Page 187 of Moon's Promise

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

Amyriad of expressions crossed Moon’s face. Larissa could tell he was trying to explain why he hadn’t been at the factory.

“Several new members from the Ohio chapter came in last night. We took them around town to show them Treepoint.”

Tearing a small bite off her bread, she popped into her mouth, watching as he continued eating. “Who rode with you?”

“I believe her name was Saffron.”

“Lovely name.”

Moon gave her a quick glance. “Are you angry?”

“Should I be?”

He set his fork on the table. “We went for a ride around town then came back. That’s all there was to it.”

Larissa nodded and took another bite, continuing to eat.

Assuming she was done talking, Moon picked his fork back up. She waited until he had a mouthful of food before asking her next question.

“I didn’t see Shade, Rider, Viper, Reaper, or Train with women on their motorcycles.”

Moon set his fork back down. Placing his elbows on the table, he linked his fingers together. “I see you do have an issue with me letting Saffron ride on my bike.”

“I’m just curious why she didn’t ride with someone else.” She shrugged. “Was it because Lily, Jo, Winter, Ginny, or Killyama would have been upset, or the men didn’t want her to?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. It was no big deal.”

Gathering her courage, she met his gaze directly. “It is to me. I’ve asked you numerous times to take me for a ride, and you always make an excuse. Yet you don’t have a problem letting Saffron plaster herself against you. She was practically kissing you.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

She didn’t argue back, merely holding his gaze.

“If you want to go on a ride that damn bad, call your mother to come over to babysit. I’ll take you wherever you want to go,” he snapped.

Lowering her gaze to the table, she bit the underside of her bottom lip to keep from crying. She didn’t want him to know how badly his words had hurt her.

“I don’t want to ride with you anymore. I’ll never ask you again.”

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

Larissa heard him take a breath, as if to calm himself from arguing with her further, she supposed.

It’s a big deal to me.

“From now on, I won’t let any of the women ride on my bike unless there aren’t any bikes available. Satisfied?”

Larissa stared at him cooly, taking in what he said. What he wasn’t saying was that his motorcycle was off limits.

When he looked back at her, it was as if he was giving her a gift by conceding what practically counted as nothing. The hurt in her heart deepened.

“Let’s change the subject.”

“Thank God.”

It was everything she could do not to run from the table, go to her room, and have a good cry. Her backbone kicked in, however, preventing her from that humiliation. There was no way she was going to spend the rest of the night crying, shut away. Nor, on the other hand, did she want to spend the rest of the night in his company, pretending she wasn’t hurt.

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