“Get on the back of my bike,” Cruz repeated.
“Are you crazy?”
He shrugged. “Yeah. But you know that already. Now get on the bike.”
“I’m not getting on that bike.”
He cocked one eyebrow at me. It was a sexy talent. “You said you wanted an adventure. What is more adventurous than climbing on my bike and just leaving?”
“Where would we go?” I heard myself ask.
“Anywhere, everywhere.”
I shook my head again. “My bag is upstairs. My car is here.”
“Yeah . . . but you want change. That’s the old you. Climb on, and we’ll find the new Lila Kate Carter.”
I stood there. My head was telling me how ridiculous this was and that I needed to march inside and slam the door in his face, but my feet began moving toward him. I had nothing but the clothes I was wearing and the purse on my shoulder. I stopped beside his bike and he put the helmet on my head. Then his hand closed around mine. “Get on.”
And I did.
Cruz Kerrington
SOMETIMES YOU DO shit and you don’t think it through. That’s what got me here. I had just reacted. Now I had Lila Kate on my bike headed west to New Orleans. Once her daddy found out, I was damn sure I’d need to be put in protective custody. Grant Carter was going to kill me. But until then, I was going to be there while Lila Kate liberated her sweet little uptight ass.
At least she’d loosen up. I didn’t want her to start dancing on bars topless or anything, but this was a step in the right direction. Just leaving all her shit. No explanation. Just driving out of there. I didn’t think she’d do it. I hadn’t been able to sleep. I’d gotten up at three and went outside with a backpack that held a change of clothes and a toothbrush then climbed on and drove off.
But dammit they’d just let her take off on her own. I didn’t give one fuck that she was a grown woman. She was so sheltered that it didn’t matter how old she was. I loved the fact she wanted to spread her wings some. She just needed a little guidance. That’s why I was here. Grant should be thanking me. He wouldn’t. He’d likely try to kill me.
We’d be in New Orleans by the time everyone woke up and realized she was gone. I’d have her call her momma, and I’d call Nate and tell him. I wasn’t going to let everyone worry.
I pulled into a Wal-Mart parking lot and drove her up to the door before cutting the engine. “This is the best we’ll find this early. Get some jeans and closed toed shoes. Change and come on back out.”
She didn’t move. “You want me to go in there and buy jeans and shoes?”
I turned around and pulled her helmet off. “You want to ride all the way to New Orleans dressed in those shorts and a pair of sandals?”
She looked down at her bare legs then lifted her eyes back to me. “I guess that’s a bad idea?” It sounded like a question.