California Nights (Rich Boys of California Duet 1)

“Engineering. That’s what they wanted me to take.”

“Who?”

He shrugged, changing the subject.

“I better get you to campus. We can sort out the rest later.”

He grinned at me, cocking his head. My heart skipped a beat.

“You’re good for it, right?”

I nodded wordlessly and followed him back outside. I had money from my grandparents for school, but everything else was on my dime. I’d been tutoring since high school. I didn’t spend much.

“Go ahead, get on.”

He was standing next to a motorcycle. My jaw must have dropped. He wanted me to…

“On this?”

He laughed and held out a helmet.

“Safety first.”

Now why did I feel like that had a double meaning?

I swallowed and fit the helmet over my head, staring as he slid his heavily muscled arms into a thin leather jacket. He pulled on his helmet and straddled the bike with ease. My heart beat a little bit faster at the sight of him on that bike.

He looked so… fierce.

And then he smiled at me.

My heart melted. I felt all mushy inside, like a pool of butter.

Hot, sticky butter.

“What are you waiting for?”

That was a very good question. This incredibly gorgeous man was offering me a ride. So what if motorcycles were dangerous? This was one of those life experiences that I would never forget.

Live dangerously for once, Frannie.

Get on the bike, Frannie.

Stop being such a coward, Frannie.

Before I knew it I was behind him, my legs straddling his. He looked over his shoulder at me, his eyebrow raised. Then he grabbed my arms and pulled them forward until I was pressed against his back.

There was no space between us. My chest was smushed into the broad, heavily muscled leather that covered his back.

Good lord he felt good.

He smelled good too.

Nev always talked about the way Clay smelled. I’d rolled my eyes at her. Well, now I got it. The right man… well, it was yummy.

Jace was extra yummy.

He revved the engine and we pulled out of the parking lot and into traffic. The sky was dark and bright lights of different colors whizzed by, kind of like my own private laser light show. But I wasn’t paying attention to anything.

I couldn’t.

This was the closest I’d ever been to a boy in my life.

Not a boy.

A man.

A gorgeous, slightly illicit man.

It felt so good. Almost like I was a normal girl. The kind of girl guys wanted to take out.

But it also felt dangerous.

He felt dangerous.

By the time we pulled up to the south edge of campus, I knew I would be dreaming about Jace for a long, long time.

Chapter Fifty-One

Jace

“Is this close enough?”

The girl behind me nodded, reaching for her helmet strap.

“Yes, thank you,” she said in that soft voice. “It’s that one over there.”

I dismounted and leaned in close, helping her with the buckle under her chin.

Of course it was just an excuse.

An excuse to get closer to her.

My whole body was jangling from the ride over here. The feel of her against my back… Fuck, if I ever felt anything so good in my life.

Her luscious tits would make a lesser man cry.

I wasn’t used to that. I never felt desperate around a girl. All the same, I had zero control of my cock around her.

I was glad it was dark so she didn’t see the huge fucking boner in my pants.

I pulled her helmet off and smiled at her, not stepping away. Rich girl or not, I was very, very interested in getting to know this girl.

Between the sheets, anyway.

She looked up at me, her eyes clear. She had yet to even flirt with me a little, I realized. Not that she needed to. She had my full attention, and then some.

It was weird, but refreshing. I was used to girls throwing themselves at me. I realized I kind of liked it. Frannie was just… chill.

“Thank you so much for this.”

“I’ll wait for you. Give you a ride back.”

She shook her head, those gorgeous curls of hers flying every which way.

“No, that’s okay. I can – I can just grab the bus.”

“I don’t mind. I’m just going back to the shop anyway.”

“No, that’s fine. You’ve done enough. Thank you, Jace.”

I like the sound of my name on her lips.

I liked it a lot.

She swung her leg over the bike and I swallowed, realizing her skirt had gotten jacked up pretty high. I saw a little bit of her creamy inner thigh… holy fucking Christ did I want to see more.

I pretended not to look while she tugged her skirt down over her hips.

She started to walk away but I touched her shoulder, stopping her.

“I need your number.”

Her big blue eyes blinked at me.

“For the car.”

“Oh right, of course.”

That was weird. She seemed… surprised. I was sure this girl had to beat guys off with a stick. But she seemed to be completely missing my signals, not ignoring them as I had originally thought.