Vicious Cycle (Vicious Cycle #1)(34)

“I don’t think that will be necessary.” When she started to protest, I held up my hand. “What you do is worth far more than we pay you.”

Ducking her head, she nibbled on her lip. “Thank you. That means a lot coming from you.”

“You’re welcome.” Dammit. If fired-up, angry Alex didn’t turn me on, then shy, appreciative Alex made my dick twitch.

When I got to my bike, I picked up my helmet to give to her. “Since I don’t have an old lady, my bike isn’t outfitted with a bitch seat. You’ll just have to sit really close to me.” Instead of taking the helmet, Alex remained frozen, staring at the bike.

“What’s wrong?”

She shook her head furiously back and forth. “I’m not getting on that motorcycle.”

“Why the f*ck not?”

“Because I just can’t.”

“You don’t strike me as the chickenshit type.”

Her dark eyes flashed venom at me. “I’m not … chickenshit. I’m just practical. Motorcycles are very dangerous.”

“What happened to you wanting to ride one?”

“That was about me finding a way to change the subject before so you and Rev wouldn’t upset Willow any further by brawling at the table.”

“We weren’t brawling,” I countered. Once again, I shoved the helmet at her. “Look, White-Bread, I ain’t got the time or the energy for your particular line of bullshit. It’s really pretty simple. You ride home with me and teach Willow, or you sit here in the hot-as-f*ck parking lot, waiting on our mechanic, who may or may not be able to fix your car right now.”

Tentatively, her hand reached out for the helmet. It didn’t escape my notice that she was trembling. “You were right.”

“About what?”

“I am chickenshit.”

I laughed at her acknowledgment. “There’s nothing to be scared of, babe. You just hold on tight to me, and I’ll do the rest. Okay?” She took a step closer to the bike. Drawing in a deep breath, she slid the helmet on. As she threw a leg over the seat, I gave her my best genuine smile, to which Alexandra gave me a goofy two thumbs-up.

Shaking my head, I slid onto the seat in front of her. When her hands gripped my cut, I reached behind me to bring them around my waist. “This isn’t the time to be shy. Hold on tight.” I then gunned the engine. When I tipped the bike off the kickstand, Alex clung to me like a second skin. Her thighs clamped against mine, and it took everything within me to keep my dick from reacting.

Glancing over my shoulder, I shouted over the roar of the pipes. “Ya know, I would never let anything bad happen to you on my watch.”

“I wish that made me feel better,” she murmured.

“Trust me, Alex.”

Her fearful eyes met mine. She gave a slight jerk of her head. “Okay. I trust you.”

I knew it took a lot for her to say that, and it caused a weird tightening in my chest. Without another word to her, I turned back around and started easing out of the parking lot. The moment we got out onto the road, Alex molded herself against me again. I hadn’t had a woman on the back of my bike since Lacey. My brothers might have a new piece of ass on their bike every week, but to me it meant too much to give a ride to just any girl. And even being as close physically as I had been with Cheyenne, I never had her ride with me. Now, just because of one f*cked-up alternator, I’d broken my rule.

As we sped along the streets toward home with Crazy Ace, another one of our prospects, on my tail, I couldn’t help enjoying the feel of Alex’s arms around me, her fingers splayed into my chest. My mind immediately flashed to pulling her around to straddle me, arching my hips against her jeans-clad *. I couldn’t help groaning both at the image and at my out-of-control thoughts. The last thing I needed was Alexandra to feel me hard. She would probably freak out and fall off the bike, trying to get away from my perverted ass.

Finally, we reached the compound. I eased my bike into a spot and killed the engine. Glancing behind me, I asked, “You okay?”

Surprisingly, she grinned at me. “Yeah, I am. Once we got started, it wasn’t so bad.”

“Glad to hear that.”

She hopped down and took off the helmet. As she handed it back to me, she said, “Maybe you’ll take me riding again?”

While I was stoked she wanted to go again, I knew I had to shut her down. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, babe. You had some car trouble—that’s it.”

Alex stared at me for a moment before bringing her hands to her hips. “Don’t flatter yourself that I was insinuating I wanted anything more from you than another motorcycle ride.”

Before I could say anything else, Rev came out of the clubhouse. “There you guys are. Willow was getting panicky.”

“Sorry. My car wouldn’t start.”

Rev glanced between her and me. “And he gave you a ride on his bike?”

“Yes, he did.”

“Wow. He doesn’t ever let women on his bike.”

While I shot Rev a “f*ck you” look, Alex’s eyes widened at me. “You don’t?”

Scratching the back of my head, I replied, “I don’t like to be bothered with a bitch when I’m riding.”

With a roll of her eyes, Alex said, “Just when I think you might have redeemed yourself even a tiny bit, you go and say something like that.”