She grumbled but took it without protest.
Ryan ventured down the bar to check on the cheater by the door and the other lone couple still remaining. The couple paid their tab and left, leaving only Emma and the cheater. And luck must have been on Ryan’s side because that guy paid up, too, and headed out into the night.
“I’ve never been the last one at the bar before,” Emma said, watching as he cleaned up.
“The place is dead tonight. Monday night outside of tourist season.”
“Can I help?” she asked as he placed dirty mugs into the dishwasher beneath the counter.
“Nope, but I do appreciate you keeping me company.” He hadn’t paid much attention to her when they were kids, but grown-up Emma was pretty cool, even if she was totally messing with his head tonight.
She chattered away while he cleaned up the bar. Jason, the manager, swung through and flipped the sign on the door fromOPENtoCLOSED. Emma went to the restroom while Ryan finished up in back.
“Who’s the chick?” Jason asked. “She doesn’t look like your usual type.”
“Emma Rush,” Ryan answered. “She’s an old friend who needs a ride home.”
“On your bike?” Jason looked skeptical, and for good reason.
Because Ryan didn’t often give a chick a ride without hoping to get laid afterward. “Only ride I’ve got. I’ve known Emma since she was a kid. She’s just a friend.”
“Whatever you say, man.” Jason slapped him on the shoulder and headed for the back door.
Ryan turned to find Emma in the doorway, a funny smile on her face. “It might sound better if you said you’d known me sincewewere kids, instead of sinceIwas a kid.”
“Same thing, isn’t it?” He zipped his jacket and led the way toward the back door.
“As long as you’re not still thinking about me like I’m twelve,” she said with a wink as she pushed the door open ahead of him. She wore a blue jacket now, not nearly thick enough to keep her warm on his bike. It was mid-March, and the temperature tonight had dipped into the forties.
He glanced at her ass. Yep, she was definitely all grown up now. “You sure you want to do this? If Mark’s still up, I could get his keys and drive you home in his SUV.”
“I’m positive I won’t freeze to death in the time it takes you to drive me home.”
“All right then.” It was cold tonight, but he’d always found it exhilarating to feel the icy rush against his body as he rode. Emma might regret her decision later, but she was right; she wouldn’t freeze to death in the time it took to get her home. “You got gloves?”
She pulled a pair of black gloves out of her pockets and slipped them on.
He led the way around the corner and down two blocks to the renovated building he, Ethan, and Mark had bought condos in last year. Ethan’s condo was noticeably empty these days as he spent more and more time at Gabby’s place.
Emma walked up to the Harley and rested her hand on the handlebar. She turned to look at him with a gleam in her eyes. She really did want to ride on it. Well, he’d be damned. Maybe he’d underestimated her.
He unlocked the door to his first-floor unit and grabbed the spare helmet he kept for just this occasion. Except usually the woman riding on the back of his bike was someone he was either sleeping with or hoping to sleep with.But this is Emma.
“You ready?” he asked as he held it out to her.
“You have no idea.” She took it with a smile and slid it onto her head.
And…fuck. The combination of the skintight jeans, jacket, and his helmet on her head was too much. He’d never been able to resist a woman dressed to ride, let alone a woman on his bike. Which meant he was crazy to give her this ride.
He handed her a pair of glasses, then put on his own helmet.
“What are these?” she asked.
“Eye protection.” His slid his pair into place. Too bad they did nothing to obscure his view of Emma, because damn, she was turning him on big time right now. Those jeans…“All right, wait for me to give you the all clear, then you’re going to put your left foot on the peg, grab my shoulders, and climb on.”
“Okay.” Excitement danced in her eyes.
He mounted the bike, settled himself, and cranked the engine. It roared beneath him with barely leashed restraint. This bike was his pride and joy, the first thing of value he’d ever bought for himself. He’d worked his ass off for this beast and never regretted a single penny he’d spent.
