While it had seemed a good idea at the time, during, and right afterward, Scott could be having second thoughts. Being a fuck buddy was one thing. The thought of having your ex back in your bed and under the same roof twenty-four/seven until the task force operation was over might be more than enough reason for him to back off and cool down. Maybe he thought she would start wanting more.
Home. Yeah. That unintentional slip had probably meant no more than the baseball scoring system junior high-schoolers still used to determine their sexual progress with a girl. Scott had made it to first, second, third, as well as accumulating a few more advanced scoring stats, before he slid into home.
Yep. That should be enough to send her running for the hills, too.
“Hey, Noel!”
Cole automatically smiled as she looked up. She was becoming accustomed to her new name.
Richards had pulled up in a truck beside her with what looked like a motorcycle under a tarp in the back.
She leaned in the window. “New wheels?”
“That’s right. Come and tell me what you think.”
While he climbed out, she moved to lean over the side of the truck bed on the opposite side. He pulled loose a couple of knots holding the tarp then whipped it off.
“It’s green.” Grasshopper green. Cole laughed. “I can’t imagine you on anything green.”
“You’d be right.” He grinned at her. “Like it?”
“What’s not to like? What is it?”
“A Kawasaki Ninja 250R. Great little sports bike for a female, I’m told. Not too much power but a sweet goer. Wouldn’t get on the interstate with her. She’s more a weekend-out-in-the-country bike, or for a city gal.”
He loosened the grips on the wheels, dropped the tailgate, and, using a built-in ramp, rolled her down. He patted the seat. “Try her out.”
Cole could feel her excitement building but resisted. “I’m sweaty from working Hugo. I wouldn’t want to get something so pretty dirty.”
“Up to you. You can try her now or later, but let me show you a few things before you take her for a spin.” He shut the tailgate and began folding the tarp.
“You’re leaving it for me to try out?”
“I’m leaving it for you, period.”
Cole was touched, and a little embarrassed. Just because they’d been flirting the past couple of days, innocently on her part, she hoped Richards hadn’t gotten the wrong idea about her interest in him. “That’s so nice of you but I can’t accept a gift this expensive.”
He grinned at her in a way that let her know he’d read her thoughts. “You’re cute but I’m taken.” He held up his left hand and tapped his ring finger.
Cole felt herself blush, hard. “Oh, I wasn’t thinking…”
“I’m still flattered. But put your mind at ease. I requisitioned this for the task force. I purely did like what a ride on a bike did for your confidence. Probably saved this operation. So, this is undercover operational equipment.” He patted the seat. “For the duration, this little honey belongs to Noel Jenkins.”
“Seriously?” Cole ran her hand over its sleek and sexy surface. It looked very modern and fun, like something from a movie. “I’d be afraid I might damage it.”
“Hell. Don’t worry about that. Worry about you. I can’t requisition another dog whisperer.”
“Dog whisperer?”
“That’s what the boys are calling you. Ms. Yardley says you’re remarkably good with Hugo. She didn’t expect you to progress so quickly. Says you have a gift for training K-9s.”
Delight sped through Cole. Yardley certainly had kept her praise a secret this week. In fact, every time she noticed the kennel owner watching her put Hugo through his paces, her heart rate had doubled in apprehension. Yardley seldom said a word, just watched her and Hugo’s every movement with eagle-eyed intensity.
“You take care now, you hear?” Richards opened the driver’s side door. “Wait up. I forgot something.” He pulled a big shopping bag out of the cab and came around to hand it to her. “I figured you wouldn’t have a helmet or jacket. Hope they fit. I had to guess your size.”
Cole pulled the items out. The jacket, thankfully, was black. The helmet a bright green to match the bike, as was the trim on the motorcycle gloves. “Wow. Let me pay you for these.”
“Not a penny. My pleasure.”
She waited until Richards drove away to throw a leg over the bike. It felt lighter and easier to manage than the bigger, heavier one he rode. Yes, Noel just might be taking up a new hobby.
She looked down at Hugo, who was sniffing the bike suspiciously. “Too bad you can’t hang on or you could ride bitch.”
Hugo barked twice, sniffed the bike a little more, and then backed up and barked a few more times. Clearly he recognized competition when he saw it.
Cole leaned down and scratched the top of his head. “I will always love you best.” But, obviously, a test ride was in order.
One shower and a change of boots, jeans, jacket, and helmet later, Cole was cruising down a back road dappled with sunshine and leaf shadows.