Page 7 of Kane: One Night with a Biker

“Sounds good to me. I’m wiped. We can cover the basics, then turn in early before we have to start acting tomorrow.”

“Exactly.” My lungs seized as I thought about what turning in early would entail. I wouldn’t back out of my part of our bargain, though. He’d set aside his personal life to come through for me, and I was ready to fulfill my promise.

“You still haven’t told me what you want me to call you.” Kane held out his glass again.

“Actually, I think I like ‘little bird.’” Since he’d explained how he’d come up with the name, I didn’t look at it the same way as I had before. I liked thinking of myself as delicate and beautiful, even if neither of those things had ever been true about me. For the next five days, I could pretend.

“All right then. To you, little bird. To getting your promotion.” He clinked his glass against mine. The sound echoed between us.

“And to you, Kane. To having a few well-earned days of vacation.”

“I’ll drink to that.” He tilted back his glass and drained the contents. Then he set both of our empty glasses down on a tray and held out his hand. “Let the fun begin.”

With equal parts excitement and dread pounding through my veins, I threaded my fingers with his. The next five days guaranteed to be a time I wouldn’t forget.

7

KANE

With our bellies full and eyelids drooping, we headed back to our cabin after dinner. Abilene ordered another glass of champagne with her turkey burger. She looked like her nerves were getting the best of her. I needed to put my poor little bird out of her misery and tell her I had no intention of taking advantage of her tonight or at all during our time together.

A little alcohol had loosened her tongue, though, and I’d been having too much fun listening to her tell stories about what it was like growing up as the youngest daughter of the local preacher.

“Here we are.” I opened the door to our room and followed her inside.

Someone had come in and turned down the bed while we’d been at dinner. They’d scattered rose petals on top of the bed in the shape of a heart and left a foil-wrapped chocolate on each pillow.

Abilene’s eyes widened as she looked at the bed. “I’m so sorry. Do they always do this on cruises?”

“I have no idea, but I’m always in the mood for chocolate.” I kicked off my shoes and plopped down on top of the covers. “Do you want one?”

“No, that’s okay. Do you care if I use the bathroom first?” The serious tone of her voice made me think she’d instantly sobered, but then she swayed, and I sat up to put a hand on her waist to keep her from falling.

“You okay?” I was eye level with her tits. The v-neck shirt she had on hugged the curve of her breasts. This close to her, I filled my nose with her scent and resisted the urge to pull her closer and bury myself in her chest.

“Yeah. Must be the motion of the ocean getting to me.” She backed away and pulled some items out of her bag. “I’ll just change and brush my teeth real quick.”

“Take your time.” Maybe while she was in the bathroom, I could coax my cock into behaving. I’d already decided I’d be sleeping on the floor. The risk of brushing against her during the night in a bed the size of a postage stamp would be too great.

She disappeared into the tiny bathroom and I tugged off my shirt and pants to change into a pair of shorts. I usually slept in the nude, but close quarters called for as many layers as possible between me and the temptation Abilene promised.

By the time she came out of the bathroom, I’d made up a makeshift pallet next to the bed. I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste from my bag and turned to head into the bathroom.

Abilene stood in the doorway, the light from the bathroom filtering through the gauzy nightgown she had on. With the light behind her, I could see the outline of every one of her curves. My heart thundered, every beat sounding like a demand.Mine. Mine. Mine.

She had her hair pulled up out of the way, leaving her neck exposed. I could see her pulse beat in time with mine. We stood there and faced each other, neither one of us daring to move.

Her tongue darted out and the tiny pink tip swept along her lower lip. Then her gaze shifted to the pillow and blanket on the floor. “I thought…”

I waited, mesmerized by the beauty in front of me. Just looking at her filled my heart with regret. Regret that a woman like Abilene could never be mine. No, not a womanlikeAbilene. It washerI wanted.Hertouch I desperately craved. From the moment I saw her looking up at me on the stage at the auction, my heart had belonged to her.

“I thought you’d want me to fulfill my part of our deal.” Her voice cracked, and she glanced at her feet. “I’m ready.”

“Sweet little bird,”—I covered the distance between us to cup her soft cheek with my giant palm —“I’m not holding you to that part of the bargain.”

“You’re not?” Blue eyes the color of a cloudless Texas spring sky gazed up at me.

“Of course not.” As much as I wanted her, as much as every cell in my body demanded to take what she was offering, I couldn’t.

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