Page 36 of Wait For Me

“That’s fine. I haven’t been on a ride in a long time. It’ll be nice to feel the wind in my hair again.”

“Beautiful, generous, loves to ride,” Trench ticked off while putting a finger up for each. “If you’re not careful, I might just fall in love with you tonight.”

I laughed that comment off, because there was no doubt, by the smirk on his face, that the man was joking. Instead, I ran off to the guest room and got myself ready for dinner and a ride. As I was coming back out of my room, Uncle Mack stopped me.

“You good with this?”

“Sure, why wouldn’t I be?” He stared down at me momentarily, as if waiting for something.

“No reason. Just wanted to make sure you weren’t put on the spot.”

“I’m fine, and in case you didn’t realize, I’m a grown woman now.”

He groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

I leaned up and kissed his cheek before pulling back and smiling at him. “Besides, I’ve had you to show me what kind of man I deserve in this life. If he doesn’t live up to Uncle Mack standards, I don’t want him.”

“Aww,” Vivian cooed from her bedroom, where she was obviously eavesdropping. “Just remember, I trained him to be great, he wasn’t always.”

“Hush, woman!” Mack called out before turning his brightly shining eyes back to me and whispering. “I’ve always been this amazing, don’t let her fool you.”

“Whatever you say! Love you. I won’t be out late.”

“You’re a grown ass woman, stay out as late as you want!” Aunt Vivian called back to me.

“Love you, Aunt Viv.”

“Of course, you do.”

I rolled my eyes as Uncle Mack laughed at his wife.

“You two were made for one another.”

“Yeah, we were.” He didn’t say anything else, just ducked back into the master bedroom and shut the door behind me. Not for the first time, I found myself envious of what they had.

When I made it back out the living room, Trench stood there grinning. “Perfect,” he said and then held his hand out for me. I offered mine, and he pulled me in close before guiding me out the door.

“Shit, hang on, let me grab Viv’s helmet.” I ran back inside and took her helmet, knowing that she wouldn’t mind and couldn’t use it right now anyway.

“You good?”

“Yep, let’s go.”

Trench patted the seat behind him and then rotated the passenger pegs down, so I’d have somewhere to put my feet. I put my left foot on one and launched my right over the seat while holding onto Trench’s shoulders. Once I was settled in with my hands on his hips, Trench grabbed them and pulled me tighter to his body where my arms wrapped around his abdominal section instead.

“I want you closer, for safety,” he said.

“For safety,” I agreed and patted his belly. It was tight and didn’t deserve to be called just a ‘belly’. The man obviously worked out and took care of himself. There was no hardship in scooting closer and taking in the scent of leather and the open road that clung to him like a second skin.

Trench drove us to a little mom and pop burger joint not too far outside of town. It was quaint and out of the way enough that we might not run into any other club members while we were there. Not that it mattered, but I preferred to keep the drama down where the club was concerned, especially since I was thinking about buying a house in town. I’d missed too much of my family’s life, and didn’t want to continue missing whole years.

“You good with this place?”

“It’s perfect.”

“Figured I couldn’t go wrong with burgers and dogs.”

I nodded even as a queasy feeling built in my stomach. How many times in that first year had he seen me pick a place like this to eat? I shivered, but quickly shook it off and followed Trench into the little hole in the wall diner.

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