Page 51 of Bad to the Bone
Alex wondered why Ricky Lee was driving the Challenger rather than his Harley and decided he must have hoped to catch him at home before he set out for his run. Alanna must have given him the keys to the Challenger so he could bring Buck home with them. He opened the passenger door and folded down the front seat to let Buck scamper into the back before climbing in himself. “I have something to tell you too.”
Ricky Lee waited until Alex was buckled in and then revved the Challenger’s motor. Instead of turning around to head back into town, he pulled onto the blacktop and hit the gas. Buck scrabbled to keep from being pitched off the back seat as the Challenger gained speed.
“I thought you wanted to tell me something,” Alex said when the roar of acceleration moderated. “What’s going on?”
“You’re being kidnapped again.” Ricky Lee changed gears and then reached over to take Alex’s hand.
“And we’re bringing Buck with us this time?”
Ricky Lee raised Alex’s hand to his lips and dropped a kiss on the palm before releasing it to shift again. “I didn’t think you’d want to leave him behind, since I’m taking you to Portland.”
Alex started to laugh, and Ricky Lee grinned. “I know I told you I’d give you time to decide, but the longer you take, the more risk there is that you’ll talk yourself out of it, and I’m not about to let you make the biggest mistake of both our lives.”
“If you’d given me the chance to get home, I was going to tell you yes anyway. So kidnapping me isn’t really necessary.”
“Maybe not, but it’s so much cleaner this way. No messy goodbyes or second thoughts.”
“And I suppose Alanna packed my bags again?” It might be crazy, but in a way Ricky Lee was right. Alex might have to deliberate even to do something spontaneous, but now that he’d decided to make the break, he was eager for their life together to begin.
“Not this time. We’ll pick up whatever you need along the way.” Ricky Lee gave the Challenger more gas. “I’ve always wanted to see where this engine tops out.”
A bubble of laughter swelled in Alex’s chest. “You may not know since you left town before you started driving, but this stretch of road is a notorious speed tra—”
Before Alex could finish his warning, red and blue lights flashed from a crossroad and a patrol car turned out behind them, siren wailing. Ricky Lee glanced in the rearview mirror as if considering making a run for it until Alex laid a hand on his knee. “Please don’t.”
“Only because you asked.” Ricky Lee downshifted and then braked, letting the Challenger roll onto the shoulder. The patrol car pulled in behind them, and Alex sighed in relief when Sam stepped out and walked toward them.
“Do you know how fast you were going?” she asked as Ricky Lee smiled up through the driver’s window.
“One twenty, and I could have gotten it higher if you hadn’t stopped me.”
“At least you didn’t try it in town.” Sam shook her head and pulled out her citation book.
“He’s kidnapping me,” Alex said helpfully.
“Is that so?” Sam fixed her best bad-cop glare on Ricky Lee. “And I happen to know you’re not the owner of this vehicle. So let’s see—speeding, kidnapping, grand theft auto—”
Buck barked and struggled to get his head out the open window for some attention from Sam.
“And dognapping too. That’s quite a list of charges, Ricky Lee.” Since she accompanied the statement with a wide grin, Alex wasn’t worried.
“This isn’t your usual patrol zone,” he observed.
“Crae called to tell me you were leaving. I wanted a chance to say goodbye.”
This will be the hardest part, Alex realized—leaving Alanna and Sam and the other friends he still had in Freeland. He was fortunate Ricky Lee had the resources to make coming back to visit, or bringing people out to see them in Portland, something they could arrange regularly.
“So are you taking us into custody?” Ricky Lee asked, revving the engine. “Or do we try whether I can outrun you?”
“I think I can see my way clear to dropping the charges, as long as you send me an invitation for the wedding.”
Ricky Lee’s eyebrows rose. “What wedding? It’s not like I’ve proposed to him or anything.”
Sam’s hand went to the handcuffs on her belt. “Either you promise to make an honest man out of Alex, or I take you back to Freeland and toss you in the hoosegow again. Your choice.”
“You drive a hard bargain.” Ricky Lee tapped a finger on the steering wheel as if he were considering it. “What do you say, Alex? Will you marry me to keep me out of jail?”
Alex shook his head. “No, but I’ll marry you because I love you, you maniac.” He threaded his fingers into Ricky Lee’s hair and drew him down into a kiss to seal their vow. When they finally broke apart, he rested his forehead against Ricky Lee’s. “After all, who could refuse a romantic proposal like that?”
