by Sindee Lynn
“Okay.”
“Oh, yeah, bring a jacket with you,” he said before hanging up.
Kenny quickly changed his clothes before he headed back downstairs with his unopened beer in his hands. He grabbed his leather jacket out of the hall closet before putting the beer back in the refrigerator. Grabbing his keys from the hook by the door, he set the alarm before exiting his kitchen to his garage. His eyes brightened as he removed the cover from his baby. Kenny ran his hand along the smooth, shiny black and gray exterior of her body. This had been the best purchase of his adult life. Excitement and nervousness warred within him as he thought of sharing this part of his life with Connie. He wondered how she would react. None of the past women he’d dated had wanted any parts of this side of him. And it had suited him just fine. He’d always enjoyed his own company without the endless prattle of a woman, but he found he wanted very much to share this part of himself with her. As he put his key in the ignition and heard the engine purr to life, he wondered if Connie would be different.
*****
Excitement, anticipation and nerves all jumbled up inside Connie’s stomach at the thought of seeing Kenny again. Not thirty minutes ago, she was cursing the ground he walked on and herself for once again allowing a guy to get her upset.
She’d been checking her cell phone for half the day before she realized he didn’t have the number. After her last class, she had rushed home, barely allowing her books to drop to the table before she’d run in search of a phone. Her heart had picked up its pace seeing the red light flashing indicating messages. When there had been none for her, a dark cloud had appeared over her head. For the next three hours as she had tried to concentrate on her studies, her gaze continuously fell on the phone. Maybe he was busy at work and just didn’t have the time, she’d thought optimistically. Or maybe he’d just given her a line of crock and bull crap. Her spirits had dropped a few more notches. By six o’clock with no call, Connie had pretty much reached the conclusion she’d been had. Last night had been her once in a lifetime shot. Going over the events of the previous night in her head, there were so many things she regretted. Could she have been less sophisticated? Everything about their short time together had proven to her beyond a shadow of a doubt if not to him that they most certainly did not belong together. It could have been any one of a thousand things that had turned him off.
So she had spent the next two hours or so pretending she wasn’t hurting over being fooled once again by a guy she should have known was too good to be true. It was then her sister’s words had come back to haunt her. He was out of her league. She had known it going into the date, but she’d still gone. She had no one to blame but herself. When Tammy had called her for the phone, the first tears had just begun to fall. It had taken her a few moments to pull herself together. But that was then and this is now, Connie thought as she glanced at herself in the downstairs mirror again to make sure she looked okay. The first date they’d had he’d seen her at her worst, but tonight would be different.
After getting off the phone with him, she had taken a quick shower and then began the process of deciding what to wear. What did one wear on a ride out? Her friends had gone out to dinner, so she’d been left to make the decision on her own. Considering they might end up somewhere nice for drinks, she had chosen a pair of simple black slacks with a medium heel. Her choice of blouses had been easier. She’d chosen an emerald silk button up she’d gotten for Christmas from her mom. It complemented her complexion and the deep v-neck showed off her assets. After having made those choices, she’d applied a light make-up and brushed her hair until it hung perfectly across her shoulders.
Hearing a loud noise outside, she pulled back the sheer curtains to see a figure dressed in black getting off of a motorcycle in front of her house. She wondered if he was here for one of her roommates or just had the wrong house. She tried to think if any of them had mentioned seeing a guy who rode a bike. She’d have remembered if they had. She looked again and noticed the confident swagger and the way he filled out the leather jacket he had on. Damn, he had the sexiest walk of anyone she’d seen. Well, maybe not Kenny, but it was pretty hot. The helmet he still had on only added to his sexy allure. Connie wished he would take if off so she could get a look at his face to see if it matched the rest of him. Oh, well, what did it matter? He couldn't be hotter than the man she was waiting for. She headed for the door when the bell rang.
“Yes?” she asked, opening the door.
She watched mesmerized as he removed his helmet. Connie was certain her eyes were threatening to bug out of their sockets as Kenny stood before her, shiny black helmet under his arm and huge smile on his face.
“Hi,” he said, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
“Hi,” she stammered, looking from him to the bike he’d just gotten off of.
She glanced down at what she had on and realized she was definitely overdressed.
“I guess I should have mentioned it would be a ride on my bike,” he said, his eyes slowly taking in what she had on. “I can always go home and get my car.”
It sounded like a great idea to her. After all she’d gone through all this trouble of putting on real clothes. Her make-up was done, and she had managed to do something more with her hair than her normal ponytail. She opened her mouth to say she would wait for him when she glanced up into his eyes and noticed the hint of disappointment in them. She bit her bottom lip as she glanced uncertainly at the bike at her curb. She couldn’t help but wonder how many petite bottoms had sat astride it.
“Umm, I’ve never been on a bike before,” she said instead.
She didn’t miss the gleam that returned to his eyes at her words. Connie could tell how much he wanted this. His shoulders, which had been tense moments ago, seemed to be more relaxed. The smile he was gracing her with told her she had made the right decision.
“It’s really easy. I’ll go slow. I promise.”
Kenny's gaze begged her to trust him, and she had to admit she had always thought guys who rode bikes were hot. The thought of being pressed close to his body was exhilarating in itself, but she’d seen women on the backs of bikes, and they had all been small in comparison to her. Was there even enough room on the back of that thing for her? Still wondering about how she was going to fit, Connie stepped back so he could come in as he still stood outside.
“Just let me change clothes real quick,” she said and felt her insides flutter at the smile he graced her with.
“I’ll wait in the family room,” he said, heading in that direction before he stopped and turned around.
Strong arms wrapped around her body, pulling her close.
“I didn’t say hello,” he said, lowering his head to take her lips in a heated kiss.
As she wrapped her arms around his neck, Connie was glad she’d decided to take a chance on the bike. She only hoped she wouldn't regret her rash decision. No way, her body screamed. If this was the reward she got for trying something new, she’d have to take more chances.
Chapter 12
An hour and a half later, Connie finally caught her breath. She sat astride Kenny's bike outside her house, her arms tightly threaded around his waist. Her upper body pressed tight against his muscled back.
True to his word, he’d started out slow, allowing her time to adjust to being on the bike. Connie didn’t know if it was the exhilaration of being on such a powerful machine or the intoxication of being so close to Kenny, but she had felt ready for a little more speed. When they’d stopped at a light while going through the downtown area, she’d given him permission to pick up the pace. Thinking back on it now, Connie realized she probably should have put a little more thought into her decision, especially after he asked for the third time if she was sure. But she’d taken another chance, and man, what a rush. Near the end of the ride, she’d closed her eyes and just lavished in being close to this man who handled the awesome power beneath them with such ease.
Kenny turned the bike off and r
emoved his helmet, placing it on the handle of his bike. She felt his body vibrate before she heard his laughter.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
When he touched her fingers, which were still locked tightly around his waist, she felt her face heat with embarrassment.
“Oh,” she said, forcing her fingers to unlock. She moved to lean away from the glorious heat of his body.
Warm fingers closed over hers to hold her in place.
“I hope I didn’t scare you so badly you won’t ever go for a ride with me again.”
Pulling back, Connie removed the helmet from her head and breathed another sigh of relief as cool air kissed her heated scalp. She touched her hair and grimaced when she thought of how unattractive she must look. She ran her fingers through a few times before just giving up.
“No, I asked you to speed up,” she said, giving a nervous laugh. “And you did.”
She watched as Kenny gracefully swung his leg over the front of the bike. She recalled her own rather awkward mounting and shook her head. She mentally prepared herself for the dismounting, praying for some kind of grace when doing so. But he surprised her by straddling his bike once again. This time facing her. He took the helmet from her hands and placed it carefully on the curb where he’d moved his to at some point.
“I feel as if I should apologize. I should have realized you were still a little uncomfortable when I felt your arms tighten around me,” he said, a sheepish expression on his face. “I guess I was kind of hoping it meant you just wanted to be closer to me.”
She looked into the uncertain eyes, staring at her and couldn't believe what she was seeing. He doubted himself.
“Kenny, I did want to be close to you. It’s one of the reasons why I got on this monster in the first place,” she said before she realized how much she was giving away and quickly turned her head.
“Connie.”
His deep voice washed over her heightened senses. Taking a deep breath, she slowly raised her eyes to meet his.
“I don’t know what this is that’s going on between us, but I wanted to share a part of me with you that few know about,” he said, edging closer to where she sat at the back of the bike.
She gazed into his shining eyes and couldn't help but wonder if the few who knew of this side of him were all female. How many others had sat astride this powerful machine, arms locked tightly around his waist holding on?
“I must admit it really wasn’t that bad once I got the hang of it. I’m sure the other people you’ve given rides to weren't as challenging as I was,” she said, her lashes lowered so he wouldn't see how his next words would affect her.
“Look at me, Connie,” Kenny’s husky voice commanded softly.
Taking a deep breath, she found the courage to do as he asked. Her breath caught at the emotions she saw tumbling round and round there. The slow smile lifting his lips upwards made her heart skip a beat. He was truly breathtaking to look at.
“I’ve had my bike for almost three years, and you’re the only woman who has ever been on it.”
His softly spoken words washed over her, filling every empty hole. Could she believe that? Why would he lie about it?
“I’ve always wanted to learn how to ride, but I’ve never had the opportunity before now,” she said, licking parched lips.
She saw the way he watched her tongue.
“You’re not just saying that, are you?”
“No. I really enjoyed it.”
“Are you sure?” He asked, inching a little closer.
“Positive,” she whispered, leaning closer to him.
“And you would go out with me again… on the bike?” he asked, stopping just inches from her lips.
“Anytime,” she said, closing the distance between them.
A deep sigh moved through her as she closed her eyes and gave herself over to the kiss.
*****
“He’s going to hurt her,” Brenda said, allowing the curtain to slip from her manicured fingers.
“He seems to like her, and she obviously likes him,” Jamie said, still peering shamelessly out the window.
Connie's friends had come home to find a note from her saying she’d gone for a ride with Kenny and would be back later. A few minutes later, Brenda had arrived looking for Connie. They’d been talking about the implications of a second date when they’d heard the sounds of a motorcycle outside. All four had rushed to the windows to see who it was, shocked to find Connie astride on the back.
“I think you're wrong, Brenda,” Tammy said, moving from the window and heading for the kitchen.
“You girls obviously don’t know anything about guys like Kenny,” Brenda said, taking a seat at the kitchen table.
She crossed her slender legs and gazed at Connie's friends.
“And what’s to know about him?” Jamie asked, sitting at the table beside her. “He likes Connie, and she likes him. End of story.”
“And you don’t think it’s odd that a guy like Kenny would be interested in our Connie? Come on, Jamie, you can’t be that naïve.” Brenda gazed at her, a look of disbelief on her face.
“What are you getting at, Brenda? There’s no evidence to support anything other than what we’ve seen so far,” Tracy said, coming into the room.
She hadn't been home to meet Kenny on Monday, but her friends had told her all about him as soon as she had walked through the door later that night.
A bored expression graced Brenda's face as she gazed at Tracy.
“Evidence? The evidence is in the way he looks versus the way Connie looks. Not to mention her poor track record with guys in general. No one but me thinks it’s odd for a guy who is so hot he could have any woman he wanted to be interested in Constance? Come on, be honest,” Brenda said, staring intently at the three women around her.
“We are all aware of Connie’s poor judgment calls when it comes to men,” Tammy began.
She held her hand up to stop Brenda from interrupting.
“But I don’t think this is anywhere close to the same sort of thing. I mean he just seems different to me. Besides Con could use the boost to her self-confidence, which by the way you don’t help. Not with all your negativity about her size and what she wears,” she finished, giving Brenda an irritated glare.
“Look, Brenda, let it go. You’re not gonna find anyone here who thinks Kenny could possibly be using Connie for anything other than what it looks like. And if what I just saw is any indication, I’d like to be used like that my damn self,” Tracy said, a smile on her face.
“I second that. Brenda, why don’t you go home before Connie gets in here. It’ll be easier on all of us and you too in the long run,” Jamie said.
Brenda raised an arched eyebrow.
“And why should I? I have a right to try to protect my sister. What kind of sister would I be if I didn’t?”
Connie's friends all gave exasperated sighs of disbelief.
“Come off it, Bren. Everyone here knows your only problem with Kenny is he didn’t react when you made a pass at him. Plain and simple,” Jamie said.
“I did not make a pass at him. If I had, he wouldn't be outside with Constance right now,” Brenda said, an indignant tone to her words.
“You most certainly did. And he didn’t bat an eye at it. That’s why you're all bent out of shape. Hell, I don’t think he even recognized who you are,” Tammy chimed in.
“Dammit. I miss everything when I work late,” Tracy said.
The roommates laughed at the angry expression on Brenda's face. She stood abruptly from the table, her hands on her slender hips.
“I don’t know what you are trying to imply, but I take offense. My only concern is that Constance doesn’t make a fool of herself over a man who may not be as into her as she’s into him,” Brenda said. “If none of you plan to do anything about it, then fine. But I will not just stand by and watch her fall on her face.”
They watched as Brenda grabbed her purse from the table and walked
out of the kitchen, slamming the front door behind her. It only took them seconds to rush from the kitchen to the front windows. They all held their breaths as Connie and Kenny both looked at Brenda.
“Oh, not tonight you don’t,” Tracy said moving to the front door and opening it. “Good night, Brenda,” she yelled.
The look Brenda threw her way before getting into her car may have caused a lesser person to quiver or rethink their actions. But Tracy simply wiggled her fingers at her in dismissal.
“Hey, guys,” she called and waved to Connie and Kenny who had embarrassed expressions on their faces.
“Hey, Trace. I’ll be inside in a few,” Connie said.
“Oh, hon, don’t worry about it. You take your time. I just wanted to say goodbye to Brenda,” Tracy said, walking back into the house and closing the door behind her before turning to her other two friends.
“She’s gonna try to make trouble. I can feel it.”
“Hmph, when hasn’t she? With a sister like her, I’m surprised Connie's not a basket case and holed up in a padded room by now,” Tammy said, running her fingers through her short hair.
“Yeah, she may have had her way in the past, but this time is different,” Jamie said, a gleam in her blue eyes and a smile on her face. “I think Connie’s finally gotta keeper. I can just feel it.”
Tammy and Tracy looked at their friend and hoped she was right. They had all seen the damage done to Connie’s self-esteem and confidence through the years. It was past time for her to catch a break.
Chapter 13
Connie woke Wednesday morning, her body aching. It took her a moment to figure out why her thighs were so sore and her arms felt like jell-o. She smiled when memories of last night came back to her. It had been exhilarating. Like nothing she had ever experienced before. The feel of sitting astride Kenny's motorcycle with all that power between her legs. The heat of his body had seeped through her pores as she’d been pressed close to him. And his scent. Oh, she moaned as she remembered how it had drifted across the wind to her nose, threatening to intoxicate her. Easily it had been one of the best dates of her adult life. She had gotten the chance to ride a bike, something she had always wanted to do and spend time with Kenny. Definitely a win – win all the way around.
