From the Love On A Harley Anthology

by Rebecca Andrews

EXCERPT---

With her eyes closed, Ella Preston’s thoughts drifted—maybe now was the time she should consider making a change. She’d spent the last seven years on the crazy modeling merry-go-round and was tired of being under constant scrutiny by the public, by others in the industry. In truth, she was just tired. She’d recently launched a signature perfume and skin care line, to go with the line of workout clothes, video and diet and exercise book already part of her portfolio. She’d invested well, and if she walked away from this crazy business today… She sighed. She’d never have what she really wanted. She’d lost him ten years earlier.

A deep, reverberating rumble filled the air and she dropped her hair. Eyes still closed, the sound of thunder rolled through her, stirring up an echo of the past, of her dreams of a man who’d come home to her every night, a man who would love her with such passion her toes would curl. She’d wanted a life full of love and happiness, a house in the country with kids, a dog. And she wanted to be a soccer mom, bake cupcakes for the annual bake sale; she wanted happily ever after. But, she’d learned the hard way that life just wasn’t fair, even if you’d been born with a silver spoon in your mouth.

The deep growl that once upon a time stirred her heart with excitement grew closer. Ella opened her eyes. The well-defined sound came from a sleek chopper with red and orange flames licking over the front fender and down the sides of the gas tank. With a long sigh of appreciation she watched the bike come to a stop and wondered which looked more impressive...the bike or the sight of the long legged man climbing off.

            A slow smile worked across her mouth as the man slipped out of a black leather jacket, stowed it in the saddle-pouch on the rear, then stretched from side to side as if working out a few kinks. Something about the way the man moved snagged more than her attention. The black tee stretched taut across a strong, broad back and large muscled forearms had her clenching her thighs against the unexpected heat that suddenly gripped her woman’s core. With regret she realized it had been a long time since a man had really caught her attention and that she spent way too much time around men who worried about their weight as much as she did.

Strong shoulders bunched as he reached up and removed his helmet. Crew-cut blond hair, blindingly white in the sunlight caught her off-guard and stirred the memories of the one boy she’d once loved. She shrugged off the melancholy as her curiosity and a need she’d denied for too long had her wanting to know if the front looked as amazing as the back. The man turned and a quiet, appreciative, breathy sigh escaped.

A deep bronze, his face was undeniably mouth-watering even with the mirrored sunglasses still in place. She watched as he looked around and felt, more than saw, his gaze land on her. Curious, she rose from her chair as he started toward her. 

Mr. Amazing stopped in front of her. She felt an anxious tug in her gut as he reached for the sunglasses and slid them to the top of his head. Familiar emerald fire met hers. Her throat squeezed tight and she took a defensive step back, her legs colliding with the edge of the chair. Her traitorous heart skipped excitedly over the sight of…oh, God. Wess McKade.