Holding Her in Madness (34 page)

“It’s not far from here and there isn’t much traffic. I’ll keep you safe,” he said, holding out his helmet to me.

My stomach fluttered as I closed the car door and thought about my first motorcycle ride. The black round helmet felt cool against my fingers when I took it from his hand. I scrunched my eyebrows together as I studied it. I didn’t know if there was a front or a back, or how to put it on.

“Here, let me help you,” he said reaching for the helmet and removing it from my grip. His hand touched mine and again I felt a spark. Not a real spark, but one that I felt with every fiber of my being from the slightest touch of him. My body wanted him touch but my mind was throwing up the caution flag.

Placing it gently on my head, he ran his rough fingers down the straps, almost caressing my skin, to adjust it to fit my face. I inhaled deeply trying to fill all my senses with him, he smelled different than any other man I’d smelled before. He didn’t smell of a cheap cologne but there was a spicy woodsy scent that reminded me of home. I closed my eyes, relished the feel of his warm skin against mine, when the warmth of his touch disappeared.

“All done, are you ready?” he asked.

I opened my eyes quickly, heat creeping up my neck because I had been lost in the moment and in his touch. “Yes.” I prayed my voice didn’t betray me after being lost in the feel of him against my skin.

He climbed on the bike, sliding forward, making room for me behind him. “Lift your leg and climb on.”

Placing my hand on his shoulder to help balance myself, I lifted my leg and sat on the seat, my body slid forward, smashing against him. Rock solid. He turned his head and looked me in the eyes. “Put your feet on the pegs and wrap your arms around me. I don’t bite, well, unless you want me to.” He smirked and my heart felt like it was doing the tango in my chest as I pressed against his back. He did not just say that to me, did he? I lifted my feet off the ground, turning over complete control to the stranger I was entrusting with my life. I locked my hands together completed wrapped around him.

“Ready?”

“Wait! I don’t even know you’re name. I mean I’m putting my life in your hands and I don’t even know who you are.” I gripped his body tighter as my body clung to his , bile rising in my throat.

I couldn’t hear his laughter, but I felt the rumble of it from deep in his chest. “My friends call me City, sugar.” He throttled the engine, making my heart almost stop, before he lifted his feet and the bike.

My grip became like a vice, fear overcoming any need to be cool or seem calm in front of him. He patted my hands before the bike began to move and I couldn’t bear to look. I buried my face in his back, avoiding any chance of seeing the road. The wind caressed my skin, causing it to feel like ice compared to the warmth my palms experienced from his body heat. Does this man have any soft spots?
I flexed my fingers against his chest wanting to feel his hardness and praying like hell I made it seem natural and not like I was molesting him.

The bike picked up speed and my heart thundered against his back. Gripping him harder, holding on for dear life, the sound of the engine drowned out everything else around me, except the two of us. He leaned into the bike, his ass moving snuggly between my legs. I didn’t dare move. He was warm, comfortable, and I enjoyed every minute my body touched his. I closed my eyes and tried not think about the movement of the bike underneath us – the slight shift and unevenness of the road made me feel off balance.

The noise of the engine changed as the bike slowed and I finally peaked over his shoulder. The parking lot of The Neon Cowboy was packed with bikes and was the brightest thing for miles. I’d driven by it dozens of times, but never thought about stopping. This wasn’t the type of bar for kids on speedy foreign made bikes, but a place that tough bikers hang out, drink beer, and pick up chicks.

He backed the bike into an empty spot and I could feel my body begin to tremble from the fear that finally began to seep through my veins. I did it. I rode on a motorcycle and with a stranger no less. My breath was harsh and as I blinked slowly and tried to calm myself down.

“You can climb off now, sugar.” His legs were straddling the bike and he held the hand bars, securing the bike for me. “Enjoy your first ride?”

I released my hands from the security of his body and hoisted myself off on trembling legs. “It was the single most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced,” I said, thankful when my feet were firmly on the ground. I stood, trying to get my body to stop shaking and my heart to slow down before walking inside the bar with him at my side.

“If that’s the scariest thing you’ve ever experience, you need to get out more, sugar. I took it slow with you.” He grinned and my stomach plummeted from his sinful smile. I wanted to see him above me naked and moving in and out of my body slowly almost at a torturous pace.
Everything about him made all my body convulse and scream for attention. He wasn’t my type. I preferred a book worm and a man that liked to spend an evening inside watching a movie or playing scrabble, not riding like a bat out of hell on a fat boy to hang out at a bar. I wasn’t a bar fly and never would be.

The outdoor lights gave me a full view of the man that called himself City. His hair was darker than I originally thought, almost jet-black, and an inch long on the top, brushing against his forehead as he shook it out. It was a mess from the wind with the front hanging over his forehead. I couldn’t tell the color of his eyes, they were still hidden behind the tinted lenses of his glasses.

“Yeah, lucky me,” I chuckled and tried to play it cool even though my body shook. If that was slow I didn’t think I wanted to know what his idea of fast and hard were, or did I? Fuck me. He had my brain all jumbled.

Removing the helmet, I ran my fingers through my hair trying to straighten it after the wild ride. He laughed as he crawled off the bike, taking the helmet from my hands, and placed it on the seat. I watched mesmerized as he removed his glasses and put them inside a small bag hanging from the side of the bike. I wanted to see his eyes and the entire man without a mask or veil.

“Ready, babe?” he motioned toward the door.

I wanted to scream no, but I didn’t have a choice. I could never walk into this sort of place on my own.

“Yeah, ready as I’ll ever be.” I started walking toward the door and felt a hand on my arm, stopping me in my tracks. I looked at his fingers wrapped around my arm and turned toward him. “What are you doing?”

“You can’t just walk into a place like this. You’re an outsider. They’ll eat you alive in there. I don’t want anyone giving you shit. We have to make them believe you’re with me so they leave you the fuck alone. Unless you want the attention?” he asked with a crooked eyebrow.

“I don’t.” I didn’t mind the idea of making everyone in the bar think we’re together. City was hot and seemed like a nice guy; he did stop to help me when he could’ve driven right by me.

“Just stay by my side and follow my lead. I know these people and I don’t want them sniffing around you. They look for easy prey,” he said, giving me a smile that made my body tingle and my sex convulse.

“Okay, I’ll stick to you like glue and follow your lead.” Jesus, I sounded like a dork. I’ve always been a bookworm. I was national honor society member, and when all my friends were partying, I stayed in my dorm to study.

City nestled me against his side, tucking me between his body and arm. I moved with him, trying to keep up with his fluid movements, but my legs were so short I felt like I almost had to jog to keep time with him. He opened the door and I was immediately hit with a smoky smell, loud twangy music, and a dozen set of eyes looking directly at us.

Randomly people yelled out “City” throughout the bar, giving me a clue that he was a regular. I felt like I entered a seedy version of Cheers and City was Norm only sexy and muscular. He leaned down placing his mouth next to my ear I felt his hot breathe before I could hear his words.

“Stick close and show no fear,” he whispered, causing goose bumps to break out across my skin. “Let’s say hello then we’ll call a tow for you.”

City looked big enough to handle any man in this place, but I didn’t want to take that chance. I concentrated on breathing, keeping my chin up, and watching where I walked. The floor was filled with peanut shells and dust and it made the walk in the stilettos even more treacherous than normal. I could barely walk when I bought them, but they looked too sexy to pass up.

We walked to a table filled with men all wearing their leather vests covered in patches. They were unshaven, as dangerously sexy as City with mischievous smiles on their faces. “Who’s this lovely lady, City?” one man asked. His eyes raked up my body, stopping at my breasts before looking at my face.

“This is sunshine. Don’t even fucking think about it, Tank, she’s with me,” City said with a smile on his face as he pulled me closer.

Sunshine?
I never told him my name and he never asked. I didn’t like the way Tank looked at me. Thank God he wasn’t the one driving by while I was stranded on the side of the road. He looked at me like I was a piece of meat; a meal for his enjoyment.

Tank put his hands up in surrender. “Dude, I’d never. Chill the fuck out. I’m just enjoying the view,” he said, his eyes moving from City to me, and not being coy about his visual molestation.

City squeezed my waist, “Sunshine, this is Tank, the asshole,” he said pointing to each of the men. “This is Hog, Frisco, Sam, and Bear.” He pointed at each of the men as he rattled off the silly nicknames.

The nicknames didn’t seem to fit any of the men except bear. His arms were hairy and he was big, huge in fact with dark hair and a fuzzy face. He looked huggable and kind.

“Hi,” I said, looking at each of them quickly, but I didn’t try to memorize their names.

“I didn’t know you were bringing a woman tonight, City,” Bear said.

“Wilder shit
has
happened, Bear,” he said pulling me closer, leaving no space between us.

“She doesn’t look like your usual taste my friend?” Bear smirked. “I don’t mean that shitty, girl, I just mean you’re one fine piece of ass and too good for that low life mother fucker. You should be sitting on my lap.” He patted his leg and I wanted to find an exit. I looked down and studied my clothes. I didn’t wear the trashy clothes some of the women in here wore, but I looked classy, sexy even, and not a hint of nerd to be found.

City moved toward Bear and my heart sank as he began to speak. “Show some respect, you asshole. That’s not how you talk to a lady.” City stood inches from Bear’s face. “Apologize to the lady.
Now
.” City towered over him as Bear stayed rooted in his chair.

Bear looked at me and I could see him swallow hard before he spoke. “I’m sorry, sunshine. I was just kidding around. I really am an asshole, forgive me please.”

“No harm done, Bear,” I said with a fake smile, hoping to calm the situation.

“We’re going to sit at the bar.” City looked at Bear, not moving his eyes.

“Come on dude, sit with us. Don’t mind Bear. He’s a total dick. Make his ass go sit at the bar,” Sam begged.

“Sunshine and I want to be alone. I’ll catch you guys another night,” City said, pressing his hand against my back, guiding me away from the table and to the large bar area.

“I’m sorry. They can be childish dicks. Bear doesn’t have a filter,” he said as he pulled out a chair for me. City had manners. Not many of the men I dated did something as simple as pull out a chair for a lady – it was a lost art. “He’s a good guy, but sometimes his mouth runs and he doesn’t think before he speaks.”

“It’s okay, really… it is. Thanks for sticking up for me,” I said to him as I sat down, pulling my stool closer to the bar top. “Why did you call me sunshine?”

“Well, I don’t know your name and you remind me of sunshine – your hair is golden and your smile glows. Just sounded right. I had to come up with something on the fly,” he said. “I hope you didn’t mind.” He shrugged and grabbed the menu laying nearby.

“I didn’t mind but my name is Suzy.”

“What would you like Suzy?”

I wanted to say you because somehow this man made me lose my grip of reality and my sanity.
“Virgin Daiquiri, please.”

“Virgin? Really?” His brows furrowed together and corner of his mouth twitched.

“I already had a drink tonight. I just want something sweet, no liquor.”

“Do you want something to eat?” he asked. “You a vegetarian too?” he laughed.

“Shut up.” I smacked him on the arm, “I’m good. I just want to call a tow truck.”

“Gotcha.” He pulled out his phone and placed it on the bar. “Hey darlin’, can you put in an order for a cheeseburger, a beer, and a virgin daiquiri?” he asked the bartender.

“Sure thing, handsome,” she said, walking away, slowly swaying her hips to grab attention. I turned to City to see if he was watching her, but he was staring at me instead and my mouth felt dry and scratchy.

“You want to call Triple A or someone else?” he asked without taking his eyes off me. His eyes were an amazing shade of blue and couldn’t look away. I’d always loved my blue eyes, but his were almost turquoise. I felt like he was staring through me, into me, seeing everything I hid under the surface. I wanted him, but I didn’t want to admit my attraction, I couldn’t admit it.