Don't Let Go (12 page)

“Sure.”

She was a little dizzy from his kiss, and she couldn't help the smile on her face as she walked inside the bar.

Who knew the man had such a possessive streak? She had to admit, she didn't mind that one bit.

She grabbed her cards and looked at them as she headed back outside.

She had a six and a jack.

Whatever. As far as she was concerned, she had nothing. She was more interested in what Brady had pulled on his cards, which she had forgotten to ask because of that confrontation—and that amazing kiss he'd laid on her.

“What did you get?” he asked when she got back to the bike. He was surrounded by their group. Penny and Donna were walking Roxie nearby.

She showed him her cards.

“Eh. Not much going on for you there.”

“True. How about you?”

“I've got a queen and a six.”

She smiled up at him. “Wow. Still going strong.”

“It's all down to the last stop.”

She looked at their map. “Which is where?”

“At the park in Tulsa. Everyone meets up there.”

“Fun.”

They rode toward the city and were joined by all of the bikers for the event. It was like a parade of motorcycles as they hit the main road leading to the park. They pulled in, and Megan got off the bike. After hours of riding, she knew she was going to be sore tomorrow.

“I'll bet you're happy to be out of your basket, aren't you, Roxie?” she asked, pulling Roxie's goggles off and tucking them into the side bag. She attached the leash to Roxie's harness, and they headed toward the tables where they'd pick up their final cards.

She pulled a two and an ace. She did end up with two pair—queens and twos—but she was pretty sure that wouldn't get her anywhere. She'd seen other people's hands throughout the day, and she knew many people had better hands than her two pair.

It was all up to Brady now. She waited, her heart actually pounding when he pulled his final two cards.

He had a straight going in one hand. On that he pulled a four, which totally blew his potential straight.

On his final card he pulled a queen.

“Full house, ace high,” Brady said, one corner of his mouth lifting into a satisfied smile.

“It's looking pretty good for you,” the event coordinator said as he turned his card in. “We'll see how it goes.”

He turned to her. “I guess we'll have to hang out to see if I win anything.”

She looped her arm in his. “I guess so. I'd say you have a pretty good chance.”

“Maybe.”

“What are the prizes?”

“Top prize is a motorcycle. There are also some cash prizes, and some gift cards from the sponsors.”

“Sweet.”

“In the meantime, let's go grab some food and listen to music. It'll be a while before they announce the winners.”

They went with their group to the food stands. Megan got a hot dog, while Brady opted for a burger. They decided to share a large order of fries, then grabbed an oversized table under a tree. Brady tied the end of Roxie's leash to the leg of the table. He put her water dish under the table, along with a bowl of dog food. Roxie nibbled on her food, drank some water, then settled next to Megan's feet for a nap while they ate.

“How did you do on your hands?” Megan asked the rest of them.

“Mine was crap,” Penny said.

“Ditto,” Donna said. “So was Tony's, though we had some hope for the first three stops. After that, nothing.”

“Yeah, same with us,” Penny said. “You're our only hope now, Brady.”

Brady shrugged as he bit into his burger, then swallowed. “We'll see. You just never know with these things. Sometimes you think you have an awesome hand, and then five people come in with a royal flush and kick your ass.”

Tony nodded. “This is true.”

After they ate they all got up to wander. There was a band playing, and there were vendor booths set up. Brady untied Roxie's leash so they could investigate the vendors, who offered everything from clothes to biker gear to seats to just about anything you could want for your motorcycle.

They bought beers along the way and sipped those while they strolled.

“Did you have a good time riding today?” Brady asked her.

She looked up at him and smiled. “I had a great time today, though I think my butt might be sore tomorrow. It's been a while since I've spent the day on a bike, and I never spent that much time riding.”

He frowned. “You didn't say anything. You could have asked for a break.”

“I was fine.”

“You're not much of a complainer, are you?”

“Not really. Unless I have something major to complain about. Besides, I wasn't uncomfortable. I was too busy gawking at the scenery.”

He put his arm around her as they walked. “You're a good riding buddy.”

“I hope so. The last thing you need is to be distracted.”

“If your butt is sore, I volunteer to massage it for you later.”

She was glad she'd shed her leather jacket when they got off the bikes, because that comment made her entire body heat up. She looked up at him, and she'd love to know what was going on behind his sunglasses. “I'll keep that in mind.”

His lips curved, that sexy smile of his devastating to her senses. “It's definitely on my mind.”

She tried to focus on the items in the vendor booths, but her thoughts were on Brady, on the way he played with her hair or absently stroked his hand down her back, making her wonder what it would feel like to have his strong, callused hands rubbing all over her naked body.

Goose bumps broke out on her skin and her nipples hardened, and she was thinking decidedly dirty thoughts.

Did the man have any idea what he was doing to her? Obviously not, because he stroked her arm in a very sensual fashion while he was talking carburetors with a vendor, completely oblivious to the fact that if he continued to touch her this way she might have to throw him to the ground and have her way with him.

That wayward thought wasn't helping her current condition at all.

“I'm going to—take a stroll with Roxie,” she murmured to Brady, pulling away from temptation.

He nodded, and she wandered off to take a few deep breaths and get her unhinged libido under control.

“Come on, Roxie. Let's go find some grass and a shady tree.”

Where, hopefully, she could also find her self-control as well.

BRADY KEPT AN
eye on Megan as she wandered nearby with Roxie. He didn't want another random guy to come over and make any moves on her, so while he was talking with one of the vendors, he made sure part of his focus stayed on Megan.

Not that he didn't think she could take care of herself. He knew she could, but he also figured it was his responsibility to look out for her. And while the majority of the biker community consisted of stand-up people, there were always a handful that were suspect. It was that handful he wanted to keep far away from Megan.

Fortunately, Donna and Penny soon joined her, so he could breathe a sigh of relief. No one was getting near Megan while those two were with her. He'd known Donna and Penny and their husbands for years. He'd ridden with them before, and they were die-hard bikers, as tough as they came. No one would dare step into their midst to try to hit on Megan. So now he could finish transacting his business with the parts vendor without keeping one eye on her.

When he finished, he saw Tony and Lance had joined the women, so he walked over to them.

“Finally get those parts ordered?” Lance asked.

“Yeah.”

“We thought we might head over to where the music was playing and grab a seat until they announce the winners,” Donna said.

Brady nodded. “Sounds like a good idea. I also picked these up,” he said, showing Megan the small set of headphones. “For Roxie, in case the music is too loud.”

“Awww. Aren't you sweet? Do you think she'll keep them on?”

He shrugged. “We'll find out.”

When they got to the band area, they grabbed some chairs, and he put Roxie on his lap. The headphones were very soft, so he slid them over Roxie's ears and waited for her reaction. Since the band had started up, she cocked her head to the side, but didn't try to dislodge the headphones. Instead, she nuzzled her stuffed chicken as if she couldn't hear a thing.

“Looks like she's okay with them,” Megan said.

“For now, at least. I'll watch her.”

It appeared he didn't have to, because she curled up on his lap and went to sleep while they listened to the band play. So he draped his arm over Megan's shoulders and relaxed.

The band played for about an hour, then the event emcee came on to announce the winners of the poker run.

“Fingers crossed,” Megan said.

Brady didn't hold out much hope. He'd been to plenty of these events, and occasionally had ended up with a pretty decent hand, only to come away with nothing.

So as the emcee started to call names, he was surprised when Megan's name was called.

Her eyes widened as she got up and went to the stage to take the envelope from the coordinators. She came back to her seat and opened the envelope, grinning.

“I won a hundred dollars. All I had was two pair.”

“That's awesome,” Donna said. “You're in the money, honey.”

Brady rubbed her back. “Good job.”

“That means you'll definitely win something,” Tony said to him.

“I guess so.”

Megan grabbed his arm. “Now I'm really excited for you. I'm even excited for me. I had no idea I'd win anything.”

“A hundred bucks is nothing to sneeze at.”

“Not at all. I'm going to buy shoes.”

He laughed. “Shoes? Really?”

“Yes. This is play money. Maybe a new purse.”

They called several more names, and Brady started to get nervous.

“And for our fifth place winner of fifteen hundred dollars, Brady Conners.”

His heart leaped against his chest.

Megan had already taken Roxie, so he went up to the stage.

“Congratulations,” the event coordinator said. “Good hand.”

“Thanks.” He took the envelope back to his seat.

“Wow,” Megan said. “That's a lot of money.”

“Sure is,” Lance said. “You get to buy the next round of drinks.”

Brady grinned. “I'll pass on the beer since we'll be getting on the bikes soon, but I'll be happy to buy a round.”

They got up, and he went and bought drinks for everyone. Penny and Donna had beers, but Lance and Tony had sodas. So did he and Megan.

“You about ready to head back?” he asked.

She nodded, and she hugged both Donna and Penny.

“I had a great time today,” Megan said. “I hope I have the chance to see both of you again.”

“You need to make sure Brady brings you along for some rides,” Donna said, giving Brady a pointed look.

Brady smiled. “I'll do that.”

Brady shook hands with Tony and Lance, then he and Megan headed toward his bike.

“I'd say that was an eventful day,” Megan said as she waited while Brady put Roxie's goggles on and got her fastened into her basket.

“It was a good day. And we both made money.”

“I know, right? That was unexpected. I was looking forward to riding today. I sure didn't think I'd win anything.”

“Neither did I. But I'll take it.”

She laughed. “Me, too.”

She put on her helmet and her jacket, then waited while he got on the bike before she climbed on. Since it was dark now, he provided clear goggles for her and put a pair of his own on as well.

They started heading home, and it was cool outside, so she nestled her body against Brady's back, wrapping her arms around him. At a stoplight, she asked, “Does this bother you?”

“Having your body pressed up against mine? Hell no.”

She smiled and thoroughly enjoyed the ride back to Hope. He pulled up in her driveway and she climbed off the bike, handing him her goggles and helmet. He tucked those into the saddlebag.

“You're coming in, right?” she asked.

“If you want me to.”

“I definitely want you to.”

He leveled a very hot smile at her. “Okay.”

He scooped the dog out of her basket and took her for a quick walk on the front lawn so she could relieve herself. After that, they all went inside. Megan put a dish of water on the floor for Roxie, who sniffed at it, took a couple of sips, then looked around.

Megan knew what she needed, so she went to the hall closet, pulled out an old blanket, and set it down on the floor in the living room. Roxie walked over to it, ruffled it up a bit to her liking, then settled in with her chicken and went right to sleep.

“She's had a long day,” Brady said.

Megan looked over at Brady, who was leaning against her kitchen island. “Apparently.”

“She'll be out for the night now. And thanks for getting a blanket for her.”

“Not a problem. She needed a soft place to sleep.”

He pushed off the island and came over to her.

“Wait,” she said.

Brady frowned and she knew why. He thought she was going to put the brakes on—again. But not this time.

“I'll need your phone, Brady.”

“My—what?”

She held out her hand. “Your phone, please.”

He dug his phone out of his jeans pocket an handed it to her. She turned it off, then picked hers up and turned it off, too.

“No interruptions anymore. Not tonight.”

The smile he leveled at her was devastating. She held her breath as he approached. And when he put his hands on her upper arms, her heart started beating faster.

“So, the dog's out cold. What about you, Megan? Are you ready to sleep?”

She laid her palms on his chest, craving the feel of his heartbeat to see if it was pumping a fast rhythm like hers. It was. She tilted her head back to look at him. “No, what I need right now is you.”

He drew her against him.

“I've been waiting all damn day for this, Megan.”

So had she. And when his mouth came down on hers, it was everything she'd been waiting for—and more.