Page 11 of Service and Sacrifice
Amanda
She waited at the curb, hands clasped infront of her chest as she watched Alex ride towards her. He neverwore a helmet, but as usual, she saw the one she thought of as hersstrapped to the seat behind him and smiled fondly at histhoughtfulness.
He rolled to a smooth stop right in front ofher and shook his head. She could hear him chuckling at her excitedreaction over the rumble of the bike. His low call of “You ready,honey?” stirred heat in her belly, and she pressed a clenched fisttight to hold it in.
They’d ridden together at least once a weeksince she’d messaged him her request. The first time was terrifyingand thrilling all at once. She knew now that Alex had taken itsuper easy on her that firstride,becausesince then, they’d ridden on more challenging roads and even on theinterstate. She’d been afraid to look at the speedometer that day,staying huddled close against his back. As she’d gained confidence,he’d ratcheted up the length of the rides, too. Today would beanotherfirst,because they were supposed tojoin a group of his friends for part of the day.
When he’d dropped her off two days ago,she’d asked him in as she always did, and he’d demurred, but with adifferent response than his standard and frustrating excuse of,“Gotta get home, honey. Work tomorrow.” Two days ago, instead ofthe normal, he’d told her, “You still want me to come insideSaturday, I’m down for that.” From the look on his face, he’d meantmore than those few words, which was how her hopeful heart hadtaken it.
And now it was Saturday and she’d almostrather they not ride at all, skipping straight to the part where hecame inside. But he already had the helmet loose, was handing it toher while he did something on his phone. She realized he hadn’tkilled the bike. All a clear signal that he was in a hurry for somereason, and she didn’t want to disappoint him.
Helmet in place, she put her hand on hisshoulder as she stepped onto her pegs. Hers, because this seatbehind him was hers, too. He’d told her at the start of summer thatshe was the only woman who’d ever ridden behind him, and in hermind,she wrote forwards in time to try andimpose her wishes that she be the only one.Ever.
She wrapped her arms around his waist andsnuggedup to his back before calling out,“Ready.”
What had started out as the most innocent oftouches, a need imposed on her by safety’ssake,had turned into an intimacy she longed for. Hoursspent with her thighs pressed tight to his hips, arms around him,and Alexgivingher the protection of hisbody. This was what had led to her wanting him to come inside,wanting more, but he’d dragged his heels, capturing her fingerswith his hand the one time she reached for his face. The only kissthat had passed between them happened that day, the beard-roughfeel of his mouth against her knuckles as he’d shaken his head. Hismuttered promise of “Soon” hadn’t warmed her bed, but she’d held tothe fact it wasn’t a no.
He patted her legandthey were off, the bike jerking in a familiar way under them as heworked up through the gears, topping out a handful of miles perhour over the limit. She’d never felt unsafe withhimand knew the speed kept them moving with traffic,something she’d never considered important before. But a slow bikewas a vulnerable bike, subject to being overtaken by a distracteddriver.
Time passed along with the scenery, flashingby in a smear of greens and browns. More touchy-feely than normal,she noticed Alex kept rubbing and stroking her hands where theycrossed his belly, fingers threading through and gripping,squeezing and then rubbing and stroking again. Almost as if he weretrying to soothe her.Or himself.
He slowed, and she sat up to look around.They were pulling into a gas station where three bikes were alreadyparked in front of the store. Butterflies struck hard then, and shefelt unsure of herself for a moment before shaking it off.If hedidn’t want me to meet them, he wouldn’t have invited me today.The men stood and started strolling towards them as Alex parked.“You want me off the bike?” He nodded, but she wasn’t certain if itwas in response to her question or in greeting to the men. Then hetouched her leg, a soft stroke, before holding his hand out. Answerenough, so she used that leverage to clamber off the bike.
“Brothers, this is Amanda.” Alex stepped offthe bike and stood next to her, his posture stiff anduncomfortable. “Amanda, these are my brothers. Blade, Wolf, andNeptune.”
She nodded and smiled, aware of themeasuring gazes on her. Then the man called Blade grinned broadly,andshe huffed out a surprised laugh becausehe looked delighted at something. “Damn, Monk, this girl’s toopretty for you.”
Alex hadn’t relaxed, still ramrod straight,so she bucked up her courage like she’d done the first time she’dtexted him and wiggled in against him, not stopping until his armwas over her shoulder. She threaded her fingers through his, likehe’d done earlier, and gave him a squeeze. “Oh, he’s the prettyone. I’ve got the catch of the year here.”
Acceptance and appreciation flashed over thefaces of the three men, followed by laughter. “Gas up, brother,”said the one called Wolf. “Then get your pretty lady back on thebike and let’s ride.”
Fourteen
Monk
Couldn’t have asked for a better day.Heglidedthem to a halt at the curb, thenchanged his mind and swung back out into the street. Amanda’sfingers clutched at his shirt at the unexpected movement as heturned to ride up the drive and onto the flat pad just in front ofher garage door.Might as well make a statement she can’tmisunderstand. He’d already promised her things would changetoday, and with the way she’d responded, confidence and uncertaintyin the same breath, he wanted to see where this could go.Nomore dropping her off at the curb. No more watching her waving formgrow smaller in the mirror. No more hearing her huffed sigh ofdisappointment as I say goodbye.
She stood up off thebikeand looked at him, and just that attention had hisdick perking up. Because, if the smile on Amanda’s face was anymeasure, she not only hadn’t mistaken his intent, she was entirelyon board with the idea. Then she parted her sweet lips and askedhim, “Come inside?”
Alex took her in for a moment, fingersclasped in front of her belly, twisted into a complicated knot hewanted to solve. Her bottom lip disappeared, then slowly releasedas she raked the flesh with her teeth.She’s nervous.Probably just as nervous as he’d been to introduce her to hisbrothers, his friends, his corps here at home. Not that he’dexpected they’d do anything to embarrass him, but it had matteredthat she liked them. She’d met that challenge head on, making itclear to everyone how she felt about him, and her willing actionshad gone a long way towards settling his gut. She fit, and hisbrothers knew it as well as he did.
Now it was his turn to set her at ease. Alexgot off the bike and stepped closer, shuffling forward until theirtoes met and she had to stretch her neck to look up at him. Lipsparted, she stared into his eyes, waiting.Gonna stay out herefor this first one. What he wanted to do wasn’t something hewas ashamed of, nothing he wanted to hide.So fuckin’pretty. Fingers to her chin, he cupped her jaw in his palm andghosted a caress over the apple of her cheek with his thumb, thedifference between her satin skin and his calluses stark.Sofuckin’ sweet. Then he leaned in and pressed his lips tohers.
Amanda sighed under his touch, mouth movingunder him, and she opened sweetly when he touched the tip of histongue to her lips ingentleexploration.Minutes passed as he kissed her, as she kissed him back, as thestars turned and wheeled overhead, and something in the worldclicked into place for one brief moment.
She was panting when he pulled back, and hewas the same, breaths coming hard and fast. Alex smiled as shereached for the door.
He let her lead him inside, then closed thedoor firmly, shutting out the world, closing her in here withhim.
“Alex.” His name was a breath on her lips asshe turned, fingers still twined with his. Two strides separatedthem, and he covered the distance quickly, swaying to a stop infront of her. It felt like his insides were quaking, and withfingers shaking, he lifted his hand to her face, framing hersmile.
“Amanda.” The curl of her mouth broadened,spread, and he felt the heat from her open mouth on his lips whenhe leaned in close. “I got a want inside me.” She was the one tocover the distance this time, traveling that final inch to pressher lips to his.
“We’ll save the house tour for later,then.”
Eyes closed, he fell into her kiss,exploring every inch of her mouth, dueling with her tongue in asensual slide and twist.Bam, stiffy, he thought, andsmiled. That happened with her. He’d ridden hundreds of the bestand most uncomfortable miles with her wrapped around him on thebike, his cock beating time on his zipper to come out and play.Lifting their joined hands, he brought her fingers to the notch ofhis throat and gave a squeeze, sighing into her mouth when sheabandoned her hold to wrap around the back of his neck. He trailedthe backs of his knuckles in a light touch down her other shoulder,past her elbow to find her fingers spread, waiting on him. Hegripped and squeezed, huffing a laugh when she returned it with apleased hum far back in her throat. “You wanna touch me?”
“Oh, yes.” Her whispered response wasimmediate, gratifying in its eagerness, but threaded through with atinge of shyness that told him he had to take care with her,always.As if I’d do anything but.
