Page 23 of Falling for the Beast

“I brought it up this morning.”

She’d never ridden on a motorcycle before, and the thought of riding one alone scared her. But the thought of being close to him, holding onto him, was appealing. “You got it.”

“Are you ready now?” he asked.

She nodded and followed him outside. The wind had picked up a bit, and she was glad he’d given her his leather jacket. He straddled his bike, slipped on his helmet and handed her one. After she’d put it on, he motioned for her to get on behind him. She lifted her leg over and grabbed him around the waist. It was like she had her arms around a steel pole. A pole with abs. And warmth. Good heavens.

He started the motorcycle and kicked the stand up. “Hang on,” he said, a grin in his voice. And then he took off.

She squealed as the bottom dropped out of her stomach. Her grip on his middle tightened. “Show off,” she said under her breath.

He sped up, the trees flying by in a blur. She buried her face in his back and closed her eyes, the motion filling her with butterflies on steroids. She could tell why he liked this. It was thrilling. A bit dangerous, but that added to the excitement.

They arrived at her apartment in twenty minutes. She refrained from scolding him about speeding. She couldn’t deny she liked the speed. He parked the motorcycle and dismounted, taking off his helmet and flipping up his hood to cover his face in one fluid movement. He was like a cat. Stealthy. Sexy. Man, she needed to stop thinking like that.

She pulled her helmet off and walked him past her neighbor’s Halloween decorations. They entered her apartment. She turned to him, unsure if he was staying or not. “Thank you for the ride.”

He glanced around the small living room. “Cozy.”

She laughed. “That’s one word for it.” An awkwardness settled in and she shifted her weight. “Would you like to stay for a while?”

He seemed like he was debating it but then nodded. “Okay.”

“Make yourself comfortable.” She didn’t wait for him to say anything else. She went into her bedroom and closed the door. A quick shower and clean clothes, and she felt like a new person. She tossed his sweatshirt in the dirty laundry bin. Her stomach flipped as she blew her hair dry. Why was she so excited he was at her apartment? It wasn’t like he was her boyfriend or anything. If he had his way, they’d go their separate ways and never see each other again.

An incredible smell wafted in from the other room. She found Thaddeus in the kitchen, checking something in the oven, and he grinned at her when she entered. “Thought I would make us some food.”

She eyed the cookie sheet. “What is that? It smells delicious.”

“Ham and cheese croissant rolls. Something I made up.”

“You made that? From scratch?” She didn’t try to hide her surprise.

He grinned, a little smugly. “I used your pre-made croissants. I added the deli ham and some shredded cheese then rolled them up.”

“You can cook?”

“Yes.”

“Then why hire someone?”

His smile disappeared, and he didn’t answer for a minute. “Sometimes I’m in too much pain.”

Oh. Guilt pummeled her and she blinked. It had been callous of her to ask that. “Sorry.”

His green eyes met her gaze. “Don’t be. You still don’t understand my life.”

She swallowed. Maybe he was right. Maybe she was being naïve. He’d been through more than she could even imagine.

“But you will,” he said, a sadness in his eyes. And then he lightened the mood with a smile. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

He glanced at the table. Aribelle’s cheeks heated. “Sorry. My father was working on a puzzle and I haven’t had the heart to put it away.”

“It’s okay.”

“Can we eat in the living room?”

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