Straddling the Line - By Sarah M. Anderson Page 0,66

corner of his mouth curved up, and even though she was sticking to her plan, dang it, certain parts of her went melty.

“We wanted to come out and tell you in person that our equipment is on order.” His smile deepened. “We should be able to donate our old equipment in six months.”

Stunned was such an inadequate word. “How?”

“Everyone calmed down in the E.R., and we had a chance to talk. Well, I had a chance to talk while Bobby got his jaw wired, and Billy and Dad got stitched up, and they worked on my hand. Bobby’s got a production deal he’s working on, and the long and the short of it is that Billy and I convinced Bobby that helping the school is good for business. We’ll donate the equipment, build the bike and film the whole thing. It’ll be great press for the company and the school.” Josey’s jaw dropped, but Ben just gave her that almost-grin. “And Dad can’t argue with all three of us. Not when we work together.” He leaned forward. “And what’s good for business is good for the family.”

He’d decided this a month ago—and this was the first she was hearing of it? “But—but you quit your family and I’m leaving. Today. Now.”

Ben stepped in closer—so close she could feel the heat radiating from his chest. “My father apologized to me. Wish you could have seen it,” he added, his almost-smile deepening. “Never thought I’d see the day when he told me he was proud of me, but it happened.”

Part of her was happy for him, because she knew how much that meant to him. But the other part? “It’s been a month.”

The flash of anger surprised her. Now that she thought about it, she wanted to throttle him. He’d done all of this—bikes and equipment and filming—without even bothering to pick up the phone?

No, she was not going to get melty or fluttery or anything just because he had the nerve to give her that private smile when she was mad at him.

“You weren’t at your apartment the nights I came by, and I didn’t think coming out to the rez unannounced was in my best long-term interest.”

He’d come for her. He’d waited for her. Josey shook herself. She was sticking with the plan. She was leaving. “You could have called.”

“I wanted to talk to you face-to-face. I wanted you to look me in the eye again.” She could see the truth of that in his expression. He wouldn’t have been able to change her mind on the phone, but when faced with the full-blown intensity of his gaze…she was wavering, and no amount of sticking with the plan was enough to keep her steady. “And after a few weeks of missing you here and there, I decided to wait until I was finished.”

“Finished with what?” Stupid wavering voice, betraying her weakness around him. She couldn’t even remember the plan she was supposed to be sticking to.

“I wanted to give you something.” He put his hands on her shoulders and spun her around before she could say anything—not that she knew what to say, but still. He didn’t let go of her, either. Instead, he pressed his front against her back. The unexpected contact sent an unwilling shiver through her body. Ben’s scent—leather and the wind—surrounded her. He’d waited for her. He’d come for her. And he’d brought her…

Bobby was dusting the seat of a motorcycle while Billy crouched down behind it, rubbing a cloth over the chrome tailpipes. The bike had the same clean lines that Ben’s did, but it was smaller, with a body that was a cheerful shade of red.

“A bike?”

“Your bike.”

“Mine?”

His hands circled her waist, holding her tight. “Yes. I wanted to give you something to remember me by. Because I’ll never forget you. I’ll never forget who you are.”

“Who am I?” She had to know what he thought. She couldn’t leave without knowing who she was to him.

He took a deep breath, his chest rising against her back. “You’re a complicated, conflicted woman, intelligent and beautiful. You cherish the past while working for a better future. You walk in both worlds, and you love them both. You expect better of me, and you make me better because of it.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Not even a squeak.

A low hum issued from his chest. She knew that sound. It was the sound of satisfaction. “I can’t make you stay, Josey, but