Page 10 of No Reason to Trust

He put it on his head, and it fit perfectly. Sighing, he pulled the chin strap tight and slid onto the seat behind her. “Let’s go.”

“You know you have to hold on to me,” she said. She grabbed one of his hands and wrapped it around her waist. “Other one, too,” she said, sounding way too chipper about this. Like she was really enjoying tormenting him.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ve ridden on bikes before.” He twined his other arm around her waist, looked for the footrests and said, “I’m good to go.”

“Okay, then. Hold tight.”

His fingers tightened into the sweater she wore, pressing into her abdomen. She was clearly fit -- her abs were firm. Hard. And he wondered what they would taste like if he put his mouth on them.

Wondered how she’d react to his mouth on her belly. Would she moan? Suck in her breath? Would she writhe beneath his mouth?

Ollivia? She’d try to knock his block off.

What the hell was he thinking about Livvy’s belly for, anyway? Time to get his mind off Olivia and the way she’d taste. She pressed the accelerator and the bike leapt forward. He tightened his grip on her as the air streamed over his helmet. Cool air kissed the edges of his cheeks that weren’t covered by the face guard. The bike rumbled with that distinctive Harley sound, and he found himself pressing even closer to Olivia.

The ride was over far too soon as she pulled into the parking structure at the Excelsior. She found a spot to park and turned off the engine. Kicked down the stand and waited for Jake to get off the bike. Then she threw her leg over the seat and slid off.

Livvy was a lot more graceful than he’d been, but at least he hadn’t embarrassed himself by falling onto the concrete floor. He unbuckled the helmet and handed it to her, and she arranged both helmets in the storage compartment. Then she pocketed the key and began walking toward the hotel door.

He trotted after her to open the door -- his mother would smack him if he let a woman open a door herself. Once they were in the lobby, he turned to her and asked, “Wait down here for fifteen minutes or so? I need to shower.”

She raised one eyebrow. “You don’t want me to wait in your room?”

“Hell, no, Williams. I’m afraid that seeing my naked chest would make you lose control of yourself. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes or so.” He headed toward the bar, glancing over his shoulder. “What can I get you to drink while you wait?”

“Iced tea,” she said.

“Really? Nothing stronger? You’ll probably need it, talking to me.”

“I’ll take my chances, Dunbar. Iced tea is good. I’ve gotta ride back to the compound.”

“You got it.” He asked the bartender for a glass of iced tea, and the guy pointed Jake toward a beverage machine against the wall. Jake drew a glass of iced tea, grabbed a couple of packets of sweetener, and took them over to Olivia.

“I’ll be right back down,” he said.

“Take your time,” she said, pulling her phone out of her pants pocket. “I’ll be fine.”

Jake raced through his shower, threw on clean clothes and hurried down to the lounge. Livvy was sitting in a corner booth, scrolling through her phone, her iced tea half empty on the table. He slid into the other side of the booth as one of the attendants put an array of covered dishes on the buffet table.

“You want something to eat?” he asked. “They serve snacky stuff in the evening.”

“I don’t need you to buy me dinner,” she said.

He rolled his eyes. “Get off your high horse, Livvy,” he said. “You don’t want anything from me. I get it. But the food is free for guests. And their guests. I’m hungry, so I’m gonna get something to eat.”

He slid out of the booth without looking at Livvy again. She was taking this ‘enemies’ thing way too far.

He filled a plate with salmon sliders, salad and some roasted cauliflower. When he turned to sit down, he was surprised to see Livvy fixing a plate for herself.

Evil Jake wanted to gloat when she sat down with a loaded plate, but he merely nodded at her. He was surprised to see she’d chosen almost the exact same things as he did, exchanging green beans for cauliflower.

They ate in surprisingly companionable silence until their plates were empty, then they both went up for dessert. Jake ordered a glass of wine from the bartender.

When he sat back down, he caught Livvy eyeing his wine. “You want a glass?” he asked.

“If I do, I’ll get it myself,” she said.

“Be my guest,” he said. “But I wouldn’t be buying it for you. The Bureau would. And I’d say they owe you a glass of wine after the way Nelson hung you out to dry.”

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