He chuckled. “Why not?”
“I’ve always helped my older brother with his business.”
“And what’s that?”
“He started a bike repair shop out of our garage, then moved it into an old building and started selling new bikes, parts and equipment.”
“When you say bikes…”
“Motorcycles.”
“Really? And you work there?”
“Yep. You got a problem with women working in the industry?”
He put his hands up in the surrender position. “No, ma’am, not at all. So, your brother—is he the one you sang the song for?”
“Yes. He died earlier this year.”
Rory nodded, knowing this was a fresh wound for her. “Sasha said something about that—that you’d lost your brother.”
“She did?”
“Yeah. When you were singing.”
“Oh.”
“What happened to him, if you don’t mind my asking?”
She toyed with a beaded bracelet on her wrist. “He got sick.”
“Sick?”
“ALS. It’s a disease that destroys your nerve cells. Have you heard of it?”
Rory nodded. “Yeah. But I don’t know a lot about it. How did his illness start?”
“My brother was always so full of life, so happy and a real go-getter. He was always on the move, a very active guy. And he was really fit and healthy, you know?”
Rory nodded.
“But then he just started losing his balance a lot, and he was tired all the time. It just wasn’t like him.” She shook her head. “Of course, getting him to go to a doctor and have it checked out was like pulling teeth. What is it about men and doctors?”
Rory shook his head.
“When he did finally go in, it took them a long time and a zillion tests before they finally were able to diagnose it. It was such a roller coaster. We wanted them to find out what was wrong, but then when they finally did, it was the worst possible outcome. ALS is terminal—a death sentence. No one survives…yes a patient can live three, five, maybe even ten years, but it always wins.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“There wasn’t anything anyone could do, and he had to face that. It was heartbreaking watching him come to terms with the fact that he wasn’t going to live much longer. And the disease progressed quickly. Soon he was in a wheelchair, and then months later he was bedridden with breathing treatments.”
Rory put his arm around her. “It must have been awful for you.”
She nodded. “I did most of his care, and it was exhausting and so stressful, but the worst part was watching him deteriorate. Eventually, he asked me…”
When she paused, he prodded, “What?”
She wiped a tear from her cheek. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear this. I don’t know why I’m telling you.”
“Because you need to talk about it. It’s okay. I do want to hear it. All of it.” He paused. “Unless you don’t want to talk about it. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want.”
She took in a shaky breath and blew it out slowly. “It’s hard to say.”
He rubbed her back and squeezed her shoulder, wanting so badly to comfort her but not sure how.
“He told me he didn’t want to live that way. He knew what was coming, that eventually he wouldn’t be able to feed himself or even breath on his own, and he didn’t want that. He said he wanted to go out on his terms. And…he asked me to help him.”
“Help him end it?”
She rubbed her palms up and down her thighs. “He wanted me to get him some drugs he could take that would cause him to fall asleep and…. never wake up.”
“I see.”
“He was in pain and so depressed,” she defended. She looked up at him, imploring him to understand.
“I can’t say I wouldn’t want the same thing, Rayne.”
“I wouldn’t want to live like that; no one should have to live like that. It isn’t even living,” she whispered.
Rory wasn’t sure what to say to her. This story was so much more heartbreaking than his. “So you helped him?”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t. I didn’t even know how or where to get the drugs he’d need.”
“What happened?”
“He got worse. I knew if he didn’t get the pills soon, he wouldn’t be able to swallow them. He was very close to needing to be put on a feeding tube—something I knew he didn’t want.”
“What did you do?”
“One day, Daniel asked to see his friend Charlie.”
“And?”
“They talked privately. When Charlie came out of the room he had tears in his eyes. He left and came back the next morning with some really strong sleeping pills and a bottle of Jack… He went in and did a couple shots with Daniel, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to hand the pills to him. So Charlie gave them to me.”
“And you did it?”
She nodded, tears running down her face.
“And he took them, by his own hand?”
“Yes.”
“Was there any investigation?”
She shook her head. “The doctor thought his heart just gave out. They never did an autopsy. I think he may have been suspicious, but he never said anything. I think he hated the fact that he couldn’t help Daniel.”
“I’m sorry.”
“We buried him in May, when the flowers were just starting to bloom and riding season was really starting up. It was always Daniel’s favorite time of year.”
“You must miss him terribly.”
“I do. So much.”
“And now you run his shop?”
“He left it to me in a will I didn’t even know he’d made. That shop means everything to me. I don’t really even know what I’m doing, but I try and I have Charlie and the boys. They help immensely.”
“The boys?”
“His friends and the shop employees.”
“I see. And they’re handling things so you can take this road trip.”
“Yes. They said I needed it.”
“I’m sure you do after caring for your brother for so long. So, tell me about this road trip of yours.” Rory tried to brighten the mood.
“We’re going to a chick’s moto-event. Women only, no men allowed.”
“Interesting. Where in California is it?”
“A campground near Joshua Tree.”
“That’s a long way. What route are you taking?”
“I40 through Grand Junction, then I15 to Vegas, then we’ll drop down through the Mohave National preserve. We’ll even hit a small piece of Route 66 between there and Joshua Tree.”
“That sounds amazing. Hell, I want to go.”
“Sorry….” she began, and they both said in unison, “No boys allowed.”
“Right.” He chuckled.
“It’ll be a week of motorcycles, sisterhood, and independence.”
“I’m glad you get to go. It’ll be good for you after the year you’ve had.”
“I think so, too.”
Lightning flashed and thunder cracked almost on top of it. They both jumped out of reflex.
“Christ, that was close,” Rory said, and they started laughing. The rain became a downpour, drumming on the roof. He moved to the window and peeked out the curtain. “Damn, I’m glad we’ve got our bikes in that breezeway.”
“I hope it clears by tomorrow. Maybe we should check the weather.”
“Yeah, right.” He moved to the dresser and picked up the remote, flicking on the TV. After a moment, he found the weather station with local radar. “Looks like it’s moving pretty quickly.”
“Good.”
He moved to the bed to sit, his back against the headboard. “Come on, get comfortable. We can watch a movie.”
“Okay.” She scooted across the mattress, leaning next to him. He clicked through the channels, finally settling on a horror flick.
“You never told me where you were g
oing.” she said.
“I’m headed to Denver.”
“Oh, so the opposite direction. I thought maybe if you were headed home, you could show me around.”
“Yeah, I wish I was. I’d love that.”
“What’s in Denver?”
“An…important meeting. One I can’t miss or I’d blow it off to show you Grand Junction.”
“Maybe another time?”
“Absolutely.”
They stared at each other, and her eyes dropped to his mouth. He took the invitation and kissed her. It was soft, sweet, tentative, and exploratory—testing to see if they were compatible. He moved closer, and her mouth parted, giving him entry. He took it, his tongue sweeping inside. The kiss started sweet, but soon morphed into something lusher, something richer. It was heady and quickly going to his head.
He cupped her face, holding her still as he explored, tasted, and learned the way she liked it—a little sweet and a little dominant.
He backed off, brushing his thumb across her plump bottom lip as he searched her half-lidded eyes.
“Stay with me tonight.”
“Yes.”
Just the sound of her breathy voice had been enough to bring his cock to hard attention. One look into those sweet brown eyes made him want her beneath him.
Thunder boomed overhead and the lights went out. Divine intervention? Rory was all too happy to go with it. He pushed her down on the bed and rested on his elbows above her.
She gasped as their bodies brushed. Her gaze widened. Awareness of his hard body flared across her face, and the heat he’d aroused in her glowed in her dilated pupils.
He toyed with the hair by her face. “What did I do to earn a beauty like you?” He stared into her magnetic dark eyes.
Her mouth parted on a soft breath, and his eyes dropped to it. She had an air of innocence about her that drew him like honey.
“Rory.” His name fell from her soft lips. He liked that she wore no lipstick, just pale pink, natural, and very kissable. The husky sound of her voice only made him harder. Then she bit her plump lower lip, and all he could think about was watching that mouth trail down his stomach toward his waiting hard cock, watching her lick those lips and slide that wet mouth down his length as she looked up at him with those big brown eyes.
Christ. What was this girl doing to him?
“Angel, you have no idea the thoughts that have been running through my head just thinking about that pretty mouth of yours and what I want you to do with it.”
Pink stole up her cheeks. “Tell me.”
“I want you to climb on top of me, slide down my body to my cock, and take me deep in your mouth, as far as you can go.”
Her eyes darkened, and her mouth opened with a breathy, “Oh.”
Her reaction told him everything he needed to know. She’d like that; she wanted that, too.
His cock jumped at the thought, but he wanted so much more before they got to that part. He slid down her body a few inches, his palm slipping under the hem of the t-shirt he’d given her. He pushed it up, exposing a sexy satin bra with cups that served her tits up to perfection. He pressed his lips to the cleavage mounding over the top and trailed kisses along the edge. Finally when he could wait no longer, he hooked his fingers in the cups and pulled them down. Her glorious breasts popped free, those gorgeous pink nipples calling out to him. He didn’t make them wait, he closed his mouth over one and licked and nibbled and sucked hard.
She moaned and arched into him, her fingers sliding into his hair, nails scraping his scalp, and he loved it, wanted more, just like she did.
He moved to the other, while his fingers closed over the first wet one to pinch and brush his calloused thumb back and forth over it like he strummed his guitar.
She writhed and moaned.
His mouth trailed down the smooth silky skin until the bunched up cups got in his way.
He sat back and pulled the t-shirt and bra free, tossing them to the floor. He tore his own shirt off and came down on top of her, pressing those soft breasts to his bare chest. It was heaven, that skin-to-skin contact.
But it wasn’t enough; he wanted more.
He moved down her body until he was off the end of the bed to hit his knees. He undid her pants and pulled them free.
She lay there in nothing but a pair of lacy lavender panties, the exact shade of her hair. Beautiful. Against her golden skin it was perfection. His palms glided up her legs, and she trembled.
“So pretty, baby.”
He curled his fingers in the lace and dragged her panties down and off.
“Those are mine,” he growled. “When you leave here tomorrow, you leave those.”
Her eyes widened, but she nodded.
He pushed her legs apart and leaned over her to press his mouth above her pussy. He could smell her arousal, sweet like warm peaches, and he had to have a taste. He dipped his head, pressing soft kisses everywhere but where he wanted most. He wanted to draw it out and drive her crazy with need until she wanted it as badly as he did.
“Let me taste you,” he growled.
“Yes, please. Please.”
She writhed beneath him, and he clasped her hips to hold her still as his mouth came down on her, his tongue lapping gently.
“Oh, God,” she moaned, her hips lifting.
He gave her more, swipe after swipe; he toyed and played until she was drenched. Not until then did he slip two fingers inside her and watch her expression melt.
She threw her head into the pillow, moaning, “Yes.”
He worked her, learning how she liked it, how much pressure, how deep until he found that spot that had her gasping and moving against his hand with urgency. “Yes, oh, yes.”
“So pretty. My baby is so beautiful.”
He worked her with a thumb on her clit until she was panting hard and about to explode, then he dropped his mouth to it and sucked hard.
She screamed but muffled it with her fist as her orgasm took her hard.
While she floated back to earth, he shucked off his clothes and slid deep inside her.
She was drenched in her release and, even after climaxing, her pussy clenched down on him like a velvet glove. He groaned at the exquisite sensation and slid in and out, retreat and advance, over and over.
She clutched at him, pulling him down. He positioned on his elbows and drove into her, his thrusts quickly moving from slow and sensual to strong and deep. When she was aroused again, he moved off the bed and dragged her thighs up his body to drive into her at a different angle.
She cried out, “Oh, God. Yes. Yes. Don’t stop.”
He found that spot deep inside her and pummeled it repeatedly until she was writhing in ecstasy. He was getting close, so ready to explode, but he wanted her there with him, so he strummed her clit with his thumb, and she detonated with a muffled cry. Two more strokes, and he joined her, shooting his release deep inside her.
It wasn’t until that moment that he realized he hadn’t gloved up. He’d completely forgotten a condom. And she hadn’t reminded him.
As their breathing slowed, he sank to the mattress on top of her and stroked her face. “Jesus, baby, you were beautiful.”
The scent of sex hung heavy in the air. Her nipples were still peaked, and he couldn’t resist gazing at them; they deserved to be worshipped. He cupped one breast with his hand and dipped to take that pretty nipple in his mouth.
She moaned like it was sensitive, and he brought his head up to look at her.
She smiled and then her tongue darted out to wet her lips.
“It’s your turn,” she panted.
His dick bobbed at the sight of that little pink tongue and the promise of those words. “You sure?”
She nodded and rolled to her side.
He moved against the headboard, and she slid down the bedspread, positioning between his legs. He grabbed his cock and stroked. It was already getting hard with her mouth so close to it.
She put her hand on top
of his and took over, stroking him rhythmically. She licked from bottom to top and his gut clenched, his abs tightening, and she took advantage, running her free hand over them and purring as she sank her mouth over him.
It was heaven, and his eyes slid shut feeling every sensation as he threaded his fingers in her silken hair and pulled her against him.
She moved up and down and he groaned, meeting her with the thrust of his hips. She cupped his balls and rolled them in her hand gently.
His fists tightened in her hair, and his hips lifted off the mattress, spurring her on. God, it was good—so good.
She gave, and he took, plunging deep again and again until he felt his orgasm boiling up from deep inside and knew he was about to erupt like a blast from a volcano.
“You want it?” he asked, his voice throaty and rough.
She nodded, her hands closing over the base of his cock as if she had no intention of letting him pull away at the last second.
He gave her what she wanted, moaning as he ejaculated, and she took every drop, finally drawing back to lick him clean, purring as she did.
After two orgasms, he wasn’t sure he could move if the place was on fire.
She climbed up, smiling, and lay on his chest.
His arms went around her, and his eyes drifted shut. Within seconds he was fast asleep.
Chapter Five
Early the next morning, Rayne was woken by the sound of slapping hands on the motel room door, rings tapping against the metal in little tink-tink sounds.
“Come on, you two. There’s coffee and donuts in the lobby. Time to get a move on,” Sasha said through the door.
“You alive in there, Rayne?” Jenna asked.
“Come on, open up,” Carmen said.
Rayne heard them giggling, and Jenna mumble, “Yeah, we want to see hot dude with his shirt off!”
She slipped from the bed, grabbing Rory’s t-shirt from the floor and slipping it over her head. She opened the door a crack. “Shhh! You’ll wake him up.”
They all strained to peek at the bed where Rory lie naked, the sheet pulled to just at his hips. She pushed them back. “Go. I’ll meet you down there.”
“Hurry up!” she heard Sasha yell as the girls tromped down the stairs.
Rayne closed the door and turned, her eyes landing on the bed and Rory.
Rory Page 3
