Whatever smart reply she had died when I took her mouth. The kiss wasn’t gentle, my hand sliding from her belt loop to her lower back so I could haul her fully against me. My other palm cupped the side of her neck, my thumb stroking over the frantic beat of her pulse before I angled her head and deepened the kiss.
Saylor opened for me with a soft gasp, and the taste of her hit my bloodstream. Then she melted into me, her fingers curling in my shirt as if she needed to anchor herself. And those pretty little sounds she made challenged my restraint.
I backed her a half step into the doorframe without meaning to, my body crowding hers while my tongue stroked against hers and every inch of me demanded more. She made a soft sound of surrender, and I nearly lost the last of my control right there in the hallway. My hand flexed against her back, imagining bare skin under my palm, her body ready for me because she’d been waiting all week too.
I broke the kiss before I stopped caring about whether the neighbors had enough sense to look away from a Redline King taking what belonged to him.
Her lips were swollen, her breathing uneven, and her pupils blown wide as she stared up at me like I’d just knocked every thought out of her head.
A satisfied smirk curled my lips. I liked her like that.
“We should go.”
She blinked slowly, then looked toward the stairs as if she’d forgotten they existed. “Right. The race.”
“Yeah. The race.” I dragged my thumb along the side of her neck and felt her shiver. “You keep looking at me like that, we’re not gonna make it.”
Her blush deepened, and the corner of her mouth lifted in a way that made it clear she was pleased with herself even if she was trying to hide it. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Little liar,” I grunted as I shook my head.
She laughed softly, and I stepped back, catching her hand and pulling her out into the hall. She locked the door behind her with fingers that weren’t quite steady, and the sight gave me a level of satisfaction I didn’t bother hiding. If she wanted to test my restraint by walking out dressed like sin, then she could deal with knowing I affected her just as badly.
With her tucked against my side, we headed down the stairs, my hand resting possessively at her waist. A man passing on the sidewalk glanced up as we reached the bottom, his gaze dragging over Saylor too long for my liking. I gave him a look, and his attention found the pavement real fucking fast.
Saylor tipped her head back to look at me, laughter dancing in her eyes. “Did you just scare my neighbor?”
My brow still furrowed, I growled, “He should have better survival instincts.”
“He was walking his dog.”
“Then he shoulda kept his eyes on what was his.”
She pressed her lips together like she was trying not to laugh, and I felt that smile all the way down to the center of my chest. I led her to my bike, where the helmet I’d bought for her waited on the seat. I picked it up and held it out.
Saylor stared at it for a moment, then looked from the helmet to me. “Is this for me?”
I’d picked it up two days after meeting her. “Yeah.”
Her fingers brushed over the smooth shell, and the smile that spread across her face hit harder than expected. It wasunguarded and a little stunned, as if she wasn’t used to someone thinking ahead for her.
“You bought me a helmet?”
I’d buy her a hundred helmets if it made her look at me like that again. “You ride with me, you wear one that fits.”
“That’s actually really sweet.”
I shrugged. “It’s practical.”
Her smile widened. “Of course it is.”
I stepped close, fitted the helmet over her head, and adjusted the strap beneath her chin. Her eyes stayed on mine through the visor opening, amused and too damn gorgeous for my self-control. My fingers lingered at her jaw after the strap clicked into place, and I leaned down until my lips brushed across hers.
Then I climbed onto the Harley before helping her settle behind me. She was stiff at first but relaxed and slid closer when I reached back and hooked my hand behind her knee, guiding her into the right position. Her thighs hugged mine, her arms wrapped around my waist, and the feel of her pressed along my back lit me up from the inside out.
Staying in control tonight was going to kill me.
“You good?” I asked.
