He smiled at her, and her heart tripped into a higher gear. “Ain’t hard, sweetheart. You sit here and put your feet on these pegs and hold tight. ’S all there is to it. I’ll do the rest. What do you say?”
She looked at the place on the bike he pointed out and took a big breath. “I dunno ’bout this.”
“It’s up to you. I ain’t gonna push you to do somethin’ you’re scared of doin’, and I can promise you, I’ll keep you safe. You ain’t got nothin’ to worry ’bout with me.”
His eyes met hers, and she heard the sincerity in his voice. “Okay. What do I need to do?”
He grinned and waved her closer. “I only got one helmet right now. You wear it, and I’ll get me another one as soon as I can.”
“You sure? I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“Don’t worry ’bout me none. I’ll be extra careful since I got something I care about on my bike.”
Betsey flushed at his words as she approached the massive bike. He placed the helmet on her head and fastened the straps underneath her chin. His fingers lingered over her jaw, and his light caress seared into her skin. “You should drop me off just before the church. I don’t know how my daddy would feel if he saw me come home ridin’ on a motorcycle.”
“Whatever you need, baby.”
He turned around and pulled the bike upright. “Can you get on okay?”
Betsey looked at the back of his head as she hiked up the tight skirt to allow her legs room to move. “Yeah, just don’t turn around. I’ll get settled in a minute.”
She placed a foot on the peg and raised the other one just high enough to throw over the seat. With her skirt wrapped high on her thighs, only her underwear and Brick’s jeans remained between them. Her heart tripled its speed when she intimately felt his movements as he readied the bike to ride. The engine started with a muted roar, and vibrations rose from the seat between her legs. Fear and anticipation filled her mouth with saliva at the sensation. Brick pulled her arms around his waist, and the warmth from his back seeped into her body. She should have been scared to be so close to a man, but all she perceived was a sense of rightness.
The bike took off, and the movement sent jolts of lightning through to her toes. Brick kept his word and didn’t drive fast, but the wind was still cold against her bare skin. She snuggled against his body and placed her head on the back of his shoulder. His muscles worked as he switched gears, and when he made a turn, she leaned into it with him. Betsey closed her eyes and simply enjoyed. Her cheek was sore from the blow her father had delivered earlier, but she tried to put it out of her mind and focus on all the wonderful new experiences she’d had tonight. Her first kiss, an extra ten dollars she could keep, and best of all, a motorcycle ride under the sparkling stars with the man she had been dreaming about for so long.
All too soon the trip ended, and Brick pulled over to the side of the road near the church parking lot. Betsey managed to get off the bike with numb, shaky legs and pull her skirt down before Brick turned to look at her. “You did great, baby. How did you like it?”
She smiled at him. “I liked it just fine. Maybe we can do it again sometime?”
Brick grinned at her and gestured her head back. She lifted her chin, and he unstrapped the helmet. “Whenever I can, sweetheart, I’ll come by the diner and give you a ride home. You good with that?”
“Yeah, I’m good with that.”
He placed his hand at her neck and pulled her to him. His mouth covered hers in a sweet, gentle kiss. He took his time, touching the tip of his tongue to hers and drawing it out to play. She loved that he rushed nothing and let her explore at her own pace, touching and tasting, learning what she liked and wanted. It was heady, and her brain was filled with all things Brick. When he ended the kiss, both of them were breathing hard, and he pressed his forehead against hers. She thought he might say something, but he only stood still as if fighting for control.
“I’ll come by again tomorrow night, but the one after, I’ll be busy. You gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” She was amazed how calm her voice sounded when her insides flipped around.
They stood there a minute more. It seemed he didn’t really want to let her go and had something to say, but at last he released her and stepped back. “Go on to the house, baby. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
Betsey smiled at him and carefully picked her way on the path behind the church to the rectory. Only when she lost sight of him did he start his bike and drive off. Giddiness filled her, and she pinched her arm to make sure she was awake. Only twenty-four hours until she could see him again.