Page 56 of Chaos & Carnage

“On the bike?”

“Yeah. On the bike.”

I snuggled against the warmth of his chest.

“I’ve never been on a motorbike before,” I mumbled against him, listening to the sound of his breathing slowing.

“You’ll love it, babe. It’s the single most liberating thing ever. After cumming, that is.”

Cade chuckled. Low deep rumbles, oddly comforting.

“Ok. Pick me up at eight.”

“Good girl,” he purred, nudging my head upwards, stroking his thumb over my lips.

Then he dipped his body, replacing his thumb with his mouth, rough, hot kisses, his eyes still closed, sleep still gripping him.

*****

“What do you wear for a biker party?” I asked Abbie.

“Wait. You’re going to a party?”

“Uh-huh?”

“What? The actual recluse is going to aparty?”

“Yes.”

“You never come to any of the parties I invite you to.” She turned and shoved her hands onto her hips. “I know. I know. It’s because I never invited you to abikerparty.”

“So, what do I wear?”

“I dunno. I’ve never been to a biker party before.”

“But if youweregoing to a biker party?”

“Jeans and a decent top. You can’t go wrong. And do you think if you both come back here tonight, you can keep the noise down? I need sleep.”

“My, how the tables have turned, you’re complaining about my sex noises now?” I giggled, feeling alive for the first time in months.

“To be fair, I’m not as loud as that. What the fuck was he doing to you last night? I thought the ceiling was coming in.”

“Sorry,” I winced, feeling a flush of heat at my cheeks.

“Don’t be, Alice. It’s healthy. For the first time in months, being kept up by a blond biker God is much better than days and days of back-to-back on-call shifts.”

“First full weekend I’ve had off in months,” I muttered.

“Good. Now go out and enjoy it. I’ll see to the kittens. You just have a good time at your biker party. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Abbie flashed me a wide smile.

Outside, below us, a rumble started, growing louder until the growl was almost vibrating the entire row of terraced houses.

“Sounds like your lift is here. Better go get some clothes on.”

I bounded out of the kitchen and up the flight of stairs to my attic room, pulling out the clothes stuffed into my drawers till I found what I was looking for. I fluffed my hair and threw some emergency make-up onto the bed next to my purse.

Out on the street the growl of the bike stopped, the sudden, stifling silence stark in comparison. Once I’d settled on the last of three black tops, I pulled on my jeans, taking one last look in the mirror and wishing the make-up I wore would hide the millions of freckles that littered my face. But tonight, for once, I didn’t look like an overworked mess. I just looked normal. Plain.