Page 38 of Tempted By the Alpha Outlaw

He turns to face me fully, leaning against the bench with his arms crossed, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I think you’re a lot of things, Magnolia,” he says, his voice dipping lower. “But I don’t know if an early riser is one of them.”

I pretend to consider this, letting my gaze flick down to the wrench in his hand before meeting his eyes again. “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see,” I say.

His brow lifts slightly, like he’s trying to figure out what game I’m playing. “Wait and see, huh?”

“Unless you’re scared I’ll leave you in the dust,” I add, the words slipping out before I can think better of them. My heart is pounding now, but I refuse to let it show.

Colt blinks, clearly taken aback. He studies me for a moment before the corner of his mouth curves into a smile. “I’d like to see you try.”

I shrug, keeping my expression as neutral as I can manage. “Guess we’ll find out tomorrow.”

He chuckles, shaking his head as he sets the wrench down on the workbench. “Alright, Magnolia,” he says, his voice low and warm. “You’ve got my attention.”

The words send a thrill through me, but I keep my cool, giving him a small, challenging smile. “Good,” I say, turning toward the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Bright and early,” he replies. He’s watching me, his arms still crossed, a look in his eyes that makes my stomach flip.

“Don’t be late,” I say, and then I’m out the door before he can respond, my cheeks burning and my pulse racing.

14

COLT

The early morning air is crisp and heavy with the scent of dew as I roll my bike out of the workshop, the soft rumble of the engine breaking the quiet. It’s a perfect morning for a ride—clear skies, empty roads—but I can’t shake the feeling that this trip might complicate things more than I’m ready for.

Because I'm having some pretty tempting fantasies…maybe just taking Magnolia away from here. Never coming back.

Claiming her and rutting her until she's so drunk on my cock that she can't see straight.

It was on my mind all night–the possibilities of this trip. I found myself waking up hard more often than usual, my hand wrapped around my cock, chasing relief. Thinking of her, picturing her…she makes me crazy.

And now we're taking a ride.

Alone.

I round the last corner toward the gate, my bike humming beneath me, and there she is.

Magnolia.

She’s standing by the gate with her arms wrapped around herself, shifting on her feet like she’s trying to keep still but failing. She's got that good girl thing going–wearing jeans that look like they were tailor made for her, white sneakers, a white T-shirt and cardigan. She's even got her curly hair tied back with a yellow scarf, like she's going on a date.

Her gaze darts down the road, then back toward the den, like she’s expecting someone to catch her. The sight of her sets something off in me—a sick satisfaction, like I’ve gotten away with something just by convincing her to come.

She spots me, her shoulders stiffening before she raises a hand in greeting. I pull up beside her, letting the engine idle as I kick down the stand and swing a leg off.

“You’re up early,” I say, though I already know the answer.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she admits, glancing nervously over her shoulder.

I lean against the bike, crossing my arms as I study her. “What’s got you so jumpy?”

She hesitates, biting her lip before shrugging like it’s no big deal. “I left a note for my parents,” she says quietly, her gaze dropping to the ground. “Didn’t want them to worry, but…you know how my mom is.”

I don’t miss the way her fingers tighten around the strap of her bag, the way she keeps glancing toward the gate like she’s half-expecting her mom to come storming out.

“She give you a hard time about this kind of thing?” I ask.

Magnolia exhales, her shoulders sagging slightly. “Hard time? No. Not exactly. She just…worries. A lot. About me, about everyone. It’s kind of her thing.”

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