Smitten by Janet Evanovich Page A

one of these.”
    â€œWell, no…”
    He strapped the gym bag to the back of the seat, handed Lizabeth a big black helmet, and straddled the bike. “Open the front door for me. I’ll take you for a ride. It’s stopped raining. This’ll be great.”
    Lizabeth clutched the helmet to her chest and took a step backward. “That’s not necessary. It’s nice of you to offer, but…”
    The smile was full of pure little-boy charm. “Come on. You’re really going to like this.”
    He started the big black bike. The motorrumbled through the house like thunder. Windows rattled, glasses danced across the kitchen counter, and Lizabeth felt the vibration through the soles of her shoes.
    â€œRiding a Harley’s the next best thing to good sex,” Matt said, hand-revving the engine.
    Lizabeth pressed her lips together. She didn’t want to miss the next best thing to good sex , but the thought of riding hell-bent on Matt’s Harley made her mouth go dry. She grimly followed him out the door and down the sidewalk to the curb. He patted the seat behind him and smiled.
    â€œMacho garbage,” Lizabeth said.
    The smile broadened. “Without a shadow of a doubt.”
    She settled herself on the padded seat, cautiously searched for a place for her feet to rest, and tentatively clutched at his waist.
    â€œYou have to be careful with me,” she said. “I’m a motherrrrrrr!”
    Her fingers locked on to his shirt, her knuckles went instantly white, and her words were lost in the wind and the roar of the engine as the bike laid rubber and wheeled away from the curb.

Chapter 6
    Jason was the first to reach the bike when it pulled into the driveway.
    â€œOh man, this is so cool. I hope Noogie Newsome’s watching from across the street. He thinks he’s so hot because his brother got a scooter. Man, this baby could blast that stupid scooter right off the road.”
    Lizabeth could barely see her son through the bugs splattered on her Plexiglas visor. She carefully put one foot on the ground and tried to breathe. It was probably the first breath she’d had since leaving Matt’s town house, she thought. She reached for the helmet and realized her hands were shaking. It had felt so fast . All wind and noise and power.
    Matt cut the engine and felt the body go limp behind him. He turned to look over his shoulder and saw that Lizabeth’s eyes werehuge, her face ashen, her breathing coming in shallow gasps. He set the kickstand and slid off the bike, cursing himself for not checking on her sooner. He put his hands to her waist, pulled her to her feet, and removed her helmet.
    â€œYou’re all right. You’re just hyperventilating. Take a deep breath.” He massaged her shoulders and the base of her neck. “Try to relax.”
    Lizabeth nodded, unable to speak. She couldn’t remember ever having been so terrified…and so exhilarated. She cupped her hands over her nose and mouth and made an effort to slow her breathing.
    Matt gently stroked the wet ringlets away from her damp forehead. “Lizabeth,” he said, “you have a ways to go before you get those fairy wings.”
    She patted his chest with her hand. “I’m sure you’ll help me.”
    â€œI’m trying.”
    Jason had scrambled onto the bike. “Vrooom, vrooom, vrooom,” he said. “I’m gonna get one of these when I grow up. I’m gonna start saving my money.”
    Lizabeth looked at her son and winced. She didn’t want him aspiring to own a motorcycle.She didn’t necessarily care if he went to an Ivy League college, and she certainly didn’t want him to be as career-obsessed as Paul, but she did have minimum expectations for him. And she didn’t consider a fixation with motorcycles to be a step in the right direction.
    She reluctantly admitted she had a problem. She’d fallen in love with a man