You'll Think of Me (34 page)

“I’m not getting on that bike.”

Luke’s grin stretched bigger. “Yes, you are.”

“No way in hell. When you said take a little ride, I thought you meant in your truck! Not on a death trap!”

“Livy, as if I’d let anything happen to you. And we are taking a ride, a ride on my bike. You need to let go and let the wind hit your back and not give a damn for once in a while. I just got my license to ride, so you’re safe. Let’s go.”

Her mouth dropped with her shoulders, fear clouded her senses. “You just got your license? When?” she whispered thickly.

Long strides took Luke toward Olivia. He shrugged. “I think…two weeks ago?”

“Two weeks! There is no
way
I am getting on there with you now,” she retorted, taking a few steps backwards. “You shouldn’t even be riding alone yet, either. That’s too soon!”

“Livy,” he warned. “Let’s go.”

“Luke, I’m a doctor! I know what risks I face riding those things. No! Plus, you’re not experienced enough to ride.”

“Baby, I know how to ride,” Luke smirked.

Olivia couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at her face at his innuendo. He was picking up speed and closing the distance between them. No way was she riding a motorcycle with an inexperienced driver.

Turning, she took off running barefoot through her yard. She rounded the corner of her house and looked over her shoulder to see Luke trailing her.

“Luke!” she yelled. “Stop! I’m not getting on your bike!” She was giggling at being chased and then started running in zigzags to create distance between them.

“Like hell you’re not. I’m taking you for a ride. You need it more than anyone,” he said catching up to her. Luke wrapped a strong arm around her stomach and hauled her against him.

Olivia yelled somewhere between a scream and a giggle at being captured. She wiggled out of his hold quickly, giggling the whole time. She took three steps before he captured her again and tumbled them to the ground.

Out of breath, Olivia tried to roll and escape him, but he pinned her down with his body on the grass. She squirmed and twisted under him, legs scissoring the sides of his waist as her hips lifted, trying to push him off.

Luke stared at her laughing face and he realized how much he missed seeing her glowing smile. Her eyes lit up and they sucked him in.

“You’re not goin’ anywhere except to change and get on my bike.”

“Luke, I am not riding that thing,” she breathed.

“Baby, yes you are.” He smiled at her. “You’ll love it. I know it. It’s what you need. Trust me.”

Her smile faltered at his endearment.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his brows furrowing. If she really didn’t want to ride, he wasn’t going to push it anymore.

“You called me ‘baby’.” Luke’s eyes softened with his body. He looked at her dirt smeared face and realized that calling her baby struck a chord. Looking at her lips, he wanted so bad to lean down and kiss her. Instead, he took a hand and moved her hair from her face, dragging his knuckles down the side of her head, causing her eyes to drift shut. She tugged her bottom lip into her mouth and bit down, knowing she was fighting the feelings coursing through her body, just like he was.

“So I did,” he said softly. “Does that bother you?”

She shook her head no. In fact, she liked the sound of it on his lips.

“Good. So you ready to go?”

She gripped Luke’s shoulders with apprehension and asked, “Did you really just get your license?”

His green eyes lit up and his lips curved at the tips into a heart stopping grin.

“No, I’ve had it for years, actually. I was just busting your chops.” Her eyes rolled and she chuckled. Leaning down, he couldn’t resist softly kissing her forehead. She looked so adorable under him on the grass that he had to do it. Her hands that were on his shoulders gripped him harder and she tensed.

Pulling back, he asked, “Are you ready to go?”

“I’m pinned beneath you and full of dirt.” He looked down at their bodies and a half-smile tipped his lips. “So you are.”

She pushed at his shoulders but got nowhere. “Well, will you move so I can get changed and we can ride?”

So we can ride? Damn.
Luke was having a hard time with moving. He was sandwiched comfortably between her warm thighs and didn’t want to move. “I kind of like where I am actually,” he said as he wiggled his hips, which was a stupid thing to do. It only made his cock hard.

Olivia clenched her stomach as she held in a groan. Why did Luke have to do that? She was completely aware of every inch of his body trapping her to the ground. She squeezed her legs and inadvertently rolled her hips into his, feeling his hardness press against her sex. A small breath rolled off her lips. Luke’s eyes darkened and his jaw flexed.

Taking a chance, Olivia ran her fingers through his hair. “I’ve wanted to do this for a while now,” she said softly when he tensed. At his confused look, she answered him. “I wanted to run my fingers through your hair since I saw you again. Remember how I used to do it all the time?”

With both hands, she gently trailed her nails along his scalp, fluffing up his hair and watching it fall through her fingers. For some reason she had always found it relaxing in the past, and felt the need to do it now.

He had forgotten how much he loved when she did that. Her touch was soft, arousing.

Luke’s arms tightened around her as his dick strained against his pants. There was no way of hiding his erection and knew Livy could feel it too, yet she wasn’t stopping with her hands. She was watching her fingers in his hair, but his gaze was locked on her lips and if she didn’t stop, he was going to be kissing her in seconds. The look in her eyes had his body heating all over. So instead, he laid his head down on her chest and listened to her heart beat as she continued with his hair. He hoped he wasn’t crushing her, but her touch was so comforting that he didn’t want to move.

Olivia wasn’t sure what came over her, but she had to run her fingers through his hair. She was lost in the softness when Luke laid his head down. Running her fingers through his hair used to bring calmness to her, and she realized it still did. Maybe that’s why she started doing it. Maybe it was because she missed the feel of him on her even when it wasn’t sexual, just when they were lying together. He brought her a sense of security.

Taking a deep breath, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him to her as her heart ached for the closeness with him.

That’s when it hit her. This is what she had yearned for in the past that no one could deliver. “What are we doin’?” she asked quietly.

“I’m doing whatever you want, baby.”

Olivia squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m going for a ride with you.”

Once she dressed in jeans and boots, Olivia was standing in front of Luke’s bike, watching him buckle his helmet. He undid the smaller helmet that was fastened to the back of the second seat and walked to her.

Biting her lip, she said, “I’m scared, Luke.”

Luke dropped his arms. “Olivia, I would never let anything happen to you. I promise. We’ll stick to the back roads if that makes you feel better.” She nodded.

Placing the helmet on her head, he said, “Lift your chin,” then buckled the straps.

Luke looked in her eyes and saw that she trusted him. With a grin he said, “Let’s ride.”

Swinging a leg over the bike, Luke sat down on the leather seat and put the weight on his right leg as his left boot flipped the kickstand back. He switched the key and turned on his bike. Twisting his wrist back, Luke listened for the cracking sound of the pipes roaring to life.

He glanced at Olivia who was as pale as a ghost. “Get on.” She nodded stiffly and swung a leg over. Looking into his rearview mirror, Luke watched as Livy looked around frantically for something to hold on to.

Looking over his shoulder, Luke said, “Scoot down as close as you can get to me.”

Olivia did as Luke asked and her legs were snuggly cupping him. She wasn’t sure where to put her hands so she placed them under the seat and grabbed a hold of the metal railing, gripping it for dear life. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea…

Luke chuckled at Olivia’s tense body. He dropped his arms and turned around halfway. Holding the bike between his thighs, he grabbed one wrist, then turned the other way and grabbed her other wrist. Pulling her forward, he wrapped her arms around his waist and locked her around him. Glancing over his shoulder one last time, he said, “There. Now hold on tight and don’t let go.”

Luke revved the engine, the loud pipes roaring as Livy scooted even closer and squeezed him hard. “Lighten up. I need to breathe, Livy,” he laughed.

“Oh, sorry,” she mumbled.

Slowly, Luke turned his bike around and it rode forward. His boots skated lightly over the gravel until reaching the end of the driveway.

“Which way to the backstreets?” She pointed and told Luke. Nodding, he accelerated and skimmed his feet along the road until he picked up speed then placed them on the foot rest and rode out.

At first Olivia thought she was going to be sick. She tried not to squeeze Luke so hard, but she had never been on a motorcycle before and it frightened her. Once they hit the street, Olivia watched as Luke held the steering bars and rode with confidence, only then starting to relax a little. It was exhilarating and she felt free, but that didn’t mean she lightened up on her hold. Olivia found the front pockets of Luke’s jacket, slid her hands into them, took a deep breath and relaxed into his back. She turned her head to the side and laid it down watching as the world passed them by while they rode to virtually nowhere.

Luke had always brought her a sense of comfort when they were younger. He knew about her alcoholic father and his outbursts, her adoption and rebellion as a teenager, and he was constantly there to calm her down when she was losing control. He knew the right words to say and if that didn’t work, he’d sing to her. He was the one constant in her life she could rely on back then. And now when she was at a time in her life when she felt like her control was slipping, he showed up on his bike.

Olivia knew she was falling for Luke again, not because of his looks or their undeniable connection, but because aside from everything in her life she dealt with, he got her. He understood her. He knew her, and he accepted her past, something she had never shared with anyone. He was her best friend and confidant. Olivia forgot how much she missed his friendship.

Tilting his head to the side he yelled at her, “You good?”

Livy propped her chin on his back with her hair billowing in the wind and answered him. “I’m good.”

It was the best she’s been since she left Georgia.

A
little over an hour later, Luke veered off to the side. After riding for that amount of time, he wanted to give Livy a chance to stretch her legs out. He got off the bike, undid his helmet, then hers.

“Here, let me help you off the bike. Stand up on the foot rests. The pipes are hot and you’ll burn your leg pretty badly if you hit it.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah, I’ve don’t it a few times. Hurts like a bitch.”

Olivia looked down at the shiny silver pipes then back up, listening to them sizzle as they cooled down. She stood on the pegs and reached for him. Luke grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up, bringing her chest parallel to his face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and bent her knees as he carried her away from the bike.

Stopping, Luke slowly lowered Olivia to the ground, but they never left each other’s embrace. “Did you like the ride?” he asked, staring into her eyes, her hair a tangled mess.

“I did.”

“Would you want to ride with me again sometime?” he grumbled, hoping she’d say yes.

She bit her lip, and nodded.

Luke smiled and kissed her forehead. “Good. Now let’s go get something to eat.” Luke broke contact and took hold of Olivia’s hand. He began walking, but she stopped.

“Oh my god,” Olivia yelled out, bending over to look between her legs as Luke laughed. She began walking with bowed legs. “I feel like I went horseback riding! My legs are sore!”

Luke chuckled. “Come on, cowgirl.”

The sun was setting around them as Luke and Olivia had a late lunch on one of the wooden picnic benches scattered outside the little diner. “How are your parents doing? I haven’t seen them in years.”