The Betrayal (26 page)

When she emerged into the living room, Declan eyed her with appreciation. His gaze paused at her chest. Excitement fluttered deep in her belly.

Her gaze swept over him, taking into account his fresh attire. He now wore a pair of black jeans and a T-shirt that hugged him like a second skin, emphasizing the broad expanse of his toned chest. In each hand, he held a helmet.

He grinned and she felt it all the way down to her core.

“Ready?”

CHAPTER 21

The night sky, sprinkled with starlight, surrounded him when Declan wheeled the bike out of his garage and flicked down the stand. The glow from the streetlights nearby illuminated the paved driveway and glanced off the tall hedge of Murraya that bordered the edge of his apartment block. It was laden with sweet-smelling flowers. He breathed in deeply of the orange-scented air.

Chloe sidled closer, a mixture of anticipation and panic warring in her eyes. He swept another appreciative glance over her tight T-shirt and even tighter jeans.

Blood pulsed into his groin and his body hardened. Images of her bent naked over his bike flooded his mind and he squeezed his eyes shut against the tempting fantasy. He’d promised her a ride on his motorbike and a ride she would get.

Thrusting the erotic thoughts aside, he climbed onto the Ducati and adjusted his weight on the seat.

“Swing your leg over and hold onto me around the waist.”

She looked at the bike dubiously and hitched up her jeans. He swallowed a smile.

“You’ll need to come a bit closer. Those jeans don’t have a lot of give in them.”

Even in the dimness, he saw her blush, but she looked at the bike with determination and holding onto his arm, she hoisted herself onto the bike.

“That’a girl! I knew you could do it. Now, put your arms around my waist and enjoy the ride.”

Pressing the electric start button, he opened the throttle and enjoyed the familiar rumble of power that roared out of the engine. Kicking it down into first gear, he eased the machine out of the driveway and onto the road. The evening traffic was light and Declan made good time, zipping through the darkened streets of his neighborhood.

Within minutes, he was on the main road that became the freeway north to Sydney. He leaned forward and opened up the throttle, enjoying the familiar rush of exhilaration.

Chloe was silent behind him, but he took that as a good sign. Her death grip around his waist during the first few miles had eased to a comfortable embrace. Conversation over the noise of the bike was impossible and he hoped she was enjoying the intoxicating freedom of being almost one with the elements as much as he was.

They rode in comfortable seclusion, cocooned by the night. Declan tried to concentrate on keeping the bike riding smoothly along the highway, but the feel of her body pressed up against his kept distracting him. He cursed aloud when he hit another pothole.

Sighting a truck stop up ahead, he slowed the bike down and indicated to take the turn. A few minutes later, they cruised to a stop. Careful to keep the bike balanced, he held the machine upright while his passenger alighted.

Chloe fiddled with her chinstrap and tugged her helmet off. Declan removed his too and grinned at her.

“What do you think? Are you cut out to be a bikie moll?”

The lights from the truck stop illuminated the blush that stole into her cheeks. She gave him a wide grin.

“That was
fantastic!
I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared and so exhilarated in all of my life. How come nobody ever told me how thrilling one of these can be?” she said, nodding toward the Ducati.

Declan’s grin widened, his insides warming from her enthusiasm. “I don’t know. All I can say is, you’ve lived a sheltered life, Senior Investigator Sabattini.”

Chloe nodded soberly, her eyes twinkling. “I think you might be right, Federal Agent Munro.”

Although it wasn’t that late, they were the only motorists outside the truck stop. Declan glanced through the brightly lit glass windows of the building and spied a bored attendant slouched behind the counter, his gaze fixed on something in his hand. Declan indicated the shop with his chin. “Do you want to grab a Coke or make a bathroom stop?”

“A Coke sounds good, thanks.”

Dismounting from the bike, he wheeled it off to one side, out of the way of any other traffic and kicked the stand down.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” he said and walked toward the store. Moments later, he handed a cold can to Chloe. She cracked it open and took a long gulp.

“Ah, that tastes lovely.”

“Doesn’t it just?” he said. “And what about the night? Could it be any more mild? Perfect motorcycling weather.” He winked at her. “Glad you came?”

Chloe tilted her head and peered up at the blanket of sparkling stars that surrounded them.

“It’s so beautiful out here.” She looked back at him, her expression turning serious. “I’m
so
glad I came. Thank you for asking me.”

He grinned back at her. “Thank you for coming.” His gaze locked with hers. Heat flooded to his groin and his heart rate picked up its pace in response. Chloe was the first to look away.

“The stars seem so close out here. Almost as if I could reach out and pluck one out of the sky.”

Declan forced his lascivious thoughts aside and concentrated on her words. “Yeah, it’s hard to believe it’s the same sky we gaze at in the city. With all the buildings and lights and all the other man-made paraphernalia crowding Canberra, it’s easy to forget all of this is up there.”

“It is,” Chloe agreed. “A chandelier of stars. It’s nice to take time out every now and then and appreciate it.” She took another mouthful of Coke. “How often do you take your bike out?”

“Not as often as I’d like. And not once since the charges were laid. My head’s been too crowded with everything else going on. A bike like this requires concentration. I didn’t want to risk an injury.”

“Well, I’m honored to have been taken along.”

Declan stepped closer and brushed a loose strand of hair off her face. “Just so you know, apart from my sister, you’re the first girl I’ve ever doubled on it.”

His hand cradled her cheek and his thumb stroked her smooth skin. Her eyes widened and her breath caught on a soft gasp. His chest tightened with emotion and his body hardened with anticipation. This time, he refused to be denied. Drawing her up against him, he kissed her.

His lips moved slowly at first, tasting the sweetness of the Coke on her lips. His tongue skimmed inside her mouth and delved deeper. She moaned against his lips and he tightened his hold on her, cursing the half empty can in his hand that restricted his ability to draw her closer.

She moved against him, and he felt her inhibitions dissolving. Her arms went around his neck and he luxuriated in the feeling of her breasts pressed against his chest. He deepened the kiss, knowing that this was madness, but unable to stop himself. He could hardly bend her over the back of his bike in the shadows of the truck stop, no matter how much he wanted to.

Ice-cold liquid ran down his neck and inside the collar of his T-shirt. He tensed and pulled slightly away. Another gush of liquid dampened his skin.

Chloe’s arms fell away from around his neck. “Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry. I’ve spilled my drink all over you.”

Declan tugged at the wet fabric behind his head, the smile on his face belying his scowl.

Chloe covered her mouth with her hand in an attempt to stem her amusement, but Declan wasn’t fooled. In a single stride, he closed the distance between them again and grabbed her around the waist, spinning her around until she had her back against his chest.

With his other hand, he upended the rest of his Coke down the front of her shirt. She squealed and tried to pull out of his hold, but he only grinned and tightened his grip.

Her T-shirt was soaked. Her nipples hardened from the contact. Blood rushed to his groin. He groaned under his breath and wondered what kind of hell he’d made for himself.

Loosening his hold, he tossed the empty can into a nearby trash can and then returned his attention to her. She was brushing ineffectually at the large brown stain that graced the front of her shirt.

She looked up at him and smiled. “I hope your sister doesn’t ask you how her shirt got stained.”

Desire pulsed heavily between his legs. His cock lay rock-hard against his jeans. They were miles from home and his comfortable bed, but try as he might, he couldn’t get the image of her spread naked across his bike out of his head.

He stared at her, unable to hide the emotion that held him transfixed. “You’re nipples are hard.”

She sauntered toward him, desire flickering in her eyes. Reaching out, her fingers pressed against his jeans and tightened about his erection. Shock and desire ignited in his veins. He stood rooted to the spot.

“They’re not the only thing that’s hard,” she murmured, giving him another squeeze.

Declan grabbed her hand and held it against his cock. He couldn’t believe how brazen she was and from the look on her face, neither could she. Not that he was complaining. He couldn’t get enough.

“I’ve been fantasizing about you bent over the Ducati naked, with my cock buried deep inside you.”

She gasped and blushed, but she held his gaze and Declan’s desire for her skyrocketed.

“I want to feel you inside me,” she murmured, her gaze fixed on his chest. “I’ve never felt this way before. All hot and funny and…tingly. I want to touch myself, relieve the pressure down there and then I think about you and I want
you
to touch me there.”

Declan was going to explode. No woman had ever made him feel so wanted. Sex had been something he’d enjoyed without much thought or effort. He’d never stopped to analyze how he felt about
it or the women he’d been with. Even with his long-time ex-girlfriend, Alice, sex had been a mutually satisfying pastime that he’d never spent much time contemplating.

But with Chloe, it was different. He wanted to talk about everything that was happening to him, everything she made him feel and he wanted to know what was happening to her and what she was feeling. Listening to her halting admissions aroused him more than he could ever remember and he wanted more of it. Much more.

But not here.
Not in the middle of a truck stop where anyone could pull in without a moment’s notice. And not over the back of his bike, no matter how tempting. At least, not for their first time.

He wanted comfort and privacy and time to get to know every inch of her delectable body and even more delectable mind.

Yes, at thirty-four years of age, he’d had a sudden revelation. Sex was just as much about the mind as it was about the body, perhaps even more so. And it had taken Chloe for him to discover that.

A frown marred the smooth skin of her forehead and her eyes clouded with uncertainty. Realizing he hadn’t responded to her admission, he cursed silently under his breath and drew her hard against him.

“You won’t believe how much your words turn me on, sweetheart. I’m so hard for you, I feel like I’m going to come in my jeans. In fact, I’m not sure how the hell I’m going to climb back on that bike and ride all the way home. I’m going to break every speed limit and hope like hell the highway patrol are on their break because I’ll be flouting the speed limits to get us home. When I get you back, I’m going to spend the rest of the night loving you like you deserve—on a mattress, with clean sheets, flowers, champagne.”

She looked up and offered him a soft smile. “Flowers and champagne? Really?”

He smiled back down at her. “Okay, probably not flowers and champagne. I’m a little unprepared on that scale, but I can definitely offer you a cold beer and a super-firm bed.”

Her smile widened. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yes.”

“Because if you don’t want to, that’s all right. I mean, just because I said what I said, doesn’t mean we have to—”

She placed a finger across his lips and they stilled. His gut clenched at the softness of her skin and he breathed in the heady scent of her.

“I want to. I think I’ve wanted to from the moment I saw you.”

Hot need ricocheted through his veins. His cock throbbed painfully. He drew her hard against him and ground his hips against hers.

“Do you feel how much I want you?” he murmured.

She pressed even tighter against him and reached up to draw his head down to hers. Their lips met in a fiery kiss that he felt all the way to his balls.

Gasping for breath, he broke off the kiss and tried to regain some control.

“Whoa, sweetheart. Any more like that and we mightn’t make it back to my apartment. Let’s get going before I change my mind about doing it in this truck stop car park.”

Chloe’s arms fell away and he suddenly felt bereft. Stepping backwards, he waited for her to catch her breath then helped her with her helmet. Tugging his own in place, he secured it under his chin.

After making sure she was all set, he kicked up the stand and climbed astride the Ducati. Chloe hitched up her jeans and swung her leg over and within moments they were on the freeway headed for home.

* * *

The powerful motorbike ate up the miles and it seemed hardly any time at all before Declan pulled into his driveway and cut the engine. Chloe’s belly somersaulted with nerves and excitement at the thought of what lay ahead.

Declan helped her off the bike and undid the chin strap on her helmet before lifting it off her head. Removing his, he hung both of them off one of the handlebars and wheeled the Ducati into the communal garage under the building.

Chloe followed him more slowly. Never before had she gone home with a man for the sole purpose of having sex. Both experiences she’d had in college had occurred in her room after she’d invited her dates in for a drink. She’d known then what was going to happen, of course, but she’d been barely out of her teens and the men hadn’t been any older.

Now she was thirty. A grown woman, but not nearly as worldly as the average thirty-year-old. Most women her age would know exactly how to take the lead. Chloe didn’t have a clue. She suddenly felt panicky and way out of her depth.