Page 8

Piper

My brows furrowed as I watched him stalk over to a big rig with Massachusetts plates on it and tuck the extra phone under the back bumper before walking back to me with a huge grin on his face.

“What are you doing?”

“Sending those thugs your ex sicced on you on a wild goose chase. Shadow made sure this phone mimics the one we destroyed, and I overhead the driver say he’d emptied his rig earlier and was headed home to Boston.”

“You sure that’s his truck?”

“Only one out here with Massachusetts plates on it. If it isn’t his, it’s probably still heading that way.”

“Sneaky!” I had to admire him for it though.

“Yeah.” He grinned. “I have my moments.”

The rest of the day went smoothly. I’d been accustomed to the vibrations of the bike beneath me and the way Beast leaned into the curves.

I relaxed against him and enjoyed the scenery as we raced along the ribbon of asphalt.

From time to time we stopped to stretch our legs or get a drink and a bite to eat.

Those saddlebags were starting to feel like Mary Poppins’s carpetbag.

I was never sure what Beast would pull out next.

At dusk we pulled into the parking lot of a cozy looking little motel with a bar attached.

The sign over the bar proclaimed it to be the Best Cowboy Tavern in town, and it looked to be pretty busy.

I was more interested in getting off the bike and working the kinks out.

That last chunk of road had been a long one.

I loved the feeling of freedom and all, but staying in one position for the better part of the day left me feeling stiff.

I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get comfortable with it.

“Let’s get a room and see if the manager can recommend somewhere to grab a bite to eat before we turn in for the night.” Beast once again slung the saddlebags over his shoulder and reached for my hand. Yup, the guy had a real thing for handholding.

The motel office was staffed by a girl who looked young enough to be carded if she tried to get into the bar next door. “Just one night?” The girl reached for a pad of papers behind her.

Beast nodded. “Yeah. Just passing through.”

“Fill this out.” She ripped off the top page and handed him the form. “That your bike out there?”

He nodded, scribbling something down on the paper she’d given him. Reading over his shoulder, I could see that we were Mr. and Mrs. Beamish. I suppose Smith would have been a dead giveaway.

“Nice.” She included me in her smile. “You’re in Room 11. It’s right next to the office here so the noise from the bar shouldn’t bother you too much. It’s karaoke night so it’s packed and they’re open till two am.”

“They serve food over there, or is there anywhere close by you’d recommend?” Beast handed back the slip of paper and reached in his pocket for his wallet. I noticed he didn’t just pull out a wad of cash this time.

“If you just want hamburgers and fries, the bar is great. You want a full menu, you’ll have to go downtown.

” She giggled. “There’s only one main street in this place, and there’s a restaurant at the far end.

Nothing fancy there either but you can get a meat and potatoes meal.

” She reached under the counter and pulled out a key.

“That will be eighty dollars. Cash or credit card?”

“Cash, thanks.” He pulled a few bills out and laid them on the counter. Picking up the key, he turned and grabbed my hand again.

I wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or feel like a toddler in danger of wandering off.

I waited at the door to number 11 while Beast moved the bike a few yards to park it outside our room.

He dismounted and grabbed the saddlebags again before unlocking the door so I could enter.

The room wasn’t fancy, but it was clean, and the shower had that faint bleachy smell that told me it had been disinfected recently. I’d stayed in worse.

“Hamburgers okay with you?” Beast put the saddlebags down.

“Sounds great.” I could hear the faint sound of music coming from the bar.

I wondered if Beast would be okay with me joining the karaoke fun.

It wasn’t quite the same as singing with a band, but it would be nice to stretch my vocal cords.

“Lunch was good, but it was a while ago.” I stretched, wincing as a few muscles I rarely used made their presence known.

He tilted his head. “You need to freshen up first?”

I raised my brows and pretended to look hurt. “You think I look like I need to freshen up?” Teasing him was so much fun.

He crossed the room and pulled me into his arms to place a very thorough kiss on my lips. “No. I was trying to be considerate. You look like you need to get naked and let me fuck you until you can’t stand up, but I figured I’d get some food into you first.”

“Didn’t want me fainting from hunger while you were having your way with me?”

“Yeah. Something like that.” He nuzzled the side of my neck. “You smell like sunshine and fresh air.”

I batted my eyelashes at him. “So I don’t need to freshen up?”

He nipped my earlobe. “I’m not falling for that one again. You know I’d take you any way you’d have me, including dripping with mud, but I do think we need to get a bite to eat first.”

“True.” I slid out of his grip. “Just give me a minute to… freshen up … and I’ll be ready to go.”

A reluctant smile curved Beast’s rugged features as he shook his head. “I knew you were going to be trouble.”

I gave my face and hands a quick rinse and grimaced at my reflection in the mirror.

The helmet might keep me safe, but it didn’t do much for my hair.

It lay flat against my head, so I tried to fluff it up with my fingers.

I could have gone looking for my brush, but I doubted that would help much and I didn’t want to take the time to wash and blow dry it.

Maybe I could consider the new look a disguise.

The girl staring back at me from the mirror didn’t look much like the glamour shots my agent used.

I skipped back into the main room. “All ready.”

Beast held his hand out toward me.

I wrinkled my nose. “We’re still doing the handholding thing, are we?” But I put my hand in his, secretly enjoying the security it implied.

Beast shrugged. “Your ex’s thugs aside, I don’t want anyone thinking you’re available.”

“Available? Aw. Aren’t you the sweet talker?” I grinned up at him.

He growled something under his breath and shoved the room key in his pocket.

The night air was just cool enough to be comfortable as we walked over to the pub.

Beast held the door open for me without letting go of my hand, and I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting.

The place was packed and true to the name there were a lot of cowboy hats and boots in the crowd.

The bar covered one wall at the far side of the room, and tables and chairs were scattered around a square reserved for dancing.

The door shut behind us, and Beast led me over to a table in the far corner of the room. Taking a seat with his back to the wall, he pulled a chair around the table and set it beside his for me.

I raised my brow. “Really? You don’t want me all the way over on the other side of the table?”

“I thought you’d want to be able to see the stage.” He gestured toward a makeshift stage in a corner beside the bar. A karaoke machine complete with speakers was set up on the stage.

“Oh.” I watched as a tall brunette picked up the microphone and said something to the guy running the machine. He gave her a thumbs up, and the soft sounds of guitar strumming filled the room. The brunette nodded her head and launched into an old country ballad.

Beast raised an arm and flagged down a barmaid. When she was close enough to hear him over the noise of the other patrons, he ordered a couple of burgers and a pitcher of beer. She nodded and disappeared into the crowd of dancers swaying to the brunette’s song.

“Hope beer’s okay. I should have asked.” He leaned toward me.

“Beer’s fine.” I tapped my foot in time to the music. The brunette had a good voice, and I guessed this wasn’t her first time singing to the crowd.

We sat in companionable silence enjoying the ambiance until the barmaid returned with our drinks. She plunked a plastic jug full of beer and two glasses on the table. “Food will be up in five minutes.” She gave us a quick smile before turning back to the crowd.

I picked up the jug and poured each of us a glass. Beast grabbed one and took a deep pull. He draped his other arm across the back of my chair in a casually possessive gesture. I leaned into him, resting my head in the hollow of his shoulder.

We were just another barely visible couple in a crowded bar in a small town in the middle of nowhere. It felt good. Safe. I felt safe enough to relax for the first time since this whole mess started.

The next singer got up, a cowboy complete with the boots and the hat. He picked one of those country songs with lots of whooping and foot stomping and the crowd really got into it. I looked at Beast. “You want to dance?”

He shook his head. “Nope. Not unless they slow the music down a whole lot, and I can just wrap my arms around you and sway a bit.”

I laughed. “Not likely to happen. I’m getting the feeling this is a country crowd, and they’re just starting to warm up.”

The waitress came back with our food, and once again Beast pulled out just enough to cover the tab with a generous tip.

True to what the girl at the motel desk had said, the food was plain but good. The hamburger patties were thick and juicy, and the buns were fresh. I was hungrier than I’d realized and made short work of it. Beast looked amused. “Poor hamburger didn’t stand a chance.”

I shrugged, looking pointedly at his empty plate. “I don’t see a lot of crumbs on your plate either.”

He stretched his legs out. “Nope. That was a damn good burger. I’ll have to keep this place in mind the next time I’m out this way.”

“You travel a lot for work?”