Page 9 of Bringing Home the Biker

He leaned down and grabbed my duffle bag along with the bag of presents. I couldn’t help but watch the way his musclesshifted as he moved. “Guess your family’s been good this year, huh?” he said and lifted the bags effortlessly.

I glanced at the overflowing bag of gifts, and my heart skipped. “There’s one in there for you, too. I hope you like it,” I said, my voice a little quieter than I intended.

Axel raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Well, it’s the least I could do.” I stepped back and grabbed my purse. “You’re the one giving up your holiday break to help me. The least I can do is get you a gift.”

I thought I saw a flash of something in his eyes—a flicker of surprise, maybe even gratitude. But it was gone so quickly, I wasn’t sure if I’d imagined it. Axel wasn’t exactly the type to show a lot of emotion. At least, not outwardly. He was the strong, silent type. Always collected. Always in control.

It made me feel... well, a little more nervous than I already was.

“Thanks,” he said simply. His gaze met mine for just a second longer than usual, and I felt my cheeks heat up. Damn it. I couldn’t let myself get lost in those eyes.

I had to focus.

I glanced over at the clock on the wall. “You ready to go?” I asked and tried to sound more confident than I felt. I flipped off the lights, and Axel stepped to the side as I stepped into the hallway.

“Yeah, let’s get going,” he said. His voice was steady, and that steadiness was the only thing keeping me from completely freaking out.

As we made our way down the stairs and to the parking lot, I felt the nerves returning. This whole thing was... complicated. We had to keep up this facade of being a couple for my family. And while Axel seemed to take everything in stride, I wasterrified of slipping up and saying the wrong thing or—worse—getting caught in a lie.

And yet, there was this strange part of me that was excited—more than excited, even. This whole thing felt like some sort of strange adventure, one with high stakes, but the thrill of it all made the anxiety almost worth it.

Axel moved to the passenger door of his big, white truck and held the door open for me. I climbed into the truck and looked at him. His eyes met mine, and my stomach did a flip.

“Let’s get this show on the road, honey,” he said with a small grin, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

Yeah, let the show begin.

Chapter Eight

Axel

I pulled off the highway and into the gas station. The truck’s tires crunched over loose gravel, and I pulled next to a pump.

Star unbuckled her seatbelt before we even came to a full stop. “I’m running in to grab some snacks,” she announced as I shifted into park.

“All right, honey,” I said and shut off the engine. “I’ll fill her up.”

She threw me a grin as she hopped out. “Anything in particular you want?”

“Surprise me,” I called, but she was already halfway to the door with her coat flaring behind her like a cape.

I got out and braced myself against the chilly wind. The temperature had dropped a good ten degrees since we left Flagstaff, and I knew it’d be around freezing by the time we hit Redmond. I swiped my card at the pump and started fueling up. I glanced over my shoulder toward the convenience store every so often to keep an eye out for her.

When the pump clicked off, I replaced the nozzle and screwed the gas cap back on. As I turned, Star emerged from the store with two bulging plastic bags, one hung from each hand. Her breath puffed in little clouds, but she didn’t seem bothered by the cold. She was smiling wide, her cheeks flushed from the wind—or maybe from excitement.

“I hope you like pork rinds,” she called out, and her voice carried across the parking lot. “I swear they had ten different varieties!”

I leaned against the truck and watched her approach. Damn, she was pretty. Her hips swayed in that confident, effortless way that always got my attention, even when I tried not to let it.

“And,” she drawled as she got closer, “I got you a nut roll.” She pulled a red-wrapped candy bar from one of the bags and slapped it against my chest. “I know how much you like them. I see the wrappers in your garbage can all the time.”

I caught the candy before it fell and laughed. “You keeping tabs on me, honey?”

“Just observing,” she replied with a teasing smile.

I nodded toward the bags. “What else you got in there? Feels like you cleaned out the whole store.”

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