Yes, she had. She swallowed and glanced at his huge bike. It sat there like a sleeping black beast with its chrome handlebars winking in the evening sun. “No, I’m good, thanks.”
“I’m going that way and I’ve got space for a little one.” He let his attention dip down her body and back up again. “And your holdall.”
Normally, that kind of look would annoy the heck out of Leah, but for some reason, Carter’s gaze was like a hot caress, one that sent spikes of awareness to her nipples and between her legs and made her heart rate pick up.
“I’m leaving now,” he said, gesturing to his bike with a flick of his thumb. “Will take until the early hours to get there, but it’s an iconic route, a great highway. Best way to see it is through handlebars when there’s open road in front.”
“You’re serious.” Could she imagine herself behind him, holding tight, all that way?
“I’m always serious when it comes to my bike, add on a road trip and a woman, and hell yeah.” He chuckled. “Come on, what have you got to lose? You can get the workshop to pick this up while you’re away, and hire a rental when you arrive in Strands. Makes sense. You know it does.”
Actually, it did kind of make sense. She’d still get the vacation she longed for, and it would only take a few phone calls of inconvenience. Oh, and then a ton of cash most likely to fix the VW.
“So, you coming?” he asked.
Still, she hesitated. Could she trust Carter Harris? Every instinct told her he was bad news. He flirted with the wrong side of the law, heck more than flirted, he got into bed with criminal activities whenever the opportunity arose. She’d have to be blind and stupid not to know that.
But something inside her, something deeply primal, a craving, a need to escape the here and now prodded her. It was that devil again, telling her to go. To throw caution to the wind, jump on that bike, and ride into the sunset with a biker who’d wormed his way under her skin with a mixture of charm and cheek.
A sudden bubble caught in her chest and erupted as a laugh.
“What?” he asked, narrowing his eyes as he studied her. “What’s funny?”
“You,” she said.
“I am?”
“Yes, you got what you wanted. Me on the back of your bike riding into the sunset. That’s exactly what you wanted and you got it.”
He matched her grin and took her holdall from her. “I usually do, Leah, I usually do.”
Chapter Five
Leah’s bones ached after hours astride the Harley, but she wasn’t complaining. It had been exhilarating taking on the coastal highway by moonlight. With the wind on her cheeks, the pulsing engine beneath her, and Carter’s solid body to hang on to, she’d allowed feelings of freedom, abandon, liberty, and excitement to rule her emotions.
Carter had driven fast but carefully. They’d stopped around midnight at a sleepy diner, and she’d bought them burgers and fries as payment for the ride. He’d told her about his mom, Brooklyn, and how a kid at the compound he was fond of was winning local surfing competitions.
His face softened when he spoke of people he cared for, his tone gentler. Carter was a man who loved fiercely, that much was clear. When she’d asked him where the Devil’s Barbarians got their income, he’d shrugged and said something about repairing jet-skis and selling surfboards. She hadn’t pursued the question, and it was none of her business. She was simply getting a ride with him. He was convenient.
As the sun’s first rays of light were brightening the eastern sky in a wash of rose pink and lavender, they arrived at the ocean side street her rental sat on.
Carter pulled through large wooden gates painted pale blue and onto a short gravel driveway.
Dawn light had turned the dark windows lilac and African violets waited patiently in white pots for the day to start.
“Looks cool,” Carter said, killing the engine and removing his helmet.
“Yeah.” It was even prettier than she’d hoped and definitely worth the trip.
She climbed off the bike and handed her helmet to Carter. She then went in search of the locked key box. Beside the hibiscus, she’d been told, to the right of the picketed front porch.
Quickly, she found the small brown box and keyed in the code. The sound of crashing waves filtered toward her, along with the brined scent of the ocean. She breathed deep. Already, she had a holiday feeling. Pierce was hundreds of miles away. It felt like a universe away, and so did her father, Ellen, and Judge Lincoln.
Yes, this place would suit her very well. Heck, coming here was probably the best idea she’d had all year.
Suddenly, Carter was behind her holding her bag. At the diner, he’d switched his cut for a leather with a golden eagle patch on the right arm, and it made his shoulders all the broader. “You got it?”
“Er, yeah.” She held up the key. “I have.”