Risky Pleasures (2 page)

“Let me get it,” he muttered from behind her.

She held her breath when he brushed up against her. Synapses fired out of control and she fought to keep from sinking to the ground. With apparent ease, he lifted the bike out from the back and placed it on the ground beside her. Then he hung her helmet over the handlebar.

Delicia took a deep breath and looked at him. His intense eyes were focused on her face.
Invite him in!
Opening her mouth to do just that, another voice interfered.

“Lis! You okay?”

Archer’s gaze shuttered and around the truck came her cousin, Justin.

“You?” Justin demanded. “What are you doing here?”

“Dropping her off.” Archer’s voice had about as much warmth in it as Justin’s did.

I didn’t know they knew each other
. Waiting for Archer’s gaze, she gave him a slight smile. “Can I offer you a drink?”

His eyes softened slightly before becoming distant. “No, thank you. I have to get to work. Perhaps a rain check?”

“I’d like that.”
I’d like a whole lot of things when it comes to you, Archer Bennett.
She licked her lips. “Thanks again for the lift back.”

“Anytime.”

He nodded once, glared at Justin then walked to the driver’s side and got in. She didn’t move until his diesel truck backed out of her drive and he’d disappeared down the road.

“What were you doing with him?” Justin drilled her as she pushed her bike to the open garage.

“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child, Justin. He gave me a ride home. I’m kind of exhausted, you know. It’s not a flippin’ cake walk training for this triathlon.”

He waved away her tirade. “You need to stay away from him.”

Leaning her bike against the wall, she turned to face her cousin, bristling in defence of the man who’d been in her thoughts for longer than she cared to remember. “You need to not tell me what to do. Besides, Archer is perfectly nice.”

“He’s not right for you, Lis.”

Hands on hips, she glared. “So because you think that, I should have turned down the offer of the ride and biked my ass home? What’s your problem with him anyway?”

Justin narrowed his eyes. “I have to go. I only stopped by to drop something off for you, it’s on the kitchen table. Don’t forget what I said. Keep away from him.”

Jaw clenched, she watched him climb into his Ferrari and drive away. “Jackass,” she muttered before heading inside the house, closing the garage on the way. She was normally very even keeled, and it took a lot for people to upset her, but Delicia was not pleased with her cousin’s highhanded attempt to tell her who she could and couldn’t be around. Especially with the way derision had dripped from his tone when he’d talked about—and to—Archer.

“Not like I’m good at talking to the man, but hell, if I could conquer that fear I’d be all over him.”

Archer Bennett was on her mind as she took a long hot shower and got dressed for work.

* * * *

Archer ‘Risk’ Bennett watched Delicia in his rear-view mirror until he could no longer see her. She faced his direction as he drove away. Her toffee skin gleamed in the morning light, her white and purple bike jersey highlighted the mouth-watering curves of her body. He groaned and shifted on the seat. All he’d wanted to do was take her honey-hued, bone straight hair down from the ponytail it was in and let it run all over his skin as he made long, slow love to her.

Seeing her this morning at one of the trailheads, he’d had to stop. Delicia Wright was the only woman in town who could get under his skin. Not that she would know it—they rarely ran into each other.

Her family’s name was pretty much synonymous with founding the town in conjunction with the McKingley family, for whom the town was named. He wasn’t even close to her social circle. Not that that stopped his fantasies of her. And as a whole, the majority of the Wright’s all seemed to be in professions dedicated to helping people. But on the rare occasion, he ran into one like Justin Wright—couldn’t stand the man for more than a few reasons. Shaking off the ugly feelings Justin brought to his mind, Archer thought about Delicia again. She remained in his thoughts until he pulled into the large lot his business was on. He groaned when he spotted his father’s truck there.

“Crap. What’s he doing here?”

Parking his truck, he got out and headed for the door, putting on his ball cap as he walked. He pushed through the door and entered the building, his nose assaulted by the scent of strong coffee and his ears by the sounds of Marty Robbins.

“Mornin’, Pa.”

“Archer.” His father lifted the mug in his hand by way of greeting.

“What are you doing here?” He poured himself a cup of java. “Thought the purpose of retiring was so you weren’t here.”

“Am I not allowed to come in and see my business?”

Facing his father, Archer said, “It’s mine, Pa, and that doesn’t answer my question of what you’re doing here.”

The salt-and-pepper haired man shifted in the seat he occupied and Archer narrowed his eyes and waited for the bomb to drop. It wasn’t long in coming.

“Your mom called this morning. She wants to see you.”

“And she called you why?”

“You don’t return her calls.”

Archer sipped some hot coffee and shrugged without remorse. “She abandoned us. Why should I bother with her?”

“Well, she’s coming to visit and wants to see you. Apparently she’s bringing her new boyfriend along as well.”

Staring at his father, Archer waited to see if there was any lingering pain when discussing his ex-wife. There was nothing. Apparently he was the one holding a grudge, not his dad. He’d always admired his father for doing what he had to and not becoming a bitter old man. But for him personally, his mother had ceased to exist—no cards, calls, nothing until he took over the business. Since then, Victoria Cross had done nothing but try to reconnect with him.

“When does she claim she is coming?”

She’d been leaving him messages for over two years saying she was coming for a visit. Even given dates of when she would arrive on a few of them. She had yet to actually show up. He briefly wondered if her calling his father actually meant she was going to come. Not that it mattered. He didn’t want anything to do with her, and if he had to, he would tell her to her face.

“Next week. And she said she was bringing along someone else as well. It’s a surprise or something like that.”

Great. Her and a surprise. “Uh-huh. Why doesn’t that make me feel any better?”

“I don’t know. But, that’s not the only reason I stopped by. Joe is down with the flu today, so I’ll drive for him. That way you don’t have to stop working in the garage to cover for him.”

Sitting down on the edge of the desk, Archer studied him. “You sure? You don’t have something else you’d rather do?”

Todd Bennett pushed to his feet and strode to stand before him. One large hand settled upon his shoulder. “I know it’s now your business, son, but I’m here to help. I’ve got the towing end covered unless we really get backed up. You go ahead on and work in the shop, I know you’ve got a few things waiting for your attention.”

“Thanks, Pa. Dani will be in soon to handle dispatch.”

“Dani? Is she still single?”

Archer groaned and got to his feet, coffee in hand. “I believe she is and no, before you ask, I don’t want to date her. There’s nothing wrong with her, she’s just not the one for me.”

“You’ll be my age at the rate you’re going before you have kids. What the hell are you looking for in a woman anyway that you’ve not found yet?”

Who says I haven’t found it?
“Now’s not the time for this, Pa.”

“It never is with you,” his dad groused.

Another barely muffled groan left him as he departed the office area and entered the garage. Turning on some music, he pulled on the blue service shirt he worked in and had the first car up on the lift within moments. It wasn’t too long before everyone had come in and they were all working. The trucks were out on calls and the workers left at the garage were busy on the vehicles they had there.

Time passed and, close to closing, Archer was by his truck when a tingle ran up his spine. Lifting his head, he watched as a green Jeep pulled in. The stiffening in his pants told him all he needed to know—it never failed, his body always knew when Delicia was around. He watched her climb out and look around.

Damn, she made that look good. She wore her uniform, a short sleeved light blue shirt and reflective EMS trousers. Her hair was back in a French braid and he longed to release it. Licking his lips, he shut his truck door and ambled over to where she stood talking to Mark, another one of his mechanics—a trainee actually, but he was a quick learner.

“Delicia,” he said upon his approach.

Her amazing brown eyes, reminding him of chocolate mousse, flicked up and widened slightly. “Mr Bennett,” she responded.

He disliked her calling him Mr Bennett but let it go for the moment. It was her thing, what she did when others were near. “Something I can help you with?”

Mark took the hint and walked away, leaving them alone. She looked just about everywhere else, except at him. And Archer realised she was nervous around him.

“Delicia?” he asked, stepping closer and inhaling the scent of tangerines that surrounded her.

“Hi…umm…I’m sorry to stop by without a…um…appointment, but I needed my oil changed, if possible.”

“Of course. I’ll do it for you right now.”

Her gaze flew up to meet his and he sent her what he hoped was a disarming smile. His cock stirred when her tongue sneaked out and wet her lips.

“If you’re sure. I don’t want to make anyone stay late.”

He held her stare. “It’s fine. Keys in the ignition?”

“Yes.”

“Go on in to the waiting room and have a seat. I’ll be done in no time.”

Reaching out, he turned her and gave her a gentle nudge towards the main door. The urge to draw her closer and kiss her swarmed him. He clenched his hands into fists and repressed the desire. Instead he just watched her walk towards the door and with one look back at him, she slipped inside.

Archer walked to her Jeep and paused right before getting behind the wheel. A throat clearing behind him pulled his attention from the vehicle. He turned to find Mark there.

“Want me to get this one, Risk?”

“No, it’s okay, Mark. I got it.”

A knowing smile curved up Mark’s lips and he narrowed his gaze in response. “Sure thing, boss. I’ll go clear a bay for you.” Hand outstretched, he offered the plastic seat cover then walked off.

“Do that,” he muttered, protecting the seat then getting behind the wheel.

Delicia had a six-speed Wrangler and he could tell she did a lot of outdoors stuff—her vehicle was decked out for it. There was nothing girly about this Jeep. And he liked it. Before long, he was draining the oil and checking air pressure on her tyres. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see his employees watching him closely.

“What?” he asked Mark who continued to hover around.

“Nothing.”

With a grunt, Archer looked at Mark. A seventeen year old boy who had been working here since he was fourteen. The kid was a whiz with cars and loved nothing more than working on them, despite only having been actually working on cars for a year—before that he’d cleaned up around the shop.

“You sure seem to be interested in what I’m doing for a man who’s claiming nothing. You got nothing else to do?”

“Well, it’s just that…how well do you know Lis?”

Biting back his growl at the familiar way Mark spoke about Delicia, he swallowed. “What are you looking to know?”

“I…I…” A flush moved up the boy’s dark cheeks and he figured it out.

“She’s older than you, you know.” Archer poured in the oil.

“I know, but…”

“She’s got a man, too, Mark. I’m sorry.” He capped it and wiped his hands off on a rag from his pocket.

“She does?” He sighed. “Who?”

Waiting until the young man looked at him, Archer then said, “Me.”

He stepped from the hood and slammed it shut. Going to the driver’s side, he got in and drove through and around to the front. Once in the waiting room, he walked up to where Delicia sat thumbing through a magazine and said, “You’re all set.”

Chapter Two

Delicia looked up at the sound of Archer’s deep timbre. The moisture in her mouth vanished as she stared at him.
This man is just too damn fine
. With what she hoped was a normal smile, she pushed to her feet and stood before him.

“Wow. That was fast. Thank you. For taking me.” Okay,
that
was not supposed to be said. She squeezed her eyes shut and wished she were anywhere but where she was. “I mean, for taking care of my car.”

His gaze burnt hot when she met it again and there was this hint of knowing within the depths of his eyes. “No problem. Anytime, Delicia.”

Pulses of electricity moved along her skin at his tone and words. “I…I should get going so I don’t hold you up any more.”

She slid past him and moved towards to the counter where she paid. Archer was there when she finished and paced her to the door. “I’ll walk you out,” he murmured.

Delicia didn’t comment, she figured everyone was already watching them, so why open her mouth and say something else stupid to increase gossip. Silence was between them until she stood beside her Jeep.

“Have dinner with me,” he said, placing a hand on her arm.

Turning to face him, she blinked a few times, unsure if she’d been hearing things or not. The sincerity in his eyes told her that she hadn’t made any mistake on that front.

“What?”
Jesus, there I go again. Why can’t I just sound intelligent around him?

He stepped closer and lowered his head. “You heard me, Delicia. Have dinner with me.”

She found it incredibly difficult to concentrate when he stood so close, surrounding her with his heat and the mixed scents of cocoa beans and slightly smoky wood, with warm, flinty accents. The urge to touch and explore his muscled physique ran roughshod over her.