“I guess from the sound of that call lunch is out,” Carter said as we climbed into his Jeep. 

“Yeah, that was your sister. She invited me to lunch with the girls.”

“Maybe dinner then?” His smile was nothing short of charming. 

“Yeah, dinner sounds nice.”

I could see what my answer had done to him. It was in the smirk on his lips as he started his Jeep and the way he shifted just a bit closer to me as he drove. “Soph, I need to ask you something, and I need you to be honest. If you can’t answer right away, I understand.” Carter glanced at me. “Are you feeling this thing between us, or is it just me?” 

God, that was a loaded question. Yes, I felt it, but that didn’t mean I could act on it. He didn’t know the real me and didn’t want to know the real me. I let out a sigh, and Carter’s head turned. I hadn’t meant for him to hear that.

His smile vanished. “Never mind, I shouldn’t have asked.” He narrowed his eyes and put every ounce of his focus into driving.

“Will you stop that?” I asked.

“Stop what?”

“Jumping to conclusions. Assuming you know what I’m feeling or thinking. Take your pick.” 

“I didn’t mean to assume. I just didn’t want to push you.” 

“Listen, Carter, you said for me to think about this, which was what I was doing. It’s just like the other night at Sixes when you asked me where I went and then said that you didn’t want my excuses. You didn’t even give me a chance to try to explain. I hate that.” Shoving my hands into my hair, I turned and stared out the window, watching the buildings pass by. 

“I didn’t mean to make you so angry.” 

I huffed, choosing silence over saying the wrong thing. I didn’t know why I was suddenly so angry. Maybe because he dismissed his question before I had a chance to answer? Maybe because I didn’t like the answer I was about to give him? Maybe because I was sick of this hot and cold I was getting from him? Maybe because I knew that telling him I didn’t feel it was a lie, or, was I pissed at myself for being a chicken? All of that? None of that? God, I had no clue. When Carter turned into my driveway, I pulled out my keys and then turned to him. “Don’t bother getting out, I’m just going to get in my car and go.”

“Soph—” 

“No, Carter, stop. I told you last night that I’m sorry that I hurt you. I’m not going to give you any excuses as to why I left, after all, you said they’re only for my benefit, anyway. But I will say this—a broken heart isn’t the worst pain you’ll ever face, regret is.” 

With that, I jumped out, slammed his door, and strode to the side door of my garage. My hands shook so much that once I was in my car, I had to rest my head against the steering wheel. I waited for a few seconds while I tried to catch my breath and ease my aching heart before opening the garage door, pulling out and then heading for Sixes. 

It wasn’t until I turned onto Kirkman Road that I saw Carter in my rearview mirror. He was a few car lengths behind me, watching me, so I tried to be discreet as I wiped the tears from my cheeks. When I pulled into the bar’s parking lot, he slowed and then continued on.

Really, Deputy Lang, not only did you decide what I can and can’t say but now you have to follow me to see where I’m going? I’m a fucking adult, I’d appreciate it if people started treating me like one. I had to get my anger under control before I got out of my MINI or I was likely to take it out on the girls.

Waiting a few minutes, I rolled my neck back and forth, took a few deep breaths, and then got out of my car before heading into Sixes. 

“She’s here!” Stella shouted and stood to give me a hug. “Girl, you and I need to talk,” she said sotto voce. “I’m dying to know all about last night. One second, you and my brother were dancing, and the next second”—she made an explosion gesture—“poof.” 

I didn’t say anything, which was probably what caused Stella to stop and stare. 

“Wait a minute, have you been crying? There’s no crying in fight club.”

I placed my hand on her forehead to see if she was okay. “Fight club?”

“Bitch, please, what happens at fight club stays at fight club. Let’s go have a seat and chat.” 

I chose the chair farthest from Stella and shook my head, smiling. She must already be drinking if she was getting her catch phrases wrong. 

“Nice try, that woman has tentacles that reach anywhere,” Ariel whispered.

“Now, lay it on me. What’s the story behind you and my brother, and don’t lie. I’d rather you keep us out than lie.”

Ughhhh. “What do you know, anything?” I looked mainly at Stella.

“Here’s what we know.” She tossed a conspiratorial grin around the table. Apparently, this had already been discussed. “Last year, he got drunk—I’m talking totally sloshed—and went on some diatribe about how you can’t trust women and how they’ll leave you without a word. He kept doing this fucking hand gesture so much that now we do it.”

“Poof,” They all said while holding up their hand and mimicking an explosion.

“What makes you think that he was referring to me? It could have been anyone.”

“Great question. A few months after the whole drunk rambling incident, we were all sitting right here at this exact table and your name came up. You would have thought Carter had seen a ghost. He strode out of here, knocking over drinks and chairs on his way.”

Ariel took over, and I turned to her, listening. “Now, you’re back, and he spends more than anyone else at an auction just to have dinner and a dance with you.”

“Yup,” Stella said, making me volley my attention back to her. “And then you both disappear around the same time. Hmmm . . . I wonder what you two were doing.” She drummed her nails against the side of her face, waiting for my answer. I could go one of two ways with this. I could tell them that they were forgetting the fact that I’d spent the last ten years in California. Since there was no way that they knew about Carter and I having a relationship when I was a teenager, their assumptions were a huge jump. Or, I could just tell them the truth. 

“Fine. I’ll tell you. But this stays between us, okay?” Everyone nodded, scooting closer so they didn’t miss a word. It made me want to laugh, I had missed this for the last ten years. But instead, I launched into my explanation. “I met your brother my senior year of high school right after he graduated the academy.”

“Uh-huh…” Stella rolled her hands in the air signaling that I needed to get a move on with the story.

“Anyway, one night, I was speeding and he pulled me over. I am not a crying kind of girl, so when he asked me if I knew why he pulled me over, I asked him if he wanted the truth or what I imagined myself saying.”

“Ohh, that did it. Carter loves sass,” Stella whispered.

“He chose what I imagined, so I told him that I was just trying to keep up with traffic. When he pointed out that it was midnight and the road was deserted, he played right into the punch line. I told him that was why I was speeding, and I had to catch up with everyone else. It was stupid, I know, but we got into this habit of him pulling me over and me giving him some smartass answer as to why I was speeding. Eventually, whenever I saw him, I would just pull over so we could talk. It progressed from there.”

“Okay, what the fuck happened then?”

“The day after I turned eighteen I had to leave.” 

Leo opened her mouth, and I gave her a subtle shake.

Please don’t say anything, please. Leo didn’t know the truth but she knew there had to be more to the story, I had been too excited about starting at UCF and her moving in with me.

“Yeah, I’m not buying it. There has to be more,” Stella said coolly.

“That’s the gist of it.” It was all I was willing to offer since she told me not to lie. 

“Well, okay then. Stella, you got your answer, so why don’t we talk about the ladies’ motorcycle class that we have coming up on Thursday?” Ariel asked in an attempt to change the subject, but the hairs on the back of my neck still stood on end as Stella refused to tear her gaze away from me.

“Leo and Piper will be teaching the majority of the class, so we’ll be there more or less as assistants. When it comes to the driving portion, we’ll be paired with one of the students, how does that sound?” Ariel looked at everyone, but I kept my eyes on the table because I could still feel Stella’s gaze. “Have you decided whether or not to join us? We have five registered, so with you, we’ll each have a partner.”

“Yes.” I stopped for a second. There was something fulfilling about knowing that just by saying yes, I could make so many people happy. I liked that they wanted to have me around and that they actually cheered all because I said ‘yes’. I waited for their deafening roar of excitement to die down before continuing. “I’m gonna give it a try, but I don’t see myself on a motorcycle. I’m so girly.”

“And we’re what? Boys?” I turned to look at Leo when she said that.

“No, that isn’t what I meant. Well, that isn’t how I meant it. What I mean is that I’m more of a Vespa girl than a Harley girl.”

“Fuck no. Vespas might be cute but they have no weight on the highway or with Florida winds. If you are going to ride on two wheels, it needs to be solid.” Looking at Leo, I shook my head. She was so different from the girl I remembered. When I left she was controlled by her Pentecostal mother, who was against women cutting their hair, wearing pants, or putting on makeup.

“What would I need if I decided to join your class?”

“Helmet, gloves, boots, and a jacket. I have a few helmets that you could try on, and for the class, you can wear any type of closed-toe shoes and a long-sleeve shirt. You aren’t going on the open road.”

“But I want real biker stuff, is there somewhere I can get those things?”

“Of course.” Leo looked down at her clothes. “I get off at three this week, just come up to Harley and I can help you get whatever you need.”

“I’m happy that you’re giving it a chance, even if you decide not to ride a motorcycle, you’re spending the day with us,” Ariel said.

I walked out of Sixes, shaking my head not believing what I had just agreed to do. I, Sophia Kostas, was going to learn how to ride a Harley, what had this world come to?

I had just gotten home and closed my garage door when my doorbell rang. Rolling my eyes, I went to answer it, already having a sinking suspicion that I knew who it was.

“Have you ever been on a motorcycle?”

“No.” 

His question hit me, and it dawned on me, oh my God, I had just agreed to take a class and I had never even been on a motorcycle.

“Let’s go for a ride. Why don’t you go change and put on some tennis shoes or boots, I brought a jacket and helmet.” He smiled, and his fucking dimple, just one in that left cheek that I hadn’t seen in ten years, popped out, and I thought that I must have gone crazy because I was wondering if rice would fit in it.

“You okay, Soph?”

“Huh? Yeah. Oh, sorry. Let me go change.” Getting caught fantasizing over weird shit that I’d like to do to him wasn’t the best way to start my evening. I quickly changed and then freshened up my makeup because. . . hello . . .  I was going to be with Carter, the man was panty-soaking gorgeous. Heading back downstairs, I slid my license, debit card, and phone into my pocket and grabbed my house key.

“I’m ready.”

Turning to me, his eyes did a slow sweep of my body before he grabbed my hands and pulled them behind my back. Holding them together with one hand, he moved his body against mine, and swept my hair out of my eyes with his other hand. “Don’t close your eyes.” His voice was low, his mouth so close to mine that I could almost taste him. If Carter’s touch set my skin on fire, his kiss set my soul ablaze.

I wanted this man. I wanted him to take me. It was crazy, but God, I needed him. I had never been so turned on in my entire life. When he pulled away, I wanted to shout and beg him to forgive me for running out of the hotel room and to please give me another chance.

“Let’s go.” He stepped back, giving me space but not letting go of my hand as he led me out of my house and over to his bike, which was a beautiful royal blue. He unhooked two helmets from the backrest before placing one on top of my head. Sweeping a loose strand of hair out of my face, his callused fingers sent shivers through me. My emotions were raging, and somehow, they all seemed to be forming a knot right between my legs. My thighs clenched as the wave rippled over me.

Carter straddled the bike before holding his hand out to help me on. Placing a foot on the peg, I let him balance me as I swung my leg over so that I was sitting behind him. Scooting in close, I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned in, resting my head against his back. The pounding from his heartbeat and the way his chest expanded with each breath did something to me, and it all hit me at once. 

My Carter was here. Carter, who I never thought that I’d ever see again let alone have him in my arms.

When he started the engine, the vibration from the motor was intoxicating. There was a heady feeling to having this power beneath me and to be straddling Carter at the same time. All I could think about was how it would feel if he made love to me on this bike.

I discovered rather fast that I enjoyed the freedom of being on a bike as it sped down the road and the wind whipped against my face. It was dangerous, and yet, Carter gave me a sense of invincibility just by being near him. With each curve and shift of gears, my excitement grew and my anticipation for the ladies’ class got higher.

Over time, I lost my self-awareness of where my hands rested. That was, of course, until his cock grew harder and thicker beneath my hands. With each bump, my forearm shifted across his lap, and the rumbling of the engine kept me constantly touching him. When he pulled into a parking lot after our scenic drive, I couldn’t face him, I was embarrassed and aroused.

“I’m sorry.” That sounded so lame, but I didn’t know what else to say. I mean my hands were just rubbing his cock. From the corner of my eye, I saw him remove his gloves and then bring his hand toward me.

“Look at me, princess.” He put a finger under my chin and forced me to look up. “Since reconnecting with you the other night, you’ve said sorry an awful lot. What are you sorry about now?” I darted my eyes toward his crotch, and he let out a low laugh. “Don’t be sorry about that. I hated stopping, but I had promised you dinner.” He leaned in and kissed me. That was the precise moment that I understood why people did drugs. They wanted the rush. It was euphoric, and Carter was my crack. 

We walked into Rocco’s Tacos and grabbed a table outside that overlooked a lake. When the waitress came by, we both ordered chicken tacos.

“Since this is our official first date, what is standard first date talk?” Carter asked me.

“Our first date?”

“Yeah, first date. I told you that I wanted to spend time with you and get to know this Sophie. Then I asked you out, and you said yes. That makes this a date.” He winked.

“Okay then, we’re probably supposed to talk about boring stuff like the weather or the fact that I’m an only child or that my mom works for Disney or that I’m a writer. Maybe I should tell you that I was born in Orlando. How about you?”

He let out a laugh. “I have one sister, she’s a year younger, my parents are divorced but are still friends, neither lives close. I was also born in Florida, Winter Park to be exact. I’m a deputy. Your turn.”

“Let’s see, my favorite color is yellow, my family is very close—sometimes too close. I’m Greek. I’m fluent in Greek. My favorite movie is Aladdin, and when I was in high school I got to be Jasmine at Disney. I guess it’s my olive skin and dark hair. Okay, your turn.” I let out a laugh at our quid pro quo.

“Like most teenagers in central Florida, I worked at the parks, but I didn’t work for Disney, I worked for Universal.” I gave him a groan. I was loyal to the mouse. “My favorite color was blue, but now it’s the color of your eyes.”

“That’s cheesy. Are we going to start with the pick-up lines next?”

“I’m serious, I missed your eyes. My favorite movie is any of the Jason Bourne ones. I’m pretty good with Spanish. My sister and I are close. Now you.”

My turn was interrupted by the server bringing our dinners. 

When I started the conversation back up, I decided on a new topic. “I can’t get over all the changes and that there is no more Wet ‘n Wild. Where are the locals supposed to go now? Leo and I spent our summers there.” I let out a little snicker. “One time, Ian brought a bottle of red food coloring with him, and he poured it into the kiddie pool section. Since it was just food coloring, the filtration system had no clue anything was wrong with the water. Oh my God, it was mayhem! Everyone was searching for who was bleeding. Leo, Kayson, and I were sitting back laughing.”

“I’m surprised that we never met sooner, I spent many summers at Wet ‘n Wild, but I usually hung out at the base of the Der Stuka.” Carter wiggled his eyebrows as if I should understand.

“I don’t get it. I never rode the Der Stuka, holy hell that slide was almost vertical, Kayson and Ian said that their butts lifted off the slide every time they went down. There was no way I was riding that, plus half the girls got off with their asses showing because they had massive wedgies or they’d lost their bikini tops.” Carter’s smile got bigger, telling me that was precisely why he’d hung out at the bottom of the slide. “You pervert. You were just trying to get your rocks off to some poor flat-chested girl.”

“Hey, don’t judge. I was like twelve, how else was I supposed to see those things? And don’t tell me you didn’t get up to your own trouble. You were probably looking for some Italian in a Speedo.”

I thought for a moment. “Okay, there was this one time I had a major crush on one of the lifeguards. Every time I was at the park, I’d choose a chair in his area, swim in his area, and well, just be an overall flirt. His name was Julio.” I batted my eyelashes as I said his name for emphasis. “Anyway, it didn’t take long for Julio to realize that I was trying to get his attention, so on his breaks, we would hang out and talk. Well, until Kayson noticed and told his brothers.” 

Carter was smirking, probably imagining exactly how that panned out when he said, “I’m afraid to ask, but at the same time, I want to know.” Carter’s smile widened.

“The dipshits had T-shirts made that read, ‘Nunca encuentran tu cuerpo.’” 

Carter let out a laugh. “Oh my God, that is classic. I’m assuming that Julio spoke Spanish.”

“Yep, he was from Puerto Rico and was fluent. There’s nothing like having four large boys wearing the statement ‘They’ll never find your body’ to help with a girl’s dating life. Needless to say, that was the end of Julio and me.”

By the time we finished our dinner and I was strapping the helmet back on, it was after eight. I waited for Carter to get on the bike before climbing on behind him and then slid my hands around his waist, pulling myself tight against his body. I held on, hating that our night was coming to an end.

The ride home was shorter than the ride there, and in no time Carter pulled up in front of my house and helped me off the bike. I wrestled with ideas in my head, I didn’t want him to leave and I didn’t want to lead him on. When finally, I decided screw it. “Want to come in?” I asked as I inserted my key into the door, which kept me from facing him. I tried to convince myself that I was only being nice. Twisting the knob, I couldn’t hold back my smile when I realized that he was following me inside. My mind moved a million miles a minute as I tried to think of ways to get him to keep following me. If I went upstairs, would he follow me? 

I dropped my keys on the side table and slowly turned around. His hungry lips were immediately on mine, and he pressed me against the wall before I was able to take a single step up the stairs toward my bedroom. His knee slipped between my legs. I found myself hot and wet as I pulled him even closer to me. He held his hands firmly around my hips until I was riding his thigh. The hot flush crawled up my neck, my entire face burned as if I had been out in the sun all day. Every muscle in my body went tense as Carter guided my movements, firmly rocking me against his leg so that my clit rubbed against my jeans with each tug and push. He tugged the bottom of my earlobe between his teeth and lightly bit, sending warm sparks racing through my body. With every ounce of strength that I could muster, I held onto him. He pulled back to stare into my eyes just as a rush of release broke free inside me.

“I think I need to see that again,” Carter moaned against my neck just before he swept me up into his arms.