Until November (Until, #1)(43)

They explained that it was a 2011 Ninja 250r. It was small—perfect for my height and weight. It also didn’t have as much power as a bigger bike, so there was less of a chance of me doing damage to myself or someone else. I only half listened to them. I mean, I had a motorcycle. How flipping awesome was that?

Uncle Joe told me that one of his boys bought it for his son when he wanted to learn to ride. Now he was upgrading to a Harley so he was ready to sell it. I didn’t care. I loved it. He also got me a white helmet with hot pink and black airbrush writing that says baby girl on the back.

I jumped up and down when he handed it to me. They showed me how to ride for over three hours after I changed into jeans, boots and a leather jacket. Then, they finally let me go out on the road. In the country, there was no traffic. You might come across a truck or two, but normally, you would be the only car on the road for miles at a time. It was perfect. I was in love and knew that I would be doing this often just to clear my head.

When I started up my dad’s driveway, I saw Asher’s jeep and my good mood left just as quickly as it came. “Great,” I whispered to myself. I pulled up in front of the garage. I got off the bike, took off my helmet and shook out my hair. Asher walked up with Beast following behind him. He was wearing a red thermal and a pair of dark jeans along with his brown boots. He also wore a white baseball hat with black writing. I had never seen him in a hat before and he looked hot. Well, hotter than normal.

“Hey,” I said and started pushing the bike into the garage. He took over and pushed it all the way in then took the cover from me and tossed it over the bike.

“So, I guess this is one more thing that I have to worry about?” he asked, and even though I knew what he was talking about, I still asked.

“Sorry?”

“The bike,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes on me.

“My dad and uncle got it for me. I like riding it and I'm going to keep it.” I crossed my arms over my chest, copying his stance and daring him to say something stupid like, “You can’t keep it.” Then I would have informed him that he was going to be the only thing not kept if he thought he could tell me that I couldn’t have my bike.

“Just promise that when you’re on this shit, you’ll always wear a helmet, jeans, boots, and a jacket.”

“Promise.” I smiled and his eyes narrowed on my mouth.

“Now tell me why you were out with Nick.”

“I wasn’t out with him,” I said, completely exasperated. “I went to his dad’s firm, he asked me to lunch and I said no thank you and that I had plans. I felt bad, so I asked him if he wanted to go with me and Liz for coffee.”

“Uh hum,” he said, pulling one of the belt loops of my jeans, forcing me to take a step in his direction.

“Uh hum?” I repeated with a raised eyebrow.

“Where are you sleeping tonight?” he asked, pulling me closer and dipping his head towards my neck.

“In bed,” I answered but my brain was being dragged into an Asher fog with the way he kissed the skin below my ear.

“What bed?” he whispered as he bit my neck.

“What bed am I supposed to sleep in?” I breathed deeply as he started nipping on my earlobe.

“Mine.”

“Hmm.” I moaned as he pressed into me.

“So, where are you sleeping, November?” He growled and his hand fisted into the back of my head, his mouth hovering over mine. My eyes fluttered open. “Where are you sleeping, baby?” he asked against my mouth.

“With you,” I whispered, feeling powerless against him.

“That’s right. Always with me.” My brain registers his words but before I can make him clarify what he means, his mouth is on mine and my brain goes deeper into an Asher fog. His kiss feels desperate, like he’s branding me with it. When he pulled away, he pressed his forehead against mine. I ran my hand along his jaw and his eyes opened at my touch.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Better,” he says and I see his cocky grin. He thinks that he’s just gotten his way. I want to tell him that I have no problem sleeping with him. The only thing that worries me is that I can be a little clingy. My mom and my ex told me the same thing. They may have told me that so I wouldn’t nag them about where they were going or how long they would be gone. But I know I'm a people person, and if I know someone is around, I want to be where they are. I worry that I might be what my mom and ex said I was, and I never wanted Asher to feel like I was crowding him.

“Will you promise me something?” I ask.

“What?”

“Just promise that, when you start feeling like I'm around too much, you will let me know.”

“That’s not going to happen,” he says, cupping my cheek. His thumb slides across my lower lip.

“Just promise, okay?” I say, feeling desperate for him to understand how much this means to me.

“Promise, baby.”

“Thanks.” I grin and he kisses my nose.

“Now, do you want to eat here or do you want to pick up something on the way back to my place?” I bite my lip, thinking about it, and his eyes drop to my mouth.

“Never mind. We’re picking something up.” He bends down and my belly goes into his shoulder and he carries me out of the garage.