“If you change your mind about tomorrow, you have a seat in class,” Ben told him before turning around and heading out the door, leaving Angus alone in the room.
He shook his head. This night had been completely weird. He’d dreaded it for days. But he got through it. He learned enough to pass off in the story and could look up anything else he needed. He certainly didn’t believe what Ben had said about needing to actually ride it. There was no way in hell he was hopping on one of those bikes.
Angus slipped out the front door without seeing anyone else and strode through the parking lot, eager to get home and vegetate on the couch. The whole day had been draining to him.
He unlocked his old Civic and slid inside, but when he turned the key, nothing happened. Nothing. Angus gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands and let his head fall forward. Not today. Shit.
He turned the key again. Still nothing.
Angus pulled his phone from his pocket and couldn’t believe it when he saw it had died.
“Shit!” He punched the steering wheel, jamming his index finger, which only pissed him off more.
He should have just stayed in bed. The only plus in his whole day had been meeting Ben. Shit, that man was sexy. Angus would even be willing to look past the whole biker thing to get close to him. He couldn’t deny the desire coursing through him from just a look. Hell, he’d probably melt from one kiss. It had been far too long since he’d felt a man’s touch. Especially one as hot as Ben.
No time to dwell on what couldn’t happen. He had other things to worry about. What the hell was he going to do about his car? He leaned back against his seat and closed his eyes, exhaustion overtaking him. Suddenly he felt every one of his thirty-two years. He just needed to think things through.
Ben made his way through the showroom and store, turning off lights and locking up. Fatigue was settling in and he was looking forward to watching some television and going to bed early.
He chuckled. What a big night he had planned. God, he missed those days in his twenties when he could go out all night and still be able to function the next day. He had to face it—he was getting older.
As he walked outside, he was surprised to see another vehicle besides his in the parking lot. Deciding he’d better check it out, he headed over to the car. The parking lot lights were on, so as he got closer, he saw Angus in the front seat. He appeared to be asleep.
Ben stared at him through the window for a moment, still surprised at how his body reacted at the sight of the man. Angus shifted in his seat, so Ben knocked lightly on the window in an attempt to wake him up.
Angus snorted a little and his head rolled to the side, so Ben tried the door handle. It was unlocked. He opened the door and squatted down until he was face-to-face with Angus.
“Hey,” he whispered, not wanting to frighten the man. “You okay?”
Angus’s eyes fluttered open and he bolted forward. “W-what…what’s happening?”
Ben couldn’t help it—he reached over and grasped Angus’s shoulder. “I was about to ask you the same question. You were sleeping in the parking lot here.” He gestured with his head to indicate his own vehicle. “I was just heading home.”
Angus flopped back. “Damn! I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
Ben squeezed his shoulder and reluctantly let go. “You okay to drive home?”
Angus’s shoulders slumped and shook his head. “My car won’t start and my phone died.”
“Pop the hood and I’ll take a look at it,” Ben said, pulling himself to a standing position.
Angus perked up. “Really? That’s…that’s great. Thanks!”
Ben heard the familiar click and moved to open the hood.
Angus climbed out of the car to look over the engine with Ben. “Can you tell what’s wrong?”
“Uh, yeah. Looks like it’s a spark plug. Possibly two.”
Angus blinked at him.
Ben smiled. “I can easily fix it for you, but I’ll need to get the plugs tomorrow morning. Everything’s already closed.”
Angus’s eyes widened as Ben moved closer. “You don’t need to do that,” Angus argued.
“It isn’t a big deal. Won’t take me long at all. How about I give you a lift home now and I’ll let you know when it’s fixed tomorrow?” Ben thought for a moment. “Do you need a ride in the morning to a job? I can take you then, too.”
Angus shook his head. “No, I work from home.”
“Writer, right? Guess you can work wherever you want, huh?”
Angus nodded. “Yeah. Kind of.”
“Okay. My car’s just over there.” Ben pointed to a dark SUV. “Where do you live?”
Angus followed Ben to the vehicle, helpless to think of another solution, but not sure he wanted to be in such a small space with the man.
Ben hit a button and the doors unlocked. Angus opened the passenger side and climbed in, settling onto the soft black leather seat. When Ben had first offered to take him home, his heart had stuttered, fearing Ben meant on a motorcycle. He was immensely relieved when Ben had pointed out the SUV.
He glanced over and watched Ben start the engine. He couldn’t look away from Ben’s hands. When Ben had had his hands in the engine, touching and moving things, Angus had been mesmerized. Now Angus found himself staring again. Ben’s hands were big. Powerful. He tried not to think about how those hands would feel on his body, or grabbing his hips from behind.
He sighed and turned to the window. He really needed to get laid. And not by a biker.
When Angus had given him his address, Ben said he knew exactly where abouts it was and, judging by the turns he was taking, Angus believed him. He would be home soon and could finally collapse and put this day out of its misery.
“I hope you’ve reconsidered and plan on coming to class tomorrow.”
Ben’s voice jolted Angus out of his thoughts and he shook his head. “No. Not gonna happen.”
“Do you mind if I ask why?”
Angus turned to look at him in the darkened car. “I don’t like motorcycles.”
Ben shook his head. “Uh, yeah. I got that.”
Silence hung between them and Angus sighed. “Motorcycles are dangerous.”
“They can be,” Ben said, his voice quiet. “Life is dangerous, Angus.”
Angus snorted. “No shit.”
Ben stayed quiet as he pulled off the highway and turned into Meadow Ridge.
“My apartment’s in the building on the far left,” Angus told him.
Ben drove through the parking lot and pulled up to the sidewalk to let Angus out.
Angus reached for the door handle, but Ben’s voice cut through the air.
“Think about coming tomorrow. I’d love to see you again…in class, I mean.” He cleared his throat.
Angus turned to look at the big man next to him. Was it possible he was interested in Angus? In more than just being his teacher? Surely not. They were from completely different worlds. But even in the dark, he could see the heat in Ben’s eyes. Angus leaned back and stared at him.
“Why not just give it a try?” Ben asked. “It’s only a class. You don’t have to take the test and earn your license.”
Angus forced himself to look away, even though he loved the way Ben was staring at him. He couldn’t take the rest of the class. He just couldn’t. He shook his head. “Thanks for the ride. Let me know when the car is ready and I’ll get someone to run me over to pick it up. Oh, and don’t forget to let me know how much I owe you.”
He turned to climb out and froze at the hand on his shoulder. Heat radiated from the touch until he felt warm all over. Angus slumped a little, seeking more contact, and fought the urge to lean his head back and rub against that strong hand.
“Please come, Angus,” Ben said softly, his fingers kneading Angus’s shoulder. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but I think it might be good for you. It seems like you might be fighting some old demons.”
Angus flinched and Ben�
�s hand fell from his shoulder. “Thanks for the ride.”
He climbed out and closed the door. He didn’t look back as he made his way to his apartment. He didn’t feel Ben’s gaze on him as he walked away.
He certainly didn’t hope Ben was attracted to him. Nope. Not at all.
And later that night, when he finally went to bed, he did not get out his dildo and fuck himself until he was crying out Ben’s name.
Chapter 3
Ben paced his office. Once again, he’d gotten practically nothing done all day. He couldn’t quit thinking about Angus. Hell, he’d jacked off twice last night just remembering the way Angus’s eyes had looked when they stared at each other.
He’d been right about the spark plugs and had easily changed them out earlier that morning. He’d also called Angus to let the man know but had to leave a voicemail message. Ben spent the rest of the day looking out the front windows so he wouldn’t miss Angus when the guy showed up. Now class was close to starting and the man still hadn’t picked up his car.
He’d blown it last night, he just knew it. Ben ran his hands through his hair as he strode out of the office and into the front of the shop. Usually he had no reservations about letting a guy know he was interested, but he’d felt off his game with Angus. It was those damn eyes. And that red hair that he wanted to bury his fingers in and hold tight. There was somewhere else he wanted to bury something, too.
Ben groaned. He needed to get it together. The guy wasn’t interested, and he wasn’t Ben’s type anyway. Yeah, he’d been reminding himself that all day and it hadn’t worked once.
He smiled when he saw his sister talking with Shirley at the front counter. Amelia looked surprised to be chatting with an eighty-something-year-old about helmets and leather biker jackets.
The door opened and the two younger guys from last night, Seth and Randy, entered.
“Hey,” Seth said, offering his hand.
Ben shook it. “You guys ready for some hands-on learning tonight?”
“Seth sure is, especially if that sexy girl with the tats is going to help.”
Ben squeezed Seth’s hand hard and narrowed his eyes. “Actually, yes, my niece will be here tonight.” He bit back a smile as the color drained from Seth’s face.
“Sorry,” Seth mumbled as he elbowed Randy. “We didn’t mean…I mean, we…” He blew out his breath. “Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful,” he said, this time looking Ben in the eyes.
Better. “Thanks. Head on back. I’ll be there soon.”
Movement outside the window caught his eye and he turned to find Angus walking through the door. But damn! Gone were the baggy shirt and loose jeans, replaced by a tight gray T-shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans. His mop of curls had clearly been tamed by some sort of product, although apparently nothing could keep it all down. But his eyes hadn’t changed. They were still the most beautiful pair of eyes Ben had ever seen. He felt dazzled. Even more off his game than the previous night. He cleared his throat as they stared at each other.
“Guess you changed your mind?”
An adorable blush spread across Angus’s face and he looked away from Ben. “Well, I was just going to get my car and pay you back…”
“But now you’re going to stay?” Ben prodded.
Angus shrugged, the blush traveling down his neck and under the collar of his T-shirt.
“That’s great!” Ben threw his arm around Angus’s shoulders. “Let’s get you back there.”
Ben was thrilled and couldn’t wait to help Angus get over his hatred of motorcycles. And hot damn, he looked good!
They spent about an hour going over things in the classroom before Ben led the students out back to where the bikes were sitting. He’d been watching Angus as the class progressed, and the writer seemed to be growing increasingly less comfortable.
And as inappropriate as it was, Ben’s mind kept wandering to the way those skinny jeans hugged Angus’s ass, and more than once he found himself growing hard at the thought of burying himself deep inside Angus’s ass, his balls pressed against the man. He could already feel the way they would slap against Angus’s skin. Fuck. He wasn’t sure what was going on. Angus wasn’t his type at all. But Ben’s blood heated at the thought of marking him and making him his—something he’d never wanted in all of his thirty-five years. Not once.
“Sir?”
Ben pulled his gaze from Angus and turned to Seth. “Yes?”
“Are we going to get to ride on the road? Or just on the course?”
“Just the course. But tomorrow we’ll spend all day outside riding.”
Candy sauntered out and made a beeline for Seth. Ben’s sister was going to kill him if he let her “little girl” get involved with a man she didn’t know. He tried not to roll his eyes. Amelia was a little overprotective of Candy, not that it had really mattered. The things his niece had pulled were enough to make any mother lose their mind.
From the corner of his eye, he spied Angus slinking back toward the door.
“Candy, can you get them started on the bikes?” he asked, keeping an eye on Angus.
“Sure, Uncle Ben.”
He moved quickly, stepping in front of the door, effectively stopping Angus from heading back inside. “What’s going on?”
Angus’s eyes widened and his breath hitched. His skin was pale as fuck and Ben wondered if he were having some sort of panic attack.
“Come with me,” Ben whispered, opening the door and ushering Angus through. He pointed down the hall towards his office. “This way.”
They walked quietly through the empty building and Angus stopped when they reached the door, so Ben pushed it open, gesturing him to go on in.
Angus sighed deeply and took a few steps inside, but stopped short of taking a seat.
Ben walked in and stood in front of Angus, placing his hands on Angus’s shoulders. Angus looked at the ground.
“Look, clearly you’re dealing with something. I might be able to help,” Ben murmured. “I realize we don’t know each other, but you can trust me.”
Angus pulled his gaze from his feet and glanced around the room. He looked a little like a wounded deer, searching for an escape. That only made Ben want to pull Angus closer and wrap his arms around the man, hold him tight until the fear passed. But Ben resisted, knowing that would only spook him.
“Angus?” His quiet voice echoed in the small office.
He felt Angus’s shoulders sag under his hands and Ben held tight.
“I can’t do this,” Angus whispered.
“Do what? Ride a bike? Be around them? What is it you can’t do?” Ben’s voice was gentle as he took a small step forward, crossing an invisible line into Angus’s space. But this wasn’t about attraction or desire—this was about comforting a fellow human who was hurting.
Angus nodded and his curls bounced. He shuddered and looked up at Ben, eyelashes wet with unshed tears. “All of it. I…I—” His voice cracked as he shuddered again.
Ben’s hands slid down Angus’s arms before wrapping the man in a tight hug, pulling him close. Rather than tense up, Angus leaned into him, resting his face on Ben’s chest. Tears flowed onto Ben’s T-shirt, but Ben didn’t care. The man in his arms was broken and needed understanding. As he stroked Angus’s back, he could feel Angus’s spine.
Angus slipped his long, thin arms around Ben and gripped the back of Ben’s shirt as he began shivering.
“Are you cold?” Ben whispered.
Angus only nodded.
Ben pulled back and glanced around his cluttered office. He spied his black leather jacket on his chair and untangled himself from Angus for a moment so he could grab it.
He handed the jacket to Angus and was rewarded with a small smile. Something in Ben bloomed, filling his chest with warmth. Ben watched Angus struggle with the oversized jacket and smiled when he pulled it closed in front of his chest. His eyes weren’t dry, but the tears had stopped. Angus was still pale, but the shiverin
g had stopped, too. Ben wanted to take Angus into his arms again, but the moment seemed to have passed.
“Thanks.” Angus cocked his head and stared at Ben. “I should feel embarrassed about crying all over your shirt, but…I don’t.”
Ben’s face cracked into a smile. “Good. You shouldn’t. Everyone has their breaking points.”
Angus looked around the room. “Yeah,” he admitted.
Ben gestured for him to sit, but Angus shook his head.
“Seems like this might have been something a long time coming, huh?”
Angus swallowed hard. Ben watched in fascination as Angus’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down and fought the urge to lean over and lick his neck.
“I hate motorcycles.”
Ben nodded. “You’ve mentioned that.” He took a step back and sat on the corner of his desk, folding his arms across his chest as he waited for Angus to continue.
“My publisher asked me to ghostwrite an autobiography for someone and unfortunately that person was…is…heavily into motorcycles.”
Ben raised an eyebrow. “Ghostwrite?”
“I do that sometimes. I mean, I have several novels out under my own name, but occasionally I pick up a ghostwriting job for someone who needs…help writing. I only do it with autobiographies.”
“What kind of stories do you write?”
Angus’s face lit up as he wiped at his eyes. “Mysteries. I’ve always loved the classic mystery stories and I’m working on one right now involving a racehorse that goes missing right before a huge race.”
Ben smiled back at him. “Sounds interesting.”
“You a big reader?” Angus looked at him skeptically.
“Hey, don’t stereotype me. Yes, I ride bikes. Yes, I have tattoos.” He chuckled when he saw Angus’s eyebrows shoot up at hearing that. “And I happen to love reading.” He narrowed his eyes at Angus. “I don’t recognize your name, though.”
Angus shrugged. “I use a pen name. And I’m not a huge author, so you probably haven’t heard my name anyway.”
“What’s your pen name?”
Angus shook his head. “I don’t tell anyone.”
Motorcycle Man Page 2
