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“Tate happens to be about your age. And he knows cars.”
“He’s a jackass,” Kade muttered, leading Asha over to the motorcycle parked in the driveway. “I’ll take you home and have new tires put on your car. And I’m having it checked over mechanically, even though your knowledgeable neighbor already said it’s safe.”
Asha took a breath to argue, but Kade held up a hand and cut her off. “Don’t even start. You can give me this much. Let me know you’re safe.”
She let the breath out and smiled. Yeah…she could. He was trying to help her, and she accepted gracefully. Looking at the motorcycle, which looked like a high-tech vehicle, she admitted ruefully, “I’ve never ridden on one of these.” And honestly, she’d never wanted to.
“Then you haven’t really lived.” He opened the saddlebag and pulled out a helmet as he grabbed his own from the seat.
“It looks…fancy. Is it fast?”
Kade pulled a leather jacket out of the saddlebag too, and closed the door. “This is a BMW touring bike. Not as fast as my racing bike, but fast enough,” he answered with a boyish grin. “Here.” He held up the jacket so she could slip her arms inside.
“It’s over seventy degrees today,” Asha argued, not really crazy about the idea of putting on a leather jacket while Kade was in a short-sleeved maroon t-shirt, jeans, and black biker boots. She was attired much the same, except she was wearing sneakers rather than boots.
“It’s lightweight and it isn’t for warmth. It’s protection,” he told her adamantly.
She sighed and put her arms into the jacket, letting it swallow her upper body. It obviously belonged to Kade. “It smells like you,” she said dreamily, his scent surrounding her.
“Sweetheart, if I hear you say something like that in thatfuck-metone of voice again, I’ll be compelled to make you come right here in Max’s driveway,” Kade threatened, his words a grunt of warning.
Asha’s gut clenched in reaction, a pulse of electricity flowing from her belly to her pussy. Her panties dampened as she pulled the lining of the jacket to her face and inhaled, but she stayed silent.
“Woman, you’re pushing my buttons,” Kade cautioned in a low, vibrating voice as he rolled up the sleeves of the jacket and zipped it.
She was swimming in the coat, the material coming down to her thighs. It was way too warm, but she didn’t complain. Asha reveled in the way that Kade was watching out for her, protecting her. “So what do I do?” she asked, slightly intimidated by the large motorcycle.
“Hold on,” Kade told her jokingly, but went through the basics.
Once they were situated on the motorcycle, Asha wrapped her arms around Kade and scooted up against his back.
“Tighter,” Kade ordered huskily. “And don’t let go.”
The helmets had Bluetooth, and Kade had already explained it, but the sound of his voice in her ear still startled her.
Once the bike was in motion, Kade didn’t have to tell her to hold tight. She started with a death grip around him, but tried to relax and stay neutral in position like he’d asked her to do. Most of her fear fled as she experienced Kade’s competence at riding. His motions were smooth and fluid, and he rode with a confidence of a man who had been riding for a very long time.
“You okay?” Kade asked quietly.
“Yeah,” she breathed softly. “This is great. Can we go faster?” Asha trusted Kade, and the feeling of freedom she felt from riding in the open air was exhilarating.
She heard Kade chuckle. “No, we can’t, my little speed demon. I’m doing the speed limit. I’m carrying precious cargo.” He hesitated for a moment. “We can get on the freeway. I know a place where we can go faster safely.”
“Yes,” she agreed readily. “Go.”
The speed on the freeway was heady, and Asha clung to Kade, enjoying the ride with unrestrained abandon.
“I’m getting off at this exit,” he warned her after they had gotten out of the city, letting her know they were going to slow to a stop.
“Where are we?” she asked curiously.
“You’ll see,” he answered mysteriously.
After driving for about five minutes, they arrived at what looked like a large arena. Kade stopped at the gates and punched a code into a panel, waiting until the gates opened enough for them to slip through. They moved down a narrow passage that opened into a large, paved racetrack.
“Do you know who owns this?” she asked inquisitively, excitement in her voice.
“Yes. Quite well. He happens to be my brother. This is Travis’s track. He races cars as a hobby. He’s a damn good driver.”