Flanked

by Cat Johnson

  “Riding hurt’s not for everybody. I guess I was lucky. Tandy wouldn’t let me ride. The decision was taken out of my hands.” Mustang looked sympathetic.

  Mustang, of all people, knew how Garret felt as he faced this situation. He’d have to sit out the rest of the season unless he could get over the mental and physical barrier his shoulder injury presented.

  “So what are you gonna do? About the operation?” Mustang glanced at Garret’s shoulder again.

  Mustang was right. He hadn’t had a choice about whether to ride or not when he’d snapped the ulna in his riding arm, but Garret did have a choice, and it seemed the answer was clear in his mind. He wasn’t a quitter. “I’m going to finish out the season, then get the operation right after the finals.”

  He heard the crowd cheer over the sound of the announcer’s voice. Chase was in the arena. Garret turned and tracked his ride. It was perfect. Of course it was. Chase was in top shape right now. Healthy and strong thanks to his brother’s training program. Garret sighed. He needed to take the time to get himself healthy and strong too, as much as the thought pained him. And he would. Later.

  “Good ride. He’s still looking off too soon though. That’s gonna cost him one day. Excuse me.” Mustang the guru walked off to lecture Chase, leaving Garret happy the attention was off him and his own messed-up ride.

  “So you’re going to ride in the next event and then finals?” Aaron was standing right behind him, his eyes on Chase’s score as it came up on the board before he turned to Garret.

  “Yup. As long as Tandy lets me.”

  “Good.” Aaron nodded. “In fact, I think that might work better for the plan. We’ll take care of the…thing tomorrow, then Silver will deal with the paperwork and you can get the operation in a few weeks.”

  Aaron was right. It would look less like they were trying to get away with something than having Garret go under the knife the day after he got added to Silver’s insurance. But he’d still get to marry her right away. The thought of married sex with Silver in a bed had his stomach fluttering. He pushed the feeling away. It was too weird with Aaron standing right there watching him.

  “Tough break today though. Another two and a half seconds and you would have had him.”

  “Two and a half seconds.” Garret let out a laugh at Aaron’s words. Hanging off the side of a bull with nothing but a rope wrapped around his gloved hand and torn cartilage to keep him off the ground for two and a half seconds was an eternity.

  “Don’t worry, man. You’ll get it taken care of and be back stronger next season.”

  “Yup.” He was going to have to. After tonight’s performance that was obvious. He’d try to make it through the end of this season without getting himself killed, and then he’d get it fixed.

  And he’d be able to, thanks to Silver and their upcoming wedding. He glanced in the direction of Silver’s seat now. He was done riding for the day. He wasn’t going to make the final round with no score for this round, so it would be safe to totally blow his concentration.

  There was no doubt about it, seeing Silver did that to him every time. It was hard to think of anything else when he was remembering the feel of her piercing between his teeth. The sounds she made when she came. And what memories of being with Silver didn’t do to totally occupy his mind, the thought of how they’d be married in twenty-four hours sure as hell did.

  “I figure we’ll take off for my place as soon as this is done today. We should be out of here by four. We can be home by dinnertime. Then in the morning, I’ll find out the deal with the license and stuff. Then we’ll get you two…you know.” Aaron’s gaze cut to the other riders close enough to hear.

  “Okay.”

  “You all right?” Aaron stared at Garret, too closely for his liking. This lying sucked. It was making him paranoid, imagining his best friend could somehow see the porno movie starring Silver continuously running in his head.

  Garret cleared his throat. “I’m fine.”

  “Six months sounds like a lot, but a good chunk of that will be over the break.”

  Aaron thought he was worried about being out of competition. Of course he would. No way could he guess Garret was far more worried about being legally bound to the woman who affected him like a drug, knowing the entire time it was only temporary. He was already getting used to Silver being around. Married to her, that would get even worse. Then, when this thing was over, she’d be gone again.

  “Yeah, I know. Thanks.” He felt extra guilty with Aaron being so nice and helpful lately. Garret should have stuck to his rule and not gotten involved with a friend’s sister. He’d surely pay for the indiscretion later when he was weaning himself off Silver.

  “Thanks for what?” Aaron frowned.

  “For being there for me. Being a friend.” He was getting sappy in his injured and confused state. “Um, do you think we should throw Silver’s bike in one of our trucks so she can drive with one of us rather than ride home?”

  “Good idea.” Aaron nodded. “I hate her riding that damn thing on the highway. Around town at home is fine, but on the interstate is just nuts and her being frigging stubborn. As usual.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too.” Garret smiled at Aaron’s frustration with his sister. After knowing her for even a short time, he could well imagine what Aaron’s life with her was like.

  “We’ll have to see if it will fit in my truck with the cap on the bed, but if not, it should fit fine in yours.”

  “Yeah, I can take it. No problem.” Garret nodded, liking the idea of transporting Silver’s Harley. Damn, he had it bad. He wanted her in bed so badly that he’d settle for her bike in the bed of his truck.

  Aaron laughed and glanced up at the VIP seats where Silver sat next to Leesa. “This all depends on if she agrees, of course.”

  Garret had planned this part too. Aaron’s understanding about this whole situation made him feel even worse as he concocted a scheme on how to spend more time with her on the drive tonight. “Well, I’ve given some thought to that. It might be smart for her and I to ride together so we can get our stories straight. Discuss the details…you know, for the insurance stuff.”

  “Good idea. She likes nothing better than plotting and planning. She won’t be able to say no.” Aaron grinned. “You’re learning how to handle her already. It took me years to figure it out. You might just survive the next six months in the marriage after all.”

  Garret forced a smile and pretended he agreed. Meanwhile, Aaron had no idea how Silver played him on a daily basis. And recently, Garret had been her accomplice in deceiving him. He smothered a sigh. There was too much to think about. He needed to get himself fixed first, then he could work on repairing his relationship with his friend.

  One jump at a time. That was the bull rider’s motto when riding an unpredictable bull. Don’t anticipate, just deal as best he could with what’s happening at that moment. The sentiment seemed perfect for his life right now too.

  A few short hours later, Garret tried to keep at least some of his attention on the highway in front of him, which was difficult with Silver sitting in the passenger seat.

  She sent him a smoldering smile and he knew she was planning something that would test him, and his friendship with Aaron, further. “Stop that.”

  “Stop what?” She pasted on a look so innocent it only made her look guiltier.

  “Stop looking at me as if you’re going to—hell, I don’t know—jump me.”

  Reaching out, she trailed one finger up his leg. “I wouldn’t jump you. There’s not enough room for me between you and the steering wheel. I might blow you though.”

  Garret choked on his own spit in reaction to that proclamation. His eyes opened wide and he stared at Silver, then dragged his attention back to the road. “I’m driving a couple of tons of steel seventy-five miles an hour. I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  She continued the path with her finger, adding a second one and walking them up t
oward his belt buckle. “Come on. Just a little one.”

  “A little one?” Garret laughed. A little blowjob was kind of like being a little pregnant. It wasn’t possible. “No. Any one is too much.”

  How could Silver look so cool and collected? They were supposed to get secretly married tomorrow, her brother was in his truck just a few vehicles in front of them, and she was as playful—and sexy—as ever. Garret sure as hell wasn’t so calm. Everywhere he turned there seemed to be more questions. And every one led to more lies he’d have to tell.

  “All right. Your loss.” She shrugged. “You do know Aaron expects you to spend the night with him at his place because he thinks I’m all virginal and pure.”

  “Yeah. I know.” Images of the past few days hit Garret. Silver waltzing into his hotel room in hotter-than-hell skintight leather pants. Of him lifting her skirt and slamming into her against the wall outside the arena in the middle of the event. Brothers believed what they needed to, he supposed.

  “It sucks I have to be back to work first thing in the morning.”

  It had been a long time since Garret had been to school, but he knew her day would start early. “So then when are we going to do this thing?”

  “During my lunch hour, I guess. Or maybe after my last class of the day.” She shrugged again. “We’ll figure it out.”

  Lunchtime quickies were fine when they were for sex, but he’d never in his life thought his wedding would be one. Which raised another question…

  “What are we going to do about the living arrangements? Afterward, or during…you know what I mean.”

  “While we’re married?” She raised one dark brow. “I have a lease on my apartment and my job at the school, so I can’t move. You can stay at my place if you want. It’s only three rooms, and according to Aaron my one and only television is way too small, but you’re welcome to crash with me.”

  She’d just asked him to move in with her as casually as if she’d offered him a French fry from her bag of fast food. Then again, she’d offered to marry him just as casually. Silver had to be the strangest and the most fascinating female he’d ever met, and he’d met quite a few.

  Crazy as it was, his heartbeat quickened at the thought of moving in with her, even if it was temporary. They’d have all sorts of crazy sex, day and night. But if he moved in with Silver, her friends and her family would notice and wonder why. And speaking of her family… “Wouldn’t Aaron freak if we live together?”

  “We could tell him it’s just a cover so the insurance company doesn’t get suspicious and you’re sleeping on the sofa.” Silver laughed. “He’s got his head so buried in the sand when it comes to me and sex, he’d never think we were really humping like bunnies.”

  Just those words had Garret getting hard in his jeans. Thankfully, Silver’s hand was no longer in his lap, and her focus seemed to be on the passing scenery. This was all too much. He sighed.

  Then there was his own family situation. “What would I tell my father when I don’t come home?”

  “I guess you could say you’re staying with Aaron during the break.”

  “I guess.” But after the way he’d left things, with his catching his father and Molly having sex in the kitchen and all, his father would think that was why Garret didn’t want to come home.

  Nothing like impending surgery and six months out of competition to put things in perspective in a man’s mind. His father’s date seemed a bit less devastating now. And Garret certainly didn’t want his father to assume he’d driven him out of the house, just for wanting to move on with his life.

  “I’ll need to find a good surgeon.” So many loose ends and details. This was just one more, but an important one. Garret knew Doctor Tandy did surgery for riders willing to travel to him, but he was off in another state, and Garret would have to work around the doctor’s schedule, which could delay the surgery.

  “I don’t know any surgeons in my town.” Silver glanced at him.

  “There’s a really good bone-and-joint specialist in my hometown.”

  “Really? Then maybe you should use him.”

  “I suppose after the operation, I’ll have to recuperate at my dad’s house. That way I can be close for any follow-up appointments with the specialist. There’ll be the rehab to rebuild the strength in my shoulder too.”

  “All right. That sounds like a plan. After we get married you’ll go back home for the surgery.” She nodded with finality.

  It seemed Silver would agree to anything he said at this point. Blowjob while speeding down the highway? Sure. I’m moving into your apartment. No problem. I’m marrying you for your insurance then leaving for Ohio the next day. Okay.

  That thought didn’t help Garret’s confusion any. “You don’t think it might look strange if I’m living in Ohio and you’re living in North Carolina after we tell our friends that we’re married?”

  “No, not really. We’ll say we lived separately until we could make the official announcement after Luke and Annie’s wedding. And you wanted the surgery in your hometown where you know the doctors and I couldn’t leave North Carolina to be with you there while school was still in session because of my job.”

  “That might work as an excuse.” His future wife was quite the capable liar. He’d enjoyed it before, when they’d been sneaking around behind everyone’s backs to have sex. It was a less charming trait now he was going to be married to her.

  “Oh look. The speed limit went down to fifty-five.” Silver raised her eyebrows and reached for his leg again.

  She was so bad, and persistent, it made Garret laugh. He knew Aaron was going to watch him like a hawk around Silver. Thanks to Aaron’s brotherly attention, it was damn likely they wouldn’t get to have sex again before or after they were married, as ironic as that seemed. He glanced at Silver, and found her watching him.

  “This is insane, you know.” Even so, he eased off the accelerator and slid his seat back a few notches. “But all right.”

  “You are so easily influenced.” A sexy smile lit Silver’s face. She leaned over and opened his belt buckle. His zipper followed.

  “Only by you.” Letting his legs fall open wider, Garret forced himself to stare out the windshield at the road ahead rather than at the amazing sight of Silver as she slid her mouth over him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Garret ran a finger between the collar of his shirt and his neck. Suddenly he couldn’t breathe or swallow. He looked to see if there was a window he could open nearby. The sleepless night spent on Aaron’s sofa hadn’t helped his mental state any. He’d faced the rankest bulls on the circuit with less nervousness than he was facing today.

  While they both waited for Aaron, Silver flipped through one of the magazines the coffee shop provided for its patrons. Aaron had gone into town to find out the details about getting them a marriage license. Then he was going to meet them here at the coffee shop during Silver’s lunch period since that’s when she could leave school.

  Garret couldn’t find anything to hold his attention right now, but he sure needed something to hold in his hands so he could ignore they were shaking. With nothing to do but wait and think, it was too tempting to reach for Silver…to hold her like an anchor and kiss her to quell his nerves. But Aaron would be here any minute, so he reached for his coffee cup instead. It was empty, but at least he had something to hold now.

  The tinkling of the bell above the entrance had Garret looking up just as Aaron pushed through the door. Silver raised her gaze from the glossy photos.

  “So here’s the deal. There’s no waiting period for a license in North Carolina, and there’s no required waiting period between getting the license and the actual marriage. So all we have to do is go to the town clerk right now with your ID and for something like a thirty-five-buck license fee, you two will be on your way to being legal.”

  “Now? Wow. Okay.” Garret swallowed hard, torn between the flutter of anticipation inside him and being scared shitless.

&
nbsp; Aaron nodded. “Yup. Then after that we’ll go see about an appointment for the ceremony with a justice of the peace. If they have time later this afternoon when Silver can get away from work, you two can be married today.”

  Wow. It was all going to happen and today. He’d assumed he’d have a little bit of time to get used to the idea.

  “Sounds good to me. Let’s go.” Silver tossed the magazine back onto the table and stood. “We can get married today and then tomorrow I’ll contact the benefits department and add Garret to my policy as my spouse. I looked it up online. I read the whole damn hundred-page benefits document—that was real fun, I can tell you—but it said as long as a spouse is added within thirty days of the marriage, he’ll be covered as of the first of the month with no waiting period for pre-existing conditions.”

  “Good. He’s going to finish out the season before the surgery anyway, so that’ll be after the first. Perfect timing.” Aaron and Silver continued to discuss Garret as if he wasn’t there. As speechless as he was, he might as well not be there.

  Finally, Silver turned to include him in the conversation. “I’ve been thinking, and I think it’s best if you hang around town and not go home to your father’s place just yet. In case there are any questions about adding you to my policy.”

  “That’s no problem. He can stay at my place until the next event.” Aaron glanced at Garret. “Good?”

  He had to force himself to respond. “Good. That sounds good.”

  “So it’s settled then. We’ll get married, you stay with Aaron until the next event, finish out the season, then go back to Ohio.” Silver’s expression told him she wasn’t as happy about Aaron’s offer that Garret stay at his place after the wedding as she was pretending to be.

  If he knew his bride at all, she was already plotting something so they could be alone. Somehow, Garret found that comforting. They were good at sex, at least. Marriage…well, they’d see about that soon, wouldn’t they?