Ride to Restoration (Ride Series Book 2) (25 page)

Chapter
46

I
took my time walking back to the room. I savored the baby endearment Candi
closed with.
Haven’t heard that too much lately.
It was just an
innocuous word that meant the world to me at the beginning of our now
tumultuous and maligned relationship.

Enough
of this ongoing fantasy.
Right now, I
’
d best suck up to Vic.
It was a jaw-dropping
moment as I entered our room. Victoria was sprawled gloriously naked on the
bed, smiling brightly. Her right hand expertly drove the BOA as it hummed along
on high.

“
Don
’
t just stand there with your tongue hanging out ... finish
it.
”
Knowing I had
his utmost attention, I turned off the BOA and tossed it on the bed. Spreading
my legs as far as my hands would allow,
“
I
’
ve kept it warm and wet for
you.
”

Speechless,
robbed of any reasonable comeback,
“
I thought we did finish,
girlfriend ... I finished.
”

“
Liar. You might have faked me with your moans, your groans,
but your residuals never lie. There were none. Finish in me,
”
I directed, wiggling my inviting hoo-ha, before his lust
filled eyes,
“
or I will finish on you. Your choice. Don
’
t look so pristine and
proper. We
’
re friends, remember? I
’
ve told you, I
’
m all for you going back and
trying to make it work with Candi. I don
’
t think it will, but you can
try. In the meantime, drop
’
em and ride me hard like you do that bike of yours. I
’
m your kindred spirit, your
like mind, D. Think of this moment as the culmination of your out of body
experience.
”

Victoria
was never going to take
‘
No, not now; maybe later
’
as an excuse while my jeans were sorely rising.
What
about Candi? You can
’
t do this, control yourself.
But, I
couldn
’
t.
I
’
m
a slut or so I
’
m told. Twisted is a better word.
“
I surrender,
”
I confessed, letting my pants fall where they lay, while I
laid where I fell, on her, then in her. Riding Vic slowly and deeply, I pumped
hard while she pushed harder, until our rhythmic motions carried me over the
top, spilling into her the long sought out evidence of her making. I collapsed.

“
There, that wasn
’
t so difficult was it, D?
You needed release. Since I
’
m the releaser, it
’
s best you take advantage of
it — of me — whatever.
”

“
You do have a way with words, girlfriend. Among other
things...
”

“
Of course, among other things, D. I
’
m a talented, well-versed
attorney, sporting a hungry mouth as well as a cheeky ass. Fortunately, you and
only you have been on the receiving end of those last two attributes most men
would die for.
”

Slapping
her firmly on one of her attributes,
“
thank you for the privilege
and honor to partake of your delicacies,
”
I smirked, while dodging a barrage of pillows tossed my
way.

“
I
’
m hungry. What
’
s for dinner?
”

“
Of course you are.
”
We ordered in, two center-cut prime rib dinners with all
the trimmings, watched a pay per view action movie and fell asleep, entwined
like pretzels in each other
’
s arms.

Morning
broke early at 5:30, allowing me a solitary escape to the hotel
’
s in house gym, before
rousing the sleeping beauty. Fifteen minutes on the circuit, followed by thirty
minutes on the elliptical was enough to get my heart pounding. Stopping by the
coffee bar, I picked up a large black and green tea for me, and a
Brava
Latte
for Victoria. Kissing her gently on the cheek while waving the Latte
across her nose brought her out of a deep sleep.
“
Wake up, girlfriend. You
’
ve got a spa date at eight.
”

I
smiled.
“
What time is it, D?
”

“
Almost seven. You
’
ve got an hour before you
go.
”

“
Come with me. I bet they have a couples massage for two.
”

“
I
’
ll pass. This is all about you. We need to leave
immediately afterwards so don
’
t go getting too relaxed. I
’
m not going all the way to
Sioux City tonight since it
’
s almost six hundred miles, but we do need to get as much
windshield time in as possible.
”

“
I can skip it if you want.
”

“
Nope, Victoria needs pampered and schmoozed. All that I can
do for you is...
”

“
Oh, I know what you can do. And we have one more night for
you to do it!
”
I
winked, flicked my tongue across my lips and smiled.

“
You weren
’
t kidding when you said the only way to keep you out of my
pants was to get you home. I
’
m trying, girlfriend. ... So help me, I
’
m trying.
”

Chapter
47

I
was dressed, packed and loaded by nine, waiting for Vic by the bike when she
bounded joyfully through the front door, her radiance inferring success.

“
Thank you, D. That was wonderful. Now ... I
’
m more than ready to ride!
”

“
We ride,
”
I
exclaimed, bringing the bike to life and driving south on Lord Selkirk Highway
for 60 miles before the road turned into U.S. I-29 at the border. Passing
easily through U.S. Customs into North Dakota gave me an instantaneous sigh of
relief. The trepidation that immediately followed was my not knowing what lay
ahead
—
for me, for
Vic, for Candi.

I
set the throttle lock on 80 mph and we cruised straight through the rolling,
barren hills of
‘
scenic
’
North
Dakota to Grand Forks before stopping at the Pilot / Flying J. Truck Stop. Rigs
of all lengths, loaded with drilling equipment and supplies, filled the parking
lot as far as the eye could see. We were in the middle of history, the Bakken
Oil Fields, brimming with black gold providing thousands of jobs for those
brave enough to endure the frigid desolate winters here.

“
How are you holding up, girlfriend? You
’
ve been quiet all morning.
Care to tell me what
’
s wrong?
”

Of
course I
’
ve been quiet. Who wouldn
’
t be, knowing our pseudo
whirlwind romance is coming to an end?
“
I
’
m sorry. I
’
ve been thinking. You
realize, we
’
ll be home tomorrow? All the turmoil that we
’
ve evaded in Canada the last
few days is about to slap us silly. Our fairy tale ride will be over and we
’
ll have to start slaying
those nasty old dragons that surfaced while we
’
ve been gone. It depresses
me. Welcome back to the real world, ready or not.
”

“
I envy you, Victoria. Just think, your new world is ahead
of you. A blank canvas, compliments of me, thank you, that is all yours and
yours alone to dream and do as you desire.
”

“
D, I
’
m grateful. You
’
re welcome to be a part of
it. Excuse me. You
are
a part of it.
”

“
Copy that girlfriend, heavy baggage and all.
”
I wouldn
’
t wish my life upon anyone
right now with all its uncertainties and twists and turns, especially Victoria
.
“
Thank you, it
’
s refreshing to know
somebody wants me for what
’
s inside, not just for my incredible looks.
”

I
laughed, looking at his flat, helmet hair, his wind-blown beard and his bug
splattered leathers.
“
I
’
m hungry. Want to wine and dine me somewhere or will you
settle for a delicious Subway since we
’
re already here?
”

“
Subway works for me. Order me something light, please. We
need to ride another few hours to make sure I have you home by noon tomorrow.
”

“
Why noon, I don
’
t have a deadline?
”
I asked, backing away.

“
Ah, but I do. I need to at least make St. Charles tomorrow
night.
”
With Vic out of
sight ordering lunch, I made reservations for us at a Holiday Inn Express in
Watertown, SD, a short three hour ride to Sioux City. I followed that up with
reservations at the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Missouri, just west of St.
Louis.

Lastly, I texted Jim at WITSEC
informing him of my location and my ETA to Tennessee:

Jim,
in country. Estimated time home
—
two days. If we need to talk, call me after noon tomorrow. I
’
ll be in the truck
and alone.

That should do it. Moving my bike
from the fuel island, I pulled into the striped No Parking area by the front
door. Vic was waiting on me in a booth with half a turkey, avocado club on
whole wheat and an unsweetened tea. “Good choice, Vic. It’s scary how much
we’re alike.”

You
got that right.
“
Didn
’
t think you
’
d want dessert, at least for
now. That
’
s what you have me for isn
’
t it big fella?
”
I winked, knowing I couldn
’
t be any more obvious of my
intentions.

“
Surely you jest, Victoria. After riding all day, on your
numb ass and all, you
’
d still be willing to get frisky with me? Does that woo-hoo
of yours ever get sore?
”

Of course it does, tender to
the touch when you
’
ve
rode me hard and rough.
“
Hmmmm
... let me think
…
If
it did, I
’
d never tell you.
”
By the look in his eyes, my sheepish grin gave me away.

“
Liar, liar, panties on fire...
”

“
It
’
s worth it. You
’
re worth it. Hell, even I
’
m worth it,
”
I retorted, convincing us both that tonight there should be
one final episode of togetherness.

Chapter
48

T
hree
hours later as the sun slipped below the horizon we made Watertown, SD. All I
knew about Watertown was its exit on the interstate, featuring The Terry
Redline Art Center and Museum. The hotel, a block down 172nd Ave had a
surprising number of restaurants nearby.

“
This will more than suffice, won
’
t it, Vic?
”
I asked trying to be polite.
I
’
d made up my mind to stay
here, regardless of her reply.
“
Besides
I get points.
”

“
Holiday Inn? Seriously, D? They don
’
t have big soaking tubs.
”

“
Ah, but they do have luxurious pillows and firm,
comfortable beds. I can attest to that.
”

“
Good point,
”
I
exclaimed.
“
I know how you so prefer king beds over tubs when you
’
re making love to Royalty.
”
Give it a
rest, Victoria. He damn well knows your intentions and his capabilities. If the
truth be known you
’
re
in-satiated with him because you
’
re
jealous ... of Candi ... and she
’
s
not even here.

“
You
’
re a quick study. I believe I
’
ve told your highness that
before. Check us in if you please.
”
Bowing before her, my right hand, sweeping downward, then
upward,
“
your man servant will caress and carry your soft and supple
... um ... bags to your room.
”
Made
her smile, good boy!

Unstrapping
our gear, I stowed the tie downs in the right saddlebag where I
’
d thrown my phone from
earlier this morning. It was vibrating and beeping multiple sounds, signaling
voice mails, missed calls and UN-retrieved texts. To my chagrin, it showed six
missed calls, six new texts and three voice mails. Three missed calls from
Candi, two from Jim and one from Greg. Onto the texts: three from Jim, three
from Candi and one voice mail, respectively, from each of the three. Isn
’
t it good to be back in the
good ole U.S. of A. where we
’
re always connected whether we choose to be or not?

Candi’s texts in order:

Call
me.

I
have news, call me.

Donny
is somewhere in St. Louis.

Jim’s texts in order:

Call
me.

Can
’
t wait, talk today.

Our
deep cover sources informed me that someone is seriously looking for you. Time
to relocate.

Pure
joy. I know for sure we weren’t followed since we left Calgary. No one, and I
mean, no one knew where we were going ... not even me. Relocate? Yeah, right!

It
was after 8 o
’
clock Eastern when I dialed Candi. It rang once before
going to voice mail ...
figures.
Jim, by now, is home with his family.
It can wait until tomorrow. He
’
s given me a heads-up. That
’
s more than enough.

I
listened to Greg
’
s excited voice mail, disregarding the other two. He
’
d sold over a third of the
diamonds yesterday, and raised more than enough money for Missy with a few
thousand left over for Debra
’
s trip. Listening further, Missy was scheduled to make the
trip to Children
’
s Hospital by week
’
s end. Excellent. Good news
always outweighs the bad in my book
—
any time, anywhere.