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“I’m good.” She tightened her grip on his waist, returning the squeeze.
“All right.”
He didn’t say anything else, which wasn’t surprising with the difficulty in holding a conversation with the wind rushing past, but his hand stayed on her leg. Kade’s palm slipped down and back up, the stroking motion firm and comforting.
At the final stop of the ride, which she’d found out was a fundraiser for a local family with a very sick child, Mya stretched her arms as Kade killed the bike’s engine. Gripping his shoulder, she stood on the pegs and swung off to the left side of the bike. He’d explained that to her at the first stop, showing how it kept her away from the hot exhaust pipes running down the other side of the bike.
Kade keeled the bike to the side, the weight resting on the kickstand. He gave it a slight shake as he stood up, then turned to take her helmet off. Mya lifted her chin to allow him access to the strap, grinning at the studious expression on his face.
“Water or something harder?” He twisted to place the helmet on the ground next to his own. “This is the last stop. Once I check in and pay for my cards, we can stay or go.” As he looked at her over his shoulder, she felt the weight of his gaze as he tracked down and back up her form. “Up to you.”
“If we leave early, what do we do?” Mya pulled in a deep breath. “I’ve had such a good time. I hate for the evening to end.”
“Didn’t say anything about ending anything, Mya.” Kade stood straight, facing her. The expression on his face smoothed, becoming more of a blank mask. His lips thinned, and she was thrust back to the night of the accident when she’d seen anger and pain on his face.
Pain. Because I hurt him. Law’s face slipped through her thoughts, and she heard him again. “Use your words.”
“I’d like to hang out again, if you’re up for it.” She glanced around at the milling crowd of people. “If your duties are fulfilled, maybe we could go somewhere a little more private?”
The smile unfolding across his face lit up the inside of her soul, spreading warmth through her. “Nothin’ I’d like more, Mya. Give me half a minute, and I’ll settle up inside.” He reached out a hand and smoothed the hair on the side of her head, his fingers ghosting around the shell of her ear. “Back in a flash, honey.”
Mya stood, watching him walk effortlessly across the parking lot. She grinned when he was stopped by half a dozen people on his way inside, each of them earning a back-thumping embrace from Kade. When he disappeared through the doorway into the building that bore a sign echoing the insignia on the back of the men’s vests, she shuffled her feet, glancing around the group of people nearby.
“K-Man’s a good one, lady.”
Mya turned to find Torch standing next to her, facing the building as she’d been. “He really is.”
At her agreement, the man grinned, his face transforming from a scowling visage to one that looked open and easy. “Glad to hear it. He’s talked about nothing but his Mya for the past weeks. Gotta love the man, but it’s a broken record. All the why’s and what’s rollin’ around in his head are keeping the rest of us up at night.”
“What?” His Mya?
“Woman, watch his face when he comes back out. If you don’t see it on his face, you gotta be blind. K-Man thinks the world of you. He’s a good man.”
“Blind?” She shook her head. “Not blind, but there’s history here that you may not know about.”
“I know more than you do” came his enigmatic response. “Now, here he comes. Watch.”
Mya shifted her attention back to the doorway just as Kade walked through. His gaze immediately came to her, and the hopeful expression on his face was mixed with something else. Something she’d wanted to see for a long time. Hunger. For me.
“There it is,” Torch muttered, then tapped her shoulder with the palm of his hand. “Hopin’ we get to see a lot more of you, Mya. Don’t worry about the helmet. K-Man will get it back to me before my old lady needs it again. Be safe and trust him.”
She vaguely heard Torch moving away, but Kade’s prowl towards her captured nearly all her focus. One corner of his mouth tipped up as he stopped in front of her. “Ready to head out?”
All she could do was nod. Kade bent for the helmets and situated hers first. He climbed back on the bike, fitting his own helmet into place, then held up one hand, palm flattened invitingly. Mya gripped it for support, finding her place behind him, sliding up so they were pressed tightly together. Kade made an approving noise before he started the bike, his hand curling around her calf for a quick squeeze.
Then they were back on the road, alone this time, with no riders alongside or behind them to take up space. The bike was still loud, but she easily heard Kade’s words when he asked, “My house or yours?”
“Yours” was her instant response. Her body heated as she remembered the hungry expression he’d worn as he looked at her. “Very much yours.”
CHAPTER 4
Kade’s hand on her back steered her around the house to the back door, and Mya laughed as she evaded the dogs winding between their legs. “They missed you.”
“And you. Have a look at Bo there. He’s all about gettin’ your attention.” Kade’s hand slipped up her back, fingers curling around the nape of her neck. “He’s gonna have to pony up in line, though. Hate to tell him.”
“Oh, who else wants my attention?” Through the door, Mya turned to face him, careful not to dislodge his hand. She kept her tone light and teasing. “Anyone in particular?”
“Give you one guess.” Kade’s head angled down as his grip urged her to her toes. Their mouths met with a gentle slide, his sigh whispering against her lips. He straightened and pulled her close to his chest, arms wrapping around her shoulders. Mya rested her cheek against his chest, astonished that his heart was rocketing along just like hers. “God, Mya. You’ve no idea.”
