Page 17 of Mac (Demented Souls #7)

B lood beat a rhythmic whoosh in Elyse's ears, the rest of the world muffled through the heavy helmet as Mac drove the bike down their street and out on to the main road with an ease she couldn't quite understand.

Well, she could, she knew he'd been riding for years and she had no doubt about his skill.

What she doubted was that she could ever handle the motorcycle with the same ease he did.

Not that she had the desire to. Elyse was content to sit right where she was and enjoy the ride while he took care of the driving, the worrying about traffic and where they were going.

It was almost like something out of a book.

She'd never experienced anything like riding with Mac, even after having read more than a few books that had bikers in them.

Somehow the wonder, the exhilaration of the rumble beneath her and the way the land sped past with nothing between her and it but a little air, didn't carry through the printed word.

Maybe it was the skill of the author, or the lack thereof, but until Mac had invited her out, she'd had no idea what she was missing.

Now, though? She would take every chance she got to ride along, but as much as she might like the fantasy of being on her own bike, she didn't think she'd ever try it.

"You all right back there?" Mac's voice surprised her again, so close, almost as if he were right beside her speaking only to her.

It pulled her from her thoughts and back to the reality.

For a moment she imagined they were in bed, him whispering to her in that soft brogue.

Heat pooled low in her belly.Somehow, she'd missed that they were out of town and she didn't even know where they were.

"I'm good." A quick look around told her they were headed north, likely toward Catalina.

"You sure? I'm not sure I've ever seen you this quiet for this long?"

"I'm sure. I figured part of the point of a ride was the quiet, or at least the lack of talking. I was enjoying the sights and thinking, that's all."

"I don't mind listening to you talk. I kind of like it, to tell the truth."

Elyse didn't know why, but somehow those words made her want to melt against him. He hadn't said he liked her, only that he liked hearing her talk, still, his words sent her heart a flutter.

"You may regret telling me that," she said with a laugh.

She used the light banter to cover how her stomach fluttered.

The desert continued to fly past, making her realize they were going far faster than she'd ever been on the motorcycle.

What had been a happy flutter in her belly, turned to a nervous one and she had to fight the urge to clutch Mac around the middle as visions of what would happen to her and Mac if they wrecked now danced in her head.

"Is something wrong?" Mac's voice drew her from her gruesome thoughts.

"No, what makes you ask?" The last thing she wanted to do was admit she was afraid. Especially of the motorcycle or his driving.

"You stiffened, I thought something might have scared you."

"No. I'm good."

Mac was quiet a moment. Elyse hoped he believed her but wasn't holding her breath. Maybe he was just polite enough to let it go. "You sure? You would tell me if there was something bothering you, wouldn't you?"

Something about his tone made her regret her lie. But how did she admit it now? How could she tell him the truth?

"I was a little surprised when I noticed how fast we're going.

It seems a lot faster on a motorcycle than in a car.

" There, that should do it. She didn't tell him she was afraid of becoming a smear on the pavement, but she had admitted to being startled.

It was better than telling him how badly she wanted him to slow down, just a little, and sounding like a total wimp.

"It does seem faster, but I guess I'm used to it. I'm only doing sixty, but we'll be slowing down before much longer."

"You don't have to do that just for me."

"I'm not. The speed limit drops as we get into the mountains over there." He nodded to the north west of them. Elyse frowned, trying to remember what exactly was ahead of them. She'd never been very far up this road, never past Oracle, and there only a couple times.

"What's up there? Where are we going?" She looked around him at the road, but it didn't give any clues.

"It's a pretty ride through those mountains, though it's a little cooler than in Tucson, but there are several little towns along the road.

We can stop and look around any time you're ready for a break or want to walk around a bit.

We'll be riding quite a bit today and breaks will help break it up some. "

"I'll let you know if I see anything I'd like to get a better look at.

" Elyse frowned a moment as she wondered where he had in mind to go.

It was apparent he didn't plan on sharing too much, at least not yet.

She didn't mind too much, she wasn't along because she cared about their destination.

Elyse had agreed to come because the idea of spending the day with Mac had been far more enticing than spending the day by herself.

Though she didn't mind her own company. She liked her time alone, but there was a draw to spending the day with him.

She pushed her worries from her mind as she let her gaze play along the landscape. The brush changed from mostly mesquite, to mesquite mixed with creosote, cat claw and saguaros.

"Where are we?" she asked after watching for a sign, but not seeing one.

"A few miles outside of Mammoth, you need to stop?"

"I don't need to, but I wouldn't turn it down. I'm a little thirsty."

"No problem. Give us a few minutes and I'll find us a place to pull off and get something to drink."

"I can wait."

Mac didn't respond, instead he kept driving.

Slowly, here and there, Elyse noticed a house, then another.

Set back away from the road with small yards separating them from the desert.

The houses became more common, until they were in clusters, then Mac slowed the motorcycle as they pulled into a small town.

Elyse leaned back away from Mac a little as she looked around, the slower speed made her feel a little better about not clutching him.

There were a couple shops, a couple churches, a cemetery, and a tiny grocery store.

She's almost forgotten her request to stop when Mac pulled into the parking lot of a small chain convenience store and parked.

"How's this?" he asked, then peeled off his helmet.

"This is great." Elyse climbed off the bike and pulled off her own helmet. Her legs wobbled a little bit as she waited for Mac, but After a couple minutes, she was fine.

"Go on ahead, I'll be right behind you." He swung one leg over the back of the bike and took her helmet.

"Thanks," Elyse called over her shoulder as she headed inside.

After a quick visit to the restroom she walked along the cooler case trying to decide what she wanted to drink, a fountain soda was out. Nowhere to keep it on the bike. A bottle she could reclose or a small can she could finish before they pulled out again would be best.

She scanned the cooler, walking back and forth for a moment or two before spotting what she was after, the smallest bottle of water they carried.

"Go for the bigger one, we'll put it in the saddle bags between stops, and we might not always have a store so handy, I’ve got canteens, but it’s just tap water, this stuff might taste better.

" Mac's voice behind her made her jump as she hadn't heardhim approach.

“Sorry, I thought you knew I was there.”

“No problem." Elyse shook her head and reached for the larger bottle like he suggested.

Ten minutes later they had both chosen drinks and stood outside, beside the motorcycle drinking.

Elyse looked around the weathered little town wondering what they did here.

She didn't see anything other than the gas station that would bring money to the small community.

She was tempted to ask Mac but not here, not now, where anyone could hear them.

"Ready to get back on the bike?"

Mac's voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“Sure, whenever you are.” Elyse glanced at the half full bottle in one hand.

With one last drink, she twisted the top on and made sure it was tight before handing it over.

Mac stored both his water and hers in one of the bags that hung on either side of the bike.

When he had finished securing the bag, Mac handed Elyse her helmet and slid on his own as he mounted the motorcycle.

"Come on, we've got a way to go before wecan stop for lunch."

“Lunch? " Elyse's stomach was still full of French toast, but the idea of lunch made her regret getting on the motorcycle just a little less.

Mac chuckled. "Yeah lunch, but we've got miles to go first."

“Right." Elyse gave an exaggerated sigh and climbed on behind him. She was really enjoying the ride, but her reaction made him laugh, which was her goal. He started the bike and pulled back out onto the highway before speaking again.

"What do you think of the town?

"It's pretty small, I can't figure out what supports the town."

"There used to be a mine, but it closed several years back. Now most people still working are in the local retail sales or they go out of town to work."

"That's sad." She looked around with a different perspective. Though she wasn't sure how the news had colored her perspective, only that she didn't feel quite so badly for the little town anymore.