Bikers and Pearls by Vicki Wilkerson

could ride a Harley like nobody’s business,” he said.
    Well, she’d never fit his bill. Not that she should want to. Not that she could. Ever.
     Because she’d never, ever get on some dangerous motorcycle and ride around the countryside,
     looking to get killed.
    They settled in to finishing their meal. The quiet between the two was comfortable,
     but soon Bull broke the spell. “So, I can count on you, right? You’re still going
     to meet me at the tackle shop?”
    She wanted to help him for Ben’s sake. She wanted to prove something to herself and
     to the bikers who overheard Jenna’s call that first night. She also wanted to please
     Mr. Houseman. But most of all she really wanted to get to know this perplexing man,
     even if it was uncomfortable. Even if it meant dealing with all the anxieties she’d
     grown up with.
    “I guess you can count me in.”
    “Then what about the insurance?”
    She took an extended breath. “I don’t know. My boss has a thing about taking risks
     with the company.”
    “And you don’t have a thing about risks?” He smiled.
    “Touché. I am, however, risking my palette with this four-alarm food.” She lowered
     her head and lifted a brow.
    “Mmmmm. Let’s see what I’m risking.” He pushed his honey-streaked hair behind his
     left ear and let his eyes survey her form. “This could all be a set-up for one of
     your…risk assessments. Who knows? I may get a bill with higher insurance rates next
     week.”
    They both laughed.
    He rested his fork, grabbed her hand, and leaned into the table. “Why don’t you let
     me talk to your boss?”
    “Oh, no. That would be a very bad idea. I know what to say to sugarcoat it. I can
     recite all the statistics he’d need. It would be better coming from me.” His hand
     felt strong and capable in hers.
    He let her fingers go and leaned back in his chair. Slivers of sun brightened the
     blondish streaks on the top of his head. “Will you have something for us this evening?”
     His sexy, rich voice enchanted her once again.
    There was no getting around it. She was going to the tackle shop tonight. Goodness
     only knew what she would find there.
    After their surprisingly delightful meal, Bull drove her back to her office. She stole
     glances at his form as he drove. The muscle in his forearm flexed when he pulled down
     on the steering wheel. She noted the light stubble on his well-defined chin and she
     took deeper and deeper breaths to keep herself focused.
    All the steadying breaths had almost made her dizzy. She needed to keep her wits about
     her, though. “Let me get your jacket before you go,” she said as she slipped out the
     large vehicle.
    She opened her trunk, took out the coat, and she handed it to him. “I can’t thank
     you enough for helping me last night.” Their hands touched again, and she didn’t want
     to let go the coat to break the feel of him.
    “Good. That means I’ll see you tonight so that you can thank me some more.” He gave
     her that little one-sided grin.
    She smiled and started toward the building, then turned. “Oh, and lunch was great.”
    She saw that he was holding the jacket close to his face. The way she had held it
     last night in bed.
    “I guess I’ll have to treat next time,” she said in an effort to minimize her astonishment.
    “If that’ll get me another date, sure you can.”
    Another date. Maybe they’d been on a couple if she counted the library.
    Oh, my goodness.
    As soon as she sat down at her desk, Mandy arrived. “What was that all about?”
    “Just business,” April replied.
    “What about that jacket you handed him in the parking lot?”
    April wanted to tell her that it was business, too, just not Mandy’s. Even though
     she’d tried to make it hers by peeping at her through the front window. “Long story.”
     She paused. “By the way, I didn’t get those forms I asked you for, and headquarters
     is breathing down my neck about them. Would you like me to