Page 12 of Cowboy

“You want to go straight home or ride around a little first?”

Ava tilted her head to one side, thinking. “Let’s ride a bit.” She didn’t say it but thought she wouldn’t panic this time when she didn’t know where they were.

This time he didn’t have to tell her where to put her feet or re-position her legs once she was on, that made her feel at least a little less incompetent.

“Ready?” He turned his head back, as if he were trying to look at her, though she couldn’t see how he could see her with the helmet on.

“Ready.” She wrapped her arms around him and waited while he once more walked the bike backward, then they zoomed forward. Or at least it felt like that to Ava. They were still in the parking lot and probably doing under ten miles an hour, it just seemed fast to her.

By the time they made it back to her apartment, Ava had relaxed and wasn’t holding onto Cowboy quite so tight, at least in her opinion. She could see why people thought riding a motorcycle was fun. It wasn’t something she wanted to do every day, she liked her car, but she could get into it, especially with Cowboy.

He pulled the bike into the same space he’d been in when he picked her up. She got off the bike then watched as he did the same, while she tried to figure out how to release the catch on the helmet. Cowboy took off his helmet and hung it on the handlebars, then turned to watch her. Ava appreciated that he didn’t try to take over but let her struggle until she was ready for his help. When she gave up in frustration and let her hands drop with a sigh, he didn’t make her ask, just reached up with one hand and popped the latch. He didn’t lift it off for her but let her do that at her own pace.

“I don’t know how you can get this thing off and on so easily.” She handed him the helmet.

“Practice.” He shot her a grin before hanging her helmet on the other end of the handlebars. “I fasten them several times a day. It’s almost second nature to me.” He walked her toward the building and took her right to her door.

“Why don’t you come in for a while?” She wasn’t ready for this night to end. She liked him and she wanted more but wasn’t sure how to ask for it.

“I’d like to, but I’m afraid more would happen than you’re ready for.”

Ava couldn’t help the frown that creased her brow as she stood beside him in front of her door.

“What do you mean?”

“That’s exactly what I mean. You are sweet and mostly innocent. I like you, more than a little. And I want to do this again, but you’re not ready for what you think you want. I’m not going to just drop you here though.”

“Then what are you going to do?” She was even more confused. What did he mean she was innocent? She’d been married for nearly fifteen years. How could she be innocent anymore?

“I’ve been wanting to do this all night, but in the middle of the bowling alley wasn’t the right place, even if it wasn’t busy.” He slowly lowered his face to hers.

Ava saw him coming and thought there was time to stop him, but why? If he wouldn’t come inside, at least she would get a kiss. Man did she want that kiss. She ached to know what he tasted like, what his hands felt like on her body. She wasn’t going to get everything she wanted, but she’d take what she could get.

Cowboy’s mouth covered hers and she didn’t hesitate to open her lips beneath his probing tongue. Her hands found their way to his arms, as if of their own accord. She lost herself in the feel of his arms as they went around her. His kiss turned hot, searing every thought from her mind but him.

More.

She needed more. Her fingers curled into his arms as she tried to pull him closer. A soft sound escaped from her throat as he pulled away.

“Damn, angel. You taste as sweet as you look.”

Ava stared up at him, dazed. “Come inside.”

Cowboy shook his head. “Angel, you’re tempting as hell but not tonight. You’re not the kind of woman to take a man to bed on the first date. Even I know that. I’ll call tomorrow and see if you want to do something soon. Give you a little time to make sure this dirty old biker is what you really want.” He dropped a brief soft kiss on her lips before releasing her and taking a step back. “Be warned though, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do the right thing and walk away a second time.” He motioned to the door. “Inside before I leave. I want to make sure you’re safe before I go.”

She did as he instructed, unlocked the door, and stepped inside, turning to watch him as the door closed. She wished he’d stayed but somehow because he’d refused, she wanted him even more.

9

Cowboy stowed the extra helmet, got on his bike, and went back to the clubhouse, ignoring the snug fit of his jeans. Fuck that woman was hot. He wished he could have stayed, but she was an angel. Not the kind of woman who slept around like he had for the last ten plus years. She needed wooing. And damned if he didn’t want to be the one to give it to her.

In the parking lot, he sat on the bike for a minute, trying to force his body to behave. He thought about something else, anything else but Ava. The club, the difficulties he’d had with it in the last six months. The trouble Rooster and Jonesy had been causing over the last couple months.

Unlike Tank, they hadn’t had records and had gotten out on bail while they waited for their trials to begin for the abduction and assault on a man who’d come to town trying to figure out who was harassing his club.

All that had gone down months ago, and Tank, who had been the Kings of Destruction president at the time, had been using the club for his personal business without the knowledge or consent of the rest of the club. That alone had gotten him stripped of his patch when he’d been caught and arrested for the crime, along with the flunkies who had been in on it and known what he was doing, Rooster and Jonesy.

Tank was still in jail. His previous prison time, and the ties he’d made there that facilitated this criminal activity had ensured the judge denied bail. He was the least of the Kings problems, unless he was still pulling strings. Cowboy wouldn’t put that past him. But how could he prove it? As far as he had been able to figure out, he couldn’t.

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