Phase (Phoebe Reede: The Untold Story #1)

by Michelle Irwin

  My brain failed to perform every function it was supposed to do for me to survive. I stopped breathing, couldn’t swallow, couldn’t move. All that I had left was my heart, pounding against my ribcage, the butterflies swarming my stomach, and my eyes, which roamed his face as if trying to memorise every detail. After a moment, my lungs burned and reminded me of the need to breathe. I sucked down a shaky breath and smiled.

  “Smooth,” I squeaked before remembering how to swallow and gulping down my emotions. “Really smooth.”

  He chuckled. “At least let me walk ya out?”

  I found myself nodding in agreement.

  When I moved near him, he placed his hand on the small of my back. Rather than being put off by the overly familiar touch, I relaxed against it. It was different to other touches guys had tried over the years: protective, not predatory.

  The walk outside was over too quick for my liking.

  “So, Dawson, won’t ya please rescue my ego just a little and tell me this ain’t gonna be the last time I see ya.”

  “Sorry, cowboy, I’m leaving in the morning.”

  His lips pinched together, and his brow dipped. It was as if my statement had forced something bitter into his mouth. The sight was enough to make me want to reel the words back in even though they were the truth.

  I should have just turned and walked away, but I didn’t. Instead, I sighed and offered him a small smile. “You know what? I don’t really have anywhere I need to be, but I do need some peace and quiet. Maybe we can go somewhere together and talk?” I didn’t know which Phoebe had taken over my vocal cords, but I wasn’t sure I liked her. Fuck, I was going to regret this.

  A slow smile spread across his lips. “Sure thang. I know the perfect spot. I’ll let the guys know I’m fixin’ to head off.”

  Don’t bother. I’ve changed my mind. I want to ride off alone like I’d originally planned. All the words I should have said disappeared as I nodded. “Sounds good.”

  While I waited, I moved nearer to my bike while still staying close enough that I could be seen in the light coming out of the doorway.

  Moments later, Beau came rushing out. “So, d’ya have a car? The spot I got in mind is a li’l too far to walk to.”

  “No. I don’t.” I took another step closer to my bike. “I don’t have a spare helmet either.”

  “That’s all right, it ain’t far.”

  “Here, you wear this then.” I offered him my helmet.

  “No way. This ol’ head of mine’s taken plenty of knocks and one more won’t hurt. Your purdy li’l head though, now there’s a thang that needs protectin’.” I was sure it wasn’t just my imagination that left his accent thicker as if he were trying to use it to impress me.

  “So I get the possibly life-saving safety equipment just because I’m a girl.”

  “No. That ain’t why, but if you’re gonna insist . . .” He trailed off as he headed into the night—away from me.

  “Wait!” I might have been ready to walk away earlier, but now I found myself unwilling to let go. What the fuck was going on with me?

  “Relax, darlin’. I’m just gettin’ a spare helmet from Cash’s car.”

  “Oh. Okay.” I had no idea who Cash was, or why he’d have a spare helmet in his car, but figured it was a buddy of Beau’s and that it wasn’t really all that unusual to carry around spare safety equipment. After all, my family were never far from a spare helmet or three, either at home or out and about.

  With a chuckle, he disappeared. A few minutes later, he came back into view wearing a helmet and buckling up as he walked.

  “There, now we’re both protected.” The way he accented his words—hitting the pro far harder than necessary—just raced through my body, igniting a burn I wasn’t used to.

  My eyes dropped down to his groin as his final word registered in my mind. I did have protection . . . in the side bag of the bike where I’d left them with my first aid kit.

  Why would you even think about that? My mind was in the gutter as I thought about this stranger’s voice and what it did to me. Was it possible I was about to disappear with him to screw him silly despite how long I’d avoided the issue of sex? Sure, he was the first guy to show interest in me for me and not because of Dad . . .

  Thoughts of my father, of home, were like a bucket of icy water over my raging libido. Beau and I were going to a quiet place to talk. That was all.

  Isn’t it?

  “So where to?” I asked, trying to wrestle control of my thoughts away from my pussy.

  As I said the words, I climbed onto my bike and settled into the driver seat, leaving no doubt that I was going to be the one in control.

  He pointed to the highway. “Follow this road ’til the next mile marker, then turn left into the hills. Follow that through to the end.”

  “Okay.” I started up the bike.

  When Beau made no immediate attempt to move, I patted the seat behind me. Despite it being clear that he was welcome to hop on, he didn’t move.

  “What are you waiting for?” I asked.

  He shook his head as if to clear some thought. “Sorry, darlin’, it’s just . . . well, that there’s an image I’m gonna have to work very hard to get outta my head.” After closing the distance between us, he slid onto the seat behind me. “Not that I want it outta my head,” he murmured as he slipped his hands around my waist.

  I tried to pretend to be unaffected, but my body was traitorous and shivered in his hold.

  He chuckled. “Cold?”

  I wasn’t, but I wasn’t going to admit that either. Before he could tease me for my reaction, I gunned the engine and took off hard.

  AFTER I’D TURNED off to follow the route Beau had indicated, I found myself on a road that twisted and bent to the curves of the hill we were climbing. When I hit the corners, I couldn’t help myself, I leant into them and upped the throttle. Beau’s bodyweight was a little bit of an adjustment, but I could easily correct for it—especially when he seemed to understand the physics and leant into the corners with me.

  We practically floated up the mountain, springing nimbly from one corner to the next with barely any time upright in between. I pushed the bike faster and faster, without ever letting myself forget that it was a second-hand beast, and I was still testing its boundaries. I may have been an adrenaline junkie, but I wasn’t stupid and wouldn’t do anything too reckless. The engine and suspension were in fine form though, if I did say so myself.

  I’d slowed down considerably by the time we reached the top of the hill then pulled over to the side of the road and took my helmet off.

  Beau followed suit and tugged his helmet off too.

  “So where to?”

  Beau grabbed both our helmets and twisted to secure them to the sissy bars. The movement caused his thighs to brush along my arse. Once he had the helmets secured, he leant around me to grab the handlebars. Normally, I would have lost my shit at someone else taking over control, but he was the one who knew where to go. Plus the feel of his chest pressed against my back, and his chin resting on my shoulder stole my breath. It may have been my imagination, but his arms seemed to squeeze a little tighter than necessary as he guided the bike around.

  Before long, he’d brought us to a stop near a grassy area that overlooked the city of Sacramento.

  For a moment, I rested my feet on the ground and just stared at the view, unwilling to get off the bike just yet. The lights stained the night sky with reds and whites. The moment was so magical—so surreal.

  “Wow,” I murmured. “Spectacular.”

  “Yeah, ya are.” Beau’s voice murmured near my ear.

  My stomach clenched at his words, tightening into a ball that sent spikes of desire shooting downward. I wasn’t sure whether he intended me to hear them though. In fact, he’d uttered them so quietly that I doubted he had, so I chose to ignore them.

  He cleared his throat and spoke a little louder as he climbed off the bike. “I gotta admit, I ain’t met
many people can handle a bike like you. ’Specially with the extra weight; but you, darlin’, you were flawless.”

  Climbing off the bike and following him toward the end of the car park, I blushed at his words. I’d heard similar things before, but they were usually followed by, “but I guess that’s to be expected, with who your father is,” as if my every achievement had been manufactured by him.

  When I glanced back up at him, he was staring at me as if he didn’t believe I could be real. Our gazes locked, and time froze. It was like my mind had taken a snapshot of the moment and continued to play it long after reality had passed.

  After a moment, we both looked away.

  What the hell am I doing? Why was I out there in the middle of nowhere, alone with a stranger?

  Only, Beau didn’t feel like a stranger. It was more like I’d known him my whole life, even though I had never seen him before.

  He cleared his throat again.

  “Would you like a lozenge?” I asked. Mum had done her usual trick of packing the equivalent of a small chemist into my bags on top of my normal medication, and I’d indulged her—and kept her close to my memory—by packing it into my side bag. Together with the condoms. At the thought, I regretted offering anything.

  “Huh?”

  “Nothing. I thought you must have a tickle.” I rested my hand against my throat. His gaze followed the path of my fingers. “In your throat, I mean.”

  “Oh, uh.” He cleared it again. “No. I’m, uh, I’m actually wonderin’ where ya came from, and where ya been all my life.”

  I laughed. “Oh my God, that’s got to be the corniest thing any guy has ever said to me.” His earnest expression faltered and fell. “Fuck, no, what I mean is, it’s the sweetest too.”

  “Ya know ya got a bit of a gutter mouth, don’tcha?”

  I tilted my head. Of course I knew, but it wasn’t often people who weren’t related to me brought it up. Most just rolled with it or had a worse vocabulary than mine. “I get it from my dad,” I said with a laugh.

  “I ain’t never understood the appeal myself.” His gaze shifted between my mouth and my eyes.

  Did he have a problem with my swearing?

  “But I gotta say ya make it almost sexy.”

  I frowned as I analysed his words, trying to work out if they were a compliment or not. “Thanks. I think.”

  He shook his head, chuckling, and I had to smile at him.

  “Wanna get a better view?” he asked, offering me his hand.

  “There’s a better one?” I took another glance out at the open vista.

  “Maybe better ain’t the right word. Closer?”

  I could think of something I wanted to get closer to, at least physically, but didn’t say anything. Instead, I slipped my hand into his in silent acceptance.

  My breath caught at the feeling that built in my chest when his large hand wrapped around mine. I was certain my face was scarlet as he led me out onto the grass. We walked a few metres down a crest to come to a little area that would have been perfect for a picnic.

  After another couple of steps, Beau let go of my hand and sat on the grass, patting the spot beside him. I glanced back at my bike. Was it too late to run to it and race back to the hotel? Why are you out here alone with him? Do you want to be murdered?

  Only, Beau didn’t feel like a threat.

  After all, would a murderer be so casual and goddamned sexy? Probably, I conceded. I remembered hearing somewhere about the best serial killers having a ton of charisma.

  He turned to glance up at me. “What’s wrong? I ain’t gonna bite.”

  “I was just wondering what the hell I’m doing out in the middle of nowhere with a complete stranger.”

  “I’m guessin’ ya don’t make a habit of it?”

  “No, but would you prefer if I did?’

  He frowned. “No, I don’t think I’d like that.”

  In one steady movement, he rose to his feet again and covered the small distance between us.

  “Are ya scared of me?” He glanced down at me with an amused smirk on his face.

  “No.” Looking into his eyes, I really wasn’t. There was something hidden in his irises, dancing just beneath the amusement and pride, that left me comfortable in his presence. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what it was, but it made me smile.

  “Good. I don’t want ya scared, darlin’. I just wanna . . . actually, I can’t even say what.” Another carefree laugh left him. “All I know is there was no way I coulda let ya walk off tonight without talkin’ some more.”

  Feeling confidence bloom in my chest, I walked over to where he’d been sitting moments before. “So, how do you know about this spot?” I asked as I lowered myself to the ground.

  “Few years back, we were here, and I needed some space. I stumbled ’cross it.” He sat beside me.

  “So you don’t live here?”

  “No, ma’am. I hail from Georgia. I’m in town for two nights for my buddy’s birthday, and then I’m on a plane to Michigan.”

  “You travel a lot?”

  “A bit, yeah.” The amusement in his features sparkled as he spoke as if there were some great secret about his travel that I didn’t know but perhaps should have.

  “And this friend, did you ditch him for me?”

  “Well, a pretty li’l thang like you beckons, who am I to refuse?”

  “Now I feel bad that I dragged you away on his birthday.”

  “Darlin’, don’t feel bad. His birthday was two days ago. Tonight is all about you. Relax. Lie back. Enjoy the night.”

  “That sounds exactly like what I need.” I relaxed backwards to lie on the grass.

  He laughed. “I didn’t expect ya to actually lay down.”

  I closed my eyes and smiled.

  “Ya ain’t like other girls I’ve met.”

  “I told you I wasn’t.”

  A moment later, I sensed him move to lie down beside me.

  I opened one eye to glance at him, expecting him to be mimicking my position. Only he wasn’t. He was lying on his side, with his head resting on one hand, his gaze focused on me.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Nothin’.”

  Raising a brow, I rolled onto my side to match his position. “Stop it.”

  “I ain’t doin’ nothin’.” His lazy smile grew, showing off the lopsided dimples on his cheeks.

  “You’re looking at me.”

  “Just admirin’ the view.”

  I swallowed hard to try to stop the butterflies that fluttered through my stomach. Then I blew out a breath and found a new confidence. Instead of telling him to stop again, I played his game and let my gaze trail his features. With his strong jaw, stubble, and eyes that started as a dark chocolate in the centre and faded to a soft amber at the edges, he definitely wasn’t hard to look at. The way he rested his head on his arm caused his bicep to flex and his flannel shirt to hang open, revealing a tee that didn’t quite cover the smattering of sandy brown hair over a sculpted chest.

  As if he realised what I was doing, he grinned. “And how’s your view?”

  I made a face and lifted my free hand to say so-so but then smiled to show I wasn’t being serious.

  “I really like this,” he said as he lifted his free hand and touched his thumb to the place where the corner of my mouth turned up. Warmth rushed from the point of contact to course through my body. I held myself completely still as his gaze focused on his hand—or maybe it was my lips—as he continued his movement to trail the knuckle of his index finger over the edge of my smile.

  For a moment, it seemed he was totally unaffected by the touch, but then he released a shaky breath, and his eyes met mine. Like it had as we climbed off the bike, time stood still.

  “And your eyes, darlin’, they’re as mesmerizin’ as the sea.”

  At least he hadn’t said they looked like Dad’s like everyone else did.

  “I, uh, yeah,” I said, rolling onto my back but tipping my head to
watch him. “This is so not what I expected from tonight.”

  “Me either, darlin’, me either.” He sighed and lay on his back as well. “So how long are ya in town for?”

  “Tonight’s my last night. I’ve been stuck while waiting for parts for my bike. But now it’s fixed, I’ll be taking off.”

  “Where to?”

  I drew one leg up so my heel was against my arse and laid my arm over my forehead. “I actually don’t know.”

  “Ya don’t have a plan?”

  “Not as such. I mean, I’ve got things I want to get to and some that I have tickets booked for, but I don’t really have a specific itinerary. That’s the point of this trip, actually. The last four years have just been work, work, work, and doing everything expected of me. This is my time to just be me.”

  “I can’t imagine being that free,” he confessed.

  I chuckled as I thought back to just over a month earlier. I wouldn’t have thought it was possible either. “You should try it sometime. It’s great.”

  “Ya meet all sorts of interesting people?”

  “Definitely. I mean, I might meet even more if I could make it out of Cali.”

  “Ya ain’t found anyone interestin’ in California?” he asked.

  “No one that lives here.” I wasn’t sure whether I wanted him to catch my drift with both hands or let it pass him by.

  “Why, li’l miss, I do believe that was a compliment.” I could hear his smile in his voice.

  I rolled over so I was facing him again, only realising at the last second that it took me so close to him.

  Too close.

  And somehow not close enough.

  An instant later, his arm shifted to curl under my neck. Instead of pulling away from the increasingly intimate touches, I rolled onto my back at his side, laid my head on his chest, and stared at the stars above us.

  There was nothing above us but the open sky. Moonlight beamed down on us from beyond, as if the man on the moon approved of our meeting and granted his blessing.

  The moment was so peaceful.

  So still.

  I’d never experienced anything like it before. With so many younger siblings, there was always noise. And when I wasn’t at home or school, I was on the track.