Page 37 of Hard Ride

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Ollie sang along to the radio while he drove down some long, dusty country highway.Unlike most times he road-tripped in his van on the way to a junk-heap-turned-goldmine, this time he had both company and accompaniment.

Kyra had grabbed a couple of the paper towel roll cores he kept for Mr.Prickles to play with and was putting on an impromptu drumming performance.While he was blown away by her skill and sheer power, which was obvious even with her primitive imitation of an instrument, Van hardly even cracked a smile.He must be immune to her skillful demonstrations after watching her on stage night after night and undertaking so many miles riding together.

Ollie was not nearly so jaded.He glanced over long enough to admire the strength of Kyra’s muscles, which flexed as she nailed the solo, twirling the brown cardboard tubes for extra flair points near the end of the song.

“You’re incredible, you know that?”Ollie asked completely seriously as she came back to reality and tossed her faux drumsticks next to Mr.Prickles cage, behind her seat.

She shrugged.“Just playing around.”

Ollie checked the rearview mirror.He caught Van shooting her a wistful glance, though he still didn’t utter a single word of praise.Kyra bit her lip, then looked over her shoulder.Van whipped his gaze out the side window to avoid being caught admiring her instead of simply telling her what he thought.

This was going to get old quick.Ollie wasn’t the kind of man to tread lightly or hide his feelings.Life was too damn short for that bullshit.

Without thinking, he jerked the wheel hard to the right, sending them careening onto the shoulder as he slammed on the brakes.Mr.Prickles huddled into a ball.When they lurched to a stop, the hedgehog shook himself out then stood up, blinking at Ollie as if to say…

“What the fuck?”Van was on his feet the moment a cloud of dust rose around the now-still campervan.“Did a tire blow?”

Ollie gripped the wheel and stared straight ahead.“No.”

“An animal run out in front of us?”

“No.”

“Something in the road up ahead?”

“None of that.It’s you two.You have to work this shit out.I hate watching you hurt each other, even when you don’t mean to.”There, he’d said it.

Kyra looked over at Ollie, eyes wide.“Are you insane?”

“Maybe.”Ollie shrugged as he unbuckled his seat belt and swiveled his chair so he could face both Kyra and Van simultaneously.Periodically the van shook as a car went past at high speed.“But at least I don’t ignore shit and let it fester forever.”

“What are you talking about?”Van’s eyes narrowed.He cursed beneath his breath in Spanish.

“She’s hurting.”

“What?Is something wrong?”Van asked Kyra as he knelt by her seat, scanning every inch of her that he could see.

“You’rehurting her.”Ollie stabbed a finger at Van and then Kyra.

Van lost his balance and plopped onto his admittedly tight ass on the van floor.“Me?What did I do?I was just sitting there…”

“Exactly!”Ollie grabbed the guy’s shoulder and shook him.“Don’t you think she’s incredible?”

“Of course I do, asshole,” he grumbled as he got to his feet and turned to look at Kyra, who was staring out the window instead of at either of them.

“Then why don’t you tell her that?”Ollie shoved past Van and cupped Kyra’s cheek.He applied light pressure until she turned to face them.The sheen of tears in her eyes pissed him off and made him want to kiss her simultaneously.How many times had she hidden her pain from Van?

Too many.

No more.

Ollie didn’t give a shit if he was about to pay the price for it, he crouched down and leaned in, laying his lips on Kyra’s.She sighed and kissed him back, almost as if thanking him for seeing what was right there in front of them.The bad thing was that she flicked her gaze up to Van’s, even then seeking his…what?

Approval?Jealousy?

As much as Ollie wanted to help her and Van work things out, he didn’t care to be used either.He already had one hell of an attraction to Kyra, and Van had become a good friend.He didn’t want to ruin those relationships.

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