open, to watch the shops and restaurants, the pedestrians and the cars fly by. She finally understood the fascination with motorcycles. The freedom. The sheer exhilaration.
All too soon they double parked in front of her apartment building and he shut off the bike. “Careful climbing off.”
Her legs shook as she stood up and unsnapped the helmet. “Thank you.” She shivered without the heat of Ian’s body.
He took the helmet from her and pulled it on. “And you didn’t die,” he said, the corner of his mouth lifting as he snapped the strap.
“No. I didn’t.” In fact, I lived!
“I’ll wait for you to get inside. Goodnight, Millie. Have a nice weekend.”
“You, too.” Reluctant to leave him, she forced her feet in the direction of her building. As she opened the door, the motorcycle roared again as he hit the gas.
Adrenaline still pumping through her, she knew sleep would be a long time in coming tonight.
Stretched out on his bed, a re-run of This Old House on the TV, Ian couldn’t get Millie off his mind. The feel of her against him, her arms wrapped around his waist, the way her breathing hitched when she’d climbed on the bike. She’d looked adorable in his helmet, the way it fell over her eyes. And if he could trust the light from the streetlamp, her cheeks had been flushed when she’d climbed off the bike and removed the helmet. Whether from cold or exhilaration, he didn’t know.
He’d felt so protective of her. As he’d watched her head up the sidewalk to her apartment, he’d wondered what her life was like. Did she have any friends outside of Darcy? Did she have a boyfriend? A spark of jealousy struck him out of the blue.
Why should he care? Even if he was interested in her, he didn’t have time. He had a friend who needed him and a business to grow. And speaking of his business, now that Ruby was comfortable at home, he vowed he’d spend the entire weekend working on the RFI if that was what it took, but come Sunday evening, it would be finished. With the deadline looming, it was high time he shit or got off the pot.
And if he finished it early on Sunday, he’d reward himself with a little work on the shelves for his office/library. He’d landed some beautiful Brazilian walnut on closeout that would make a stunning addition to the loft.
Satisfied with his plan, he clicked off the TV and rolled over on his side. As he drifted off, he could swear he felt Millie pressed against his back, warm and trusting.
“Millie, be careful. Josh can put the star on the tree when he gets home,”Darcy warned.
Millie teetered on the top step of the stepladder, determined to finish the Christmas tree. They still had the banister, fireplace mantel, and front stoop to decorate. The New York Times Magazine was doing a feature on Christmas with Best-Selling author Darcy Butler-Ryan, and the photographer would be at the house tomorrow.
That, and she loved decorating with Darcy. She had so many pretty things. Things that meant something special to her. Like the Pride and Prejudice -themed ornaments her mother had given her for her first Christmas away from home. And the New York Yankees’ ornament that Josh gave her the year they met.
Millie’s parents barely acknowledged Christmas. Even over the school break, they were buried in their research. The only gifts she’d received growing up came from her maternal aunt who lived in California, and they were usually items like Barbie dolls and My Little Pony. She appreciated her aunt’s thoughtfulness, and while her cousins, Amy and Mindy, probably enjoyed them, the gifts were a complete mystery to her. She’d much rather have received books. Or a chemistry set. Even an ant farm.
Millie didn’t put up a tree. Her apartment was far too small. But coming to Darcy’s every day, she got to see and enjoy this one.
“Hi, ladies. Need some help?” Ian’s voice melted over Millie like hot butter, and her foot slipped as if she’d stepped in the slick
All too soon they double parked in front of her apartment building and he shut off the bike. “Careful climbing off.”
Her legs shook as she stood up and unsnapped the helmet. “Thank you.” She shivered without the heat of Ian’s body.
He took the helmet from her and pulled it on. “And you didn’t die,” he said, the corner of his mouth lifting as he snapped the strap.
“No. I didn’t.” In fact, I lived!
“I’ll wait for you to get inside. Goodnight, Millie. Have a nice weekend.”
“You, too.” Reluctant to leave him, she forced her feet in the direction of her building. As she opened the door, the motorcycle roared again as he hit the gas.
Adrenaline still pumping through her, she knew sleep would be a long time in coming tonight.
Stretched out on his bed, a re-run of This Old House on the TV, Ian couldn’t get Millie off his mind. The feel of her against him, her arms wrapped around his waist, the way her breathing hitched when she’d climbed on the bike. She’d looked adorable in his helmet, the way it fell over her eyes. And if he could trust the light from the streetlamp, her cheeks had been flushed when she’d climbed off the bike and removed the helmet. Whether from cold or exhilaration, he didn’t know.
He’d felt so protective of her. As he’d watched her head up the sidewalk to her apartment, he’d wondered what her life was like. Did she have any friends outside of Darcy? Did she have a boyfriend? A spark of jealousy struck him out of the blue.
Why should he care? Even if he was interested in her, he didn’t have time. He had a friend who needed him and a business to grow. And speaking of his business, now that Ruby was comfortable at home, he vowed he’d spend the entire weekend working on the RFI if that was what it took, but come Sunday evening, it would be finished. With the deadline looming, it was high time he shit or got off the pot.
And if he finished it early on Sunday, he’d reward himself with a little work on the shelves for his office/library. He’d landed some beautiful Brazilian walnut on closeout that would make a stunning addition to the loft.
Satisfied with his plan, he clicked off the TV and rolled over on his side. As he drifted off, he could swear he felt Millie pressed against his back, warm and trusting.
“Millie, be careful. Josh can put the star on the tree when he gets home,”Darcy warned.
Millie teetered on the top step of the stepladder, determined to finish the Christmas tree. They still had the banister, fireplace mantel, and front stoop to decorate. The New York Times Magazine was doing a feature on Christmas with Best-Selling author Darcy Butler-Ryan, and the photographer would be at the house tomorrow.
That, and she loved decorating with Darcy. She had so many pretty things. Things that meant something special to her. Like the Pride and Prejudice -themed ornaments her mother had given her for her first Christmas away from home. And the New York Yankees’ ornament that Josh gave her the year they met.
Millie’s parents barely acknowledged Christmas. Even over the school break, they were buried in their research. The only gifts she’d received growing up came from her maternal aunt who lived in California, and they were usually items like Barbie dolls and My Little Pony. She appreciated her aunt’s thoughtfulness, and while her cousins, Amy and Mindy, probably enjoyed them, the gifts were a complete mystery to her. She’d much rather have received books. Or a chemistry set. Even an ant farm.
Millie didn’t put up a tree. Her apartment was far too small. But coming to Darcy’s every day, she got to see and enjoy this one.
“Hi, ladies. Need some help?” Ian’s voice melted over Millie like hot butter, and her foot slipped as if she’d stepped in the slick
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