Caught in the Act (Independence Falls 2)

“But there is no way, I’m climbing on the back of that thing,” she added, nodding to his bike.

He raised an eyebrow, his lips forming a smile. He liked how she didn’t hold her punches. “It’s a lot more fun than riding in your chewed-up wagon.”

“I heard you kept your bike locked up all summer. How can I trust you’ll get us there in one piece?” She adjusted the thin black leather strap holding her purse. It ran from one shoulder to the opposite hip. He wanted to reach out, slip his fingers under the leather, and draw her close. But he couldn’t. Not yet.

“Katie, I’m still as good as I ever was on this bike.” He picked up the spare helmet resting on his motorcycle and held it out to her. “I kept it in storage because I didn’t want Georgia to get any ideas in her head about taking it for a joyride back when she was hell-bent on seeking one adventure after another.”

Katie stared at him for a minute, before relenting. She took the helmet, positioning it between her knees as she reached back and pulled her hair into a ponytail. Tonight, her naturally curly red hair hung long and straight.

“Georgia scared you, didn’t she?” she said.

He nodded. “Mostly because I didn’t know how to help her. She came back from the army with a laundry list of fears and nightmares that left her fighting to stay awake day and night.”

No matter how long he lived, he’d never forget the sound of his sister’s screams when she’d been lost in the throes of a nightmare. He’d wanted to erase her pain, her memories, anything to stop the nightmares. But he couldn’t. As much as he wanted to sometimes, he couldn’t change the past.

“Is she sleeping now?” Katie asked.

“Some. I think having Eric around helps.”

“They’re good for each other.”

“They are.” It had taken him a while to face that fact, but he had. “You changed your hair.”

“I used a blow dryer.” She held the helmet up, but paused before pulling it on. “Mind telling me where we’re going?”

“The Ale House,” he said.

“I thought you’d prefer someplace private.” Her green eyes flashed with the challenge he remembered from years ago.

“Trust me, honey, I’ll enjoy having you on the back of my bike for the next forty-five minutes. But if we’re talking business, a restaurant outside of Independence Falls seemed like the best place.” He straddled the motorcycle, rocking it off the kickstand. “Ready to climb on?”

Placing her hands on his shoulders, Katie slid onto the back of his bike. She positioned her feet and wrapped her arms around his waist. He could feel her breasts pressed up against his back as he revved the engine. Her thighs touched his—and shit, he wasn’t sure he’d survive nearly an hour of full body contact knowing that tonight wouldn’t end with Katie naked in his arms. But he couldn’t go there yet. He had to wait until the deal closed.

Needing to calm his body’s reaction to the close contact, Liam mentally recited the Latin names for trees native to this part of Western Oregon as he steered the bike onto the road and headed for the highway.

KATIE HAD A long list of weapons in her arsenal, but none she could deploy on the Ale House’s crowded back porch overlooking the lake. She’d planned to seduce him, using her body, playing on his desires. But the public location, coupled with the motorcycle ride, had her at a disadvantage.

Her body hummed from head to toe as if she’d been pressed up against a vibrator without hope of release while her hands clung to Liam’s hard, sculpted body. Those muscles toned to perfection from felling trees and wielding chainsaws, made her mouth water and left her

aching. Right now, she wanted to pull him into a quiet corner, strip away his clothes, and enjoy every inch of him.

But if she let go of her anger, if she gave in to desire, she had a bad feeling all she would be left with was hurt. It would be like ripping off the Band-Aid covering a wound that had yet to heal.

She studied Liam out of the corner of her eye as the waiter set down her beer and his soda. They placed their orders—a veggie burger for her and a bison one for him. Liam added an order of the spinach/artichoke dip to start.

“Spinach, huh?” she said.

“Bacon-wrapped scallops were my first choice, but seeing as you’re the only woman I know who doesn’t enjoy bacon, I went with the dip,” he said.

“You remembered.” And her mind, still distracted from their ride, wondered what other facts he’d stored away.

“That you’re a vegetarian? Yeah, I remember. I’m not saying I approve. No one should bypass bacon,” he teased. “Even Georgia thinks it is a sin.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Have you told Georgia about this?”

“That I’m taking you to dinner?” He raised his soft drink to his lips. “No.”

“And Eric?”