The Dating Plan(75)
Although her riding leathers provided protection from the wind and flying bugs, it was lacking armor where it really counted. Between the endless bumps and the relentless vibration of the Testastretta DVT 1262 engine, Daisy could only wish for a new, more padded ass.
Forty minutes into the ride, they stopped for gas in Half Moon Bay. Liam helped Daisy off the seat and she grimaced when her feet partially hit solid ground.
“She’s a beast!” Liam grinned. “Are you feeling it?”
Oh, I’m feeling it. There was no point worrying whether they’d have sex ever again because she couldn’t feel anything below her waist.
Daisy nodded, not daring to speak in case the stream of invective running through her head came out of her mouth.
“You need help with the visor?” He flipped up the visor for her and she drew in a breath of cool, fresh air. With her hands frozen into claws from holding on so tight, there was no way she could have opened it herself.
“What do you think?”
Daisy thought a lot of things, none of which she could share with Liam, who was so overjoyed that she had come with him that he couldn’t stand still. Since she couldn’t lie to him convincingly, she fell back on the next best thing. “Wow—156 hp. I never imagined how that would feel. It’s like a street-legal rocket ship.”
“More than any bike on the road.” His eyes crinkled at the corners as he unlocked the gas tank. “Are you doing okay?”
“Just a little stiff.” She forced a smile through the mind-numbing pain shooting through her thighs and ass. Was it supposed to hurt this much? Although she wasn’t a fitness freak, she kept in shape with running and dancing, and once she’d joined an intense kickboxing class with Layla where the former drill sergeant instructor took it as a personal affront if they didn’t work hard enough to puke.
“The place I want to take you for coffee is another half hour or so through Redwood Park. Then I thought we could go up through Woodside and get back on the 92.” His smile faded the tiniest bit. “Or we could go back . . .”
“Go back? Are you kidding?” She pumped a fist with feigned enthusiasm. “I’m all in.” Her feet tingled as the feeling came back in an excruciating wave of pins and needles. “I’ll just hit the restroom and I’ll be good to go.” Gritting her teeth, she forced her feet forward, one after another, riding leathers creaking, inner thigh muscles quivering when she tried to force them together.
“Daisy? You sure you’re okay?”
She waved over her shoulder. “Peachy. I’ll be back in five.”
Alone in the restroom, she pulled out her phone and searched for blogs about the XDiavel’s pillion ride. All the glamorous black-and-white promotional images featured thin, beautiful smiling women in skintight leather, perched high on their miniature seats, looking relaxed and happy as their hair—unfettered by the inconvenience of a lifesaving helmet—fluttered in the breeze.
Maybe that was her problem. She had too much ass.
* * *
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THIRTY minutes of pain and suffering later, they pulled up in front of a small wood building that looked to be a cross between a mountain chalet and a log cabin. Worn wooden steps led up to a sunny deck that overlooked the road, and carved wooden statues flanked the front door. Motorcycles filled the parking areas along the sides and on the street out front.
“Everyone comes here.” Liam pulled off his helmet, his eyes dancing with delight. “Families, bikers, hikers, equestrians, writers, musicians, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, locals—”
“Mmm-hmm.” Afraid to open her mouth in case the tooth-rattling ride had broken her crowns, she pried her fingers off his jacket, and contemplated how she was going to get off the seat. Pain had morphed into agony only five minutes into the second leg of their ride, and instead of enjoying the scenery, she’d shifted her focus to staying alive.
Using force of will alone, she managed to get off the bike. Far from being a relief, standing was worse than sitting, her muscles protesting the change of position, thighs locked apart in the indelicate pose of appearing to have wet her pants.
“Let me help you with that.” Liam parked the bike and helped her take off the helmet. Fresh mountain air rippled through her sweat-soaked hair.
“Liam!” A tall woman in tight black leather walked toward them, striding along all easy and loose, sleek dark hair fanning behind her like she hadn’t just done the same tortuous ride in a five-pound frizz factory helmet. Her thighs came together when she stopped in front of them, like normal thighs were supposed to do. She gave Liam a hug, murmuring something in his ear that made him chuckle. Daisy could have sworn she’d been in the promo picture for the XDiavel.
“This is Tanya Weber,” Liam said. “She and a friend founded Empower Ventures. Their venture team focuses on investing in female-focused industry disruptors. We’ve known each other for years.”
“In every sense of the word.” Tanya gave him a nudge and they shared another laugh.
In every sense of the word . . . Daisy felt a cold stab of jealousy at their intimate moment. It didn’t make sense. Her relationship with Liam wasn’t real. But the more time she spent with him, the more the line blurred and she didn’t know where she stood.
“Daisy is a senior software engineer for an exciting new start-up that’s focused on menstrual products,” Liam said. “She’s in line for a promotion to product manager. The company couldn’t run without her.”