Kayden: The Past (31 page)

I snapped back into reality with the sound of his deep voice. “Oh, sorry.” My fingertips grazed his palm as I grabbed the phone. A tiny shock passed between us, his finger closing on my hands as I pulled away.

I stepped back a couple of feet and dialed the only person close enough to give me a ride home. The phone rang, but I never took my eyes off the stranger unsure of his intentions. With each ring, my stomach began to turn over. I didn’t have anyone else to call. “There’s no answer, thanks,” I said.

“Let me take a look and see if there’s anything else I can do. Is that okay?” he asked.

I didn’t have any other choice at the moment. I could turn him down and sit here for possibly hours. “Sure,” I replied as I hit unlock on my car key. I walked toward my car but kept an eye on the stranger.
No one will hear me scream if he tries to kill me.
I couldn’t let my guard down.

He moved the bike, angling the headlights to shine on the hood of my car. I pulled the hood lever and watched him climb off his bike. He was large, more than a foot taller than me, and I caught my first full glimpse of his body. He removed his leather jacket to reveal a black t-shirt clinging to the muscles of his torso. I swallowed hard, staring at him like a piece of meat, momentarily forgetting he could be a murderer. Everything clung to this man, his t-shirt and jeans, I wanted to follow their lead and join in the party.

I hadn’t had sex in so long. Every man I’d met wasn’t for me. They were nice guys, but they didn’t have that spark I was searching for. People think I’m a good girl, and I am, but my mind is filled with dirty thoughts that I could never share with another soul. Well, maybe not a soul, I’ve shared them with Sophia, but she doesn’t count. I’ve never shared a fantasy with a man, and no one had ever done anything fantasy worthy with me. I can barely speak the words that you’d need to use to describe the things I want done to me or that I’d want to do to another person in this world.

“Ma’am,” he said, snapping me out of the evaluation of my sex life or lack thereof.

“Sorry, yes?” I asked.

“Can you try and start it for me, please,” he replied.

I climbed in the car and watched him through the tiny gap between the hood and the car. “Now,” he said, and I turned the key. The car churned and churned. “Stop,” he said over the screeching noise. I turned the key and watched him. He moved methodically throughout the engine of the car. “Try it again.” I turned the key and still nothing. I turned the key to the off position and watched him as he stood up. The only thing I could see was his crotch area. I didn’t move, just stared. His t-shirt covered the belt loops and stopped just above the most vital area. He filled his jeans beautifully.

The last guy who I’d slept with was more the size of a party pickle. It was the most unsatisfying sexual experience of my life. He was a lawyer, and I wanted someone who was educated and self-sufficient. I thought I’d found that with Sam, but I was wrong. He was a wreck, filled with more mental issues than anyone I’d ever known. He was germ-a-phobic, which was problematic when having sex. He’d jump right out of bed immediately after sex to shower and wash the dirty off. I sighed to myself remembering his need to be clean.

The hood of my car made a loud thump. “Your car is a little tricky. Foreign cars can be complicated. I can’t seem to get it to start,” he said.

“It’s okay. Thanks for trying,” I said as I climbed out of the car, leaving the door open in my wake.
What the heck am I going to do now?
I looked at his face; he was smiling at me, not moving to leave.

“I was heading to the bar up the road. Want to join me? You can call a tow truck from there. It may take them a while to get out here.”

I stood there, thinking about what I should do. I could wait out here and face uncertainty, or I could go with this sexy man for a drink while I waited for a tow. If he wanted to kill me, he could have already done it without anyone knowing. He didn’t need to lure me away from my car to slash my throat. “Okay, but I’ve never been on a bike,” I said looking him up and down, my mouth going dry at the thought of wrapping my arms around his muscular body.

“Never? How is that possible?” he asked with a look of disbelief on his face.

I looked down at the ground a little embarrassed by my inexperience. “I don’t know. Never knew anyone who owned one, really, and I find them totally scary.”

“It’s not far from here, and there isn’t much traffic. I’ll keep you safe,” he said, holding out his helmet to me. I stood there, my stomach fluttering, before closing the door behind me. I grabbed the helmet from his hand and stared at it. It was plain black with no sides, and I didn’t know if there was a front or a back.

“Here, let me help you,” he said. I placed the helmet in his open hands. He set it gently on my head. He ran his fingers down the strap to adjust it to fit my face. I inhaled deeply; he smelled different than any other man I’d smelled before. He had a slightly sweet scent with a hint of spice, almost like licorice. His fingertips brushed my skin as he tightened the strap against my chin. I closed my eyes relishing the feel of his warm skin against mine, lost in the moment. “All done, are you ready?” he asked.

I opened my eyes quickly. I could feel my face turning red, praying my voice wouldn’t betray me as I spoke, “Yes.”

I watched him as he climbed on the bike, sliding forward making room for me behind him. “Lift your leg and climb on,” he said. I followed his directions and climbed on the bike; I placed my hand on his shoulder to help balance myself. As I sat on the seat, my body slid forward, smashing against him. “Put your feet up on the pegs and wrap your arms around me.” I lifted my feet off the ground, turning over complete control to the stranger I was entrusting with my life. I locked my hands together completely wrapped around him. “Ready?” he asked.

I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. “Wait. I don’t even know your name?”

I could feel his body moving up and down slightly but couldn’t hear the laugh I knew he was enjoying. “My friends call me City, doll,” he said as he started the bike, making my heart almost stop out of fear.

My grip became almost vice like, fear overcoming any need to be cool or seem calm in front of him. He patted my hand, reassuring me that we’d survive this trip and that I was safe with him. The bike began to move slowly, but I couldn’t look. I buried my face in his back, avoiding any chance of seeing the road. The wind caressed my skin, causing my exposed skin to feel like ice compared to the warmth my palms experienced from his body heat.

I’d never been so close to someone for an extended period of time like this without them being a boyfriend. The bike picked up speed, and my heart thundered in my chest. He had to feel it beating against his back as I gripped him harder, holding on for dear life. The sound of the engine drowned out everything else around me, including the wind. He leaned forward and into the bike, his ass moving backwards and more snuggly between my legs. I didn’t dare move. He was warm, comfortable, and I enjoyed every minute my body touched his. I closed my eyes and tried not to think about the movement of the bike underneath us.

The noise of the engine changed as the bike slowed. I peeked to see why he was slowing down and realized we were pulling into a small little bar, The Neon Cowboy. I’d driven by it dozens of times but never thought about stopping. The parking lot was filled with all types and colors of Harleys.  This wasn’t the type of bar for kids on speedy foreign-made bikes, but a place where tough bikers hung out, drank beer, and picked up chicks.

“You can climb off, now. Enjoy your first ride?” City asked.

“It was the single most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced,” I said, thankful when my feet were firmly on the ground. I stood there trying to get my body to stop shaking and my heart to slow down.

“Good thing I took it slow with you.” He grinned, and my stomach plummeted from his sinful smile. I could see him clearly for the first time by the lights dotting the parking lot. His hair was darker than I originally thought, almost jet black, and an inch long on the top with the back trimmed short. It was a mess from the wind with the front hanging over his forehead.  I couldn’t tell the color of his eyes; they were still hidden behind the riding glasses. He didn’t look dangerous without the shadows, at least not to my life.

Coming Spring 2014

I’m an avid reader: consuming contemporary romance, dark reads, young adult, and all things erotica. I want to create books filled with characters who readers can relate to dealing with real world problems and matching wallets.

I love to travel, and my two favorite cities are New Orleans and Paris. I currently live in Florida with my amazing boyfriend and two kittens, Nola and Peanut.

Untangle Me is the first book in the Love at Last series and Throttle Me will follow Kayden: The Past .5 sometime during 2014.

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Turn to the next page to read the Prologue to Untangle Me
(Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords)

Untangle Me

My heart hammered against my chest so strong, I thought it would explode. I clutched the steering wheel and concentrated on navigating through the streets of New Orleans.

“Stay right in a half mile, Interstate 610 west. Take exit one, West Napoleon Avenue and turn right. Your destination is one mile ahead on the right,” the GPS stated.

One mile?

Butterflies filled my stomach, sweat beaded on my face. I increased the air conditioning trying to cool myself off.

Get it together.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m just trying to figure out where I’m going. There are so many buildings.” I looked around trying to see an address amongst the numerous apartment complexes.

“I’ll guide you,” he said in a calming voice as I looked for him amongst the throng of cars.

“Do you see my car?”

“You just passed up my building. Do a U-turn and turn by the black gate.”

“Shit.” Sweat trickled down my temple.

I stopped the car in the middle turning lane and wiped the sweat from my face. I studied my face in the rearview mirror. It was shiny but otherwise looked unfazed by the long drive.

“I’m coming now.” I blotted my face with a napkin left on the passenger seat and applied powder to smooth my complexion. I sat for a moment and took a deep breathe.

Calm down. He’s just a guy.
I gripped the wheel and turned back towards him, the man I had thought about constantly for weeks.