Ride Steady(190)

I smiled.

Then I pressed close and lifted up so my lips were to his ear.

“You know, I love you too.”

He kept his eyes to the truck and asked, “No shit?”

I squeezed his stomach so hard he grunted.

Then he twisted his head, looked at me, and when he did, he was smiling, his teeth brilliant white and beautiful against the black stubble he was growing for me.

“I know you love me, Carrie,” he said softly.

“Good,” I whispered.

“Kiss me, baby.”

I pushed forward and kissed Joker on his bike at the curb by his father’s house. I kissed him hard. I kissed him deep. I gave him my tongue and kissed him wet.

He took it and kissed me back harder, deeper, and wetter.

When we broke it, I kept his gaze and said, “I’m feeling ill. I may have to take the day off.”

His eyes smiled as his lips muttered, “My good girl, playin’ hooky.”

“Just this once,” I whispered.

“Best get you home so we can get you to bed.”

I wanted that but even so, I gave him another squeeze. “We can do that, but before, can we ride a little longer?” I tipped my head to the side. “Please?”

“Whatever you want, Carrie.”

I smiled.

Joker touched his mouth to mine.

He turned to face forward.

I put my chin to his shoulder.

He pulled out.

The wind started whipping my hair.

And there it was, it came immediately.

As the sun rose in the Denver sky, both of us got it at the same time, together on the back of Joker’s bike.

We were free.





Chapter Twenty-Four




Do Better with That





Carissa

I GOT OFF Joker’s bike first.

When I did, I pulled down the skirt of my T-shirt dress.

If you told me a year ago I’d go out to a fancy dinner in a clingy dress and high-heeled strappy sandals, doing this with a biker on his bike, I would have asked to check your temperature.

But the meal was delicious. The company way better. Joker and I had finally gotten our fancy dinner date at The Broker. Fat shrimp. Juicy steak. Delicious wine (for me; Joker drank beer).

Just me and Joker.

Travis was coming home tomorrow.

So life was good.

And now, for some reason, instead of taking us home after dinner, we were at Ride.

Not at the Chaos Compound; he’d parked outside the steps to the office of the garage.

There were tall overhead lights illuminating the space, and I watched Joker as he got off his bike.

“What are we doing here, sweetie?” I asked when he turned to me.

“Build’s done,” he stated, reaching out to grab my hand. “The guy who commissioned it is comin’ tomorrow to pick it up. Want you to see it before he does.”

I smiled up at him big and bright because I wanted that too.

He walked me up the steps and let my hand go to unlock the door. He went in, flipping on the light as he did, and I followed.

He closed the door behind me, and I thought it was strange that he locked it but I didn’t ask after it as he grabbed my hand again and moved me to the other door that led to the garage.

We went through and I stood at the landing on top of the stairs. Joker hit switches and the overhead lights blinked on, filling the space with brightness.

The car, canary yellow with a plethora of sleek, fantastic swirling, curving, spiking red stripes leading from the wheel wells all the way down the sides, was shining on the floor.

“Oh my gosh!” I cried, hurrying to the stairs and down them, my eyes to the car. “It’s unbelievable.”

It was. Low to the ground. Amazing curves. A narrow slit for a windshield.

Road cool but so hot!

I rushed to it on my heels and took it in from a closer perspective.

It was even better.

“I’m scared to touch it,” I breathed.

“Not even my best and she acts like I painted the Mona Lisa,” Joker muttered from close behind me.

I whirled and looked up at him. “You can be humble because you should be humble. That doesn’t mean it isn’t unbelievable.”

He grinned down at me.

I loved that grin.

I loved that man.

“Thank you for showing me,” I said.