Torch (Great Wolves MC) - Jayne Blue Page 0,36

dinner. We’ll ride an hour or two then stop somewhere. We’ll do the rest of the trip in the morning. You good with that?”

“I’m looking forward to spending some time with you,” she said.

“Me too,” I said after a pause. It was hard not to put my guard up with her. With anyone. I don’t know if she knew that.

We hung up, and I went upstairs to my apartment. I didn’t need much. I kept the pouch on my bike packed with most of what I needed. It was an old habit, but one I’d never break. I was ready to bug out at a moment’s notice. There had been times in my life where I needed to.

I spent the day checking with distributors and shipment schedules for Colt. We were selling like crazy in Traverse City. At this rate, we’d recover the start-up costs for the new microbrewery way ahead of schedule.

I grabbed a quick sandwich from the kitchen, and before I knew it, it was almost seven. I checked in with Colt one last time, gassed up, then headed over to Sydney’s apartment.

She was waiting for me on her stoop, a small drawstring bag hanging from her shoulder.

“I like it,” he said. “A chick who’s ready when I say.”

A blush came into her cheeks as she stood up. “I think I proved I’m capable of doing as I’m told.”

Fuck. She had. Last night she’d done everything I ordered her to and begged for more.

She slipped her arms around my neck. She was so soft. Her body fit against mine. I watched her drink in the scent of my leather. I had a vision of stripping her naked and having her wear it. Fuck. Later I’d have her do just that. I wanted that picture on my phone.

“Did you eat?” I asked. “We can stop.”

“I’m good,” she said. “I’m kind of excited about hitting the road. You’ve never taken me on the highway before.”

Her thrill was genuine, I could see it in her eyes. I took her bag and tucked it into my pouch. Then I handed her a helmet. Sydney put it on and climbed on the back of the bike.

Damn, it felt good to have her there. I decided I liked it second only to being inside of her. I loved the way she wrapped around me, molding herself to me.

We took the bridge over to the Interstate. It really was beautiful, with the colored lights twinkling and reflecting in the water.

Sydney’s unabashed laughter warmed my blood as I picked up speed. Traffic was light. For a little while, we had the road to ourselves.

We flew. She matched my movements. Squeezing me harder as I took the curves. I was gentle with her, not going as fast as I normally would. But I felt Sydney dig in her heels. She yelled in my ear.

“Faster!”

The engine roared as I tapped into the true power of the bike.

It hit me like a thunder crack, straight through my heart. This. Tonight. With my girl on the back of my Harley. For the first time in my life, I felt ... happy.

I slowed as we got near Findlay. We’d been riding for about an hour and a half. I pulled off to a campground I knew. I’d brought a blanket, and I wanted to show Sydney the stars.

I parked, then took her hand, leading her down to the small, man-made pond at the base of a hill.

“Are we alone?” she asked.

“Pretty much,” I said. “The cabins are way over there. You can see the smoke from a couple of campfires. I like it here, though. It’s quieter. I know the owner. We can rent one of the empty cabins for tonight.”

“Can we stay out here?” she asked.

I tilted my head. “You serious? You don’t strike me as the roughing-it type.”

She sat on the blanket and looked up, marveling at the stars.

“I’ve never done it before,” she said. “It’s warm enough. I don’t know. It just feels ... right.”

I sat down beside her. Things grew easy between us. She put her head on my shoulder and yawned. She was right. Out here was better. I’d already scoped the place out. We were completely alone.

She did get a little chilly, though. I took off my cut and put it around her shoulders. It looked good on her. I couldn’t shake my fantasy of seeing her wear only it. We’d get to that if I wanted. I knew.

I turned to her. There was something