Page 1 of Kane: One Night with a Biker

1

KANE

The puppy squirmed in my arms and scratched his sharp nails across my leather jacket

as I stepped onto the portable riser at the front of my old high school gym. My motorcycle boot landed with a heavy thud on the flimsy platform. How the hell did I let my foster brothers talk me into putting myself on the auction block tonight? If it had been for any other cause than Pups for Progress, I would have laughed in their faces.

Looking out over the crowd, I scowled. I’d been watching the guys before me take the stage. A few of my brothers had gone for big bucks. Like Grant. His high school sweetheart had probably sacrificed her entire savings account to save him from spending an evening with one of the overeager bidders in the crowd.

Too bad I didn’t have anyone willing to do that for me.

I wasn’t worried I wouldn’t get any bids. There were plenty of women who’d pay big bucks for a guy with my reputation. The problem was, I didn’t want to spend time with any of them. They wanted to take me for a spin so they could tell their girlfriends they hooked up with a bad boy for a night. They’d wrap their arms around my waist and hold on tight while I drove them around town on the back of my Harley. Then they’d cross the tracks and head back to their side of town.

“Next up on the auction block, welcome, Kane.” My brother Tyson had just taken over emcee duties and motioned me to the front of the riser.

If it were up to me, I’d donate a couple hundred bucks to the cause and save myself from taking part. Thinking about spending an evening with one of the women currently sizing me up made my mouth go dry. I sucked at small talk. Sucked even more at pretending to give a shit about anything beyond my garage and my family.

And that was how I’d ended up here. Suckered in by my brothers to raise money for the charity our foster mother had founded.

Mama Mae caught my eye and gave me a wink. She knew how much I hated crap like this. She also knew I’d do anything in the world for her, even give up a night of tossing back a few brews and watching hockey with the guys.

“Are you ready to find out which woman you’ll be spending an evening with?” Tyson asked.

“Let’s get this over with,” I mumbled, low enough that only he could hear me.

Tyson covered the mic and leaned toward me. “Can you try to smile so you don’t scare off all the bidders?”

I rolled my eyes but eased up on the frown I’d been wearing since I’d arrived. That’s when I saw her—the pretty little thing sitting a few rows back. She had on a short-sleeved shirt with ruffles down the front. Her dark brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, and my fingers immediately itched to find out if those chocolate curls were as soft as they looked.

She reminded me of someone, but I’d be damned if I could figure out who. My brain was more scrambled than the breakfast special they served over at the diner. I was about to rip my gaze away when she looked up at me with the most gorgeous blue eyes I’d ever seen.

My breath caught in my throat and my heart thudded to a stop. Time fucking stood still while I drank her in. What was a beautiful little bird like her doing at a bachelor auction?

“Kane?” Tyson’s elbow bounced off my ribcage.

The curvy beauty broke eye contact first. I tried to focus on my brother.

“Do you want to tell the ladies what they might expect if they win an evening with you?” he asked.

I turned my attention back toward the brunette and spoke directly to her. “We could go for a ride on my bike. There’s a spot outside of town, once you get away from all the streetlights, where you can see a million stars.”

She blushed and looked away. The woman next to her leaned over and said something, and my little bird shook her head. I’d give up the keys to my garage to know what they were whispering about.

“Star gazing on the back of Kane’s Harley. That’s got to be on someone’s bucket list. Why don’t we start the bidding at a hundred bucks?” Tyson nudged his chin toward a woman at the back of the room. “We’ve got one hundred. Now, how about two?”

I tried to snap out of whatever trance I’d fallen into. The pretty little thing with the ruffles on her shirt was way too sweet for me. I could tell by looking at her I’d be her daddy’s worst nightmare. There was no way a woman like that would want anything to do with a hardened man like me. No fucking way.

The bids climbed higher and higher while I made myself focus on the fluffy mutt I held in my arms. He was just a pup now, but based on the size of his paws, he was going to be a big one. For half a heartbeat, I thought about taking him home. But even a dog deserved something better than me.

I’d made an unsteady peace with myself and my life because I hadn’t had a choice. No one in their right mind would want to tie themselves to me in any way. Not even for one night.

2

ABILENE

“Don’t you dare!” I gripped my sister’s arm so tight it might have cut off the circulation to her wrist.

“You said you needed a date for that work trip you have coming up. Why not donate to a great cause and take care of that all at once?” Valera wrenched her arm away from my grasp.

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