I nod. The men in this room are my family. Drugs, prison, and time have dwindled our circle down to a chosen few. But I'd die for the guys in Steel Ryders without a second thought, and I know they'd do the same for me.
“I guess you’re right. Doubt I’ll see her again anyway.” I peel at the label on the bottle. My stomach twists in a knot as if objecting to the stupidity bouncing around in my head.
“It’s probably for the best. Broads in Bentleys have expectations that men like us are bound to fuck up.” Diesel adds.
A group of women catches his eye from across the room, and he flags them over. Six of them descent on our table and fill every vacant spot around us. I nurse my beer and listen as the woman that catcalled us on the sidewalk has a one-sided conversation with me. She flicks her curly hair and bats her lashes. Diesel keeps buying drinks, and they keep giggling.
This life comes with its own set of expectations. They see the vests, the badges, the bikes. Women here long to be seen with me and to tell their friends they’ve slept with me. Which is cool, I guess, except this shit is getting old or I’m over it or both.
“Yo, Diesel, I’m out.” The woman stands. “It was nice meeting you.”
I push the door open and let the cold night air fill my lungs. I glance up at the moon. It's a perfect night for a ride. I straddle my bike, and it dips under my weight. I let the engine rumble to life, and I press her hard and fast, trying to put as much space between me and the bar and thoughts about the blond beauty in a Bentley.
Chapter 4
I canceled last night’s emergency meeting. The whole episode at the bike shop had me off. I enter Platinum Prestige headquarters and intentionally keep my eyes facing straight ahead. The Dark Knight haunted my dreams ducking in and out of the shadows, lurking in the corners of my mind.
I get off on our floor and round the corner to the conference room. The guys are talking, and I take a moment to collect my thoughts.
“You look exhausted.” Chase examines my face.
"Because I am." I reach for a cookie in the middle of the table. "How are you, momma?" I rub her belly.
“Scared. I start Lamaze class next week.” She breaks off a piece of my cookie and pops it in her mouth.
“How long do you plan to hold this secret?”
Chase has been tight-lipped about the father of her baby. It's her secret to keep. Still, my active imagination foresees a long road ahead and the weight of her doing it alone.
“It’s not a secret. He lied and—”
“I thought it was a one-night stand?”
Her eyes bulge.
"Look, Chase, there's no judgment here. But I hate to see you doing this alone. So, if you need a Lamaze partner, I'll do it."
“You will?”
“Yeah. I can’t promise I won’t pass out if I see blood, but I won’t miss a class or your delivery.”
She pulls me into a tight hug. We hold for a moment, and when she doesn't let go, I don't either. I rub her back. I feel the need to reassure her.
“Chase, you’re one of the most loving, competent women I know. You’ll be an amazing mother.”
“I never thought I’d be here,” she whispers.
“Life’s like that sometimes.” I hold her until we hear Hunter start the meeting.
“Thank you.” Chase brushes away a tear.
“You’re not alone. You have the best support team in the world. And I’ll be pissed if you let someone else take my spot at the class.”
She laughs. “I’ll text the details.”
The meeting begins. The world around us changed. We’ve gone from women without a care in the world to business owners and wives and mothers. Damn, we’re grown for real.
Everyone gives updates on their projects until Hunter calls my name.
"I talked with the owner of Cade's Custom Cycles last night, and he's booked for two years. And he's one of the only shops that specialize in Harley Davidsons."
“Two years is too long. I guess we’ll have to return their deposits.” Hunter says.
“How much was it?”
Hunter types on her laptop. “A quarter of a million.”
“Damn.” Charlee turns to me. “Can we outsource it? Maybe check Dallas or Houston?”
“I’ll check. But having a job of this magnitude more than three hours away will eat into their budget fast.” I remind them.
Hunter presses her fingers to her lips. "I'm sure I can pull some strings. Let me get the file, and I'll see if we can get an extension or find someone else."
I remove the file from my bag then stop at seeing the looks of disappointment on their faces. “Actually, huh… Can you give me a few more days? I plan to stop back by and see if there’s another option. I’ll figure it out by early next week.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind.” Hunter says.
“Yeah. I got it.”
"Great. Let's move on to discuss our international expansion."
The meeting continues. I grip the arms of my chair, weighing my options.
I calculate the trip with my family. We leave tomorrow morning, and I still need to pack. Then I have meetings at the dealership with my sales team. Lastly, I'll need time to figure out how to get over Cade's two-year waiting list.
The meeting ends, and I head to my scheduled meetings at the dealership. Dad estimated I'd need another twenty-five car sales to sit at the top of the leaderboard for the GM position. I offer my sales team a ten-day cruise for the top agent when we exceed that goal.
A few hours later, I'm back in Cade's parking lot. I mentally draft a packing list trying to pretend I'm not a little scared. I had my assistant call around to other motorcycle shops. They had openings, but none of them looked as good as Cade's bikes.
“No wonder he has a waiting list.” I let out a heavy sigh.
Failure is chomping at my heels, and I got to squash this shit ASAP. But the fear from last night is fresh on my mind, at least I know there are security cameras. He's probably watching me now. I glance up at the white concrete structure and see several cameras.
My plan is weak, but it's better than nothing. Basically, I plan to beg and offer a bonus from my own bank account. There's no way I'm letting the guys carry the weight of my inability to handle my assignment. I should have come over here sooner. But what's done is done.
I have a wild card in my back pocket of offering him a free annual membership with Platinum Prestige. I’ll save that as a last-ditch effort.
I grab my stun gun and keys. I walk past the showroom and stare around the corner into the darkness. I should have driven my car back there. I glance back at my car.
“Stop being a chicken shit and ask the man.”
“Ask the man what?” A hint of humor is laced in his gruff tone.
"Cade, you scared the shit out of me. I about jumped out of my shoes." I grab my irate heart, searching for his face in the dark.
“My apologies.”
What if he says no? Then a wave of apprehension washes over me. He steps forward, and the man is more handsome than before. It's the hint of a smile on his lips and the way his eyes stare into mine.
He stops, and I take my time surveying him. I guess it's natural to compare him and this feeling to others. But he's nothing like the men I've dated or that I usually encounter. There's a bad boy edge. Jeans, a t-shirt, tattoos, boots. His chest, arms, his hair…God, I’m staring.
Check your emotions, check your features, check your hand.
I need a yes from him. I need two bikes from him. I need this to fulfill my assignment—for my team and my business—and I want Cade to do it.
“I…huh…came back for the tour.”
This is about negotiations. I can sell water to fish. So, I need to find a way to make this a win for both of us.
“The tour?” A lone eyebrow raises, and there’s a dangerous glow to his smile.
“Was it a limited time offer?”
I need to see what he's working with. My eyes dar
t to the front of his pants. I scramble internally to bottle my physical response to this man. That's not what I mean. His shop, what he's working with around his shop. I groan, and he catches me staring again.
“I still haven’t seen one of your bikes up close.” I clarify.
“Do you ride?” His eyes twinkle.
“No.”
“So, how will you know if it’s acceptable?” He turns gesturing for me to walk with him into the darkness.
"Look." I freeze, staring into the depths at the lone light in the distance. "I need your word that you're not into some freaky shit."
He steps closer, and his body heat chases away the chills in my body. "Goldie, I guess it depends on the type of freaky shit you're talking about."
I stare tongue-tied and embarrassed. Cade's smile can burn every stitch of clothing off my body and leave me bare ass naked for his eyes to see. Heat flashes through my body, and I can't hold his gaze.
“I need you to dial down your aura by several notches. I think you’re frying my brain cells.”
He stares at me then burst out laughing. "I'll see what I can do. Let's start inside. I'll show you the showroom."
“I’d like that.”
The brightness of the showroom is part of the experience for the customer. I stand in the center facing the open area. I’m blown away. The lighting is perfect as rays reflect off the white floors.
The balance of the motorcycles flanking the wide walkway invites me forward.
"Mr. Tour Guide?" I glance over my shoulder at Cade, and my eyes find his. I turn back the moment heat floods my face.
Stop blushing Payton.
He stops beside me. “These are bikes from my private collection.”
I scan the bikes with a fresh perspective. I roughly count twelve motorcycles. The size, handlebars, and energy of each differ. As a person raised around cars and trucks, this is a new experience for me. I walk the aisle until one calls out to me. I move closer and stop.
“May I?” His discreet nod set my feet in motion. I circle the bike. “It almost looks like a black bullet.”
“This is the 2009 FXSTB Night Train.”
I hunker down, running my hand over the exposed power behind the bike. "I've never seen a bike covered in black."
“That’s part of its appeal.” He crosses his arms staring down at me with such intensity that I find it hard to remember why I’m here, so I turn back to the bike.
“The engine?” I look back when he doesn’t respond.
“It’s 1584cc Twin-Cam 96B engine with a six-speed Cruise Drive transmission.”
“That means this baby gives the rider control and speed. That’s a powerful combination.”
His brow lifts, and I'm finding this trait incredibly sexy. "What do you do, Goldie?"
"I sell cars." I toss him a smile standing to my feet. "I've never sat on a bike before."
My eyes bounce from the leather seat back to Cade. I’ve never wanted to, but this bike is calling my name.
"Place your hands on the handlebars." His voice cuts through my thoughts, and I comply. I grip the handlebars while leaning over the massive black beauty. Cade walks closer.
"And…" My eyes snap to his, and the heat in the depths causes my flesh to crawl with electricity.
“You’re going to plant her foot and sweep the other over to the other side. Like your riding…a bike.”
His voice is low and rough, almost crooning. I eye the direction I need to swing my leg, and the moment it's in the air, his hands wrap around my waist, large and strong, centering me. I rock my butt back on the plush leather seat.
“How does that feel?”
“The weight of it between my legs is different.” I slowly run my hands over the sleek curves of the body until my chest is flush with the bike. I hear a growl and turn to the sound. He spins around shoving his hands in his pocket. “Is it hard to ride?”
Cade turns around so fast I'm sure he's dizzy.
“Ride what?”
The lightning strikes in his eyes and my nipples harden, and I realize the error in the question hanging between us. At this moment, I don't give a damn about this bike or this tour. Now, I know it's time to go. I came for one reason, and it wasn't Cade Reynolds.
“Can you give me a hand?”
He moves swiftly. He nearly lifts me off the bike until I’m standing. I give the bike a parting caress.
"I think I should go." I step back. I softly shake my head, not certain of where this whole tour is going.
"But you haven't seen the best part." His words sound typical, but this look on his face says this is not normal. Then I look into his eyes, and the smoldering flame I see makes my legs weak. He reaches for my hand. "It won't take long."
This is that moment right before you do something stupid. Because he's fueling a full-blown fire in my body, and it's spreading like wildfire.
I want to turn away…but I can’t. Correction. I don’t want to. So, I take his hand.
Chapter 5
“Welcome to my lair.” I open a hand to my private garage. I stand behind her as her gaze sweeps the room. I stopped working the moment I saw her car return.
“I guess this is where all the magic happens.”
The statement is innocent, but I'm rock hard, and I can't believe everything she says makes me want her more. She kneels in front of my FLHR Road King. I'm doing a few minor repairs before we leave for the Turkey Trot in the morning.
“Not really. But I have a feeling we could do a few things.”
Payton glances over her shoulder with a puzzled expression.
“I can’t believe I just said that,” she whispers. I chuckle as she covers her face. I miss the way her skin warms because she quickly turns back to my bike before standing again.
“Do you do it often?”
“What?”
“Say exactly what’s on your mind.”
"Never." She walks further into the room. "I guess you're to blame," she mumbles, moving around like in the showroom before zeroing in on a particular area.
I have expensive toolboxes, but I still pull out all the tools and scatter them around. I don’t like digging around when I’m in the moment. It breaks my concentration and stops the flow between me and the bike.
“I guess I should have cleaned up a little.”
“Not at all. I like the contrast to the showroom. The crisp lines, perfect placement compared to knowing this is where you actually work.” She stops at my workstation. “I think it’s kind of cool,” she says more to herself than me.
I stand back, watching the experience play on her face. It softens and holds almost a sense of fascination. And then…
“May I?” Her eyes find mine as her hand suspends in midair.
“Yes.” I sit on the edge of the table content with watching Payton explore. I rarely have people in here because it feels like inviting someone into my mind. But having her here feels intimate.
The walls seem to close in tighter around us. And I realize I've never invited a woman that I'm interested in getting to know here. I spot an empty chip bag and a soda can, I snatch them up and toss them in the trash.
Payton's fingers run over the tools until a secretive smile softens her lips. My cock tightens, and it's official, this is my first and last private tour. I've never been so aroused in my life. Then the image of her straddling my bike resurfaces. That one will have me awake all night, taking cold showers.
“What is it?” I ask.
She rolls her eyes, and I see the heat rise to her face. "You don't want to know."
I walk over and lean my back against the desk. She glances up. “I’ve always loved tools.”
"Really?" She smiles up at me in a childlike manner, and her happiness crawls inside the darkness in my chest.
“I used to memorize them and what they’re used for. I wanted to work in our service department.”
“Your service department?”
“At the dealership.” She picks up
my impact driver and examines it.
“But you work in sales instead.”
I’m slowly amassing details about this woman. She’s not like any salesperson I've encountered. Most like to hear themselves talk, and I guess the ones I've met lean more on the flashy side. Her vehicle is definitely a statement piece, but as a whole, she seems classy and straightforward.
“I started in accounting and eventually found sales to be where I shine.”
“I’m not surprised.”
Then she turns her high watt smile on me, and I can't help but return it.
"So, what all do you do, Cade?" She leans back against the station, looking up at me.
I figure she's about six inches shorter than my five-ten height. Her blond hair stood out the first night because it almost blends in with her golden skin. But after tonight, I think it's her eyes that draw me in.
“I build and restore bikes. We have a repair shop here as well.” I point off to the left. “But I have a team for that.”
Payton nods, and I see the moment her gaze zeros in on her next expedition. She walks over to the poker table that seats up to ten players and a dealer. Her hands run over the black wood.
“Do you play?” I ask.
“I do.”
This woman's stock is rising. Drop-dead gorgeous knows to ask about the engine of a bike, and she plays poker. She turns around, and that secretive smile returns to her shiny lips.
“Cade, I came here tonight with a plan.”
“Okay.” I sit.
"I need two bikes made by you. But you have a two-year waiting list, and I can't wait that long. My clients need them in six months or so.”
“Your clients at the dealership?”
“No.” She chuckles.
"I can't make any promises, but I'm listening." I cross my arms and wait.
She leans against the edge of the table facing me. Her hands rest against her thighs.
"I'm a partner with Platinum Prestige. We help people get what they want when they want it. I have a client preparing for retirement. He dreams of driving across the country with his wife on a Harley. So, he and his wife requested a set of matching bikes, and I want you to make them."
Select Love: A BWWM Romance (Blazin' Love Book 8) Page 3
