“You brought your bike?”
“I figured you need to get used to being on the back.” Cash grinned, handing her a helmet. Rachel climbed on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
“I’ve seen plenty of women on the back of your bike, Cash; it’s not exactly a privilege when a hundred other women have shared the experience.” Rachel wasn’t going to let him lead her to believe she was special.
He shot her a look that had her closing her mouth. She was pushing it with him again, and from that look, she was treading on dangerous ground. She held on tighter as he drove out onto the roadway. She’d thought he would head into town; instead, he headed in the opposite direction. As they passed Rosie’s bar, she wondered if he was taking her to his clubhouse.
When he passed it, she assumed he was simply taking her for a ride. She took a deep breath of the brisk, night air. There was nothing like the fresh, mountain air.
The throbbing bike underneath gave her a sense of freedom she had never experienced before. She could understand the lure of the motorcycle club; it was the tie that grounded them. If not, it would be easy to just keep riding without the responsibilities of life holding you back.
Cash slowed the bike, turning into the lake where he had brought her before. When he pulled in, she saw several of his friends were already there. She stiffened, fearing this time wouldn’t be any different than the last.
She had been around them enough with Beth and Lily to recognize several of them. She wasn’t the type to be made nervous, but she didn’t know how to interact with them. She felt self-conscious around the women, who were completely feminine. The small blond with the spiked hair was dressed in a small, red bikini with a thong bottom. Next to her was Raci, a pretty brunette with a bright-pink bikini that was even smaller, the top barely covering her nipples and the bottoms barely covering a small patch.
Rachel swallowed hard, uncertain of how to deal with the uncomfortable situation. The weather was unseasonably warm, and the women were taking complete advantage by showing they hadn’t gained an ounce during the winter while her own ass had grown from Mag’s comfort food.
“Hi, Rachel.” Lily’s soft voice had her releasing a relieved sigh when she saw her friend sitting beside Shade. Beth was sitting on the other side of her, next to her husband, Razer.
“Hi.” She walked closer to the blanket they were sitting on.
Lily scooted closer to her husband, giving her enough room to sit down next to her. Beth then edged closer to Razer on the opposite side, giving enough room for Cash to sit down next to Rachel.
“It’s beautiful out here at night, isn’t it?” Lily smiled, handing her a soda out of the cooler. “Rider came out earlier to set out the torches.”
“It’s nice here. Holly and I bring Logan.” Rachel looked at Beth cuddled up to her husband’s side. “Who’s keeping the babies for you?”
“Evie and King. I think she would keep them if we let her,” Beth said wryly.
Rachel agreed with her. She had seen Evie with the children, and her attachment to them was obvious.
Winter came out of the water with Viper’s arm wrapped around her waist. The tats on him and the others caught her eyes. They all had similar ones on different parts of their bodies. The center was a Navy seal insignia with a snake wrapped around it from the bottom up, leaving the face of the snake glaring back. Objects surrounded the insignia: two revolvers with a metal chain wrapped around the barrels of the gun, linking them together; brass knuckles; a hand of cards; and a razor knife. The whole tattoo had a layer of shadows, giving it a eerie effect. Rachel’s mind began playing with the thought of where Cash’s tattoo was. He had one on each of his biceps, but she hadn’t noticed a similar one on his chest.
Winter sank down on the blanket across from her while Viper reached into the cooler, pulling out two beers and giving one to his wife.
“I’m surprised you’re out on a school night, Winter,” Rachel teased, never imagining in a million years the woman, who had been her high school principal, would be sitting across from her in a bikini, drinking a beer. She had thought her staid and boring. She had been a mentor, and Rachel hadn’t thought of her as a flesh-and-blood woman.
“I usually don’t. I hate being tired first thing in the morning, but we all punish ourselves sometimes for a good cause.” Rachel didn’t understand the sidelong glance Winter threw her husband, which he ignored, lifting the beer to his lips.
A sudden squeal had Rachel jumping until she saw Rider throw Bliss into the water, going in after her and pulling her into a passionate kiss, gradually edging her over to the darker side of the water. Rachel lowered her gaze, embarrassed and unaccustomed to seeing couples make out in front of her.