Page 13 of Big Bossy Biker

And there she is, like a gift wrapped and left just for me, sitting behind the desk, looking as stunning as ever.

My heart does this stupid thing where it speeds up like I’m some damn teenager, and I have to remind myself to act like a grown-ass man.

“Hey,” I say, leaning against the counter like I wasn’t losing my mind over seeing her.

She glances up, her expression a little tight. “Hey.”

Okay, something is definitely off. The last time I saw her, she was all smiles and flirting. Now she’s distant. Guarded, almost. Did I push too far? I’m not used to all the doubt swirling through me.

I clear my throat, trying to sound casual. “So, my bike’s all fixed. Steven dropped it off this morning.”

She nods, her eyes flicking up to meet mine for a second before darting away. “That’s good. You can hit the road now.”

I frown at her dismissive tone. “Yeah, I guess.”

There’s a beat of silence between us, one that feels heavier than it should. I want to ask her if she’s okay, if I’ve done something to make her avoid me, but before I can get the words out, she speaks again.

“I’ve got a headache,” she says, almost too quickly. “Probably not going to be very talkative tonight.”

The way she says it feels like she is shutting me down before I can even try to hang out with her again.

I cross my arms over my chest, watching her carefully. “You sure it’s just a headache?”

She doesn’t answer right away, and when she does, her voice is clipped. “Yeah, just a headache. It happens.”

I stand there for a moment, trying to figure out what the hell has changed. The night before, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. She avoids me for a full day and now, she can barely look at me. I wanted to believe that my idea that I moved too fast was silly. I mean she sure seemed to enjoy it when my head was between her legs, but maybe it isn’t as silly as I thought. Maybe she’s upset with me for it. Does she feel like I took advantage of her? She’s so much younger than me. Did I take advantage of her?

I want to push. I want to ask her what’s really going on, but I don’t want to make her even more uncomfortable. I’m not the kind of guy who presses when a woman isn’t in the mood. Butthis? This feels like more than just a bad day. More than just a stupid fucking headache.

“All right,” I say, backing off a little. “I’ll catch you later, then.”

She gives me a tight smile. “Yeah. Sure. Maybe.”

As I walk out of the office, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve fucked up somewhere along the line. Maybe I scared her off, made her think I was just another guy looking for a quick lay.

That would’ve been true for any of the other women I’ve met on the road. But the truth is, I want more than that with her. So much more than that. I don’t know what the hell it is about Fiona, but she’s gotten under my skin in a way that no woman ever has before. And now, I have to figure out if that is something worth staying for, or if I should just cut my losses and hit the road like I always do.

I spend the rest of the evening pacing around my room, trying to figure out what the hell I’m supposed to do next. Part of me wants to leave town, just to avoid the inevitable awkwardness that is coming. To avoid the letdown of her rejection. But the other part of me—the part that has been thinking about her every damn second since we met—wants to stay. Wants to find a way to make this work, even though I know I’m not the kind of guy she probably saw herself with in the long run.

I’ve never been good at this relationship shit. Never wanted to be. But with Fiona, everything feels different. Everything feels bigger. More important. The stakes are higher and for the first time I’m wondering if I’m missing out in isolation. Is my life as fulfilling as I thought if Fiona isn’t in it?

And for the first time in my life, I’m starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, the road isn’t the only thing worth chasing.

But I still don’t know if she feels the same way. And until I do, I’m stuck in damn limbo, waiting for a sign that I haven’t completely fucked this up.

Later that night, a thought pops into my head and I sit upright in my motel bed. It’s a good idea—if she wants me. Steven’s words run through my mind and I decide in that moment that the only way to know for sure is to take the risk. I have to decide if Fiona is worth facing the fear and I don’t have to think about it to know she is. So, I call Steven and take the dive straight off the cliff.

Hopefully, this woman will be the net that catches me.

Chapter Eight

Fiona

I don’t know why I’m still hoping.

Yesterday was painful enough. Every minute I spent behind that desk, staring at the door, waiting for Noah to walk in, was like a little stab to the heart. And then when he finally did show up, I couldn’t even look at him. I didn’t let myself. If I did, it would’ve made everything harder.

Noah’s a dream I can’t have. That’s just the cold, hard truth of it. He’s a drifter, a man who lives on the road and can’t stay in one place for too long. He fixed his bike, and that means he’s as good as gone. It’s only a matter of time before he’s out of this town, out of my life, and onto the next.

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