Banger’s Ride(143)

She decided to tell him the next time she had contact with him, but when she saw his text, she chickened out. After all, she rationalized, she did have an ethical obligation not to screw her client. But when her attorney-client relationship ended, she’d approach him and have one night of pure sex. Squaring her shoulders and inhaling deeply, she threw off the burden which had been weighing her down ever since she first locked eyes with Hawk.

The ringing phone broke through her thoughts.

“Hello?’

“Cara, it’s Josh. I got something you’re going to like.”

Sitting straight in her chair, Cara said, “Don’t tell me, you’ve got the photos?”

“Okay, I won’t tell you,” Josh teased.

“You do, right?”

“They’ll be delivered to you tomorrow afternoon.”

“Awesome! How can I thank you?”

“Don’t tell anyone about this. And introduce me to your friend, Sherrie.”

“It’s a deal.”

After chatting with Josh, Cara hung up the phone and yelled. Asher ran into her office. “What’s wrong?”

“I got the pre-raid photos.”

“Do you know if they have the ammo in them?”

“No, but I’ll bet they don’t. They weren’t ‘misplaced’ for the hell of it.”

Cara reached for her phone to tell Hawk the good news. She dialed his number then hung up, deciding to wait until she saw the photos before calling him. If the photos showed no .22-caliber ammo on his kitchen table before the raid, she’d go over to his clubhouse over the weekend and show them to him in person. The possibility of seeing him made her insides lurch.

Looking at the time, she jumped up from her desk. She was already late for her dinner date with Luke. They were meeting up at Big Rocky’s Barbecue, the new restaurant by the lake, which boasted a menu of Colorado-grown beef and buffalo prepared Texas-style.

Grateful that she had brought a change of clothes, Cara slipped out of her tailored dress into a short, flounce black skirt with a spandex black and white striped top. A wide belt with a sprinkling of crystals gave the retro look an elegant flair.

After she touched up her hair and makeup, Cara glanced in the mirror; she looked nice, but a hint of dark circles under her eyes gave away her lack of sleep for the past two weeks. Her emotional life had been turned upside-down since she’d met Hawk at Rusty’s six weeks before, and she wasn’t used to chaos; her world had always been orderly and controlled. It was unsettling, and she had to admit a part of her loved the turmoil—it was exciting and new—but she promised herself she would get back to her old routine.

The good Cara was always reminding the want-to-break-free Cara that emotions had their time and place, and this thing with Hawk was neither the right time nor place; hell, he wasn’t even the right person. Of course, the good Cara knew this and heard her family’s voice in her head, but the break-free Cara longed for one sex session with the hot biker. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, knowing the break-free Cara was going to win this one. After all, one time won’t hurt anyone, will it?





Chapter Nine





The restaurant was beautiful nestled among the evergreens on Aspen Lake, and the trees surrounding the water had tinges of burnt orange, a reminder that summer was winding down. The misty breeze off the lake was refreshing and cool, and the full moon cast a shimmering reflection while the swaying lanterns created dancing illuminations on the glassy water.

“The food was delicious. Thanks for bringing me here. I had a nice time,” Cara said to Luke as they walked through the parking lot to his car.

“I’m glad to hear you say that. I had a great time, and being with you made it the best.” As he smiled, his teeth shone in the moonlight.

Luke grasped her hand and squeezed it, then stepped closer to her, leaning his head down toward her lips. As he came in for a kiss, Cara turned her head and his moist lips landed on her cheek. He sighed. She knew he was disappointed, but she didn’t want to kiss him. All she wanted was to enjoy a good dinner and conversation, and she didn’t have those kinds of feelings toward him, especially since Hawk had come into her life.

Taking her face between his hands, Luke bent down and covered her mouth with his. Pulling back, he smiled. Cara smiled back; it was a nice kiss, but it wasn’t anything like Hawk’s demanding and urgent ones.

Stop doing that, Cara. Stop comparing everything to Hawk. Just stop thinking about him.

Luke kissed her again, this time longer and wetter, and she kissed him back. That made him more eager, and he drew her closer to him as he tried plunging his tongue deeper into her mouth. A rush of blood making her unsteady, Cara twisted her head sideways, causing his tongue to skim over her jaw while she pushed her hand against his chest.