Page 10 of Baby For The Billionaire Silver Fox

“Motorcycles are death traps. Ask any medical professional,” I said, clamping my lips together.

“But—if we’re just going around town, I’m in.” I grinned big. “I’ve always wanted to ride a motorcycle!”

He handed me a helmet and showed me what not to touch—like the tailpipe—and where to sit.

“Hold on to me,friend, and lean when I lean,“ he instructed.

I grabbed his jean belt loops, and we took off a little slower than I would have liked. But we were in town, and there were a lot of stop signs and a few lights. Once I got over the feeling that I needed to put my seatbelt on, I settled in and enjoyed myself.

My arms went from his belt loops to around his waist. My chest was tight against his back, and my hands were on his rock-hard abdomen. Man, this guy worked out. Or maybe it was from unloading freight at the supermarket. Either way, he felt like how a real man should feel—firm, solid, masculine, and strong.

I breathed him in. It was a mixture of musk and sandalwood with earthy tones. It was a heady, sensual combination I couldn’t get enough of. I held on tighter and felt his heart rate pick up. Mine did too. I wanted to slip my hands down to his muscular thighs and stroke them.

Gah. I needed to stop where my mind was heading. Friends only. I had enough complications in my life right now.

- 4 -

Dan

Shefeltsogood,plastered against my back, leaning into the turns. She was a natural on the motorcycle. Her contact with me felt warm, and her hands holding firmly onto my abdomen ignited thoughts that were distinctly not the kind afriendwould have.

I shook it off. I really was okay with being friends right now. I had screwed up my marriage big time, and I wasn’t anxious to go down that road again. It always ends with heartache for both parties. It would be best if Nicole and I just shared a few laughs. She made me smile and kept me on my toes. Call me intrigued. I was enjoying being with her. Nothing wrong with that.

I drove her to the old settlement on the edge of town where Cooperstown first got its start. There were the remains of a church, part of a fort, and an old cemetery. You had to use your imagination to see what this might have looked like. Now, it just looked like old crumbling relics of the past, covered in ivy and overgrown with small trees.

“There’s a lot of history here,” I told Nicole. “It’s a shame it got this rundown before people realized they should preserve it. We’re working on raising funds to do some restoration. We also want to bring in some old buildings from other parts of the state from this time period that would otherwise be torn down.” We walked around the cemetery, reading the names and dates on the headstones.

Nicole turned somber. “Seeing children’s names on these tiny slabs makes me so sad. Such short lives. Some didn’t even make it a year. And I can see whole families wiped out, probably from some plague there was no way to treat back then.”

“It speaks to the nurse in you?”

She nodded. “Yes, I’d go back in time to help if that was possible. But I probably would have been hung as a witch. So there’s that.”

“A bit of a deterrent,” I agreed.

I showed her a few more highlights in the outskirts with brief stops so I could talk without yelling at her, but we didn’t get off the motorcycle again until the tour was finished, and I’d pulled up in front of Nana’s house to drop her off.

“This concludes your grand tour. Please exit to the curb, and don’t forget to tip your guide.”

Nicole laughed. “I’m glad I took pictures to help me remember the things I want to do and explore in detail now that I know they’re there,” Nicole said as she took off her helmet and shook out her hair. She redid her ponytail and beamed at me.

I was captivated by her eyes, sparkling like jewels as the rays of the afternoon sunlight hit them. “Remember the big pavilion in the park I showed you? And the music festival I told you about? Well, it starts tonight. Would you like to go… as friends?” I asked.

“Okay. Do you mind if I ask Lexi and Matt to join us? Nana might want to come too.”

“Sure. The more friends, the better,” I said. I was surprised to feel that I didn’t really mean it.

“See you again in a couple of hours then. I’ll bring some snacks and beverages,” Nicole called over her shoulder as she walked to the house.

I watched her walk. She was strutting like she knew I was watching, and I hit the gas a little too hard. This would be an excellent time to head to the gym and blow off steam.

Instead of working out, though, I joined a game of pick-up basketball I saw happening at the park near my gym. I might begetting pretty old, as Bennett reminded me, but I still had some moves. I enjoyed playing ball with these young guys. They were fun and cocky. They reminded me of me from 15-20 years ago when I thought I knew everything. Before I joined the military.

I showered and dressed quickly in my jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt. Nothing fancy, we’d be relaxing on a blanket, picnic style. I had a text on my phone from Nicole saying they’d meet me there.

I threw on my vintage leather jacket and grabbed some blankets before heading out. I took the bike, knowing I’d be garaging it for the winter all too soon. People were arriving from different directions with their blankets or lawn chairs, but I snagged a nice spot near one of the outdoor heaters we’d had positioned around the grass area.

Next year we planned to do the music festival in the summer, but for this first year, it had taken a while to put together, and that’s why it was slated so late in the year. I was counting on this nice weather to hold for a few days.

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