Page 74 of The Belle and the Biker

“It’s long been a hobby. And I don’t want to cut you off, but I’ll be joining some friends in a poker game in a few minutes.”

“Are you all right?” I ask him. “It sounds as if you’re keeping busy. I mean, I never thought about it before, but…were you happy working for my aunt?”

“Most certainly. If I weren’t, I would have left long ago. But all good things must come to an end, and I had been considering retiring for some time now.”

I feel relieved but still madder than a wet hen at what Aunt Hepzibah did. I don’t want to ask him about his finances, but he strikes me as the frugal type, and he did live all those years with his living expenses covered. He’ll probably be all right.

“If you need anything, let me know,” I tell him.

“Certainly, madam. I appreciate your concern. And don’t think too harshly of your great-aunt. She secretly thinks the world of you, or at least dislikes you less than most other people, and she’s always looked out for you.”

I blink away tears as I hang up. Carlisle leaving my aunt’s employ feels like the end of an era.

Tawny’s staring at me.

I clear my throat. “Okay, let’s get to work!”

We start with lunch. By the end of the meal, she’s no longer holding a knife as if she’s looking to stab someone. She’s also chewing much more politely and sitting without man-spreading her legs.

When we’re done eating, she burps very delicately, covering her mouth as she does so. Then she shoves her chair back, beaming. “Look how I’m sitting. I’m a fu-er—a fu-reaking natural!”

I nod enthusiastically.

Baby steps.

Then as she leaves, I go write it down in my “book of good deeds.”

CHAPTER23

Savannah

Crashand I reach an uneasy truce over my calling my friends. I compromise by letting him listen in when I’m calling, hoping to reassure him that I’m not blabbing about our location to all and sundry.

And at night, wow. The fireworks never stop. He has to restock the condoms more than once, and I’m sore in parts of my body that might not be on any anatomy charts. Every morning when I wake up, I’m surprised he’s still there. I’m not dreaming. Crash and I are really an item.

Worry still nags at me. He’s sexier than sin, and I see how girls look at him. The waitresses at the bar check him out when they think I’m not watching. Women stare at him when we walk down the street. He seems to only have eyes for me, but for how long?

I mean, my ex-husband only had eyes for me, too—for a while. Percy was the kind of guy who pursued a woman with the passion of a romance novel pirate, but when he got what he wanted, the challenge was gone.

I keep telling myself that Crash isn’t like that. He’s not the kind of man who pursues women because he’s desperate for an ego boost. It’ll just take time to let go of that nagging sense that something is lacking in me, that someone could genuinely care for me. All right, I’ll admit it to myself—I want Crash to love me. Because when I let my walls down, they come down all the way, and nothing is shielding me from utter heartbreak right now.

It’s scary.

I try not to dwell on it too much. I’m enjoying mind-meltingly good sex and no longer having to hide my Crash-crush. If it weren’t for the vague but ever-present threat of some psycho stalking me, life would be perfect.

Even that fear is starting to fade. As the days go by, I’m beginning to relax. I’m not glancing over my shoulder. I’m not scanning strangers’ faces wondering if it’s him. I should probably be more wary, but it’s hard to maintain a state of vigilance 24-7.

Around lunchtime every day, Tawny comes over for her etiquette lessons, and Crash lets us throw him out of the trailer. He knows we’re doing secret girl stuff, but Tawny says I’m not allowed to tell him what we’re up to.

“Do you have any idea what’s up with Axl?” I ask him one morning as he kneels by his bike, changing the oil.

He looks uneasy. “He’s not cheating on Tawny.”

“So you’ve talked to him?”

He sighs. “Savannah. He’s one of my best friends. He’s not cheating on her, okay? He’s just…going through some stuff.” He glances out the window. Tawny’s heading toward the trailer. “And what are you guys actually doing in there? Casting spells?”

“If so, you should be worried. I have access to everything I’d need to make a voodoo doll of you. Hair, nail clippings, your clothing.”

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