Nicki Night - Riding Into Love

Drew held his hands up in surrender. “Okay. I can understand that.”

He had other things to say as well, but didn’t want to make promises that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep. He’d heard the same story from many women before, but this was the first time that it felt like a blow to his gut. Alana didn’t want to be bothered with him and he found that troubling. But what could he do when he was about to be on the road for the next nine months? He’d gotten the answers he’d come for, but despite that he wanted to kiss her again, like he had on that dance floor. He had suspected she was up to something, but he’d still sensed the hunger in her kiss and proudly left her with swollen lips.

Alana leaned against the counter and traced imaginary circles. “So now you know. It’s not anything personal.”

“That’s cool.” Drew watched her fingers, unable to take his eyes off her.

The atmosphere became tense and their conversation turned laborious.

“When is your first race?” Alana folded her arms in front of her but didn’t look at him as she spoke.

“Beginning of March.”

“Where?”

“Qatar.”

“Oh. Wow.”

“Yeah. I’ll be heading there next week to get ready.”

“How does a motorcycle racer prepare?”

Drew welcomed the change of subject but still wished he could somehow convince her that things were different with him now. “By working out and practicing certain skills.”

“What kind of workout?”

“Well, arm, leg and core strength is important when it comes to handling the bikes, but bulk is not very good because it adds weight. There’s a delicate balance. We schedule track days to practice. You should come to one of my races someday.”

“But you don’t race in the US, do you?”

“Sure we do. We have one at a track right outside of Austin in April. It would be cool if you came to a race overseas. That is, of course, if I’m not too horrible to hang with.”

Alana pressed her lips together and swatted at him.

Drew laughed. “You’d like it. I’ll get you your own hotel room so you don’t have to worry about ending up in my bed having casual sex or something like that.”

“Drew!” She swatted him again. This time she missed completely.

After a few beats of silence, Drew exhaled. “I better get going. I’ve got training to do today. I need to work off all the bagels I’ve been eating since I’ve been home. Those are sure to slow me down on the track if I’m not careful.”

Drew headed to the door, with Alana following behind. He reached for the knob, stopped and turned back toward Alana, studying her eyes again. She looked away. He continued watching her, willing her to look at him again. Finally she did. Their gaze connected and he felt the air swirling on the inside of his chest.

“Alana.” His voice was lower, a little huskier than he intended.

“Yes, Drew?”

Her words felt like a soft feather against his ear.

“You think I’m not capable, but I am.”

At first, Alana looked puzzled, but when Drew closed in on the space separating her from him, realization flashed in her eyes. Drew touched her hand. Heat passed through him, starting in his finger and settling in his core. He could tell by the slight shudder that she’d felt it too.

Before she could protest, he lifted her chin and softly placed his lips on hers. When she didn’t resist, he kissed her again. She hadn’t moved so he snaked his arm around her waist, pulled her closer and devoured her mouth. An intense hunger surged through him and he held her even closer. Drew kissed her as if she were a long-lost love whom he was in jeopardy of losing once again. Backing her up to the wall, he pressed himself against her. When he felt her hand splayed across his chest, he went even deeper, kissing her so passionately that his body began to respond. Heat pooled in his groin and he quickly released her, staring at her closed eyes and kiss-swollen lips.

Breathlessly, Drew said, “I’m coming back for you.” He didn’t know what compelled him to say that.

Drew needed to leave right away before he lost control. Tearing himself away from Alana, he walked out realizing that he was more affected by her than he ever cared to admit.

Chapter 7

Drew’s kiss and sudden exit left Alana confused.

“I’m coming back for you?” she said aloud, repeating Drew’s words and wondering what they were supposed to mean. Instinctively, she touched her lips and realized she was still breathing heavily. Drew’s kiss made her feel weightless.

Alana shook her head, attempting to shake off the hold that Drew’s kiss had on her. If Drew thought he was going to end up in her bed, he was mistaken. She was going to put a stop to him showing up at her house unannounced, as well. She didn’t want to be rude, but she needed to get that message across to him.

She tried to convince herself that his advances weren’t welcome and that his touch had no effect. Yet, he was stirring up a hunger in her that felt potentially explosive. His presence was a threat to her resolve.

Alana headed back to the kitchen to clean up the plates from her and Drew’s impromptu breakfast. She also thought about Cadence keeping Drew’s invitation a secret and grabbed her cell phone.

“Pick up the phone, lady.” Alana tapped her nails against the countertop as she counted the rings. Just when she thought the call would go to voicemail, Cadence picked up.

“Hey!”

“You have some ’splainin’ to do, Lucy!” she said in her best Ricky Ricardo impression. Alana had picked that up from watching I Love Lucy reruns with her mother. She had always loved Ricky’s heavy accent. “I was just thinking about the other night. I don’t like being ambushed!”

“Ambushed, Alana? Really? I told you Drew asked me not to say anything.”

“What’s with him?”

“He was afraid you wouldn’t go.”

“Since when is he afraid of anything?” Alana sucked her teeth and waved her hand, dismissing the notion.

“Never mind that, missy. How about you explain that tongue duel that the two of you seemed to have gotten lost in at the after-party! Your entire mood changed after that. You even avoided me at the office yesterday and then you left early so I never had a chance to interrogate you. What’s going on?”

“I wasn’t avoiding you.” Alana smiled sheepishly, even though Cadence couldn’t see her.

“Hello!” Cadence said after a considerable pause.

“James was there.”

“What? Where?”

“At the party. I didn’t realize it until just before I pulled Drew onto the dance floor. Do you know that fool looked at me, turned to his date, kissed her and looked back at me again? That’s when I—” Alana lowered her voice “—kissed Drew.”

“Come again?”

“Ugh! That’s when I kissed Drew.” Alana’s voice reached its full volume.

“Alana!”

“Don’t scold me, Cay, please! I didn’t know what to do. It was stupid. I know. We can be so intelligent in life, but relationships will reduce us to a pile of senselessness.” Alana grabbed a handful of her own hair and grunted. “You’re not the only one who wanted answers. Drew showed up at my door this morning. He just left a few minutes ago.”

“No way!” Cadence sounded shocked.

“Yep. Get this. Drew spotted James staring at me all night. I didn’t even know he was there until the party was almost over. Drew sensed that something was up so I admitted that James was my ex. That was so embarrassing!”

“Wow!”

“Yeah. I know.”

“I have a question and I want you to be completely honest with me, Alana. Do you still have feelings for James?”

“No. I’m over him. The kiss was a bad idea. I wanted to show him that I had moved on also, but now I have to deal with Drew.”