One Step to You (The Rome Novels #1)(20)

“What do you mean? I’m getting on.”

“Have you lost your mind? You think I’d let you get on my motorcycle in the state you’re in?”

“Of course you will. Otherwise, what am I supposed to do, strip naked?”

“Ah, that I couldn’t say. But you’re not getting on my nice clean motorcycle in the shape you’re in. You’re filthy, and what’s worse, you’re covered with manure!”

Step burst out laughing again. “Oh God, I just can’t help it…”

Babi looked at him, exhausted now. “Listen, you’re joking, right?”

“Absolutely not. If you want, I’ll give you my jacket and you can use it to cover yourself. But get that clothing off you. Otherwise, I swear, you’re never climbing onto this bike.”

Babi heaved a sigh of rage. She was beet red with anger. She walked past him, coming within reach. Step held his nose, overdoing his disgust. “Oh God…that’s just intolerable…”

Babi smacked him and walked behind the motorcycle. “Listen, Step. I swear to you that if you turn around while I’m taking my clothes off, I’ll jump all over you with every ounce of manure on my body.”

Step sat facing front. “Fine. Just tell me when you need me to hand you the jacket.”

“Believe me, I’m not kidding around. I’m not like you. I keep the promises I make.”

Babi checked one last time to make sure Step wasn’t turning around. Then she took off her sweatshirt. She pulled it off slowly, taking great care not to get any manure on herself. Under her clothes, there was practically no manure on her. She was sorry she hadn’t worn a T-shirt.

She looked at Step again. “Don’t turn around!”

“I wouldn’t dream of it!”

Babi leaned forward. She took off her shoes.

It only took a second but Step was lightning quick. He twisted the left side mirror, tilting it toward Babi so she was perfectly framed.

Babi stood up. She hadn’t noticed a thing. She quickly glanced back to check on him. Fine. He hadn’t turned around.

In reality, though, Step was watching her, unseen. She was a reflection in his side mirror now. She was wearing a bra of translucent lace and had goose bumps all up and down both arms. Step smiled. “Could you step it up? How much longer will this take?”

“I’m almost done. Just don’t you turn around!”

“I told you I wouldn’t. Come on, quit dragging this out.”

Babi undid her jeans. Then, slowly, doing her best to keep from getting it all over her, she bent forward, lowering her pants to her feet, bare by now on those dusty cold rocks. Step tilted the side mirror downward, following her with his eyes. The jeans descended slowly, revealing her smooth, pale legs in that faint nocturnal light. Step sang “You Can Leave Your Hat On,” imitating the voice of Joe Cocker.

“Forget about Nine and a Half Weeks…”

Babi whipped around. Her eyes, illuminated by the faint red taillight, met Step’s amused glance as he smiled mischievously in the side mirror.

“I didn’t turn around, did I?”

Babi quickly got rid of her jeans and hopped up behind him on the motorcycle, in her bra and panties.

“You miserable sneak, you’re a bastard!” She pounded him with her fists on his shoulders, neck, back, and head.

Step curled forward, doing his best to find whatever shelter he could. “Hey, that’s enough! What did I ever do to you? I just peeked a little, but I kept my word…Ouch, keep this up and I won’t give you the jacket.”

“What? You won’t give it to me? I’ll go get my jeans and rub them all over your face. You want to test me?”

Babi started tugging on his jacket, pulling on the sleeves.

“All right. All right. Enough’s enough,” Step said. “Calm down. Come on, stop it. Here, I’ll give it to you now.”

Step let her pull his jacket off. Then he started the motorcycle.

Babi hit him one last time. “You filthy pig!” Then she put on the jacket, covering herself up as much as she could. The results weren’t much to look at. Both her legs were exposed, right up to the edge of her panties.

“Hey, you know that you aren’t bad? You just ought to try to wash yourself more often…But you really have a nice ass…I’m not kidding.”

She tried to hit him on the head. Step ducked, laughing. He put the bike into first gear and took off. Then he pretended to sniff at the air. “Hey, do you smell this odd odor too?”

“Idiot! Just drive!” Babi yelled.

“It smells like manure…”

Just then, from a bush on the right a short distance ahead, a German shepherd emerged. It came running at them, barking. Step went straight at him with the motorcycle. The dog stood still for a second, blinded by the light. Its red eyes glittered angrily in the night. Its teeth appeared, snarling, sharp, and white.

That fleeting instant’s delay was sufficient. Step upshifted. He twisted the throttle and veered the motorcycle wide. The dog took off immediately. It barely missed the motorcycle, leaping sideways, jaws wide open.

Babi screamed. She pulled up her bare legs and grabbed tight to Step’s shoulders.

The dog fell just a hair short.

The motorcycle accelerated. First gear. Second, third. Off they went, with the throttle open wide. The bike roared off into the night.