Sadie
WEDNESDAY MORNING, I caught the bus into Portland and got off on Alberta. Michael was meeting me at Helser’s and since I’d never eaten there, I was excited to try something new.
I walked the short distance to the restaurant, glad Michael arrived before me and snagged a table because it was packed.
“Hey,” he said, pulling me in for a hug. He wore jeans and a black T-shirt, looking far less priest and much more model gorgeous, which was a little disconcerting.
“Hi. Thanks for meeting me,” I said, and took my seat.
“I could have picked you up.”
I grimaced. “I’m still in the habit of following the old rules, I think.”
He smiled and sat across from me. “Probably smart.”
Our church had a rule that persons of the opposite sex didn’t drive or meet together alone (particularly if they were on staff). It was a good one in my opinion, because both sides were protected from rumor and potential temptation. My ride home with Reese had been an exception for me because I didn’t feel I was in much of a place to object at the time.
“How was Florida?” I asked.
“Good. It was a nice break. Time with the family and such.”
A server arrived and I ordered coffee and eggs Benedict, which Helser’s was known for.
“So, tell me about this guy,” Michael said once the server left.
“Ryder? Um, not much to tell. He owns the Brass Frog downtown and we’ve been seeing each other for a little while. It’s still really new, even if it feels like we’ve known each other for forever.”
“So it’s not serious?”
“I don’t know that I’d say that.” I leaned back in my chair. “We’re dating exclusively, but getting to know each other at the same time, so it’s not like we’re engaged or anything. But I really like him. Why?”
“I’m just looking out for you.”
“I appreciate that, Michael. But he’s a really good guy... even if he’s a little intense and bossy at times.”
He frowned. “What do you mean by bossy?”
“He owns a bar and is used to getting his way, so he and I butt heads on occasion.”
“If he ever hurts you, Sadie, I’ll take care of him.”
I choked on my coffee and worked to get my cough under control. Michael stood and rubbed my back, handing me a napkin.
“What do you mean, you’ll take care of him?” I asked once he’d taken his seat again.
“I think it’s pretty self-explanatory.”
I groaned, dropping my face into my hands.
“Hey,” he said. “Are you alright?”
“Ryder said you were attracted to me and that he made his opinion about that known to you.”
“He did.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.” He smiled. “Look, if we were in another place and time, you and I might have worked, but we’re not, so it’s not an issue.”
I relaxed. “So he’s wrong?”
“Can’t say he’s wrong, Sadie, but it’s a non-issue.”
“Except now I feel like an idiot,” I grumbled.
“Why?”
“Because Ryder was right. How did he know and I didn’t?”
“You’re not an idiot.” Michael smiled gently. “And believe me when I say nothing has changed. I value our friendship, Sadie, so beyond that, you have nothing to worry about.”
“I wasn’t really worried,” I retorted.
He chuckled. “Maybe not. But Ryder was, right?”
I sighed. “Not anymore, since you did your man thing.” I waved my hand in a circle on the words “man thing,” and Michael laughed.
“Well, you just be careful, okay? I’m here if you ever need to talk.”
“I appreciate that. Thanks.”
Breakfast continued without revisiting the Ryder subject and by the time Michael had to go, it was almost noon.
“Are you sure I can’t give you a ride?”
I shook my head. “The bus comes in ten minutes. I’m good.”
“I’ll wait with you, then.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
He smiled. “I know I don’t.”
Before I could thank him, my phone rang. It was Ryder. “Excuse me.”
“Sure thing.”
“Hey,” I said.
“Hey, baby. You still at coffee?”
“Just leaving, actually. Michael’s going to wait at the bus stop with me.”
“You want me to pick you up?”
“I thought you had a meeting.”
“It’s done,” Ryder said. “I don’t need to be back here until six.”
“Ah, sure, that’d be nice.”
“What are you wearing?”
Heat covered my cheeks. “I’m sorry?”
“What are you wearing?” he repeated.
I glanced at Michael as I said, “Jeans and a T-shirt.”
“Good. I’m on my bike, then. Where are you?”
“Helser’s.”
“Right. See you in fifteen, baby.”
He hung up before I could object to riding on his bike. I’d never been on a motorcycle before and I was scared to death.
“Are you all right?” Michael asked, his hand squeezing my arm.
“Oh, yes. Sorry.” I dropped my phone back in my purse and slid the strap over my shoulder. “Ryder’s picking me up, so I’ll just hang outside and wait for him.”
“I’ll wait with you, Sadie.”
“I thought you had to go.”
“I do, but there’s a little wiggle room.”
“Okay, thanks.”
I led Michael outside and we found a shady spot to wait. True to form, Ryder was there in fifteen minutes, and my heart pounded as I watched him pull his bike up next to us.
“Harley Fat Boy,” Michael said. “Nice.”
“It is?”
Michael nodded. “Very.”
Ryder put the kickstand down and cut the engine before throwing a leg over and removing his helmet. “Hey, baby. Michael.”
“Ryder.” Michael extended his hand. “Good to see you again. Nice bike.”
“You too, thanks.”
Michael hugged me. “You okay?”
“Yep,” I lied.
“Take care of her,” he said, and then headed to his car.
Ryder reached out and pulled me to him, kissing me gently. “Hey, beautiful.”
“Hi.”
“How was breakfast?” he asked.
“Illuminating.”
He cocked his head. “How so?”
“I’m not ready to share that yet.”
“Yeah?” He grinned. “How come?”
“Because I’m not ready to admit you’re right.”
“About the priest?”
I nodded.
Ryder growled. “He admitted it?”
“Sort of.”
“Shit.” He gave me a squeeze. “No more coffees.”
“You trust me, remember?” I smacked his chest. “And he’s a priest, so nothing will ever happen. He promised me that.”
“Why do you sound disappointed?”
“Because it’s weird now and I adore Michael.” I pulled away from him. “I kind of wish you hadn’t said anything.”
“So this is my fault?”
“No. It’s no one’s fault. I just wish I didn’t know that if he wasn’t a priest, he’d pursue me.”
“He said that?” he snapped.
“Not in so many words, but yes. He also said he got your message, so you need to calm down a little.”
He scrubbed a hand over his beard. “I knew this was a bad idea.”
“I should just go home,” I said.
“No, we’re gonna hang out at my place until I’ve gotta go to work.”
I let out a frustrated squeak. “Why do you have to be so bossy?”
“Maybe because my woman can’t see that she’s beautiful and sexy, which means I have to watch out for the assholes who want to get into her pants.”
I gasped. “Don’t be disgusting. Michael does not want to do that.”
“Bet you twenty bucks he’s headed for the confession booth as we speak.”
“You’re an idiot,” I snapped, and headed for the bus stop.
“Where the hell are you going?”
“Home.”
He caught up to me and took my hand. “Sadie, don’t be ridiculous.”
“You’re the one being ridiculous,” I accused, ripping my hand from his, and blinking back tears. “Michael is a friend. A really good friend, and that’s all he’ll ever be. But you’re reducing our friendship to nothing more than some dirty sexual fantasy on his part. It’s not fair and it’s a really low blow. Michael is an awesome guy, Ryder, and if you spent half as much time getting to know him as you do railing on about what a horn dog he is, you’d find that out.”
“Babe,” he whispered, reaching for me again.
“Don’t touch me! Now”—I glanced at my watch—“the next bus is in twenty minutes, so I’m going to head to the bus stop.”
“Shit, Sadie, I’m sorry,” he rasped.
“Why do you do this?” I challenged.
“Because I’m a dick.”
“Well, that’s not really a legitimate reason, Ryder. So, try again or I’ll head home.”
“We’re really doin’ this on the sidewalk?”
“Would you rather pray?”
His mouth slid up in a slight smile before he covered it. “Damn it, you’re cute.”
“Bus is on its way,” I warned.
“You’re not getting on the bus, Sadie, so just put it out of your mind.”
“I’m not sure I want to get on your bike, so perhaps we’re at an impasse.”
Ryder slid his hand to my neck and thumbed my pulse. “Sometimes you make me feel totally out of control.”
“What do you mean?”
“You have no clue how gorgeous you are, inside and out, and I feel like I need to encase you in bubble wrap and keep all the bad shit away from you... or better yet, lock you away somewhere so you can’t leave me.”
“Oh, ’cause that’s not creepy.”
“Let me be clear.” He grimaced. “If you want to leave me, obviously, you are free to leave me. But I really hope you don’t, because now that I know you, I don’t think I can live without you.”
“Um, Ryder, that’s also a little creepy, considering one of the biggest things abused women have said to us when they’ve sought shelter is that they stayed because their husbands threatened to kill themselves if they left.”
“Rest assured, I’d never kill myself, Sadie. I just mean that I like you in my life. You make it better and now that you’re here, I don’t want to lose you.”
Wow.
That was unbelievably... sweet.
“Ryder.”
His mouth covered mine and I gripped his leather jacket as I fell against him. He broke the kiss, sliding his mouth to my forehead and kissing it gently. “Be patient with me, baby, yeah? Jealousy’s new for me.”
“I can be patient until the cows come home, but you need to get a handle on some of this, Ryder. I would never cheat on you; it’s not in me to do that.” I stared up at him. “Are you projecting?”
“Meaning?”
“Are you worried that I’ll cheat, or that you will?”
“I won’t ever cheat on you, Sadie. If it ever got that bad, we’d be over, but I’d still never cheat.”
“It’s the same for me.” I smiled. “So how about you just chill out?”
He chuckled. “Chill out?”
“Yep. Take a big ol’ chill pill.”
“Never heard a nun put it quite like that before.”
“Not a nun anymore, honey.”
“You’ve still got a little nun in you, Sadie. It’s something I like about you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“Definitely.” He kissed my nose, then took my hand again and led me back to his bike.
Well, he kind of dragged me back to his bike. Either he didn’t notice or he ignored the fact that my entire body shook. Opening one of the side thingies attached to the back of the bike, he pulled out a leather jacket, much smaller than the one he wore, and another helmet. “This is Scottie’s, but she’s about your size, so it should fit.”
“It’s so hot, Ryder. I don’t know if I can stand a leather jacket.”
“I get it, but it’s safer than what you’re wearin’, so you’re wearin’ it.”
I swallowed as I reluctantly nodded.
He slid my purse from my shoulder and set it where the jacket had been before, then closed and locked the side thing while I pulled on the jacket. The helmet came next and by the time I was fully covered, I was sweating like a pig.
“Ready?”
I shook my head.
“You’re gonna do great, baby. Just slide close to me and lean when I lean, yeah?”
I shook my head again.
“If you need to stop, tap my chest, okay?”
I reached out and tapped his chest, unprepared for Ryder’s laugh. It was deep and it was belly. “Warn me when you’re gonna be funny, baby.”
“Warn me when you’re going to make me get on a bike, honey,” I retorted.
“I promise, you’re gonna do great.” He climbed on then helped me slide on behind him. Guiding my hands around his waist, he reached back and slid my butt forward. The touch excited me as I pressed even closer to him. He pushed the kickstand up, started the bike, then backed it out before taking off to wherever we were going.
I couldn’t help a squeak of fright as we lurched forward.
“Hold tight!” he yelled back to me, and I did as he ordered... gladly.