Almost Midnight (Shadow Falls: After Dark #3.5)(107)

Her forearm pressed against his stomach. She felt his hard abs, and then she felt him breath. Hesitantly, she moved her other arm around him as well.

She stared at Brandon’s back, covered in the worn material, and his scent along with the smell of leather flavored the air.

“Just hold on,” he said. The roar of the motor filled her ears. She automatically tightened her arms around him. Then he took off.

The wind caught the long strands of her hair, whipping it around her. The roar of the bike stirred her senses.

When he turned, the bike leaned closer to the ground. She clung to him a little tighter; the bike carried their weight as if they were one. Oddly, she realized how Brandon’s body temperature was almost equal to her own. And weres ran higher than humans. Was it possible that he was … part were?

He turned his head to the side. “You okay?”

“Yes,” she said, and realized she was smiling. “This is fun.”

“I know.” The vibrations of the engine filled her entire body and reminded her of the purr of a male were when close to a potential mate. No matter how hard she fought it, she felt her own body tighten with awareness.

*

They rode for a good fifteen minutes. And it wasn’t just to a store. He drove past town on some scenic drive, where the trees clung to the fall color. He maneuvered the bike around winding roads and he didn’t stop until he came to a lake where the red and orange leaves reflected on the still water.

When he cut off the engine, he dropped his legs down to hold up the bike. He didn’t talk, just stared out at the view. She stayed completely still, her arms still around his waist.

“It’s beautiful,” she finally said. She wasn’t just talking about the scenery. But the moment. The sense of freedom from the ride. The warmth of his back against her chest. The sensation of having someone to cling to.

“I know. Peaceful, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” She recalled the falls, and how this natural beauty was reminiscent of that, yet it lacked the odd sense of power. Still, somehow, being here with him made this place just as impressive.

He glanced back at her over his shoulder. “I hope you didn’t mind the ride.”

“No. I enjoyed it.”

“Good.” He paused. Only the sounds of nature could be heard. A duck called out. A fish splashed, sending a few ripples in the water, and he looked back at the lake. “Where are you from, Ricka?”

She flinched when he called her by her nickname, but she answered, “A real Texan. Lived mostly in the Dallas area. You?” she asked.

“Born in Houston, but lived most of my life in Los Angeles.”

It felt a little odd having a conversation with someone when you couldn’t see their face. A sad thought hit. Because of his scars he was more comfortable this way.

“What brought you to Fallen?” she asked.

“My sister,” he said and she felt him tighten as if for some reason the thought had caused him stress. After a few more beats of silence he asked, “How long have you made jewelry?”

“About two years. I went to a Renaissance festival, saw someone doing it, and I practically stayed there all day just watching.” She paused and then asked, “How many awards have you won with your work?”

“How do you know I’ve won awards?” he asked, sounding humble. When she didn’t answer right away he asked, “You didn’t Google me, did you?”

“No, I saw your horse sculpture, remember? It’s amazing. You had to have won awards. But … now that you mention it, I’ll probably Google you when I leave here.”

He laughed. “I’ve won about twelve. And I did Google you.”

“You did?”

“Yeah.” He paused again. “Didn’t find a thing. I find that a little strange,” he said. “Why is that?”





Chapter Six


“Is it strange?” Fredericka asked.

“Yeah. No Twitter accounts or Facebook friends?”

No friends. “I’m not into it,” she lied.

There was another pause and she wanted to redirect the conversation. “What made you get into wood sculpture?”

“Kind of the same as you. I saw another artist do it. I’d always liked art, but when I saw his work, I knew that was the medium I wanted to work in.” Another fish splashed and some birds called as they flew about them. “I guess we should go shopping now,” he said.

“Probably,” she answered.

The drive back was just as impressive as the one there. As they retraced their path, she realized that unlike Cary, Brandon was curious about her. A few minutes later, he parked the bike at the hardware store. She let go of him for the first time since they’d left the gallery, and she kind of didn’t want to.

He climbed off, and she did the same. As she unstrapped her helmet, she waited to see him do his. Would she finally be able to see his pattern?

But as he pulled the helmet off, the bandana stayed in place. And once again he was back to giving her only the right side of his face.

They started in. As odd as it sounded, she missed his touch. And when he put his hand on the middle of her back, she wondered if he hadn’t felt the same way. Especially when his soft touch sent warm shivers up her spine.

The closest entrance was the gardening area.