Page 27 of Reckless Hearts

“Oh, definitely.” Colt’s amusement is clear in his voice, tinged with pride. “I’m pretty sure that kid’s never going to talk again, let alone say shit like that.”

The breeze picks up, lifting the hair on the back of my neck, and I shiver. Colt shifts beside me, shrugging off his jacket, laying it over my shoulders. The fabric is still warm from hisskin, soft against the goose bumps rising along my arms, then tucks me into his side.

“If you’re cold, we can go in,” he says, his lips brushing the shell of my ear, and I’m anything but cold, shivering for a whole new reason.

“Ketchup and mustard, right?” Maverick says, his hands full of an assortment of food.

I nod, mouth watering as he passes me my burger, a red cooler placed in front of me filled with ice and beer.

Colt’s eyes widen when a burger’s tossed at him, the tin foil wrapper barely holding it together. “You got me a burger?—”

“Not a word,” Maverick cuts him off, hurling himself into the truck and taking the spot on my other side, sandwiching me between them.

To my surprise, Colt obeys, only unwrapping his dinner and taking an enormous bite.

There’s no room, their legs pressing against mine, the heat of their bodies seeping into my skin, but I’m not complaining. Not when my nerves are lighting up, coming alive with every brush of their arms. My skin’s hypersensitive wherever they touch me, the simplest movement making my thighs rub together.

Maverick’s hand circles the spot just above my knee as he leans over to grab the cooler, bringing it closer to us.

There’s a low hum in the back of his throat, and his hooded eyes are molten when he faces me. Thick, humid air fills my lungs as I struggle for each inhale. We stay like that, time frozen around us until Colt breaks the moment, popping the cap off a beer and handing it to me. “You look thirsty.”

I snap my gaze back to him, searching for the double meaning and it’s right there, clear as day, painted across his face with a wide grin.

“Shut up,” I hiss.

“What? I never said it was a bad thing.”

It’s a dangerous, slippery slope, and my feet are skating right along the edge of a very steep cliff. Every fiber of my being calls me to let go and fall into it.

He’s back to his burger, and my stomach twists into a tight knot. What if I’m reading way too much into this?

Both of them are relaxed, enjoying their food, while I’m so wound up I can’t even taste mine.

I pound back my beer, then lean over to grab another, hatching a very dangerous plan. Somehow, things are going exactly how they should and nowhere near what I want.

Chapter 9

Callie

An hourand a few beers later, our food’s long finished, the garbage already disposed of, and my buzz hums under my skin. A few riders I don’t recognize have gathered around, and it’s easy to see Colt and Maverick have known them for a while. The conversation flows from topic to topic, laughter coming out easily.

I stretch my legs out, letting the buzz lull me into something close to contentment.

But under the laughter and the glow of the truck lights, something unsettles in my chest.

It’s nothing. Just nerves. Just being here.

I shove it down like I’ve gotten so good at doing, not willing to let the worry steal this night from me.

I rest my head on Colt’s shoulder. It feels good just listening to them, to be a part of their regular lives.

“Did you hear about Jimmy?” a guy sitting on the tailgate asks in a low voice.

“What are you doing? Trying to bring that kind of bad juju here?” another guy cuts in.

“Relax… if that were true, we’d all be screwed. It’s sad what happened, but it’s part of the sport. He got a raw deal landing like that. Spine didn’t stand a chance.”

The world compresses around me until it’s impossible to take a breath.

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