Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
“And I’ll tell them to avert their gaze.”
She chuckled. “We’ll be the gossip of the town.”
“I don’t mind.” He hugged her even tighter. “I’ve missed you today.”
She leaned back, closing her eyes. She had missed him as well. They hadn’t been able to share lunch today as there was something urgent Phoenix had to take care of.
“What happened earlier?” she asked.
“Some dispute about flowers,” Phoenix said. “Jake wanted to plant some roses in the town square boxes, but Flora wanted to plant daffodils. They were getting quite angry with one another.”
Ashley laughed. “You do know they’re mated, don’t you?”
“What?”
“Yeah, Flora and Jake, they’ve been mated for a lifetime, but they do like to argue as well. You didn’t get involved, I hope?”
Phoenix snorted. “Hell, no. I told them there are six planters, if they can’t figure it out, someone else will plant.”
“Oh, my, you told them that?”
“I had no idea what else to do. What would you have done?”
“It makes sense,” Ashley said. “You did the right thing.”
“I don’t want to come between mates.”
Someone cleared their throat and Ashley tensed up. She quickly stepped forward, creating distance between them. She figured they had been alone.
“Daniel,” Phoenix said.
Ashley turned to see her friend standing in the garden. He looked between the two of them.
Fuck!
Daniel was a great guy but he was a mega gossiper.
“I forgot my lunch box.” He pointed toward where she knelt. She hadn’t even seen it.
Forcing a smile to her lips, she picked up the lunch box and walked over to him. “Have a great night.”
Daniel looked at her then back at Phoenix.
“Night,” she said.
Her friend took the hint, nodded at the two of them, then stepped away and left them alone.
“I thought we were alone,” she said.
“We were, but I can’t control when they come back,” Phoenix said, gripping the back of his neck.
“He is going to tell everyone,” she said.
“Why is that so bad?”
She opened her mouth then closed it. “Seriously. He will gossip about everything. He doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut.”
This is why she didn’t tell him what had happened all those years ago.
“We can handle it,” Phoenix said.
“No, I don’t think we can.”
She ran fingers through her hair and tried to take a breath. Her parents would be so upset with her for not telling them. Ashley had never kept a secret from them, and this was a big one.
Phoenix captured her arms, pulling her in close. The moment his lips touched hers, all doubts and worries faded from her mind.
“Stop.”
“But—”
“Stop. You don’t need to panic or worry. You and I are here together.”
She closed her eyes. “I’m stressing.”
“You know what I think?”
“What?” she asked.
“I think it’s time I take you for a ride on my bike.”
This made her pause. Opening her eyes, she looked up at him. “What?”
“You heard me. You and me, I think we should take a ride on my bike.”
Was this because he was missing the open road? Did he hate being the alpha? Phoenix hadn’t asked for the role. The pack had granted it to him. He’d earned it by killing their previous alpha. She didn’t blame him. Ashley knew Phoenix was a much better alpha. He did care, in his own way, even if he had a hard time showing it.
“Why?”
“Because I want to take you for a ride, that’s why.” He took her hand.
“I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
“You’ve got to have a little faith in me, baby,” he said. “Come on.”
“My parents are expecting us.”
“I’ve already told them I’m taking you out. I want you to relax and the only way I’m going to do that is getting you away for a while.”
She wanted to tell him no, that she didn’t need to leave town. But the moment she looked at his bike, she couldn’t deny the fascination or the temptation.
“Are you sure it’s safe?” she asked.
“Of course it is. I wouldn’t do anything to put your life at risk.” He pulled her in close, running his hands all over her body. “I want to share this with you, Ashley.”
She wanted to share everything with him as well. Licking her suddenly dry lips, she nodded her head.
“I did get you this,” he said, holding up a helmet.
She shook her head and held up her hands. “Hell, no. I’m not wearing that thing. You are not taking me out on the open road for me to be locked up in a helmet.”
“Safety first.”
She smirked. “You said I was safe at your back, so I’m holding you to it.” She winked at him. “Do you think you can handle it?”
“Oh, baby, you have no idea exactly what I can handle.” He winked at her, climbing on his bike.
Ashley couldn’t deny it. He looked hot. She stared at his thick forearms as he gripped the handlebars. His place was definitely on the bike.