Bad Boys of Romance - a Biker Anthology (56 page)

Cole had forgotten how often she did that nervous habit. It took him about three days to figure out it was her equivalent to nail biting. He knew she wanted to come with him. He slipped his fingers through her hair on the back of her head. “Sorry, no. But Ry, stop worrying. Everything will be okay. You and me, we’ll head back on my motorcycle. Brant and Jamie can take care of the guys and get them set up with a work space and living arrangements. We’ll meet my mom at the airport and travel to my home together. I want you with me. I want you there.” He let out a nervous breath. This was the most he’d been open with anyone about what he wanted. Except for sex, he was always open and controlling in that department.

Rylan glimpsed up at him before dropping her stare back to the floor. She kicked a rock and smiled as if she was remembering
their first memory too. “Okay.” She flicked her eyes up to his again, smiling and with a stronger conviction said, “Okay,” again.

“Okay?”

“Yeah, I think we need this. If you promise it won’t be an imposition.”

He pulled her into a tight hug. “I promise, Ry.”

Chapter Six

Cole had Dominic reserve a flight for his mom and send her the information. Brant and Jamie helped by getting Rylan’s race team on board and on the road to South Carolina. As the bus and RV pulled out of Miami heading north, Cole and Rylan approached his sleek black bike. “I never expected you to own a Harley Davidson.” Rylan giggled as she ran her hand over his bike in a sexy caress.

“Don’t give me any shit. It’s a sportster. I couldn’t travel to far from my roots
, but I have always wanted to own a Harley, ever since my mom’s brother Michael took me for a ride when I was twelve.”

“I wasn’t giving you shit. I like her. She’s sexy.”

“How do you know it’s a girl?”

“Look at her curves and tell me she’s not a girl.” Rylan winked before climbing on and situating herself in her seat.

He laughed, “I named her Betsy.”

“I knew it!”

“You okay with stopping in Jacksonville for the night?” He knew they could make it there in a day, but he asked her if she wanted to stop half way. Nine hours on the back of a bike is a long time. He knew Rylan could handle it, but he also knew he wanted a night alone with her. Jacksonville sounded like the perfect place to stop.

She lifted an eyebrow at him curiously. “Sure.”

Before joining her on the bike, he searched for a hotel in Jacksonville. He thumbed the call button and brought the phone to his ear. He wanted to surprise Rylan with a few extras at the hotel, so he walked a few feet away before turning back and watching her get comfortable. Rylan sat back on her seat a few inches above his, holding on to the grip handles. He would have to insist she hold him. He wasn’t about to travel this long without her firmly wrapped around him. After giving the hotel his credit card information and reserving a suite for them to enjoy, he stowed his wallet and phone in a small compartment and sat back on the bike.

After starting the bike and settling into his seat, he grabbed Rylan’s hands and pulled her close to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Finding his controls, he revved the engine before peeling out and finding the first on
-ramp to the freeway.

They made the nearly five hour trip in three hours and forty-five minutes. It was one of the reasons he loved owning a bike. He wasn’t stuck in traffic often, and even
while keeping it at a reasonable speed, he was able to switch lanes and smartly weave through traffic, which cut down on his travel time. The entire time, Rylan held him with her arms and encased him between her thighs. Her soft sweet scent floated around him, causing him to groan with the roar of the engine on more than one occasion. He felt addicted to her scent. Every time it was interrupted by the smell of diesel coming from a big rig, he growled in displeasure until the air cleared and he could inhale her again.  As they approached their destination, Rylan traced her fingers across his stomach.

They pulled up to Omni Jacksonville Hotel and immediately found parking in the garage. They entered the lavish hotel lobby with its marble grand staircase and gorgeous polished wood. Cole instantly understood why it cost him so much for a
presidential suite in this place. It was okay, Rylan was worth it, especially when he noticed her huge eyes taking everything in and mouth slack in surprise.

Winking at her he said, “Close your mouth Ry, you might catch a fly.” He left her standing by the entrance as he made his way toward the check in desk. The clerk behind the counter was eyeing him suspiciously as he approached her. He’d become used to the fact that everyone judged his tattoos before they judged the man. He really didn’t l
et it bother him. As soon as he spoke to her, her features switched to that of lust and willingness to do anything for him.

“Cole West, I called in a few hours ago, reserving…”

She cut him off, frantically typing in her computer. “Yes, Mr. West we have your suite ready with all your, um, requirements.” She flashed a tight lipped smile toward Rylan and then a more flirtatious look to Cole.

“Thank you
, now all I need then is the key card.” He turned back to look at Rylan. He’s missed her more than he ever thought possible. She stole his breath with every look.

“Right.
Top floor, you’ll need the key card to access the elevator, which is right around that corner. My name’s Alexa. If you need anything at all, just call.” She handed him his key card and a smile, but to Cole, Alexa was trying too hard, and coming on to him when he was obviously with someone was tacky.

“Thanks Alexa, as long as everything I asked for is in
our
room, my wife and I will be just fine.” He walked away as she stumbled over her apologies. He linked his fingers with Rylan’s, and they found their way to the presidential suite elevator.

Arriving in their room Rylan sucked in a deep breath, spinning in a circle she squealed.
“The presidential suite! Cole!”

“It’s not a big deal. It was the only room with two separate rooms and a Jacuzzi tub. I didn’t want to be presumptuous
, and I wanted to make sure you had a nice place to relax after that long trip.”

“This is too much. Thank you.” She leaned up
to kiss him on the cheek before shaking her head and walking around to check out the suite.

Cole followed behind her and noticed there were rose petals and little bottles of oils and bubble bath lined along the back shelf of the tub. On a small stand next to the tub sat the bucket of chilled pink champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. Leaning against the door jamb to the bathroom he crossed his arms and found himself fascinated with watching her explore the grand bathroom.

Her fingers trailed over everything the same way she took in his bike. She found the chocolate covered strawberries and grabbed two. Walking straight up to him, she lifted a strawberry to his lips as she did the same to herself. Biting into her own strawberry, she traced his lips and teased him with his. He let her trail the delicious chocolate over his lips, pulling it away before bringing it back for another feather light touch. He waited for her command before he bit into the juicy fruit.

“Open up.” She slid the strawberry between his lips and allowed him to bite down, savoring the combination of the bitter dark chocolate with the sweet juice of the fruit.

“Mmm.”

“Do you want more?”

“Those are for you to enjoy while you relax in a bath. I had them bring some champagne—or there’s beer. Sorry, I wasn’t sure what you drank. If you want something else, I can have them bring it up. They also delivered some clothes for us. I guessed, so I’m sorry if I guessed wrong on the size.” He shrugged sheepishly.

Rylan laughed.
She bent over at the waist and laughed at his ramblings. “I haven’t changed that much. I’m sorry. You act as if you don’t know me. You know me. Better than anyone. I know everything will be perfect. Since they opened the champagne, I’m assuming that means you’ve already paid for it or will have to even if we don’t drink it. We will both be having at least one glass. I still prefer beer over anything else.” She poured the slightly pink bubbly liquid into to two tall thin glasses, handing him one and offering him another strawberry.

Cole knew in that moment that they were going to be fine. They hadn’t grown apart or changed all that much. The wall he put up seemed to fall away when she was near. “Before we start drinking, I really want to talk. I
… come on.” He grabbed her hand and led her to the living room.

The main room was fully furnished with a couch, arm chairs, tables, and lamps. He guided her toward the couch and sat down next to her. He took the glass from her hand and set both of them down on the coffee table. “I know we talked
, and you know why I left. But I never got to tell you how much I missed you or how hard it was for me to leave you. I never told you how sorry I am for not only leaving you but also never calling you, never reaching out and finding you. I waited, thinking you would call me. Come looking for me. When all along I should have gone back for you the day you turned eighteen. I am so very sorry, Ry.”

Tears pooled in his eyes as he watched the moisture in Rylan’s gather and crest over sticking to her lower lashes before breaking free and trailing down her cheeks. “We weren’t meant to be together then. You know I believe everything happens for a reason
, Cole. Now that we’re here, together, we just need to move forward.”

He brushed his thumbs across her cheeks, drying them. He searched her eyes as he thought over her logic. “I’m not the same guy I was then. So much has changed
. Can we really just move forward?”

Her shoulders shook as she laughed at him again. “You haven’t changed as much as you think. Sure, you changed your whole fucking name
, and your outside appearance isn’t the same as it use to be. Other than that, behind that wall you put up for others, you’re still my Chris. I see you in there. I see the boy I fell in love with and so much more. I want to get to know you and fall in love with you, Cole. I already love Chris, who’s a part of you know matter what you think, and now I want to love Cole, the rest of you, so I can love all of you.”

Well, fuck if she wasn’t dead on. He was still Chris
, but he was Cole too. He wanted to get to know the woman Rylan had become. Was she that much different then the girl he knew? He didn’t think so. “Let’s play a game, yeah?”

She offered him a soft smile
, and he wondered what was going through her pretty little head.  “What do you want to play, Cole?”

“I think we play a round of twenty questions. For each question asked, the other person can either answer or pass. If you pass you have to drink. It’s been a
while since we’ve played twenty questions.”

A true smile spread her beautiful lips, and he hoped she was remembering their earlier days and when they’d play the game. “Ok
ay, I start.” She raised her eyebrows waiting for him to deny her, but when he just shrugged, she fired off the first question. “Favorite band?”

“Easy
. Korn, that hasn’t changed. How many boyfriends did I miss out on meeting?” As soon as the question left his mouth, he felt stupid. There wouldn’t have been any boyfriends if he hadn’t have left.

“None.
How many girlfriends in the last five years?”

“None.
Did you get to graduate high school?”

“Yes.
How many sexual partners?”

“You really want me to answer that?”

“I asked it, didn’t I?”

“Now that’s two questions.”

“True, but you answered my question with a question. Spit it out.”

“You first.”

“Seriously? Fine, seven.”

Well fuck; he hadn’t expected her to say anything, much less seven fucking partners.
One or two he could deal with, but seven? In five years, she’s slept with seven different guys.
Count your conquests, that’s barely over one a year.
He mentally slapped himself. Now he had to answer, and he didn’t think he could honestly answer her. “Okay, I don’t think you want to know.”

“Do you remember what I said to you that first night at the kick off dinner?”

“Yeah, something about me being egotistical.”

“Yes, every girl anywhere near a race track in every race town I stopped in had a story to share about Cole West. So don’t worry
, I know you weren’t innocent during our time apart. Just give me a ball park figure.”

“I didn’t count
, and probably couldn’t recall them all, so let’s say a hundred or so.” He closed his eyes and polished off the glass of champagne. He wished for the first time that he hadn’t slept with so many women over the last five years. Standing, he headed toward the bathroom to get the champagne and to give both him and Rylan a chance to process the hard questions. He grabbed the bottle of champagne and the strawberries. Returning to the room, he found Rylan’s glass emptied as well and she was curled up with a pillow now, cross legged on the couch. He reached for her glass to fill it as he met her eyes. “I figured we could use another glass after that rough round, and maybe a strawberry?”

“Is that your next question?”

Laughing, he filled her glass shaking his head before sitting down, facing her. “No that’s not part of my questions. So do you want a strawberry?”

“Sure, I’ll grab it.” She reached over grabbing a piece of chocolate covered heaven. Licking her lips, she took a large bite only leaving the top of the strawberry with its leaves in her fingertips.

Cole drew in a deep breath; his pants were growing uncomfortable just watching the sensual way her lips formed over the heart shaped food. “This is my question… Does that bother you that I kind of went wild?”

She chewed her strawberry and washed it down with a sip of champagne before answering.
“Honestly, yeah. It does a little. But it’s not like I waited for you or expected you to wait for me. You didn’t know I was coming after you. I get it, but it does hurt some.” She roughly brushed the tears off her face.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what else I can say besides that. I should have known we’d end up here
, and I should have known that I wouldn’t want to have say this kind of shit to you and definitely wouldn’t want to hide it from you.”