Page 38 of The Belle and the Biker

"Crash," I say faintly, my heart galloping in my chest.

It figures. I leave New York, and he forgets that I exist. But my aunt pulls out her checkbook, and he's by my side faster than a pig on roller skates.

"Hello, again. Meet your new security detail," he says. "I'm sleeping in the guest room tonight. We're heading out tomorrow after breakfast. I'm sticking by your side 24-7. And I swear to God, if you try to ditch me, I will lock you up in a room and hold you prisoner, until the shooter is caught."

"Aunt Hepzibah?" I squall. "Are you actually going to let him get away with threatening me like that?"

"Of course I am." She smiles sweetly. "It was my idea."

CHAPTER13

Savannah

"Don't you dare stop,"I tell Crash as he kisses his way down my stomach.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Dream? No, I'm not ready to wake up. Just a few more minutes…

A rumbling voice rips me from the arms of dream-Crash. "Wake up, sleepyhead."

I stifle a shriek, roll out of bed, and land on the floor with a thud.

Real-Crash stares down at me, looking concerned. He's already dressed, wearing a T-shirt with a Harley logo and jeans. "You all right down there?" He leans down and holds out a hand to help me up.

I slap at his hand and climb to my feet by myself.

Tiddlywinks dances and spins in a circle, yipping with joy. Crash bends down to scratch her behind the ear.

"Traitor," I say resentfully. She ignores me, shivering with delight as Crash strokes her fur. I know how she feels. Still, she shouldn't like anyone who aggravates me as much as he does.

"Your aunt is joining us for breakfast. After that, we're hitting the road."

I groan, rubbing my face with my hands and hiding a yawn. Then I run my fingers through my bedhead-tangled hair. I'm annoyed at Crash for seeing me like this.

"How long were you standing there like a psycho stalker watching me sleep?" I demand.

He grins, a twinkle in his eyes. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

I put my hands on my hips. "Seriously."

"I didn't watch you sleep. I slept in a chair in the hall outside your room. I just woke up a few minutes ago."

"You said you were going to sleep in the guest room!" I protest. "Did I…say anything in my sleep?"

He arches an eyebrow. "Say anything like what?"

Well, I definitely didn't yell out his name in my sleep last night, or he'd never let me hear the end of it. Or maybe he slept through it. Either way, I dodged a bullet.

"I'm going to shower. Alone," I say huffily. "I would appreciate it if you'd walk Tiddlywinks; there's a leash hanging up in the foyer. I'll meet you at the breakfast table."

The chef has laid out a lovely spread for us, and Crash actually has reasonably good manners as he devours his grits, scrambled eggs, bacon, and biscuits. I mean, if I held my silverware the way he did, my aunt would have taken me prisoner at gunpoint and forcibly returned me to finishing school, but he doesn't pick up the eggs with his hands or chew with his mouth open. So there's that.

We're almost done with breakfast when Carlisle comes in to tell us that we have guests.

Daisy, Chase, Callie, and Naomi wait for us in the parlor. They're sitting on the uncomfortable Queen Anne chairs that are arranged around a claw-foot coffee table. Daisy already knew Crash because she waitressed at Bone-breakers for a little while over the summer. She and Chase had briefly broken up, and she'd returned to New York in a huff and grabbed the first job she could find.

"Hello, Crash. Long time no see." Daisy nods at him and then at me. "Savannah. We've heard that someone might be gunning for you." She looks at Crash. "I hear that you're looking into it. Have you made any progress?"

---