Page 7 of Love on the Run

“You’re leaving withBeau?” Dean spat.

“I’m just leaving you. That’s the whole point of this exit,” Anna snapped back.

Thank goodness. She didn’t want him involved any more than he wanted to be.

Dean and Misty shouted at each other as Anna blazed a hot trail for Beau’s motorcycle, stopping only to pick up her purse. By the time she stood beside his bike, her whole body was shaking.

“You’re freezing. Let me get someone’s keys and we’ll take a car.”

“No.” Anna grabbed his bicep with enough force that he heeded her word. “I need to go now. My mom will figure out what’s going on soon, and I can’t be here when?—”

Beau held up a hand. “You need pants.”

“I don’t have pants.”

Beau reached into his side bag and pulled out a pair of black sweatpants he’d intended to wear at the gym and handed them to her. “You’re lucky they’re clean.”

Anna didn’t waste a second as she handed him her purse. She hiked her leg up, exposing the pale-blue garter snugly wrapped around her thigh and shoved her feet into the pants—shoes and all. With the other leg in, she jerked the string around the waist to its max and knotted it.

Okay, he’d expected a little pushback on the pants. At least she was making this easier. “Tuck the dress in.”

“What?”

“I’m serious. I don’t want your skirt getting caught in anything.”

Without a word, she shoved the ends of the dress into the waistband of the pants. “Good?”

Beau stowed her purse in the saddle bag and handed her the helmet. She shoved it over her hair without missing a beat.

She really wanted to get out of here.

“What about you?” she asked, her words muffled through the helmet.

“I didn’t really expect to have a passenger today.”

She reached to take the helmet off, but Beau put his hand on top of it. “Nope. This isn’t negotiable. You have to wear it if you’re riding with me.”

Anna lowered her hands and rested them on her hips, showing off her bare arms.

That wasn’t going to work either. Beau slid the leather jacket off his back and held it open for her.

When she hesitated, he shook the jacket. Surely, she wouldn’t fight him on this too. “This isn’t negotiable either.”

Anna turned around and slipped her arms into the sleeves. Shivering, she wrapped it tight around her front. “Thanks.”

Dean and Misty were still arguing on the steps, but it wouldn’t be long until someone came looking for the bride and groom. He shoved his gloves on and focused on Anna. “Have you ever been on a bike before?”

Anna shook her head, but he couldn’t see her face through the helmet. As long as she didn’t puke, they should be okay.

“This is a first for both of us.” He slung a leg over and settled in. “Rules. Hang on tight, and lean when I lean.”

“What?” She was still shaking, but was it from the cold or fear?

“When we lean to turn, don’t try to balance by righting yourself. You have to lean into the curve.”

Anna glanced at the church then straddled the bike behind him. Her body pressed against his back, and her arms wound around his chest.

At least she was taking rule number one to heart. She’d cut off his air supply hanging on like that.

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