Three Wishes(27)

“Fucking hell,” Jeff cursed not-so-under his breath.

“That’s enough, Jeffrey,” Victor clipped.

Lily ignored them, she wasn’t going to give Nate time to change his mind so she asked, “Where’s the helmet?”

“I’ll get it,” Laura, giving in with dignified but somewhat ill-grace, said.

“I’ll get my jacket,” Nate followed his mother and as she went toward the kitchen, he turned into the drawing room.

Victor extended his arm, a cheeky grin on his face. “And I’ll introduce you to the Ducati.”

“Okay,” Lily breathed, her eyes shining.

Victor took her to the bike which was a kind she’d never seen before (a lot nicer than the one her father owned), and she loved it the moment she clapped eyes on it.

Nate joined them moments later.

Jeff had disappeared.

“Wear this,” Nate said, shaking out a black, leather jacket.

“Oh no, you wear it,” Lily replied, finding herself shy at the thought of donning a piece of his clothing.

“Lily, something happens, the leather is at least a modicum of protection. Lord knows, the rest of you won’t be protected,” Nate explained, amusement and annoyance struggling for control of his voice.

“Are you going to crash?” she asked, tilting her head.

“No,” he replied, a grin twitching his beautiful lips. Amusement was winning, she was pleased to note.

“Have you ever crashed before?”

His dark eyes moved to his father and Victor chuckled.

“Just put the coat on, Lily,” Nate ordered in a tone not-to-be-disobeyed.

She ignored it. “You have crashed.”

Nate didn’t answer. Victor’s chuckle turned into soft laughter.

“I’ll wear the jacket,” she decided prudently.

“Good idea,” Nate muttered, opening it for her and she turned her back to him and put her arms through the sleeves.

It swam on her but she didn’t care. Something about having it on felt nice. He turned her around with his hands at her shoulders and she felt them there like they’d stay there (or like she wanted them to stay there) for the rest of her life. Then they were gone and she was facing him again. He surprised her by zipping it smartly up all the way to her chin.

She immediately regretted allowing herself to be pushed into wearing the jacket.

Now she really looked like a Pink Lady, wearing a huge leather motorcycle jacket.

Her regret melted as she lifted her eyes to Nate’s. He was looking down at her wearing his jacket and even Lily with no experience whatsoever realised the look in his eye was something intensely possessive, untamed and very, very dangerous but in a good way.

She gulped.

“Here’s the helmet.” Laura had arrived on the scene.

With great spirit, deciding instead to focus on her unexpected treat, she took the helmet from Laura, giving her a throwaway smile. Lily pulled back her hair and expertly donned the helmet while Nate pulled on his own and threw his muscled leg over the bike and Lily noticed, not-at-all-distractedly, how his jeans tightened against the muscles of his thigh when he did this.

His visor was down and he turned his head to her. She didn’t hesitate just in case he changed his mind at the last moment. While he watched, Lily wriggled her skirt up, shaking her h*ps and bouncing on alternately bent knees. When she had it up to her hips, enough to straddle the motorcycle, she slung her leg around the bike and settled into position behind Nate. She gave a jaunty wave to Laura and Victor and without even thinking she wrapped her arms around Nate’s waist just like she’d do with her Dad.

“I’m ready!” she shouted and her voice both ricocheted around in her helmet and was muted by it.

Nate gave a short nod, started the bike with practised movements, movements that never affected her when her Dad did it but seemed, somehow, impossibly male when Nate did.

Then they took off.

And her arms, wrapped loosely around his waist, tightened. Because Nate didn’t ride like Will did. Nate rode fast and Nate rode hard.

As they rode her tightened arms tightened even further until she was pressed against his back, the tops of her thighs pressed under the bottoms of his and her nether-regions were pressed against his backside.

She didn’t care. She gloried in it.

She was riding with Nate and that was all that mattered.

She rested her chin on his shoulder and she loved every minute of it.

They arrived at where they were going and Nate stopped the bike and settled it on its stand as Lily hopped off and wriggled her skirt back down. When she straightened her body, Nate was also off the bike. She could tell he was watching her through his dark visor and his hands were lifted to take off his helmet. She tore off her own helmet, shaking her head to clear her hair from her face.

“That was great!” she cried, still lost in the thrill of the ride. She had no idea her smile was shining on her face and her eyes were bright and carefree.

And then something happened that she would never have guessed, never have planned for, never have dreamed, not even wished for and never would have known would ever, in a million years, happen.

With his helmet dangling from the fingers of one of his hands, Nate’s other arm snaked out, hooked around her waist and pulled her forward with a controlled violence that stole her breath.