“And I’m not ready to let you go,” he admitted.
A group pushed past them and someone chortled, “Geez, you guys. Get a room.”
A blush swiftly covered Jill’s face and traveled down her neck beneath her costume. She tried to pull away from him, but instead he kept an arm around her and drew her off the dance floor toward the exit.
“Let’s get out of here.” It came out as a growl and he cursed the need that had him near crazy, then added in a calmer voice, “Please.”
She stopped in her tracks and tipped her head up, meeting his gaze. Her cheeks still glowed pink. “Where?”
Although she seemed willing, he could hear the uncertainty in her voice. Shit. He was scaring her already. “Anywhere,” he said softly, hoping to reassure her. “I just… Let’s just get away from the crowds and the noise so we can talk. There’s an all-night diner I go to sometimes. Can I take you there? Buy you dinner? Coffee? Or where do you want to go? It’s up to you.”
Jill was quiet for a few moments, long enough for him to convince himself that the asshole with the “get a room” comment had ruined things between them and that she was trying to come up with a good excuse to get as far away from him as possible. Then her lips tilted up in a flirty smile. “You’re right. It’s time for us to make our escape.” She started walking again. “So my warrior, where should we fly away to?”
Her acceptance brought immediate relief. Together they walked out of the club toward the parking lot. “You like to fly?” he asked with a grin as he motioned to his custom motorcycle, parked in front. Now free of Silver Twilight’s sensory overload, he felt more at ease. The night air was crisp, but not too cool. Perfect night for a ride, but he wasn’t sure he should suggest it. Jill looked a little too sweet and innocent. Like asking her if she wanted to go for a ride would give her the wrong idea.
“Wow. This is yours?” Her eyes wide with appreciation, she began circling his bike. Then giving him a pleading look, she asked, “Can I touch it?”
Oh God, she was going to kill him. Those words coming out of that angelic mouth. And the desire in her eyes. Okay, maybe the desire wasn’t yet for him, but it was a start. He nodded his approval and she knelt down next to his bike, caressing the green flames on the tank.
“Yeah. My little toy.” He knelt next to her. “You’ve got wings to fly, but have you ever been on one of these?”
“Not one like this. One of my brothers was a bike mechanic back home. He used to take me riding, but I’ve never thrown a leg over a custom like this. Wow!”
Her hands continued to slide all over his Steed Quarterhorse SE. It was obvious that she knew what she was looking at and he didn’t even care that she was getting fingerprints all over the paint. When he’d first gotten the bike, he’d caressed it, too. This motorcycle was no average showroom model. He’d had it custom-made. In fact, there wasn’t much on it that hadn’t been turned or smoothed by hand. She smiled over at him. “Let me guess. With a bike like this, you don’t even own a car, do you?”
“Nope.” He shifted his stance, his erection growing larger as he watched every stroke of her graceful hands on the motorcycle.
“Does this thing really have the hidden LED gauges? My brother only told me about them. I’ve never seen them. Sheesh! It’s been ages since I’ve even been near a motorcycle. And never a machine like this.”
“Y-you know about hidden gauges?” Arden put the key in the ignition and turned it, allowing all the gauges in the rearview mirrors and on the tank to light up.
“You have to take me for a ride,” she blurted out.
“Well, shit, you’re good…granting my wish before I could even speak it. But you’re going to freeze in that sweet costume of yours.”
“Oh yeah. Ummm…” She glanced around the parking lot, her eyes twinkling mischievously. She backed away from him, lifting her hands up reassuringly. “Don’t go anywhere, okay? I’ll be right back. I’m going to grab some jeans from my car.”
Within the time it took him to fantasize about helping her out of her skirt, reminding himself that he shouldn’t be thinking that way, and pulling a spare helmet from his saddlebag, she was already back. And he’d never seen a woman look so good. She’d thrown an oversized purple sweater over her white leotard top, and a pair of jeans replaced the skirt, hugging her thighs and tapering down… Dammit, she’d caught him looking. Her grin widened and she wiggled excitedly, her hips doing a quick side to side. He couldn’t help it, he laughed. She was something else. Something special. And now he wanted her even more.
He forced his attention down to the helmets in his hand, hoping he’d regain control of himself. When he returned his gaze to her, he realized she was missing one thing. He set the helmets down on the seats, took off his leather jacket and held it out to her. “I wouldn’t want you to get too cold. You know how it can get.”
Tentatively, she reached out to take his coat. “But what about you? Won’t you get cold?”
Like that would be possible with her body close to his. “I insist. Besides, this shirt is thicker than it looks.” He plucked the sleeve of his lightweight cotton weave top, hoping she’d believe his lie.
She slid his jacket on over her sweater. It was so large it could probably wrap around her twice. For some reason that turned him on even more, and he had to force himself to get on the bike and out of there or he would end up throwing her against the bike and consuming her like she was consuming him.
He handed her the emerald green helmet, then put on his dark green one, snapping the clasp into place. “Let me know if you need help adjusting the strap,” he offered but she’d already settled it on her head. “You sure you’re ready for this?”
“Oh heck yeah! I’m always game for a good ride.” She bit her lower lip, her face pinking in a way he was already becoming addicted to. “I-I mean…yeah…I’ve always wanted to go for a ride on a custom chopper, so let’s go.”
He grinned and shook his head knowingly. “There’s a good diner just up the street. We can get coffee or something. Sound good?”
“Sounds great.”
Arden mounted his bike and she climbed on behind him, her body rocking against his as she situated herself. Her hands settled on his shoulders, then smoothed down to his biceps. Maybe she didn’t know where to put her hands? He had several inappropriate suggestions, but stuck with something more suitable so she wouldn’t think him a pervert. “Sorry, there’s no bar on the back to hold on to, and the tank is—”
“That’s okay. I prefer to hold on to the rider.” Answering his unspoken request, she wrapped her arms around him, resting her hands flat against his abdomen. With her breasts pressed against his back, her thighs surrounding his, and her hands inches from his cock, it was all he could do to start the bike and get it upright. If he hadn’t spent over half his life riding, he probably wouldn’t have made it out of the parking lot without wiping out.
Throughout the short ride, the wind whipping past cooled his fevered body. But all it took was one shift of Jill’s hand, bringing it flush against his cock—a touch he was sure she didn’t even realize she’d done—and his blood was boiling again. His raging erection banged against the tank. He was stuck. Either he could keep banging his cock into the tank, or slide backward, nestling deeper into Jill’s body. Which would probably just make his erection grow impossibly larger and he’d still manage to dent the damn tank and bruise his dick.
He slowed down as the diner came into view, wondering how he’d be able to hide the very prominent bulge in his pants when he got off the bike.
“Arden?” Her voice came from just behind his right ear as he coasted to a stop on the street in front of the diner. “Don’t stop. Please. I just want to keep going. If that’s okay with you…”
She had no idea. “I’m always game for a ride, too. Is there somewhere in particular you’d like to go?”
“No. Anywhere’s fine. On this bike…with you…the diner just wasn’t far enough of a ride.”
He checked his gas gauge. Still full. Arden wondered what she’d say if he told her he never wanted to stop.
Chapter Three
Jill couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so free. The Pacific shone dark and beautiful on her left, and she had her arms around a man who had quickly become irresistible. She had no idea what the rest of the night would bring, and she didn’t want to know. She just wanted to let go and live.
As he slowed down to make a turn, Jill gathered her courage and gave word to her desires. “Arden, go faster.”
“What?” he called over his shoulder.
“I said, faster, Arden.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes! I want to fly with you.”
“Your wish is my command. Now hold on tight.” He twisted the throttle and let the chopper fly.
Mile after mile whipped past them, exchanging the lights of Talisman Bay for endless coastline. Everything was perfect. The sky was clear, the brilliant stars adding to the magic of the night. This was nothing at all like riding with her brother.
Jill’s heart kept pace with the whirring of the engine. She’d never felt this alive—or turned on. The faster he went, the more she wanted him. Was she becoming an adrenaline junkie, or just an Arden junkie? Her entire body vibrated, and she couldn’t blame it solely on the ride. It was mostly the rider who made her skin tingle, her body burn, and her insides clench with unfulfilled yearning. The constant vibration between her legs only accelerated the sexual desire that had begun the moment she’d fallen into Arden’s arms at Silver Twilight.
When they passed a small hotel, she bit her lip to keep from begging him to stop. How would that look? Don’t stop at the café for dinner, but please stop at this hotel for dessert? Because as much as she wanted to have sex with Arden, she didn’t want him to think she was a one-night stand kind of woman.
Keeping one arm tight around his waist, she let the other hand wander, stroking up to his chest. The muscles beneath her exploring palm tightened and she shivered at the sign of barely restrained power. The smell of earth and sunshine surrounded her, in the leather jacket she wore, and coming directly from Arden himself. It was heady and addictive and she couldn’t inhale deep enough to satisfy her craving for all things Arden.
He slowed down, pulling to the side of the road. Twisting to face her, he said, “Are you afraid of heights?”
“No. Why?”
“There’s a really pretty spot off the beaten path that I want to show you.”
“Hey, I’m just along for the ride,” she teased. “You can take me anywhere.”
“Don’t tempt me, Jill.” He grinned, his teeth shining white in the darkness. He turned back around, but before pulling onto the road, he ran his hand down her leg from thigh to knee. But this wasn’t a casual touch; this was a promise of things to come. His fingertips claimed and possessed, his hand circling, kneading, burning through her jeans and making her flesh beg for more of his touch.
Wherever he was taking her, she hoped he got there fast.
A few minutes later, Arden left the main road, slowly weaving along a dirt path. When it became too narrow to continue, Arden drew the bike to a halt, turning off the engine. She expected the sudden silence to surprise her, but the roar of the engine was replaced by the roar of the ocean somewhere in the distance. Not to mention the roar of blood pulsing anxiously through her veins.
He took off his helmet, hanging it from one of the handlebars before brushing a hand through his hair. She matched his movements, removing hers as well, but unless her arm grew an extra six inches she wouldn’t be able to hang her helmet. Still she tried, wrapping herself around him like she was playing a game of Twister.
“Here. Let me,” he said, taking the helmet from her outstretched hand. Before she could thank him he mumbled, “Aw, hell,” and crushed his lips over hers.
Arden did taste like sunshine. The heat blistered her lips, soaking into her body. But it wasn’t enough. Wrapping her arms around him, she slammed their bodies together, opening her mouth, begging for more.
The helmet thumped to the dirt as Arden brought his hand to her cheek, his tongue sweeping recklessly into her mouth. The kiss became a battle as they both fought for more of each other. Tongues tangling, teeth nipping, groans ripping from their very souls. An arm swept beneath her, and in one swift movement, she was lifted off the bike, spun around and lowered, her legs straddling Arden. She didn’t know how he kept his balance and the bike from falling. It was all she could do to breathe.
She shrugged off his jacket, no longer needing it to stay warm. Both of his hands trailed underneath her sweater, massaging the middle of her back. She wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing her crotch flush against his erection. He groaned and his hands lowered, cupping her ass, grinding their sexes together. The hot friction made her gasp and squirm, desperately seeking relief. At what point would the denim separating them burst into flame?
Arden stood up, taking her with him. Much to her dismay, the kiss had to end or they’d fall over in a heap of hot flesh and metal. Untangling their legs from the bike and each other, Arden lowered Jill to the ground, then leaned the bike over onto its kickstand. He paused, catching his breath. “Although you probably won’t believe this, I didn’t bring you here just to ravish you.”
Trying to hide how her knees were still shaking from their encounter, she bent over and picked the leather jacket off the ground, brushing off some leaves and dirt before hanging it on the bike. “Really? Well that’s disappointing. You’re pretty good at ravishing.”
He chuckled. “Well, we’ll get back to that in a minute. First, there’s something I want to show you.” Taking her hand, they began walking between trees and bushes, the air growing misty with sea breeze.
They broke through the trees and Jill froze in wonder. The earth fell away less than a dozen feet from where she stood. Beyond that, the great Pacific Ocean filled her vision in all its vast glory. It blurred outward and upward, melding with the star-filled sky. Jill crept closer to the edge of the embankment, Arden’s arm wrapped protectively around her waist. There, secluded from the road by trees and high above the crashing waves, the cliff top afforded a view for miles.
“It’s magnificent,” she murmured, almost afraid to speak and break the magic of the night.
“I stumbled across this place a few years ago, right after moving to Talisman Bay. It’s become my favorite secret escape spot. Come here.” He tugged on her hand, taking her closer to the edge, pointing off in the distance. “See those lights over there? That’s the Talisman Bay pier. You should see it at Christmas time.”
“I bet it’s beautiful.”
“From here, all the twinkle lights look like fireworks with the spray distorting them. We’ll have to come back here in a couple months so I can show you.”
“I’d like that.” She smiled up at him, her breath catching when she met his eyes. No one had ever looked at her like that before. Desire…need…yet it was more than that, something deeper. Like she alone could make his world right—or like she was the only person in his world. But that was crazy. Not yet. Not after only a couple hours together.
“T-thank you,” she whispered. “For tonight. For everything. It’s been amazing.”
“It’s not over yet.” Both his hands cradled her neck, his thumbs framing her face, running up and down, caressing her cheeks.
“Thank God,” she whispered as he leaned in and kissed her. He brushed his lips over hers, back and forth, softly, taking his time. His mouth teased along her jaw, his teeth lightly scraping down her neck. Then he moved back to her mouth and started all over again.
This was more than a seduction. It was a slow, sweet worshipping, making her feel cherished and adored. Yet beneath his tenderness, there was a sense of urgency in the way he kissed her, the way he held her. Like the moment would shatter if he pressed her too close. It was such a contradiction from their frantic entanglement on the motorcycle. Why was he
holding back now?
When his lips returned to hers, she opened her mouth, rejoicing when he accepted her invitation and swept his tongue inside.
Arden had mastered the art of kissing. He kissed with his whole body, his mouth like a live wire that filled her from head to toe with electric energy. Unlike the duel of earlier, this time his tongue slowly thrust and retreated, mimicking two bodies in the throes of lovemaking. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and she arched into him. She wanted to melt and explode, to find a way to relieve the pressure building inside.
He growled, sliding his hands down, caressing her. Not breaking the kiss, he lifted her into his arms, taking her down to a small patch of grass beneath a lone tree. His hair brushed against her neck and she wanted to purr, wanted to feel those wayward strands tease down her body. The thought alone had her letting out a strangled moan. She couldn’t remember ever being this hot before, to the point she was ready to rip a man’s clothes off and take advantage of him.
He pulled away, his breath ragged, arms trembling as he held himself just above her body. “Jill…damn, you’re killing me.”
“Sorry,” she whispered, lifting up and kissing his jaw.
“No,” he rasped. “I mean, you deserve better than this.”
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be.”
His eyes darkened and he kissed her again, fully lowering his body over hers. She loved the feeling of his weight pressing into her, his heat burning through their clothes. His erection throbbed against her thigh and she shifted her leg, rubbing his cock through the denim.
A low growl of pained desire came from deep inside Arden. He broke from the kiss, his eyes pinpoints of flame in the darkness. Desire. Fear. Regret. Hope. Her heart ached at the mix of emotions visible there. He didn’t outwardly portray vulnerability, but she knew it was there, just beneath the surface. Unsure of what to say, she tried to show that she felt a connection to him, too. She stroked his jaw, his face, tracing along his temples. With a harsh groan he buried his face into her neck and began to love her further.
Things That Go Bump In the Night 2004 Page 18