“Jesus Christ, Mia, that wasn’t what I meant and you know it.
Listen, there’s nothing else we can do tonight. The rest of the guys are going
home and they’ll follow up leads tomorrow. So I’m at a loose end, and I’d like
to take you back. If you remember, I promised to do that, so I’d really
appreciate it if you let me keep my promise.”
She stared at him hard for a moment and he stared right
back. Her chest was heaving with temper, her perfect brows narrowed in a scowl.
But after a moment, she relented, stepping off and coming around to the side of
the bike. “You’d better not be lying to me.”
Garrett cranked the engine as she settled in behind him. “I
don’t need to lie to you.” He glanced over his right shoulder and gave Trent a
tight nod. His friend had come down the stairs while he and Mia were having
their “discussion”.
“Take care, man,” Trent said as he punched the button for
the door.
“You too.” Garrett rolled down the ramp and Mia’s arms
tightened around his middle. The engine roared as Garrett accelerated, shooting
down the narrow street as if he were racing the devil. Mia squealed and he let
off the gas instantly, hoping he hadn’t scared her. But then her delighted
laugh rained down on him and he grinned.
He should have known she’d like it fast and furious. She did
everything else, so why not this?
They moved way too fast through the streets, Garrett opening
it up on every straightaway, just to feel Mia’s excitement, hear that wonderful
laugh. He was almost disappointed when they finally arrived downtown at the
Sheraton.
As he braked beneath the portico, Mia leaned closer to his
ear.
“Why don’t you park? Come up for a minute?”
Shit, she wasn’t supposed to say that. Garrett’s hands
tightened on the grips. A fast, clean break. She should wave as she went into
the hotel and not look back. She’d be safe as long as she stayed away from him.
“Come on, biker boy. You said you were free tonight, and you
have to be as hungry as I am. Let’s get some dinner.” She poked him in the ribs
playfully.
“Dammit,” Garrett muttered to himself, way too quietly for
her to hear over the idling engine. He rolled the machine forward, maneuvering
it deftly into the parking deck.
This was a bad idea. A really bad idea. He didn’t need to
get involved with her any more than he already was. Trent had been right; he did like her. He shouldn’t, but he did. He should leave now, put some distance
between them. But he was going to go have dinner with her anyway.
Fucking idiot.
Chapter Eight
When Garrett cut the engine, he waited for her to dismount.
She slid off the back of the bike, only his broad hands keeping her from
stumbling on the pavement.
“Sorry,” she laughed as she straightened. “I think it’s all
the adrenaline. We were going pretty fast.”
His grin flashed quickly. “You seemed to like it.”
Mia nodded. “Felt like I was in a movie. You’re a good
driver, you know.”
He shrugged one shoulder as he swung his leg over the seat.
“Thanks.”
They walked side by side to the stairwell. Mia thought about
reaching over and grabbing his hand, but she didn’t. Not now. He’d agreed to
dinner with her only by the smallest margin, she could tell, and she didn’t
want to scare him off.
“There’s a nice little Italian restaurant across the street
from the hotel.” Her words echoed off the painted cinderblocks of the
stairwell. She avoided a crumpled fast-food bag on the landing, ducking behind
Garrett to keep her shoes free of the splattered ketchup. “I ate there the
other night, it was pretty good.”
He pushed open the door, holding it to let her go through
first. She glanced up at him as she passed. His eyes were wary, almost
shuttered. Damn it, she was losing him. “Or we could just go up to my room,
order room service?”
The door fell shut behind them, the loud clunk almost making
her jump.
“The Italian place is fine,”
Listen, there’s nothing else we can do tonight. The rest of the guys are going
home and they’ll follow up leads tomorrow. So I’m at a loose end, and I’d like
to take you back. If you remember, I promised to do that, so I’d really
appreciate it if you let me keep my promise.”
She stared at him hard for a moment and he stared right
back. Her chest was heaving with temper, her perfect brows narrowed in a scowl.
But after a moment, she relented, stepping off and coming around to the side of
the bike. “You’d better not be lying to me.”
Garrett cranked the engine as she settled in behind him. “I
don’t need to lie to you.” He glanced over his right shoulder and gave Trent a
tight nod. His friend had come down the stairs while he and Mia were having
their “discussion”.
“Take care, man,” Trent said as he punched the button for
the door.
“You too.” Garrett rolled down the ramp and Mia’s arms
tightened around his middle. The engine roared as Garrett accelerated, shooting
down the narrow street as if he were racing the devil. Mia squealed and he let
off the gas instantly, hoping he hadn’t scared her. But then her delighted
laugh rained down on him and he grinned.
He should have known she’d like it fast and furious. She did
everything else, so why not this?
They moved way too fast through the streets, Garrett opening
it up on every straightaway, just to feel Mia’s excitement, hear that wonderful
laugh. He was almost disappointed when they finally arrived downtown at the
Sheraton.
As he braked beneath the portico, Mia leaned closer to his
ear.
“Why don’t you park? Come up for a minute?”
Shit, she wasn’t supposed to say that. Garrett’s hands
tightened on the grips. A fast, clean break. She should wave as she went into
the hotel and not look back. She’d be safe as long as she stayed away from him.
“Come on, biker boy. You said you were free tonight, and you
have to be as hungry as I am. Let’s get some dinner.” She poked him in the ribs
playfully.
“Dammit,” Garrett muttered to himself, way too quietly for
her to hear over the idling engine. He rolled the machine forward, maneuvering
it deftly into the parking deck.
This was a bad idea. A really bad idea. He didn’t need to
get involved with her any more than he already was. Trent had been right; he did like her. He shouldn’t, but he did. He should leave now, put some distance
between them. But he was going to go have dinner with her anyway.
Fucking idiot.
Chapter Eight
When Garrett cut the engine, he waited for her to dismount.
She slid off the back of the bike, only his broad hands keeping her from
stumbling on the pavement.
“Sorry,” she laughed as she straightened. “I think it’s all
the adrenaline. We were going pretty fast.”
His grin flashed quickly. “You seemed to like it.”
Mia nodded. “Felt like I was in a movie. You’re a good
driver, you know.”
He shrugged one shoulder as he swung his leg over the seat.
“Thanks.”
They walked side by side to the stairwell. Mia thought about
reaching over and grabbing his hand, but she didn’t. Not now. He’d agreed to
dinner with her only by the smallest margin, she could tell, and she didn’t
want to scare him off.
“There’s a nice little Italian restaurant across the street
from the hotel.” Her words echoed off the painted cinderblocks of the
stairwell. She avoided a crumpled fast-food bag on the landing, ducking behind
Garrett to keep her shoes free of the splattered ketchup. “I ate there the
other night, it was pretty good.”
He pushed open the door, holding it to let her go through
first. She glanced up at him as she passed. His eyes were wary, almost
shuttered. Damn it, she was losing him. “Or we could just go up to my room,
order room service?”
The door fell shut behind them, the loud clunk almost making
her jump.
“The Italian place is fine,”
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