Page 24 of The Biker and the Loner
Kendra is grinning from ear to ear, her love-filled eyes trained above—on him. "In case you were wondering how badass Kendra was able to fall so hard...That'show." Her attention comes back to the screen. "If Alec Vaughn says Scratch is changed, then he's changed."
"Ehhhh," I mutter, wholly unconvinced.
A buzz and a ping from my phone on the bed distracts me, and I use my toes to scoot it closer to me so I don’t have to move from my comfy position.
When I see Scratch’s name on the screen, I sigh.
Scratch: ON MY WAY TO YOU. GET DRESSED.
"Oh, for crying out loud," I mutter, rubbing my forehead.
"What is it?" Kendra asks.
I turn my phone screen to the iPad to let her read the text. "No preamble, nothing."
"Sounds like Scratch," she says, laughing. "If I were you, I'd start getting dressed."
I’m defiant. "No."
"Oh, girl, stop fighting it. You know you want to. Bet you're already planning an outfit in your head."
Witch.How does she know that? "I'm not!"
"Uh-huh. Well, I know whatIwant to do right now, with my man, and it doesn’t include you or Scratch. So, I'm out. I’ll hit you up in the morning to hear all about your date. Byeeee!"
Before I can respond to that, she ends the video call.
Ugh. Of all people, I thought shewould be the one warning me off Scratch, not shoving me straight into his arms. I mean,does she even care about me at all?!
True, it is possible that Scratch has changed for the better, but I don't want to be the one to find out if that’s true or not. I’d rather wait another year, maybe two. Stand on the sidelines and see how things play out. If the pain of heartbreak is anything like the pain of losing my father, then I don’t want to experience it. I don’t ever want to feel like that again. And the chances of experiencing a heartbreak with Scratch are high.
Yet even as these thoughts are running through my head, I’m off the bed and in my closet, throwing an outfit together.The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
My brain knows better, it argues that my heart is too emotional. While my heart argues that my brain is too logical.
But my body…my body is on a mission all on its own. It wants Scratch. Desperately. And it's not about to let my brain or my heart get in its way.
~
I crack open the door to Kathy's bedroom and peek inside.
She's fast asleep on top of the covers. Naked. Always naked.
I control her sleeping hours with some really strong sleeping pills. That’s how I'm able to go out at night without her knowing. On nights that I plan on going out, I crush more than the recommended dosage of hypnotics into her favorite peppermint tea, and in fifteen minutes, she's like a lamp.
It’s not always successful—this is how I know when it’s time to change the drug.
I hadn’t planned on going out tonight, but I also didn't want her to overhear me talking to Kendra about Scratch, so I'd gone ahead and drugged her tea anyway.
Good thing, too. Considering Scratch is now outside waiting for me.
It took me a hurried twenty-one minutes to don an acid-washed jean shorts, a red halter-top cropped above my navel, and my favorite leather jacket paired with leather ankle boots.
Pulling her door closed, I skip downstairs and out of the house, both nervous and excited to see this impossible man.
Our home is huge, with large gardens, fishponds, tiered water fountains and all, so it's a solid two-minute walk from my front door to the front gates, beyond which Scratch’s Harley rumbles in wait.
He's leaned forward with his forearms on the handles, watching me approach. I both love and hate how I tingle all over when his eyes are on me.
