Page 27 of Creed

“No helmet?” I was hesitant.

He shook his head. “Not today, it’s legal to ride without one in Indiana.”

“But that’s stupid.” I crossed my arms.

“I don’t just carry around extra helmets, Morgan. It’s fine just get on.” He ordered.

“You might have a death wish, but I don’t.”

His lips lifted to a half smile. “Are you really too chicken shit to ride a fucking bike?”

I glared at him. “I don’t even know you and you expect me to put my life into your hands?”

He lifted one shoulder into a shrug. “I guess if you want to live your life always playing it safe and never taking chances that’s your decision. Have fun with Darren after I call him.”

“Ugh, you’re such an asshole!” I gave in and stepped closer. He leaned forward so I could swing my leg over and sit on the almost non-existent back seat. There wasn’t even anything behind me to lean on and the seat felt hard.

“This must be the most uncomfortable bike ever.” I complained as I took in what must be his own custom scent. It was a cologne or aftershave I never smelled on a man before. It was confusing because the rich earthy masculine scent calmed me for some reason. He started the bike, then reached back for my hands then pulled them around so I was pretty much hugging him.

“Hold on!” He yelled over the engine, but like the completely weak woman I tried to hide when I was around him, my mind was somewhere completely different. The amount of hard muscle I felt under his t-shirt mixed with his unbelievable scent left my mind completely blank of rational thought. He backed the bike up by using his legs, then put it in gear before he slowly took off. He looked both ways before entering the old county road, then gunned it. As sure as shit, he just had to freak me the fuck out. As I screamed for him to slow down, I could feel his stomach muscles like he was laughing at me. “You’re an asshole!” I screamed.

He nodded in agreement as he laughed at me. He had to stop at a stop sign, and I ripped into him. “You may not think much of me, but at least understand that I’m scared of not having a helmet. At least pretend to have some respect!”

It wasn’t my first time on a bike. I was on them for movies, but Uncle Darren took me for rides on his bike. Neverhad I ever rode without a helmet. Thankfully I had sunglasses on, but my hair kept slapping me in the face and eyes because I forgot to put it up. I was too scared to let go of him and dig a hair tie from my pocket.

When we made it to the main intersection, he didn’t go left toward the lake. “Where are you taking me?” I screamed over the wind and the engine. He said something but I couldn’t hear him. I suddenly wondered if I was the victim of a kidnapping situation. “Turn this bike around!” I screamed, but he just kept driving.

I gave him hell until I realized where he was headed. “The falls? Are you kidding me?” I screamed but felt him shrug. Eventually, he stopped and dug his wallet out to pay the park ranger the fee into the state park. That one move had me on alarm because is pocket was way too close to the top of my inner thigh.

He took me an entire county away from where we were supposed to go. He handed the park ranger money, and the ranger gave him a ticket before he took off slowly. I realized he wasn’t actually kidnapping me, but why were we at the park?

His motorcycle sounded even louder as he drove the paved road through the woods. I calmed, took in his scent and went back to thinking about the muscular body in front of me. My body was pressed against his and all I could think about were things I had no business thinking about a man that hated me.

Eventually, he parked his bike and cut off the engine. “What are we doing here?” I was acting pissed, but I might have been okay with it. He had to be a smarter man than to have left a trail of evidence leading to where he took me to kill me.

“Clearing the air. You can step off now.” He said.

I did as I was told and once I was standing on the ground, that felt like it was vibrating, he put the kickstand out and leaned the bike on it. He looked over at me. “I owe Darren and if I’m going to help with your friend and her kid, we need to get a few things straight.”

I remembered my hair and reached up to feel nothing but knots. Great, just great. I couldn’t have imagined how bad it looked. I crossed my arms and glared at him. “Like why you hate me even though you don’t know me?” I dug in my pocket and pulled out a hair tie.

He swung his leg around and stood. “I don’t hate you specifically, just your type. Come on, let’s go see the falls.” He walked toward the dirt path.

“My type? What the hell does that mean?” I kept following him down the path.

He stopped and turned to look at me. “The world you live in and the world I come from aren’t that much different. Neither are as big as you might think. I’ve met and known people like you, so we need to come to an understanding. There is no being fake with me. This isn’t Hollywood, so there’s no reason for you to pretend around me. I hate fake people, and since Darren wants me involved in bringing your friend home, I want to know who the hell I’m really helping.”

“Pretend around you?” I had to stop and think about it for a moment then I started laughing.

“You think this is funny?” He glared down at me with those gorgeous turquoise eyes.

I nodded. “Very funny.” I calmed my laugh. “I’ve worked in one way or another in Hollywood for twenty three of my twenty nine years. In that time, I’ve only made one truefriend. Why is what you may ask? It’s because I’m the snobby bitch of Hollywood. Yeah, being labeled the snobbiest bitch in Hollywood by the snobbiest bitches in the world says a little something, doesn’t it?” I walked around him and headed toward the falls.

“Yeah, it says you’re the top bitch.” He said as he walked behind me.

I stopped walking and turned to face him. “It means I think I’m better than them, and it’s true. I didn’t take the easy route in my career. Never once did I suck a dick to get a part in a movie. I never slept my way into fame. In fact, I’ve dated two guys my entire life. An amazing young man that grew up to be an equally amazing adult. And then a world history teacher that had nothing to do with Hollywood. My red carpet appearances have been either on the arm of my best friend out there, my brother, my father, or my uncle. I’ve never attended after parties, or had any other women as friends. Want to know why?” I asked. I wasn’t sure why I cared so much to prove myself to him.

He shrugged.

---