Page 6 of Trip
When I can breathe again, when I’m completely back in my body, I say, “That was incredible.”
“Yeah?” he asks, leaning back while his eyes roam my face.
“Yes,” I say as I rest my head on his shoulder. Then, when I see a bulge in his pants, I realize that I should do something to return the favor. In fact, I take a breath, sitting up to ask if I can help him out, my phone rings in my jacket pocket. I jump back, reaching blindly for it, murmuring, “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry,” Trip says, a smile in his voice as he watches me.
My phone is lit up with a picture of Lizzy’s, my youngest sister, smiling face. My heart sinking, I realize I should have been home almost an hour ago. I can’t believe how irresponsible I’ve been. I would be furious if she or Josephine stayed out this late with a strange man without telling me.
“Hey, Lizzy,” I say, pretending I don’t hear the sigh of relief she lets out. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” she replies. “Josephine and I were wondering when you’d be home. She made spaghetti for dinner.”
“I’ll be home soon,” I promise, looking over at Trip apologetically. “Sorry, I got sidetracked. I should have let you two know I’d be a little late.”
“It’s okay,” she says. “We just wanted to make sure you’re safe.”
“I am,” I promise, guilt starting to set in. I was so wrapped up in my own fun that I didn’t think about my siblings at home. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Julia.”
The call ends, and I smile sheepishly at Trip. I say, “I hate to cut this short but I need to get home to my sisters.”
“Of course,” he says, and if he’s disappointed, he doesn’t show it. In fact, I’d say he’s more sympathetic than anything else. “Let’s head out of here.”
I accept his hand, letting him pull me to my feet and lead me to his bike. Despite the sinking feeling in my stomach at the thought of shirking my responsibility to my sisters, I can’t help that my heart is soaring. And, as he drives me back to the diner to get my car, I find myself longing to spend more time with him.
Chapter 4
Trip
After I dropped Julia off at the diner, I spent the entire night thinking about her. She’s a ray of sunshine, that much is obvious. But something happened to her, something dark enough to dim her sparkle just a little bit.
She’s running from something. And whatever it is, I want to protect her from it. No… I need to protect her from it. I can be her safe place, but to do that, I need to what it is I’m saving her from.
Since I don’t have her last name or know the town she moved to Rio Lunas from, I can’t look her up. I know that some people are good at finding information online with only a first name, but I’m not one of those guys. The idea of having social media or using the web for anything but news or motorcycle research is foreign to me.
So, I decided that I’m going to ask around at the garage when I get to work.
We’re busy as hell, so I don’t get much of a chance to talk with the other guys. It isn’t until a two man job presents itself and I find myself alone with Ruger, another member of the Riders of Retribution, that I’m able to talk to anyone.
“Went to the diner last night,” I say, my hands busy with the engine we’re working on.
Ruger grunts in response. I’m not surprised; he tends to be sparing with his words when he’s working, and it’s not asthough I’m known for being talkative. On a normal day, we both would have considered that exchange a perfectly satisfactory conversation. Not today, though.
“There’s a new girl working there. Name’s Julia.”
The side of Ruger’s mouth quirks and he says, “You got the hots for her or something?”
“Fuck you,” I say without any heat to it. “I was just wondering if you knew anything about her. She’s new to Rio Lunas, isn’t she?”
Ruger hums, squinting down at his work. After a moment he says, “I think Marigold knows of her. Do you know if she has siblings? I’m pretty sure she was telling me about two girls that just moved here that hang out at the library with their older sister sometime.”
“Yeah,” I say, grabbing the wrench I know that he’s going to ask for before he says anything. “Said she was taking care of her two sisters.”
“Ah, yeah, then I’m pretty sure we’re talking about the same person.”
I wait for him to elaborate, but he doesn’t. He’s too focused on the bolt he’s trying to loosen. After a few seconds, I say, “So, your girl tell you anything about her?”
