationship. Her life was already complicated enough. What am I doing?

  Sierra slid her stool closer. The way Sierra’s eyes analyzed her every move was both nerve-racking and the ultimate compliment. Afraid she might give into her desires being in such close proximity, she shifted away.

  Taking note of the discomfort, Sierra graciously slid back, an apologetic smile on her lips, offering more space until Kara relaxed again. When Axel hustled past, she flagged him down. “Axel, whiskey please, and the lady will have…white wine?” Her brow arched.

  Kara flashed an amused smirk. “Riesling, please.” As Axel took his leave, Kara’s curiosity had her burning with questions. “So, you know what I’m drinking. Lucky guess or have you been spying on me tonight?”

  There was a gleam in Sierra’s eyes when she replied, “I wouldn’t call it spying. You may find this hard to believe, but you’re very hard to miss.”

 

‹ Prev