Beauty & the Biker (17 page)

“I don’t think I’ll ever recover from throwing up in front of you.”

“I’ve lost count of the times I’ve seen people hurl. Trust me. I’m not offended. Or impressed.”

She raised a brow at that while popping a mint.

“I had a rookie partner once. Lost it on a gruesome crime scene after devouring three chili dogs less than a half hour before.”

She “ewed”, but she laughed. “Sorry. That wasn’t funny.”

“Yeah. It was. A timely tension breaker. Becker did us a favor, the poor schmuck.”

Her grin widened. “You have a sense of humor. What else are you hiding from me?”

“Only everything. You’ll like me better that way.”

“I don’t believe that.”

He studied her sweet face, knowing he was in trouble, but at the moment, not caring. “When do you want to move in?”

“I thought you were set against a boarder.”

“I’m more set against Carson.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“I believe you. This is temporary.”

“Until I find solo lodging.

“Until Carson gets a clue.”

She glanced at the stage. “Maybe I should move in pronto.”

“That would be my vote.” A day ago, he’d been adamant about maintaining his privacy. That obsession crumbled the moment he’d witnessed Anderson laying hands on Bella. Joe’s mind had exploded with twisted memories and projections. Claiming Bella as a housemate—under his watch and protection—had been instinctual.

Her phone chimed and after apologizing for the interruption she quickly scanned a text. “It’s Chrissy. They want to know if I’m okay.” She thumbed a message then glanced at Joe. “I told them everything’s fine. Proposal voided. Enjoy the concert. I’m leaving with biker dude. More later.”

“Biker dude?”

She flushed and focused back on her phone. “I need to call Dad.”

Joe gave her space, eyeing the stage and the bleachers beyond. He found the chaos invigorating after several days of solitude. He hadn’t expected that. The music—bluegrass—though not his style, was smokin’ good. He tried to focus on the upbeat song instead of Bella’s conversation with Archie. Banjo, guitar, fiddle, upright bass. He was enough of a musical fan to recognize the instruments if not the melody. Infectious as it was, Bella’s voice, her presence and essence, proved far more addictive. Instead of losing himself in the song’s lyrics, he marveled at her ability to bring her dad up to date without revealing tense details or the extent of her upset. She glossed over moving out of the Mooney home and in with Joe with stunning ease. No wonder Archie was ignorant of Bella’s innermost feelings. She gave nothing up.

“Good to go,” she said, and Joe realized she was talking to him.

He turned as she slipped her purple phone into that bright pink messenger bag. Princess Rainbow—the perpetual ruler of optimism and cheer.

“Dad respects my decision to move out. He says you’re not so bad and could use a friend.”

“Huh.”

“I told him it was strictly platonic, of course. Temporary. Convenient. It helps that you were a cop. Dad fiercely respects soldiers and lawmen. If you can’t trust a man who swore to serve and protect…”

“Don’t put me on that pedestal.”

“But—”

“I am that bad.”

“I don’t believe it.”

Joe’s heart kicked. “Blind optimism is dangerous, Bella.”

She squinted, needling those bright eyes into his dark soul. “I’m safe with you.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Not blind optimism. Fact.”

“A crème puff with a dragon’s heart.” Joe cupped her cheek, losing himself in her guileless, blue gaze. “You’re an enigma, Bella Mooney.”

Her cheeks flushed. “That makes us a good match, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know what to think.”

“That’s probably for the best. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re sort of jaded.”

“Just a little.”

“Are you thinking about kissing me?”

“I’m thinking about more than that.”

“Oh.”

“Not interested?”

“You’re kidding, right? I’m guessing my attraction to you is embarrassingly obvious. But I just, you know…” She gestured to the defiled bushes and popped another mint. “My forehead and hands are bandaged and I’m sort of sweaty from the sun and showdown and… You’re right. I ramble when I’m nervous. You were great with Melody by the way,” she said, jumping tracks. “A cartoonish fairy.” She grinned. “You said you didn’t draw stuff like that.”

Now it was Joe’s turn to color. “Yeah, well.” He dragged a hand through his hair feeling like a bumbling jackass. Melody had pushed a lot of panic buttons, but she’d also stirred his crippled heart. “I was inspired.”

Bella hugged him. It was the second time she’d blown him away with that simple gesture of affection. It felt awkward and so damned good, he wanted to bottle the sensation for future comfort. Instead, he kissed the top of her head. “Ready to blow this place?”

“Yes. No.” She sighed against his chest. “There’s something I need to do first.”

* * *

I’m fierce. I’m fierce. I’m fierce
.

If Bella had her druthers, she would have skipped visiting the quilting club booth. But that would have been cowardly. Not to mention rude to her Aunt Eva and the other members of the group. So she’d swung by for a quick, but cordial hello. Savage hung back as she’d made small talk while complimenting the various quilting projects. Blankets, pillows, purses, hats, and cozies. Although her mom had been a genius with fabric and a needle, it had never been one of Bella’s talents—which made her appreciate the stitched crafts all the more.

She’d held up well until she spied the quirky, vibrant one-of-a-kind, pieced-quilt hand-stitched by her mom. Laura Mooney’s last completed project. Months ago, Eva had offered to return the blanket to Bella, but Bella knew her mom had stitched that intricate quilt as a fundraiser for the club’s favorite charity. Aside from the exemplary craftsmanship, this colorful piece held sentimental value to anyone who had known Laura Mooney. That meant everyone in Nowhere and the majority of Dawes County. Keeping it for herself would have been selfish and it wasn’t as if Bella didn’t own several other items created by her mom. She’d been fine with letting the blanket go for the greater good. Even now she was fine with that decision. However, seeing it on grand display—a recipient of four silent bids thus far—intensified her sentimental attachment, making the noble gesture less easy.

Her mom would never stitch another craft. She’d never showcase her wares alongside her friends at the Arts and Fiddlers Festival. Or any other festival.

If nothing ever changed, there’d be no butterflies.

This was the end, no, the beginning of a new era. An era without Laura Mooney. Even though she’d been gone for several months, her influence lingered. Those proverbs. Her goodness. Bella was only now fully accepting this new phase of life. Visiting the quilting booth had been her way of paying her last respects. Tomorrow she was getting out of her dad’s hair and moving in with Savage. Tomorrow, she’d be forging ahead with her life. Pursuing an impossible dream. The Carson glitch notwithstanding, she was pumped and anxious and just happy enough about moving on to feel a little guilty.

I’m fierce. I’m fierce. I’m fierce
.

Somehow, magically, blessedly, she stepped away from the booth with a smile. Without a word, Savage guided her through the crowd to his Avenging Angel.

“When I’m in a funk,” he finally said, “I hit the road for a long ride. Lightens the spirit.”

“I’m not…” She blew out a breath. “Oh, who am I fooling? Certainly not you. Probably not my Aunt Eva or the other ladies of the quilting club. I was doing okay until the end there. I’m not sad or depressed. I’m excited about a new phase of my life, about looking forward instead of back. About exhibiting derring-do and grabbing the golden ring. But then I started feeling guilty about how happy I am and that put me in this, as you called it, funk.”

“Ever spent an hour with a potent beast between your legs?”

“Um…”

He handed her the spare helmet, adjusting the chin strap after she pulled it on, and then donned his own gear.

Bella’s stomach fluttered as Savage straddled his bike. Her skin tingled as he reached out, helping her climb up onto the slightly elevated seat behind him.

“Put your arms around me and hold tight,” he said. “When you achieve euphoria, give me a squeeze.”

Chapter Fourteen

Once upon a Sunday…

“We’ve done a lot of crazy things together,” Georgie said. “But this is, by far, the squirreliest. Delivering a lamb to a lion on a platter. Geesh.”

“Considering he drew that adorable picture for Mel, I’m trying to give Savage the benefit of the doubt.” Chrissy used her hip to shove another box into the back of the Suburban she’d borrowed from Zeke. “But it ain’t easy.”

Bella frowned, gently wedging her laptop case alongside her other belongings. “If you don’t want to help—”

“As if I’d refuse you anything,” Georgie said. “Ever. I just wish you were moving in with me or Angel.”

“Or me,” Chrissy said.

“Or me,” Emma said, adding Bella’s sole suitcase to the mix.

“Someone you know and trust,” Angel said, parking Bella’s bicycle alongside their borrowed transport.

Bella crooked a brow. “You mean someone you know and trust.”

“Same thing,” Georgie said.

Bella took a breath, telling herself that her friends meant well. They really did. The Inseparables had been looking out for one another for years. It’s just that this was the first time goody-two-shoes, do-gooder Bella had pulled anything remotely rebel like. Her life had taken an exciting spin ever since that face-off with Savage. Ever since she’d applied for her Impossible Dream. Not to mention the turn of events were happening at lightning speed. In less than a week, she’d made peace with her mom, broken with Carson, reached a tentative agreement with her dad, and fallen hard for a former cop with a mysterious past and mad artistry skills. Oh. And she was moving in with said artist on this glorious, sunshiny day.

Angel inspected the crammed storage space of Zeke’s SUV. “For a temporary move you’re sure taking an awful lot of stuff.”

Bella disagreed. “Not really. Linens, pillows, toiletries, clothes, shoes, books, assorted other personal items. Just enough to make my room feel like my room.”

“You haven’t even seen your room,” Emma said. “You haven’t been inside that house period. Who moves into a place sight unseen?”

“A person blinded by love,” Georgie said.

“Or lust,” Chrissy said. “Either way, indulging in reckless infatuation is dangerous.”

“You did it,” Bella said with a pointed look at her cousin.

Chrissy colored and Bella instantly regretted the reference to the spontaneous affair that had resulted in the birth of Melody.

“I don’t think your bike’s going to fit in the back,” Angel blurted.

“Zeke mounted a rack on the front grill,” Emma said while grabbing the old Schwinn. “Come on, let’s load this puppy up.”

Georgie followed, leaving Bella alone with Chrissy.

“That was insensitive of me,” Bella said.

Chrissy shook her head. “No. I’m the jerk here. Ever since we were kids, no matter my decisions—good or bad—you’ve always been my biggest champion. I should be supporting this thing with Savage, instead of dooming it to failure. I’m just… I’m worried. Sure it was nice of him to show at the festival. He gave your dad a lift, gave Carson hell, and, yeah, he was pretty good with Mel. And, from what you said on our video chat last night, he helped you ride off the blues then dropped you here at home when he could have whisked you back to his place for the nasty.”

“I have to admit, I was primed,” Bella said remembering how she’d leaned into Savage’s delicious body as they’d raced down the deserted stretch of road. The sun. The wind. The power and vibrations.

“Ever spent an hour with a potent beast between your legs?”

Now she had. The sensation was somewhere between numbing and orgasmic.

“Listen.” Bella reached out and grasped her cousin’s hand. “Savage may be a hard-ass ex-cop with big-ass chip on his shoulder who also—to my amazement—has, um, a thing for me—”

“I believe I used the word boner,” Chrissy said with a slight grin, “but go on.”

“—but he’s also a gentlemen. We’ve shared a couple of amazing kisses, but that’s it.”

“What’s this about kisses?” Georgie asked as the group reunited.

“Nothing you don’t already know,” Bella said.

“Bella’s trying to convince me that Savage is harmless,” Chrissy said.

“I’m betting anyone who ever crossed him or harmed an innocent would swear otherwise.” Emma angled her head. “He was a big city cop, Bella. Tangled with criminals. I’d like to know why he left the force.”

Georgie fussed with her lopsided ponytail. “I bet Ryan could find out.”

“I’m not comfortable with that,” Bella said.

“But you’re curious,” Georgie said.