Page 19 of RiffRaff's Reward

My phone rings and I answer it, grateful for the waterproof case that’s on the tub tray in front of me. “Hey, handsome, how’s the trip going?” I ask once the call connects.

“Hey, Jilly, miss me yet?” he teases.

I shiver because his voice is rough and gravelly which always gets my engine revving. “Definitely, especially since I hauled Kimber and Katie all over creation today, then we decorated three trees before we baked cookies.”

“Trees? As in more than one?” he questions, his tone on the humorous side.

“Um, yeah. We compromised,” I reply, giggling. Maybe I should stop sipping my wine because I sound like my daughter and herbest friend right now. “You’ll see them soon. Were you able to get back on the road today?” I ask.

He sighs and I can hear the growling frustration in his voice when he says, “Not until a few hours ago, so instead of getting there later tonight, it’s gonna be some time midday tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry, RiffRaff. This time of the year is unbelievably hard to travel with the crazy weather we get in the South.”

“It’s okay, Jilly. So, y’all made cookies today, huh? Did you save any for me?” he asks, changing the conversation to a more light-hearted one.

“I’ll have to make more,” I warn. “I honestly wish I had the metabolism that Kimber and Katie both have, that’s for sure.”

“Nothing wrong with the way you look from where I’m standing, sweetheart. I like the outer package a fuckuva lot.”

“You’re such a charmer,” I tease.

“Naw, babe, just a biker who tells it like it is.”

I manage to get out of the tub without disconnecting us which I consider a minor miracle and carry on with my nighttime routine while we talk. Carrying my wine and the bottle into my bedroom, I get comfortable in bed and let out a little sigh.

“I still have to finish up my shopping, plus decide what to get Kimber for her birthday,” I muse. “It’s hard, though, because with her birthday being on Christmas Day itself, I don’t want to go too crazy, but she deserves to celebrate that as well. Not just that but plan a party for the following week with her friends.”

“I knew it was around Christmas,” he acknowledges. “Guess I better get to shopping too, although I may call Ryleigh and haveher help me with that since I’m out of town. She’d probably be more in tune with what a teenage girl would like.”

I snicker at the thought of my burly biker walking through a department store and into the teen section. He’d stick out like a sore thumb. “You don’t have to, RiffRaff.”

“Do I strike you as the type of man who does things he doesn’t wanna do?” he asks.

“No, not really.”

I yawn then clap my hand over my mouth, embarrassed. “I’m sorry,” I murmur.

“Sweetheart, don’t apologize because you’re tired. From the sound of it you were going non-stop all day long. I need to hit the hay myself so I can get up and out of here early in the morning. Love you, Jilly.”

“I love you too,” I reply. “Good night, RiffRaff. Be safe tomorrow.”

“I will, babe. Sweet dreams.”

He disconnects before he hears me whisper, “They will be as long as you’re in them.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

RiffRaff

“Fucking finally,”I grumble as I pull into the driveway of the Airbnb I’ll be staying at for the foreseeable future. It was a long, tedious drive here as I navigated my way through icy roads. People don’t know how to drive during these conditions, and it shows as I swerved to miss a few accidents along my route. I’m tired, grumpy as fuck, and feel like I’m gonna come out of my skin since I’ve been in the cage for nearly three days now. I may not be ready to be put out to pasture yet, but my body says otherwise as I get out and stretch to get all the kinks out. I see two bikes parked on the other side of the driveway and my mood lifts knowing I’ll be able to get on my girl during this trip and not be confined during my time in Texas to a cage.

At least until we get Joceline and her kids, Wyatt and Willow that is, since I’ll need the truck to transport the three of them back to Virginia. Grabbing my cut, I slip it on then get my duffel bag from the backseat. The cooler is already empty since it took an extra day to get here, and I’ve already cleaned out the thermos. The bag of trash from my stops along the way here goesinto the bin by the garage door as I head to the porch where a huge behemoth of a man is waiting.

“Kodiak?” I ask as I approach.

He nods then says, “RiffRaff, I presume.”

“None other,” I reply. When I reach him, we bump fists and he leads me inside, motioning me to drop my duffel bag which I willingly do. I then proceed to follow him into what looks to be a sun porch where his brother, Conan is sitting, watching a game.

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