Chapter 11

“He’s here,” Dalton said as we pulled into the complex parking lot and she nodded toward my apartment.

I spotted a man in leather sitting astride a large motorcycle. Other than the gray hair, I couldn’t discern any details until we got closer, but the bike I recognized as a Harley Davidson. I might have known the manufacturer, but that was all. I had helped change the oil on a couple of them back home, working for the only person who would give me a job, Mr. Chambers. He told me that Harleys were the Mercedes or Jaguar of the motorcycle world and the owners were very proud of owning them. I thought I might own one someday, but that dream died almost as quickly as it started when I found out that the first Harley we worked on belonged to Lisa Hartwell’s father. He didn’t know I worked for Mr. Chambers. No one in town did. I was happy to keep the secret because I wouldn’t be the only one to suffer if anyone found out. As we got closer to the Harley parked in front of my apartment, I recognized the design. It was the second Harley we had changed the oil on.

Dalton parked next to the Harley and the owner. She opened her door to get out but noticed that I wasn’t. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “I’m not sure about this.”

“Were you this nervous when you started college?” she asked.

I looked at her. “No, but then their subjects consisted of math, English Lit, and history.”

She shook her head. “I told you last night, he’s a close friend. You have nothing to worry about unless you piss him off.” She started to climb out and then turned to me again. “And call him Tanner. He hates being called ‘Mr’ or Sam.”

I noticed a slight smile on her face as she got out. I made sure I had all of my leathers and climbed out too, not sure what to think about Dalton’s reactions.

Tanner climbed off the bike and ran his hand through his hair as he looked me over. His hair fell back into his face and he looked up to watch Dalton approach.

She smiled, walked right up to him, and gave him a hug.

He smiled a lopsided grin and said, “How ya doin’ kid?” His voice was low and flowed in smooth southern drawl.

“I’m good,” she said and pulled back. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“When I got your call, I had to let the bean counters know where I’d be. They tried to send someone else, but I didn’t give ‘em a choice,” he said and looked at me. He nodded my way. “Is this the guy?”

Dalton nodded and they both looked at me, as if I were expected to sprout a second head or something. Instead, I held out my hand to shake. “Seth Connors.”

He glanced at it and said, “I know your name, and you’ll excuse me if I don’t do that just yet.”

I frowned slightly and glanced at Dalton, who seemed to expect this. I dropped my hand and nodded at my apartment. “You’re welcome to come in and have something to drink.”

“I’ve had breakfast, thank you,” he said. “What we need to do is talk. Is your place secure?”

I glanced at Dalton, who stood there and watched us. “No, it’s not.”

He nodded and looked down at my bare feet. “Well, go put on some shoes and then we’ll go somewhere that is.”

I glanced at his motorcycle. Tanner’s mannerisms and voice put me in mind of a cowboy, not a motorcycle rider.

I was apparently being either too quiet or too slow because he said. “Go get your shoes. We don’t have all day.”

I looked away, side-stepped them and the motorcycle and went to my apartment. I pulled my keys out but the door was unlocked. I shrugged it off because I hadn’t left a key for Faith. She wouldn’t have a way to get back in if she had locked it.

I went straight to my bedroom and spotted clothes in a pile on the floor at the foot of my bed. I hadn’t left mine there. Thanks to Katrina, I was in the habit of leaving my clothes in the hamper in the bathroom. Besides, these were women’s clothes. I stepped further into the bedroom and someone was curled up under the covers, her near-blonde hair was all I could see of her.

The hair was too dark to be Faith’s, and I didn’t know anyone who would so boldly climb into my bed other than my girls. I eased onto the bed and pulled the covers away from her face. It was Jordan. She grabbed at the covers to pull them over her face again and I grabbed her hand.

Her eyes popped open and she stared up at me. “Seth,” she said softly. “Where’ve you been?”

“I got a suite at the Selador,” I said. “Leanne and I stayed there last night.” I noticed the red in her eyes. “I’m guessing you’ve either not had much sleep or you did some serious drinking last night.”

She shrugged, only the covers moving. “Both actually,” she said.

I reached up and ran a finger along her cheek. “I tried to call you, but your phone went straight to voicemail.”

She blinked at me. “I just wanted some time to myself,” she said and rubbed against my finger. “Can you stay for a while?”

“I wish,” I said. “But Dalton and the trainer she called for, Tanner, are outside waiting for me.”

She closed her eyes and nodded. “I understand.”

I shook my head. “You don’t.” I rolled toward her and lay down on the covers next to her, our faces very close. “I would rather stay here with you.”

She smiled softly. “Then stay.”

“You know they won’t let me,” I said. “It’s better to get this over with so they’ll go away than to try to fight them.”

She sighed softly. “Then you better go, before I make you stay.”

I leaned closer. “I promise, as soon as this Lockdown business is over, I will be happy to be your little love slave for a whole day.”

She pouted. “Just one?”

I smiled and so did she. I gave her a kiss, which felt good, and turned into a deeper, probing kiss. She wrapped her arms around my head while our tongues danced around each other and I quickly wished I was as naked as she was.

Don’t ask me how I resisted the urge to be with Jordan. I had always had a weak spot for her both physically and emotionally, but the idea of Dalton or Tanner finding us entwined in bed made me shudder with revulsion. I broke the kiss and pulled back enough to see her face. “I can’t do this right now,” I said. “If they come in here...”

She pulled at me. “Then we’ll put on a good show for them.”

It was a tempting offer but I couldn’t go through with it. “I can’t. If we’re together, I don’t want to be interrupted, and they’re not going to let us do anything that might delay solving the Lockdown.”

Jordan let me go and a different expression came over her face. I hadn’t seen it before, so I wasn’t entirely sure what it was. “Then you better go, because if you stay any longer, I’m going to rip your clothes off and to hell with what the Sheriff thinks of me.”

I gave her another quick kiss, pulling away just as quick so as not to be sucked in by the urge to do what we both wanted and then slipped off the bed. “I should be back before I have to go to my shoot,” I said. “Can I see you then?”

She half smiled. The other half included any number of naughty thoughts only Jordan could come up with. “I’ll be here, and when you leave for work, you won’t have to worry about any erections.”

I smiled too, grabbed my shoes and a pair of socks from the closet, and went out to the kitchen to put them on. Back outside, Dalton and Tanner were talking. Tanner was sitting on his bike and Dalton leaned against her Suburban with an arch in her back that I recognized. Whether she knew it or not, she was trying to get Tanner to notice her. Considering they were both Sex Magi, I didn’t think she didn’t know, but I wasn’t entirely sure.

Tanner noticed me approaching, reared up on the bike and started it up. It was loud. As I got closer, I pointed at Dalton’s Suburban and said, “That’s secure, why can’t we go in that?”

He shook his head. “I don’t care for cars or trucks. I don’t like being so closed in.”

I looked at Dalton with confusion. She only stared back at me with the same expression she used when she expected me to do whatever she wanted. Obviously, she expected me to extend that same mindless obedience to Tanner. I didn’t understand how we were going to talk while riding on his motorcycle. Not to mention, I had never ridden on one before. The closest was the bicycle I used to ride around my town while in high school and that was a far cry from riding behind someone of the same gender, who was unknown to me, and the only realistic handhold I would have. I could only hope he wouldn’t do anything crazy.