Page 77 of The Belle and the Biker

“Is that mathematically possible?”

I manage a smile. “I know you’re trying to cheer me up.”

“What would take your mind off it? How about a road trip?”

I consider that. “Hmm. We could go to Charleston with Tawny.” We’ve been working on her fine dining skills, and I want to see how she does in a nice restaurant.”

He scowls. “I was thinking a bike ride up the coast, you and me.”

“I’m going stir crazy here, Crash. I’m used to doing twenty different things a day. If I clean the trailer one more time, it’s going to fall apart at the seams. They only need us at Sparky’s a few times a week; I can’t even volunteer without offending people, and I can’t do anything with my life until the shooter is caught. I can’t go back to school, and I can’t apply for full-time jobs…”

“I think we’re safer lying low.”

“We’re not safer if I go crazy and run amuck. Amok? Anyway. You know what I mean.”

“Fine,” Crash growls. “We can go. Why do we have to bring Tawny?”

“Because it will take her mind off Axl.”

“Fair enough. All right, we’ll go tomorrow. But just so you know, you’re going as Banshee.”

“The guy has no idea where we are!” I protest. “Once we get there, I could ditch the outfit and the wig, buy a normal outfit, and change into it.”

His eyes get that stubborn gleam to them, and his jaw sets in determination. “I’m not letting you put yourself at risk. You go in disguise or not at all.”

I stroke his chest. “What if I promised to be extra sweet to you tonight?”

He leans down and brushes his lips against mine, and I can’t stifle a low moan. “Spoiler alert. You will, anyway. You can’t resist me.”

I jerk away from him. “Yes, I can!” I say huffily. “Just watch me.”

Spoiler alert. The doofus is right. I can’t resist a naked Crash lounging on the bed and inviting me to join him…and in the morning, I’m wearing my stupid biker disguise. I button my jacket to hide my T-shirt and tone down the makeup. I still have to wear the wig, though.

CHAPTER24

Savannah

Bright and early thenext morning, we borrow one of Tank's cars. He's got a whole fleet of vehicles. He likes to cruise auctions and estate sales, buy up old wrecks, take them apart, and put them back together. He and Crash are becoming best buddies, and they love to sit around and yammer on about whatever they're doing. Gears and torque wrenches and other things I don't understand.

Before we head out, we invite Tank to come with us, but he says that Charleston is too fancy for him.

Once we're in town, I direct Crash to King Street, one of my favorite places worldwide. It's a gorgeous historic stretch of high-end boutiques and restaurants. The street is lined with historic storefronts and decorated with clusters of palm trees. The architecture ranges from Beaux Arts to Italianate to Queen Anne. My mother and I used to visit King Street a couple of times a year, and we'd get our hair and makeup done in the morning before venturing out to see and be seen.

And now, I finally get to go to a restaurant here and order something other than a salad with dressing on the side.

We park at a garage at the end of the street and spend a lovely hour strolling and shopping. I pick up little knick-knacks that I can use as hostess presents and try not to fuss with my wig too much.

Tawny and I are looking in the window of a parfumerie when Crash nudges me with his shoulder and says, "By the way, I know what you two are up to."

Tawny arches an eyebrow. "Plotting your doom?"

"Savannah's giving you etiquette lessons."

She glares at me. "You told him?"

Crash smiles. "No, you just did."

Tawny clenches her fist.

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