Four
“You can come up now,” Niko said as they turned off the main road. “We’re on private land.”
It had taken a few minutes to get there, and Rylee’s ass was numb from sitting in the awkward position, but she barely noticed. The only thing pinging through her mind was the words he’d spoken. “It followed my mate here.”
She couldn’t claim to know everything about shifters, but one thing she was aware of…when a wolf shifter mated, it was for life. Her heart raced at the thought. Part of her wanted to whoop out loud, but the other—the saner part of her—slammed on the brakes. Yeah, he was hot as hell, but she didn’t know him. Yet. They’d have a few days together to learn about one another. Maybe by the end of those, he’d figure out she wasn’t what he wanted after all. Or, hell, maybe he wouldn’t be what she wanted, either.
She hauled herself onto the seat, stealing a glance at him. His lips tipped up at the corners when he caught her looking.
“So, mate, huh?” she finally asked.
His smile faded a little. “Yeah.”
“What does that mean, exactly? I know wolf shifters mate for life, but not much more. I’ve seen the scenting ceremony video. That’s what you were doing, wasn’t it?” she accused, already knowing the truth.
“Not nearly enough, but yes,” he admitted, not repentant in the least. “You saw the video? That’s not for general viewing.”
Crap. She wasn’t supposed to tell anyone she’d viewed it. If this got out, Emma was going to kill her. “A friend of mine let me see it. I didn’t make copies or show it to anyone else. Please don’t tell anyone. I don’t want to get her in trouble. Besides, if I’m your mate, then it should be okay, right?” she added boldly.
His quick glance told her she’d surprised him. Had he expected her to reject the idea outright? Who knew? But she wasn’t the type to shy away from anything. Nor was she stupid enough to jump in with her eyes closed, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to turn away from Niko without exploring the possibilities, either.
“Won’t tell a soul,” he muttered as he pulled the truck and trailer past a white, two-story farmhouse to a huge barn a little farther back.
The building looked like it would fall with the smallest gust of wind. The worn, red structure needed more than just a lick of paint. And he wanted to put Ursula in there? “No way you’re parking Ursula in that shack,” she said, voicing her concerns.
He raised an eyebrow. “Looks can be deceiving. Trust me on this,” he said as he pulled up to the open doors and drove right in. Her mouth gaped open at the transformation on the inside. The cement floor down the center had oil spots, making it look well used. At the far end of the barn, another set of double doors made it so the truck could drive straight through when needed. Up above a chain hoist and pulley system hung on a track, ready for whatever heavy lifting might be performed at the center of the barn.
If that workspace wasn’t enough to make her heart skip a little, the left side of the barn, beyond the cemented area, was beautifully finished. Gleaming wood floors and spotlights illuminated a row of sports cars. Each one of them shone under the lights in their well-cared-for splendor.
To the right, bikes. Her breath caught in her throat at the beauties in each stall. There were at least eight. Most of them looked fresh off the showroom floor. A Valkyrie, an MTT Y2K, and even an Agusta F4 RR. Each had her heart singing a little louder as she took them in, but it was the one at the end that made her panties wet even before the truck came to a stop. An Indian Chief, 1935, fully restored—or at least, she assumed it was. She looked like she’d never seen the sunlight, much less had the asphalt kiss her wheels.
As soon as they stopped moving, Rylee opened the door and bolted out. “These are all yours?” she asked as she beelined for the Chief.
Niko kept pace, grinning down at her when she looked at him. “Nah. The bikes are mine. Luca’s into cars.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Really?”
He nodded.
“Fuck me. You really are perfect,” she said as she reached the last stall, ignoring his burst of laughter. “Can I go in?” she asked.
If he said no, she’d totally respect that, but she really hoped he’d say yes.
“Sure. I’ll even let you touch it,” he teased, making her groan.
“I take it back, you can touch Ursula anytime you want,” she said as she closed the gap between her and the vintage bike. “Did you do the restoration yourself?”
“Of course.”
“Does she ride?”
He gave her an odd look. “What’s the point if you can’t ride it? And ‘she’?”
She grinned. “Well, yeah. A pretty thing like this has to be a she.” Rylee raised her eyebrows, silently begging. Her fingers itched to touch it. He’d said she could, but it didn’t hurt to check again with a beauty like that.
“Go ahead.”
He turned his back on her, extending a hell of a lot more trust her way than she’d shown him. Stroking the bike, she crouched to get a closer look. Every part of it gleamed.
When Niko turned, a key dangled from his fingers. “Want to take her out?”
Her heart galloped. “Seriously? Is it safe?” she asked, remembering the whole reason why Ursula was locked up in a trailer and out of sight.
“It’s safe on the property. I’ve got some smooth trails you can ride. You can’t rip through them like you were doing in town, but you can still take her for a spin if you’re careful.”
It took all of one second for her squeal to fill the barn, and another to snatch the key from him. “I’ll take good care of her.”
He shook his head and grinned before heading for the back doors and opening them for her. “At the fork about a hundred feet out, veer left. You’ll loop around and come back if you stay on that trail.”