Clutched (Wild Riders) by Elizabeth Lee Page A

of her.
    But that was another thing I couldn't, or at least shouldn't, do. That was the kind of thing a boyfriend did. And it was exactly the kind of thing that could get me fired.
    I sat there for a few hours and made sure that she was not going to get sick. She slept soundly, aside from the occasional snore that I somehow manage to find endearing. When I thought she was in the clear, I slipped out the door and drove myself home.
    Not that I'd be able to sleep.

Chapter 12 – Chayse
    M y phone vibrated from my back pocket, stirring me from sleep. I opened my eyes. Barely. It was still dark outside and I could practically feel the booze oozing from my pores.
    What did I do?
    I remembered Hoyt saying I should take the weekend off. I'd asked Link if he wanted to hang out. The two of us had decided to go to some out of the way bar with some of the others riders from Mill Valley. It had been fun. I think. The night was a blurry mix of memories.
    Drinking. Laughing. Dancing.
    Three things that I enjoyed doing before this contract with Throttled shoved a set of rules in my face. Rules that I said “to hell with” last night apparently. Judging from the pounding in my head I'd told those rules to fuck right off.
    I wrestled my phone from the tight pocket of my jeans and rolled onto my back. The bright light shining in my face wasn't helping my headache as I unlocked the screen. It was seven-thirty at night. I'd slept for almost an entire day? Nothing like wasting daylight. I should have been getting in a few extra hours of practice in. Hoyt may have given me the time off, but I should have used it more wisely than sleeping. I could have at least went to the gym.
    I pulled up the call log to see who had been blowing my phone up. Link .
    I pushed the call button and while it as ringing I tried to remember exactly how I ended up in my bed. It had to be Link.
    “It's about time,” he said instead of the normal phone greeting. “What the hell have you been doing?”
    “Sleeping,” I replied. “For a while.”
    “I'll say. I even beat on your trailer door this afternoon.”
    “Sorry. I must have had a bit too much fun.”
    “You think?” His tone just screamed sarcasm. “I was starting to wonder if you went home with Travers.”
    “Ha!” I said almost immediately. Home with Travers. Link had lost his damn mind. Hoyt Travers wouldn't take me home with him even if his life depended on it. “Nope. I'm safe and sound in my own bed thanks to you.”
    “Well I'm not the reason you're there. I can promise you that.”
    “No?”
    “No. Your coach,” he explained. “That's why I figured you were at his place.”
    “Wait...”
    Hoyt brought me back here?
    “How do I not remember this?”
    “Probably the bottle of Jack you drank.” Link laughed. “I mean, damn girl, you were really tossing them back.”
    “Get to the point, Link.” My head was throbbing in time with each word he spoke. I didn't need the long version.
    “You were drunk. You were dancing. Hoyt saw you and didn't like it one bit.”
    I closed my eyes and tried to remember. I was surrounded by people—most of which I didn't know. I was dancing with Link, and then with whoever was closest, and then with...
    Dance with me, Hoyt.
    My hands were on him. My body was on him. My lips were on his neck.
    Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
    “Omigod,” I said with a sigh. The tiny threat of vomit that I'd felt when I woke up was now tenfold.
    “Um, yeah... so now he's all pissed at you. He's pissed at me. He even threatened to call Pilsner and tell him it was my fault you were out.”
    “That's ridiculous,” I told him. “I went there on my own. You had nothing to do with it.”
    “Tell your boyfriend that,” he suggested. “I'm probably going to get dropped by Throttled.”
    “He's not my boyfriend,” I said, hearing the disdain in my voice. “And, no you won't,” I assured him. “I'll make sure that everyone knows you had nothing to do with my bad decisions.” And