Ride Me, Baby Page 6

  Deuce let out an indignant snort. “I’ll have you know that most women say I’m many men in one for them.”

  “The ones whose IQs are lower than their breast size?” Harley taunted. They all laughed except Deuce. He threatened revenge as they all went through the open doorway to the backyard.

  The guys hugged their father and the slender woman who was beside him chiding him about blackening the food versus grilling it. Baby took in the woman’s deep auburn hair and smiling brown eyes and knew this had to be the guys’ sister. The woman walked over and introduced herself.

  “Hi, I’m Dia. That’s for the Indian bikes that are out. If the assholes near you get out of hand, let me know. I’ll take them down for you.”

  Baby laughed. “Thanks for the offer. I can handle a little ole Harley just fine. Deuces aren’t that difficult either. The hardest part is finding the gear they prefer and refusing to let them grind it.”

  Dia and Baby laughed while the guys grumbled about ungrateful wenches. Dia introduced her dad, David, to Baby. She thanked him for having her at their family brunch. Dia snorted. “You didn’t think Mom would let you not come when she found out you and Harley were necking?”

  Mom came out with a tray loaded with food. Both guys rushed to help her while Dia and Baby spoke to Dad. They helped with the grilling of the steaks and burgers. “So Dia, what do you do for a living?” Baby asked curiously.

  Harley choked on his lemonade. Mom pounded on his back while Baby glanced at him. As Deuce and Dad tried to change the subject, Dia glared at them all. Baby smiled. “Was I not supposed to ask? She seems very smart, intelligent, and able to handle any man. So why are you all trying to change the subject?”

  Dia laughed more. She brushed back her waist length black hair. “It’s like this, Baby. I work in a man’s field. My brothers have a hard time with the fact that I’m one of the trainers for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, except when they want tickets. I’m the only woman allowed in the locker room besides reporters.”

  “Have you ever seen motocross?” Baby asked as she took a drink from Mom. They all shook their heads. “Then you’re all invited as my guests to come to the Sun Crest Invitational Motocross tourney next Saturday. It’s for charity and I’m participating in it.”

  “See, Baby is in a mostly men only field,” Dia commented as her dad handed her a platter with the steaks and burgers on it. “I’d love to see it. I’m so used to being taken to see bike shows but I’ve never seen motocross except on television.”

  “I’d like to go. I think it’ll be fun to see Baby compete. You don’t race on bikes like the Deuce do you?” Mom asked.

  Baby explained the differences in motocross bikes versus road bikes. She also gave them an overview on what to expect during the tournament. She enjoyed talking about motocross to people who were truly knowledgeable about motorcycles. This family was close and their love for each other reminded her of her father.

  Baby had to remind herself that this wasn’t her family. That the only reason Harley had done this was because of his need for a bike and his mother insisted on it. She wished she didn’t feel so much part of the family though. It made it hard knowing that in a short time, she’d not be around them. That was why she invited them to the motocross. She wanted to extend her time with them.

  They sat at the picnic table as they ate and listened to music playing on the radio. Harley sat next to her and was constantly stroking her arm or her neck. She felt wanted but at the same time, she wasn’t sure what he was meant by doing this.

  After they were all done eating, Baby helped Mom clean up the plates and cups. Mom tried to wave Baby away, but Baby was having none of it. “I was always taught to help clean up as a guest. That way everyone can have more time together.”

  Nancy shook her head in amazement. “You’re not like the other women I’ve met that have dated my sons. I like you.”

  Baby smiled softly. “I’m not dating your son. Just attraction got out of control. I’m just an aberration in your son’s usual line of women.”

  * * * *

  Dia and Deuce cornered Harley. Dia poked her brother in the chest.

  “What’s your plan for Baby? Tell me you’re not going to just sleep with her and dump her like you’ve done with other women.”

  Harley looked down into his baby sister’s dark eyes. He could tell she was dead serious on this. Baby had gotten to the whole family. It wasn’t just him that felt this need to keep her close. “I’m taking this one step at a time. I really like Baby. There’s something special about her, but I’m not sure what she wants. You’ve got to admit that our relationship hasn’t followed the pattern normal ones follow.”

  Deuce snorted. “Ain’t that the truth? Plus, it’s not every day that your brother gets to see your woman naked in the shower with you. I’m telling you that woman has curves.”

  Harley punched his brother in the arm. “Don’t think it, don’t touch her, and don’t even hint at the idea. She’s not yours. Not now and not ever. Got it?”

  Dia laughed. “You’ve got it bad, big brother. I’m not sure if you realize it, but you do.”

  “Got what bad?” Harley asked, his face showing his puzzlement.

  “You really like her. It’s not just a passing fancy.”

  Harley’s sable brows lifted. “You don’t know that. Hell, I don’t know that. What I do know is that I enjoy her company and we have a lot of things in common. What about you, Dia? I don’t see you talking about dating just one man.”

  Dia blushed. “This isn’t about me. This is about you and Baby. I like her. She’s real and she’s open in her own way. Don’t hurt her, Harley. Whatever you do, don’t hurt her. Be honest with her.”

  With that Dia walked away to go find her mother and Baby inside. The guys watched her leave, their faces wearing the same look of shock. Dia rarely liked any woman they brought home to meet the family, much less tell them to not hurt the woman. This was indeed a rare occasion. Deuce put his hand on Harley’s forearm.

  “Hey, you do as you think is right. I can’t tell you that this thing with Baby is meant to be or not, but I agree with Dia. I like Baby. I can’t wait to see her race on Saturday. Why don’t you go get Baby before Mom has her agreeing to be the mother of all the grandchildren.”

  Harley hugged his brother then walked over to his dad. His dad didn’t say much about Baby beyond looking forward to the race on Saturday. Finally, Baby and the other two members of his family emerged from the house. They were laughing as if they were sharing a private girls only joke. Harley only hoped it wasn’t at his expense.

  “Baby, you almost ready to go? I know you’ve got things to do since I kind of stole you from work yesterday,” he commented thoughtfully.

  “Actually, I do. Is there any way you can drop me off at the shop? I can do some of my paperwork and work on my bike a bit. Then I can start making calls about your bike,” Baby replied.

  “Your work truck is at the cottage. I’ll take you there and then you can go from there. That way you won’t be without the truck in case of an emergency.”

  Baby flushed. “I’d forgotten that the truck was there. Yeah, that’d work. Thanks. Mom, Dad, thank you so much for having me over today. I had a blast.”

  She hugged Nancy and David. Then she hugged Dia and Deuce. “As for you two, I’m glad to meet you, but you’re both as strange as your brother. I’m not going to say that’s a bad thing, just that meeting you both has been memorable.”

  Dia and Deuce both chuckled. “The pleasure is ours,” Dia said before her brother could make a crude comment. “Please don’t hesitate to come without the uptight lawyer. Sometimes he works too much and forgets to come, but we like you and you can take his place. I don’t mind.”

  The others agreed that she was welcome to come and visit any time. Harley led Baby back to his car as the rest of the family called out farewells to them. She waved and reminded them about the race at the county fairgrounds this coming weekend.

>   Within minutes, they were on their way back towards the beach cottage. Harley glanced over to the quiet Baby. He could tell she was thinking on everything, including his family. However, the silence was getting to him. “So, what did you think of my family? Honestly.”

  Baby placed her hand on his thigh. She could feel his muscles bunch under her casual touch. “I liked them. They’re definitely not boring. They even understood motorcycle talk, which is rare when I meet people. It was nice feeling understood and not being stared at for being different.”

  “What are your plans this week?” he asked, the radio playing a love song softly in the background.

  “I’ve got a ton of things to do. I’ve got five bikes to finish repairing, not to mention doing checks on my racing bike. Then I’ve got some calls to make to see about getting your bike for you. Listening to your family and some of the stories has given me an idea of the perfect bike for you. You’re sure you want me to find you one?” she asked hesitantly.

  Harley gave her a sharp look. “Of course, I do. Why wouldn’t I?”

  Baby didn’t answer at first. Her hand kept stroking up and down Harley’s thigh absentmindedly.

  “Some people once they get to know me, particularly men, have a tendency to want to find someone else. They don’t always trust my judgment when it comes to bikes.”

  Harley placed his large warm hand on hers. “Listen to me, I do trust you. I’ve seen your shop. I’ve met Doc. You’ve got a talent. There’s no way I could go to anyone else. Okay?”

  “Okay,” Baby responded back. “What are you doing this week?”

  “I’m going to go in the office a bit and get things ready for vacation. I’ve got time off coming up. It’s one reason I wanted to have the Road King. I could spend time indulging myself. Will I see you at all this week?” Baby closed her eyes then opened them slowly.

  “I don’t know if we should, Harley. So much has happened. I need some time to think. I like you, but I feel a bit rushed on all this. I’ll be honest, this has been overwhelming to me.”

  Harley took in a deep breath then slowly released it. A part of him knew she would say that. It still bothered him even though he knew she was right. They both needed some time to think on things. “How about if I call you each night and we’ll just talk? Then if we want to get together for dinner or something, we can do that. No pressure. Just try to build a friendship besides this physical attraction?”

  Baby’s free hand clenched and unclenched in nervousness. “I guess. I’m just really not used to this, Harley. Please understand this. I’ve had very few one-night stands much less affairs. This relationship, if you can even call it that, has gone backwards in a way. But I think I could handle phone calls. You’ve got my home number and my work number on that card, right?”

  “Yeah, I do. Here we are, back at the cottage,” Harley said as he pulled up behind the truck. He put the car in park and turned in his seat so he could look at Baby. Her eyes reflected her worry and confusion on their relationship. He could understand it as he felt the same way. However, he knew that he wasn’t going to let her slip away like she wanted to.

  His hand cupped her chin and pulled her close. His head dipped as his lips met hers for a hungry kiss. Their tongues slid across each other while their hands pulled each other close. Slowly, Harley pulled back, his hand caressing Baby’s cheek.

  “I’ll call you tonight about ten. That’ll give you plenty of time to catch up on your work. You’ll be home, right? Promise you won’t avoid my calls.”

  Baby nodded. “I promise. I better go so I can be home for your call. Harley thanks for taking me to meet your family. I had such a great time. I really did.”

  She climbed out of the car and walked to her truck. She pulled out her keys and unlocked the door. Baby climbed in and after a couple of minutes, started the engine and waved to Harley. Then she sped off, making her way back to her shop.

  Harley sat there for a few minutes. He wanted to think on the things she said. Somehow, he knew she’d been hurt before, but he wasn’t sure why he felt that way. A grin came over his face as he realized that unlike any other men in her life, he had a nightly date on the phone with her. She might be holding him back from getting too close, but he still had his foot in the door. Plus, he wasn’t averse to using his family to make sure that he saw her one way or another.

  Harley made his way back to his home in the city. He knew that he could follow her, but he instinctively knew that if she found out, she’d run. So, he decided to look over some of his briefs for work. Though he knew he was going to be on vacation, he knew that his partners would be grateful for whatever he finished.

  Harley couldn’t wait to see her on Saturday. The idea of watching her race on her bike made him hot. Knowing he hadn’t seen much of motocross, Harley decided that it was time for the money he spent on cable television could be well spent on letting him find out a bit more on motocross.

  Once he arrived home, Harley grabbed some snacks, a drink and his remote. He figured the more he learned on what made Baby tick, the more he’d be able to understand why she was so reluctant to see him this week. He turned on the television and flipped to a sports channel hoping to catch some motocross.

  Chapter Seven

  The following days blurred for Baby. She worked feverishly to clear her workload so she’d have race day free and clear. Plus there were the nights she’d practice. After a while, she couldn’t tell the difference between night and day, well, almost couldn’t.

  Baby’s nights were the clearest. Harley would call and they’d talk about so many things. They didn’t just talk about motorcycles but also on books they’d read and about growing up. She cherished those talks; they made her feel like they understood each other, not just pretending.

  Race morning was clear and sunny. Baby smiled as she dressed for the day, happy about the race day forecast.. Some riders preferred rainy or overcast days so they could use the weather to their advantage. However, Baby liked clear, sunny days so no one had an advantage except his or her skill. The race was for one of her favorite charities and hoped that Easter Seals would profit well from today’s race.

  She arrived early at the field. Her bike was as ready as she could make it. She had her racing suit in the truck. Baby looked at her watch and tried not to look anxious about where Harley and his family were. They knew what time it started and such. Then there was traffic too to consider.

  The crowd was fairly big for the annual charity event. This was Baby’s third year being involved and she enjoyed being part of it. She waved at some of the children who were heading towards the special seating area. Some of them knew her from her visits at the local center. Others were unknown to her. She loved watching their smiling faces when she taught them how to ride the small-motorized bikes.

  Baby made her way over to where her bike rested on its trailer. She sat down on the edge when she heard her name being called, loudly. The voice got louder as it closed in.

  The words were more distinct now and were more than just her name. She started to blush as she realized who was trying to find her. Although she wasn’t a blood relative, she was going to kick Deuce’s butt.

  “Baby! Where are you? I can’t ride you unless I find you!”

  She reached out and grabbed Deuce by the collar. One sharp yank brought Deuce to his knees. She knew the rest of the family was close behind. “Listen up, buddy boy. You’re not riding this Baby. We can find you a tricycle or something, but I’m off limits. Got it?”

  As his gaze roamed up her legs, her hips, her chest and finally meeting her eyes, Deuce gave her a devilish grin. It was so like his brother’s that Baby couldn’t help but smile back at him. His response was pure male. “I’ve got it and you know if you want it, I can be sure to help you.”

  Baby smirked at the man’s sheer audacity. However, talking to Harley this week had helped her to learn more about his family. Deuce behaved like this because he never had a woman like her turn him down be
fore. She bent down so their eyes were even. She grasped the back of his neck and squeezed. He tried to move out of her hold, but her hands were stronger than most women he knew.

  “I told you, brat. You’re not my type. Go find yourself an empty-headed female who’ll fawn over you. I prefer a man with intelligence greater than the length of his erection. I think your brother would like a couple of words with you too,” she admonished as she released him.

  Deuce’s hand gently felt up her thigh until Baby grabbed it and squeezed the wrist until it went numb. Harley was right behind him. e tilted his head back and gave Harley his most winning smile. “Well it’s official. A woman told me no and meant it. Went to great lengths to make sure I knew it too. Damn she’s got a strong grip.”

  Harley kneed his brother in the back as he made his way to Baby’s side. His gaze lit on Baby in the pale gray outfit that was unzipped in front, revealing a black tee shirt advertising her shop.

  His lips claimed hers as he drew her body flush against his. His body felt hot and hard against hers, and she relaxed against him as he held her tightly after their deep kiss. Then before she could say anything, he kissed her again, this time claiming her in front of friends and family alike. Once her was done, Harley smiled at her. “Hey there, I missed you.”

  “I can tell. I missed you too, but I appreciate you giving me time. Where’s the rest of the family?” Baby asked as she looked past Harley’s shoulder.

  “We’re here. Seems that my darling brothers don’t know the meaning of the words ‘Wait up.’ Are you excited, Baby?” Dia asked as she slipped past Harley to give Baby a hug.

  Deuce moved to Dia’s side. They looked like twins, although Baby knew from her conversations with Harley that each of them was three years apart. Harley said things were interesting growing up because of that. Seeing them all interact again, Baby could imagine how the guys protected their baby sister while harassing her too.