Ride Me Right
Page 17
Lucy’s head spun and she thought she might actually faint this time. “What you did to me? You saved my life.”
He waved her off. “I threw you out. You wouldn’t have been out on the pavement to get snatched by that Menace fucker if I hadn’t gotten the wrong end of the camshaft and been such an idiot. I’m so sorry. So, so sorry.”
She frowned, even while her heart wanted her to run to him, to wrap his arms around her and have him tell her it was going to be okay. That they were going to be okay. “The Reapers of Menace are mean to the bone, them grabbing me is not your fault. I feel like an idiot for even thinking of working with them. Martinez broke his nose defending my honor with the Reapers of Menace apparently. Ironic, huh?” She tried for humor but it fell flat. “Honestly. I’m okay. Don’t tell me you’re adding this to your guilt pile too. You got on a bike after everything you’d been through and rode thought the night to save me. You don’t need to feel guilty about anything anymore.”
He shook his head. “No. You were right about that. But I really am sorry. About everything. About being too scared to admit what was in front of me. About taking out my frustrations on you when my world was slipping away from me. You made it possible for me to see that I can keep working, that I need to. And that you are a strong, capable woman. One who doesn’t need protecting, just loving.” He picked up the motorbike keys from the bench beside her and handed them to her. “Whatever you decide you want to do about us, I want you to have this. You’ll look after her. And maybe she’ll remind you of me. I know you need a new bike.”
He turned to go and Lucy grabbed hold of his arm. “What? You don’t get to come in and drop that sort of shit on me and then walk out.”
He laughed. “So you haven’t softened completely.”
“I’m finding my way back more and more every day.” She found herself smiling and drank in the sensation of being close to him again, in real life rather than in her dreams.
“I don’t want to push you. I just wanted you to know that I’m still here.” He found her hand and gave it a squeeze. “And I do want you to have the bike. She was built to be looked after.”
“I’m glad,” she said.
“Good, I’m glad you like her.”
“No, you idiot,” she said, punching him in the arm. “That you came. I was worried that I’d be too much fire for you. You know, fire and ice, passion and pain.”
He put a finger to her lips. “But that’s exactly why we work. Could work.” There was a long pause and Lucy wasn’t sure if she should fill it or let it sit. She opened her mouth to try to tell him, but he beat her to it.
“Can we maybe start again? Neither of us are lost anymore, and I love you.”
Lucy took a deep shuddering breath. “Oh thank god.” The grin felt like it might split her face wide open but when Jake took her face in his hands and gently, ever so gently, kissed her on the lips, she grabbed his chin for a long, deep kiss, knowing as she did so that her heart was never going to be the same again. A cheer erupted from the workshop crew and Lucy turned and gave them all the finger. “Show’s over, people. Iceman here has finally thawed.”
When she finally felt like she was drunk on kissing him, she put a hand up to his hair. The shaved parts of the Mohawk felt soft under her fingers. “Did you do that for me?”
He nodded.
“You didn’t have to.”
“I know,” he said. “But I’ve been told it suits me.”
“Can’t argue with that,” she said with a wink. “Drinks on you in a month? Doc says I’ll be good to go then.”
He laughed. “Life with you is going to involve a lot of beer, isn’t it?”
“That and a lot of bike grease,” she said. “But you’ll learn to love it.”
“I already do,” he said.
Acknowledgments
These books started life as a new direction for me, but when I started writing the world of the Raising Hellfire MC I discovered I’d fallen in love. I love characters with real flaws, and I love writing about ordinary people who have had life thrown at them. With this series I got to indulge that and to create a bunch of women who are mouthy and tough and raw. A big thank-you goes to my number-one superstar critique partner, Talia Hunter. A big yay also goes to Saint Martin’s Press for picking up this series—especially Jennie Conway, who gets as excited as me when making up names for rival MC gangs! Finally, thanks again to the Red Hots, and everyone who reads, reviews, and blogs romance! You are what makes this writing life rock!
About the Author
Words are my drug. There, I said it, and now I can’t take it back. I’ve tried doing other things. Heck, I was even a dancer in Bosnia (true story), but I keep coming back to the page and getting stuck there. Hooray for words! But hooray for characters too, because that’s what I love. I like to twist them up in knots, take away their toys, get them drunk, and throw them at each other. I try to be mostly polite in real life (I did say mostly), so it’s a joy to unleash sassy, mouthy, smart women on the romance men of my worlds and let them at it. I know the saying goes: “Girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice,” but with me you can expect less sugar and more spice. Heck, these girls are made of adventure, great beer, and no fear. Despite training in law (or perhaps because of it), I have been a dancer, choreographer, producer, and all around arty type in various countries for most of my life. I’ve also traveled extensively, working on projects in Bosnia, India, Scotland, England, Brazil, and New Zealand. I love to hear from readers, so do come stalk me online—you can check out what’s happening on Facebook and Twitter, grab a free story, and join my newsletter for freebies, all from my website: http://www.micheledewinton.com/
You can sign up for email updates here.
Also by Michele De Winton
Burning to Ride
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Michele De Winton
Copyright Page
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novella are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
RIDE ME RIGHT. Copyright © 2017 by Michele De Winton. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
Cover photographs: couple © Alex Volot/iStock.com; motorcycle © DigtialStorm/iStock.com
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-14260-3 (ebook)
First Edition: August 2017
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