Too late, he realized what a bad idea riding was. It meant he'd have to sit behind her. And she was going to be wearing those leather pants. He sighed. Tomorrow would be agony.
***
Annie was determined to put a brave face on it. He'd seen her naked-so what! He hadn't run away screaming at the sight. Although he had run away, he was far from screaming. She smiled as she remembered his reaction. Being caught nearly naked by Zack might have been worth it after all.
"You look good," he said when she opened her door to him the next morning.
He looked pretty damn good himself, slouched against the door frame, hands plunged into his jeans pockets, ankles crossed. A shadow of beard and hair that needed a comb run through it, gave him a don't-mess-with-me look. He wore riding gear-black jeans, leather jacket, black T-shirt.
She was dressed similarly in her leather jacket, a white T-shirt and the new leather pants. When she'd tried them on last night, she'd discovered they showed the outline of her underpants underneath. Even she knew that was a big fashion no-no, hence the thong which she'd found deep inside her top drawer. A long-ago boyfriend had bought it for her in the hope that she'd wear it. She never had. But now, it was the only suitable thing to wear under pants so tight nothing was left to the imagination.
She stepped past him and walked as unselfconsciously as she could to the road. She didn't need to turn around to know that his gaze was fixed on her behind-she could feel its heat.
"Wearing the thong?" he asked, his voice casual. Maybe a little too casual, as if he were trying too hard to sound like he didn't care.
"What do you think?"
She heard him suck in air but he didn't answer. She smiled to herself. Yup-he wanted her. She swallowed. Oh boy, LA's sexiest bachelor wanted her. Who cares that he wasn't interested in a relationship with her-it just felt good to be desired. Maybe next time he wouldn't stop their kiss. She swallowed, not wanting to think about what would have happened if he hadn't. She wasn't sure she could do the casual sex thing, even if it was with the hottest man in town.
"Are you ready for this?" he asked finally. "You're not going to chicken out on me?"
"Chicken out? Me? Never." Not now anyway. She had her pride.
"Good. It's a piece of cake. It's just like driving a car."
It was nothing like driving a car. Zack went through each of the components and instruments of the bike then gave step-by-step instructions on how to start, stop and steer.
"Now get on."
She did.
"Start it up."
So far so good.
"Drive down the street, turn around and come back. Slowly," he added. Like she needed reminding.
She kicked the engine over as instructed, placed her feet on the pedals and felt herself toppling. She managed to return one foot to the ground before the bike keeled over with her still on it.
She grinned at Zack who expelled a long breath and brushed a hand over his eyes.
"Just checking to see if you were watching," she said.
"You're dangerous, Annie McCallum," he said above the roar of the engine. The edges of his mouth softened. "Very dangerous."
This time Annie left one foot on the ground until the bike inched forward. She rode down to the end of her street, thanking the Powers That Be that traffic was minimal, turned and rode back again. She stopped the bike at Zack's feet.
"Easy," she said.
"Good. Do it again. Faster this time."
She rode around the street five more times before Zack nodded. "Okay, you're ready."
"For what?"
"A bigger road."
She shook her head. "No way. I'm not riding in traffic." She started to get off. He placed a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder. Out-classed, she sat back down. "I'm not riding on the open road," she said weakly.
"Yes you are."
"You can't tell me what to do, Zack."
He crossed his arms. "I'll tell Bob."
She hesitated then said, "I don't care."
His face changed subtly, the tiny lines around his eyes relaxing as he peered down at her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and rubbed his thumbs across the smooth leather of her jacket.
"Look," he said, "I know you're scared. I know this is a big step for you, but-"
"I am not scared."
She shoved his hands off and revved the engine louder to drown out his chuckling. Arrogant jerk. She was about to head off when he swung his leg over the bike and settled in behind her.
She twisted around. "What are you doing?"
"You don't think I'd let you go out for a ride on your own already do you? I'm not insane."
She had her suspicions that it had nothing to do with letting her go on her own, and everything to do with being close to her leather-clad butt. Okay, she could deal with that.