Rough Ride (7 page)

“If you’re waiting for me to apologize for kissing you, you can keep waiting because I won’t say something I don’t mean.” He said “In fact, I enjoyed the hell out of that and I’ll probably pay for it later when I’m awake at 3AM taking a cold shower but…”

“I can’t sleep with you… you’re wild and… and a bad boy… and my boss!” She said standing up and handing him the bottle.  “We should go back… now”

“Don’t bad boys usually get a spanking?” He asked with a grin that left her weak in the knees and wet.
Oh God!

She wanted to hold him down in the sand and kiss him again and again and feel his rough hands on more places than just her face.  Her body was on fire and she needed space… away from him.  Turning she started walking towards the bike. 

“Come back. I am sorry for that… the comment I mean… it was inappropriate.” He laughed.

As she approached the bike she stood there, with her back to him, trying to calm her breathing.  No more going places with him alone.  He was breaking down her defenses
very
quickly and much more of his brazen talk and hot kisses and she would give in to him. 

He would take what he wanted and she would be left hurt and alone while he moved on to his next conquest.  She was just now starting to move past losing Darren and get her own life back.

Christ!
  She had to ride back with him, holding him tightly against her for the whole trip!

Looking over her shoulder she was shocked to see him still sitting back in the sand drinking the wine.  Several minutes later, she headed back to where he sat after having gotten herself together.  As she approached he looked up at her and handed her the bottle of wine.

Sitting down next to him but keeping some distance between them, she took a couple of drinks of the wine and handed it back to him.  Silence reigned for some time until he spoke up.

“I want you.  I’m not real sure why I want you so bad, but I do and it seems to get worse the more time I spend around you.  If you honestly aren’t interested or attracted to me at all, I’ll leave you alone and keep my thoughts and comments to myself but you have to tell me… out loud… that you don’t think about my mouth and hands on you.”

The sharp intake of breath happened before she could control it.  The same gasp as when he had touched her.  His words were like his touch and kisses… heated and
raw
.

“I’d appreciate it if you would take me home now before this goes any further.  I’m really enjoying my job… it’s the first one I’ve had since I was in college and… I don’t want to lose it or for things to be uncomfortable between us.” She said

“Say it.” He said his dark gaze burning into her forcing her to look away.

“I… I’m just not ready.” She whispered looking away from him so he could not see her face.

He grasped her face in his hand and pulled it back around until she met his eyes.   “Then I’ll wait until you are, but I will keep doing and saying things that make you feel guilty.  They make you feel guilty because you want me too and now that I’ve tasted your sweet mouth, I want to taste your hot body too.”

Lilly woke up late the following morning.  Her sister had gotten in late the night before but she had still been awake with thoughts and images of Bobby filling her head.  She had been tempted to go try a cold shower herself right before she had finally fallen asleep exhausted.  After showering she headed downstairs to try and spend some time with Sherri.

Finding her sister at the kitchen table, Lilly poured herself a cup of coffee and joined her.

“You look tired, you ok?” Sherri asked

“Yea… I’m fine.” She replied

“I was kind of worried about you, you were up and gone before I woke up yesterday and gone until after I left for work….” Sherri said giving her a pointed look.

“I got a job.” She said quietly.

“Already?  That’s great!” Sherri cried

“I’m working for Bobby Jackson.” She said looking her sister in the eye.

“Please tell me you’re not the flavor of the week” Sherri laughed.

“No, but he did kiss me yesterday.” She said looking away from Sherri’s questioning eyes.

Sherri’s face lost its humor and she sat up straighter in her chair.  “He kissed you? Like kissed you… kissed you? She asked.

“Yea” she replied.

“You didn’t…” Sherri started as she waved her hands in the air.

“No!  I told him I wasn’t ready for anything like that with him.” She said defensively.

Sherri laughed “That’s probably the first time he’s been turned down in years.  How’d he take it?”

“He said he would wait until I was ready but that he wasn’t going to stop flirting with me and saying the things he says...” She replied.

“What things?  What are you talking about?” Sherri asked

She explained about Bobby invading her space, and some of the things he had said to her and about the shopping trip.  She opened her mouth and the events of the day before came spilling out.  When she’d finally finished she looked up and Sherri’s mouth was hanging open with a look of confusion on her face.

“We are talking about the same Bobby Jackson… the one whose bike you were on the back of Friday. 
That
Bobby Jackson?” Sherri said as though in shock

“Yes!” She replied.

“He’s hot if you like that dark and brooding kind of thing, but he’s never come on to me.  In fact I’ve never seen him come on to any woman.  Most of the women I’ve seen him with just start hanging on him and the next thing you know… they’re leaving together and like a week later the woman is broken hearted.” Sherri said.  “He went shopping with you and bought you clothes?”

Sherri looked astounded and confused.  Feeling the need to explain further Lilly continued.

“I really like having a job.  I mean I know I’ve only worked there one day, but I like the idea of it… the independence.” She said “I don’t want whatever this is between him and me to ruin that.”

“Do you like him?” Sherri asked

“I don’t really know him that well but… yea I guess I kind of do… I’m not sure why since he’s not really my type but…there’s just something about him.  He’s so different than Darren was I don’t get it.” She explained

“Well I never really liked Darren and I know the feeling was mutual.  I’m sorry you were hurt with all the scandal surrounding his business dealings but I’ve got to tell you that after all the finger pointing he did at me…” Sherri said “You know what they say about pointing fingers…”

“I know there are three more pointing back at you” She finished.

“How could you not have known what he was doing?” Sherri asked.

“He never liked me to get involved with his business.  He brought home the money and I ran the household and basically made it look like we were fine upstanding people.” She explained.

“But you have an MBA… didn’t you ever wonder why he didn’t want you working outside the home?  I mean I could understand if you’d had children but…” Sherri said shaking her head in confusion.

“I’m just sorry I allowed him to come between us Sherri.  As much as I loved him, I never meant for that to happen and I’m so glad you’re back in my life and I cannot thank you enough for being there for me these past couple of years… and opening your home to me.  I won’t out stay my welcome I promise.  I will start looking for something as soon as I get settled in this new job.” She said hugging her sister as she went to refill her coffee.

“You know you’re welcome here as long as you want to stay or need to.”  Sherri said.  “So since he seduced you and therefore you didn’t buy the other outfits you picked out yesterday, should we finish your shopping today?  I promise not to say sexy things to you in the dressing room.”

She laughed “Yea, we probably should though I’m not sure what to buy that won’t garner a comment from him.”

“There are so many women in this town who would give anything to catch his attention and hold it longer than a couple of hours.  You’ve had it the whole weekend so far and aren’t sure what to do with it.  Maybe you should just fuck him and get it out of your system… and his.”  Sherri laughed.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe you said that!” She laughed

“Yea, well you’re not in the Hamptons anymore sweetie… down here we don’t judge.”  Sherri said laughing as she headed off to the shower.

The next week seemed to fly by as she worked steadily in the office going through the stacks of mail and paperwork scattered about the office.  Upon seeing the state of the only bathroom, she had taken a couple of hours one day just to clean and restock it.  Dickie had managed to get her car up and running and as good as it felt to be able to drive herself to and from the shop, as well as unload all her things from the trunk, somehow she missed the bike rides.

Now that she was there to answer the phone and had implemented a system for handling timesheets, invoices and bills, the guys seemed focused on finishing up the custom motorcycle they were building for an upcoming competition show in Arizona.  She had spoken to Dickie about what the rally would be like and had followed up on an order for clothing and merchandise for the vendor booth.  She had also worked on getting posters made of some of the bikes they had previously built to hang in the booth. 

She had suggested that they do a drawing as a way to get contact information for those customers who visited the booth during the rally.  Dickie had liked the idea and she had dived into getting everything setup for that including the form for people to fill out.  The focus on the upcoming competition and everything that was needed for it, combined with trying to clean up the office and get everything in order for taxes, kept her so busy she had not even thought of the life she left behind and what she had lost.

As Friday afternoon rolled around, she was surprised that she felt almost disappointed that the week was over.  It had been a long time since she had felt like a part of something… like it mattered that she was around.  Though she left nearly exhausted every night, somehow her spirits were higher than they had been in years… even before Darren’s death.

The door to the office opened and Dickie entered with the mail in his hand and Bobby followed behind him.

“Who the hell will drive the camper then?” Bobby asked him.

Both heads turned to stare at
her as she looked up from the computer.

“Not a good idea...” Bobby said

“Why not, she could help run the booth and take care of sales.  Hell she’s been here a week and is already running the place… why not?” Dickie argued.

“Because it’s at least a three day drive… because the camper only sleeps four people… because we’ll be gone for nearly two weeks between the drive there and back and the actual rally… how many reasons would you like?” Bobby asked sarcastically.

“The kid deserves to ride with us this year Bobby and you know it.” Dickie said “Why don’t we ask her… she says no… he drives the camper and gets babysitting duty… she says yes… he gets the pull out, I get the bottom bunk, you the top bunk and Tommy gets the couch.  She and Gretchen can take the bedroom.”

Unable to contain her curiosity over the discussion they were having regarding her, she said “What’s going on?”

“Chuck wants to ride with us to Arizona rather than driving the camper like last year.  If we all ride the bikes, there would be no one to drive the RV.  Feeling up to a road trip Lilly?” Dickie asked with a smile.

“You need to give her the whole story…” Bobby said to him with a scowl.

“So yea… Tommy’s latest love interest hit the highroad and so he has no one to keep Gretchen so she’s going to have to go with us…which means she would be riding in the camper too.” Dickie explained.