“Here,” he says, passing something over.
When I glance up, I find he’s holding a helmet.
“Um… what the hell is the car for if you want me to get on that thing?”
“The car is for your stuff. One of my neighbours is going to collect it at the other end for you. You’re getting on this, and we’re going for food before I starve.”
“Starve?” I ask, thinking it’s a little extreme.
“Shall we?” When I follow his gaze, I find the car disappearing down the road with everything I own. His movement catches my attention as he throws his long leg over the beast of a machine and looks at me.
“Not scared, are you, Tiny?”
Truth is, I kinda am. Not that I’m going to let him see that.
“Scared? Puh-lease.” Praying that I look like I know what I’m doing, I pull the helmet over my head and fiddle with the clasp until it’s secured.
It feels weird as fuck. It’s like I’m one of those bobble head things some of the taxi drivers have on their dashboards.
“Put your right foot there.” He points to a little step thing, and I do as I’m told before throwing my other leg over the machine.
My arse slides down the leather until my legs are spread wide around his hips.
Okay, so maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea.
His body visibly tenses as we connect, making the muscles of his back even more apparent.
I wait for a few seconds as he takes the helmet that was hanging from the handlebars and places it on his head. In much less time than me, he has it secured before leaning forward and kick-starting the engine.
The vibrations race through my body, making my heart rate increase, knowing that it means he’s about to move.
Shit, shit, shit.
“You might want to hold on,” he shouts over the deep rumble of the engine.
“Oh, um…” I look at his body before me.
Without putting much thought into it, I slide my hands around his sides, brushing them over his abs and pressing my breasts into his back as I hold him. Just as I was imagining earlier, his muscles jump at my touch, and I can’t help but smile inside the helmet.
He doesn’t say anything else; he clearly thinks I’m ready for this, because he kicks the stand and takes the weight of the massive bike.
My mouth goes dry as I wait for what’s to come next. The engine revs, the vibrations mixing with his heady scent and giving me a bit of a thrill before he pulls away.
I squeal as we fly down the road and away from my house.
I don’t look back, there’s no point. It’s not like I’m going to miss the place. It’s just a shame I’ve got to leave one person behind.
I’ll be back, I tell myself as he guns it out of the end of the street before turning left and really putting his foot down.
I panic for a second and squeeze my eyes shut, but after only a few seconds, I begin to feel brave and crack them back open. The second I do, I find the city flying past me in a bit of a blur, and a smile creeps its way onto my lips.
4
Spike
The second her small hands touch me, I know I should have sent her back to the flat, with the car.
I grind my teeth as I gun away from the place she called her house. I feel the eyes of all the people loitering around, enjoying the bit of entertainment as I take her away.
She doesn’t belong here. Zach would go crazy if he knew this was where she slept at night. It makes me wonder how she’s kept it from him. I know they’ve not spent all that much time together since she revealed who she really was, but still. He’s gonna be pissed. Although, possibly not as pissed as when he discovers that her new lodgings are my place.
It’s fine, I tell myself. I’m just helping her out. Giving her a decent place to stay so she can have a chance at starting over. I might not have all the details about her past, but all the evidence only points toward a pretty shitty life.
I know her mum—their mum—died of an overdose earlier in the year. That alone is enough to screw anyone up, let alone having to live like that. I should know.
Thoughts of the way the guys in that house looked at her along with the lingering memories of that arsehole with his hands on her last night are enough to keep my muscles locked up with tension as we drive toward my favourite café.
“Off,” I bark after killing the engine.
For once, she does as she’s told, and I watch as she gets to her feet and undoes the strap under her chin.
I should look away, but I can’t help myself. My eyes stay locked on her as she lifts the helmet from her head. Her almost black hair falls around her shoulders before she shakes it out. I swear the whole thing happens in slow motion, like in the fucking movies.
She’s still got makeup all over her face, and she’s still wearing my shirt, but fuck, she’s hot.
“Here,” she says, handing me the helmet, although she stills when she clocks the look on my face. “Oh, would you like me to do that again so you can record it?”
“Uh… funny.” I snatch the helmet from her before climbing off the bike and removing my own. I place hers into the top box, but I keep mine with me and tuck it under my arm as I lead her toward the café.
“Well, I didn’t have you down as a cute café kind of man.”
“I’m not,” I grunt as I push the door open.
As usual, a little bell rings, and one of my favourite people walks our way.
“Spike,” Nina says, walking toward me with a soft smile on her face and her arms wide open.
I feel Kas’ stare, but I ignore her as I wrap the other small woman in my arms. Her head stops at my mid-chest when I pull her into me.
“It’s been too long, boy,” she chastises when I release her.
“I know, I know.” One word from her and I feel like a little boy again.
“And who is this young lady?”
“Hi, I’m Kas,” Kas says politely, holding her hand out for Nina.
“Nice to meet you, dear.”
Kas smiles, but her curiosity doesn’t leave her face. “I’m sorry, could I use your bathroom?”
“Of course. Just down there on the right.”
Nina looks almost as confused as Kas as she watches her walk through the café and disappear around the corner.
“Start talking then, boy. You never bring a girl here.”
“Kas isn’t a girl,” I say, rolling my eyes as I walk to my go-to table next to the window.
“Oh?” Nina stands with her hands resting on the back of the chair, her grey eyes drilling into me.
“No. She’s Zach’s little sister. I’m just… helping her out.”
“Sure, sure. So how have you ended up with her first thing in the morning with her looking like she’s been dragged through a hedge backward?”
“Long story.”
“Oh, sweetie. You know I’ve always got time for your stories.”
I smile at her, a warmth I haven’t felt for a while filling my belly. Nina is my grandad’s oldest and dearest friend. She’s also the only mother figure I’ve ever really known in my life.
“Nothing to tell. I’m just helping out a friend, and we could really do with some of your cooking.”