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Chapter 20
Hayley had managed to avoid Chris until he’d finally left for work. She’d headed over to his house, retrieved Pepper, and brought her back to the little blue house. She was so humiliated that she couldn’t imagine facing him again. What the hell had she been thinking, grabbing him like that? As if the kissing wasn’t bad enough. And then, he’d actually stopped her. Oh, God. That had been the low point. The rock bottom of her misguided attempt at….what? Who the hell knew? But whatever it was, Chris had not been interested. He’d grabbed her hand and admonished her. She knew she wasn’t his type. She should have known better.
Working days, she thankfully got off an hour before Chris closed up the garage. She practically sprinted back home and flung the door shut. She considered her bag and the cost of a bus ticket. But for the first time in five years, she found herself hesitating. She didn’t want to leave. And what about Pepper? No doubt Chris would take care of her, but Hayley didn’t want to leave her behind. She sighed and steeled herself. She would apologize. Eat her own crow and tell Chris to just forget about everything that had happened. It couldn’t possibly be the first time a woman had hit on him and he’d declined. Surely he’d be willing to just forget all about it.
By the time he’d come home, she’d put on her shoes again and took a deep breath. She was about to head over to his place when she heard his heavy boots on her front porch steps. Her stomach fluttered. She twisted the knob and took another deep breath, ready to let him know what she had on her mind. But instead of getting any of it out, she was hit in the stomach. Not particularly hard, though.
Her mouth gaped as she looked down, instinctively grabbing the large black helmet he’d thrust at her. “Get your jacket,” he commanded.
His tone brooked no argument. Hayley nearly stumbled back, tightening her grip on the helmet. She snatched her jacket off the back of the chair and pulled it on. Chris wordlessly lead them to his Harley and got on. Only hesitating for a moment, she swung her own leg over the back.
It was a nice night. A beautiful night. They hit the highway headed east with the sun at their back, sinking down past the horizon. The trees lost their colors at the light continued to fade. Their silhouetted shapes eventually faded to black with the rest of the darkening sky. Well past the city limits, the street lights were fully behind them and the stars revealed themselves overhead. Hayley was mesmerized.
Finally it was so dark and the sky was so clear that it seemed more like they were riding through the stars, rather than simply under them. Hayley forgot about everything but the warm wind, the feeling of flying, and the millions of diamonds glittering in the darkness.
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An hour later, Chris parked the bike and gave Hayley some time to look out at the moonlight shimmering over the Badlands, that ancient, withered landscape that existed long before either of them and would remain long after they were gone.
“Hayley,” he said finally, trying to draw her attention away.
She didn’t turn to him, but he saw her shoulders slump and she began worrying her bottom lip. “Do we have to talk about it?” she asked quietly. “Can’t we just forget it? Just pretend it never happened? It was a mistake.”
Chris shook his head. “I don’t think it was a mistake, Slick. At least that’s not how I feel about it and I really hope you don’t, either.”
“You turned me down. It’s okay. We can just let it go,” she pleaded.
“It wasn’t the right moment, Hayley. But it can be now. If you want it.”
She finally turned to look at him. “Chris, we can’t-”
“We can,” he interrupted. “Yes, we can. But some things have to change. Things can’t stay like they are no matter what.”
“Chris-”
“Listen. Just hear me out, okay? Jimmy’s physical therapy is done in two weeks. His insurance is finished paying out for his injury and he’ll have to move out of the facility he’s in. It was always my intention that he live in the house you’re in now.” Hayley sighed heavily. “Now, he can move in with me,” Chris told her. “I have the second bedroom. But you’re pretty aware of how things are between us. I don’t think forcing Jimmy to live under my roof is a very good idea right now. Hawk doesn’t have room. Neither does Doc. Tex could take him, but Hayley, he’s my responsibility. I’m the team leader.”
He paused for a moment before rushing headlong into the fray. “I want you to move in with me, Hayley.” Her eyes got huge and she stared at him. “Come on now,” he coaxed. “You practically live there as it is. You cook there, you bathe there, you even sleep there when you’re too drunk to make it home,” he reminded her with a grin.
