Page 50 of Throttle Therapy

Jenna thought about that for a moment, tilting her head.“Make it three hours and I’d say that’s about accurate.Why?”

“Curious.I want to know you better.Have you ever wanted to travel?To see more?”

She tilted her head to one side and watched him.Where was he headed with this?With everything he’d said to her in the last hour, she didn’t think he was trying to make her feel inferior because she’d never been more than a few hours from home.

“I used to.When I was in school I dreamed about everything I wanted to see.I was going to go to New York City and get a job with a big publisher and be part of making books.”

“Do you still want to do that?”

Jenna shook her head.“No.The more I know about it, New York is the last place I’d like to live.Aside from how expensive it is, something I had no concept of until I was the only one supporting me and Lacey, but there are just so many people.”She didn’t bother to hide the shudder that went through her at the thought.“Wilmer’s not big, but we’re not far from Mobile and there are more people there than I want to have to deal with.And it’s only a fraction of New York.I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never been there, but I have a hard time with the idea of everybody on top of each other.I would miss not having a yard.Not being able to step out onto my porch with my coffee in the morning and enjoy the crisp, clean air as I let the sun warm my face.”She shook her head.“I know it’s not something some people think about, but I’d rather trade the potential fame, the dream of working with books, to have the simple pleasures.I like the trees, I like it here in Wilmer.”

“So you don’t want to live there.Would you be open to visit?And if you’d like to visit, tell me where else you’d like to visit.”

They talked until their food came, then the topic shifted and they talked about music and movies while they ate.After they finished, they got back on his motorcycle and headed back to Wilmer.Jenna was far more relaxed with this ride, and couldn’t help but think of the way he’d told her he was claiming her.Did she want him?Well, yeah.But would they fit and what if this didn’t work out?He didn’t take her home, not right away.Instead he took her to the clubhouse.

“Why are we here?”she asked as he pulled in.

“Cause I have a couple of things I’d like to show you.”

“Okay.”Jenna frowned as she wondered what it could be, but she hoped it was him.She’d spent half the ride back, if not more, thinking about how much she’d like to invite him in once they got back to the house, but what kind of example would that be for Lacey?She couldn’t just invite him in, not with her sister there, and especially not after their first date.

She remained silent as he walked his motorcycle backwards into line with the others, then she got off and gave him her helmet.

“What do you want me to see?”she asked as he took her hand and led her toward the door to the clubhouse.

“It’s inside.Come on.”He didn’t pull her, but let her come at her own pace.At the door, he held it open for her, then, once inside, he dropped one hand to the small of her back and used that to steer her toward the stairs.

“What’s up there?”

“The bedrooms.I want to show you mine.”

Jenna opened her mouth to ask why, but closed it again without a word, deciding to go with it.She trusted Roadkill, he wasn’t going to hurt her, and she sensed he had a reason for showing her his room.Something more than maybe just getting into her pants.Not that she was opposed to hopefully having an orgasm or two she didn’t give herself for a change, but Lacey didn’t need to see who she was doing it with.Or at least not that obviously.

He stopped in front of a door and turned to look at her.

“I won’t hurt you.I won’t pressure you into anything you don’t want to do.But I wanted to show you something and to talk to you, without anyone overhearing, without having to worry about who might be watching.In here, it’s just you and me, darlin’.Okay?”

Jenna nodded.She wasn’t sure what to say, but wanted to let him know she trusted him.On a whim, she hooked one hand in the collar of his shirt and tugged him down until she could stretch up and kiss him.

“I trust you,” she whispered.“Show me.”

He opened the door, turned on the light, and motioned for her to go ahead.

Jenna stepped into the room, took a few steps so there was room for him to come in too, then she stopped and looked around.The room was about the size of the living room in the trailer she shared with her sister.There was a bed in one corner, a recliner near the foot and a couple of doors leading who knew where.It was surprisingly neat for a man to be living there, but she said nothing.She took it all in, then turned to face Roadkill, waiting for whatever he wanted her to see.

“This is where I’ve lived for the last six years.That’s a bathroom and there’s the closet.”He motioned to the two doors.“This is the only place I’ve lived since I got out of the Marines.I met Hex when we happened to be stationed together overseas, and he convinced me to come down when I separated.”He looked down at the floor as he kept talking.“The Savage Warriors are my family.I’ll do anything I need to in order to protect them.And for years, they were the only ones.The only ones who mattered to me.”He took her hand and led her to the recliner.He motioned for her to take a seat, then when she did, he sat on the foot of the bed.“Then you walked into my gym, and everything changed.”

Jenna frowned, wondering how her merely meeting him could change so much for him.

“I’ve been happy with this,” he motioned to the room around them, “for years.It was all I needed.All I wanted.And then I met you.Something about you makes me want more.It makes me want you.You come with Lacey, and I know that’s non-negotiable.But that you’re so dedicated to taking care of her, that only makes me more certain that you’re the one for me.”He paused, reaching out and covering her knee with one hand as he looked back up at her face.

“Before I met you, I could have lived the rest of my life right here in this room and been content.But now I want more.I want you.I want to help you with your sister.”

“Here?”She looked around the room, knowing there was no way she could move her sister in here.But she could move him into their trailer, eventually.It was only a couple of minutes away.

“In this room?Of course not.I’ve already talked to Hex.There’s an empty house on the compound.One we’ve finished but no one had spoken for.It’s a four bedroom, that would give use room for the three of us now and maybe a little room to grow if we want.”

She blinked and stared at him.This was so fast.She’d known him less than two weeks.They had been on one date.One.How could he be ready for this?How could he think she was ready for this?It felt like there was a band around her chest keeping her from taking a deep breath.