those blue eyes, like she genuinely wanted to know.
Another shrug drew her closer. Damn, he needed to break that habit. It could become a giveaway in a vital moment, and reveal a thought or weakness to a rival. In this business, that was something he couldn't afford. "You could look at it that way. But it's really more a diversion, I suppose. A way to stay the fuck out of my own head and think about other people and their situations. It gives me something to think about besides my own shitty stuff, and long periods of being alone, which is also good, since I'm rarely fit company for anyone."
She smiled a little and let her arm loop around his waist. "I guess that makes sense. At least a little."
The little breeze returned long enough to lift a small lock of her hair and bring it to brush against his neck in a faint tickle. The sensation brought images roaring into his head. Images of the two of them amid tangled sheets, with all that black silk wrapped about them in a kind of mystical binding. A strong mental kick in the ass dislodged that image, but did nothing for the renewed throbbing pulse in his cock.
The further they walked, the more the noise and music from the Rattlesnake receded, leaving them alone with the scent of honeysuckle hanging in the warm air, along with undertones of vehicle exhaust and asphalt cooling from the sun's heat. The security lighting around the parking lot focused more in the opposite direction, leaving them with only dim illumination.
"What's over there?" He gestured toward the row of lights, dim with distance, beyond the overgrown field bordering the parking lot.
Her shoulders lifted slightly in her own version of a shrug. "I'm not sure. Those lights aren't always there, and they don't seem to match with any houses or anything. I've never bothered to take the time to find out."
Hmm. Finding out what those lights came from suddenly seemed like a pretty good idea. Especially if someone who knew the area as presumably well as Rita had no idea where they came from. "Interested in checking it out with me?" As soon as the invitation hit the air, Falon realized the mistake, but it was too late.
She came to a standstill and turned to face him, staring up. "Why would you want to do that?"
He forced a slow smile and raised one eyebrow. "Seemed like a good idea. Something wrong?"
She smiled back a little. "No, of course not. People who aren't from here usually don't bother being curious about anything that goes on here. And I'm not all that used to being invited to do much of anything either." One hand raised to allow a delicate fingertip to brush the center of his lower lip. "What all did you have planned, exactly? And when would this adventure happen?"
Heat roared through him at her touch, ready and willing to pick up where they'd left off when the shotgun had boomed. "I was sort of thinking tonight, now, just to ride out there and see. It might be fun." The thought of her behind him on his Harley set a crazy pulse pounding at the base of his throat.
Rita studied him for a long moment, probably figuring out how to refuse and still be nice. "Okay."
"Okay?"
Her smile dazzled for a moment. "Yeah, okay. As in, yes, I'd like to go."
He'd made a fool of himself with that, and didn't even really mind. "Okay, then. Ready?"
She nodded and let him take her hand and lead her toward his bike, only to halt when the destination vehicle became unmistakable. "Wait, you're on a motorcycle?"
Shit. "Yeah. Is that a problem?"
Calculation narrowed her eyes a little, and the dim security lighting created a sort of optical illusion to make them appear closed, reminding him how she looked under his kisses. "No, of course not, just a surprise. I guess I expected a pickup truck or muscle car instead." She started walking again.
While he dug his spare helmet out from where he'd strapped it to the rear fender, Rita separated her masses of hair and braided it in swift movements with a tidy result. The extra lid
Another shrug drew her closer. Damn, he needed to break that habit. It could become a giveaway in a vital moment, and reveal a thought or weakness to a rival. In this business, that was something he couldn't afford. "You could look at it that way. But it's really more a diversion, I suppose. A way to stay the fuck out of my own head and think about other people and their situations. It gives me something to think about besides my own shitty stuff, and long periods of being alone, which is also good, since I'm rarely fit company for anyone."
She smiled a little and let her arm loop around his waist. "I guess that makes sense. At least a little."
The little breeze returned long enough to lift a small lock of her hair and bring it to brush against his neck in a faint tickle. The sensation brought images roaring into his head. Images of the two of them amid tangled sheets, with all that black silk wrapped about them in a kind of mystical binding. A strong mental kick in the ass dislodged that image, but did nothing for the renewed throbbing pulse in his cock.
The further they walked, the more the noise and music from the Rattlesnake receded, leaving them alone with the scent of honeysuckle hanging in the warm air, along with undertones of vehicle exhaust and asphalt cooling from the sun's heat. The security lighting around the parking lot focused more in the opposite direction, leaving them with only dim illumination.
"What's over there?" He gestured toward the row of lights, dim with distance, beyond the overgrown field bordering the parking lot.
Her shoulders lifted slightly in her own version of a shrug. "I'm not sure. Those lights aren't always there, and they don't seem to match with any houses or anything. I've never bothered to take the time to find out."
Hmm. Finding out what those lights came from suddenly seemed like a pretty good idea. Especially if someone who knew the area as presumably well as Rita had no idea where they came from. "Interested in checking it out with me?" As soon as the invitation hit the air, Falon realized the mistake, but it was too late.
She came to a standstill and turned to face him, staring up. "Why would you want to do that?"
He forced a slow smile and raised one eyebrow. "Seemed like a good idea. Something wrong?"
She smiled back a little. "No, of course not. People who aren't from here usually don't bother being curious about anything that goes on here. And I'm not all that used to being invited to do much of anything either." One hand raised to allow a delicate fingertip to brush the center of his lower lip. "What all did you have planned, exactly? And when would this adventure happen?"
Heat roared through him at her touch, ready and willing to pick up where they'd left off when the shotgun had boomed. "I was sort of thinking tonight, now, just to ride out there and see. It might be fun." The thought of her behind him on his Harley set a crazy pulse pounding at the base of his throat.
Rita studied him for a long moment, probably figuring out how to refuse and still be nice. "Okay."
"Okay?"
Her smile dazzled for a moment. "Yeah, okay. As in, yes, I'd like to go."
He'd made a fool of himself with that, and didn't even really mind. "Okay, then. Ready?"
She nodded and let him take her hand and lead her toward his bike, only to halt when the destination vehicle became unmistakable. "Wait, you're on a motorcycle?"
Shit. "Yeah. Is that a problem?"
Calculation narrowed her eyes a little, and the dim security lighting created a sort of optical illusion to make them appear closed, reminding him how she looked under his kisses. "No, of course not, just a surprise. I guess I expected a pickup truck or muscle car instead." She started walking again.
While he dug his spare helmet out from where he'd strapped it to the rear fender, Rita separated her masses of hair and braided it in swift movements with a tidy result. The extra lid
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