Page 39 of Rogue’s Path (Sweet Chaos #1)

Rogue

Well, that didn’t take long. Three days into a road trip, and we had our first fight. How could she still be talking to him?

It had to be Taylor. Not only is he a fighter of legends taught by his father, and the guy started a security business of his own that has billionaires around the world begging for him to take them on as clients, but he’s also a nice guy.

Scary.

But nice.

How am I going to compete with that?

I glance over at the woman next to me, who’s staring intensely at her screen. This is the first time I’ve seen her frown while working.

We’ve been having a lot of firsts lately.

These are the only ones I don’t like.

Single-word-responses Dylan, I don’t like at all.

She’s just shut me out.

It’s like I’m not even here.

Doesn’t she get that I needed time to process what was happening? Time to think. When Taylor called her in the middle of the night while my arms were around her, everything in me went primal. She laughed with him.

She smiled at him while in bed with me.

Nothing about that was right.

I pass a slow-moving sedan on an open stretch of the road. This truck is good for a lot of things, but zipping in and out of lanes isn’t one of them.

Peaches doesn’t even look up as I maneuver around. She trusts me with her life. Why didn’t she trust me enough to tell me about Taylor?

I’m not mad that she’s friends with him.

Or that she went on a sort of date with him…much.

She met him before me.

Why didn’t she just say no that morning?

Why couldn’t she have known from that one kiss that we were going to be forever?

Because she was slightly drunk, you idiot.

She wasn’t cheating on you.

But it felt like it then.

Why did I say those things? “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too.” She puts her hand on my arm and turns towards me. “I should have remembered to tell him sooner. These last few days, I’ve only thought about two things: you and my stalker. And mostly it was you. Taylor completely slipped my mind.”

Can’t say I don’t like the sound of that. My woman finds Taylor forgettable. “I don’t like it when we don’t talk to each other.”

“Neither do I.”

We both laugh. That’s another thing we have in common.

***

“Nice choice of hotels.” Peaches spins around her massive suite.

“You like it? I thought we could stay here for a few days. See the sights and wander around the town.”

“See the sights.” She walks over to me, wrapping her arms around me.

“Yeah.” I want to lean down and kiss those teasing lips of hers. And freeze. I almost broke the stupidest promise I’ve ever made. “I thought we could do something fun.”

Peaches leans back and stares up at me. “Why does it scare me when you say it that way?”

Because I’m not sure how you’ll react. “I thought you might want to go for a ride on my motorcycle.”

“Your motorcycle?” She steps back like I just suggested we go out and jump off a bridge or something like that.

“Yeah, bikes are a big part of my life. It’s important to me that you enjoy riding.” Which is an understatement.

“What if I don’t? Is that it for us?”

Could I stand losing her? “No. But I won’t lie, it’ll be harder. I own other vehicles, but especially in the summer, I’m almost always riding.”

Peaches turns around and walks over to the window. She stares out at the sweeping vista of frozen fields. In the summer, it’ll be endless stalks of wheat or corn. “Can I have some time to think about it?”

“Of course. I never want you to feel like you have to do something you don’t want for me. This is your choice.” But I can’t help hoping this doesn’t become a separation for us. The world is a different place from the back of a bike.

“Wait, how are we going to ride?”

“My bike is in the back of the trailer too. If the weather holds up, and you find you enjoy riding, we’ll take it back home.” Home. Our home is going to be the same place soon.

“You brought it all this way on the chance I might ride it with you. In the cold?”

“We’ll get you leathers. You won’t even feel it.”

Her nose wrinkles.

They'd better find the stalker quickly. This no-kissing thing gets harder and harder every minute.

***

“I knew you were sneaky, but I should have been on my guard.” She slides her arms out of her jacket. “There were no less than ten stores we walked past that sell biker gear. That’s why you were so willing to shop.”

“Maybe. But I like any type of shopping with you.”

“Challenge accepted. The next time I go clothes shopping, you’re coming.”

“Gladly accepted. I saw a full set of leathers that would look so good on you.”

She shakes her head and walks away. “Men. I’m never wearing chaps and a string bikini. Do you hear me? Even if I try out this biker babe thing for you, it’s not happening.”

Biker babe? I try to hold back a smile.

“And you better feed me before I get hangry.”

It seems it’s too late for that. “What would you like?”

“Steak…and something warm like a cup of soup, anything but mushroom. The steak needs to be medium-rare.”

I fail at holding back a laugh.

“That’s the way you like it, too.”

“Sure is.”

***

Peaches yawns. “That was so good.” She leans back against my side.

A long day and a good steak have me ready to pass out. “Time for us to go to bed.”

Peaches doesn’t move.

“But you’re going to have to sleep in your own bed tonight. I don’t trust myself not to kiss you.”

She doesn’t respond because she’s already fallen asleep.

I must be really tired, because carrying her to bed is harder than normal.

Sweet dreams, Peaches. Tomorrow we ride.