Page 9 of Shame

“What about you?” she asks, holding it awkwardly.

“I’m good. You got someone to come get this?”

“I’ll call someone when I get home.”

“Let me take care of it.”

“You have a tow truck?” she asks, putting the helmet on and trying to adjust the strap because it’s too loose.

“Here,” I say, stepping to her and fixing it. I feel the warmth of her face on my fingers, and it feels damn good. She’s so small. A tiny little thing. With the helmet on, her head comes to my shoulders. Her body is all woman, though. Curves in all the right places.

“Thanks,” she says in a soft voice, then looks at the bike, biting on her lip. “I’ve never been on one before.”

Well, if that doesn’t make my dick hard…

“That’s a shame,” I say, throwing my leg over and offering her my hand so she doesn’t fall over. “Hop on and hold on tight.”

The way she’s looking at me, I think she’s going to tell me no. Tell me to go fuck myself. But her face splits into a grin and she takes my hand and hops on. Her hands go around my waist, all loose and shit. I grab her wrists and pull them tighter. I look at her over my shoulder.

“When I say tight, I mean tight.”

Her lip is between her teeth and she nods, eyes full of excitement but a little fear, too.

“Where we going?” I ask.

“Redwood Road. Small yellow house by the pond.”

I start up my bike, and off we go. The entire ride, all I can think about is her behind me and how good it feels—howrightit feels. I don’t let just anyone ride on my bike with me, and it’s been a long time since anyone’s been in that spot. I like her there, like the way this feels. Not because I’m lonely, but because itfeels good with her. Weird, right? Can’t help it though. She’s just… there’s just something about her that feels good. I could get used to this. Having a woman—my woman—riding on my bike with me. Fuck yeah, that sounds good.

The ride takes about twenty minutes, which isn’t close to enough time with her. If she hadn’t said she needed to get to her father, I’d have taken her down all the back roads and made a pit stop. The town is big, but most of it is land and trees. It’s a small town by mindset and population. Everyone knows everyone around here, whether it be by job or name or house or car. The guy who drives the red pickup. Owner of the milk farm. Crazy lady with the crazy son—that’s Martha and Ed, by the way. The kook who’s terrified of the FBI and aliens… Yeah, we’re a lovely bunch over here.

When we get to her house, I pull into the dirt driveway and shut my bike off. I help her to her feet and take the helmet when she offers it to me.

“How was it?” I ask.

She takes a deep breath, glancing at my bike. “Scary.”

I chuckle. “Guess you’ll have to do it again to see if you feel the same way next time.”

Her eyes shine. “Yeah, I guess so.” She holds my gaze again, not talking for a long moment, until she adds, “Thank you for the ride. Really. I have no idea what I would have done…”

I nod, watching as she walks by me and up her front steps. I kinda wanna go after her. Ask her to stay outside…

“Car will be at Pig’s,” I call out after her. She stops on the porch steps, looking at me over her shoulder. “Give them a call tomorrow.”

“I will. Thanks ag—”

“You! You, alien! You can’t come here. You’ll take my boots. Nobody takes my goddamn boots, you hear me? Fucking scallywag fish bait!” An older man comes barreling out the front door so fast the screen door slams against the house, shouting complete nonsense at Cora. Her body stiffens and I’m about to tackle the guy to the goddamn floor so hard he goes through the deck and six feet into the dirt. But a woman comes out after him, dressed in pink scrubs, so I stay where I’m at.

“Mr. Davies, that’s your daughter. Come back inside,” the nurse says gently but firmly. She grabs onto the man’s arm, nudging him back toward the house. He’s still shouting obscenities, and I don’t know if I should stay or go. Does she need help? Is that man really her father? Why’s he acting like that?

I like to think I know most people in town, but I guess most people I know are the ones I deal with. The business owners and people like Martha, Ed, and Harry, who are always surrounded by trouble. The ones who keep to themselves? I have no reason to know them. But someone like this? How don’t I know about this crazy old guy? Seems crazy is what I deal with on a normal basis, and he isn’t far off from Harry, but if he has a nurse who stays with him, I guess I wouldn’t have any run-ins. Maybe this is something medical? Like more medical than just losing hismind?

The nurse finally wrangles the man back inside, and Cora is rooted in place. I’m torn between going to her and leaving. The tightness in her shoulders makes me want to give her a damn hug, and I don’t want to hug nobody. But I don’t do that because everything about her body language tells me she wants me gone. Hell, if that were me, I wouldn’t want an audience either. So I hop on my bike, start it up, and leave.

Chapter Four

Cora

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