Page 10 of Link (Dragon Riders MC 1)
“Sorry,” she said, her voice coming in clear over my ear intercom.
“It’s fine. I promise.”
She snickered. “Microphones in the helmet. Fancy.”
I shrugged. “I like listening to music while I ride. Got a station you care for?”
“Not country.”
I chuckled. “No worries. I can do that just fine.”4JoannaI shoved my fork into the behemoth salad and brought it to my lips. My eyes cascaded over the impeccable files I had stacked together, looking as if they had never been touched. The unforgiving wooden kitchen chair I sat in reminded me of the comfort of home. Well, as much of a home as I’d had in a few years now.
“Mmph. So good,” I murmured.
Every bite of that salad I took, the thing kept getting better. I wasn’t sure how that was possible, but it was glorious. I dipped my fork into the container of dressing before shoving it back into my salad. The steak smelled divine. The blue cheese crumbles added a tartness that complimented the sweet vinaigrette nicely. And as the taste of red bell peppers and olives filled my mouth, my eyes grew heavy.
He was nice.
After taking me to the diner to get some food, he brought me home. Not just to the curb, but all the way up my driveway. I wasn’t sure what possessed me to do that. To show this strange man where I lived. But for some reason, I felt safe with him.
I felt safe knowing that he knew where I lived.
“You’re an idiot,” I murmured.
It was counterintuitive to everything I’d ever learned. Everything I’d ever come across in my studies or in my own line of work. Every time I worked a case where a man had taken advantage of a woman because she trusted him too quickly, it reinforced the idea that I couldn't trust anyone. That I shouldn't trust anyone, no matter what. My job is what outlined the rules for my life. Because I saw first-hand what happened to victims who didn’t play by the rules. Who didn’t take necessary precautions. I saw what happened even when victims did take necessary precautions but had no way to defend themselves.
I peered over at my gun sitting on my kitchen table. At least I remembered to grab it. I sighed as I took another massive bite of my salad, filling my stomach even further. The meat in this thing didn’t seem to stop. How many steaks had they actually put in this damn thing?
Because I was pretty sure I’d already eaten one, and the meat still kept on coming.
Sleep, Joanna. You need sleep.
What I needed was to figure out my transportation situation. What I needed was to find a reliable vehicle or to look up taxi services in the area. What I needed was to do a plethora of other things I didn’t get to tonight. But my body cried out for my bed and my eyes grew so heavy that I had to close them for a few seconds.
Before my head bobbed itself awake.
“All right, all right. I can continue tomorrow,” I murmured.
I looked down at my salad and giggled. It didn’t even look like I had touched the thing. And I was as full as I’d ever been from eating a salad! I took one more bite I knew I’d regret and closed the container. I put everything up, including the dressing, and gathered my papers into my briefcase. I couldn't continue tomorrow, especially since Mondays were my late day into the office. I didn’t technically have days off right now. But Sundays and Mondays were “late open” days. While I usually had the office unlocked and open by eight, I gave myself until eleven on those two days. Plus, I closed early.
Eleven to four. You can do this.
I dragged myself upstairs, only to be met with the memory of Link. The way his leather jacket felt in the palms of my hands called to me as I collapsed into bed. I fell asleep almost immediately, but I dreamt of him all night. Of the smoothness of his voice and the comfort of his broad shoulders and that cheeky little grin of his that lit up those gorgeous blue eyes.
He stayed with me all night up there. In my dreams. Showing me around town, taking me on bike rides, and continuing to call me “beautiful.”
Until my alarm went off at seven.
“Fuck,” I groaned.
I forgot to turn off my damn alarm.
I rolled over and slammed my hand against my phone. I wasn’t sure if I snoozed the alarm or turned it off, but I rolled back over onto my stomach anyway. I had to figure out a way to set a later alarm on my phone for these two days. It wasn't hard to fall back asleep though.
Except, ten minutes later? My damn alarm went off again.
