She did great, though. Every once in a while she’d try holding on to him instead of the handholds, but she didn’t try to puncture him again. The hill they had to climb made her nervous. He could tell by the way her knees gripped his thighs, as if she was on a horse she thought might buck her off.
The clearing he pulled into this time had a decent view, and the club had put in a picnic table. He helped her unbuckle the helmet and kept a very straight face when she pulled it off and all of the loose wisps that were escaping the braid stood out around her face.
He didn’t think she’d appreciate knowing that was going on, even if bad hair went hand in hand with women and helmets.
“It’s very quiet here,” she said, probably trying to fill the silence.
“Do you want some water?” He pulled the storage compartment under the passenger seat.
“Just a sip.” She took the bottle, grimacing at her hands. “Is my face as dirty as my hands? I feel really dirty.”
“You’re four-wheeling. You’re supposed to get dirty.”
“You’re four-wheeling. I’m just sightseeing.” She grinned and took a long sip of the water.
He thought she looked sexy as hell with a couple of smudges of dirt on her face and her hair all mussed up. He stepped close to her, sliding his hand over her hip. “You know, one of my favorite things about being out in the woods is the privacy. There’s nobody around for miles.”
“Oh, no you don’t. I am not having sex with you in the woods.” She put her hand on his chest and pushed. “There is zero chance of that happening.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think you would.”
“Is that disappointment I hear?” She put her hands on her hips. “Did you actually think there was a chance I’d get naked out here in the dirt? With leaves and bugs and sticks and...dirt?”
“You don’t have to get totally naked. Or touch the dirt at all.” Her skeptical look made him chuckle. “I could demonstrate if you want.”
“I’m not having sex with you outside.”
“Sex with you inside was pretty damn good, so I suppose I’ll live.”
She smiled at him. “The four-wheeling part isn’t as bad as I expected, if that makes you feel any better.”
“It does make me feel better knowing the time you spend with me doesn’t totally suck.” It wasn’t a glowing endorsement, but he’d take it. “Do you want to drive?”
“No.” She laughed. “I’m fine riding on the back, thank you. But I have to pee.”
“Any chance at all you’ll pee in the woods?”
She shook her head, not even considering the idea. “No.”
“I didn’t think so.” He chuckled and handed over her helmet. “We’ll head back now. We’re not too far out.”
“Okay. And if you could not hit any bumps, that would be great.”
*
THE FOLLOWING DAY, it didn’t take a lot of coaxing on their part to talk Hailey into closing the library for lunch and heading to the diner to see Tori and Liz.
On the off chance she would come, Hailey sent a text to Paige, too, telling her the plan. Surely four women could handle one baby in public, even if one of them was supposed to be working.
When she arrived at the Trailside Diner, Liz and Paige were already in a booth in the back, with Sarah’s baby seat on the bench beside her mother. Hailey slid in next to Liz and waved at Tori.
“I’m starving,” she said, reaching for a menu, but changing her mind. She knew everything on the menu already.
“Great sex will do that to a woman,” Liz said.
Tori set four empty coffee mugs on the table with a thump. “So will skipping breakfast.”
“Yeah, but she’s smiling and you’re slamming cups around. Hailey’s having sex.”
“If this is the only reason you talked me into coming, I’m going back to work,” Hailey said, though she wasn’t sure she’d follow through on the threat since she now had a cup of coffee sitting in front of her.
Tori poured decaf for Paige and then fixed the fourth mug for herself. “I’m going to leave this on the edge of the table and drink it as I can. I might also eat off your plates. You’ve been warned.”
They ordered food and then sat back to catch up. It quickly became obvious they were a lot more interested in what Hailey was up to than sharing what was going on in their own lives.
“Not pregnant,” Liz said.
Tori shrugged. “Work. More work.”
“I have an almost two-month-old daughter,” Paige said. “She is pretty much the sum total of my life at the moment. Although I did take a shower without Rosie being there. Progress.”
Then they all focused on Hailey, who tried to play dumb. “Fran’s agreed to sponsor the ice cream party for the summer reading program.”
“That’s funny,” Liz said. “How are things between you and Matt? Really?”
She shrugged. “Well, as you said, I’m a smiling, starving woman. Other than that, nothing’s really changed.”
Liz shook her head. “Sex changes things, whether you think so right off or not.”
“He’s fun. He’s hot.” Hailey stirred her coffee. “Is he Mr. Right for me? Still no.”
“I heard you and Matt went out four-wheeling yesterday,” Paige said. “Be honest. Did you have sex in the woods?”