Page 10 of Devil's Dilemma

My glance meets his eyes. “Lean with you? What if I lean too far and over balance us? I’m no lightweight you know.”

He leans back his head and laughs. “You’ll be fine. I know what I’m doing.”

It’s his confidence that gets me moving forward, then turning and locking my door and sliding my keys into my purse which he eyes carefully, before taking it off me, and slinging it over my neck so it hangs slanted over my body.

“Safer like that.”

He leads me over to the chrome and black beast, then dips into a saddlebag and takes out a helmet which he’s soon fastening on me.

“Stop shakin’. You’ll be fine.”

“At leastyouwill be. You’ll have a cushion to land on.”

Another hearty laugh, but offered with a shake of his head, and his hands touch my arms gently as he looks into my face. “Sweetheart, you think there’s too much of you, I happen to love it myself. And I won’t need a cushion, I don’t intend to drop the bike, with you on it or not.”

Well, okay then. Guess I’m going motorcycle riding, or at least as far as the end of the road. “You will turn back?” I ask, biting my lip.

Skull might look young, but now I’m up close to him, there’s an ageless depth to his eyes, and an earnestness in his voice that persuades me. “Melissa, I’d love you to enjoy this, but if you hate it, you just tell me. I promise I’ll bring you right back, and we’ll get an Uber or taxi instead. Now, you gonna give this a try?”

Taking a deep breath, I give a little nod. I notice he must’ve backed his bike onto the driveway as he’s parked facing out.

He gets on, then takes the stand up. “Okay, slide yourself on behind me.”

I do. The seat is slightly higher than his, and when I take the leap of faith, I find I’m on the cushioned leather with my feet dangling off the ground.Yikes.

“Put your hands around my waist darlin’, then put your feet on the pegs to keep them clear of the pipes.” He glances down, left side then right, to make sure I’ve done as he’s asked. Then throws a look over his shoulder. “Keep your hands where they are. No sneaking them down to feel the size of my cock. I’ll show you it later if you’re that impatient, but don’t want anything distracting my riding.”

As I breathe in a gasp of disbelief at his audacity to even suggest I’d do such a thing, I realise he’s started the engine and is already pulling off my driveway. As I cling on for dear life, it dawns on me his comment had been made to distract me from any last-minute doubts I may have had.

It worked.

At the end of the road he stops and again turns his head. “You okay?” he shouts over the rumbling thunder of the engine.

Suddenly it hits me that I am, very much, okay. Even though I'm out of my element, having to trust a man I really don’t know, I already feel a thrill that I don’t want to end. “I’m fine. Why have we stopped?”

The revving of the engine almost drowns out the sound of his laughter, but I feel his body shake as he gives a carefree chuckle. Then he lets out the clutch, and the bike moves slowly forward, gradually picking up speed as he kicks through the gear changes.

I have fresh air cooling my face, an exhilaration like the one you get when riding a roller coaster, the feeling that you’re perfectly safe, yet absolutely not as the pavement rushes by beneath us. At the corners I lean with him, making sure my body moves with his, scared in case the bike continues to tilt right over, but the rider I’m holding onto for dear life feels totally relaxed with no tension or worries.

After a moment, I too allow the tension to seep out of my muscles.I’m enjoying this.

All too soon he pulls into the parking lot of a restaurant just outside of town. It’s not fancy, so jeans will be perfect, but not a dive either. I’ve been here before, and the food is amazing.

A very good choice for a first date.

I belatedly realise that I should have found out about our destination before and told someone who I was going out with tonight. Truth is, I expected my co-workers and friends to find it amusing, so had kept the details of my date quiet.

But hey, we’re here. I’m safe.

He taps my leg and I interpret it as a sign that I should get off the bike. I do, balancing my hand on his shoulder, then stand back as he walks the bike back into a parking spot. The ground feels firm and stable under legs which are still trembling from the vibration of the engine.

After taking my helmet and securing it in the saddlebag, he holds out his hand for me to take, his expression suddenly nervous. “I didn’t check, should have. This going to be okay for you, babe?”

I smile, possibly the most genuine I’ve yet summoned for him. “Perfect.”

“Come on then. Let’s get you fed.”

The next few minutes are taken up with being shown to a table he’d already had the foresight to book, then perusing the menus. Strangely I quickly become relaxed in his company and feel no need to make any pretence. I’ve been on dates before when I’ve eyed all the delicious sounding dishes, only to restrict myself to a salad as I think it’s expected, but with Skull I have no qualms in ordering the same as him, a steak with loaded potatoes. He nods approvingly as I do.

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