Read Online Jaci Burton by Nauti, wild (Riding The Edge) - Free Book Online Page B

her, but
    didn’t say anything. She took a long drink and handed it back
    to him. “I don’t like talking about my past.”
    “It’s easier to put it behind you if you do.”
    “I’ve already talked plenty about it. I don’t want to do it
    again.”
    She turned to face him, crossing her legs over each other.
    “So you had counseling?”
    His lips curled. “You could say that.”
    “Did it help?”
    He shrugged. “It forced me to face some things I didn’t
    real y want to examine again.”
    “Like?”
    “There you go again . . . probing. Maybe you should have
    been a psychologist.”
    Funny he should mention that. “That was Lacey’s major.”
    “Was?”
    “Yes. She dropped out midway through her master’s.”
    “Why?”
    “Because she met Bo and joined the Hel raisers.”
    “You don’t approve.”
    Her head shot up. “What makes you say that?” His smirk
    irritated her. He seemed to be able to read her so wel . Was
    she that transparent?
    “The tone of your voice.”
    “Oh. Wel , it’s not that I don’t approve.”
    “Maybe she didn’t want to be a psychologist after al .”
    “I guess not.”
    He tilted his head and studied her. “But you don’t believe

    that.”
    She leaned against the trunk of the tree, wondering how the
    topic had drifted to Lacey, when what she real y wanted was to
    talk about him. But she supposed having someone to talk to
    about her best friend wasn’t a bad idea. “Honestly? I don’t
    know what to believe. She had a complete personality
    transformation in the past year.”
    “Since she met Bo.”
    “Yes.”
    “Fal ing in love can change someone. Maybe meeting Bo
    switched her priorities.”
    “It shouldn’t.”
    “Bo’s lifestyle is a lot different than Lacey’s. Maybe he
    introduced her to things she’d never known before, forced her
    to examine the life she had and she found it lacking. Maybe
    she prefers the life of the Hel raisers to one of academia.”
    Huh. She’d never thought of those things. Now it was her
    turn to study him. “You’re very smart for—”
    He laughed. “For what? For a biker?”
    “I’m sorry. That didn’t come out like I meant it to.”
    “If you think bikers are so dumb, what are you doing here,
    Ava?”
    “It isn’t what I meant at al . I guess I just have my own
    preconceived notions of who bikers are. I didn’t expect . . .”
    She couldn’t go on. There was nothing she could say to get
    her foot out of her mouth.
    “Go ahead,” he said, laughter stil tingeing his voice. “It
    takes a lot to insult me. I real y want to know what you think.”
    “I guess I don’t expect you al to be col ege educated.”

    “We’re not. I’m not. But some are. Bikers come from al
    walks of life, Ava. Open your eyes and take a look around.
    Talk to some of the people in biker groups. They’re anything
    from day laborers to doctors, from fast-food employees to
    scientists, and everything in between. Al you need is a love of
    motorcycles and riding.”
    “To be in a regular motorcycle club, you mean. Not
    necessarily the Hel raisers.”
    Rick grabbed a hunk of grass and pul ed it, then let it sift
    through his fingers, piece by piece, to the ground. “The
    Hel raisers are different. They’re more like a lifestyle.”
    “So there is a difference in the type of people who become
    Hel raisers?”
    “Maybe.”
    She sighed. “You confuse me.”
    “Good. I’d hate to think I was predictable.”
    “You’re definitely not predictable.”
    He leaned in, and once again she inhaled the scent of
    leather, of horses, and the outdoors. Of him. She mainly liked
    his scent and moved a little closer.
    “Predictable is boring. It’s safe. Knowing everything about
    someone is the kiss of death to a relationship.”
    He was coming closer, and she knew he was going to kiss
    her. “Knowing everything about someone means you can trust
    them.”
    He paused, his lips lifting. “I don’t think you can ever trust
    someone completely. Or