by Scott Wylder
Hard Miles Ahead
A BAD BOY ROMANCE
The Black Mountain Bikers Series
By:
Scott Wylder
Table of Contents:
Also By Scott Wylder
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Copyright © 2018 by Scott Wylder
All rights reserved.
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited, and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Also By Scott Wylder
Good Guy Gone Bad
Kitchen Heat
One Day in Vegas
Temptations
Alpha Passion BOX SET
The Bad Boy Biker
The Black Mountain Bikers Series
Benefits of Friendship
Falling for the Dragon
Trigger Happy
Chapter 1
Tavia O’Brien stood in the shadow of a store’s awning with her back pressed to the cool brick of the building. The sun beat down relentlessly and the heat washed back up off the pavement in suffocating waves. The bike rally was just starting to rev up and the crush of Harleys and people only added to the ambient heat that was beginning to make her nauseous.
Drinking her icy sport drink, she fanned with her free hand, but it only stirred more hot air into her face. Coming to the rally had seemed like a fun idea when Jensen had invited her, but now that she was in the middle of it, she wished she was back home.
There were no familiar faces in the crowd and the bikes weren’t that impressive when they were all crammed into the streets, revving and spewing a cumulative cloud of noxious fumes, which the breeze insisted on carrying to her nose.
Slipping into a super skinny alley between shops, Tavia breathed deeply, sucking in as much of the cooler, fresher air as she could. Jensen had slipped into the crowd and she’d lost sight of him—not that she was overly worried with keeping him in her sights in the first place.
The cool shade of the alley almost demanded that Tavia close her eyes and enjoy it for a moment. As she stood there listening to the din of the rally, she relaxed somewhat.
“Fancy meeting you here.”
The deep voice startled Tavia and she jumped, dropping her drink, as her eyes flew open and she stood straight. For a second, she didn’t recognize the burly man blocking the entrance to the alleyway. Then she realized it was Daric Miles, one of the sexiest hardbodies she’d ever met.
Fiddling with her hair self-consciously, she stammered, “Hi. Hello. Yeah, fancy meeting you here, too. I didn’t know you would be here.”
Daric handed her the drink she’d dropped. “A few of us come down to every rally, to represent the club, you know. It was my turn to be here this time.” He chuckled.
“Oh. Who else came with you? Anyone I know?” She knew a few of the Black Mountain Bikers, but not all of them. The club had members from three states and their headquarters was just up the mountain a ways from the nightclub/bar that Tavia and four of her friends had opened last year.
“I don’t know if you know Marcus Crowley and Pinner Collins—they live in North Carolina and volunteered to come down with me. Both members for over five years now. Good guys.” He held Tavia’s gaze, smiling.
Becoming unnerved at his dead-level stare, Tavia nodded, trying to think of something to say. “Pinner’s a strange name.” Of course, there were quite a few strange names in that club, she’d noticed—probably nicknames, she thought.
“Yeah. He was a semi-pro wrestler before he joined up with us. I don’t even know his real first name.” He slid his thumbs into the front belt loops of his well-worn, form-hugging jeans and said, “Why are you here? I didn’t know you rode.” He let his eyes roam down her body and back up it again slowly.
“I don’t ride. Well, I don’t ride my own motorcycle; I came with a…whatever Jensen is.” Tavia laughed. What was Jensen to her, anyway? Not a lover; not really just a friend, either. A friend with occasional benefits? Yeah, that was more like what he was to her, but she was suddenly too shy to say such a thing to Daric. She didn’t want him to think she was in a serious relationship with anyone and leave. That is, if he was getting ready to make a move on her—and she hoped that he was getting ready to make a move on her. Daric looked delicious.
“So, you’re here with an on-again-off-again boyfriend?” For the first time, he looked back at the ever-increasing crowd of people and motorcycles in the street behind him.
“No! No. I mean, he’s not my boyfriend at all. I just thought this sounded like fun when he mentioned it and I decided to have some fun while I was off work for a few days.” She chuckled and fanned her face with her hand. “Actually, I kinda wish I’d stayed at home now. I was not prepared for this kind of heat.”
“It’s not like Tennessee mountain heat, is it?” He stepped into the shaded alleyway with Tavia.
“Not at all.” She didn’t mind sharing her shade with him at all.
“You wanna go somewhere and cool off? There are plenty of places. I’ll buy you lunch. How’s that?” He grinned and waited for her answer.
Tavia’s heart fluttered and another heat flushed her cheeks. He was making a move, she was sure of it. He wasn’t just being nice. He could’ve passed her by and she never would have known he was anywhere in Florida. He would have been swallowed by the crowd.
“Sure. Thank you. I don’t know my way around. I’ve never been here before.”
“That’s pretty inconsiderate of your man to just leave you standing here in an alley beautiful and alone and unprotected like that. Maybe someone should help him brush up on his manners after the rally.”
“No. I told you, he’s not my man. Just a friend, kinda. Not even really that.” Tavia followed Daric to the end of the alley.
He nodded and gave her a thumbs-up over his shoulder.
The sidewalk had become a swamp of sweaty, nearly-naked people when they stepped out of the alley. Staying close to the wall, Daric extended his hand behind and wiggled his fingers at her. With all the noise, she had to guess at what he wanted because there was no way of hearing him above the screaming, undulating crowd and the barrage of Harley engines.
Taking his hand lightly, she was shocked when he tightened his grip and pulled her forward, closer to his back. He essentially cleared a path as they walked and she followed him easily two blocks down the street.
Around the next corner, still hugging the bricks, Tavia noticed that the crowd had thinned considerably and the noise had been damped considerably. Somewhere up ahead, she heard the unmistakable throb and riffs of AC/DC.
Daric pulled her alongside him as soon as the path was clear enough to do so. “The Ragged Diner up there with the speakers outside is where we’re headed. Best food and booze in town, in my opinion and the air is always turned down to about sixty.”
“That sounds great right now. I’m ready to go stand in a freezer for a while. I wouldn’t be surprised if my skin started dripping onto the concrete.” They both laughed.
Chapter 2
The music was deafening as they passed under the speakers to enter the diner through a large set of batwing doors. The immediate darkness was cause for pause. Tavia couldn’t see anything but the pulsing reddish lights behind her eyes until her eyes adjusted to the dimness.
They had entered a vestibule area; there was a proper set of glass entry doors just ahead. Dari
c urged her toward them and held one open as she passed in front of him. The opening was small and as she stepped in front of him, her hip grazed his groin.
Had he stood too close on purpose? She couldn’t be sure. Had she purposefully passed him a little slower than was necessary to extend the contact? Indeed, she had. Glancing innocently up at him, she saw he was grinning.
The inside of the Ragged Diner was just that. The black leather seats had light spots worn in them from years of use and hundreds of asses moving around on them. The tables wore the handiwork of all sorts of artisans, it seemed. The floor was rough-hewn wood with smooth trails worn out by hundreds of feet making hundreds of trips across it.
Daric pointed to a booth that was more private than the others and Tavia headed to it. A waitress was on their heels immediately. The place only had a few patrons, and the interior was cool and quiet as Tavia scooted into the center of the bench on her side. Crimson velvet curtains were drawn back to either side of the booth with rope ties. She was shocked to look up and see that there were actual rings on the curtains and a real rod that one could slide the curtains closed on, if one desired.
They ordered drinks—both ordered ice water and ice tea. Tavia didn’t want to drink any alcohol and then go back into the heat. The waitress showed them the Bike Week Specials and Tavia giggled over some of the names of the food: Fat Boy Fritters, Lard Ass Lamb Chops, Flathead Fajitas, Saddlebag Salad, The Sidekick Sampler, and the list went on.
Shaking her head, Tavia said, “I just don’t think I can order anything off that menu.”
“I’m getting the Sidekick Sampler Platter and the Flathead Fajitas—best things on the menu besides the burgers and fries.” He grinned.
“All right then. I’ll have the Indian Burger with Twin V loaded fries.” She laughed while she ordered, not believing that she had just ordered food that sported novelty Harley names.
“See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Daric handed the waitress both menus and kept his eyes on Tavia.
“I guess not; just extremely cheesy.” She sipped her water.
“I’m impressed that such a little thing eats substantial food, though. I was prepared to have you special ordering some kind of salad with the dressing on the side.”
“You’d be shocked if you saw the scandalous amount of substantial food I put away every single day, then.” Tavia didn’t think she’d ever eaten a special ordered salad with the dressing on the side. She’d always ordered and eaten like someone twice her size would.
Nodding his approval, Daric said, “That’s good. I like a woman who actually eats.”
Tavia tried to hide her surprise. Had that been a loaded statement? Or, was he just stating one of his general likes?
“I like a man who actually eats, too.” Tavia couldn’t resist being playful.
Laughing, he said, “And a sense of humor, to boot. Or, are you used to those city, college boys who worry about every gram of fat?” He clucked his tongue and mimicked a feminine voice, “A moment on the lips; lifetime on the hips.” He slapped the sides of his thighs. “Lord, I never…” Rolling his eyes dramatically to finish up.
Tavia snorted laughter at the sight. Big, muscular, macho Daric imitating a woman was more than she could resist.
They ate and exchanged more playful banter. Tavia could really appreciate someone that actually gave as good as he got and could keep up without being annoying or mean. By the end of the meal, she had a full stomach, had cooled off to a point of almost being cold, and felt as if she’d known Daric for years.
“That was delicious and I feel so much better. Thank you, Daric.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll ask for some kind of repayment later. Then you’ll probably run and hide and chastise yourself for ever accepting my kindness, little lady.” He gave her a rakish grin as they stood to leave.
“Hmm. Depends.” She winked at him.
“Don’t tease. It’s not nice.” He opened the door for her.
Over her shoulder, she said, “Who’s teasing?” She bumped him in the thigh with her butt and giggled as she walked on, leaving him standing there in the doorway with a shocked, but lustful expression on his face.
“We’ll see about that. Come on.” He came out the door and slapped her ass. “Let’s head this way and find out if you are teasing.” He paused and looked at her sternly. “What do you say? Are you game or will your boyfriend be mad?”
“He’s not my boyfriend. I’m game, if you’re serious.”
“Well, I don’t usually joke about things like this.” He pulled her close and put his arm over her shoulders.
Tavia walked beside him, heart racing.
Chapter 3
“Where are we going now?” Tavia saw another crush of people ahead on the street and on the sidewalk. There was loud music and topless women dancing around with their hands above their heads.
“Don’t worry. I won’t get you lost down here. I know my way pretty good.” Daric grinned down at her.
The temperature climbed steadily as they walked and Tavia sweated profusely, droplets turning to rivulets trickling down the center of her back and sides of her face.
Soon, they were in the crowd and Tavia noticed more topless women, tits bouncing and gleaming under the bright sun. It seemed that nearly everyone in the crowd had started shedding their clothes. The pungent smell of alcohol was heavy in the humid air and somewhere, it smelled as if someone was cooking out with pot instead of charcoal.
The five minutes it took them to work their way through the throng of people, Tavia had been rubbed by enough bare boobs to last her a lifetime and she was more than slightly buzzed from the free range pot smoke.
As they exited the crowd, Daric pulled her hard toward the building side of the sidewalk. Stumbling, a grumble jumped to the front of her mouth, but was halted as she saw what Daric had roughly helped her avoid. A woman was bent over a blue postal drop box and there were three men standing around her, the first one was fucking her and the other two were waiting in line, it seemed.
Gasping, Tavia put a hand on Daric’s arm, stopping in her tracks. “What the hell? Help her, Daric.”
Laughing jovially, he said, “I don’t think she needs help, Tavia. It’s just something that happens during the rally. The heat and the Harleys and the pot make people horny, I guess.” He pulled her along.
“That’s some crazy shit. I’ve never seen anything like that before.” Tavia tried to shake the light buzz from her head as they walked on along the sidewalk.
Daric stopped in front of a single door. The glass was blacked out on the inside. The sign simply stated The Lodge. The other windows had blinds closed over them, so there was nothing to give any hint of what the place might be.
“You can back out now, if you want and we’ll just go sit in the cool, darkness of my room and drink beer and talk. You can run away back to the alley where I found you, too.” He stepped up, took hold of the door handle with one hand and ran his other hand down the center of her shirt. “Or, we can go up and find out if you’re a tease or not.”
Debating what she was about to do, Tavia bit her bottom lip and looked in each direction up and down the sidewalk and street. She’d met Daric a few times but had never been alone with him. It seemed that all the members of The Black Mountain Bikers that she’d met so far were horn dogs. Not that she was complaining.
Breaking into a grin, still feeling the contact buzz, Tavia decided to do exactly what she’d gone to the rally to do—have fun! She nodded at the door.
Daric paused only for a second to take in her nod and grin and then he pulled the door open, stepping aside to allow her to step inside first.
The blast of icy air made her gasp as she stepped into the dim interior. Bohemian ambient music thrummed through unseen speakers, surrounding them in its relaxing, rhythmic throbbing undertones that she found sexy. Something about the way the sound vibrated on her overheated, sensitive skin.
The room was covered in black plush
carpeting over the floor and three feet up each wall, adding to the dimness incurred by the blocked windows and the dim bulbs glowing dully in the overhead sockets. The walls above the carpeting were dark maroon and the only thing on the walls to break the monotony was a cheesy print of The Scream in which the subject had been replaced with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from one of the original Ghostbusters movie.
A window that looked like the old bank teller window was situated to their right and it was covered from the other side with a shade pulled down tight. A few steps past the window, a set of stairs curved to the left and ascended up and out of sight.
Daric stepped in front of her and led the way up the stairs. “My room’s up here. I’m the only one checked in so far.”
“This is the oddest place I’ve been in, I think. What is it, a hotel?” Tavia stepped lightly up the carpeted stairs, noting that there wasn’t a single creak or squeak as they ascended to the second floor.
“Yes and no. It’s more of a private establishment. People off the street who wander in are turned away. It’s an exclusive place for members of the club to stay in while they’re in town. Never any official records of which members might be here and the registration book is marked only with the letters CI and CO for check-in and check-out. Bob established this place and others like it around the U.S. years ago and he pays the owners and the people who run the places so that none of us have to pay rent when we stay.” He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the door to his room.
His room turned out to be just what he said—a mini apartment. There was a phone that could only be used to dial the kitchen staff and the front desk. Each of the two buttons had been plainly labeled and all other buttons removed.
The same black plush carpeting covered the apartment in the same fashion as the downstairs carpeting. The walls were the same deep maroon color and were also devoid of decorations. The furniture was all black leather and cushioned.
